I am home today from work with a yucky head cold that has left me feeling as weak as a kitten. I felt it coming on Tuesday afternoon. Headache, slight runny nose...by Wednesday night I knew for sure that I was coming down with something. Thursday was my first day back to work after days off and all my loving colleagues went to great lengths to tell me that I looked like shite. By dinner time last night I knew I wasn't going to be making it into work today. It's my first "sick day" from work in over 15 months - and I feel guilty as hell for taking the time off. On the other hand I am normally the first one reaching for the antiseptic wipes whenever I encounter a sick co-worker, so I am sure they are all happy that I decided to stay home today.
My flu-ridden brain brought about the strangest dreams last night. Mum was there - decorating the bedroom walls with coloured markers and felt-tipped pens. For some reason I cut out my own tongue with a vegetable knife (probably because I kept waking up totally parched from mouth-breathing and having to get a drink of water) and we kept it in a Ziploc bag so that I could get it sewn on again later. I hasten to add that other than Advil there were no cold medications in my system last night - so I can't even blame the dreams on the hallucinogenic properties of NyQuil.
I'm glad to be back on a normal day schedule, and my weight loss efforts are now back in full swing. All last week whilst I was on the night shift, despite making an effort to go to the gym, and being good beyond belief in my food choices, my weight didn't shift in the desired direction. I had appeared to plateau and at one point my scales even claimed that I had gained back a couple of pounds (I naturally called the scales a bare-faced liar). I wonder if the whole "shift work" scenario has anything to do with it?
Thankfully by Wednesday, back on normal day shift hours my scales (now behaving itself) claims that I had lost another 4lbs. I tried on a pair of old blue jeans that had previously been more than a bit snug and was thrilled to find they not only fit comfortably...they actually hung on my bum and thighs! Thursday morning I was down again...so I am officially 1lb away from my 30lb mark! I have to admit I am feeling fantastic! Still got a long ways to go...but I am determined to get there. Sharing weight loss news with friends like Monette have been a huge help in keeping my motivation going. She is doing fantastically since her gastric bypass surgery in January, and we regularly check on each other's progress on instant messenger. I appreciate however that eventually her weight loss results will have me choking on her dust and leave me trailing behind, but at the moment it really feels like we are doing this together.
The boy started his new job this past Monday and from what I can tell so far everything is going well. The only reason I can't say much more on the subject is that I have hardly seen him! In addition to working full time he is taking night school 4 days a week, and still finding time for a social life himself. I generally get a phone call...or hear the door close as he is coming home in the wee small hours. I shake my head and wonder where he gets the energy from, but then I look back and remember how I was at that age. We'd think nothing of being out partying 'til 2am and still being ready for work the next morning - albeit a tad bleary eyed.
Other than that, not a lot more to report. J. is just back from her week in El Salvador. I can't wait to hear her news and see the pics, I am sure she had a wonderful time. After the kind of week we have had with the ice storm, temperatures of -21 with wind chills of -35 and now this lousy head cold, I am in dire need of some sun, sand and sangria. Roll on spring!
March 9, 2007
March 2, 2007
In like a lion
The storm hit here during the day Thursday...by the time I got up mid afternoon (night shift) it was a winter wonderland outside. Colleagues told of the efforts they went to just to get into work on time. Some leaving home 3 hours early for their usual 30 minute commute just to arrive safe and sound. My own drive in was slow and steady with thankfully only a couple of white knuckle moments. I do however confess to uttering a few expletives at a few passing truck drivers who insisted on barrelling down the highway at ridiculous speeds, whilst the rest of us were inching along.
Being an essential service, calling in a "snow day" simply isn't an option. Authorities were urging people to stay off the roads and only travel if it was absolutely necessary. The ice rain hit around midnight and from then onwards the rest of my shift is just a blur of frantic calls from citizens as the weight of the snow and ice brought down trees, split hydro poles in half, brought power lines down, caused electricity transformers to explode and the Don River broke her banks in a number of areas causing flooding.
Midway through the night frustrations were starting to show. The calls waiting in the 911 queue were at an all time high as we tried to answer them as quickly as possible - it was a total nightmare - our time was being eaten up not by trying to answer the lines, but in trying to advise both the city works department and hydro-electric. Eventually they both simply stopped answering their lines and tempers on the floor were running very short. How nice to be able to just "switch off" the phones when the pressure is too much.
