Big Snooze

Seeing as I knew I had a big day coming up Sunday I took it very easy Saturday night at work... well once I got a couple of anxious clients settled down and off to their beds. The blogs were quiet and I didn't particularily feel like writing. Once my shift was over it was straight home and into bed for a quick nap. I had about three hours sleep before getting up for the day to attend our companies annual volunteer recognition banquet. It was a chance to get re-acquainted with staff from our other two centres as well as rub elbows with senior management, the board members and donors. It was a 'feel-good experience' all round..... some deserving individuals were recognized for their efforts, we all got some good food to eat and there were a few speeches to listen to. Thankfully they were brief and to the point. The organizers also arranged for a stand-up comic to come in and do a 20 minute set - the gal had a good deal of fun at our expense; a bunch of retired alkies and druggies.

Once home Lynda and I enjoyed a very quiet evening of TV and hit the sack real early. Aahhh... snoozefest time..... a remarkable 13 hours between the sheets. Guess I needed it but lord I was creaky getting up after all that time lying down.

Today is off to a REAL slow start. It is clean-up, catch-up, 'get back in the swing of things' day. Tonight I chair my home group meeting again and have my speaker lined up. Lousy wet weather today so I hope he shows up.... Right now it's time to put some grub on for dinner so I can eat and get myself out of here. Later......

Upside Down House

I'm dealing this week with the aftermath of one of Lynda's brainstorms. Which isn't entirely a bad thing; it's just more to do within an already busy schedule.

Lynda's brother had a quantity of hardwood for sale at a great price and he also has time off work in which to install it. Bingo - the project is on. Our neighbour happened to be outside when Lynda got home and they got talking about it. He is a recently retired GM guy who has always had a second career going as a painter; he comes in, has a look around and offers her a great price to finish the room. Saves us the trouble and some money. He has an electrician friend who will install a crossbar in the attic for a fan to hang from; extend an electrical line to the centre of the ceiling and put up a fan. Beautiful.

So yesterday, out of the blue, was spent clearing one of the bedrooms and finding a spot for all the contents. Not an easy task when you don't have a great deal of space to work with. Tearing up carpet and carting it outside. Today I get to pull all the staples left from the carpet and sweep and vacuum all the fine gritty dirt that had sifted through the carpet over the years.

There has been a problem developing over at the townhouse. Stepson #3 noticed an audible noise and heat coming from the electrical panel in the basement. I had my old friend and neighbour Terry in to have a look - he's a licenced electrician. We've arranged for him to replace it ASAP because the panel has run well beyond it's expected lifespan. Terry has killed a couple of circuits to reduce the load and keep it safe until he can get to it. It better be soon cuz SS#3 is nervous as a long-tailed cat in a roomful of rocking chairs.

I've spent a couple of hours at Mom's each day waiting for a contractor to show up and cost a job she wants done. So far, three no shows in a row. It's been nice having a chance to visit with the old doll though.

That is how my week off is shaping up; nothing exciting but a little busier than I had hoped. Maybe I can squeeze in a doctor's appointment to see about this lingering cough.

Long Haul

So, with this work week done within the hour I'm psyching myself up to do the quick turnaround so I can be rested and full functioning for first thing Monday morning. Off home for a short sleep, get up & go to work with Lynda for a few hours, try for 8 to 10 waking hours and then crash so I can come back to work. After work Monday I'll race home for dinner and a change of clothes and head to my A.A. home group meeting. Back home to get my gear packed up for the 26 hour overnight shift Tuesday into Wednesday morning. Another day shift Thursday. A couple of days off and back to my regular series of night shifts come next Sunday night. Whew....

What all that boils down to is that posts may be short and infrequent... but I'll check in on my regular reads as per usual.

This has been a good week despite a completely sleepless day Wednesday. Normally I can separate work and home so that one doesn't affect the other. That didn't happen the other day as I'd fielded calls from a couple of women through the night. Both were long calls and the second one took me right up to quitting time. I guess there wasn't enough time between the end of the call and when I made it home to bed to de-stress and process all I'd heard. The first woman was seeking treatment for alcoholism; the second had 6 months clean of her drug of choice and had relapsed due to a variety of life pressures. Both were survivors of every sort of abuse. The circumstances that some people are able to endure.... amazing.

Lynda had had a rough week so Friday night I took her out for dinner at a good and popular burger joint. We had a good hour and a half over our food and Lynda eased out with a couple of glasses of wine. I had been considering a quick 2 or 3 day trip west to see my son, his lady and my 7 month old grand daughter but I told Lynda I couldn't justify the expense right now. It's on hold for awhile until we see how work and finances go.

