I tried to sleep in after a pretty restless night but was up and puzzling early. I made Tikka Masala and a mildly spiced curried chicken and rice dish to bring to the kids. They picked up my mom on their way home from church and we all had a nice meal and visit after taking family pictures together. Unfortunately I am not sure what Jonas was focused on as they are not great but we captured the moment of us all being together, all my kids, and grandkids in one shot.
I dropped mom at home and went to the office to send in all the media I have to key city so they will have it for the morning to let me know if any changes are needed. Answered a few client email and then headed back to drive Jake to the airport. It was a beautiful day and I envied his flight. They did tell him the flight was overweight so his suitcase wasn’t going to make it but it did after all. I enjoyed my evening watching Season 2 of Succession and puzzling. Likely going to turn in early as there is much to accomplish this week and I need a well rested brain.
Got my chores done and headed to see Ireland at New Energy Wellness for underarm and brow waxing. I always enjoy visiting with her. Once that was done, I headed to see Mom. I gathered all the info and brought her to Shaw in the mall to put me on her account so I can access and get her the best deal. She came with me to et cat food and then we went back to her apartment to call the Shaw people as the in store people are only allowed to do so much. I managed to get her a good deal on her cable and internet bundle as she really wanted her PVR connected. Only basic cable is included and we couldn’t just have her pay extra and hook up her PVR. As it happens, that was a good thing as I was able to get her over $400 credit for the errors made on the file when she moved. She is very happy and was even happier when I set it up to all work from one remote that she is familiar with. We shared a nice bottle that Kym and Greg had given her for Christmas. It was really good, smooth and tasty. Around 4 I went and picked up Jake and Emmy for a little visit at moms before we all headed to Fenwick and Baker for dinner. It was very good and Ashlée was able to join us as well. It is noisy in there though, it is so open with such tall ceilings. Mike was very generous and gave me a coupon for meals and non-alcoholic drinks for the musicians when they come in April. It is a perfect partnership as they will be staying in gorgeous rooms upstairs courtesy of The Baker Hotel. Tanner sent me the proof of the media, and with only a few small changes to make, I think it is perfect! I came home and puzzled some more as I would say it is now 3/4 done. Less than one regular sized puzzle to go, lol. Not sure I want to do a 3000 piece one again although it has been relaxing for my brain.
Got a fraught sleep last night and didn’t like my alarm this morning. Dragged myself into the shower and off to the office to get work done before heading to pick up Jake at the airport at 10:39. It was so good to see him. I dropped him at the Guedes house and headed back to the office to plow through a lot of work for the rest of the day. I did take the time to talk to my client friend and further debrief yesterday’s uncomfortable news. I needed to check in so I could let it go and I was reassured that they are happy with me and don’t want to change anything. That was a relief. After work I headed to the kids to enjoy ‘second Christmas’ taco dinner with Jake and Emmy and the rest of the bunch. We all enjoyed our gift exchange and had a nice meal before we scattered in different directions. I picked up Steph and we headed to poker night at Landon’s. I actually won a few good pots and stayed in pretty long. I was first out but many followed soon after. I do enjoy the game and the company and am glad I was invited to the league.
I was super tired this morning but got myself off to the office early so I could get things done before my QBO training session at 11:15. It was a good session that my friend Julie joined in on and part way through Sean cam and told me he and the ladies were walking to Max’s for lunch. I gave him money and he brought me back a sandwich, thank goodness. After the session I buckled down and was visited by a client/friend who let me know that their ‘accountant’ says she has issues with me, that we butt heads. I found it amusing, at first, and I am not the type to run her down when I recommended them to her. I ended the conversation feeling ok and then I got angry at the intense unprofessionalism of the situation. It will take me a bit to compartmentalize that one. I shall not be recommending anyone else to her. It isn’t the first back stab I am aware of, but I wanted to think the best. Once I got refocused, I worked until 9:30 getting a yearend nearly done. It was then time to get home and message my friend in the hospital to find out they are getting out tomorrow, off work for a month. I worry about them being home alone but they have promised to message regularly and I am allowed to FaceTime as I need to.
