Saturday, April 12, 2014
Spring?
There is something about being under a heavy snowfall warning in the middle of April that just seems wrong. I know it is not going to stay, but it is very depressing to look out the window and see it coming down. I finished my first two weeks with my new employer and they paid me! I still haven't heard what my classification is, but they are paying me at the DEX level which works for me. They added our $500 signing bonus into our first pay cheque, so the income tax went up. I ended up with only $288 extra. Better than nothing, I guess. Elizabeth asked Shirley to do the accounting again, so that freed up time for me to catch up on my own work. I actually got somewhere on Friday and was feeling pretty good when I left work. Of course a weekend does help my mood. We worked out what to do with all my overtime hours. I will take the 4 days after May long, and I will take May 2 to go to the ACT Festival in Pinawa. That leaves 1 1/2 days that I will use by the end of May. From now on all overtime will be recorded and become "official" overtime. We have never counted alarm call ins as official overtime before, but that is how I ended up with 6 1/2 days! I now have 10 1/4 hours of "official" overtime recorded. It adds up fast when every alarm call is a minimum of 3 hours at time and a half. Not that I enjoy driving into the office at 2am. I gave Jim $6 last night to win Turkeys at meat draw. Instead, I was the turkey 'cause he came home empty handed yet again. I was looking for more recipes to make ahead and freeze. It seems that it is always the same. Meatballs, Lasagne, Chili, Soup, Stew and sometimes meat in gravy. I seem to be in a rut. Any ideas out there? I was working on our income tax, but I guess I was too slow, 'cause Jim gathered it all up and took it into H&R block yesterday. I resent paying $180.00 just to be told I owe. Oh well. The snow is coming down even heavier now. I checked the radar and I think we will be out of it in a couple of hours. It is going to be below 0 for the rest of the week. Will this ever end? Enough complaining. I think I will go and drag Jim away from the TV and talk him into a game of crib. Have a great weekend
Friday, April 11, 2014
Poor Mouse!
I guess that after a long winter they are looking for fresh green food too.
Emotional day today. Makes me think of the old saying--" Man plans, God laughs". EMAC has an exhibition in the gallery in Selkirk this month and every person displaying is expected to volunteer at least one day to sit in the gallery and act as a docent. I have never minded this job, as it gives me a quiet day, out of the house, and with a bit of company. I have always taken some hand sewing along to amuse myself, as patrons are often few and far between. My days this month are April 12 and 26th, so I planned to finish the quilting on the small quilt I'm working on and then attach the binding to sew on by hand on Saturday. HAH!! My machine starts making a noise like metal rubbing on metal and I smell something hot. Trying to trouble shoot, I taken the throat plate off to take a look and maybe clean it up a bit. I'm fussing with it and suddenly the needle comes down in the wrong position, hitting the special free motion foot and actually bending it w-a-a-y out of position. Oh,oh.....?!! So the machine is in the shop. He found a mechanism that is supposed to be spring loaded and no spring in sight, and, of course, the timing is now off, not to mention the need for a new special free motion foot (Ka-ching!)
When we left the shop, David suggested that we go home via Polo Park, and take a look at a chair store that had been suggested. It was Medi-Chair, a company I often dealt with when I was working. We found an electric Lift Chair that suits me nicely, and ordered it. Not sure when it will be delivered, but we are aiming at two weeks. However, it is more than we had budgeted, and getting a second chair right now is pretty iffy. David is off at the bank right now, to pay his income taxes and find out exactly where we stand, and I'm at home worrying. However, we both agree that fixing my sewing machine is more important than a second chair, for now.
The new fridge was delivered yesterday, and is purring along in the kitchen. The little bar fridge is working nicely down stairs, but doesn't really fit well on top of the bar, so we''ll maybe have to re-think that one. My water, and Dr. Pepper fit quite nicely in there and it sure saves trips up and down the stairs. The old fridge is sitting in the back yard. There is a magic phone number that you call and say " Pick up a fridge at such and such an address", and someone comes along in a truck and takes it away--any appliance, actually. I don't know what happens to them, but I think they either get refurbished and sold, or go to charity. Probably the former, but it's out of my house, so I don't care.
