one minute post

Photo courtesy of Jim Donaldson Photography

I had such a busy weekend that I didn't have time to blog! One of these days, I'm going to get an iPad then you'll be seeing way too much of me :P

I'm at work right now and don't have time to write very much, but here's the most important piece of info: the snow is melting and the temps are 7°C. Yay!

Back later.

ice land

photo taken by Arnel, in Calgary, AB, this morning.

Thursday's +0° temps created havoc all over Alberta! Snow that had been mashed into the highways all winter was melted by late afternoon and the next day when it began to freeze, it was bad. Add to that ten cm. of blowing snow and highways were closed by noon yesterday.

That put a damper on the Saturday I had planned with Jamie, which was lunch, shopping and haircuts in a town about half an hour north of here, but we made do. After cancelling and rebooking my appointment, I got on the phone with a few places here in town to find something for Jamie.

The whole time, Jamie was sending me texts.

Cancelling?! Noooooo Mum! I NEED this haircut! *sob*

She comes by the drama naturally, lol.

Anyway, we got her into Magicuts, even though I wouldn't normally book a cut there. Not that I have anything against chains, it's just that I don't trust your average stylist with the kind of hair that I have (and passed onto Jamie.) When we arrived, there were two stylists already working on others and Jamie was passed to this middle aged man who took one look at her hair and said something like "oh, it's so thick I'd better do it dry," and went to work. Jamie thought he'd do a shampoo and style and hadn't washed her hair so when he said he was finished we were a little surprised. Rather than cause a scene we paid the $20 and went to the mall to book a shampoo and blow out, which cost me another $26.

I don't know why I am always surprised when we get terrible service, but we let it go and killed time in between by shopping the lingerie and houseware departments. I even bought a black cross-body bag, which is something new for me - but the fibro is doing a number on my forearms this winter.

Today we're working in the warehouse, but have to clear snow from the sidewalks, back yard and deck. After that, I think Bill is picking Jamie up so that the kids can go sliding.

Happy Sunday!

wtf?!

It's snowing right now. Big fat, heavy flakes. *sigh*

crazy weather

I love living in Alberta, for the most part. But when it snows (like it did last night, although it melted immediately) I just want to move back to BC. It might be rainy a lot of the time, but that has to be better than snow, and I bet there are flowers blooming everywhere.

Here's a quick question for you. Do you have life insurance? Do you believe in life insurance?

I'll be back later to tell you about the movie we saw last night, for $6.

Have a good one.

I love a rainy night

I'm sitting here in the dark, watching for lightning. There has been a few big ones, followed by the deep rumble of the thunder. And rain! It's so exciting, after the long Alberta winter.

I just love this part of Spring.

more randomosity

photo source unknown

• Since about eleven p.m. last night, there have been raging winds and snow. Nothing like when I was a kid, but still a minor blizzard. Right now it's -11°C but feels like -26°C.
• One of Emily's friends from school committed suicide by hanging Monday night. He was twelve years old, and his mother had committed suicide when he was six. He leaves behind a brother and a dad, and we've been praying for them all.
• I did an interview for a recruiter yesterday morning and it went very well. They're looking for a large management team for a new H&M store and after half an hour he short-listed me. Unfortunately, I missed a call from their HR office last night, but will touch base with them on Monday. It looks like they want me for some kind of supervising role because they're looking for a manager who has had a team of 60. Wow! The biggest team I've ever had was 18. I'm excited about any new opportunity, but I've heard awesome things about H&M.
• A recruiter from a high interest lender called me yesterday for a loans officer position but I disclosed a crappy credit rating, and that ended it. I don't mind - I would have hated working for someone that charges 30% interest.
• A recruiter looking to fill a Fashion Retailer Management spot emailed me for more information on my merchandising experience, and I hope he calls me for an interview.
• Even though I'm looking for other work, I'm still prospecting. I sold some health insurance on Monday and hope to do two life insurance sales this afternoon. You know, I am really going to miss this job. I do love what I do, but there are just too many people who ruin it for everyone else.

Hope you all have a nice Thursday!

bandito

This is one of my Mom's kittens, Bandit. We have all fallen in love with him! Unfortunately, we can't have two cats in the house. We already expend a lot of energy keeping Tokyo in the house (she's looking for a way out every hour of every day) and getting the cat hair off us (we shouldn't wear so much black I suppose) and Jamie does not clean the litter box when she should.

Still. Isn't he cute? He's such a boy kitty.

It's -20°C or -4°F, and snowing, but it's also Canada's favourite time of year. You never know - I could win one of the cash prizes!
Happy Humpday.

dang

It's my 44th birthday today. Unbelievable!

Unfortunately, Bill got called out of town Friday morning and might not be home until 11:00 tonight. I hope not! But it's a real possibility. He and I were planning on seeing a local production of Shirley Valentine. I know he feels terrible about it, but there isn't much he can do. He's about four hours north of here building a berm in a snowstorm.

What I'm really worried about is that he plans on working from 7 am to 7 pm, then driving the four hours home. I don't know how far north that snowstorm spreads, but here in my city the winds are pretty fierce - and drifting snow will cover the highways in black ice. I just hope they finish sooner than planned.

So tonight, I have to decide whether I go to a wine & cheese party, or if I go to a play on my own. I really don't mind either, although I think I might be preoccupied until Bill makes it home. He and I will do something together on Sunday.

snowy

Here's my deck this morning, covered with the few inches of snow we've been getting in the last few days. It actually amazes me that we don't have more.

I've been living in Central Alberta since 1973, when my mom and dad broke up. Originally I'm from the Sunshine Coast, near Vancouver BC, where January brings spring showers and by February, the flowers are starting to bloom. Alberta was definitely a culture shock!

January and February are typically the coldest months of the year here, although December can give us a run for our money too. This year we've had a few weeks of -37°C, but the majority of the time it's been -20°C or lower. We've had very little snow, but what we have had has still confused some of our drivers, who refuse to slow down or keep any distance between themselves and the cars ahead of them.

Two of the worst offenders are teenaged boys with something to prove, or women in SUV's and UUV's. I guess the women think that they can just throw it in 4H, but I've seen enough slide through intersections to know that that isn't necessarily the case. Maybe in extreme cold, when the roads have some traction, but let it warm up just a little? That's when you really need to watch.

Today I have my first sales appointment since before Christmas, and I'll be on the phone trying to make more, unless my voice is too raspy from this cold. No sense scaring people off, lol.