Our new Friend

It seems that we will be seeing a lot more of our new very friendly Andy, age 42 and without drivers licence.

Kirk spent a good bit of time with Andy yesterday. According to Kirk it was informatitive and interesting. They shared ideas and offered each other the services of their talents. Kirk trying to staying on the side of caution hoping that his instincts are correct that this will be a positive encounter. He feels paths cross for a reason.

Andy explained some history of Indian symbols and mentioned that he is an artist. He also offered to teach me how to bake bread? This is before Kirk told him I worked in the bakery at IGA. The visit slowly came to an end when Kirk informed him that he couldn't afford to hire him as he didn't have any money or a job himself. He drove Andy home, which is just minutes down the road.

We did enjoy the fish Andy gave us and thanked the Lord for this bounty.

Gone Fishing!

Yesterday was a GREAT day for Kirk. He finally got to go fishing. Of course he didn't catch any but that was just fine he had a great time trying. It was the thrill of being with Frank and putting the boat in the water, trolling around giving it their best shot at drowning some lures.

To top it off the weather was perfect. It is hard to believe we are in Canada. It got up to 51 degrees Fahrenheit and the lake was smooth as glass. (Today it is 42 and raining buckets)

It sounds like their biggest challenge was getting the boat motor started. You have to remember that some time has past since Kirk has had this boat in water. Memory is also something that comes and goes. Apparently it took an about an hour of trying to start the motor when it dawned on Kirk that he had to plug in the kill switch key. The motor fired up right away and off they went.

I believe he will talk about this day for some time. This is good to get his mind off his troubles.
The cute part, Frank called this morning with a message for Kirk. He saw fish. The Indians are pulling in their nets just off the shore in 3 feet of water with lots of fish in them. So, there are fish out there.

Talking about Indians, on his way home from his fishing trip he stopped for a hitchhiker. This could be good or bad? Kirk told me his name. I forgot already. It is that memory thing. Anyway, because Kirk made the extra effort to take him into town (Forest) to an ATM machine via our place to drop off the boat and back to the plaza on the reservation, the hitchhiker offered him delivery of some fish.

Our new friend arrived at our sliding door about a half hour ago with fish. He also needed to use the rest room. I directed him to the other entrance so that he wouldn't be tracking through the dining room/kitchen area. To me, he seemed to be intoxicated on something but who am I to judge I'm drinking beer. While he was in the rest room I gave Kirk a look (if you know what I mean) and told him to take him to the shop! At this point in time I don't know what is happening and I'm not sure I want to know. The crazy part is, it seems like deja vu. I feel like I dreamt about this and I can't remember the ending. Hope it was good!

Shoot

Getting a gun license has got Kirk up in arms!

He is trying his best to follow all the rules and regulations presented. Nov. 20, 2005 he left his guns at the border. Completed the paperwork, the course, paid the fee and applied for the license. Due to delays of unknown reasons had to get an extension at the border. The extension is soon running out so he calls the firearms department. He managed to talk to someone who is on a power trip. Telling him that all the information he received is wrong and she is the only one that he should talk to and he needed to get a copy of his background check from North Carolina before anything further would happen with his license. (Copy of this request is in the mail somewhere). We are dumbfounded.

For immigration he got a background check which we sent off to immigration, dumb bunny here didn't keep a copy before sending it. Now the phone calls begin. Immigration will not give us a copy, NC police department won't send us a copy, besides there was nothing in the firearms booklet or on application stating that this was needed.

An hour ago, Kirk came in the house for a break. I could tell he is really upset. He mentioned that he is finding it very hard not to say what he really would like to say to the person on the other end of the line. It is hard for him to understand, you have to have guns to get a license but you have to have a license to get your guns. At this point in time he has neither. It makes you want to do something. (I won't say what).

Comparisons

Yesterday was a fun day. We started the day a 4:00 am because I had to be at work at 5:00 am. I had a great day at work just learning the routine and absorbing the comradeship of the younger generation. It was good and yet it made me feel old. I try not to do this but it happens anyway, living in the past and the comparisons of past and present.