The morning did have it’s simple pleasures as I decided I needed a jacket somewhere between my parka and a vest. I chose to try on my jacket that I bought when I was at Machu Picchu in 2013 which was the last time I was truly in shape. I was still a chunky one but not a chubby one back then. There is a difference, lol. The jacket fit comfortably and there was $10 in the pocket, win win! Apparently both my mirrors need cleaning but I wanted to capture the happy moment.
To care about, hear about, be there for those I love. Today came with the news that someone I care deeply about is ill with a rare disease. They did not want to tell me as they know I am busy but I am never that busy. It is their personal story to tell so I will not go into details here but they now know I am here for them and they will keep me in the loop.
Today was full but manageable. I have received more responses to the VIMF crew invite and supplied more information to Tanner for the event media. I met with the President of FPPAS and worked on the budget, and grant application information so that was good to get done. I reapplied for my Nexus card which I foolishly let expire in 2021 when it was tucked away with my passport. I thought they both expired next year. All that and my paid work!
Came home and made another delicious dinner. I am emotionally bagged and hope to go to sleep early.
Should stay in the past. Today had many stressors but the weirdest one was finding out that an extended family member posted a video on YouTube that showed his parents and others in black face performing a couple songs back at a reunion in 1991. I could barely process the skeleton in the closet being put centre stage as if it was something to be proud of. Now, to be clear he is a generation above me, so I can only imagine that is the latitude we are ‘supposed’ to give him, and them for that show, but this is 32 years later, it is time to burn that reel, not enjoy and share it. I am embarrassed and annoyed, worried for all the faces that are in it watching, lest it tarnish their reputations and I honestly have been thinking too much about the biases I grew up with. There were everyday jokes that were just so tasteless and bordered on cruel. I can’t erase them from my brain but I can hope to never repeat them. I often wonder though, how it is that I forget the names of people I care about but remember terrible things that were said. I am grateful that somewhere along the way I learned to check in with myself regularly, to see the differences as things that make us interesting, not negative. I can’t explain how I regularly land on the feeling that I am not caring, inclusive or unjudgy enough. I am actually super judgy, but it is more about people that I think should know better and behave better than it ever is about their colour, accent or birthplace.
I am moving on so I don’t beat myself up too much but suffice to say I had to pause when I considered not going to the reunion in August. Instead I took my Mom’s advice and called my cousin who lives near the poster and asked her to talk to him personally about the ramifications and ask him to take the video down.
I had to say no to someone today and it was hard. I wrote a very professional email and signed it ‘Best Regards’, something I only do when I am struggling not to say.. now F off. I need to set a big boundary and not take on more than I can do. I make mistakes when I am overwrought. Even today I made one that did not harm anything but annoyed me. Fortunately I caught and fixed it.
After hours, Tanner stopped by the office and we workshopped what I want for the media for my show. She liked the ideas I have and will have something ready for proofing soon.
My first Hello Fresh box in weeks arrived today and I made a very delicious Cottage Pie.
It will be good to have the leftovers tomorrow as I have another busy day!
I don’t remember the last time I was on my treadmill so I set my alarm for earlier today and walked at a good pace for an hour. I have stopped losing and am ever so slightly gaining again so I needed to get a hold of things and use the tools I have learned. It felt good and I was energized to take on an intense payroll day. I also took time in the day to work on duties for both my music production and VIMF. I am thrilled with the responses to both things. I have 3 gifts in kind as sponsors, and will be ready to launch on time. I also have many positive responses for my crew. There was a need to cover a shift tonight at Arby’s so I rushed out to take it from 5-8. It was slow but I enjoyed the co-workers and the customers and was even able to leave a half hour early. It really does feel like the day went by in a blur and tomorrow morning will be the same, but it was all good.
Meanwhile back at the pad, it seems Missy was concerned who took out her friend. She sat nearby for a while.
