01:49 - 01.04.07
ch-ch-ch-changes
I needed to go out for groceries on Thursday, but I wanted to get a lot of the cleaning finished first. Moving all those boxes out of the basement gave me the extra space I needed to really get a lot completed. That translated into a late afternoon shopping trip - or so I thought. I checked out my front window as I was preparing to leave the house. Last check on weather conditions, don't you know. There was a fire truck sitting at the curb across the street, up against the toddlers' park. I continued dressing thinking the semi-annual assessment of the fire hydrants and under ground sprinklers was underway. Made me feel safe at that point, any way. Half an hour later, when I was finally ready, I took one last glance out the picture window. That fire truck was still there. No activity that would indicate that the sprinklers were being assessed either. What did that mean? No smoke anywhere, no flames - good so far - no ambulance arriving to backup an emergency call and no police. I looked at the cats, worrying that if I left and my home needed to be evacuated those felines would be at risk. Other than Ms Kitty - the farm girl - none of the other cats have any street savvy. They've only been out of the house to be neutered - they fear the outside - although they would love it if those squirrels and assorted wild birds would present themselves inside for a rousing game of "catch me if you can". As a result, I didn't leave home until another hour had passed which was when I saw the fire truck drive away. As they were leaving, a moving van pulled up and the neighbours - at least some of the ones in the other side of my duplex - emerged hauling their possessions to that vehicle. Oh happy day! There was a spring in my step as I headed off to the grocery store for certain. One of the reasons was that the cigarette smoke that had permeated every inch inside my home for the past couple of weeks might soon be dissipating with their removal. One can hope, anyway. The past few days with the weather being much warmer, I had had to carry my asthma inhaler with me inside my own home trying to keep my air passages open enough so that I could breathe. The day ended with my youngest and I unpacking the groceries I had hauled home, making supper, then heading for our respective bedrooms for some sleep.
Friday was a bit quieter because all the dust I had stirred up while cleaning the day before made my breathing quite a challenge. There is only so much work I can do in a day before the risk to my health becomes too great. Bummer. I worked on things election to try and assist the new fellow taking over my electoral district. I was trying to puzzle out the sequence of increasingly odd phone calls I had received from Canada Post. The new liaison originally called and left a voicemail for me about the transfer of materials to the new RO for this area. She had wanted to send someone to pick up the computer as well - the one being shipped to Ottawa in special boxes by a private courier firm, so it can be thrown in the landfill there, our tax dollars at work. When I had left a return voicemail explaining what I had been instructed to do by EC, she left another voicemail letting me know she wanted to talk with me directly. It was sort of an odd conversation, because she told me a lot about my friend, the previous liaison - despite privacy legislation that forbids that - and it seemed that the previous liaison had asked her to do so, including letting me know that she was sorry I wasn't still an RO. It also seemed that the new person had been instructed to give me the name and phone number of her and the previous liaison's supervisor, who is stationed in Winnipeg. She encouraged me to call him, but I don't understand why or the reasoning behind that. I'm easily confused some days, I guess.
While that was playing out through a variety of lines of communication, there was a police car sitting outside the house in exactly the same place that the fire truck had been the day before. Not far from it an unmarked police vehicle with a gentleman who looked as though he really meant business standing at the front apparently cleaning the windows. While I was talking on the phone I was wandering from window to door to the next entry point making certain all entrances into my home were locked so that if the person those law officers obviously wanted to catch very badly decided to try and bolt, my home wouldn't become a refuge for the bad guy - gal - people. Whatever.
The new fellow for my area had sent a cc'd email to the local rep for Elections Canada as though he felt I was still answerable to her as well. It was about paying my son for picking up and delivering the supplies to him. That really made me cross. One of the best things about not having this contract anymore is that it means I should never have to deal with the local rep again - right? Apparently she hasn't let go of her power trip there yet. As I mentioned, I feel sorry for this new guy and will try to help him when it is reasonable to do so and doesn't demand huge amounts of my time. I am not planning to become a volunteer for their organization any time soon, you see. I'm not bitter - not me. We'll have to see how that one plays out. If she had been doing her job and had been assisting him per her job description rather than interfering with that new RO in another electoral district, then he wouldn't have had to rely on me for really basic support. On Thursday evening he had even called to ask for immediate support for his tech specialist because no one else was available to him. Yes well.
Today was all about research. Now that the house is emptying out I've been thinking about painting - again. More research about how to do that in the most environmentally effective way while still having a job completed well and aesthetically. Then checked for new gardening advice - container gardens for vegetables, don't you know. Our growing season isn't that long so that might be a strategy for extending it a bit. More research for one of the posted ROs who wanted information on damage to the environment that might be causing or increasing the incidence of chronic health problems. My sister's sister-in-law wanted more information on geothermal sources of heating and how to retrofit homes for that. Given that she lives on an island - water water everywhere .... - that makes perfect sense. And on and so on through all of today one internet search after another. Good way to spend the day. Also good was seeing another moving van pull up. Appears that a young couple with a small child are moving in in the other half of my duplex. Let's hope this time we have a good neighbour relations. Good night dear diary.
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