India Episode #2

Ok,so far I've detailed up to Pushkar. What an amazing place! The fair is divided into 3 sections, horses, cattle, and camels.

We pulled up to the edge of the fair grounds a little too early for our hotel to be ready for us. Instead our local guides met us there and we walked through to the Pushkar Fort where we were to lodge in tents. Yes, I camped in India. Now, when I say we walked, weeeelllll, it was more like a hike through the desert. The road ended and we had to follow a little trail past homes made of sticks and small herds of goats. Finally we arrived to our "luxurious" tents.

We spent the next couple of days shooting a few models and the sights at the fair. Here is where I did the series on "Faces of India"



This is also the place where I had the worst experience of the whole trip. A fellow photographer flipped out on me and actually, physically assaulted me. I was stunned! As an adult I've never had a man put his hands on me in an aggressive manner. I've always said I'd hit the idiot back if a guy stepped out of line but I was on a moving camel cart and shocked. We rolled on and left that jerk, Adam, standing with his own group and that should have been it. Ya, no. I had a delayed reaction. I started bawling!! How embarrassing. I was so upset that I told the group I was going back to our rooms and jumped off the cart. I started marching through the herds of camels bawling like a baby. The guide caught up with me and told me I had to return that I didn't know the way. I knew exactly where I was going but he was worried for a blond woman walking alone among the tribes. I just kept crying and telling him no. Well, a woman crying in public in India is a very bad thing. I was drawing a crowd. Not pretty. I reluctantly went back to the group and I'm glad I did. I would have missed out on some fantastic shots. Besides, why should that moron ruin my opportunity? Thankfully, Adam Kazmierski, the abuser, was leaving that afternoon. It wasn't only me he had attacked either. He shoved Karen's camera right into her nose. Unbelievable behavior!!
From Pushkar we then travelled a full day on the horrid bus to Agra. It took us almost 12hrs to go 378km (236 miles). We only stopped for food and potty breaks. The speed limits are not the same and the traffic was abysmal. Just before Agra we stopped to see Fathehpur Sikri, a beautiful monument encompassing Indian, Persian, and Islamic architecture. It was a smoky day so the shots didn't turn out like I had hoped but you'll get the idea.



From there we found our hotel amid a massive downpour and hunkered down for the night. We left for the Taj at 6:30am. We wanted to be some of the first in so we could shoot without the crowds and get the good light. We were lucky. All though we were so early we had to wait in a line at least a block long. Surprisingly the security was intense. I got a full blown pat down. They missed nothing. Glad it was a woman doing the searching.

From here we traveled on to New Delhi for the final portion of the excursion. We stayed at a cute little boutique hotel called the Hotel Dolphin Grand. The only issue was the sewer smell through out the property. Ick!
We were able to go to a traditional Indian wrestling den and to the Delhi University.



That evening I boarded a plane for Canada. I had stops in Paris, Montreal, Ottawa and finally Alberta. Only took 36hrs. LOL! I was so glad to see a bed.
I have placed other pics on this blog wildroseimages.blogspot.com

India

I've waited a while to post this entry for quite a few reasons. Mostly because I felt that I needed a week or so to process the happenings. It was totally overwhelming in so many ways. The trip there took 27hrs. When I landed I was surprisingly not tired. I gathered my luggage and went out to find the driver who was to take me to the hotel. A multitude of men was standing at a bar with signs in hand waiting for their parties. Not one of them was for me. I carefully read all of the hand written, computer printed and hastily scratched out and rewritten papers. Still nothing with my name or anything I recognized. I thought I'd better get out a few rupees at the bank machine in case I needed a taxi and then realized that I didn't even know the name of the hotel I was staying at. I had banked on the driver being there. 20 minutes and still nothing. I then realized that there were more drivers waiting outside the doors and made my way out into the smoggy, muggy, crowded outdoors. Again, I carefully walked up and down in front of a long line of waiting men with signs and found nothing. I was beginning to panic because I just realized that there were guards at the doors to get back into the airport and they were having people show their flight itineraries to get back inside. Did I have one? Nope. I began to get a little teary eyed and approached the guard to explain the situation only to find that he spoke no English. Crap!! Luckily the other guard understood that I wanted to go back inside and see if the driver had shown up yet. As I yet again set out to parade myself in front of these men I saw a sign with a faded black and white peacock and the word "Indialypse" Oh! A word I recognized. I signaled that I was who he was looking for (no English) and he grabbed my bag and took me to a battered little car where a man I'd met in Barcelona was waiting. Ok, things are looking up.
I've been to other countries with severe poverty but what I saw on the drive from the airport in Delhi to my upscale hotel was utterly shocking. (see picture with pigs)


