11:43 p.m. - 2003-04-28
Dilemmas
Between my computer becoming virused and Diarylands' servers becoming over-taxed, it has been difficult to find a time of convergence between them so I can write. Frustration. Think I've got the virus thing beat;hope Diaryland can work out all the wrinkles with their new servers soon too - Mercury retrograde.
Still digging out from our "not" blizzard. About 70 cm / 30 " of snowfall. 12,000 homes in the city without power for at least half a day; 50,000 more in the rural areas affected. Chances are the rural group fared better, being more aware of mother nature's caprices. If there's ever any kind of major disaster in this corner of the world, the person I'd most want to have nearby is D, my high school buddy who owns a farm about an hour south of the city. She talks casually about doing things that just leave me in awe, yet feels she is nothing special. Well, let's see: raising cattle, grain, a market garden, chickens and the most impressive young adults, while still caring for and preserving the natural environment around her home. Nope nothing special about that. I'm hoping she'll be willing to teach me just a little of what she knows - it's never too late to learn.
How did we fare in the city? Well, city power crews could only reach some areas by snowmobile. Neighbours of one man who suffered a heart attack trying to clear the snow around his home, used snow blowers to clear a path so emergency medical staff could reach him on time. Apparently he will be fine - no word about the snow blowers. Transit completely cratered on Saturday. You know it's bad when vehicles with that much ballast can't make it down streets. Apparently one rolled trying to negotiate a hill. The RCMP finally took the ban off tower's today - just too dangerous to try and pull vehicles out of assorted ditches and irrigation canals before now.
I walked over to the grocery store yesterday - life goes on - and the most difficult part was getting down our street. One very narrow track down the middle of the road to walk along, sharing the space with some frustrated drivers, or wading through drifts up past my knees. I could hear the melted snow running underneath the drifts. Just a bit disconcerting to hear the sound of a river coming from a snowbank. Anyway the upside was that the store was deserted. Good thing - supply trucks hadn't got through either.
Got home to a voicemail from one of the women I hadn't seen at the reunion. We shared a room in residence at University and I really had been looking forward to seeing her again. Her flight from "Winterpeg" (Winnipeg) known as the coldest winter city in Canada, had been grounded. Temperature there? 20+ C/ in the 70's F. Hopefully she'll be able to come back in later in the year. Was she gloating?
E-mail today from the key organizer - such energy - letting us know that pictures had been taken and would be circulated along with e-mail addresses collected, from everyone on the net. I had collected some at the party, but there were a lot of people I didn't have the opportunity to talk with who I would like to touch base with later. Touched base with an old neighbour today. His parents and mine were bridge buddies and good friends. He and my Mom and sisters had the most outrageous water fights across the fence. (I was busy studying, of course). Anyway, hearing about his trials with teenage daughters makes dealing with my sons that much easier. Told my guys that I had spent the evening sharing their pictures with my classmates who had daughters, trying to arrange marriages. Uh huh. Actually, a couple of my unattached guys were kind of interested. Dating isn't all it's cracked up to be. Them, ribbing me about drinking - ok so I had a rum and coke and no, I have absolutely no tolerance for alcohol - one does make me tipsy, so sue me. They just aren't used to thinking about me outside of the role of Mom - I think I've rattled their cages a bit.
Work today? Left on the early bus again. After storms like the one on the weekend, one never assumes that transit will run smoothly or on time. Besides that, my regular driver thinks he's in the Indy 500 - not on these roads thanks. Besides I like the quietness and calm of the earlier riders. Very pleasant and peaceful. People at work telling stories about their weekend survival tactics. Kept my nose to the grindstone and ignored most everything else. Think I heard C tell D that she was going to have lunch with someone I worked with a couple of assignments ago. Sounded like she said she was going to ask about my background, but I really don't care one way or another.
Got home to a call from one of the interviewers I saw on the day I got this assignment - was I still interested in taking another position. Don't know what to do there. If T2 was removed from the equation, I'd be quite content where I am now. Nothing wrong with the work and that is why I'm there. After ten years in the work force, I haven't had a better supervisor than A - dumb to walk away from such a good teacher. But... staying implies acceptance of the behaviours acted out every day and this assignment is only until ... well whenvever T2 decides her money has been spent. Who knows what she will decide there. I think our firms' contract was until the end of June - two months. I need to be looking for something else anyway; can't be certain when an election or a referendum will be called, so I can't rely on that either. On the other hand, taking full time work right now isn't fair to a new employer either. What do I do? I guess call the interviewer and see what she has in mind.
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