I spent the better part of the day doing chores, including putting away my inflatables for the season. I puzzled and watched my shows before getting ready and heading to Key City to meet Maureen for the matinee of Cabaret. It was better than I expected and I found myself emotional at how impressive my friends were on that stage. From the lighting, set and minimalism to the choreography and acting, it was very well done. I am so glad I went. Afterwards we went to the Fenwick and Baker for some food and a visit. It is funny how different her communication style is from mine and how often we have to approach something differently so we understand completely. The food was good and it was nice to have an evening out.
I slept in, puzzled for a bit, did some laundry, showered and put together a gift for my friend Gordon before heading to visit him. We had an over 2 hour visit which was positively lovely. It was good to spend time with him, to hear firsthand his journey through his pancreatic cancer experience. He reminded me that I knew back in August when I saw him that something was wrong but at that time he thought it was just an ulcer and brushed it off. I hope to visit with his wife and son next time as well. Our hug at the end was precious and he looks forward to celebrating my 60th with me in April. Hope reigns.
I went to Home Depot from there, looking for Ice Melt. They had none so next stop was Home Hardware where I picked some up. They had a mug that amused me but I would like the saying on a t-shirt as I don’t need another mug, lol. I have so many faves already.
next stop was Arby’s as I was getting hangry. I met the newest employee and was highly amused by the way my name came out. I wonder if he used to work at Starbucks!
I cashed in my 6th scratch of the same kind which on the original $20 I have now netted 120.00. I did buy one more which I didn’t win on so I am done. It was fine while it lasted
The evening involved bartending for Cabaret at Key City. I worked with someone who caused me irritation for the first time. I have generally enjoyed everyone I’ve been paired with. This woman challenged my peace of mind but it is likely I won’t have to work with her very often and the patrons were happy so that is what matters. I look forward to actually seeing the show tomorrow afternoon.
So today was a mishmash of free and paid work that ate my brain but got a lot more off the list. I had an extremely positive response to my vimf email and started pulling things together to design the media for the Cox & McRae show. In between there was payroll, remittances, EHT, PST and other filings to take care of. I was glad when my google nest alarm went off letting me know it was time to leave for the hockey game.
I picked up Tracey and off we went. The Wenatchee Wild were up from the states and I must say that the woman singing both anthems nailed it!!! She made me want to sing along to the Star Spangled Banner! The game was super tight and mostly boring but finally it was the third period and we were up by one. The Arby’s minute happened which means that if the Bucks score in that minute all attendees are entitled to free curly fries. The problem is that the supplier ran out of curly fries so that would be complicated. ‘Fortunately’, they didn’t score, much to Rae-Anne’s relief. We earned a shut-out when in the last 1.8 seconds we scored, short handed with the goalie pulled. An exciting end at least.
I wrote a message to the Arby’s crew in our app encouraging them to be their best in order to make the sale go smoothly and perhaps keep their jobs. The bottom line is that any customer could be a future boss. It is hard in times of transition and I hope everyone comes out of it well. The listing for the business was posted and that makes it looming, for sure.
I contacted my friend Gordon and made a plan to visit him tomorrow afternoon before I volunteer for Cabaret at Key City. With no alarm set tomorrow, I look forward to all three wonderful things. I may even take down my Christmas inflatable family…
Worked for the morning, then had a meeting with our FPPAS president and Kevin, an advisor for Columbia Basin trust. We are looking at getting assistance for developing a strategic plan. I think it was 3 hours well spent. Afterward, I went back to my office and worked until the volunteer coordinator meeting which I was grateful they had set up a Zoom option for. It is the first time I have made it to a meeting in all the years I have been working the Festival. I look forward to next month’s as seeing and hearing everyone was a treat. The only problem, as usual is the time change so it was rather late for me by the time I left the office. Of course I couldn’t leave the office until I had done my first invite to crew to join us this year. 90 email invites and I had a positive response before I’d even made it to the parking lot. I have a very positive feeling about it again this year. So much to be grateful for these days!!