After arriving and checking in we found the rest of our group and sat down for some lunch. I found that I was now utterly exhausted and crashed for the next 12hrs. We left bright and early the next morning for Jaipur. Again, the sights and smells overwhelmed me. People crowded into little taxis called Tuktuks. Cows everywhere! They were on the road, in the ditch, in the yards, next to the doors of stores. But the craziest experience was the traffic. Obeying the painted lanes was not something they seemed to understand. Whatever number of vehicles they could squeeze into the space of a lane was what was there. Since the cars were little there would be 2 to a lane. And no one signals to pass or change lanes. They just honk!!! One honk....coming up on you......two honks......passing. Constant noise!! The roads are very crowded with different speed limits for different classes of vehicles and I think this promotes congestion. But at least the vehicles were brightly adorned with tinsel, pom-poms, pink writing and across every bumper it read "please use horn". ARRGGGGG!
Jaipur is a lesson in extremes. The palaces and ancient architecture will thrill you but the abject poverty of the normal citizens will break your heart. There were people constantly begging. Villages of homeless people who lived under tarps seemed to be the norm on many a roadside. Here we toured the City Palace and the Amber Fort.





From here we traveled on to the Pushkar Cattle and Camel Fair. Totally crazy. Previously we had stayed in fairly nice hotels but this time we were in tents. Yup tents! They weren't too bad either. Two cots per tent and a toilet and sink in a separate section. So much to do and see. I wanted to shoot constantly. There were thousands of camels all over the place. It was divided into 3 areas. One for horses, one for cattle and another for camels. We did some model shooting here as well. Best part? I got to ride a camel!!!



There's just so very much to tell that I don't think I can get all of it into a post. After a couple of days we packed up and hit the road again making our way to Agra, home of the Taj Mahal.

Ok, enough for today. I'll post the rest in a couple of days.

Mexican Food!!!!!

The one drawback to living in Canada is the difficulty of finding Doug's favorite food. Mexican!! While at work today the deli supervisor happened to talk about a local Tienda Latina. What a score!! Doug was all set to go as soon as I got off work LOL! We got his Mexican hot chocolate, corn tortillas, green salsa, and fabulous tortas. Sooooooo gooooooood!!! We asked the proprietor where the best Mexican food was or if there even was any. He told us about Don Antonio's. Truly Mexican!!! Tastes just like it should instead of the watered down version they try to feed Canadians. I had tacos al pastor. MMMMMMMMM!!!! We will be back!!

It's Time!!

I've packed the camera bag and have all my travel sized toiletries set out, including the Imodium and sleep aids, ready to pack. The suitcase is almost ready to go...'cause guess what! India here I come!!!! I have to work a few hours, attend a mini conference and then I'm off to the airport. I have an 11hr layover in London, England. I'm hoping to see at least a few of the sights there before boarding the flight to New Delhi. I'm counting down the hours!!!!! hehehehhehehe ok that's supposed to be gleeful laughter.....

Call me Dumb and stamp me Done!!

In preparation for my upcoming adventure in India I looked up the weather and realized that although it is their winter it might as well be my summer. Daytime highs from 27 - 30C. HOT! You all know I am as white as a frog's underbelly; that I glow under blacklight. Have skin so light I can't by foundation to match. Pathetic. I've been seriously worried that I will severely fry my skin and blister up so badly that I will have wasted a trip. So, I thought, why not try a tanning bed? Who me? The sun-shunner? Ya, I signed up.......4 min the first day, 6 the next, 8 on Thurs. I was a little pinkish but so far getting darker. I got brave. I asked for 9 min. on Friday. STUPID!!! I am now glowing red. At least it's not painful, very much, and it's not blistering. It's only a little burn on all the bits that have never seen the sun. Yup, I tanned nude.....why? I don't know! And now I am paying for it on my sad, pink, pudgy belly.

Meet Sassy!

We love our little Sassafras. She is a 3yr old Red Pomeranian. Such a sweetheart. She makes hardly a sound and is as loving as can be. She is under 5 lbs and so fuzzy-wuzzy.

A Penny At A Time

I really dislike finding loose change in my purse or pockets. I can't stand the sound of jingling as I walk. So my solution? A change jar. LOL! I took a canning jar and designated it as my drop point at the end of the day. Even though the Husband has raided it a few times for the Boy's lunch money it's begun to add up. Tonight after our dinner date at Red Lobster we had the urge to count. It's only half full and we have almost $130. What do you know? Savings without even trying!! Or maybe extra spending money for India?