When I first moved to Florida/North Carolina I compared everything to Canada. How things were done and better. As time went on I adjusted and tried to fit in. The fit in part never really happened because I always got "you're not from around here, are you?" Now that I'm back in Canada I find myself comparing things to the USA. I want to rush the adjustment time so that I fit in. I think, all I have to do is stop talking about the past. This is hard to do.

The day got better. Unexpected company arrived. My sister Monique and her husband Don, of London Ontario, came to visit and my brother Frank dropped by. We're thrilled. Since company is not something that has happened often since we moved here. (Well, we only arrived here Nov. 1, 2005). Bad part is I found myself dwelling in the past again and comparing Canada & USA. It is like trying to teach an old dog new tricks. They say it can be done.

Hopefully we don't come across as judgmental or critics. We don't mean to. You've heard the phase, "When in Rome do as the Romans" We are trying our best to "When in Canada do as the Canadians". We just need some direction here. Some things may not change. Kirk may never talk in Celsius and Kilometers. He may never watch hockey but he does find curling interesting. Fishing seems to be the only thing on his mind and I believe this is a universal activity. (except for some of the rules like no lights under water at night)

Getting acclimated. Years ago (going to the past again) when I lived here most of my life and selling insurance I had an appointment with a couple who I thought at that time was crazy. Their home was so cold that I believe I left my coat on during my sales interview. They tried to convince me that getting acclimated to the outdoor temperatures was good for the body. Ok, only an Eskimo would have liked the temperature of their home. Well now I'm trying this acclimation thing very slowly. We keep the thermostats low. When the fireplace burns out the house is cool and we just put more clothing on. That's it for acclimation.

Some of the things we like (the list is a lot longer than what I'm about to write and not in any order of importance): flat land, early beautiful sunrise, late beautiful sunsets, no close neighbor's, fireplace, hot tub with snow around it to keep beer cold, the huge shop, lots of parking, parking my truck in garage, blue box, returnable beer bottles, gas cook stove, close to family, close to our work, close to lake, close to border, making new friends, price of produce, etc.

Some of the things we miss (again, list is a lot longer and in no particular order): our friends, price of booze, cigarettes, poultry, meat, eggs, milk etc., our Budweiser salesman, warmer winters, our refridgerator, city water and a hot tub that I could keep the PH right, 3 phase electric, and I think, the John Deer riding mower that we sold.

Some how I know this comparison thing will not end soon. But we will do our best to be Canadian.

Dough Girl

Garlic bread sticks, cheese bread sticks, pizza bread, deluxe cheese rolls, and there is more I still have to try.

On my break I purchase the bread that smells so good fresh out of the oven. I love bread, garlic, and cheese. Sure hope this craving for bread will pass soon or I'll start looking like the Pillsbury dough boy.

This evening I served the heated garlic twists to Kirk with his steak. He is not a bread eater but he really liked them. It has to be the garlic. Kirk loves it that I'm working at a grocery store again. It makes his meals more interesting. On my breaks I check out the other departments for what they have on special. It is a deciding factor on what he will have for dinner.

I got to ice some cakes today. It has been over a year since I last decorated cakes and it showed. I was embarrassed. I need practice and I gave all my tools away before we moved here. Dumb move. Well, others learn/practice on the job. I guess that is what I'll have to do and enjoy the challenge.

Had a great day and hope "you all" did too.

Bread winner?

Completed day two. It is great. Busy with lots to learn. I have to admit I am very tired at the end of the day. Since September I haven't really performed any physical labor so my body is rebelling. It will take a few weeks to get back into the swing of things.

Because I've had such a hard time warming up since the snow started in Nov. This job is perfect for me. I enjoy loading and unloading the oven. Bread is the main item. Sure there are muffins, pies, and sweets but nothing like the sweet tooth people of North Carolina. In fact it is the exact opposite. In NC we baked very few breads and tons of sweets. Here, lots of bread. OK, I'm repeating myself.

I'm still pinching myself that I have an indoor warm job. The people I work with are very nice and the store is very close to home. Even this morning in a snow storm I made it to work in 5 minutes. Can't beat that.

