00:08 - 17.05.06
planting seeds
I had to go have a shower before I could stand to sit still long enough to post to you dear diary. Here at midnight and it is still too hot to handle. We broke temperature records across the province today. There are already several forest and prairie fires as a result. The only one out of control is in the foothills about 90 miles/120 km NW of the city. Fire bans in effect ringing the whole urban area - the ones that tell you to "just say no" to briquets. No barbeque, y'all. So far the forecast is holding that this weather will last a few more days. I prefer cooler weather, thank you very much. No air conditioning in this house other than a couple of creaky fans. The funny thing is that our furry felines love it. They could all comfortably relax downstairs in the much cooler basement during the day. Do they choose that? No way. They are sprawled out on their backs in some of the warmest corners in the house snoozing away. The only thing that they demand of their staff - me - is that I keep their water bowls topped up. Uh huh.
Today is number four son's 23 birthday. He's the one getting married next month. His fiance's birthday was a couple of days earlier. I guess that means they should be compatible - right? Chances are that her Mom and I were in the same hospital at the same time. Funny it would be those babies, 23 years later, that would encourage us to meet and get to know each other. Small world. It's Pierce Brosnan's birthday today too and I have to say that my son looks quite a bit like him. Must be the astrological aspects for the day. When I called my son he allowed that he was feeling much better than when I spoke with him on Mothers Day - he was the one that was bedridden. Now it's my youngest that's just finishing about of the flu that seems to be going round. In the Northwest Territories it has become such a problem that they are doing a bit of quarantining just to try and stop it in it's tracks. The health system up there is quite a bit less advantaged, so they have to find ways to compensate for their deficits. The problem of course is a shortage of qualified medical personnel. Even with really great pay and benefits most staff just can't deal with six months of no daylight and frigid cold - at least until global warming melts the permafrost. Tonight was sort of a 70's theme otherwise. My youngest was checking out the newest games concepts just released at that big conference - he was having a ball playing with retro Mario. At the same time Much Music was having a retro moment of the 70's too. Time surfing I think.
I finished up the documentation requested of me by the one Ottawa contact this afternoon. She still wanted a detailed breakdown of how I had gone about my search for an office, because she thought I should apply for the extra hours I worked over the ones allocated. That was then, but we'll see if that changes when she sees the difference. Unless things have really changed in the head office I can't see that she'll be allowed to approve them. I did point out to her that most of the work was done in the last two days and that I couldn't have submitted my assignment without having used them, but that hasn't really mattered before. We'll see. Things can always change, right? I also heard from a couple of other RO's. One just wanting to compare notes and the other wanting help. She still hasn't found space and was hoping I could refer her to some of my realtor contacts. No problem there. One of the newer ROs she is and not aware of how difficult it is to persuade someone to rent you their building for just a couple of months - with no notice to speak of either. Another staff member from another Electoral district just asking for some technical training and the beat goes on and on and on and on and on. But I like that part of the work - rewarding because one sees the results on one's work right away. That's a good thing once in a while.
I have real lilacs growing by my balcony. They look and smell heavenly. Added in to the cherry blossoms and the rowan flowers it is a pretty sight along my bedroom windows these days. My friend the gardener emailed today to ask if I wanted to do some work with her on my yard. She is always so kind to me and I can't ever explain how much of a difference that makes in my life. There isn't a lot I can really do until my tax refund arrives, but some of her ideas are no cost endeavours. Go pick rocks to set up a dry stream bed. Waiting til the end of the season to buy a fountain for it is more sensible anyway - sales are extraordinary then. I did get one catalogue in the mail today, so I can dream a bit longer about the layout. I think in some ways that is more fun than the doing. I think I'll take her up on it. The bad neighbours were sitting out in the back tonight wondering if they could take the deck chairs off our balcony you see - "no one's outside most of the time" was their rationale and the dad was egging them on. He's just such a jerk. Uh huh. I guess making the yard look more "occupied" might change their attitude a bit. What I did tonight after hearing their comments was to go get my one-shot camera and take photos of the deck and the wishing well. When they saw that, all of them scurried inside their house within seconds. It was a peaceful evening as a result. Anyway I've cooled down enough that I think I'm going to try and sleep while we have some fresh air moving. Tomorrow is supposed to be hotter yet. Bleagh.
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