This evening watching the news there have been many news stories detailing the damage left by the storm. Thousands of residents are without power and some may be waiting until Sunday according to Hydro to get power back. Check out this great video/news story from CITY TV.
My thanks and appreciation goes out not only to my colleagues - our humour helped us make it through the night - but to the guys and girls on the road who were detailed to endless calls for live hydro wires down, power outages, trees down, car accidents and flooding in addition to all the usual calls they attend. Crime doesn't stop unfortunately, but thankfully it slowed a little for us last night.
There were numerous calls last night that caused us all to stop, laugh and shake our heads at the sheltered, pampered lives of some people. One indignant woman called in a noise complaint, the excessive noise outside was preventing her from sleeping and she was insistent that we attend immediately and deal with the situation, as her peace, quiet and the enjoyment of her home was being interrupted by this horrific noise pollution. The source of her displeasure? A snow plow. She objected to the snow plows being out at night, plowing the streets, the sounds of their blades dragging across the road surface was keeping her awake. She didn't feel this work should be done at night whilst everyone was trying to sleep.
I shake my head ...oh to be so blissfully ignorant...oh to have such a pampered and perfect life.
Being an essential service, calling in a "snow day" simply isn't an option. Authorities were urging people to stay off the roads and only travel if it was absolutely necessary. The ice rain hit around midnight and from then onwards the rest of my shift is just a blur of frantic calls from citizens as the weight of the snow and ice brought down trees, split hydro poles in half, brought power lines down, caused electricity transformers to explode and the Don River broke her banks in a number of areas causing flooding.
Midway through the night frustrations were starting to show. The calls waiting in the 911 queue were at an all time high as we tried to answer them as quickly as possible - it was a total nightmare - our time was being eaten up not by trying to answer the lines, but in trying to advise both the city works department and hydro-electric. Eventually they both simply stopped answering their lines and tempers on the floor were running very short. How nice to be able to just "switch off" the phones when the pressure is too much.
This evening watching the news there have been many news stories detailing the damage left by the storm. Thousands of residents are without power and some may be waiting until Sunday according to Hydro to get power back. Check out this great video/news story from CITY TV.
My thanks and appreciation goes out not only to my colleagues - our humour helped us make it through the night - but to the guys and girls on the road who were detailed to endless calls for live hydro wires down, power outages, trees down, car accidents and flooding in addition to all the usual calls they attend. Crime doesn't stop unfortunately, but thankfully it slowed a little for us last night.
There were numerous calls last night that caused us all to stop, laugh and shake our heads at the sheltered, pampered lives of some people. One indignant woman called in a noise complaint, the excessive noise outside was preventing her from sleeping and she was insistent that we attend immediately and deal with the situation, as her peace, quiet and the enjoyment of her home was being interrupted by this horrific noise pollution. The source of her displeasure? A snow plow. She objected to the snow plows being out at night, plowing the streets, the sounds of their blades dragging across the road surface was keeping her awake. She didn't feel this work should be done at night whilst everyone was trying to sleep.
I shake my head ...oh to be so blissfully ignorant...oh to have such a pampered and perfect life.
February 27, 2007
End of February?? Yikes!
February has blown by in a series of sweaty workouts (6 days a week and still going strong) and subzero temperatures (monthly average -10 with wind chills in the -20 ranges). I am soooo ready for spring I can't even begin to tell you. I have been so preoccupied with a series of would be suitors (gasp), life, work, my old Staff Sergeant leaving for a new post...and the arrival of a new Staff Sergeant, the boy starting night school 4 days a week, carpool drama and the ultimate death of said car pool, eating right etc. that I was literally shocked to realise that here we are at the end of February...and I haven't been blogging...
bad, bad, Suzie.
I promise March will be better.
bad, bad, Suzie.
I promise March will be better.
February 13, 2007
I got my groove back!
