Lost my parking spot....Again!

Actually, this time it was partly my idea. We are expecting the large order of material to arrive. (it was scheduled for last Friday) Room to move around is going to be important so, the Jag had to find a new home. The garage!

Schedules everywhere

Sometimes I think I'm losing my mind. Other times paranoia sets in and I think "they" are out to get me.

Yesterday I get a call from Tim Hortons-
"You are suppose to be at work!"

"No, I'm not scheduled until Friday."

"No, you are suppose to be here but, we don't really need you today so come in on Friday."

OK!

Two hours later I get a call from the owner-
"You were on the schedule which is posted near the drive-thru to be here."

My light comes on. I check the schedule posted in the kitchen which, I notice most co-workers check. Besides, I didn't even know about the other schedule. I ask the owner to check the schedule in the kitchen.

Owners mistake. She changed schedule and forgot to change all schedules.

I'm feeling better now that I'm not losing my mind. Now, they also don't need me until Sunday. Which is just fine with me.

Blast from the Past

A friend of ours dropped by yesterday. We had a great visit reminiscing the past.

Bob Proctor's seminars came up in the conversation. Boy, I'm going back in time now. I attended a number of his seminars while working with Metropolitan Life. All good.

Many of you will not know who this man is. All I can say, "You are the only problem you will ever have and baby, You are the only solution." This was the poster our friend and myself had on our office wall for years.

Bob Proctor is still very much around. Go to Youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DXFGsB9CZ0 it is about 6 minutes long, with the Host-Ellen DeGeneres.

Big Brother is Watching

We are being watched from the owners home. This is the latest information at work.

(for those who don't understand - Big Brother is Watching - go to http://www.bigbrothergovernment.org/index.html )

We were told again. "You better not be standing around, they can see you!"

It was the first break in the day. You could say it was a very short relief. My throat was dry and couldn't talk clearly any more. We actually stood for a moment. It was wonderful.

I hurry to get supplies. Heaven forbid, non-movement. Sure, I understand the owners do not want idle employees but sometimes a breather is necessary. Makes me almost want to stand and wave at the camera. "I'm taking a breath and a sip of water."

At some Tim Hortons they seem to have time to fool around. Check out this YouTube clip (it is not interesting but Big Brother is not there) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZR6jYEY4FGU

Today is a Holiday?

Victoria Day. It has finally warmed up to the temperature
fore casted for all weekend. Something definitely run a muck with the forecasters.

We have the bender up and working. Actually it is Kirk that does the working part. It takes a fair amount of strength to pull the handle around to get the bend in the metal. He does have a set up to use mechanical power to bend the metal but it takes too long to set up and adjust. So, it is back to "man power".

I've been busy cutting the pieces needed and there are a lot of pieces.

I did start the day out at Tree-Mendus hoeing while
waiting for any call from the sales staff should they need assistance in loading plants in a customers vehicle.
The reinforcements arrived so I decided I was better needed at home.
It was just as well. My back was killing me. Out of practice or shape, which ever or both. (The slob in me is coming out. We match.)

When I arrived home I did announce to Kirk that cutting metal was looking and feeling really good!

Right now, I'm cooking up a pot of gumbo (one of Kirk's favorite dishes) soon to be set on simmer and I'll get back at it.

Happy Holidays!

Congratulations Natasha

I received the following email and I just have to share it with my friends. In addition and not related to the email SLU Commencement is this weekend. We wish Natasha (our niece) all the best for the future.

Hello All,
I realize that this is not much, but it is my first publication. I was able to contribute to a Health Care Ethics Journal and my editing and writing was published. Please see the attached journal. I helped with the "OF NOTE" section on the last couple of pages, there is a reference to my name on the second last page, lower right hand corner.
YEAH, I have a small piece of published work!
Natasha

(to go to SLU click on picture, click on document to enlarge)

Working on a system.

We've been hard at it since 6:30 this morning hoping a system will emerge. We are cutting as many of the pieces as possible while waiting for the grip tread plate to arrive. It is safe to say it won't happen today as it's a Holiday weekend. So, we are looking at next week. Maybe?

The bend in the handrail is very time consuming at this point. Kirk is working on setting up his bender so this process will speed up. We found out today, they want an additional short handrail on the opposite side with the same extended bend in it. This was not good news. More material, more time.

We got lots cut today. I will be helping out at Tree-mendus tomorrow so Kirk will weld sections together ready for assembly when the tread arrives.