Renewed, Refreshed

Ah, patience pays..... this period of discomfort and pain seems to be easing somewhat. T.G. I'm beginning to feel more myself again. Enough so that I'm getting back in the game and re-establishing contact with some folks I care about and had lapsed with. Getting out of myself and extending myself a bit. I was in a lousy headspace for a while there.

Roaming about the blogs is a constant wonder to me. I've done a lot of visiting around tonight and what I've seen affects me deeply - from laughing right out loud as I read, to being aghast at situations people cope with and get through, and moved to tears by the beautiful ways people use language to convey their thoughts, feelings and perceptions. Awesome.

So; what's new?? This lengthy cold snap is due to end in the next day or two and we'll see some temps above freezing over the weekend. Lord, I'm due. Bring it on in spades.

Last Sunday Lynda and I went to her hometown for her Mom's 80th birthday celebration. Good times; great turnout. It was to be a come-and-go luncheon and lots of folks came; no one seemed to want to leave. This was the first occasion that all 16 of Mother Mary's kids were together at the same time since their father's funeral almost 15 years ago. I had fun touring around and spending time with all my many in-laws. Lynda got re-acquainted with a gal who was her best friend for years when they were just into their teens - they used to horseback ride together. We made it home just in time for me to change clothes and come to work for the night making for a 23 hour day. Not the smartest way to start the week but well worth it. We miss too many family events because of work.

I'm hoping to get a few more pictures posted later on today after I get up; it depends on how well and how long I'm able to sleep.

Oh yeah - the firefight. Even after two conciliatory messages from me the guy still has his shorts in a knot. I didn't bother responding tonight to his latest comment. Best to let it lie, I think. We'll see what happens when he puts up a fresh post.

Off Hiatus

.... I'm BACK.

There has been way too much packed into the last few days to try and recount here. The only important things have been getting out with my loverly wife for a Valentine's dinner back on Friday night; and we spent the afternoon and evening Saturday with Owen out at his place west of Toronto.

The dinner was delicious at our favourite steak joint; Steak Neptune.... choice cuts grilled to medium and smothered with Bearnaise sauce which was laden with shrimp, scallops and crab. And crunchy asparagus.... and hot sourdough bread. Oh, and the company was great as we rarely manage to see one another never mind actually get out and enjoy each other's company. It was a treat.

Owen was a blast, chuck full of love and enthusiasm... just go, go, going the whole time we were there. 'Let's do this Pops.' and 'C'mon Gramma, I want to show you this.' Counting, spelling, adding, drawing.... you name it, we did it. On and off through the day Owen was trying to maneuver us into staying over night and explaining how we could work the sleeping arrangements. Along around his bedtime Lynda told him that we had to go - that we had a long drive ahead to get home. His eyes welled up and he threw his arms around Lynda's neck... then she choked up and got all teary. For a minute there I thought we might just be staying the night. Only after assurances that we'd be back for his 5th birthday party next weekend did he settle down again and we were free to get on our way.

What else?? Well, lot's else actually but it's just plain busy sorts of stuff. Lynda had some running to do with a friend Sunday while I attended a district AA committee meeting in the afternoon. Pretty dry stuff (no pun intended) but I'm still getting used to some procedural changes with the new position I was elected to. Back at home we kept a steady feed happening for the washer & dryer of clothes, sheets and towels while dashing about before a quick lie down in preparation for coming to work. This could be a long shift as there are a few hours to go and I'm rapidly running out of steam. I think I'm due for some extended down time.

I expect to be short changed on sleep today as I'll be waking to a houseful of company - out of town family are coming for the afternoon and dinner. It will be a rushed muddle getting time with them, getting cleaned up, eating, and out the door again to work. This is a long weekend for most (not I) here.

There has been some talk between Lynda and I about me (maybe) taking a 2 or 3 day trip to Calgary so I can meet my grand-daughter Madison. She is almost 7 months old already and I'm feeling badly that I haven't made it out there yet. Must get talking to her Mom & Dad.

Along with the good stuff there is some discord. Ever get that feeling that although things are apparently going the way you wish them to, there is something running below the surface that just doesn't quite 'click'?? I'm doing my best to discount the feeling and believe it's mind play at work but.... I also find I'm doing the 'turtle' thing and pulling in all the extremities for fear that something is about to be lopped off, shocked or pierced. My nose and toes will re-appear ever so slowly once I have some indication everything is kosher and on the up-and-up. The human mind is a strange thing, n'est pas? It's probably a reaction to having to spend considerable time in the company of someone I detest..... and was unable to avoid or otherwise get away from with any degree of grace. Amazing just how long a four hour span can be; it seemed never-ending.