It's nice to report good news for once. As some may know the boy was let go from his previous employer a little over a week ago due to lay off. (Grrr Indian call centres!) He applied the same day to their major competitor, who were all over him like a fat kid on a smartie. On-line applications submitted, 2 hour testing and interview last Tuesday, followed by reference checks made last Thursday - today he got the call offering him the job...and we are going to dinner tonight to celebrate. Yes, I know I am not supposed to be celebrating with food...(20lbs down as of this morning!) but I'll have salad...and the way I look at it, it's another night where I don't have to cook! (bonus)
After looking at a few photos taken on the weekend at a singles event, I decided I needed my fringe back. Today Angie (hairdresser extraordinaire) confirmed the grown out fringe look just wasn't working the way we had envisioned. That's fine! We tried, and it didn't work for my face. Welcome back bangs! It feels great to be more "like me" again!
A friend flew in from Calgary over the weekend. He visited friends in NY state and then came back to the GTA to see yours truly for the first time in 4 yrs for a couple of days. We joked that our "Valentine's" get together is getting to be a regular occurrence....if every 4 years can be considered "regular". All I will say is he is a real gentleman, he has the most perfect manners and respect toward women that one would normally associate with a "gentleman cowboy". I can't say what a boost it gives a woman to have a man stand as she enters a room, making her (me) feel that she is the only person around, open every door, car door, wait for her to be seated before sitting himself...sigh. And he brought flowers....and a card....and he was so touched that I brought him fresh coffee and pastries to his hotel this morning when I picked him up for the morning. I took him out to show off my dirt (soon to be my house) and we wandered around the model home...and he was thrilled for me. This evening he flies back to Calgary, and hopefully I'll see him again in a few years - providing some sweet young thing doesn't snatch him up. I swear if he didn't live so far away...and wasn't 8 years my junior ...I would be chasing him myself!
After looking at a few photos taken on the weekend at a singles event, I decided I needed my fringe back. Today Angie (hairdresser extraordinaire) confirmed the grown out fringe look just wasn't working the way we had envisioned. That's fine! We tried, and it didn't work for my face. Welcome back bangs! It feels great to be more "like me" again!
A friend flew in from Calgary over the weekend. He visited friends in NY state and then came back to the GTA to see yours truly for the first time in 4 yrs for a couple of days. We joked that our "Valentine's" get together is getting to be a regular occurrence....if every 4 years can be considered "regular". All I will say is he is a real gentleman, he has the most perfect manners and respect toward women that one would normally associate with a "gentleman cowboy". I can't say what a boost it gives a woman to have a man stand as she enters a room, making her (me) feel that she is the only person around, open every door, car door, wait for her to be seated before sitting himself...sigh. And he brought flowers....and a card....and he was so touched that I brought him fresh coffee and pastries to his hotel this morning when I picked him up for the morning. I took him out to show off my dirt (soon to be my house) and we wandered around the model home...and he was thrilled for me. This evening he flies back to Calgary, and hopefully I'll see him again in a few years - providing some sweet young thing doesn't snatch him up. I swear if he didn't live so far away...and wasn't 8 years my junior ...I would be chasing him myself!
February 9, 2007
February 6, 2007
Calling all guardian angels...
After work this afternoon we (the carpool) started to head home, within minutes of pulling onto the highway we saw brake lights up ahead, a cloud of dust and we knew there has been an accident. In fact there had just been an accident.
As our car pulled level, through the debris that littered all three lanes, two of us already had cell phones out to call emergency services. As we looked over however, the female driver slumped in the driver's seat, our decision was automatic, unanimous and unspoken; we pulled ahead on the shoulder running back to help. Another car pulled in just ahead of us and the driver of that car joined us.
Inside the wreck a young female, slumped unconscious and suffering from head trauma, in the back a toddler strapped in a car seat. There was precious little left of the front end of her car, although surprisingly the air bags had not inflated - so I can just imagine the impact of the crash on the driver. It was a single motor vehicle accident, the vehicle had hit the guardrail and spun out of control across three lanes of traffic before coming to rest against the guardrail on the opposite side. How she avoiding hitting another car during rush hour is a mystery to us all.
Her car doors were locked and battered beyond opening and we pounded on the window trying to rouse her enough to unlock the door. We searched our trunks for a tire iron to smash the window but thankfully after a few minutes the lady in the car regained consciousness long enough to open her lock. The guys tugged on the driver's side door and managed to pry it wide enough to snake an arm in to release the back door. The woman was bleeding profusely from a head injury but thankfully her child was safely strapped in her car seat and suffered not a scratch. One of my colleagues cared for the child, our attention on the female trapped behind the wheel. We obviously didn't want her moving until the ambulance arrived, but in her confusion she struggled, despite her leg being trapped in the wreckage. All we could do was comfort her and assure her that her daughter was fine and that help was on the way.
