random updates

It's real busy around here right now, so here's a quick update of what's going on:

1) Thomas' birthday on Wednesday. Turning 5, which he has literally been waiting a year for.

2) New G.M. started at work last week. Looks much like "Wolverine" from the X-Men. He seems ok, but the dude did get the job I was shooting for.

3) Coffee with previous G.M. turned area associate reveals plans to change locations of employment for me. Same chain, same job, different store.

4) Phone call with G.M. turned area associate explaining the plans sound great as long as they involve a new contract with the star of the show. (me)

5) Getting very excited for our trip to Seattle this weekend. We are heading down with my parents, spending Friday & Saturday night checking out things like the Children's Museum and the Pike Place Market.

6) Am currently awaiting confirmation of offer to transfer. I feel a bit like I am selling my house, with me as the house, offered lower than my asking price. So I countered their offer, and now I am waiting to see if I shall sell, or be left on the market.

That's all for now, it's bedtime.

pah-nopoly

This afternoon the kids and I were just hanging out at home. Vanessa went out for coffee with a friend, which left me to entertain. I am not a huge fan of using the TV for children's entertainment, at least not unless it means I get to sleep in, or leave the kids alone while I galavant to all the bars in town. Ok, so I don't actually do that. Much.

Back to today. Mom left, and we hunkered down on the living room floor to play a game of pah-nopoly. Wednesday night we had a game, and Thomas won. I didn't let him win, he won fair and square. Which meant that today, it was all about revenge. I could not let him win 2 times in a row. What kind of example would that set? If he went on a winning streak, it would just destroy him when that streak finally ended. So I didn't let it begin.

I was playing to win today, as much as you can in this game of chance. But I tell you, I didn't let up on the boy for one minute. And I came out victorious. I know, he is only 4 (5 next week) but now he doesn't have to face the inevitable fall from the mountain of victory that a winning streak would have let him climb. Because of this, he took the loss very well. And I am sure that next time we play, he will be ready to deal with the outcome, whatever it will be.

spectacular spectacles

We drove in to Vancouver today to pick up Eleanor's very first pair of glasses. We drove in last week, and after walking in to the store, it took about 42 seconds for her to find the ones she wanted. She was a trooper, and did humour us and try a few other pairs on, but the look on her face the whole time screamed "pointless". She had her heart set on the first pair, and that was it.

Which is ok, because they are cute. I have tried to upload a picture from my phone to the email, but alas, it is not cooperating. I spent all night at work too, so I don't even have a picture on the computer to share.

I finally learned that the little "link" button in the toolbar just above me here actually will link exactly the way I want, so you can all just surf away. Alas, Mexx (the brand of glasses) nor the opticians actually exist on the web. Well, Mexx does, but they don't have an inventory to scroll through, or I would link you to the picture.

I shall overcome these challenges for the blog reading world (all 4 of you) that visit here, so you may check out this pair of amazing spectacles.


*edit* I found a picture here

summer has arrived

Summer has officially arrived, and I love it. I know some people have a hard time with the heat, like anything over 20 and it's too hot for them. By them, I mean the 3 other people that I live with. They don't do well. Me, I'm happy all the way up to 40. Then it's a bit too hot. Almost.

Watching the kids outside playing in the water reminds me of when my brother and I were growing up. Water guns, water balloons, sprinklers, family barbeque's. There were no real worries, just how much time do we have left to play before we have to come in for dinner. And will we be allowed outside after dinner?

Oh summer, I have missed you. All too fast you will slip away, but I will hold on to as much of you as I can. Welcome home.

license revoked

It's official. There is a new GM coming to Langley, and it isn't going to be me. I haven't really decided what this means for me yet, but I'm not impressed. I don't know what the plan is for me, I am still working on that.

Any suggestions?

on asking for help

On Wednesday, I woke with the crazy notion of sanding the kitchen table, with the intent of restaining or painting it. I mentioned this idea to Vanessa, to which she enthusiastically agreed since the decade old table was showing it's age.