(click on hi-lited words to take you to their web-sites, double click on pictures to enlarge, to return to blog click on go back button)

New Rules of employment

Shoes!
Yesterday I noticed the bulletin of the new rules on shoes. I asked the manager in charge if my shoes, that I purchased when I started at Tim Hortons, are OK. She said she would check into it.
Today, different manager in charge said I have to get new shoes and that everyone knew about this for a week now. (I didn't say this but I was thinking it) Well, shoot me. I only work a few days a week so I missed out on the news. OK, I guess I'm buying new shoes.

Right now, I sure don't feel like shopping for shoes. I have a pair that fit their criteria. They are ugly, heavy and yet reasonably comfortable. Birkenstocks. I also have another pair of Birkenstocks that are well worn and also fit the criteria. Maybe I'll just buff them up.

Gee, I dislike shopping.

Mother's Day

I can relate to this.

Rules of employment

Learned another rule.

I was waiting on a customer when I heard my name called out from the office area. From the tone it sounded serious. I finished up with the customer and replied "I'm here". (Not that there isn't enough cameras in this place to pinpoint exactly where I am.) The supervisor in charge approached me with clipboard and pen in hand. It seemed to me, she was ready to write me up for something.

"Where did you go when you were on your break?" (the tone again is important)

"I went to my truck to have a cigarette!"

"You looked like you just returned from somewhere. You can not leave the premises because we have paid breaks which means we have to know where you are at all times."

"Yes, I moved my truck from one parking spot to another because the service/repair man asked me to." Of course she knew about the service people and their large boom truck.

A light came on. I did leave once last week. My nose was running and I couldn't stop sniffling so on my break I went across the street to IGA for some Dristan. The same supervisor was there upon my return witnessing my purchase and intake of the drug. No mention then of leaving the premises. I'm confused and yet apologized for my ignorance of the rules. I don't remember reading this rule but then all I've been doing is reading rules and signs. It is probably common knowledge for all Canadian employees and I'm sure it is written somewhere and I missed it.

God help me!

102.7 again

We went through this last December. Kirk is ill. I should have known something was wrong when we slept until 6:00 am this morning.

The week started out great. Monday, I went shopping for a metal cut saw as our other one is acting up. Besides, two saws are better than one, which proved to be so yesterday. Kirk wouldn't let me cut until he had it set up and figured out, how this was going to work.

While I was waiting, I became a "rock hound" for a few hours. Noticing the farmer out in the field picking up rocks, I can do this! No "leaverites" out there, just pick'em up and put in bucket. (For those who don't know "leaverites", when Kirk use to go gold/gem hunting, he would want to bring home all kinds of stones/rocks. Most of them were "leave it right there" rocks. Get it.)

Early Tuesday, things are set up and we are cutting metal. Kirk cuts all the difficult angles and I got the 45 degrees and straight cuts. By 4 pm we feel accomplished and tired. Had dinner, shower and ready for hot tub, as both of us ached all over. The temperature of the hot tub is it's usual 104 but for some reason we both broke out in a sweat. We had to get out.

Kirk is now resting/sleeping in his chair and I'm not moving much faster. I managed to get the garbage to the curb only to returned to; the job of washing the kitchen floor because Kirk didn't make it to any container. It is safe to say, today is a write-off.

102.7 is definitely not one of our favorite numbers.

Good day for me, Bad day for dog.

I had a great day at work (Tim Hortons). Only made two known mistakes and only got flustered once. I just may hang in there. They have me scheduled two days a week, sometimes three days. This could work out to be OK.

As for Shadow's day, she is living on the edge with Kirk welding close by. It seems, a spark flew into her bed while she was sleeping (sleep is what she does all day). According to Kirk it didn't take her long to get out of her bed. (more movement than he's seen in a long time)
All is well.
But, she has now taken over Petey's bed.

360 continued....

It is not even noon yet and we've had three boats arrive for repair and one call to repair a pontoon boat.

Since the tractor trailer is in the way. The pontoon boat will have to wait for Monday.

This is good, and yet, scary. We have to keep working on the steps too.

As Kirk would say "I'm covered up".

360

Weekends are for trucks. They arrive here Friday evening for additions and repairs. This truck needs a chain pan only. Usually, Kirk builds the chain rack and pan. This is the stuff that keeps him from fishing. It is like being "on call" 7 days a week. 360 days a year.

Honey Do List

I thought a table would be nice. Since we are waiting on the material to arrive. Kirk started on the "Honey Do List". We now have table. The interior of Kirk's truck is clean. Mower is fixed.
I'm a happy honey.

Kirk can go back to studying his fish-finder manual.
Oh, did I mention, the fish-finder has arrived! Taxes paid and all is well. Just may not have a boat to put it in?

(click on picture to enlarge)