A Positive Customer Experience to Remember

Usually when I am called to the customer service desk it is for a complaint or to resolve a dispute over pricing, but this was totally new. The customer service associate called me with the information that 2 people where at the desk asking for a manager and wouldn't tell her anything more than that. I have to admit, I was worried. I grabbed the other manager on duty as back-up, a witness, whatever was needed, and headed up. Waiting for us was a father & son combo with a shoe box in hand. Still not letting me know what they needed they asked for a private room to speak. Unfortunately, another call for manager help came in and I had to handle this without my compatriot. I took the men into a nearby office and asked how I could help. Instead of the father speaking up, the young man, maybe 12 yrs old, told me a story of how he was peer pressured, or cousin pressured as he put it, into shoplifting about $115 worth of electronic accessories. I was shocked. Not just that he could get away with it,we have security cameras everywhere, but that he would have the courage to come back and make a full confession. He had told his father what he had done. It wasn't his father that initiated any of this. He then offered to work it off since he had no money to pay for it. I couldn't take him up on his offer so we worked out a deal where Dad would pay and the boy could work it off for Dad. I asked him to come with me and show me exactly what was taken so we could work out a fair price and then asked if he would be willing to tell me how they had fooled us. He complied with it all. His cousins had figured out where there are little pockets in the store that the camera's can't see. Blind spots. They had become adept at removing security tags as well. This little man did us a huge service by giving so many details. I doubt I will be lucky enough to have another experience like this any time soon. Little man, I am very proud of you for facing the consequences and helping to stop further theft.

TRIP DETAILS

Questions abound concerning the aforementioned Indian quest and I feel the urge to divulge details. Oi! As if I could talk like that to my friends!
K, here goes........Istock affiliates sometimes sponsor photo shoots in their locality. Since Istock has many members world wide, opportunities in far flung countries sometimes arise. There are a lot of meetups around the globe set up by kind individuals who organize models, makeup artists and property. We pay for the costs but nothing more. The organizer does it on a volunteer basis. This India trip has been in the works for more than a year now. We'll be in New Delhi, Agra, and JAIPUR

We get to attend an amazing event called the Pushkar Cattle Fair,even though it is camels.


the Taj Mahal, (What trip to India would be complete without it?)


and many other temples,forts,


handicraft bizarres and markets. I'll need lots of spending money!!


We have dancers, of many different styles.


SNAKE CHARMERS, including a trip to the snake charmers village.


musicians playing a variety of traditional instruments.


Also, we get to ride on elephants fully decked out in traditional garb while we ascend to the Amer Fort.


I'm sssssooooo excited!!!!

The puppy quest.

I LOVE animals!!! Every dog I have met loves me too, except for that one horribly trained monster with a biting issue. It's a good thing. But it makes me want to have my own again. I've been doing a lot of research and think I have narrowed it down to two types.
A Pomchi: a cross between a pomeranian and chihuahua

A Maltese:

Are these not the cutest dogs you have ever seen? I am hoping to find the right one by they boy's birthday in the next couple of weeks.

Ouch!

As you all know, I've been sitting on my keester for the last ssssiiiiixxxxx weeks in training classes. Saturday was my first day back at work. Oh my aching feet!!! I stupidly chose the wrong shoes to wear in the first place. Very cute shoe-booties but not appropriate for a crazy Thanksgiving weekend retail environment. Duh! I know better. So yesterday, yes I had to work on a Sunday, I wore my bright pink Nike runners thinking that would save me. NOPE!! Lol! I underestimated the shopping needs of the local habitants. I worked 9 hrs straight running to help, serve, fix, receive, direct, manage, and redirect again. Lunch was nonexistant. Oh well, the best way to get in shape is to just do it! Not like I have a choice though eh? At least I'll be ready for the hectic trip to India.

Have I ever told you.........

That I believe in Bigfoot? Yup, I'm one of the card carrying, certified nutso folks who think there is an unidentified hairy creature out in the woods. I've been fascinated my entire life by this overly large mysterious biped. As a child I had an experience that cemented forever that something is out there. We lived in a trailer next to my grandparents home. Every winter our plumbing would freeze up and we would have to run next door for baths and such. I was about eight yrs old and took my little sister with me to get a Saturday night bath in preparation for church the next morning. My grandparents had gone out for the evening so we didn't feel in any particular hurry to let others use the one and only bathroom for 9 people. I got my sister all clean and was just about finished myself when I looked up at the window. I could see an outline of a large head and shoulders framed in the moonlight. I quickly dried us off got our jammies on and hustled through the house and made those 15 steps to our door like a skittish antelope being chased by a cougar. I told my dad about the man in the window. I don't know what he did after that. But here is why this experience is more than just a peeper incident. That window has to be close to 8ft off the ground outside. No normal man could have just been looking in the window without a ladder and I would have heard that. Besides, the head and shoulders were much too big to be a person.

I'm too old for school

I've been in school for Walmart for the last couple of weeks. Each week we have a "snapshot". Code for test. I guess they are used to people like me who sort of freak about exams and the like. Anyway, I have one of these "snapshots" tomorrow morning. I should be studying but my brain just doesn't seem to want to absorb anything anymore. I've been handed a lot of new information and it's not as easy as it was when I was younger to learn. Who knew? I think that birthday sneaking up on me at the end of the week might be a better indicator of my age than I thought. I thought I was pulling a fast one and had everyone fooled that I was still in my 20's. Guess not. Stagnation is not a good situation. Brain exercise is now being added to my weekly routine. These youngsters in the class with me are not going to get better grades than me and that is all there is to it. I may just have to pull an old fashioned college try and stay up all night. Oh that'll happen. LOL!