Emotional day today. Makes me think of the old saying--" Man plans, God laughs". EMAC has an exhibition in the gallery in Selkirk this month and every person displaying is expected to volunteer at least one day to sit in the gallery and act as a docent. I have never minded this job, as it gives me a quiet day, out of the house, and with a bit of company. I have always taken some hand sewing along to amuse myself, as patrons are often few and far between. My days this month are April 12 and 26th, so I planned to finish the quilting on the small quilt I'm working on and then attach the binding to sew on by hand on Saturday. HAH!! My machine starts making a noise like metal rubbing on metal and I smell something hot. Trying to trouble shoot, I taken the throat plate off to take a look and maybe clean it up a bit. I'm fussing with it and suddenly the needle comes down in the wrong position, hitting the special free motion foot and actually bending it w-a-a-y out of position. Oh,oh.....?!! So the machine is in the shop. He found a mechanism that is supposed to be spring loaded and no spring in sight, and, of course, the timing is now off, not to mention the need for a new special free motion foot (Ka-ching!)
When we left the shop, David suggested that we go home via Polo Park, and take a look at a chair store that had been suggested. It was Medi-Chair, a company I often dealt with when I was working. We found an electric Lift Chair that suits me nicely, and ordered it. Not sure when it will be delivered, but we are aiming at two weeks. However, it is more than we had budgeted, and getting a second chair right now is pretty iffy. David is off at the bank right now, to pay his income taxes and find out exactly where we stand, and I'm at home worrying. However, we both agree that fixing my sewing machine is more important than a second chair, for now.
The new fridge was delivered yesterday, and is purring along in the kitchen. The little bar fridge is working nicely down stairs, but doesn't really fit well on top of the bar, so we''ll maybe have to re-think that one. My water, and Dr. Pepper fit quite nicely in there and it sure saves trips up and down the stairs. The old fridge is sitting in the back yard. There is a magic phone number that you call and say " Pick up a fridge at such and such an address", and someone comes along in a truck and takes it away--any appliance, actually. I don't know what happens to them, but I think they either get refurbished and sold, or go to charity. Probably the former, but it's out of my house, so I don't care.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
I caught a mouse.....
Yesterday I had to set up mouse traps in the greenhouses because something - I thought moles- was eating the little pepper sprouts. This morning one trap had a dead mouse. So I have set them all again for tonight and hope to catch something - just so the plants don't get all eaten. It is nice today, and mild temps but with rain this afternoon and as a result, the snow is disappearing nicely.
The Government has sold our server ONTERA, to a private provider - Bell Aliant. Two years ago they announced that the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission (ONTC) was to be privatized. The ONTC has several business assets including the rail freight, rail refurbishment, the Polar Bear Express, and motor coach service, and the telecommunications company called Ontera. The passenger train from Toronto to Cochrane was cancelled immediately, but public and local government lobbying has resulted in announcement that all the other assets will remain publicly-owned. So I don't know what will happen with our services through Ontera- I expect for sure that our costs will increase and the news paper article states job loses. And today the CBC announced drastic cuts to services. where does it all end? Anyway, time for bed. Hope all is well with you folks? Take care.
The Government has sold our server ONTERA, to a private provider - Bell Aliant. Two years ago they announced that the Ontario Northland Transportation Commission (ONTC) was to be privatized. The ONTC has several business assets including the rail freight, rail refurbishment, the Polar Bear Express, and motor coach service, and the telecommunications company called Ontera. The passenger train from Toronto to Cochrane was cancelled immediately, but public and local government lobbying has resulted in announcement that all the other assets will remain publicly-owned. So I don't know what will happen with our services through Ontera- I expect for sure that our costs will increase and the news paper article states job loses. And today the CBC announced drastic cuts to services. where does it all end? Anyway, time for bed. Hope all is well with you folks? Take care.
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
My philosophical respose to such situations....
I am so sorry for this Pati and I can feel your disappointment - happens to me as well. Most frequently I would tell myself that when such a situation occurs, for some reason unknown to me at the time, it was not meant to be. I know that is a hard pill to swallow when your heart was set on it, but could it be that you shall find an even more welcome chair - actually one that comes in one piece? There is a beautiful and perfect chair calling out for you Pati! Here is one of my favourite sayings that I read frequently to myself: Hope anticipates, Faith believes, and Patience quietly waits.
We went to Midland today starting out in snow but ending with sun. I was up during night shoveling at front because it rained all night and then at 7 am started to snow. When we got home I shovelled more but was able to chip away the ice at the back of the house because it had rotted enough for me to lift. This will help greatly to alleviate potential for water into basement. So far, so good and perhaps, just maybe, the melting will be slow and steady. Tomorrow I hope to take our Income Tax papers into the Accountant - hope they can do them within the week, I will then be able to plan for the expected large payment I have to make by end of month. The unknown for me is what effect turning 65 years will have on 2013's numbers - I am told (by you Pati ?) that there may be a considerable difference. I have always had to pay large amounts every year.
