I was so happy to have arranged Sioux Browning to pop in to our Gala decor meeting. She is such a creative installment artist and already has great ideas for us. The event is really coming together and I love working with Mary Ann and Nadine.
A photo from the Seniors dinner was shared with me today. It is a great reminder that many hands make light work. What a great group of volunteers
I finished watching Continuum which involved a big brother type wristband called halo among other things he and then got an email about the newest Apple Watch….
I had to pop over to Moms as her phone wasn’t charging. The cord struggles to stay in the correct spot so I am going to look into upgrading her.
I stayed at the office until after 6. Came home to eat and xo e out watching season 3 of The Diplomat.
I was up at 5:30, got dressed in comfy buffalo check pants, a maple leaf t-shirt and my sweater coat from the 2014 Winter Games to head down to F&B for the Gold Medal Hockey game. US vs Canada had the bar packed for the 6 am start. I walked in at the same time as Reggie and we sat together at the bar. He was a lot of fun to hang with and I enjoyed a good breakfast and a couple Caesars. The game was really good but we lost on 3 on 3 overtime.
I took care of my recycling and then settled in my chair for a nap.
Once I was up I finished watching Continuum as I made sample napkin rings for the gala and rebuilt a car from the Lego for Sawyer’s collection.
I spent the day finishing sorting Lego and then picked up Rae-Anne. We went for dinner at Family Thai, which I haven’t done in a very long time. It was so nice to see Mam the owner. I had the pad see ew which I love very much and brought home enough for lunch tomorrow.
From there, we stopped for a baby and a good talk at F&B, which is right next-door to the stage door. Robby did confirm that they will be opened and running at 5:30 AM Is the gold medal hockey game is at 6 AM between Canada and the US. The local and provincial governments have allowed liquor license, establishments i.e. sports bars to open early for the game. Although I don’t really want to get up at 5:30 on a Sunday morning I think it will be a lot of fun so I have laid out my clothes, including my 2014 winter Olympic sweater and will set my alarm. I remember waking up early in Bella Bella to watch the game, which was at something like 3 AM. It was good fun so I am actually looking forward to it and can always come home and nap if I need to.
The play, I don’t even know where to start. I don’t believe it had a story or premise that was worth putting on the stage, but I did think for a community theatre production the set and the male lead were very good.
It’s not one that I would highly recommend anyone go to especially because it was three hours long. We did have a good time now together. There may have been some super mocking going on.
It’s strange, but I’m not sure if I made the right choice today. I can’t seem to settle into the idea of what I missed. I didn’t find out till after 10 o’clock last night that I could go to Jeanne’s grad at the college. I have been led to believe on Wednesday they’re only three people could go and that would be of course his mom and dad and whoever else they chose. Once I got to work and settled into my to-do list I realize that I shouldn’t have taken off so much time yesterday and I would’ve been able to get more done. I just didn’t want to work this weekend. I now feel that was somewhat selfish and I should’ve left work at 1:30 to be there. Everyone else in the family was there that was here in town. I justify it by thinking it’s OK. It’s just a diploma in firefighting. He didn’t graduate from years of study and it is what it is. I know he worked hard. That’s a given.
I think it only sank in when I saw all the pictures of the family with him and how happy he is standing there with his deceased uncle Travis’s firefighting helmet. I was very emotional.
Clearly, I’m still working on the work life balance thing
The Rotary lunch was very entertaining as Sven gave his bio following an interesting look at our planned new build for seniors
After the meeting I met with Mary Ann and Nadine at Sa for rentals to lock down what we would be using for the gala. They sure give us a good deal
I got a few hours work done and we completed our Survivor pool. I asked ChatGPT about our teams and hope it’s right!
Fun. You accidentally created a very real Survivor draft dynamic here — some teams drafted winners, some drafted legends, and some drafted walking targets 😄
I’m rating them the way a real survivor pool works: probability a member lasts deep + winner equity + likelihood they don’t get booted early for being dangerous or annoying.
I’ll go team by team, then rank overall.
Christian (DvG), Ozzy (CI/Micro/SoPa/GC), Emily (45), Mike (42 winner)
What this team does well:
This is a “balanced” roster — social + challenge + strategic.
The problem: Ozzy is historically allergic to long-term positioning. He either goes very far… or gets sniped right after merge when everyone remembers he wins immunity runs.
Verdict: Very strong chance at multiple deep runs.
Rating: 8.5 / 10
Jenna (Amazon winner), Coach (Tocantins/SoPa), Genevieve (47), Stephenie (Palau/Guatemala)
This is the most volatile team.
This roster has “big character energy” but that’s bad in modern Survivor.
They’ll get targeted simply for being noticeable.
Verdict: Boom-or-bust, leaning bust.
