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10:04 - 28.10.07 Friday was a very family-oriented day. My Dad arrived at my house around 9:30 am, as my youngest was leaving for work. He had come to pick me up for an excursion out south of the city with two of my sisters. Left the cats muttering in their kibble, but even the most attentive of house slaves needs an outing once in a while. Headed off for one of the big malls in the southend of the city. My Dad had borrowed his neighbour's truck for the excursion. He parked it in the mall parking lot, leaving a large for sale sign in the back window, then we climbed into the one sister's SUV - I know - for the trip out into farm country. A commercial berry farm that doubles as craft and hobby store. We spent an enjoyable few hours outside looking at all the garden artwork - a theme of Medieval Asian and Medieval/Renaissance European art, as well as the astrological sign of Pisces - two fish entwined - permeating the wares. Inside, the theme was just shifting from fall to Christmas as staff stocked the shelves with all sorts of intriguing designs and decorations alongside their regular wares. If I hadn't been so desperately broke, I probably would have succumbed to the lure of the "sale price" tags all over the place. Of the affordable stuff a Victorian grandfather clock replica, which doubled as a DVD storage unit. Of the unaffordable stuff a real working grandfather's clock and all sort of stained glass and fabric art - exquisite wall hangings. My Dad treated us for lunch in the attached restaurant. All dishes made from scratch and, maybe, from the farm's own livestock. My one sister and I splitting a chicken wrap, each receiving a bowl of soup as part of the deal. She had the sweet yam soup, while I had the buffalo barley. Quite spicy but warming on a nippy fall day. The restaurant was mostly empty when we arrived, but had a line up waiting by the time we left. At one table it appeared one of the liaisons from one of the downtown companies I worked in was entertaining clients. The occupants at the two tables next to us seemed to be interested in the conversation we had. One young lady seated with her back to us even stood up and turned to look directly at us as we talked. Being that we could hardly hear each other over the din in the dining room, I'm not certain what the issue was. Our conversation rambling from details of my Dad's pending trip to New Zealand - now less than a week away dominating the topics. All the logistics that are a necessary part of the planning. Two of my cousins are living there right now. One has an olive farm, while the other works in the same industry as I do when I consult in the downtown. Both on the North Island. Means my Dad, my brother and their partners of the moment will have a lot of help enjoying their dream trip to the fullest. Other topics were on the refugee situation in Europe - came up while we were discussing my Dad and brother's trip to Rome with my Mom about 17 years ago and the terrorist activities that were occurring in Europe at that time. Long story, but it was the comment on the presence of the guards and machine guns from my Dad that started it. Maybe that is what triggered the attention from the other two tables in hindsight, although my Dad was having trouble hearing what I said even though he was sitting right next to me. Family issues up next and travel tales from the two sisters. Discussion about the one sister's attempt to set up her own business looking after children. She has the certification necessary from a local college you see. Suggestion from my Dad to talk to the sister who was absent because that is the business she has run for almost two decades now. The need for childcare workers is really high right now, so rates are rising almost monthly. My sister mentioned that number two son's wife had said that their daycare fees for his daughter had risen by quite a bit, since last she was attending her daycare. Next up, discussed the oil royalty review and its likely implications for this city. That might also have prompted some attention from the other two tables too, since you know my rather strong stand on that issue. And so on. As it was a working farm, we encountered a lot of mammalian and fowl denizens as we travelled. On entering a huge, very handsome breeding bull, his curved horns glinting in the autumn sunlight. He happily surveyed his harem of brood and milk cows with content as they grazed contentedly nearby. Roosters strutted by and escorted us to the site from the van, crowing as they went. Our own fanfare, how to feel important, eh? In the outside garden center, a pot belly pig named Daisy in her pen explained the unique, mysterious warmth and scent that permeated the greenhouse as one first entered. Inside the stores, two dogs standing longingly at the entrance to the kitchens where heavenly smells were emanating. One cat deeply asleep, cuddled up to the fabric witch with her broom clutched to her, lying convincingly life-like on a chaise longue. The only way to prove the cat was not part of the display was to watch it's tummy very slowly rise and fall as it breathed sweet dreams. That cat later majestically sauntering through said restaurant it's tail high, waving like a sail on a clipper ship. Signs in strategic places reminding people that these were real farm animals that would react in typical farm fashion if disturbed. We knew our place in the