By A Thread.....

Given that I've worked over 100 hours in the last 9 days I'm carrying a solid weariness that feels like it is running through and through me; right to the core. I've been in the door for about an hour, tended to the pets, straightened up a few household things, have a couple of emails and messages to reply to..... and then the balance of the day will be devoted to rest and personal maintenance. Hmmm... maybe a long soak in the tub is in order for my achy bones. Aaaahhhhhh......

These day shifts at work have been good having been involved in running program meetings and doing one-on-one reviews with the guys. A day off today to catch up, rest up and be ready for another day of work tomorrow.

Later on I hope to catch up on blog buddies recent posts as I had at tops 1/2 an hour on the computer last evening during our in-house meeting to do a little checking around.

Anyway - I thought I'd best check in, let you know I'm hanging in and feeling pretty damned good considering all the hours I've put in lately. Ciao.

p.s. - We're enjoying much milder above freezing temps bringing about a major thaw, light fog and now a drizzly rain. Good napping weather. zzzzzzzzz.....

Looking Back

Wow!! Wednesday already so how about a little recap??

Sunday I was up early in the afternoon to help Lynda with 'that' job we do each weekend. She had some car trouble Saturday evening so there was some checking around to do with that and stewing because she has extra hours booked to work all week. We both crashed before 10 that night.

Monday was a steady go from 5 a.m. straight through until after 10 that night. If my A.A. home group wasn't so small I would have begged off but I felt obliged to show up - and did. During the day I got some household stuff cleared up, some running around town done picking up car parts and shopping. Plus, catching up on blog friends new posts. The car got fixed by a friend. By that evening I was exhausted and wound up spending 12 hours between the sheets without feeling the least bit guilty.

I got up Tuesday not feeling all that great - headache, heavy feeling in my chest and generally blah. The plan was to take it very easy and do not much of anything but all it took was an early call from my Mom to rouse me. As my sister is leaving on vacation (again!) and weather isn't supposed to be good for the rest of the week she thought she'd best get a few things from the grocery store. No problem Mom.

My stepson was called back to work from his layoff and started back Monday. Lynda drops him off on her way to work and I pick him up at days end. That has worked alright so far but I figure there are already 3-4 inches of snow on the ground now at 10 a.m.; there is plenty more forecast and there is quite a distance to travel and get him. Oh, joy.

Yeah, the weather. Friday we had a tease of mild stuff to come - we actually got up to freezing!! That night it dropped right back to -20C; I could have cried. There were a couple more cold days but as this storm system moved in it brought much milder temps. I think we're sitting at about -5C which is comfortable.

Lynda is doing her regular shift all week but T, W, & Thurs she is putting in an additional 4 hours on-call for another department. She goes back in Saturday for a super shift; 16 hours from 7 until 11. (Then we do that job on Sunday again and she's back at work Monday. Fun, eh?? She's definitely working way too much.)

What's my day hold?? Well, shovelling snow for sure while trying not to blow a gasket. That trip to get stepson #3 and then have dinner on the table for when Lynda gets home. Last night it was pork chops in mushroom soup, sherry and seasonings with rice. Tonight it is schnitzel with peppers, onions, roasted garlic and garlic mashes potatoes.

Y'all have a good day; that's my plan.

Chillin'

Once I had all 'that' stuff out of the way yesterday I enjoyed a dinner I had thrown together, then some other tasty rib-sticking goodies and somehow managed to stay up until Lynda made it in from work. (There is a vegetable drink I've been enjoying lately - a blend of 10 veggies - made by 'Allen's'. One glass is never enough; have to have 2 or 3. I've been thinking it's be interesting to cook with too.) Then I was done, totally done after we'd had a quick check-in on our days. 10+ hours of blissful uninterrupted sleep - aahhh!! Hadn't had one like that in weeks and months.

When I eventually did get up it was a bit of a rush getting cleaned up in time to head off to a dentist appointment. I had planned to swing by the house I grew up in, the house Mom and Dad built there in the eastern suburbs of Toronto, but it had started snowing pretty heavily. Drat; and headed back to the highway and home. One of the hangover affects of doing all those hours is that along with being incredibly tired I'm awfully sore. Really sore; deep down achy to the point it is uncomfortable to even sit upright for any length of time. As a result I haven't accomplished as much on the home front as I would like but.... there is always tomorrow.

A few days ago I saw a hawk sailing about out in back of the house over the greenbelt area sporting his winter plumage. It was a terrifically gusty day and he was wheeling and swooping along looking like he was thoroughly enjoying himself. Looked like an out-of-control kite up there but in a regal, superior sort of way.