Rating: 5.5 / 10
Devens (EoE), Jonathan (42), Angelina (DvG), Aubry (Kaoh Rong/Game Changers/EoE)
I’m going to be blunt: this is the most entertaining team and also strategically fascinating.
You accidentally built a “shield ladder.”
Jonathan shields pre-merge → Devens mid-game chaos → Aubry late game positioning.
Your only risk: Devens’ reputation in modern casts is nuclear.
Verdict: Extremely high chance at deep placements.
Rating: 9 / 10
Savannah, Dee (45 winner), Colby (AO/HvV), Kamilla
This team hinges almost entirely on Dee.
This is a “one-anchor roster.” If Dee gets clipped early, the team collapses.
Verdict: High risk, moderate reward.
Rating: 6.5 / 10
Charlie (46), Tiffany (46), Rizo, Kyle
This is the opposite problem: low threat power.
This team likely accumulates mid-game finishes but probably no winner.
Verdict: Consistent but low ceiling.
Rating: 6 / 10
Q (46), Cirie (Panama/Micro/GC/Traitors legend), Joe (WA/SC/EOE), Chrissy (HvHvH)
This is the “fan favorite all-star trap team.”
Too many visible threats. They’ll never be allowed to reach endgame together.
Verdict: Famous ≠ safe.
Rating: 7 / 10
1️⃣ Marnée — 9/10 (best constructed survivor-pool roster)
2️⃣ Clara — 8.5/10
3️⃣ Rae — 7/10
4️⃣ Jill — 6.5/10
5️⃣ Brett — 6/10
6️⃣ JD — 5.5/10
Survivor pools are NOT about drafting the best players.
They’re about drafting players other players won’t feel urgent about eliminating.
You did that better than anyone else — especially with Angelina and Aubry. Those are quietly excellent pool picks.
If you want, I’ll also predict which single contestant across all teams is most likely to get you the win.
These are the items I picked up at huge sale prices at Top Crop customer appreciation. On the way there I was only going 40 in a 60 as I approached the huge intersection at Victoria Ave. I was sliding and concerned I would keep going into the way of the car waiting to turn left across my track. They were obviously paying attention and I stepped on the gas to go through as the light changes to red and thanked them in the way by.
Our trivia team tonight was fun. Brett, Tanner, Sven, Ashley, Roger and I were Friends With NO Benefits and we won! It was a good combo of knowledge. Took home $35 each
The drive home was less harrowing
Today we celebrated our boy turning 11 and his bro, Lukas, getting his learner’s driving license.
There was a lovely gathering of friends and family for a great hamburger meal complete with a Jeff Crozier cake. My favourite part was the delicious quinoa salad that Roger made. I regret not asking for a dish of take away.
I got Sawyer a Lego passport that Ash sent from Calgary and it arrived today, along with one for Keri’s husband to take on their trip to London. I also got him a jelly fish aquarium.
I made it to our strata AGM just in time to accept a nomination ti be a council member. It was all poorly run but I will nudge us into shape as there are mostly fairly new folks. We shall see how it goes in March.
Apparently, February said I am Loki. The snow is coming down heavy the three hours between getting up and leaving for work showed how much I had come down.
Before I started shoveling, I took a video to send to my friends in Texas, who gave me a hard time when they had a little bit of cold weather 
I arrived at work, announcing that I was seeking Husband number four and that he needed to be young and strong
After a fairly productive day at work, I headed to Key City Theatre as sunrise Rotary club puts on a lot of really good documentary movies. Tonight was Out Standing, based on a true story about Sandra Perron, the first female in the Canadian infantry . It was really good and made me realize how grateful I am that something in my 26-year-old brain decided that I should not join the military, There was a time when I was exploring options. In 1989 I stopped at recruiting office for the armed forces. I went through testing, etc. and the highly suggested I should join the Air Force as they wanted more female pilots. The problem was I was not at all interested in flying and I also was never going to be a grunt and in order to be a pilot you needed to be an officer and in order to be an officer you had to be a grunt. I didn’t know the term back in the day, but I definitely ghosted them. Watching the movie tonight made me realize I made a good choice 
The boys slept in which was a treat. I was up just after 8:30 and Sawyer followed not long after. After breakfast we three played Little Big Planet 2 until Bill came to pick them up. It was a lot of fun and the first time we’ve played 3 at a time. It made the game more fun in some ways.
I did a few chores and made a nice dinner and watched Beast Games.
It was so nice to spend time with the boys. I’m glad I thought to ask yesterday and that they were not busy. They are both good humans. I’m proud to be their Nana.
Started the beautiful blue sky day at Joanna Popoff’s funeral. There was a large crowd and it was a lovely Jewish service followed by refreshments and then a celebration of life. I did not stay for the whole thing but had some great conversations. My favourite part was when the Rabbi gave the Eulogy. He told the story of her and Ron meeting in a bar in Fort Mac. He was attracted to her big bold outfits, big hair, big smile, and big.. (pregnant pause).. everything. There was a delicious ripple of a chuckle through the place.