No Wedding Reception?

So....the daughter and her boy are discussing the marriage option. She just informed me that they don't want a wedding reception. She wants a mid-calf length dress and no wedding cake. WHAT??? I have only one daughter and one chance to help her have the best. If this is the best she wants......YIKES. She's making me feel like the cheapest mother on earth. Can't even afford to give her a full length dress let alone a cake. Have you ever seen this done or even heard of people doing this? She says if I try to push them into a reception then they'll just elope and maybe tell us about it later. Gee thanks for the consideration. I love kids!

Long Time Gone

I've been so busy yet had absolutely nothing to say. SHOCKING!!! My mouth stay closed? Ha! The last month has been absolutely crazy! I've gotten the new job going, sort of. Lots to learn still. Hopefully I can pull it off. I've moved into the new house. When I say I've moved in that's exactly what I mean. Just me! No furniture. No family. Just me, a small TV, laptop, and an airbed. And as of today, I have INTERNET!!! I no longer have to feel lonely and disconnected. Ya boo hoo, right? So, anyway, the husband has made his departure official and he will be joining me in less than 2 weeks. Can you believe it? It only took 2 freaking years!!! Good thing he is a patient man 'cause we all know I'm not a patient woman. As we speak I am sitting on hold with Telus and my patience is long becoming a thing of the past. I've been holding for more tha n 20 min now. But what else do I have to do? I'm all alone and have no furniture to clean so might as well listen to cheesy muzak that cuts in and out just like the TV signal. LOL! K. Now that you know I'm alive and kicking (or at least mouthing off as usual) I'll sign off. Luv Ya!

AAARRRGGGG!!!!!!

I HATE Extra Foods!!! Most of you know that I was off due to a work place accident for a little while. I was inadvertantly overpaid by WCB and Extra. So they withehld a paycheque, unnanounced. fine. They deserved to have the money back. Could have told me and that would have gone over better thn surprising me. Not nice to not have money when you are expecting it. I did everything I could to make sure it was all fixed and that they would give me the rest of my money with out an issue. WRONG!!! They won't give me my money. They are saying that they have to have some more money from WCB and won't do a thing for me. So what if I have bills to pay and want to eat! Who cares if I actually worked and earned that money. Too bad for me! I don't need it I guess. I should have tons of savings on the pittance they have given me up til now. They SUCK!!!! Won't shop there or at any other Loblaws company again.

My Last Day

It's just that. My last day at Extra. What nice people I've worked with! They threw me a pizza party for a farewell. Sweet eh?

I Think my Name Should be Chamelion

Another day, another change. I've accepted a job with Walmart as an Assistant Manager. This means I'm packing up and moving again. It's abrupt, I know but this will be much better. I'm changing towns, changing jobs, and the husband is planning to join me in less than 3 months. How's that for news? Yipeee! It's a town I've never lived in but I took a trip there and it's beautiful. The cost of living is a little higher but the job pays well enough that I should be able to handle it. It pays enough that we can live on my salary for a while till the Husband finds a job too. I can't believe things may actually work out.

News

My middle brother just had his second son. He is adorable! Check out his pics on the work blog http://www.wildroseimages.blogspot.com/

He Called With Bad News

Looks like The Husband may be fired in the morning. He made another mistake at work. He's a programmer. Mistakes happen, right? Try explaining that to his employer. Oh well.... it's probably a good thing because then he'll come up here, I think, anyway. It'll stink to not have the income and we'll probably lose a lot of our stuff but it's just stuff and money. And besides I have a job so it's not like we'll starve or anything. I'm looking on the bright side. :)

Word Puzzle!

If you can put together these terms into a theme that makes sense then you will know what I spent my afternoon doing.
Tubing
Colostrum
Death Threats
Bovine
Wet

For those who wondered.....

Have I lost my sanity? Well, first off let me declare that I am not sure I ever had it. Secondly, I must confess that I have a severe problem with anxiety (like as in not leave the house because someone might see me) and depression and the real clincher here is that I haven't been on my meds lately. Does that help explain the recent craziness? The meds are back and I'm feeling a little more like a normal person. At least I am not house bound again, right? Please, if you sense that I am getting to that point remind me to check my meds! Thanks for your patience.

Grandpa Spencer's Final Farewell

Another desperate call to the hospital. Another bedside vigil. Another death in the family. We'll miss you Grandpa and hope you have found some peace at last.

Just pass me the cheese to go with my whine.....