grand scheme of things, although some of the other visitors seemed to think they were at a petting zoo. City-folk, eh? Arrived back home around 3 pm I guess. On the way back my Dad and I continued the conversation about farming and the oil and gas industry, both in which he has considerable experience. He mentioned some of Pierre Berton's books about the Canadian immigration patterns at the beginning of the 1900's that form the backbone of our western provinces now. A discussion about why barns are built the way they are in parts of the country, the continent and in other overseas locations based on tradition and differing climatic dictates. Segued into the renovations on my home. Some logistical details that he hadn't realized or acknowledged in the summer, that caused and continue to cause conflict even to this point in time. What shocked me a bit was his assertion that the landlord who owns the other half of my duplex has the right to harrass me in order to force me to sell to him. I don't think my Dad actually absorbs as much of the details as he used, because I can't believe that he would say that if he actually had heard clearly the stories of the attempts to intimidate me and the surrounding neighbours that are recorded elsewhere in your esteemed electrons, dear diary. It was almost as though he had had a discussion with that landlord, because he mentioned plans to convert a few of our properties into one apartment house as the reason why the landlord had been so terribly aggressive. That may be so, but my neighbours and I, who have spent decades building our lives and this community into a family-oriented community, have the right to enjoy our homes, such as they are, in peace and privacy just as the leases of apartment dwellers who move into said landlord's guarantee when they move into a unit. It is also illegal in this country to use harrassment and intimidation to force someone out of their home. The landlord in question won't let go of the fact that in his native Middle Eastern country that behaviour is acceptable. He also is the one, when he first started purchasing property here, who made the statement that neither I nor the female neighbour on the other side of the unit he owns in my duplex, would be able to resist his plans because under the laws of his country of origin women only have half the rights of men. Yes well. He was the one the police had to explain that he could not damage or vandalise my property - including the plants in my yard - at whim. Sigh. I think my blood pressure shot up a bit and I chose not to argue with my Dad. Not worth the stress. Anyway, not half an hour after I arrived home from that expedition, the phone rang. It was number four son. Would I mind looking after my youngest grandson so that he and his wife could go out for dinner and a dance. My pleasure! They picked me up around 7 in the pm. Their house was decorated with things Hallowe'en to the total delight of my grandson. He loved all the colourful decorations, spooky sounds and flashing lights filling up their front room; bringing each treasure to me for examination and activation. I gave him the plush "Boris" figure I had found on sale - the one with the vampire cape, trick or treat bag, flashing nose and spooky sounds emanating from him. We spent the next four hours playing, singing and continuing the story I had been reading to him while I had looked after him in the summer. He had just had his booster shots that afternoon, so a quick dip in the tub pleased him greatly too before dressing him for bed. Got that low grade fever down anyway. We were sitting and cuddling on the couch singing along with Sharon, Lois and Bram as well as Eric and the Elephant - "It's Just not Fair!" - when his Dad walked in. Too bad, I was having fun and my grandson seemed to be enjoying himself too. I got big, mushy unsolicited kisses during the night and when I left for my efforts, so I guess the evening was a success. My son let me know they get the keys to their new house at the beginning of November, so I promised to help with additional childcare and other duties once they let me know what would be most useful to them. I can still do my qc piece work and send out resumes in between. I made it clear that I would have to put interviews ahead if it came down to a choice, but I don't see it being an issue at this point in time, although I still have those two requests from last week to respond to yet. Yesterday, I did two quality control assignments. It was a typical Mercury retrograde type of experience. First up maintenance/winterising work was being undertaken on the trains and the lines they travel. Meant that the schedules were completely unpredictable. The one bus that might have provided a very nice alternative stopped running before 8:30 in the am. My work wasn't allowable until after 10 am. Hanging around a place of business for 2 hours before doing the assignment just wasn't a viable option. The two assignments were located in two different malls about five miles apart, separated by one big freeway. I could have walked, but that would have added an extra hour or two to my work time not paid for by the company I'm working for. Even so, from the time I started to the time I walked back in my front door I spent four full hours just walking as I carried out my observations. The first assignment was extra long too because the person whose work I was observing did such an excellent job. It just