I had a frustrating work experience today but skipped out to M&M Food Market at lunch to pick up cream puffs to bring as my contribution to the Key City Volunteer party tonight. I was able to get all remittances and immediately needed reports done before leaving to pick up Gene from school choir practice and bring him to his shift at Arby’s. I made it back in plenty of time and had a few lovely conversations and hugs from people I haven’t seen in ages. The dinner was delicious, the entertainment was Dave and Drew Prinn and we received a useful gift as well as something from Sweet Gestures.
I was able to nail down a few more details for my April Show and had extremely positive feedback from both sets of musicians involved. I just have to be sure I have the cash set aside to pay them the night of and wait for the media to be ready to launch. Exciting times!
I had a very good sleep and got some chores done before heading to the office to get payroll wrapped up before heading to Key City Theatre to meet and discuss the venue rental for a live music night I am producing in April. Since January third, I have seriously started working on pulling all the pieces together, and today it is officially a thing. The announcement is planned for January 30th with tickets to go on sale February 1st. I want to spell out all the details but need to keep it under wraps for now. Suffice to say I have had an extremely blessed day, finding favour with many and I am super excited to bring this experience to Cranbrook. So, yeah, save the date.. April 16th. I have brought back a tag line I used to use years ago on small movies and books I would create.. a jake’s mom production.
The fun part was messaging my friend, Matt Johnson, the drummer for 54-40. Back in the day on Salt Spring Island, I would host live music nights at a dockside restaurant/bar for him and it went so well that he told me I should have been a producer. I would laugh and say I would have loved doing that but I was 20 years too late to get started. Fast forward nearly 20 years and here I am doing what I really do love, finding the perfect experience for the performer and the audience. I hope this will be the success it has the potential for. All this is another thing, besides working in fast food, that I waited until 59 to do. And it will happen 3 days before my 60th, a great way to celebrate!
Now that all the bits are in place, I need to draw up the contracts and get the media designed for release and then I can sit back and focus on work. Today I stayed later to make up the lost time and managed to get almost all my payroll client’s remittances done and over half of the T4s. This list getting finished will take the strain off and let me not feel so stressed. I look forward to taking time to see Cabaret this weekend with a lady, Maureen, who also works out of the Groundfloor and then next weekend, Jake will be here for a visit! Yay! It will be Christmas 2.0
Up and at it early, so much to do. I was at the office for over 12 hours by the time the day was done. I was laser focused on the payroll set up and rounds I had to do and then it was straight into the meeting. Much was discussed, plans were made and there was a small step forward. I wanted to be less grumpy, tired and hungry but I also think I was engaged and helpful. I stopped and cashed in my $50 scratch and win and then came home to have some quick and easy food before it is time to catch some rest again. I also made great headway on the production I am working and I can’t wait to confirm it, tomorrow with any luck.
My friend Natalia had invited me to the Ukrainian Christmas last night but I was working so she sent me some beautiful pictures. I am so glad they made the best of their first Christmas in Canada.
Sawyer’s birthday present arrived today and I think he will like it. I researched the best brand and size for an 8 year old.. and it has a dragon! Dragons!! Oh my!
I woke at a reasonable time and puzzled while I watched ‘the boy, the mole, the fox and the horse’ on Apple TV+. It was as lovely as the book my friends sent me, by Charlie Mackesy. I should like to watch or read it regularly to remind myself… well of all the good, of being enough. And I discovered it is a Bad Robot production which also pleases me.
I haded over to pick up Diane R as she had planned to make me food and have a visit. We started at the Mall so I could trade my gift book in as it was a duplicate. I got one I really wanted but wouldn’t have gotten otherwise.We had a good laugh at the calendar I would have bought if I’d seen it before I got my banksy one. Nah, I love mine.
Next stop was the dollar store where I saw gloves just made for me
We went back to Diane’s where we enjoyed a gluten and dairy free lasagna that she’d made and it was good, although I am not a fan of the texture of the rice noodles. Best of all was having a good visit, getting to see all the renovations she’s done to her home and playing a game she made that basically involves an abacus and 6 dice. She fondly calls it the old man game as it was some old family friend who introduced them to it. She also spoiled me for Christmas!