If you're tired of my ranting, whining, complaining, inability to focus on the positive then stop reading now!! Fair warning!

I'm not writing this for you. I'm doing this because I might otherwise explode or do something detrimental. I am worn out! Ok that's not the worst of it. Ya know why I'm sitting here on a Friday night typing in my blog? 'Cause I have no friends. No, I'm serious......I really don't have any close friends, at least not ones that I feel close enough to bare my soul. Nope, easier to just lay it wide open here on the internet and hope for a kindness. I feel so very alone. Isolated from everyone and everything. I don't think anybody understands the level of despair I feel right now. I can't seem to make anything go right in my life. I can't! I can't do it anymore!!! I QUIT!!!! Ya, I quit life! I think it would be so much easier.
I feel taken advantage of by family. I feel that my generosity is abused by too many. Yet I can't seem to say no to anyone. I'm having a hard time finding anything positive just to hang on to. Does it matter?
Everything is driving me crazy. Little things, like the sound of people eating sends me right round the bend. I am so on edge. It's ridiculous and I know it but I can't seem to fix it.
I don't think I will ever own a home again. Yup. It's that bad. Our finances are a freaking disaster!!! I've gotten to the point where I've wondered if I can convert an old granary into something livable. Stupid, I got that. But at least I was looking for something positive. No, I'm not trying to beg for you to help me. Just venting. I've given and given and given. I just want something good to happen for me. Seriously, I can't understand it. I've tried all my life to make decent choices and yet it seems that all I get in return for helping others and trying to live a good life is crap. I have no home, a husband who can't seem to get his butt up here, no way to go back to him because he is in housing limbo and the schools are a mess for my son, my father actually thinks I am mooching off of him because he pays the utilities for the house, my brothers and sisters don't do anything to help relieve this burden and yet all I get is criticism. I have prayed and prayed and begged and pleaded and nothing........am I that bad of a person? Have the choices I made in my life made me ineligible for the normal blessings that most people have in North America? Where have I gone wrong? How do I fix it? And where is my safety net of friends and family? Why am I there for others and no one for me? Does anyone even care? Would their caring matter anyway? Aaaaaa screw it!!! I give!

New Photos

Here's a sneak peak........

don't forget to check out the work blog! http://www.wildroseimages.blogspot.com/ I've got some new work up.

Accentuate the Positive!

The results are in and we have good news.....BENIGN!! Just a nasty old cyst that had bled into itself. Whooohooo!!!

So.....I'm still off work and am bored stiff when not drugged to the moon. I took a drive a couple of days ago when the sun finally showed up and ran into, almost literally, a herd of elk. I stopped by the roadside and caught a quick pic of just a few of them. The herd was really large but they were on the move so not all of them posed for the pic.

The sky is falling.......

image from the Orange County Register.

My clumsy genes have been making an appearance lately. On Thursday I went to get down a display table for my Mother's Day floral and caused a work place accident. The tables were stacked 3 high and are about 3.5 to 4ft tall themselves. I reached up for the highest one, on my tiptoes and gently pulled it out. Oooooppppsss......I lost control and it landed on my head!!!! Talk about pain!! These aren't cheap plastic tables but wooden with metal caps on the flat top. The metal cap is what struck me. I honestly thought I was going to be ok. It hurt like crazy, I was dizzy for a minute and head and neck felt like they belonged to a turtle but I hung on to whatever was next to me to keep standing. After a bit I trudged back to work, even hauling that table out to the front. As the day went on my neck, head and shoulders progressivley got worse. Stiff like whiplash and a headache to beat all headaches. I lasted a couple more hours and then decided a dr. was the best course of action. He looked me over, sent me for xrays and then sent me home til Monday to rest. Oh great! Like I have time to rest! There is so much work to do. Mothers Day is one of our most busy weekends in the GM department and being one person down is going to create chaos. I don't think my manager is happy with me. He wanted to know if I had any witnesses to my accident. Oh yeah, right. 'Cause we have sooooo many extra bodies hanging around the store. We are so short staffed right now. That was why I was moving that table by myself in the first place. Oh well. I can't do much about it now. Rest it is!

Bibbity, Bobbity, Biopsy

The long walk done the hallway

Waiting room #1

Biopsy Room

The deed has been done. They've aspirated, and core biopsied the heck out of my poor booby. The Dr. had a hard time getting the core needle in so it was not a great experience. More like fake liposuction with out any fat removing benefits. Lots of shove, shove, retract, but it seems they got what they were looking for. I have an appointment with a surgeon on the 12th and will know the results then. Till then, my nails will be bitten off to the quick.

Rah, Rah, Sis Boom Bah!

The attidude at work lately has been sooo negative. I hate it! Not being one to just let things be and since I am a former cheerleader, I wrote a cheer for the store.