Will and Sawyer were dropped off mid afternoon. We sorted Lego and watch the Ms Marvel series, had spaghetti and red lobster biscuits and they played a round of Little Big Planet before heading to bed. they are good boys and we had a very nice time.
I was up early and at Memorial Arena by 9 o’clock. I haven’t been there since the 80s. I went to see Emerson play. He wants to be an NHL star He was the captain today and Double shifted so was one tired out little-year-old by the end of the game. He is on the U 11 rep team and they were playing the U 13 house team. There was a significant difference in size in the players, but the rep team won seven nothing.
I had a great visit with his grandma Tina she and I used to spend quite a bit of time out walking together and having little adventures and we have made a plan to get doing that again.
After that, I went up to the Rotary storage locker and got some toys to drop off to Monica for the children’s festival and dropped off a tote for Nancy for the spirit of the Rockies booth. Well, I was there. I brought her the bag of jackets to look at that. I think we should be using when we do outdoor events cause they show up so well.
And then came home and it was so nice out, in spite of waking up the snow this morning that I was inspired to do the last of my garden trimming ready for spring, and was quite shocked to see that my hollyhocks are already starting to grow. Once done that I came in and made a delicious spaghetti sauce. I’ve separated into three containers and look forward to having it for dinner tomorrow night. It was so nice to come home later in the evening and smell the deliciousness of it
I was 50-50 banker for the game tonight against West Kelowna Warriors. They are near the top of the league and we are near the bottom but we played really well and we’re holding our own till near the end of the third period when we lost 3 to 1. I had a lot of fun doing 50-50 and sold the winning ticket again. It was pink the rink night. I didn’t win anything as Kael and his friends threw my pucks for me trying to get closest to centre but he said he wasn’t even close that it was hard.
At around 11:15 this evening while I was sitting here watching High Potential (which I am really enjoying ) there was a loud crash sound in the park. I don’t know what it was and there’s been a lot of cars going back-and-forth but no emergency lights or sounds I guess I’ll wait to hear or look in the morning I’m definitely not going out there right now
I had a great deal of variety in my work day. I was given an interesting ‘compliment’ as well. Someone overheard me dealing with a client that I just met and it’s a long story but apparently I came across very caring and compassionate. It was nice to see that side of me…
There was a drop in creator time at makerSpace and I let Rae know earlier in the day. She showed up with Will, Sawyer and Atlas made fun things including gifts for me. Sawyer made me earrings and Will gave me Lego shaped pieces for my hoodie strings.
When I was finished all my payroll I picked up Rae and we went to Fenwick and Baker for dinner before hitting up Shoppers Drug Mart for a one day deal on eggs and butter. It was a great visit.
I came home and watched The Life of Chuck which had some very lovely moments.
today was a joint meeting between the two Rotary clubs and the Chamber for The Mayor’s Lunch. His honour Mayor Way e Price did a good job and kept on time. The food was good and the only downside was that the water ran brown at the Heritage so we couldn’t have any. Good thing there were so many city employees there.
Afterward I went to meet with Dave and we had a good long visit before he offered to be a $5000 sponsor! What a generous friend. He said he did it for the community and for me.
Brett, Carl, Ryan, and I were Three Men & a Little Lady and we tied for Second which the other team bowed out of the tie breaker so we got a $25 GC to Firehall. Looks like a Friday beer is in our future.
Brett and I sat around after having a ‘therapy’ session. He agrees we are clearly both undiagnosed somewhere on the spectrum. Labels are not necessary, it’s just nice to hang with someone else who ‘speaks’ spectrum. He and his family have become dear friends.
The negative part of the day was finding out after the fact that TM Roberts, Sawyer’s school was put on lockdown this afternoon due to a domestic in the house next-door that involved a gun. That incident followed on the heels of the kids being talked to this morning about the massacre in Tumbler Ridge. Those poor kids. Sawyer said they didn’t know whether the person with the gun was in the school or not. It must’ve been very scary. Rae is encouraging him to talk about it but we are also all very upset that someone told him that the shooter had killed her mom and younger brother which very much upset Sawyer. That was not information that he should’ve learned at school. He said it was his teacher, but we don’t know for sure.
I struggled today because I am so angry that the greatest percentage of headlines about the shooting in Tumble Ridge include the word ‘ trans’ in some way. My first thought when I heard them describe the shooter as a person in a dress with brown hair was that it was likely a male or a male presenting as female. I understood their hesitancy to say anything more without confirmation. We have since learned that it was in fact, an 18-year-old, born male, choosing she/her pronouns. I can only imagine without excusing the horror of this crime that that child was bullied living in a town of 2400 in a northern BC location. They would have been very, very different. We all have to own part of what occurred. I won’t back down for that, but I’m finding myself staying quite quiet on this subject.
