...or at least that's my excuse and I am sticking to it. Needless to say there would have been a wondrous post in this very spot 12 hours ago had I a) remembered to save as draft periodically and b) if I hadn't ballsed it up. Oh well.
[well bugger me, I just saw that "recover post" icon on my edit screen...I wonder if that would have...? No, I wont torment myself with the thought.]
So yesterday was my first day off - no work, no overtime and no demands on my time. It was truly luxurious to be able to lounge in bed, waking up without the alarm clock screeching in my ear. My feline alarm clock however was persistent. She didn't care what day of the week it was - all that mattered was her dish was empty. She doesn't miaow disdainfully at me, on the contrary she has learned that if she wants something the best method is to be overly affectionate. (A true female in every sense of the word). She has developed a habit of walking across the top of my pillow, purring loudly and nuzzling. This whole nuzzling thing is very new behaviour for her, but she seems to have developed a thing for my hair and will nuzzle her whole head against mine, pressing her furry face into my hair for extended periods of time. Purring non-stop. I have taken it as a sign of affection. The first time the boy saw her do it, he suggested it was a failed homicide attempt. With a wicked grin, he told her that she just needed to move her entire body 6 inches lower. Brat!
First stop of the morning was to pick up a few groceries. I had stubbornly refused to make a list, as usual, my habit of phoning home from the middle of the cereal aisle to check on our need for certain items was of no use seeing as the boy was at work...so this time I had to rely entirely on memory. This may explain why we now have duplicate jars of unopened jam, no fresh kitty litter and we're almost out of peanut butter. Guess I will be hitting the store again today.
Next stop was the builders to pick up my copy of the signed amendment to the purchase agreement - which in turn was dropped off at the lawyer's office. I took the time to pick up forms for a Will and Power of Attorney whilst I was there. Something I have procrastinated over for more years than I care to remember. I guess we are all in denial when it comes to our own mortality. We feel we are as bulletproof as the 9 year old wearing the Superman cape standing on the shed roof. Hindsight is 20/20 and I can see how irresponsible it was of me, as a single mum, to not have had a Will in place all these years. Better late than never, it looks like I may finally be growing up.
Home via Blockbuster, I picked up "Take the Lead" with the very yummy Antonio Banderas - and home to prepare dinner.
Here we come to the interesting part. Ballroom dancing and cooking - two things I am unable to do (or do well) and two things I am actually signing up for classes for. This past Monday I registered for a 10 week class for ballroom. It's something I have long had an interest in - and never had the time or nerve to pursue (long story I will save for a future blog), suffice to say come mid-September you will all be treated to weekly updates on my progress (or lack thereof) in the waltz, quickstep, tango and swing. As far as cooking is concerned...well all I can say is that I used to be quite good in the kitchen. Passed my O'level in Home Economics, used to make everything from scratch, pastries, cakes, soups, you name it. It seems however to be a skill that hasn't aged well. Years of convenience meals that go from the freezer to the oven to the table in under 45 minutes (curse you frozen lasagne) have dulled my culinary artistic bent shall we say. Suffice to say, this evening's meatloaf, lovingly prepared from scratch wasn't exactly burnt, but it did have some interestingly crunchy bits. My local grocery superstore runs evening cooking classes covering everything from Italian to French cuisine. Now I am not suggesting that with these courses I am about to become the next Ginger Rogers or Delia Smith, but it gets me out of the house, meeting new people (new people who are also lousy cooks with two left feet), and it's something I am interested in.
The boy - obviously equipped with "OMG Mother is cooking" radar - called home to advise me that he was heading out straight after work to help a friend move apartments - and would probably "grab a bite" whilst he was out. That's fine, the left-overs are in the fridge in case he needs something to crunch on later - thankfully he has a dental plan.
September 1, 2006
August 25, 2006
No rest for the wicked
Worked a 14 hour shift yesterday.
4 hours of which was overtime.
Busy day, major fire of a junk yard that required a 5 km evacuation due to possible chemical hazards. A single engined Cessa went down in Lake Ontario (all souls on-board saved by my marine unit guys - you guys rock!) A pursuit, an assist PC, plus the ususal gun/knife/blunt weapons calls and assorted drunks, mentally ill persons and such that make up my life.
