Jesus Wept - was I ever this young?

Right now I'm a teacher.  Crossed with a Social Worker.  Crossed with a Redneck.  Oh what a combo. Let me elaborate.

My current occupation is a Vocational Coach - delivering or facilitating classes on Job Readiness.  As in how to be ready for a job.  Or to look for a job.  Or decide on what job you might want to do in your life.

So for the past 5 weeks of a 10 week program, I have shown up to class, prepared to engage my students and keep them quasi entertained whilst delivering assessments, tools to make a tight resume, how to look for jobs, how to decide what jobs they might be best suited for etc etc.

Today was the toughest so far. But let me start from the beginning.

The first day of class I looked out at 9 emotionless faces.  Smiling? Maybe 2.  Frowning - definitely 4,  the rest - were they awake? Alive? Who could tell.  But they were there.  Not ready to work - not a one of them.  Previous work experience? Nu huh  Skills? Welllll on the sleeping in and playing games/being on Facebook level - they were Expert.  On the other hand...oh my work is cut out for me!

The requirements of the course is that a) the participant wants to get a job at the end and b) the participant will attend classes, and participate. Thus the title Participant.

First day on the course, parameters were outlined - clearly. 1)  Miss 3 classes = we determine that means you've withdrawn. If you are unable to attend - let us know.  Sick Children do not count as an excuse.  2) Respect your instructors and classmates - not a tough rule to follow.  We are the teachers.  You are the students.  Simple right?


The 9 are now down to 3.  1 said it was like they were in school, they hated school - so they quit right off the bat.  OK I can dig it.  One yelled that THEY were the teacher, that we had to listen to her - yikes...she was a big mean looking woman, so I personally was a bit intimidated.  But I pulled up my big girl panties and said "In this room I am the teacher - you are not.  Now either sit down and participate respectfully, or decide maybe you are in the wrong place."  Phew!! She gone


Others had their own issues - partying is more fun than class time, sleeping is more desirable than learning, etc etc.  And so - then we were down to 3.  Sadly one more didn't show today. No idea what happened - in jail? in hospital? at friends? home asleep? hunting? This makes it tough for me - it's hard keeping a class of 2 engaged in the process.  But their choice - do or do not - there is no try.

If this is the future of our country - we are in big trouble.  I know when I was a young person, I held at least one job.  I may not have known exactly what I wanted to be when I "grew up" but I did work - it's the whole thing about liking the freedom to have $$ and living independently. These people - not there yet.  So whil2e I tend to the occasional outburst, hissy fit, and crying jag by and large my remaining students are pressing forward - tho to me it looks like as easy as wading through wet cement. Jesus wept - let's hope next week I still have a student or two!

Post Script:

The call came that night. One of the two remaining students was dead. Of a drug overdose in a crack shack. This bright light,  with determination to turn his life around and be a good father to his little girl was gone.  Those who knew him were sad, not shocked.  I was so sorry he died in such an avoidable ugly manner.  Fentynol doesnt care.  The drugs will continue to flow in his community,  others will die.  So much potential,  such a sad end.

A long hot ride, a shiner and a big bruised ego!! Yay Motorcycles!

         Cutbank Montana - breakfast at the 

recommended greasy spoon. Delish

"How was our Montana trip?

"So glad you asked!"   The one and only motorcycle long distance venture in 2018?  OK it was a busy year - moving, rain storms, impassible driveways, etc etc.  So this one was a good one!It was broken into 3 legs each way...the first two damn near totalled us since weve done essentially no riding to get into shape, so we were sore, loved the ride,,, I got a full face helmet, wore my rainsuit and stayed dry and comfy during a brief soaking at Whitecourt.  

Stayed in a very clean out of the way motel in Drayton Valley... $89 a night with continental breakfast,  then overnite at our buddy's place just out of Stavely Alberta, where we all had a wonderful evening along with their three dogs, two cats and a couple of horses.  In the morning we rode south,  then crossed into the USA to a great little greasy spoon for breakfast..on the recommendation of a sweet US border guard.  

Then to White Sulphur Springs Montana and our very comfy room...chicken fried steak and beers for dinner. it was great to see the guys!    I was also pleased that 12 Mikes Hard Lemonade only cost $14US!   What a bargain!  It's $28 in Alberta for a dozen.

And perhaps you have noticed we travel like Napoleon? Always looking for the next chicken fried steak, amazing pancakes or super burgers? And we always find them!