Extra Foods is here for you.
Customer service - it's what we do!
Teamwork is the way we play.
Extra Foods is here to stay.
Let me hear you strong and LOUD!
Our colleagues really make us proud.
Put on a smile and show the rest.
We're working hard to be the BEST!

Corny enough?

Mammograms and Ultrasounds make the world go round....

Almost 2 months ago I found a pretty good sized lump in my left breast. Oh goody......I finally got the time and the gumption to get to the Dr. and have it looked at. He assured me that it was just a cyst and most likely nothing but because of my history he sent me for an ultrasound and mammogram. I got a look and at first thought it looked fine too. Then they rotated to the other side of the lump. Not so good. It now is classified as suspicious. They've moved me on to the surgeon and the breast health centre. Goody again........The centre called today to try to set up an appointment for a biopsy but I missed them. Let's hope they call again soon. This biopsy isn't sitting well with me. I have the same feeling I did just before I was diagnosed with endometrial cancer. I'm much too nervous. I have that naggy sensation that I have too much to do to deal with this right now. I keep feeling like I can just ignore it and make it go away. Maybe I'm making too big a deal of this. Maybe it will be nothing......

100 Days

As you all know, I have been in a special training session in Ft. Saskatchewan over the last 2 months. Our last project of the session is to develop two 100 day business plans. Yikes!! So, I'm hoping if I let you all know about them as well it will help to keep me more accountable. I have to present the results at the Learning Centre in August and I want to be successful. I plan to run a fantastic Garden Centre. Last years wasn't as profitable as hoped and I am don't want a repeat. Also, I am revamping the way I run my Beauty department. I am changing things up a bit. Task lists and planos signed off when completed. I hope this will keep my employees more accountable. It's hard sometimes to manage people you have known all your life. Especially ones who are your parents friends. It makes for some interesting dynamics. I have to figure out a way to overcome my reticence in dealing out discipline and coaching. It's not going to be easy for me but as we've been told repeatedly at the LC, "we learn best in the stretch zone". Grrr! I would much rather be comfortable. LOL!

SNOW??!?!? Now?

Just when we thought it was spring we are hit with a full on storm! Winter storm warning and all!!! ICK!! I thought we had escaped and rounded the bend to warmth. WRONG!! It snowing like some one ripped open feather pillows from heaven. Then add in the wind and you get the picture. Oh and lucky me, I get to drive in this mess in the morning. I have to leave for Calgary by 530am. Yippy. Some one please find the sun and pin it over Southern Alberta.

Learning to Deal

I am frustrated this evening. Ok, more than frustrated. It really doesn't matter how I got here or what drove me here. What I want to know is how to get out. I don't like the out of control feeling my life has right now. I'm letting too many factors bounce me around and influence what I feel. How do I convince myself that what people say and do really doesn't matter that much? Why am I letting a petty thing ruin something good? Any answers?

OH the fun of Retail!

Since it is Good Friday and school was out, I took my son with me to work today. Just as I set him his first task our adventure began. He'd only been out of my sight for maybe 20 seconds. He came tearing around the end of the aisle yelling "Call 911! A customer's been hurt!" I ran to investigate and found a customer I'd seen only a minute before, with blood pouring out of his mouth and his female companion proclaiming he had been assaulted outside. I sped off for the phone and for some first aid supplies. As I convinced him to put pressure on his wound I called for help. But the whole story was sounding fishy. As I reported to the 911 operator all that I knew, another woman began frantically pointing to a man walking past, "that's him, Jimmy Bad Man. He's the one". This man was apparently the assailant and was headed straight for the victim. I had 911 dispatch the police immediately. Luckily our handy dandy former military man just happened in the door at that moment, stopped the bad guy and brought him back to me at the service desk where we proceeded to investigate what looked like a lumpy bumpy shoplifter. Oh joy! Another case of bacon down the pants. It then began to dawn on me that this was all a set up. Jimmy began to complain that they made him doing it while pointing at the bloody man. It looks like they set up an elaborate ruse just to steal a case of bacon. All of them got arrested. Great way to introduce my son to the fabulous world of working retail.

Well, I'm here.....

I arrived late last night in Fort Sask. Haven't had much of a chance to see the town. We've spent all day in classes at the Learning Centre. I think this could be quite a good experience but am reserving judgement for now. Let's just say that I think the intro day has been rather slow and boring but they say better is just around the bend. Tonight I went out for dinner with a few of the women I met in the classes. They were from Newfoundland and said there was an authentic Newfie restaurant in town that we needed to try. I think it ws called Atlantic Restaurant. Just a little whole in the wall but the food was terrific. Best cod fish and chips I've eaten. I guess the Newfie tradition for chips is gravy with dressing (what you americans call stuffing) on top. Soooooooo good. I might be getting an education in more than store management.

Spring Break should happen in a WARM city!