Got home just after 3am.
Cup of tea, email, wind down, in bed by 4:30am
Up again 2 hours later - whoops - shouldn't have had that cup of tea.
Up again an hour later to toss the cat out of the bedroom and shut the door - firmly.
Finally awake at 11am.
Feeling a tad zombie-ish.
Showered, tea drunk, email checked.
Time to pack a lunch and head back into work.
Hopefully I will be able to form full sentences by the time I get there.
Somewhere in a momentary lapse of judgement I have volunteered to do this all again.
Tonight.
Tomorrow night.
Sunday.
Monday.
Tuesday.
and Wednesday.
If I were you I'd check back here this time next week. I doubt there will be anything of substance or even remotely coherrant in the interim.
Apologies for any typos...but at the moment I really don't care.
Post Script 06/08/31: Phew! OK in the last week I worked an additional 45 hours in overtime on top of my regular shifts. So at time and a half...carry the one... (pulls socks off to count on toes)....(licks end of pencil)....that's another 67.5 hours of pay. Sweet! I have to be honest, I am knackered though. My hat's off to people who work 2 and 3 jobs regularly and have 80 plus hour weeks. I just don't know how you do it. I've got another 2 x 8-hour shifts this weekend, which will bring me to ...(wanders off counting on fingers).
4 hours of which was overtime.
Busy day, major fire of a junk yard that required a 5 km evacuation due to possible chemical hazards. A single engined Cessa went down in Lake Ontario (all souls on-board saved by my marine unit guys - you guys rock!) A pursuit, an assist PC, plus the ususal gun/knife/blunt weapons calls and assorted drunks, mentally ill persons and such that make up my life.
Got home just after 3am.
Cup of tea, email, wind down, in bed by 4:30am
Up again 2 hours later - whoops - shouldn't have had that cup of tea.
Up again an hour later to toss the cat out of the bedroom and shut the door - firmly.
Finally awake at 11am.
Feeling a tad zombie-ish.
Showered, tea drunk, email checked.
Time to pack a lunch and head back into work.
Hopefully I will be able to form full sentences by the time I get there.
Somewhere in a momentary lapse of judgement I have volunteered to do this all again.
Tonight.
Tomorrow night.
Sunday.
Monday.
Tuesday.
and Wednesday.
If I were you I'd check back here this time next week. I doubt there will be anything of substance or even remotely coherrant in the interim.
Apologies for any typos...but at the moment I really don't care.
Post Script 06/08/31: Phew! OK in the last week I worked an additional 45 hours in overtime on top of my regular shifts. So at time and a half...carry the one... (pulls socks off to count on toes)....(licks end of pencil)....that's another 67.5 hours of pay. Sweet! I have to be honest, I am knackered though. My hat's off to people who work 2 and 3 jobs regularly and have 80 plus hour weeks. I just don't know how you do it. I've got another 2 x 8-hour shifts this weekend, which will bring me to ...(wanders off counting on fingers).
August 24, 2006
Keeping up with the Joneses
Well yesterday was my first official day (non-overtime) back to work after my August holidays - first day back with my platoon - and my first day running into Jones* since I bought the house (omg I love how that sounds). *Not his real name, but the title of this entry should explain why I picked it.
Jones has also just bought a house. In the same development that I have purchased into. In fact it was my referral that sent Mr. and Mrs. Jones over to check out the development. They were so impressed they bought on the spot!
Now the builder has a referral program - $1000 "reward" if you refer someone who purchases. In this case I am the referrer...and Jones is the referr-ee. Jones however moved a little faster than I did, he had his deposit paid and purchase agreement signed first. Theoretically, I no longer qualify for the referral reward - Jones on the other hand now qualifies. Jones however indicated to the builder (who in-turn indicated to me) that he and his wife felt that I deserved the reward, and were happy to sign over the money to yours truly. I was touched by such a sweet gesture and was looking forward to seeing Jones yesterday to thank him personally and to share our exciting news. I had visions of us sharing experiences over the next few months, tips, advice, the excitement of picking out our upgrades etc.
