The latest Lucie-ism
I had several appointments this afternoon, so I took some overtime hours to be off work. Got lots done: Chiropractor, bank, doctor, then shopping. My black leather jacket has been hinting that it needed to be retired, I paid $40 last month to have a tear repaired in the back. Yesterday, the zipper broke, and today I caught the pocket in the car door while rushing to the doctor's office and ripped another big hole in it. Luckily, the Cleo shop at Chinook right below where
LeeAnne works at L
enscrafters was having a sale on coats - 50% off the last sale price. I bought a nice soft red wool jacket (blazer style) and a brown ski jacket. I handed my old leather one to the sales lady and asked her if she would dispose of it so I could wear the new one, and she agreed to put it in their garbage. I had a few hours before
LeeAnne finished work, so I went to see Blood Diamonds which was playing at Chinook Cinema. (By the way, I never will have any desire to own a diamond after that movie). Anyway, the movie finished later than I expected as it was more than 2 hours long, and I knew
LeeAnne was waiting for me because all the shops were closed. Of course, the theatre is way at the other end of the biggest mall in Calgary. Anyway, as I'm rushing out, I automatically reach into my pocket for my car keys, and (have you guessed it yet???) the keys with the remote starter and all are in my old coat pocket!
LeeAnne phones me on my cell "Where the heck are you?" I respond that she should meet me downstairs, I'll explain later, which she does, and sees me banging on the locked doors of the shop. But as usual, all ends well because the same sales lady who sold me the new coat came to the door and I was able to get the keys back. Whew! There must have been a few hidden horse shoes in one of those pockets as well.
Well, it's 3:30 AM, and as usual, I'm not sleeping.
So what does one think of in the wee hours of the morning?
First of all, thank God I have tomorrow off, Family Day. LeeAnne has to work, and Al is going to start on some of the projects we've been talking about. We spent hours at Home Depot buying me a new drill and lots of odds and ends needed for several projects, the most ambitious of which involves tearing the carpet off the stairs leading to the upper level, and replacing them with wood that closely matches the laminate floors. Part of the wall separating the stairs from the living room will be torn out and replaced with banister and spindles and such, opening that space up a lot more. Al is assembling and finishing my island-table with stools in the same colour as my built-in china cabinet in the kitehcn. He will also help me expand my bedroom closet and eventually re-organize my basement with better shelving and storage space.
LeeAnne and Al are staying with me while they save money for a down-payment on a house, and I'm going to hang on to them as long as possible (free labour!!!). She is working at Lenscrafters, learning how to make glasses, and I believe he is taking the job with the cabinet-maker. Christian is getting his stuff organized in preparation for a move to Sault Ste-Marie in Ontario next month. He'll probably be living with his sister and working at a place called "Steele". My work is still keeping me pretty busy. I put in a full day on Saturday because I was sick one day last week, and we do have a 3-day weekend. It's the only time I could think of to work on my budgets un-interrupted. Got lots done, too.
I had a brain-fart and went to see the movie Borat at the cheap theatres. What a ridiculous and disgusting movie. You'd have to be really warped to appreciate that type of humour.
Anyway, that's all for now. Time to go back to bed. Yawn :-0
Gone to the Birds
I've been collecting these bird houses, and also
picking up some realistic looking birds
(with real feathers where possible) to accompany them.
I may try to incorporate the theme in my new
rec room down in the basement.
It sure will confuse the cats!
Each one of them is unique in its own way.
I'm back
So let's bring everybody up-to-date.
Lee Anne and Al arrived a few weekends ago, and have settled in nicely.
Christian is going back to Ontario to work, but is waiting for his income tax refund.
I am now working for Municipal Affairs and Housing ministry.