One of the planned activities was we went to the gun range, with a local guy, who is like road maintenance, deputy Sheriff, weed control, ag inspector...etc etc and essentially his wife and kids fill in other positions.   Great guy!  These Montana folks, including their kids, all had a Lot of small arms and rifles...it was fun!  Everyone knew their stuff, all smiles and courtesy...Loved it!   Wonderful hospitable people - the real deal.

Anyways the Montana guy offered to me to shoot this .3030 pistol with a huge silencer and a scope...said Don't put your eye on the scope, it kicks back.  Big gun!  I nod, ok, aiming for a gong target up the hill as instructed.  

Love these guys! Great bunch.

Now I was feeling pretty cocky, since I'd been hitting everything with a .22 rifle just before this.  I was being called Annie Oakley.  Yeah, that didn't last long..hahaha .  So I confidently put my eye on the damn scope and Kablam...kicked back alright!  Hit my safety glasses, almost knocked me on my ass.  He said You okay?  You bleeding?  No, no blood.  Just mortally wounded ego.  And a puffy eye.. everyone looked...oooh You Got Scoped!  What a dumbass I was.  Yes and in three days I developed a lovely shiner. Yeah  which Mac boasted it was from him! Bah!

The trip home was great - we had our riding legs back, 

As we are just heading out  after breakfast in Turner Valley, I'm pulling out of a gravel parking lot,  sharp right turn, fitting into the parking lane and next thing I knew Bang I fell over.  I swear I heard "old lady down! Old lady down" as traffic stopped, the town truck put on his big orange rotating lights, two other bikers and some customers ran out to help the senior off the ground.  Mac was surrounded by a mass of concerned passers by and couldn't even get off his bike to help, two men had their hands under my arms trying to lift me...I said thanks give me your hand and I will stand up...they picked up my bike...I was MORTIFIED!  I may have said I'm getting too old for this shit...thanked everyone and rode to the gas station around the corner.  John got our wee first aid kit out, I washed my slightly wounded elbow, put on guaze and tape, gassed up and we headed north!  So once THAT scabbed over, and the huge bruise bloomed (mid forearm to mid upper arm, very pretty) I looked l like I'd been in a bar brawl.

Other than that, it was great..lolol cant wait to do it again!  Only this time with less falling down.  3,000 memorable kms, lots of laughs, a few Oh No's, fell in love with my new full face helmet and rain suit (remained dry as a popcorn fart!  Lol) a bruise or two and some really tasty meals. Yup this was my idea of a good time.  

And next year? Oh we are planning it already, booking rooms, it's going to be epic!!

OMG Summer is half gone!!! So beautiful!

Greetings Blog fans  - I have been a bad bad blogger.  Jumping from season to season with no real path, keeping you in suspense, as one of my few faithful fans said "Need new blog - get on it woman!"

Summer is here in the north and it is glorious.  Blue skies, green green grass, birds, animals, and now the golden fields of blooming canola.  Did you know those tiny smelly little flowers are now the bane of my existence?  I adore them - they are breathtakingly beautiful - but OMG they make my eyes burn, my sinuses plug up and SNEEZES...so my new bestie is Aunty Histamine.... LOL  She's right up there with Ty Lenol, E Senntial Oils and Aspi Rin.  Yup, getting old is, as my mom says, sucky.

And I'm old.  Yup, I admit it - in my mind I'm still young, but physically?  Well first it was an age spot, then a small covey of wrinkles who had such fun on my face they invited all their friends and family...now age spots abound, joints creak and moan and there are days I just wanna stay in bed with a cuppa and a book.  Oh and a cat - make that two cats. But I  digress....

If you are over 60 you know there's the guilty pleasure of ordering on the seniors menu, getting discounts, and the excuse of asking someone to help carry heavy stuff.  But there is also the reality of making a mistake, tripping or heaven forbid falling - and suddenly you are incorrectly labelled "Infirm"  Good God! I don't mind someone giving me a hand but when its preceeded with Oh let me help you with that dear, careful mind the step, are you able?????? I see Red!  It's AGE-ISM  and it's nasty.  I have experienced it first hand - and hate it!  I'm able to take care of myself, if I need help I have no problem asking for it.  But take my elbow, steer me along and call me dear....Man I am Angry right now!  Ageism comes from not only the young, tender snowflakes but from other seniors!! "we're all getting older, where are you going to live when you retire? you know we can't all be independent forever?" and the ever NOT popular "well have you considered selling you bike?"  