Jones put me on the spot immediately about the referral reward however - before I had even had a chance to thank him. In a room full of people (I tend to be a little more private about things like money - I find it crass to talk about such things openly) Jones informed me (by yelling across the room - I hadn't even put my bags down yet!) that because he purchased first, the builder in fact would be paying the reward directly to him - and he in turn wanted to turn it over to me. (Sweet gesture I thought). Jones then went on to say ... Did I want the full $1000 or should we split it 50/50? What did I think was fair? Conscious of the fact that I was in a room full of people, what could I say? The money is technically his - he is under no obligation to give me any of it, so $500 is certainly better than none at all - although $1000 would have been much nicer. I grit my teeth and agreed that 50/50 certainly seemed fair. It's not the money that bothers me, it's the way he went about it.
As the shift progressed I was suddenly very aware of how competitive Jones was. My mental image of us sharing notes, tips and the excitement of this huge event in our lives (he's a first time buyer too) is now suddenly a competition. He was literally floored when he realized I had purchased a bigger model than his - but then went on to boast that he had put down a larger down payment than I had. He's now concentrating on the upgrades - and he wants it all. The hardwood flooring, the central air - the whole 9 yards. I tried telling him a few of the tips that I had picked up - rookie though I am - which items would be cheaper (and better quality) done by another contractor after the sale, and which were worth having the builder do....and I was basically rebuffed.
I am a little saddened - I don't want to (and wont) let this turn into a "my house is better than yours" scenario - but I can see the man is going to drive me insane if I let him.
To cap it all? He's closing on his house earlier than me too. They move (not counting delays) a whole 2 months earlier than yours truly. Yes, he took great joy in pointing that out to me - I didn't have the heart to tell him I had requested a late closing date to allow me more time to save. I like Jones, don't get me wrong, professionally we have worked on the same platoon for several years and I have never had an issue with him - but this whole house business has opened up a side of him that I had never seen before. Suddenly I am dreading any suggestion that we carpool together once the move is final.
One bright note...we are not neighbours in the "next door" sense. In fact he's purchased a unit close to the main road of the development, whereas my unit is on another street, tucked further back in the subdivision (away from the noise of the heavy traffic - better for sleeping during the day when I am working nights was my thinking at the time). Seems I may have made a good decision there.
Jones has also just bought a house. In the same development that I have purchased into. In fact it was my referral that sent Mr. and Mrs. Jones over to check out the development. They were so impressed they bought on the spot!
Now the builder has a referral program - $1000 "reward" if you refer someone who purchases. In this case I am the referrer...and Jones is the referr-ee. Jones however moved a little faster than I did, he had his deposit paid and purchase agreement signed first. Theoretically, I no longer qualify for the referral reward - Jones on the other hand now qualifies. Jones however indicated to the builder (who in-turn indicated to me) that he and his wife felt that I deserved the reward, and were happy to sign over the money to yours truly. I was touched by such a sweet gesture and was looking forward to seeing Jones yesterday to thank him personally and to share our exciting news. I had visions of us sharing experiences over the next few months, tips, advice, the excitement of picking out our upgrades etc.
Jones put me on the spot immediately about the referral reward however - before I had even had a chance to thank him. In a room full of people (I tend to be a little more private about things like money - I find it crass to talk about such things openly) Jones informed me (by yelling across the room - I hadn't even put my bags down yet!) that because he purchased first, the builder in fact would be paying the reward directly to him - and he in turn wanted to turn it over to me. (Sweet gesture I thought). Jones then went on to say ... Did I want the full $1000 or should we split it 50/50? What did I think was fair? Conscious of the fact that I was in a room full of people, what could I say? The money is technically his - he is under no obligation to give me any of it, so $500 is certainly better than none at all - although $1000 would have been much nicer. I grit my teeth and agreed that 50/50 certainly seemed fair. It's not the money that bothers me, it's the way he went about it.
As the shift progressed I was suddenly very aware of how competitive Jones was. My mental image of us sharing notes, tips and the excitement of this huge event in our lives (he's a first time buyer too) is now suddenly a competition. He was literally floored when he realized I had purchased a bigger model than his - but then went on to boast that he had put down a larger down payment than I had. He's now concentrating on the upgrades - and he wants it all. The hardwood flooring, the central air - the whole 9 yards. I tried telling him a few of the tips that I had picked up - rookie though I am - which items would be cheaper (and better quality) done by another contractor after the sale, and which were worth having the builder do....and I was basically rebuffed.