I had a shift at Arby’s but was home at a decent time and am continuing to watch succession. I just discovered it isn’t the one Rae-Anne suggested as that is Severance. I will have to watch it next. I do like Kieran Culkin in the series I am watching. As I was watching, I did a scratch and win game and won $50!
I was up in the night, violently ill. I now believe I didn’t double dose last time I tried my sleep capsules, I am allergic. Or at least there is some kind of triggered response that makes my system want to purge it as best it can. This has happened twice in my late 30s, early 40s and twice last year. Last night was just terrible and I wonder what the strain is that is causing the problem or if I need to avoid it all now. I have managed to not have a cigarette already since Wednesday at 4:45pm and then felt drag butt all day so not the best night to consider going out. I was committed to it though so I made more crab tarts to take. The whole day was in and out of naps, cleaning up my own vomit from the bed, bedroom floor, and in the tub. I looked after myself and Steph came to pick me up for the Poker League. Tonight was at Mark’s and there were 14 of us and there were some good games, good snacks and a nice visit with all. Got home just before Midnight and made my bed with the freshly clean linen. Missy has been amusing, as if she’s just found her tail.
Today I was at the office earlier than usual and worked my tushka off all day getting files set up for payroll next week. My friend Peter stopped by for a good long visit after his 100 day tour of Europe and the Middle East. We had lots to catch up on as I wait a file while he was away. He assured me that I was dissed, that I am appreciated and that I should not step in to help at this time. I appreciate his big picture view of it all. It was the final step in the, ‘you have to wait until Dad gets home’, part of the equation. I didn’t finish all I wanted to but enough that I don’t feel like I HAVE to go in this weekend. I was on a mission to leave at 4:30 so I could get home and make Dungeness crab tarts for the seafood dinner at the Guedes house tonight. We had stalled it for a week and it was fun to hang with 3 Perreault’s, 4 Crozier’s, 6 Guedes’s, 2 students, and me! There was sooooo much food and sooooo many varieties of seafood treats. I came home at a decent time after stopping at the liquor store to pick up Crown, Bowmore and Gingerbread Captain’s. Good to stock up again. It is nice to relax on the couch, having enjoyed good company and food
Tim Tam!I didn’t buy this, but it amuses meOn the hood of my car
Assist a client and then spend nearly 9 hours on one file.
Complete books and reports for FPPAS board meeting on Monday
Investigate seeing Bono in New York, wouldn’t be lovely to meet friends from away there… NOPE!
Filed complaints with company and my bank. All because apparently in the fine print of a free trial was a box that had to be unchecked. SCAM!! Am changing cc number just in case. I still am not sure how it got by me as I am ferocious about security and really am still laughing that I may be interested in a US Military man.
Filled the tank with a 4 cent off coupon.
Used the gas coupons at Safeway where I got groceries for the first time in a very long time. Good to have fruit and veg (and chips) in the house again.
Home by 9 to unload, make a nice chicken cordon bleu for dinner and enjoy my one and only rum and eggnog of the season. Sipping it with joy.
It is nice to have a light at the end of the tunnel, those things that help you get through a day or week. I received a text for help at a client before I had even had a coffee, so I filled my To Go cup and off I went. It was after 11 before I was back at the office to continue working in a better environment with two screens. Lunch at the desk and several files later I was happy to head to meet a client for dinner at Fire & Oak. It was rib night and worth every penny. So was the good company. It was nice to get to know Laurie better after doing her books for over a year and a half. She is an amazing human, a great business woman and just nice to be around. Her company, Earth’s Own Naturals has two locations, in Kimberley and Fernie and she keeps the area out of pain and relaxed. I had been looking forward to tonight even though I am so very tired. 3 hours went by easily. I came home craving isolation though and just worked on my puzzle for a bit before it was time to do this and head to bed. The next two days aim to be as crazy.
I did love my new socks with my oh so comfy Fluevogs
triumphgal 