I received another message about my 45th Nursing Reunion end of May - I have already sent my regrets but just reading more info, and lists of classmates who have already responded positively makes you start to wonder about your decision. But enough of that. I have the garden work to keep me busy, and have started to do pick up work with sewing and quilting which makes me happy.
I won $5.00 on Lottery Sat night - this is a big win for me and a long time coming so I think maybe the tide has turned? I bought another ticket for tomorrow night with fingers crossed haha Take care.
We went to Midland today starting out in snow but ending with sun. I was up during night shoveling at front because it rained all night and then at 7 am started to snow. When we got home I shovelled more but was able to chip away the ice at the back of the house because it had rotted enough for me to lift. This will help greatly to alleviate potential for water into basement. So far, so good and perhaps, just maybe, the melting will be slow and steady. Tomorrow I hope to take our Income Tax papers into the Accountant - hope they can do them within the week, I will then be able to plan for the expected large payment I have to make by end of month. The unknown for me is what effect turning 65 years will have on 2013's numbers - I am told (by you Pati ?) that there may be a considerable difference. I have always had to pay large amounts every year.
I received another message about my 45th Nursing Reunion end of May - I have already sent my regrets but just reading more info, and lists of classmates who have already responded positively makes you start to wonder about your decision. But enough of that. I have the garden work to keep me busy, and have started to do pick up work with sewing and quilting which makes me happy.
I won $5.00 on Lottery Sat night - this is a big win for me and a long time coming so I think maybe the tide has turned? I bought another ticket for tomorrow night with fingers crossed haha Take care.
Could have been a great day but----
Yesterday, after I got back from spending the afternoon with Dianne in Steinbach, we went out and bought the chair that I loved. The one that made my jaw drop and my heart sing. Didn't match the living room at all and I was prepared to change my whole decorating scheme to match it. We were told we could have it delivered for an extra $69.00, or could pick it up at the warehouse close to home. So today, Loren cleaned out his van and took time off work to help get the chair home. They got to the warehouse and took delivery of a chair--"assembly required". Yes, the whole thing was in pieces. Would you pay over $600.00 for a chair that you had to put together yourself? At least with Ikea they warn you up front! To add insult to injury, we could not refuse delivery at the warehouse. So David had to take the box to the store and request his money back there. I wasn't with him and couldn't get in touch with him, so couldn't warn him that we had bought it with my credit card, and legally they couldn't refund the money onto his credit card. I don't want to know how it played out, but he arrived home with a total refund slip against my credit card. We never be able to show our faces in Dufresne again, and maybe that's okay. So, I'm sad and we are back to square one in terms of the chairs.
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Fridges and Falls
How very fortunate that Scooby was there to help you!
The new fridge is the same model as the old one. We found it in Sears on clearance but about $400.00 less than similar models in other stores. Even if it only last the same 10 years of the old one, we figure we'll be ahead of the game. We really like the bottom freezer, especially now that we're both less able on the stairs. With a little planning and discipline, we can have a weeks worth of meals in there and save a lot of trips up and down the stairs.
The new fridge is the same model as the old one. We found it in Sears on clearance but about $400.00 less than similar models in other stores. Even if it only last the same 10 years of the old one, we figure we'll be ahead of the game. We really like the bottom freezer, especially now that we're both less able on the stairs. With a little planning and discipline, we can have a weeks worth of meals in there and save a lot of trips up and down the stairs.
What a day, indeed.
Nice to look for new furniture and appliances but makes for a long day for sure!
Hope your beer fridge suits your purposes until the big one comes haha Do they take away the old one for you? Did you get a fridge with the freezer at the bottom like your current one?
Working in the greenhouses today - transplanting and carrying from one to the other. I was carrying a box of little plants and slipped just outside the door with the box going flying. Harry rescued his plants and redid them quickly, and I struggled off the ground with Scooby's help - what a good dog!
It's a short lunch break for now but back at it shortly. Melting slowly today and with no rain scheduled today or tomorrow I'm hoping for some real good melting without the threat of water overflowing and shovelling needed. I can only hope.
Take care for now.
Hope your beer fridge suits your purposes until the big one comes haha Do they take away the old one for you? Did you get a fridge with the freezer at the bottom like your current one?
Working in the greenhouses today - transplanting and carrying from one to the other. I was carrying a box of little plants and slipped just outside the door with the box going flying. Harry rescued his plants and redid them quickly, and I struggled off the ground with Scooby's help - what a good dog!
It's a short lunch break for now but back at it shortly. Melting slowly today and with no rain scheduled today or tomorrow I'm hoping for some real good melting without the threat of water overflowing and shovelling needed. I can only hope.
Take care for now.
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