I am a little saddened - I don't want to (and wont) let this turn into a "my house is better than yours" scenario - but I can see the man is going to drive me insane if I let him.
To cap it all? He's closing on his house earlier than me too. They move (not counting delays) a whole 2 months earlier than yours truly. Yes, he took great joy in pointing that out to me - I didn't have the heart to tell him I had requested a late closing date to allow me more time to save. I like Jones, don't get me wrong, professionally we have worked on the same platoon for several years and I have never had an issue with him - but this whole house business has opened up a side of him that I had never seen before. Suddenly I am dreading any suggestion that we carpool together once the move is final.
One bright note...we are not neighbours in the "next door" sense. In fact he's purchased a unit close to the main road of the development, whereas my unit is on another street, tucked further back in the subdivision (away from the noise of the heavy traffic - better for sleeping during the day when I am working nights was my thinking at the time). Seems I may have made a good decision there.
August 21, 2006
Overtime in Hollywood North
I've been pulling all the overtime I can grab over the past few weeks - for obvious reasons. This morning we received a frantic 911 call from a citizen reporting four men, all dressed in orange prison jumpsuits and chained together running down the street. Thankfully it was just a film crew for the latest episode of Prison Break. Wonder if the officers who caught up with these famous convicts got any autographs?
I had a giggle myself whilst taking some information from a young man calling in on behalf of his brother after an assault.
Me: What's your brother's name?
Caller: Steven
Me: Is that Stephen with a "v" or a "ph"?
Caller: No, Steven with an "S".
Me: ... [banging head slowly on the keyboard]
Colleague sitting next to me for our 8 hour stint shared the following exchange he heard on an ambulance call.
Caller: My mother has fallen and injured her hip.
Ambulance Dispatcher: Is that your mother I can hear screaming in the background?
Caller: Yes.
Ambulance Dispatcher: Is she conscious and breathing?
(Yes, you have blonde jokes, I have ambulance dispatcher jokes.)
On the back of my current favourite T-shirt:
"God created police officers, so that firemen could have heroes.
Then he created dispatchers, to show them who God really is."
I had a giggle myself whilst taking some information from a young man calling in on behalf of his brother after an assault.
Me: What's your brother's name?
Caller: Steven
Me: Is that Stephen with a "v" or a "ph"?
Caller: No, Steven with an "S".
Me: ... [banging head slowly on the keyboard]
Colleague sitting next to me for our 8 hour stint shared the following exchange he heard on an ambulance call.
Caller: My mother has fallen and injured her hip.
Ambulance Dispatcher: Is that your mother I can hear screaming in the background?
Caller: Yes.
Ambulance Dispatcher: Is she conscious and breathing?
(Yes, you have blonde jokes, I have ambulance dispatcher jokes.)
On the back of my current favourite T-shirt:
"God created police officers, so that firemen could have heroes.
Then he created dispatchers, to show them who God really is."
Mum can't make this one better with a kiss
Nothing is more painful than the end of a relationship ... especially when that relationship is your first love of 4 years. I so wish I could soothe his heart, like I could all those years ago, with just a hug and a kiss better.
August 17, 2006
What would you say to your younger self?
I happened to be watching Oprah yesterday, whilst preparing dinner...and this item stuck in my mind long after the credits had rolled.
If you could write a letter to your younger self, what would you say?
Well that thought in itself was sobering. I certainly don't think of myself as a grown-up with advice to pass along to anyone. Heck, I am still dealing with my own issues! Regardless, cup of tea to my right, oldies playing in the background, and a gentle summer breeze coming through the window, I gather my sage advice to share with that flame haired youngster of yesteryear.
If you could write a letter to your younger self, what would you say?
Well that thought in itself was sobering. I certainly don't think of myself as a grown-up with advice to pass along to anyone. Heck, I am still dealing with my own issues! Regardless, cup of tea to my right, oldies playing in the background, and a gentle summer breeze coming through the window, I gather my sage advice to share with that flame haired youngster of yesteryear.
Don't be in such a rush to do everything all at once.
Take time to listen, take time to love, take time to live.
If it was meant for you, it wont go by you.