Last night about 9 p.m. I heard a coyote's wavering call out back. We have heard it before on occasion but that sound never fails but to give me the 'willys'. The theory is that they're driven down this far south by persistent cold but I have no proof of that. All I know is that when I hear them I don't walk outdoors at night and I keep a close eye on the pets.

Lynda has been agitating to get things arranged and sorted out around here and I don't blame her. My stuff is still boxed (mainly) taking up room in the spare bedroom on the main floor and a good portion of a basement room. Problem is that I left the furniture items that held my stuff back at the townhouse where it is all being used. So, that's one project for tomorrow besides all the running around I have planned. Get a start on unpacking and arranging. Get the Bose system out and set up - I don't think I'll do the full surround set-up; just the centre channel and left & right speakers. I've lived music-less for long enough. Completely miss my tunes.

That should account for more than a few of my '50 Goals'. Stop dithering; get on with it.

It's a Little Early Yet.....

... but a heads up for any regular readers out there - I'll likely be missing in action for a few days.

My work week wraps up Sunday morning but my boss asked me to fill in for a counsellor who is off sick so..... a quicky turn about for me to be back in here first thing Monday morning. (Groan) So, day shifts Monday and Tuesday plus a 26 hour shift Wednesday into Thursday a.m., plus I chair my home AA group meeting Monday night. At last I'll be able to run some meetings with the guys again. I might be a little weary by Thursday, ya think??

It won't leave me much time to be at the computer but I'll check in on friends as I'm able. And email - can't forget that.

Cold Snap

Snapshot of the weather - We've experienced our first really cold couple of days. Back on Friday when I did that sleepover shift it got down to about -12C. Natch it was the first day I forgot to put on my longjohns before coming to work. Shiver and shake, baby! Thankfully it warmed up into Sunday and the forecast looks pretty good for the days ahead, hovering near freezing.

I took an unplanned break from blogging as I worked Thursday, and Friday into Saturday and so Saturday was a write-off. There was very little sleep to be had Friday night with the details of 6 admissions swirling around my brain most of the night. The day was spent goofing around with the dogs and the evening watching TV with Lynda; early to bed. We had a full day Sunday before I came to work. By the time I get off work & get myself home come morning I will have been up for almost 24 hours. (So, if this reads kind of choppy you know why.) But I thought I'd best post something here even if it's just a little update. Later, folks.

Downtime??

Hah!!!

These weeks off are something else. I'd blog more often but my time is taken up doing all the things that have built up that I shoulda, woulda, coulda done through last week but..... wasn't able to.

Sunday is a brain dead day; doing as little as possible and getting some rest. Monday is forcing myself up early and beginning to tackle the to-do list. Yesterday flew and it is Wednesday already - amazing. Mostly I'm in and out of the house every few hours on account of the dogs - don't want them cooped up for too long.

Besides checking on-line for new job postings I haven't spent much time at the computer. A few checks here and there on blog friends but not much nor often. I have heard from a few - talked with JPW a few nights ago and caught up on some news. Emails from BJ and a couple of blog friends. Get well soon Martin - harsh luck.

As to things at work; 'the house'. Now that we have complied with clearing the house we've been instructed and allowed to build up the client resident population again. Geniuses, I tell ya. I work a day shift tomorrow and one of those 26 hours sleep over shifts Friday into Saturday morning. The back to my regular series of 7 night shifts come Sunday night. Woo-Hoo!!!!

Yesterday I had to break off clearing up the last of the leaves because a band of snow showers came through so heavily I had to quit. Now I have a couple of hours to devote to cleaning up the rest of them - that should do it for this year. Off again.....

What's Ahead??

The plan is to try and do the quicky shift switcheroo so I can get my days and nights flipped around to 'real' world hours. I'll have a much abbreviated sleep after I get off work in the morning so I can be back in bed early Sunday evening, back up and semi-functional Monday morning. I intend to report to a couple of temporary employment agencies to see if I can line up any sort of work for the balance of the week. The hope is that I can make a positive impression somewhere and get hired on a full time basis. At the very least I can make some contacts and get a line on who is hiring in the area.

There are a couple more CVs and cover letters to be sent out; a couple of follow up calls to make for others I sent out previously. One guy I know works for a printing firm and had mentioned the possibility of a CSR position opening up - gotta track him down and bend his ear. I used to work in print.

What else? The countdown is on for that Dylan concert here in town next week, the 12th. Woo-Hoo!! I'm glad I splurged for those tickets. Here's hoping he has a good night. Hmmm.... let's listen to some 'Modern Times', shall we? Get online and check some reviews and set lists.....