I got news recently that I would need to be in Fort Saskatchewan for the entire month of March. That's north east of Edmonton. COLD!!! No chinooks! And definitely no beach...... The company is sending me up for a managerial training course and I guess that's good thing but I am not looking forward to the weather. However, I am excited to participate in the learning aspect.

Bye Bye........

DEAN WOOLF QUINTON, beloved husband of Thelma Tolman Quinton, passed away quietly at the Lethbridge Regional Hospital on January 29, 2010 from causes incident to his age. Dean was born May 12, 1921 to James and Bernice Quinton in Cardston, Alberta and lived his entire life in the area until health concerns for him and Thelma necessitated a move to Lethbridge where the required medical facilities were readily available. He worked hard to assist and provide for his family and fond memories of him are a cherished blessing. He and Thelma, 'the prettiest girl I had ever met', were married in the Cardston Alberta Temple and on January 31 would have celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary. He so loved his family, His beloved Thelma with children Ronnald (Catherine), Maureen (Jim Scott), Terrance (Joan), Coralee (Gary Purnell), James (Connie), and Jana (Randy Graham) will miss him dearly. Dean had a soft spot in his heart for their 33 grandchildren and 48 great grandchildren. Family and friends were more than welcome in the Quinton home and their table was always laden with good food. Their home was filled with fun and laughter. He so delighted in raiding his candy supply to share with kids of any age. Including his immediate family, Dean is survived by his sisters Thyra Allred, Ruth Muir, Marelyn Williams; brother Keith (Ruby) and sister-in-law Melva. Including his parents, he was predeceased by his sister Orilla; brother Reid; grandchildren Randi Rae Leavitt Olsen and Kyle Dean Leavitt; brothers-in-law Stewart Allred, Don Muir, Heber Williams. Friends may meet the family at LEGACY FUNERAL HOME, Cardston on Monday, February 1st, 2010 from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. or on Tuesday at the Church from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. prior to the Service. The Funeral Service will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Leavitt, Alberta on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. with Jamie Quinton officiating. Interment in the Cardston Cemetery

The Worst Day Yet.

Today was scheduled for Grandma H's funeral. I stayed up late last night trying to get ready. I was to play a flute solo and needed to get a photo printed for display at the reception. Besides that I just couldn't sleep. It's not the easiest thing to lay down and close your eyes when so much is on your mind. I finally got my eyes to close around 3am. At 4:22am the phone rang. My aunt was calling to say that Grandpa Q had been taken to Emerg and the Dr. was saying to gather the family. What a wake up call. Dad left first and about 20 min later Sierra and I jumped into the car and raced the 45 minutes to the hospital. We made it in time. Grandpa passed at about 7am. He was aware enough to know we were there. I was able to say goodbye to one more Grandparent this week. What a draining day. Grandpa dies at 7am and we put
Grandma in the ground at 1pm.

I am so very exhausted. Emotionally and physically I have given my all. My brain feels like mush and my heart is so heavy but truthfully I am so very grateful for the knowledge of the restored gospel. It makes me so glad to know that they are both with loved ones who have passed before and that they have been received into the arms of their Savior. What joy they must have. In a way I am jealous that they have gone and I am still here. Although I will miss them more than I can say and have dreaded this day, I can honestly say I am happy for them. Happy that they are free of pain and sorrow. I know that my Redeemer lives and loves them and me. What peace there is in this knowledge.

In Celebration of Life Well Lived

LILA MARIE BENNETT HUBER, beloved wife of the late Reuben Huber of Redcliff, passed away at the Chinook Regional Hospital on Wednesday, January 20, 2010, at the age of 88 years.
She is the loving mother of: Carla (Nels) Anderson of Soldotna, Alaska, Catherine (Ronnald) Quinton of Cardston, Margaret (Richard) Powell of Lethbridge, John (Carole) Spencer of Clavet, Saskatchewan, Jane (Kevin) O'Brien of Calgary, and Hugh (Helen) Spencer of Toronto. She also leaves behind 32 grandchildren, 39 great grandchildren, and 10 great-great grandchildren, and many grandchildren in the Huber family.
Lila is also survived by her brother Ray (Dorothy) Bennett, her sister Ruth Potts, many nieces and nephews, her former husband, Francis Spencer, and many Spencer family members.
She was predeceased by her parents William Alvin and Mary Bennett, brothers: Cliff, Bill, Jim, and Den, and grandsons Clayton O'Brien and Eric Kilistoff.
Lila was born March 18, 1921 at home in Taber, Alberta. She excelled as a student in Barnwell, at Utah State University and Garbutt Business College in Calgary. She continued her pursuit of learning by taking many classes throughout her life in English, Philosophy and History. She enjoyed writing stories, poems, scripts and life histories and was a published author. As a devout member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, she served in many callings including a temple mission in Toronto with her husband Reuben. Lila worked for fifteen years at the University of Lethbridge in the Registrar's Office and the Department of Philosophy. She spent countless hours researching her family history. Family and church were the centre of her life. Lila will be dearly missed.
Friends may meet the family on Thursday, January 28, 2010 from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. at GENERATIONS FUNERAL HOME, 703-13 Street North, Lethbridge; or prior to the service at the LDS Lethbridge Stake Centre on Friday, January 29 from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m.
The Funeral Service will be held on Friday, January 29, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. at THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS, Lethbridge Stake Centre, 2410-28 Street South, Lethbridge, with Brother Don Hughes conducting. Interment in the Stirling Cemetery.