It hurts me so much, too feel all the fields of that community with the loss and the fear that they now carry as well as whatever drove that poor soul to do what they did. Mental illness is a bitch and it doesn’t have anything to do with being ‘trans’
A small Northern BC city of 2400 was rocked today by a mass shooter at the high school. All together at least 9 plus shooter are dead and 27 injured. It is a terrible tragedy and few details are available yet. So so terribly sad
I volunteered for the Winter Ale show tonight. Beckham Barr opened and he was so very good and only 15!
Headliner was Dave McCann who was joined by local friend, Ethan Askey. They are both brilliant and I loved the singer songwriter vibe even if the night went an hour longer than it was supposed to.
One of the best things that came out of the pandemic was the ability to book Dr phone call appointments. I had a lovely chat with Dr Jordan ‘Cub’ Wolff today about increasing meds and after this, if no noticeable improvement, tapering off. For what I pay monthly, I can likely get a personal trainer or at the least re up my Boom account and get back on the treadmill regularly. He also gave me a referral to the Dr in Invermere for a shot into my scar tissue. I will try calling them tomorrow.
He seemed a bit motivated to get things done today and so I did at home as I also enjoy the last of season five of only murders in the building and began watching an interesting Marvel series newly out, Wonderman.
I was at Fenwick and Baker by 4 o’clock or soand was happy to sit beside Tami who owns the Sammy and Jo and her dad, Paul. I ended up having a great evening. The buffet was delicious. The company was fun and I won a couple of door prizes. Well, actually, I only took home one of them because the other was a Calgary Flames T-shirt, which I did not want lol Robbie, who was giving out the prizes even said Marnee you don’t want this, do you?
I ended up messaging Rae to see if someone could come and give me a ride. I was thrilled to have Roger and Gene come so that Gene drove me in my car home and then had a ride home with Roger. I had a laugh with Roger as I said not bad in 9 1/2 years here you’ve only had to come rescue me four times. I am grateful for when they do. Smart choices all around.
The main reason that I needed a ride was not because of the drinking over the course of the night rather the round of shots that I bought at the end. We were being ribbed about the boys doing shots at the other end of the table so I turned to Jo and said, hey is there a shot that you like? She said Jaeger. And that gave me a little emotional moment as that was Jackie’s favourite drink so I bought us and Dean at our end of the table a round. We toasted to Jackie.
Mary Ann picked me up around 2 and we spent a couple hours sorting the club storage unit. We did a great job and did a brief inventory, but mostly sorted into categories and sections in the space. We set aside all the stuff we will be using for the gala and we’re thrilled to find material we can use for chair bows as it was very expensive when we priced it out.
After that I picked up the machines for 50/50 from Lallah and headed to the arena as I was banker tonight. I had fun and did sell the winning ticket again. The man was very kind and thankful. It’s nice to make people happy doing a good thing. I also figured out how to turn off the screensavers on the tvs that show the total of winnings as the go blank in the second period.
It does amaze me how often people just live with annoying inconveniences rather than find the solution
At the game a gentleman came up and asked when I was going to get involved in music in the park again as it was really gone downhill and that he and his wife would love to see me back. It was a lovely moment and breaks me a bit after putting so much into it.
Today was weirdly, complicated but almost in a really nice way. I woke up knowing for well. It was one year since my dear Jackie died. But I didn’t have a deep sorrow. I honestly felt joy for knowing her and suddenly realized what I want my trip tattoo to be. I’m going to find something that has her initials in her own handwriting and designed the root of the trip as a constellation with her initials and 2025 in the center. There is a perfect spot for it on my left arm, which is not traditionally my travel arm, but my grounding and tribute arm. It will be perfect.
I mostly worked on one file today which I always find satisfying. After work, I stopped and had a beverage and food with my Bar fly friends and was invited to join Mark and Johanna at their table on Sunday for the Super Bowl party, which takes away a lot of the anxiety of going by myself. I do enjoy their company very much so I’m looking forward to that.
I came home and baked an appetizer to take with me to Poker night out at Tim and Shawna‘s house. It was a nice group of 10 and I made it to second place so came home with $110 which was 70 more than I went there with so that was a bonus. When I got home, just after midnight, I walked over and got my mail for the week to find a cheque for $50 from BC lottery corporation. I had mailed them a scratch, and when that wouldn’t scan properly and it honestly didn’t take very long to get the money.
One of the things I’m very grateful for is that right away this morning I reached out to Reid, Jackie’s son. At the end of the evening, he messaged me that I was the only one who had reached out today, and that it meant a good deal to him. I am sad for him, though, as he has a great deal of extended family in Alberta and he is alone at the coast. She also had some good women friends in the day. I now know that I will continue to reach out and connect with him no matter what.
triumphgal 