Lynda will be working her later shift this week so maybe I'll try to take in a couple of extra AA meetings - get out and see some friends.

I'm also looking forward to the American election Tuesday and to see what the result will be. (Plus it will FINALLY!! be over.) It has been a long, exhausting process. All rhetoric aside, in a political sense Obama fills the bill for me. McCain is too much of a hawk for me. And although expectations are that this will be a close race I do hope there is a clear winner.

Enjoy your week - I'll be back around when I'm able.

A Few New Changes

Fiddling about here; retooling a bit. I've deleted a link or two and added three or four. Have a gander at the links list on the right side and see who is new to the neighbourhood.

A bunch of us were introduced to Lea Kelley by Amuirin at Stop & Wander there a couple of weeks ago. Lea has a beautiful site full of her wonderful appreciative thoughts and links to her artwork. I like the ways in which her mind works and how she is able to express her thoughts and feelings. She was good enough to add me as a link so I thought I'd return the favour.

Martin of HST Books and I started corresponding while I was reading Hunter S Thompson's biography, 'Gonzo', and things show no sign of abating as yet. Good guy; great informative site for Thompson enthusiasts / aficionados. A little 'Fear and Loathing' with that???? Martin also linked to my wee blog and so...... turn about is fair play and all that.

I first ran across Quinn Creative... I'm guessing about 2 years ago??... and promptly lost / forgot about her site. I was very pleasantly surprised to fluke back onto her site again a month or two ago and enjoy rummaging around the archives to see what I might find. Lots of good stuff; go see!!

Another that I found when I initially learned there were such things as blogs was Solbeam's. I always enjoy it when I land there for a look around. Sometimes months and months go by when I have forgotten to check in on her and her travels... and that is one reason for the link. So that I don't forget. Solbeam has been on her journey for 7+ years now; I suggest you check her 'about' page for the lowdown. Well written; great reflective writing; and terrific photographs of some pretty exotic places.

Enjoy people!!

Dramamello

I posted yesterday during a weak moment, mea culpa. Got through the day pretty well for the most part; didn't freak on anyone's head, nothing died, no one's feelings were hurt..... and I managed to get through the day without smoking. Ta-Dahh!!

Otherwise life is full if somewhat boring. Today I slept in and luxuriated in it. It was one of those sleeps that comes along about twice a year..... ooohhh, I had a bitchin' time pushing back the covers. Warm, quiet, very comfortable, zzzzzzz.......

All the usual stuff to look forward to today - a pitstop at mom's, a bit of shopping, another meeting tonight that I was invited to participate in, walk the dogs. Relax and pace myself and enjoy. Have a good one out there!!

Work, Work, Work....

I haven't been around 'these here parts' because things have been busy but I'll get back to regular posting when I'm able.

My health is improving; meds are working on yet another round of bronchitis. I'm splitting my time between houses and not accomplishing too much at either place. My boss called and asked me to do a couple of relief shifts, yesterday and today, so I'm hopping. Back to my regular shift Sunday night....

I really need to find time for more packing!!! The move is coming all too soon.

A Real Quick One

I ain't dead yet; I've just been feeling rough which has prevented me from doing much of anything this past week. Managed to get it together just in time to come back to work. Very strange week tho! If you're enjoying good health, you are truly blessed.

So what's up??

*I'm still doing the night gig here but I've taken on a new area of responsibilty in order to help out and earn a few brownie points.

*I did get out for a while one day last week to apply for a job elsewhere. Closer to home, better pay, great benefits, a couple of people on staff that I know slightly.

*It's Canada! In winter!! It's incredibly cold!!! Not surprising but very 'in your face' -40 with the wind chill sort of cold. I broke down yesterday and got out 'Big Red', my down-filled coat. What a difference it makes. So much for style.

*Lynda and I have hit a rough spot; there are things being left unsaid so as to avoid a major blow-out. Cooler heads need to prevail - let some of the steam ease off before some sensible confrontation. Ever notice that men and women perceive the world and our relationships very differently?? Too true.

*Grandson Owen was out with his parents for the day Saturday and he continues to develop into a very bright and entertaining little character. He'll be 3 in a couple of weeks and we'll be headed off to his party.

*My quit date has passed and although my smoking is drastically reduced I continue to smoke. 10 a day is better than 30 to 40, but it certainly isn't as good as none.

*Last week I managed to get my camera and computer talking again (or was it before last week - it's a big blur to me now) so I'm really hoping to figure out how to start posting some pictures. Possibly this week. Don't hold your breathe tho.

That wasn't as quick as I was planning but I do carry on a bit now and then. There's some work to finish just now though. Later.