Chris moved from the basement room to the "blue room" and the new carpet was installed two days before I left for vacation. There is still some painting touch-up to do, but Chris has moved back to the basement, and
LeeAnne & Al are in the blue room. Adrienne's room is being used as the computer room until Chris leaves, at which time the basement will contain computers, all entertainment equipment including
TV's, VCR/DVD, stereo, etc plus exercise equipment and sitting room furniture.
Al is a contractor/Jack-of-all trades so he will be doing some work on the house while he's here which should be six months or so. Lee Anne started a new job today at
Lenscrafters and Al is looking at several opportunities.
I, on the other hand, am so busy at work that I can't keep up with my other stuff. With the new provincial government, I am preparing more time preparing briefing notes and providing information than I am at what is supposed to be my "real" job - like getting the budgets negotiated and approved before April 1st for all the shelter operators in the South. I've been to
Lethbridge a few days since I've been back from holidays, and spent some days in Edmonton, including a few days to relax with
Bev, my former next-door-neighbour, who now lives there. Her new house is fantastic, and it was great to get caught up. My calendar for March is scary, and getting filled up more and more as each week progresses with Progress stuff, business trips, and other obligations.
Anyway, now that I've made the first step, I'll try to update more regularly.
Christmas with family 2006
I usually visit family in NB every other year, but not during the holidays. More often than not, I tag on the Progress Club fall convention when it is being held in the East. It was nice to spend a relaxing 10 days with Mom, Crystal Louis and LeeAnne & Al. We took one day trip where I me my friend Mary and her family for lunch, then went to Grand Lake to see Betty and Don, then to Fredericton to visit with Tina and her family, and finally to Marysville on the way home to meet Ron Painter's son Adrian for the first time. It was a good vacation and a memorable Christmas.
Lee Anne & Al
I finally got to meet Al, and was very impressed with how nicely he fits into our family. He has done some great work for Mom in the house which I meant to record on my digital camera, but forgot. He found the white cadillac for Lee Anne (a realy beauty) but I'm not sure if they'll be keeping it. Al is very anxious for the work to be done on his bike. He and Lee Anne will both be heading to Alberta mid-January, more on that later.
Louis & Crystal Holiday Pictures
Louis was working much of the holidays, but I managed to spend some quality time with him, including the continued tradition of making hima big batch of home made chilli. He's looking so much like Dad now that it shocked me when I first saw him.
Christmas in N.B.
Here are some pics from the trip:
I think this is the best picture I've taken of my Mom, and although I may be prejudiced, I think she is still beautiful. I am very flattered when anyone tells me I look like her.
Also, a nice shot of me, LeeAnne, Crystal and Mom on Christmas Eve before we all went to midnight mass
I'm posting only a few pictures at a time because it seems to load easier that way.
Early Winter
Here are a few pictures of what
we woke up to in Calgary this morning.
But all it takes is a Chinook Wind and all the snow will be gone in a day with temperatures at 10+ Celsius. See if you can open the following link (or highlight, copy and paste onto internet address bar:
http://images.google.ca/images?q=Chinook+Arch&hl=en&lr=&sa=X&oi=images&ct=title
Happy Halloween!
Oh, what a party!
I was responsible for the Raffle Table which made $460 for the club. The turnout was small, but we had a lot of fun. Here are a few of the pictures:
There were a lot of very unique costumes, too many to post here. Maybe someday I'll learn how to attach a slide show.
The "before" renovation pictures
These are the jobs still "in progress"
- install dishwasher (had portable that had to be rolled up to sink and hooked to the tap, now have built-in which still needs to be enclosed into an extended counter.
- cutting out wet spots on dining area and small bath ceiling, repair drywall & Spackle(?)by Chris,
- install new bathroom vanity in both bathrooms and toilet downstairs
- Bathfitters installing new tub, walls, glass shower doors Friday,
- Ceiling to be spray-painted throughout
- Downstairs room to be refinished (new paint, carpet, etc)
I will be soooo glad when this mess is over!
Cat with a foot fettish:
Don't believe me, check out Babie:
He does this all the time!
