00:09 - 28.06.05
Changes on the wind
Well, my youngest appears to have his first official girlfriend. She lives in Florida. The bad news is their first phone call lasted over two hours. The good news is that they live several thousand miles apart. Internet romances, as long as they remain long distance, at least reduce a lot of the concerns the up-close and personal type bring. I think these two met in the serial story writing chat group, so that's another positive. Common interests that build skills. They don't even think of it as English or Social Studies. Bonus.
I called my Airmiles plan this week and booked a rental car for the neighbour who lets me ride to work with her. She will have two full days' use, while she is away studying in Montreal. Gave her the details today, so she can make her own arrangements with respect to timing and such. Most of her time will be taken up with classes and studying, but having the opportunity to have a couple of days of full mobility will allow her to have some play time too. I've booked passes to a couple of local attractions, but they won't arrive for a day or so more. She might as well have some fun while she's on her own.
Work started out well this morning. I gave my supervisor the nerf football I'd picked up for her on the weekend. She was already at her desk when I wandered in. She was quite pleased, given it was such a small thing. Said she was really feeling stressed and could use the release. Turned out her supervisor was just back from her holidays in Europe, you see. A lot has happened over the past month. One can never tell how a boss will react to significant change of direction when they return after a break. It must have been ok though, because I looked up a couple of hours later to find my supervisor standing at my desk offering chocolates from Italy. Guess her boss was happy. I know I was. That one piece of ambrosia went down very nice. Mmmmmmmmmmm.
Next up was an email announcing two new hires for our department. The best part was they were both names I didn't recognize. Remember, a week or two ago I mentioned looking up from the computer to see an old supervisor of mine being shown around, as part of her interview for one of the positions. I don't wish her ill, but I also don't wish me ill. I don't want to work with her again. Be in the same building or company - fine. Just not the same type of assignment. Not with the type of politics going on here.
Went walking for about half an hour at lunch. It was cool, but I kept up a good pace to burn off the pressure I'm feeling over trying to get the first phase of this project done. When I had written my weekly report this morning, I included the stats off the software for the number of boxes still in the queue to be assessed. When I ran that number on Friday, then checked it again today, there was a discrepancy of about 5000 entries. Somehow from noon Firday to 7:30 am today, I don't believe that many items were added to the database. That one stat illustrates one of the biggest problems with the project. I also ran the daily stats for coding again this morning and there were discrepancies with what I had actually written dowh each day as I worked. Tracking progress is nearly impossible, when one can't be certain any of the number are exact. I love chaos and ambiguity, but really. All I know is that when I come in to work, I sit down and code non-stop (between mandatory meetings, mind you). It's frustrating when the numbers make it appears as though one is moving backward. There are chunks of data that are segregated and off limits to almost all staff. I'm hoping that all that is occurring is that, by building trust with the senior management in my work as I go along, I am being allowed to see more of the data than originally intended. That's the only other way I can account for it.
Anyway, the walk had the desired effect. I travelled along the riverpath. It is higher again than last week, which is of great concern. The path under the Center Street Bridge is now under water and so are parts of Prince's Island. That's where the Folk Festival, with Steve Earle et al, is supposed to occur at the end of July. There is rain predicted for the balance of this week including Canada Day on July 1st. Soggy fireworks for certain. Stampede is supposed to begin next week. The fair grounds are right off the Elbow River. Usually the cowboys competing in the rodeo and their families live in their mobile homes in the campground right on the river bank. Normally there are places one can ford the river at that point. Obviously it would be too dangerous to let them camp there this year, so I don't know what is going to happen about that. With the Folk Festival, the organizers have been told to come up with a plan B in case the waters haven't receded. The one bridge in to the island that allows vehicles to bring in things like the stages, the music equipment and food/beverages for the attendees, has been washed out completely. The pipes bringing in fresh water were in that structure too. If the city can't repair that in time, they will have to find higher ground. Maybe they will choose the park out by my home. I was one of several volunteers who helped raise nearly $1 million toward it's construction. One of the things we insisted on was the creation of a natural ampitheatre out of the hillside that provides tobogganing in winter months. That could hold large numbers of people. We don't need to worry about the river or flooding up here on the glacial plains high above the river valley and we are very close to the airport. Easy access for the performers and tourists too. Maybe we could arrange shuttle busses for people sitting in the airport on layovers. Better than twiddling ones toes waiting, right?
Back at work, I just continued on with things until about 2:30 pm. During that time some more of the people who had been in the dance program dropped by for quick visits. Personally. that has been one of the unexpected benefits for me. Finding people with interests like mine who seem to want to continue the relationship past the event itself. Nice. Suddenly I had this very strong sense of release and it was as though a lightness and happiness suddenly filled the department. Couldn't figure it out for the life of me, nor the tears that seemed to come from some one else as I was enroute home. The happiness was explained when I logged in to my email at home and found a response from the alderman's/councillor's office about the problem with the animal bylaw person. They will find someone else for me to work with. That is a good thing.
Yesterday, one of the males who is frequently at the unattached duplex next door - part of the dead drunk drinking/toking buddies cabal - was commiserating with the group experience of all having their girlfriends/wives leave them in the past month or so. Imagine that. They were all talking about how "there are certain things a man can't allow" to happen and "their women" getting uppity is one of them. The male in question, was saying that he was thinking of punishing his wife by poisoning her cats. Then there was a mutter about the cats round and about, ya'll. There is one neighbour that let's theirs out of the house at night, but he could also have been referring to my home. The speaker seemed to be contemplating expanding his poisoning spree to the whole of the area. Given that I have never heard or seen this fellow other than drunk and belligerent I am really worried. Even among that group of mouthy and abusive drunks he is scary - trying to pick fights with any of the drinking buddies who makes a statement about anything. Even those buddies tread lightly around him.
When that group is around, I tend to lock my doors and keep the curtains and windows closed, since occasionally remarks have been thrown at me about being an uppity woman as I have been standing in the kitchen washing dishes or cooking. The only time I feel safe is when their one friend - a black man, with a deep, strong type of voice - comes around. He is always sober and seems to arrive with the intent to keep them from causing harm among themselves and their families. Don't know who he is or how he knows, but I am glad he can control them to some degree. Anyway, when I do get to speak with this new bylaw person, I am hoping I can discuss some strategies for protecting the cats in this area from this guy. I think he means what he threatens. No wonder his wife left him. Usually that degree of vindictiveness indicates a very violent behaviour pattern in the home. I think I will need some help figuring out how to stop him without provoking him into some violence against my home and family. Sigh. I did speak to the new neighbours on the other side of my duplex after work. That was a very positive experience. They are new to the city, and likely the province, so they are still trying to get their feet under them. Even at that, they have been both friendly and upbeat. Hope they stay around and the other neighbours leave. We'll see. Still haven't figured out the tears I felt coming from someone when I was travelling home and that bothers me. All I can do again is send as much comfort through prayers as I can muster. Wish I could figure that one out.
Anyway time for reading to my youngest and bed. If this girlfriend thing takes off I might not have his attention much longer. Then I guess it will just be me and the cats.
�
�
