19:10 - 14.07.05
Smoke and Mirrors
When I walked out my front door this morning I realized that the windows were all covered with some sticky, viscous substance. Didn't look or smell very good either. Now the windows at the front of my home are way above my head. When I checked later, it appeared that whatever had been sprayed at the front of the house was also covering the two very large trees, the six foot high hedges on each side of the yard, and the bushes that bracket the windows in the front. They must be about 12 feet high. Don't know what fell last night, but this definitely wasn't as result of rain or hail. The side and back of the house had nothing on them. Hmmm. Watched the weather at supper and found that a good rain storm is expected tomorrow night, so hopefully it will at least wash away what is on the plants. Some of the leaves are already showing damage. I could guess that the neighbours are at it again. Their whole behaviour this past three weeks has been an escalation of trying to provoke a fight through whatever circumstances they think might work on me. The other attempts at intimidation are starting to get to me, without doubt. I'm afraid to leave home, but also to be in my home - especially alone - which is becoming more frequent with only one young adult living with me. I'm uncomfortable even walking outside my door now. I've lived in this community for 26 years and have never felt afraid before. I survived an abusive mate and raised six sons mostly on my own. I am not going to allow this to get to me - maybe. The neighbours on the west side have been very quiet and subdued tonight even outside, where before they were loud and abusive in their speech as well. Hard to knw what to think. My youngest says the substance might be the sap from the poplar trees. I can't recall it ever "raining" down on our home before but I like that explanation better. Less threatening.
On the train, I met up with the one friend I made at the contract two years ago - another walking buddy. We first discussed the job market. In the past week I've had some cold calls from agencies asking if I'm available for other assignments. Where were they last October and November? The industry we work for is so busy right now companies just can't find any skilled workers. Then my walking buddy was continuing on with her tales of woe about work. I was glad to listen, turnabout being fair play. On many of our walks two years back, I would vent about the conditions I was dealing with in the department I was assigned to. Nothing has changed with the way contractors are treated. At one point during her recitation, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Looked across the aisle to find two of the women from the contract I had to walk away from last October. We ended up with a bit of a cross company discussion among the four of us. Then I went back to talking with the original fellow traveller. She was telling me about her husband's adventures with taking their teenage son to work with him. Lots of laughter.
Arrived at work just after 7 this am. I had powered up my computer and started writing an email to one of the IT people. A part had gone missing that was critical to the operation of one very important piece of hardware. He had sent out an appeal on Monday. Turns out the part is obsolete, but came from a company my brother worked for many years ago. I talked with my brother last night when he returned home from his business trip. Seems he might have some of the critters in question available. I was just passing on what might be good news, although I hadn't heard anything back by the end of today. I was sending that off when my supervisor came wandering in. She seemed to want to verify that I was there. A guess being that someone in the next work area commented about me leaving 15 minutes earlier this past week, without mentioning that I am also arriving 15 to 30 minutes earlier too. Truth be known, because we all have to use security cards, it isn't hard to check any of our movements. That is at least not as long as one isn't dumb enough to loan their card to anyone else or use it to open a security portal for someone else. Around 11 this morning I got a call that my paycheque was waiting in the mailroom. A woman in her sixties, with short curly, medium brown hair, wire rim glasses, slim build, wearing blues jeans, vest, white shirt and, I think, cowboy boots jumped on the elevator just as the doors were closing. The other woman and I had swiped our cards and then activated the button for the floor we needed to get off for. The older woman waited until the other lady had got off at her floor and then tried to demand that I activate the button for the 12th floor. She asked if having a security card was required to activate the button then claimed she had been working there a lot "you know the past few weeks". Nuh uh. First thing that happens when you arrive for your first day of work at this company is a visit to the photographer who snaps your picture. They immediately transfer it to one's very own security card. Nothing else is done, until that item of business is completed. She was getting quite aggressive when I stepped off on my floor. One of the supervisors was just passing by. When the woman realized the other person had got a good look at her too, she stopped dead. I called security as soon as I got back to my desk. Scary when even nice grandmotherly looking women are likely bad people too. One of the co-workers commented on my astuteness - I think she was joking. I just noted I was glad that she wasn't carrying a backpack. I think I would have been busy trying to persuade the rest of my colleagues to join me in the stairwell so we could go for an early "lunch", if that had been the case. That London scenario could just as easily play out here. The person making the jokes wasn't thinking it was so funny, after I mentioned that.
Went to see my chiropractor at noon. Blessed relief. He had been mountain climbing on the weekend and had a worse sunburn even than me. That although he already had a pretty good tan. He said that the three feet of snow, plus the wind and the sun all working on him at once was the culprit. He had blistered quite badly. He had also been walking with one of the newbies in the group, so I suspect his attention was focussed on keeping them safe while forgetting to look after his own needs. He said by the time they reached the peak they were in company with 22 people. That is pretty strange, a crowd on a mountain top, but with all the grizzly and brown bear attacks on humans, including a few deaths, the rules for hiking right now are that a hiking party must have a minimum of six people in it for protection. Apparently the park wardens are being very vigilant in making certain that happens.
I had quite an abreaction to the treatment once I got back to work. I left that 15 minutes earlier than I have been up til the end of June, because no amount of aspirin was working to diminish the pain. Sometimes in yoga one goes back through old episodes of stress or illness in order to release them. I think that was what was leaking out of my pores. That wasn't my first experience of something like that. Sometimes there are flashbacks that accompany the physical release, but I didn't notice any of that this time. I decided to just let it hurt and so, hopefully, dissipate the original energy that caused it. I don't care what anyone else thinks about that early departure as long as my supervisor is ok with my hours. This morning she said she was. That slight change in timing means I get home about 45 minute earlier than otherwise. Just the timing of the connections between trains and bus. Took a cab from the station because I had to pick up kibble. The cabbie grew up in this community so we were discussing the nature of local politics. I was telling him tales of what it had been like to try to deal with the city fathers and how much work it was to raise the money demanded of us. He startled a bit and said. "How old ARE you?" He said he thought we were the same age, but he was a boy when the park drama was unfolding. Felt good to think someone thought I looked 20 years younger than I am - his age - but maybe he needs glasses or was really tired, eh?
Went to open my front door and found it unlocked. My youngest had gone out to the Stampede for the day, so I was really uncomfortable walking in on my own, but nothing seemed to have been disturbed. The cats were content and just pleased that the maid was returned with treats for feeding time. Last weird thing of the day was the email I received from my current walking partner. It was supposed to be a joke I think, but seeing someone smash in their face out of frustration, blood flying everywhere is not my idea of amusing. In fact, it was quite worrisome. Maybe it was just the nature of the day. Time for a nap so I can tackle some of the never ending housework that seems to come with a large family, be it children or cats. Good night dear diary.
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