And the answer - NO and when I do it's going to be my decision, no  one elses!  I know, I'm getting all prickly over what could genuinely be concern.  I mean I recently and for the first time in 45 years of riding fell over.  It was a 4 km an hour wipe out - incredibly embarrassing, my ego suffering badly!  I ended up with some spectacular bruises but no damage done to me or the bike.  But when I clanked to the ground a herd of young guys rushed over, helping as they could, helping me stand up, picking up my bike (which was not damaged)  I guess there's a first time for everything eh?  A hard right turn coming down out of a gravel parking lot onto a tight paved road was just not what I was able to do that day.  Sheesh, am I getting to old for this $hit?  It did make me think that night cleaning up my boo boos ….and the survey says NO I am not.  LOL I sure don't bounce like I used to, but even so I wasn't in pain.  But never the less it was damn humbling.

Today I have a massive impressive purple bruise on my right elbow, heck on the majority of my arm;  this morning my husband said "Impressive bruise on your hip babe" and yes, there it was!  I'm fortunate - it could have been worse.

But the way I see it - it wasn't.  I know what I'm capable of doing and I know that I need to get out and walk, ride, and move more!  It's been a tough start to the year, huge snows, flooding, flu, rain, cats, family, work, roads....did I mention I got stuck in the mud twice?  The positives however outnumber the negatives - we have wicked wonderful landlords - they are so nice, so caring, just so genuine - it's a blessing!  We have a great place to live and work - and we like our jobs and coworkers! Our cats, tho hairy beyond words, are pretty cool.  And we love each other - being a couple with hubby is just the best.   So life is great - sitting on our deck, listening to the birds, enjoying the scenery - what more can we ask?  Life is wonderful!

Please come soon spring, please come soon!

Yup. that snowdrift is starting to shrink.  Above the height of the barbeque, it's been out there growing and ebbing, and now the dirty truth of spring is upon us.

Mud coats our vehicles.  Our shoes, the drive, the dirty leftovers of winter - which is grand!! A slow melt means less chance of flooding as the moisture goes into the earth.  Floods we don't need!

With spring comes the usual suspects - March brings St. Patrick's day, a green celebration of all that is or might be Irish - and we did the deed in good style, with new friends and coworkers coming to enjoy the food and drink laid out for the occasion.  Soon Easter will be here, with family and food and reflection on what it means.  Oh and chocolate eggs for the neighbors lads!

So my time is spent recently as a housewife, homemaker, sometimes feeling like the cleaning service and a maid.  My contract is ended, and my employment is sporadic at best.  I have interviewed for some really interesting and challenging jobs in town, but no one has "pulled the trigger" so I await a decision.  A second interview on one today - time will tell, by end of week I should know!

Ambitious me? nooo not a  bit.  I struggle to pile up dishes, load the washer and fold laundry.  It seems the older I get the more I want total me, total down time.  To blog, to watch weird shows on line, to listen to music and cuddle the cats.  The downside? cat hair everwhere, towels unfolded, and counter space filled with stuff that needs attending to! The snow is melting - life goes on!

Out with the old - in with the Weasel?

Say hello to my little friend - Herman the Ermine.  Or Winston the Weasel.  A Short tailed weasel to be exact - who knows how to get into our home!

The sneaky albeit cute  little  bugger made it in how? We thought thru an open door while we loaded groceries into the house - but perhaps not?  Time goes by - it seems there is a deeper mystery in our home!

Ok we live in the countryside - so there are mice and squirrels oh and did I mention we had two moose behind the house a couple o days ago?  But I digress dear reader.  Seems that ermine - the short tailed weasel's winter name with his snowy coat, and black little tip o the tail - are mice's sworn enemy predator!  Now having said that, there is nary a poop, sighting or nest of a mouse in our house.  

Picture if you will, two grey haired and perhaps less than athletic humans, happily asleep on a work night, awakened by a shrill unidentified chirping.  Smoke detector? Nooo, a bird? a Mouse or Bat? No - so after waking the man o the house, the two of us armed with our trusty broom see a white streak running along the base of the wall - it's the Ermine!! 

The sleek little Herman was very vocal in his late night encounter with our two cats - they didn't try to eat him, just were curious and so pursued him and tried to sniff him (perhaps  before tasting?)  Ala "Griswalds Christmas" the varmint was herded to the door and Pop - out he went.  Problem solved! Cats settled into  bed, all was well. 

Now we have become more aware of our furry little neighbor who lives, we think, in the open garage attached to our Shouse.  The odd rustling, the occasional footy prints give him/her away, like the mice who foolishly wander in from the cold. 