Now Kirk has to adjust to this new life style. I left him with the job of starting a fire in the fireplace since I had to be at work at 6:00 am. (Saturday I start a 5:00 am) He is glad we have fire starters and that it was windy. (Windy days the fireplace burns just fine). Peaty is not crazy about his new life style. He doesn't like being in the shop but he doesn't really like being in the house alone. He will adjust after a few weeks too.

Still not sure how many hours I will get but every little bit helps. Looking forward to every day.

Yippie, I have a job!

IGA called today at 10:30 am. I had my orientation at 3:30 pm.
I start tomorrow at 9:00 am.
I don't know my hours but at this point I don't care.
I'm just so glad I have a job.

They gave me two shirts, two aprons, one hat and name badge.
I feel so official. I'm baking now!

Hi-Lights of our day?

Morning sun reflecting on the clouds in the west.

One repair job done.

The excitement is more than I can handle.
(Ha ha) I sure hope I get a job soon.

The Dogs

Today is a good day to hibernate. It is cold and windy and windy and cold. I didn't get a chance yesterday to include the pictures I took of the dogs. So I'm going to try this again. Some days adding pictures to this blog is more difficult than other days.

We've had Shadow since she was a puppy. 13 years now. She is old, fat and now mean. Very attached to Kirk and Kirk very attached to her. We believe that her time is soon running out. Shadow has this cough that causes her to choke. It doesn't sound good and at this point we don't know what to do about it because our money situation is the issue. In the past when people would ask if we would sell the dog Kirk would say "I wouldn't take a million dollars for her." Now he wishes he had a million just to make her get better.

Only pet lovers will understand our feelings about this. Yes, they are dogs but they are so much part of our life.

More Wood

Thanks to Frank and Doug we are back in wood. It was a mild day and we managed to dodge the rain drops. Bring on the snow we are ready, at least for another month.

PS, double click on picture to enlarge

Humor

The other night we were watching comedy central. It was great. We needed to laugh.

We watched 2 hours of Jeff Foxworthy, Larry the Cable Guy, Ron "tater salad" White, and Bill Engvall "here's your sign".

Larry the Cable Guy is our favorite. "Get-R-Done" and "now that is funny I don't care who you are that is funny" is all Kirk would repeat over and over after the show.

I found it interesting what makes people laugh or not. What one person thinks is funny is definitely not to someone else. Ron White had the audience going but we didn't think he was that funny. It must be where your head is at the time the joke or line is said. Or how many beers you've had.

Have you ever sent an email and wanted to take it back? I sent one feeling I was being funny or it was at the time. Since I have not received a response I get the feeling that maybe they didn't think it was funny. Now I start having these silent conversations with myself wondering if you hurt someone's feelings or they just haven't got around to reply. In the mean time I got "The Cat in the Hat" on my brain. Lord Help Me!

The Wait

Waiting is not one of my favorite things to do. I'm sure that is the same for everyone. The interview at IGA went well. At least that is how I feel about it. I should receive a call next week. In the mean time I had another session with Ruth, my employment counselor, and put some more resumes out there. And wait.

Kirk got a small job last night. He is building a phase converter for Dave, the previous owner of our home. Dave also needs a hay conveyor built out of aluminum. Kirk will check that out on the weekend. This gives him a good feeling that something is slowly happening.

The weather is great today. We really should take advantage of it and get some more wood. But now he is busy with the phase converter. Wood will be put off until it is cold again. That's life.

Bored

It is bad when Kirk says he is bored. It is not for the lack of things to do. He has many things that need to be done but it involves $. Until one of us gets a job the desire to do anything has come to a screeching halt.

He did go out today to talk to some businesses that he thought my be interested in his services and I continued checking the job bank web site.

Then we got a brain storm. Right. Because it is warm today, 39 degrees, lets pressure wash the filter in the hot tub. First we struggle getting the filter out. Kirk sets up his steam pressure washer. We are ready to go. Wrong. It is broken. The words Kirk used "froze and busted". Some how from the time we move here until today it must have got cold enough for it to freeze. Surprise.

I come up with plan B. Put it in the dishwasher. Well, it doesn't look much better after the dishwasher. We are going to take it to a car wash tomorrow. More $.