Cherish loved ones and family members - they won't always be here.
Listen to gut instincts, more often than not they are 100% correct.
Be open to opportunities and new experiences.
Despite outward appearances, physical beauty is only skin deep - and what is perceived as beauty changes with the fashion and trends of the time.
Listen to gut instincts, more often than not they are 100% correct.
Be open to opportunities and new experiences.
Despite outward appearances, physical beauty is only skin deep - and what is perceived as beauty changes with the fashion and trends of the time.
What's inside you, is beautiful beyond words.
Preserve your inner self: nurture your spirit, nourish your mind and learn to love yourself.
You are worth it.
No man is worth degrading yourself for.
Stand up for yourself.
Have conviction in your beliefs.
Live each day with passion.
...and finally invest all your pocket money and allowance in a little known company called "Microsoft"....
Ahem, what do you mean that wasn't the idea of this exercise?
Now I just wish my 60 year old self would write to my 40 year old self with some words of wisdom - because lord knows she still needs help.
August 16, 2006
ATM / Debit Fraud
Josh over at Liquidz Blog was just lamenting a couple of days ago about not owning a credit card, and how it is practically impossible to build a credit rating without actually going into debt.
Ironically the boy got a phone call from his bank yesterday. It seems someone has ripped off his debit/ATM card by scanning his card. Thankfully the money he lost was only around $500 - and the bank's anti-fraud department were immediately alerted to the unusual activity on his card and were able to alert him before any further damage was done. The bank immediately cancelled his card, started an investigation and have said that his lost cash will be reimbursed to him.
We get calls like this all the time at work. Credit card and debit card fraud are huge. There are teams that hook up their scanning equipment directly on the bank ATM's , they sit nearby collecting all the data via computer, they collect their equipment and move on to hit another bank. Alternatively we have unscrupulous store keepers double swipe cards and sell the data, or allow the crooks to install their equipment for a "fee". We aren't sure which scenario occurred in our case...but it certainly makes one feel very uncomfortable when swiping your debit card to make a purchase.
I know personally I carry very little cash. I would say 90% if not more of my purchases are made by direct debit. I felt it was safer. It's becoming very common now though to hear of bandits literally "kidnapping" people on their driveways, driving them to banks and forcing them to withdraw funds from their bank machines. These two recent news reports occurred less than 30 minutes from my home. Not in some big metropolis city...but out in the suburbs!
So much for the old fashioned "Stick 'em up and give me your wallet" routine. Today's wallet carries very little in the way of cold hard cash.
The experts are always telling us of new technology out there, finger print technology, retina scans etc. I wonder how long before the financial institutions are going to have to use something a little more high tech than a bank card and a PIN number to safeguard our funds.
Ironically the boy got a phone call from his bank yesterday. It seems someone has ripped off his debit/ATM card by scanning his card. Thankfully the money he lost was only around $500 - and the bank's anti-fraud department were immediately alerted to the unusual activity on his card and were able to alert him before any further damage was done. The bank immediately cancelled his card, started an investigation and have said that his lost cash will be reimbursed to him.
We get calls like this all the time at work. Credit card and debit card fraud are huge. There are teams that hook up their scanning equipment directly on the bank ATM's , they sit nearby collecting all the data via computer, they collect their equipment and move on to hit another bank. Alternatively we have unscrupulous store keepers double swipe cards and sell the data, or allow the crooks to install their equipment for a "fee". We aren't sure which scenario occurred in our case...but it certainly makes one feel very uncomfortable when swiping your debit card to make a purchase.
I know personally I carry very little cash. I would say 90% if not more of my purchases are made by direct debit. I felt it was safer. It's becoming very common now though to hear of bandits literally "kidnapping" people on their driveways, driving them to banks and forcing them to withdraw funds from their bank machines. These two recent news reports occurred less than 30 minutes from my home. Not in some big metropolis city...but out in the suburbs!
So much for the old fashioned "Stick 'em up and give me your wallet" routine. Today's wallet carries very little in the way of cold hard cash.
The experts are always telling us of new technology out there, finger print technology, retina scans etc. I wonder how long before the financial institutions are going to have to use something a little more high tech than a bank card and a PIN number to safeguard our funds.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