Larger neighbors, like the two aforementioned moose, delight us - lots of Mule deer live around here, one was peeping Bambi, the other evening.  How  cool is that! 

Bambi bounced out of our snowy yard, belly deep making its way to the line of trees that run behind our place.  You can see where they land in the snow - big dips. Sort of how a dog navigates deep snow, jumping along and landing in a  snowy belly flop!

Along with the four legged critters, we have a whole "unkindness" of ravens who will in a flash gather and get into the best of bagged garbage, whose vocalizations entertain me and make me think they really are talking about me.

So back to the story - last night as Hubby and I sat down to dinner I heard a loud unmistakable chirping - what the heck?  I got up, hoping the noise came from a new very loud cat toy I had purchased.  There it was, undisturbed. Cats were on guard - staring at "Something"  And  what is looking out at from under our television stand?  Cute little face with shiny beady black eyes?    

 It's Herman!! Under the TV stand.  Chirping at me - the hunt was on!

Again the trusty broom is employed, we worked as a team and briefly routed it out - a 6" white streak who did not want to be caught or shooed outside!  And then - POOF he was gone.  

And so the plot thickens.  There is either a way for Herman to get in and out of our house which we are yet to find OR he's gone to ground waiting for us to go away.  

All rooms have been searched.  No holes have been discovered.  The only possible egress would have to be the water heating system - but that is a slim chance because it's all self contained in the house. Hmmm.  So dinner finished, we settled in for the night.  No sign of our intruder.  If he came out during our slumber, the cats would chase him and he'd make a lot of noise, we'd have to just get up and try again to oust him.

Last night we slept like the dead, not even cats made noise until the 5:30 a.m. meowing went off.  This morning - no sign of our cute little friend.  Sadly tho, we cannot share out house with this overgrown mouse....and so a trapper will come try to get him from the garage where we know he hangs out. Alas poor Herman.  He's likely full and fit after most likely feasting on cat food.  Tho we never have seen him nor signs of him - apparently he knows how to get around.  I personally hope he gets away - moves to a new hidey hole and never comes into our domicile again.  For his own good!

As our neighbor said when he shoveled our truck out of a huge drift in the driveway last week - "Welcome to the Peace Country".  It's a glorious place to live, in a  wonderful warm home with amazing good neighbors who happen to be our landlords.  Neighborlords? Friends is what I'll call them from here on in! 

As I type the snow has stopped, we are  drifted in and waiting to be plowed out so we can get into our work in town. I love it. Who would have thunk it?

37 below zero at Mile Zero...

Oh another twist and turn in our journey of life...on December 1 the big moving truck came and loadedup our life in Alberta and off we moved to Dawson Creek British Columbia.   Wow! 

Let me back the truck up....in early November apparently the Big Guy in the Sky spied on our lives, shook His head and said.."hmmm they are not feeling fulfilled." And so we unknowingly were presented with two new choices. South to Falkland Islands (yes we found two coinciding opportunities) or north to Dawson Creek British Columbia.   After much discussion,  soul searching and deliberation we decided B.C. was the better choice, and so hubby signed a contract with the city of DC (what the cool kids call Dawson Creek) and off he went.

The whole process of packing a big house, garage and finding renters was shall we say, daunting.  But that's another installment. ..whine on!

Dec 1 the big blu and white moving truck pulled up, and our stuff was packed in prep of a delivery date between Dec 4 and 11.  Lots of time to clean the tub, swerp up etc before I had to pack up tge kitties and take the 11 1/2 hour drive to our new home!   And we had a new home...a 2,000 sq ft of living space Shouse.

Hubby had seen a place within our budget, a Shouse or "shop turned into a house" 5 km from DC...the previous home of a young couple who'd lived and raised two young hockey players for 7 years while they built their dream home on the small 150 acre ranch.

Beautifully decorated, fully furnished,  and that included pots and pans and sheets on the bed!  A water heated cement floor, upper mezzanine and three bedrooms in total.  Awesome!   And they'd welcome our kitties!

But last minute John arrived home on the 1st, in time to see the last few items be slid into the truck, packed like a Tetris game!  For me unnerving,
J remained cool.  Ok, pack up tge "unmovable" items, like cleaning supplies and many boxes of liquor...and lers leave at 4 a.m. on Tuesday the 3rd.

"the best laid plans" they say...and at 8:30 a.m. , a mere 4.5 hrs behind schedule, car and truck full to overflowing,  in a now raging snowstorm and the MacArthurs left on slippery roads to our new home.