News flash! I just got a call from IGA (for you in the south, that is a grocery store). I have an interview tomorrow at 9:30 am. My spirits have just been lifted. Pray for me. I have to go now and jump around the house and hoot and holler.

Clutch Pin

Yesterday this word, item, part was not in my vocabulary. Today it has taken over a good portion of the day and I'm sure for many days from here on until we find this part.

It all started with something simple (according to men folk) like draining oil from the lower unit of a boat motor. None of which I am interested in. I am now.

When Kirk was getting the boat ready to go fishing (that never happened) the plug was missing. I understand plugs. They are used to either stop water from coming in or going out. This one is needed to stop oil from going out and water from coming in. Kirk went to Port Franks Marina and purchased a plug for $3. It was smaller than a dime and it didn't work. In the mean time he is searching for his 125 HP Force Outboard owner's manual by US Marine Corp. Which was bought out by Chrysler. I know all this stuff now because the search is on in more ways than one. The WWW is my department. I have to find a plug.

Finally, Kirk finds his manual. I ask to see what and where this plug is to be. I study Figure 25 and big bold letters "Do Not Remove This Clutch Pin". Of course, I think the worst. Why would it say DO NOT REMOVE. That is the first thing that is going to be removed. I pointed this out to Kirk and ask him to go look at the motor again. Sure enough it is THE CLUTCH PIN! We are now in search of a clutch pin.

Some days it seems like it doesn't matter how many combinations of words you put in the search engines it always comes back with nothing or the same thing so, at this moment I'm giving it a break. I'd rather fight with the fireplace right now while Kirk sits repeating the words Clutch Pin.

New Year Treat

The other day we had the truck safety check done in Sarnia. As usual it was more $ than we expected. Even when we count on something to be expensive we still misjudge. We picked up the truck and we were both very hungry but not wanting to eat at a fast food place we decided to go straight home. Besides, we very rarely eat out. Twice a year, tops, and that is if someone takes us out. Kirk was following me in his truck and as we turned onto 21 highway some how we had a meeting of the minds. Our turn signals went on simultaneously and we turned into the Red Rooster Restaurant. (Some how we seem to do that a lot. With out talking we think the same thing)?

It was something about the place we liked. It was like we had gone back to North Carolina. Maybe it was the country music. The friendly people. (Kirk has mentioned to me more than once that people on the street here don't greet you. But, I mentioned at least they will come to our home to visit. This is all another story) The bowls of peanuts which is something Kirk enjoys.

Now comes, what do we do with the peanut shells? I could see, they are just thrown on the floor. Kirk couldn't bring himself to do that? Why, is beyond me? Anyone who has ever seen the floor of his shop will relate to what I am thinking. Oh well, we don't get out much. We put the shells on a plate. We ordered food we have never tried before. It was great. We had a great time just doing something different. Then came the bill. Not bad. It just reminds us why we don't go out much.

We justified the occasion as our Happy New Year and by taking the leftovers (doggie bag) for the dogs!

Master or Slave

Of the fireplace!
I believe I have mastered the art of the starting a fire in the fireplace. Mind you, not without the help of a friend who gave me fire starters for Christmas. I have become very dependent on these things. It makes life so much easier. Keeping the fire burning has also become easier when another friend offered us scrap 2X4's. We got a 1/2 a truck load. We should have got more since we have quite a bit of damp wood and the 2X4's help keep the damp wood burning.

It could be just my obsession but since our first fuel bill I do not want to hear the furnace come on. It is a sound that has disappearing dollars dancing in my head. So, attending to the fire is a priority so much so that one night I think I was asleep but I heard the furnace at midnight and jumped out of bed to put more wood on the fire. The average length of time a log will burn is 2 to 3 hours. I slept in Kirk's arm chair so that I could be ready to put the next log on at 3:00 am or when I hear the furnace again whatever comes first. I think I've lost my mind?

Motivation

Nothing motivates more than the words "going fishing". Last night Kirk received a phone call. The lake is smooth as glass and it is 38 degrees Fahrenheit. Lets go fishing!

