22:35 - 28.06.06
momentum
My youngest said they had to wear masks at work yesterday. His supervisor had been told that the materials that they were working with were safe, but he wasn't so certain himself. Precaution is the best safety practice one can have. My youngest was grumbling about it a bit, because they also have to wear heavy coveralls all the time and apparently the workplace is not vented to the outside. In this heat I'm not certain that that's a bad thing, but one would hope there is some sort of air conditioning. He didn't get any sympathy from me though. When I worked in the hospital I spent at least half of each day in the hydrotherapy suite. Because the patients treated there had such compromised immune systems and were often highly infectious we all wore the cap, mask, gown, and gloves get up during treatments as well as for preparation and cleaning after. The humidity in that place was very high and the heated water meant that the room temperature was always higher than anywhere else too. Just precautions, but that probably saved a lot of lives including our own.
I met some of the people who work for me during elections travelling to and from my errands yesterday. One of the younger males sat with me on the way to the train chatting politics all the way. On the way home it was one of the women who I liked quite a bit from the polling day staff. She scooched up to let me join her on her bench on the bus ride home. That was pretty generous given the heat. Up close and personal on the bus should only be a winter activity. What irritated me was that I couldn't remember her name. I have a large staff, but that shouldn't matter. Never have been really good with matching names to faces though. I'm sure it will come to me in the middle of the night.
When I walked from the train station to the mall I was joined by a few other people who had also decided the train might not move for a while. There was a really interesting father and daughter combination. Daughter is probably in high school. When we passed the grocery store midway to the mall, she headed off that way while her father stood just watching her go. She came back twice to reassure him then headed inside. Probably her first shift ever as a paid worker. Dad seemed really overwhelmed by the whole thing. New Canadian and I'm guessing maybe from the Philippines from the fact they were speaking Tagalog. I had been moving much slower than them, so I was able to witness the entire exchange. I came up with the Dad as his daughter reached the building. It was obvious he had very little English, but he was so proud of his daughter that he had learned all the words necessary to praise her and tell other Canadians all about her. He said he was heading off to the medical clinic because he had problems with his teeth - that part of the conversation was done in charades - but he kept turning around and looking back at where his daughter was hidden inside that building. There was an expression of peace on his face. I think, for a lot of new Canadians, their sense of belonging to this country begins when they can see with their own eyes that their children are able to make their way in the adult community. Getting stable employment and starting their own families. That young woman still has a lot of living to do in front of her and it might not always be easy, but at least the Dad now feels all his sacrifices have been worth it. I guess that is how our forebears arriving from Europe felt too when they saw our parents and grandparents preparing to leave them. A lot of food for thought there - if one chooses to think that is.
Today was unbearable in some ways - extreme heat and the difficulty of getting things done. It was over 31 C/90 F by noon. Too hot even to eat. Made me feel sick just thinking about it. Went through a lot of juice though. It is now that temperature again as I post to you. We don't have any air conditioning. The one good thing I can say is that my lungs didn't cause me any difficulty - guess they're adapting. If one opens the windows at this time of night, hoping to cool things down, clouds of mosquitos bite every inch of exposed skin and then some. The cats are enjoying that, because they think I've brought them some really funky toys. What I can't understand is how they can run and chase those critters in their heavy fur coats. Not only did those felines not choose to stay and play in the basement where it is bearable temperature-wise, but they chose the warmest room in the house - my bedroom - then laid in the south windows sunning themselves. Crazy. I did manage one load of wash just so my young men have clean clothes for tomorrow. My youngest went off to work in his shorts today, but he'll need his jeans tomorrow. Weather forecast is for considerably cooler weather, you see. I am assuming that means rain though, because I can't see how it is going to cool off enough over night tonight otherwise. My friend from the Middle East arrived in town a day ago, so I spent quite a bit of time talking with her on the phone catching up on each other's news. We are also going to spend the Canada Day afternoon together and I am really looking forward to that.
Called back the one person from Ottawa after calling and talking with the landlord again. The Ottawa rep conceded that there likely wouldn't be an election call before parliament reconvenes, but she said headquarters still wanted me to find other space. At least this time she acknowledged that I had no hours approved to work with and that that would not happen until the lease with the new tenants was actually signed by the landlord. Given that they are negotiating renovations, it could be the autumn before I will be allowed to go office hunting again. Of course the local rep's comment was that it had been part of my job to have alternative spaces lined up from my last assignment, but given that she wouldn't approve the hours necessary even to complete to negotiations on the first site I don't know when or how she expected me to do that. No more freebies. As a corollory I sent out another resume for a full time permanent position. Tired of the games. More of that tomorrow when the cooler temperatures let me think straight. Good night dear diary.
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