We awoke in our new home, kingsized bed full of kitties (who were verywell behaved on the drive up) and after a cuppa Mac left for his job.  And to relocate to his corner office I might add. Oh and I haven't mentioned I had already interviewed and been hired at a contract position to start Dec 11?  I think I was kind of in shock to be honest...

As I looked around, trying to imagine how we'd fit all our stuff in, a phone call.  It was Mike the Mover. OMG theyd dtiven direct to DC, was it convenient for them to deliver our stuff today, this morning, the 4th?

Holy Henshit!   By 4:30 they still had not fully unloaded, and I must have looked overwhelmed to say the least, and you couldn't move for boxes and furniture. ...Mike said why dont we come back tomorrow morning and finish then?  I nodded numbly, and sat down.  Where would we put all our stuff? 

But dwar reader, we made it.  Everything was unloaded,  now there remain 7 boxes on the main floor...lets not talk about the office and store room, well start on them this weekend.

DC is a lovely place, super cute downtown with a gigantic Christmas tree at Mile 0, a wicked good meat shop The Butcher Block, a yummy Swiss bakery, as well as all the medium big boc stores you might need!

Our Shouse (shome?) Is warm even in our current -37C weather, we set up 2 big Christmas trees and 2 4' trees, and had a quiet cozy Yuletide.

Tomorrow is New Years Eve, so we'll toast to a great past 3 years in Milo, and oyr friends there, as well as to a new life and new friends to come and old friends to love in 2018.

Happy New Year. ..here's to the journey ahead of us!

and now it's October...what the heck happened to this year?

Woke up this morning...and hey it's halfway through October?? I feel like Rip Van Winkle...the year is just zooming by!  Or blowing by according to the many wind warnings out there - 90 kpm? 130 kpm?? this is ridonculous!

My snow white new 2018 KIA - the plainest of Janes - will do well in the wind as long as two hands on the wheel and no undue speeding! Yes the Vanilla Milkshake has been traded in - 280,000 kms and gasps from the mechanic when he asked how many timing belts I'd replace and I said None.  So since when do you have to spend nearly $900 every 100,000 on a damn belt? I am not impressed.

But, having said that I am happy with the trade in, love the new car, and learning to drive by foot, vs cruise control.  Who doesn't have cruise as a standard option? Well apparently I don't. LOL

As the fall blows in - and it is raging outside - I've been reflecting on what the year has been like.  It's been kind of brutal.  Some really stressful nasty crapola - like my contract being ended early and leaving my beloved co workers who are awesome! Then trying my hand at consulting - wellllll that was an education! Apparently when it comes to Economic Development projects, only the big boys get hired.  Don't believe me? well I have seen proof - and it wasn't pretty.  That and the fact that with the current government there are about 140,000 people who were "thrust back into the work force" and about 139,000 of them bought laptops and became consultants. Where doth that leave me? Well with few contracts, mainly "pity" gigs that made me a wee bit of loot, but nothing to live on.

So being resourceful and tenacious I reentered the workforce with a vengeance, polishing up and modernizing my resume, researching and perfecting my cover letter - and looking for work high and low.  And many many applications going out!  Alas this was a lesson in humility..."sorry, just not a match for our organization", "not what we are looking for at this time" and "the committee felt the other applicant was more aligned to our goals".  These phrases, when put through the translator all come out "you have too many years in your experience" aka long in the tooth.  Too old.  Nope, not the perky 24 yr old with the pony tail image they are looking for. Oh and I wouldn't work for peanuts. Sigh.  I have come through that now - after countless 2nd interviews, road trips, etc etc. I didn't realize how demeaning, how much work, how damaging this could be! I mean "back in the day" a person could just walk out of one job, walk into another.  But alas, those days are past.
I came through it all, thankfully, wiser, and with renewed vigor! Now I am again employed, albeit not ideal it's work. My co workers are great, the drive isn't bad and I get a paycheque! However, a peer of mine, a trusted and valued friend, who has also gone the new job route, said she's had a reflective weekend of "why am I doing this"?  A good question to ask - is it work just to pay bills? Is it work that feeds your soul? Does it leave you feeling accomplished, valued, satisfied? That's a serious consideration - and it have only made me ponder more deeply.

And now you know what I discovered? I am still a desired commodity on the market! Recently I've had some successes, and am certain that the "dream job" is on the horizon. Maybe not for a while - but it's coming! I have faith.   Seems like my adventures in the workforce continue....watch for updates as they develop.