21:39 - 02.06.05
Bearish
The theme of emergencies continued today. An afternoon workshop on evacuation procedures and safety/security measures. The health and safety specialist who has been looking after me was presenting and he does a good job. The other two speakers were taking the attitude that the information was a joke or too simple to take seriously. Having had to deal with emergencies in various forms, I don't think they realize that the first thing that goes off right after the alarms is the logical mind. Many people will forget really basic information like their telephone number or address, for example. Repetition and practice are meant to make one's responses automatic so one doesn't endanger themselves or anyone else when there is a real serious situation to face.
The loud supervisor was still not talking to me this week so I took the initiative and approached her first. She had mentioned that her father had been doing the same work as my Dad around the time that we would have been babies. I asked my Dad if he remembered the name and he had replied in the positive. There was a caution in what he chose to reveal and it was obvious he was wanting to go away and check out something before he said anymore to me. If daughter is like father, then I already can guess the story. I told the loud woman about my Dad's recollection and that seemed to draw off some of the hostility for a while. She is still really cranky and abrupt but I'm beginning to think that is simply her nature.
However, on reflection, I've realized I can get that way more often than I'd like too. On Sunday there was a knocking on our front door and the person wouldn't stop. They even tried opening the inside wooden door. Given the stories I've shared with you about my neighbours, you can guess that I am very reluctant to open that door unless I am expecting someone. Some of the neighbours and their friends are so out of control at times, I just won't risk it otherwise. When I opened the door this weekend I realized how much my reactions were driven by that fear. There was a woman standing there with what looked like a terrier of some description, leashed by her side. He could smell the cats - no surprise since we have a spraying war going on among the males, yuck. Anyway, she looked as though she was dressed for tennis. She said she was looking for the person at the other side of the duplex. I had only opened the door an inch or so and didn't respond all that warmly although she seemed quite nice. Years ago when my guys were small the door was always open and there was a constant stream of traffic. No one knocked. Funny what a break-in and that fear will do to your head isn't it?
When my Dad and I were talking he had also clarified some misconception I had about his trip to Alaska in a few weeks. But it was my sister's fault you see. She said her mother in law was going to be on the same cruise, so I just assumed that that meant my Dad and his neighbour would travel exactly the same itinerary. Apparently most of their trip is by tour bus up the Alaska highway. The only part of the trip that will be by boat for them is when they reach the pacific coast. They'll be returning to Prince Rupert probably through the inner channel along the Queen Charlotte Islands. It is supposed to be a very beautiful sail and that is good since my Dad hates boats. I'd forgotten that. They'll need to watch for the bears though.
My Dad has photos of portions of the alaska Highway being built back in the '40's as part of the war effort - protecting against an invasion of North America through Russia - because his Dad had a contract to build a stretch of it. He said he'd been going through those and that had brought back a lot of memories I think. I asked again if he would tape some of those stories for me so I can transcribe them as a history for my sons and grandchildren. I think I'm going to have to do it reporter style and sort of interview him on tape if I really want to get everything recorded. This story out of Halifax about honoring the graves of the American POWs from the War of 1812 sort of explains why. Our countries fought each other then, but have been good allies because we realized we had more in common than otherwise. If that hadn't been so I don't think my Dad's family in Nebraska would have moved to Canada less than a century later and he would never have met my Mom. Where would that leave my sibs and me?
It was raining when I left home this morning and it never really stopped. I mentioned a few posts back that this area of the city was facing water rationing while the city fixed a major sewer line through the months of May and June. I think I allowed that I thought rain for those two months was fine by me. Good thing. On the walk to the neighbours office building at the end of the work day I saw umbrellas being blown inside out - I don't recall saying anything about that degree of wind being acceptable. Guess it better than the tornados that have hit Manitoba though. Although when I went out to the backyard to take out the trash I found the wishing well that it had taken my Dad, his neighbour and one of my neighbours to lift out of the truck last summer blown over and tumbled across the yard. One good thing about subsidence I guess is that I found I could put it back upright by rolling it over to one of the depressions/gullies in my grass and tipping it up using gravity and the lever principle as tools. Couldn't move it back to its original central spot though. But I meant to do that - need to mow the lawn, you know. Anyway I've spent several hours doing housework so it's time to relax and read to my youngest. Good night dear diary.
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