I can't really explain the excitement that came over this man. He turned into a little boy who couldn't wait to go to bed (8:30 pm) to get up early (5:00 am) and get the boat ready to GO FISHING!

At about 7:30 am the signs were showing, this is not going to happen. Snow was not going to stop him but the wind will. With sad eyes and voice "we are not going fishing". But, if nothing else the boat is going to be ready for the next call whenever it should happen.

I miss you too!

This is for Josh, who misses Kirk desperately. He would come down to Kirk's shop every day just to visit and talk. They are buddies.

(double click on photo to get full screen)

Should have eaten them when their bones were soft!

I like this saying and some of you know who I got it from. I think it is funny. Today, I was saying it a lot. We don't have children but we have dogs and they think they are people but they are permanent 2 year olds.

Kirk took the truck into Sarnia to get the safety check and emissions test so that we can change the license plate (NC tags) over to Ontario plates. Common sense was to leave Shadow (his dog) here with me. I sort of knew what I was going to be up against. Wrong!

I made sure that Shadow watched Kirk pull out of the driveway in the truck at 11:00 am so that she would know he is gone. She immediately sat in the front window and watched the road. That lasted for only 10 minutes. Then came the whinnying, whimpering, pawing, little growls, sad eyes, pouting, louder growls, and the final screeching bark. This in turn gets Peaty (my dog) going. Now I have two of them driving me crazy. Not that I'm doing much but now nothing is getting done. I'm actually having a conversation with a dog. They are not listening. Surprise.

The screeching bark gets to me the most. We went out to the shop twice for Shadow to check every corner just to find Kirk is not here. Back in the house we go. Peace for about an hour.
Round two. It starts all over again. I start talking to myself. This is a test, it is only a test. Patience is a virtue. Then I think, I should have eaten them when their bones were soft.

Canada Blonde joke

Blondes - eh? Had to share this with all our warm weather friends in the south.

As a North Bay trucker stops for a red light on Hwy.11, a blonde catches up. She jumps out of her car, runs up to his truck, and knocks on the door. The trucker lowers the window, and she says, "Hi, my name is Heather, and you are losing some of your load!"

The trucker ignores her and proceeds down the street. When the truck stops for another red light, the girl catches up again. She jumps out of her car runs up and knocks on the door. Again the trucker lowers the window. As if they've never spoken, the blonde says brightly, "Hi, my name is Heather, and you are losing some of your load!"

Shaking his head, the trucker ignores her again and continues down the street. At the third red light, the same thing happens again. All our of breath, the blonde gets out of her car, runs up, knocks on the truck door. The trucker lowers the window. Again she says, "Hi, my name is Heather, and you are losing some of your load!"

When the light turns green the trucker revs up and races to the next light. When he stops this time, he hurriedly gets out of the truck, and runs back to the blonde. He knocks on her window, and as she lowers it, he says,
"Hi, my name is Kevin, it's winter in CANADA, and I'm driving a SALT TRUCK."

Rainy days & Mondays

It is raining. It is Monday. I think it is a Holiday?
So far the excitement in my day is doing laundry, bath the dogs and keep the fire burning in the fireplace.
The down side is Kirk is not feeling well. It is not like him to sit and not do anything. Even when he is injured, has flue/cold or sore back or legs he keeps going. Today has got him down. This concerns me. Rest and naps may be the best cure and watching fishing on TV can put anyone to sleep (ok, maybe not Kirk).
He did call his new friend the electrician to wish him a Happy New Year. A glimmer of hope came out of the conversation. I may have a job soon! I'm not counting chickens yet. But he is blood related to the company I applied to.

Phone Day

Happy New Year! 2006
This is the greeting that started every call we made today.
Our day started at 6:00 am this morning, we slept in. Anxiously we wait for a comfortable time to start calling our friends to wish them a Happy New Year. We agreed on 9:00 am. After that it feels like we were on the phone all day. I know we didn't get to talk to all our friends we wanted to today but we did our best. (email is great for general contact but not the same as hearing the voice) Hope to hear from you soon.
Happy New Year to all. Looking forward to a wonderful year. May God Bless.