Goodbye, Grandma!! I'll always remember you and the love you shared so generously with me. You were the one person I knew who loved me no matter what! Thank you for all the support you gave me in my pursuit of my talents, for taking me in each summer, and feeding me food I never would have eaten otherwise. Thank you for teaching me a love of trying new things. I always felt so special when I stayed with you. I loved going with you to restaurants; especially the Chinese ones. Thank you for teaching me about your family and making sure I got to know them and their wonderful contributions. You gave me so very much! I hope I can honor you through out my life! You are my first grandparent to leave me and it is so much harder than I thought it would be. I hope you are having the time of your life right now; that you were received with the same open arms you had for us as you waited by your open door for us each visit.

I finally got around to it

And here it is!! I have always wanted a blue SUV and absolutely adore this one. Today, I made it official. I am now the proud owner of a GMC Terrain. My own wheels again. Now, please pray for me that I can keep this one from any suicidal deer.

Update......

So, the Doc's clinic called and left a message with my dad saying the CT came back clean. I guess that is good news. No brain bleed anyway. Not that I would want that. Unfortunately, my headache is still here. I'll be getting my tush back into his office so we can look for something else. I'm not as foggy feeling and the nausea has stopped. Yay! Maybe I had some sort of virus as well as some weird headache. Hmmm.

This is driving me nuts!

I have had a headache for more than 3 weeks now. I think I am going to go crazy!! I've been to the Dr. and he ordered a CT scan so hopefully that will show something. I'd be willing to have a brain tumor at this point. I just want to know what it is!!! I have horrible pressure in my head. Pain increases with some activities. I lost most of my sense of smell 3 years ago and just now realized this as a possible connection. I feel foggy all the time. My balance is off. I feel like I will fall down stairs all the time. I won't go down them if I can't hang on to a railing or something. My left leg feels weak and clutzy. There is a long list of things that might be connected to this but might not as well. But really it's affecting the way I live!! I'm sooo very tired. I could sleep for 20 hrs spend 4 awake and sleep for another 8 without a blink. My work is suffering immensely. I feel like crap. And the nausea?!? Blah!! I really hate waking up in the middle of the night with the dry heaves!! I almost feel pregnant! But we all know that's an impossibility.

I don't want to be a whiner, though!!! I feel like such a loser. I'm afraid people will think I am a hypochondriac or making more out of minor symptoms. But frankly if this pressure and pain don't go away I don't know what I'll do but a long walk off a high bridge is looking more tempting all the time. People keep telling me how horrible I look. Like I don't know that!! Am I missing an essential vitamin? Do I have strange food allergies? Is my body just stupid? I don't know and I'm not sure I care anymore. Just make it stop!!! Sorry for the whine fest. I don't have anyone to talk to about it.

Handy Dandy

The grocery store is out of green onions again! Apparently the warehouse was out. I love my onions and use them in everything. Sierra to the rescue. As a cheap college student she and her roomies discovered a money and waste saving trick. Take at least an inch of the root end of your green onion and place in water. Why? 'Cause it'll shoot up and keep you in fresh greens for at least three snippings. Never run out again! When the spring shows up plant them and away you go! Fresh onions all year long. MMMmmm!!!!

Now what?

It's 2010! 2010! What? Already?
When I was a teen, like most teens, I sort of planned out what I wanted to happen in my life. For some reason I never planned for anything after the age of 30. That was almost 10 years ago! I just couldn't see that we would still be here on earth this long or at least my life extending that long. So here we are at the dawning of a new year; a new decade. Now what? Seriously, I'm at a loss for goals and such this year. I'm not one for serious, life-changing resolutions because I don't think that sort of pressure is realistic to live with. Change if you want to but you can do that anytime. What I really like to do is have something to reach for sometime during the year. Unfortunately, I haven't thought of any for this year. Just a general goal, that's all. Any ideas? Should I take up a new language? Learn a new skill? Take a class? In what? Maybe I should become a world class body builder? LOL! Ya, that'll happen! Hmmmm.........really am stumped here. It's not that I think I'm perfect, honest! Far from it! I'm just not that motivated right now. I think if I heard an interesting idea that might spark something but who knows? Maybe I'll just keep trucking on in the direction I was going, doing the same things, trying to improve the same things. What could that hurt?