took the extra time to gather all that information. It was a very positive experience though to see someone who understood their function and had mastered it so well. It was obvious they truly enjoyed their work. In betwen that assignment and the next, a lot of time spent standing and waiting for the truncated transit service. Sigh. One male asking me for directions to the English as Second language course in the first worksite. Problem is I couldn't really help him because that mall has changed so radically. I couldn't honestly say if there were course offered there, nor did it seem likely that they would be available on a Saturday, since the one very large government services complex in the mall was completely shut down. They don't operate on weekends. I suggested he talk with the information officers in their kiosk in the mall. Hopefully they could help him. What was curious at both malls is that many of the entrances that used to exist have been completely closed off. I'm used to walking in one of the end entrances and working in a circle back to that first entrance when I attend their facilities. Not possible anymore. What was worse, was that in both cases the entrances nearest the train stations were the ones sealed off. How does that make any sense. Discouraging traffic in the mall doesn't make sense for it's tenants. In the second mall there was that just-after-lunch, huge crowd that usually signals the last weekend before Hallowe'en and the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. Wall to wall people all not paying attention to much other than getting in and out of the facility as quickly as possible. Those who were casully window shopping, mixed in, not aware of anything other than the merchandise on display. Not a good combination really. I stopped at one kiosk, because they had a copy of the one astrological calendar I like to use for my daily calculations. Their electronic cash system had crashed, so I had to wait while they tried to find a way to accommodate the male before me who was trying to use his credit card. I offered to go to the nearest atm, but the clerk thought the company supplying the service could get their unit going quickly after they saw the gentleman through his transaction. Not. Took 20 minutes. I usually would have walked away, but that calendar is very difficult to find. Some years, due to timing and no extra income, I have done without. Could do the same this year, but it seemed important to have the one for 2008 for some reason. Big changes happening in the skies right around my birthday, y'all. Hmmm. The qc assignment nearby there took about half the time, although it was still a positive experience for the most part. There was a big box store next to the location where I needed to be. I headed there to pick up milk and such before catching the bus home, so I didn't have to make extra trips for same in my own community. More glitches at the cash registers, but at least people watching was entertaining/instructive. The lady in front of me seemed to be stocking up for some sort of wiccan ritual. Lots of red candles,scents and similar paraphenalia in great quantities. Behind me a mom and daughter accompanied by the maternal grandmother who obviously did not like the husband of her daughter. Made a big effort to send him off on a wild goose chase, while we were waiting at the till for our turn to be cashed through. I don't think the poor man was out of earshot after his wife spoke down to him about his "assignment", when grandma turned to the grandchild and started cutting the poor soul down in very disparaging terms. Making it a "mother/daughter against the males" thing. What a jerk - so was mom for that matter. During that diatribe the little girl quavered, pointing outside the entrance to the store, "Mom, is that the Devil???" The lady in front of me and I both glanced out the doors instinctively. There was a male with his head shaved, except for two very obvious horns crafted from what was left of his hair. He was fussing with his child, but still managed to look rather intimidating in black t-shirt and pants. In fact he looked very much like Jack Nicholson in "The Witches of Eastwick" when he went devilish. I think this person had a slightly more rounded face, but that demented look about his face was quite convincing. I guessed he had a Hallowe'en party to attend that night. I seemed to be the only one amused by his appearance though, as the grandmother/daughter reacted fearfully to his image when responding to the grandchild. The cashier made a shaky comment about the strangeness of some people, while the lady in front of me seemed to suddenly becomw aware of the import of her own ritual supplies - almost as if she saw that man's appearance as some sort of omen - trying to explain to me why else she might purchase such an odd assortment of supplies. Uh huh. The real devils are those walking around on two legs abusing their corporate or geovernmental roles at the expense of the rest of the world. I don't have any difficulty with some guy whose sense of humour and self-confidence allow him to go out in public with a hair cut like that - although some of his workmates might be questioning his choices come November. Hair grows back in though doesn't it? Anyway time to go get my Hallowe'en candy supplies. I've put it off as long as I can so as to resist the temptation to eat those treats myself. The Devil made me do it - really. � � |