In all the time we had been stopped at the side of the road, pounding on the window trying to awaken the unconscious driver, trying to pry open the car door, running back to our own cars to search for blankets to keep everyone warm (remember we're in the middle of a major cold spell -27 today) the only other person who had stopped to help us was an off duty paramedic and a tow truck driver.
Four police dispatchers and a paramedic....and everyone else just gawked and drove on by. No-one slowed to see if we needed help, or a phone call...nothing. Ironically I heard later on the radio that there was a second accident near the scene, caused by people rubbernecking at the original crash.
As our car pulled level, through the debris that littered all three lanes, two of us already had cell phones out to call emergency services. As we looked over however, the female driver slumped in the driver's seat, our decision was automatic, unanimous and unspoken; we pulled ahead on the shoulder running back to help. Another car pulled in just ahead of us and the driver of that car joined us.
Inside the wreck a young female, slumped unconscious and suffering from head trauma, in the back a toddler strapped in a car seat. There was precious little left of the front end of her car, although surprisingly the air bags had not inflated - so I can just imagine the impact of the crash on the driver. It was a single motor vehicle accident, the vehicle had hit the guardrail and spun out of control across three lanes of traffic before coming to rest against the guardrail on the opposite side. How she avoiding hitting another car during rush hour is a mystery to us all.
Her car doors were locked and battered beyond opening and we pounded on the window trying to rouse her enough to unlock the door. We searched our trunks for a tire iron to smash the window but thankfully after a few minutes the lady in the car regained consciousness long enough to open her lock. The guys tugged on the driver's side door and managed to pry it wide enough to snake an arm in to release the back door. The woman was bleeding profusely from a head injury but thankfully her child was safely strapped in her car seat and suffered not a scratch. One of my colleagues cared for the child, our attention on the female trapped behind the wheel. We obviously didn't want her moving until the ambulance arrived, but in her confusion she struggled, despite her leg being trapped in the wreckage. All we could do was comfort her and assure her that her daughter was fine and that help was on the way.
In all the time we had been stopped at the side of the road, pounding on the window trying to awaken the unconscious driver, trying to pry open the car door, running back to our own cars to search for blankets to keep everyone warm (remember we're in the middle of a major cold spell -27 today) the only other person who had stopped to help us was an off duty paramedic and a tow truck driver.
Four police dispatchers and a paramedic....and everyone else just gawked and drove on by. No-one slowed to see if we needed help, or a phone call...nothing. Ironically I heard later on the radio that there was a second accident near the scene, caused by people rubbernecking at the original crash.
February 4, 2007
F-f-f-f-f-february
Well the deep freeze has truely arrived here in Southern Ontario. Today's temperatures hovered around the -14 mark...and with the windchill it was -27. Definitely a day to stay indoors (for me at work, for the boy at home), stay warm and thank heaven above that we don't have a dog that demands walking or the need to leave the indoor warmth for longer than it takes to run to the car.
As of yet however...no major snow. We know it's just around the corner - that big wallop that will blanket everything. It's just a case of sitting and waiting. The forecasted 10-15cms for Friday evening into Saturday morning never materialised - thank heavens because it was my turn to drive the carpool into work.
In other news, the boy was let go from his job on Friday, along with 8 other agents and several supervisors. This on the heels of a larger layoff just before Christmas that he managed to avoid. So many of our call centre jobs now are going overseas to call centres in India. There was news before Christmas that the company he worked for hadn't been successful in securing a new contract and that there would be a mass lay off around March time. I guess they have started to make moves in that direction. Last in...first out.
Far from being despondent however, the boy is quite upbeat. He had an application into a major competitor immediately and is looking into going back to school. He is looking at this as a wake up call, he had settled into working for the past year and hadn't been thinking too seriously about the future. Well no further than which bar or club he and his friends would be frequenting the following weekend. If memory serves, at his age my view into the future wasn't much broader. :-) He has decided he will be taking two advanced courses either through summer school or night classes to allow him to apply to University as a mature student.