I took it outside, since it was going to be an extremely dusty job. The weather was definitely cooperating, 30 degrees in the bright sunshine. This is my kind of day. Knowing that I would be in the sun for a few hours, I hit up the sunblock before beginning outdoors.

I will take a moment to mention that Vanessa went out, and it was just the kids, me, and my good friend Mike here to hang out.

Now, after applying the sunblock to my arms & face, I thought that with my extraordinarily long arms, I would be able to take care of my back all by myself, saving Mike from the awkward task of rubbing me with sunblock.

After a few hours sanding the table, I came to discover that I was just slightly misguided. I have a rather strong sunburn, about the size of a melon on my back.

Next time Mike, you will be subjected to the awkwardness of sunblocking my back. Whether you like it or not.

thanks for nothing

I work in an industry where there is always a lot of turnover. We have been fortunate enough that most of our turnover is good turnover. This means that the people that are leaving do so because of a positive reason, like 4 years of school being finished and now I'm off to be a nurse/teacher/astronaut etc.

Occasionally there is a blip in the system, and we get a reject on board with us. That is the case with a manager that just recently was hired, and did his training in Langley with us. He spent 8 weeks training, learning how to be great in his new restaurant. He then spent the next 5 weeks not being great, but doing ok. I don't think anyone was unkind to him, and we made his life pretty comfortable here. So comfortable in fact, that even after blowing off 3 shifts on Fathers day weekend, he didn't lose his job.

On Friday, he walked in to the office in the morning, and handed in his keys. Blowing off 3 more shifts for the weekend. The long weekend. Without ordering a large number of items that are critical to our business. So now, it is forbidden to say his name. If you do, you owe a dollar to the fishbowl. Which we will use to relieve our stress of having to pick up the slack, yet again, for a man with questionable values.

canada day tribute

Here is a list of 5 things that make me thankful that to live in Canada.

1) God. We are all free to choose a religion (or not to choose) without fear of being persecuted. There are many countries out there that will incarcerate or even execute you if they find out you believe in Jesus. That blows my mind, as I grew up here in Canada and have grown up with people who have had all different beliefs. I cannot imagine beating another person because they have a different view of who God is. It doesn't matter if they are wrong in their view or not, they are entitled to hold it.

2) Public health care. I know that our health care system isn't perfect, and definitely needs some help in getting it straightened out. But I know that I don't have to spend the next 60 years of my life paying off Eleanor's first 3 months of life in the hospital. $3000/day? Oh, and the fact that we had the privilege of a hospital for her to have her life saved in. It hurts my heart to think of what would have happened if we lived in another country that didn't have the Best Children's Hospital Ever right next door.

3) Drinking water. I know it simple, and many people take it for granted, but what if you had to carry two big buckets 5km each way just for your daily water? Which would then have to be boiled? And people complain if the restaurant is busy and the server takes 5 minutes to deliver the tasty glass of water with lemon. Good Grief.

4) Tim Horton's. Yes, I know Starbucks is awesome and all that, and I do enjoy a good number of different latte's and blended goodness drinks from there, but there is a hands down effeciency and value factor that Timmy's just blows the competition away. I can line up behind 12 cars in the drive through, and get my coffee for less than a toonie, and be on my way to work in less than 5 minutes. I'm sure they put liquid crack in the cup, because it is soooo tasty.

5) Peace making. Not war making. Knowing if I travel the world, I can put a little Canadian flag on my jacket and people will be welcoming instead of resentful. Not that I can afford to travel the world. But if I did...oh the places I would go.


Honourary mention: Goes to British Columbia, for being the absolutely most beautiful and brilliant place in the entire world to live. There is ocean, rain forest, and desert all within a day's drive. Parks to enjoy. Space to be alone. And the weather...sunshine, rain, snow. Never too hot, never too cold. Visiting other places is great, and I know there are other places with amazing things to offer. There is none better than B.C. to come home to though.

Happy Canada Day.