A fantastic opportunity ...and whilst he is still living at home with expenses at an absolute minimum, it makes perfect sense. He has already started looking into student loans. I glanced at the University prospectus he had and noted the 4 year degree he is contemplating, realising he could well end up 25 years old and still living at home.
Yes...well, I'll let that thought settle a little.
Romantically....sigh...well my life remains the same as always ...empty. There is/was a gentleman I had pitched my cap at. He loved to play hard to get...and I loved the chase. Funny how we are always attracted to "the bad boy" types....OK...funny how I am always attracted to the unattainable bad boy types. The more of an unfeeling cad he was...the more I wanted him. Typical. After our last date however, and now 5 days later, still waiting to have him call - other than brief MSN conversations - I have decided that he can go find someone else who wants to be his "Beck and Call Girl". Almost 2 months of flirting and phone calls down the drain...but c'est la vie.
Health wise my New Year's resolution to try and lose some weight appears to be sticking so far. Down 18lbs, and working out 5 days a week at the gym. One of my co-workers, a firefly of a 28yr old and soon to be new recruit for uniformed officer has decided to take me under her fitness wing and is encouraging me in my fitness goals. She sat and wrote out a routine for me today, which when I saw it I almost fell over laughing. 45 - 60 mins on the elliptical between levels 3-5...followed by an extensive free weights routine ...and her cool down - 50 sit-ups plus a dozen or so oblique crunches (that's a cool down??) Bloody hell.
So there you have it in a nutshell...aren't you glad I saved you all from the schoolgirl wailing and gnashing of teeth over "the Cad" waiting for him to call? I sure am!
As of yet however...no major snow. We know it's just around the corner - that big wallop that will blanket everything. It's just a case of sitting and waiting. The forecasted 10-15cms for Friday evening into Saturday morning never materialised - thank heavens because it was my turn to drive the carpool into work.
In other news, the boy was let go from his job on Friday, along with 8 other agents and several supervisors. This on the heels of a larger layoff just before Christmas that he managed to avoid. So many of our call centre jobs now are going overseas to call centres in India. There was news before Christmas that the company he worked for hadn't been successful in securing a new contract and that there would be a mass lay off around March time. I guess they have started to make moves in that direction. Last in...first out.
Far from being despondent however, the boy is quite upbeat. He had an application into a major competitor immediately and is looking into going back to school. He is looking at this as a wake up call, he had settled into working for the past year and hadn't been thinking too seriously about the future. Well no further than which bar or club he and his friends would be frequenting the following weekend. If memory serves, at his age my view into the future wasn't much broader. :-) He has decided he will be taking two advanced courses either through summer school or night classes to allow him to apply to University as a mature student.
A fantastic opportunity ...and whilst he is still living at home with expenses at an absolute minimum, it makes perfect sense. He has already started looking into student loans. I glanced at the University prospectus he had and noted the 4 year degree he is contemplating, realising he could well end up 25 years old and still living at home.
Yes...well, I'll let that thought settle a little.
Romantically....sigh...well my life remains the same as always ...empty. There is/was a gentleman I had pitched my cap at. He loved to play hard to get...and I loved the chase. Funny how we are always attracted to "the bad boy" types....OK...funny how I am always attracted to the unattainable bad boy types. The more of an unfeeling cad he was...the more I wanted him. Typical. After our last date however, and now 5 days later, still waiting to have him call - other than brief MSN conversations - I have decided that he can go find someone else who wants to be his "Beck and Call Girl". Almost 2 months of flirting and phone calls down the drain...but c'est la vie.
Health wise my New Year's resolution to try and lose some weight appears to be sticking so far. Down 18lbs, and working out 5 days a week at the gym. One of my co-workers, a firefly of a 28yr old and soon to be new recruit for uniformed officer has decided to take me under her fitness wing and is encouraging me in my fitness goals. She sat and wrote out a routine for me today, which when I saw it I almost fell over laughing. 45 - 60 mins on the elliptical between levels 3-5...followed by an extensive free weights routine ...and her cool down - 50 sit-ups plus a dozen or so oblique crunches (that's a cool down??) Bloody hell.
So there you have it in a nutshell...aren't you glad I saved you all from the schoolgirl wailing and gnashing of teeth over "the Cad" waiting for him to call? I sure am!
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