Well, last one, eh?

Yup, I failed. I lasted longer than I thought I would though. I DO have photos, just not the desire to post them I guess.

We're waiting to see if Sailor is posted off when he sees his career manager in a couple of weeks. We can only hope he's off before they are gone for all of March. It'll suck not having the sea pay, but it'll be good to have him around while I'm starting up the store.

I have my dental on the 14th of Jan and return my kit on the 24th. I have two appointments with SISIP on the 24th and 26th, and at some point in May I'll have my final medical done. My last out-clearance has to be done by the 8th of July and my last day is the 24th. Freaky.

I hope your 2011 is amazing and that you find joy and happiness, wealth and peace.

21 Jan 97 - 24 Jul 11

That's how long I'll have been in the Regular Force. I joined in October of 85 - but that was the Reserves. So, that's what... a 14 1/2 year career. Gone.

I have until the 8th of July to get my out-routine finished. I return my clothes on the 24th of January. I have two interviews with financial and insurance that week too. I still have to book my medical (sometime in May) and my dental cleaning (June probably). And then I'm done. Finished.

I get my whole month's pay on the 8th and then starting August, I'll be at 75% pay for 24 months. I'll receive a small pension on the 20th of each month, and whatever I manage to make from the business. I'm going to have to change a lot of bill payments.

Sailor will bring me on as his dependent for medical and dental, but I still need a BC Health Card and a local doctor and dentist. People I haven't needed for 14 years.

I have asked for the whole enchilada for my retirement party (whenever that may be): the 25 year letter from the PM (due to my Res Force service), the letter from the Premier, a Canada Flag from the Algonquin, a framed and named print from the Mess. I'm a little worried because the people in charge of my retirement are not those of my trade - they're busy, stewards, and not even my branch. I'll put a bug in my supervisor's ear about maybe passing it onto someone down the hill. I've already had a few people asking when they can say good bye to me, so I suppose a party will be in order.

Thing is, it has to be a Monday or Tuesday because I work the rest of the week.

I'm terrified. This is all I've known for a long, long time. But I know it's time to move on and use my many gifts to my family's benefit, not to the Organization's.

December at last!

I have photos. They're on the card. I'll upload a whack of them soon. Promise. First, I have two assignments to do, work to finish, business stuff to get through... oh,,, and Christmas!

We have no tree. No presents wrapped. No decorations up. No baking done. I'm so far behind this year, it's silly. I did buy phase 1 of gifts for the girls and Sailor, but still have to venture out again after the 15th to finish off the little things for the girls and get Sailor's trigger lock.

The Forest Museum yesterday was great! A lot has changed in 30 years, that's for sure. I think I'll try to find the time to bring the girls there when we're all off for a Christmas train run, and then bring them out in the summer a few times too.

Sailor is super sick. We've both been fighting this cold, but he got hit REALLY bad and is still functional. Tonight is his Christmas present - a concert by Dick and Jimmy Dale (of Misourlu fame), so he's saving the last two Advils for the show so he can enjoy it without hacking up a lung. We have two tickets that we bought for friends who can't make it, so we're trying to get rid of them, but it's not working so far. My cousin just facebooked me and might be able to make it, so that will be nice.

I managed to whiten Ray's school shirts after pinking them in the wash. Thank goodness for a soak in Javex.

Today we're busy. The girls had dance and then after lunch we're going to the Mess's Kid's Christmas party from 2-4 at Playzone. I have all the santa gifts in the trunk, and some guy off the Calgary is going to play Santa for us. Which is nice and all, but we're not the Calgary's mess... whatever.

Then tomorrow after church we have a birthday party to go to. THEN we can search for a tree and start decorating the house.

This week's flex:

Mon: school and work. My last dance lesson of 2010. (Ballet, that is)

Tue: school and work.

Wed: Breakfast with Santa at school and then I'll go to work. Pay day!

Thu: school and work. Chiro, meetings perhaps.

Fri: school is out at 11:30. That night is our friend's birthday party.

Sat: the girls' last dance class of 2010. Then we've been invited to a friend's open house that night, so we'll see what we can do.

Sun: church and then the girls are going over to a friend's to make gingerbread houses!

Somewhere in there I have to fit in decorating, assignments, business stuff, and baking. Oh, and cleaning the house too. Ha.

Ugh.... I suck

I've been taking photos. I just haven't been uploading them. I'm running out of time to do all the little things it seems. So much out of time, that I'm listening to an audio book while doing homework. My first audio book - Crossfire by Dick and Felix Francis. Typically great writing... that I'm not reading. I'm getting read to. The guy's pretty good too. Strange not reading a book though, flipping the pages, devouring the words, creating images in my mind.

I'm finishing my assignments for Retail Marketing. Well, more like I'm ALMOST finished the last paragraph of number 3. Then I have numbers 4 and 5 to hand in by Monday. Not gonna happen.

I'll post photos soon. Honest. Once I have some time to do so.

This week's flex:

I'm on Academic Leave, however:

Wed: Dr. appointment, then I meet my successor. Gotta get the girls from school. Ray has dance exam practice.

Thu: Chiro, Jr Ranks' Christmas Dinner. Gotta get the girls from school. Maybe. Sing and play for the Arbutus Ridge gang.

Fri: Choir practice, thank-you lunch at the school, bring the girls home.

Sat: Exam # 1 - business math. Guess I should try to sneak in some studying for that this week at some point. Maybe at dance practice and on Friday night.

Sun: church. More marketing assignment typing.

Mon: Ray's dance exam, then drop her off at school. Then my Exam # 2 - marketing. Ballet that night.

Tue: back to work for the week. Except I'm taking Friday off to go with Greta to the Forest Museum.

And our School Photos are in

Ray and her "hiding the missing tooth" smile.

Greta and her "I have no idea who you are and why you're trying to make me smile" smile.

Things speed up and slow down...

In the last two weeks, my work day has been increasingly taken up with the Naval Ball that was held on Thursday. And my VicePMC who disregarded the rules and I had to ask for his resignation and suspend him for 30 days. He's appealing and asking for 15 days instead. That was so hard for me to do. Hurt my soul a little too. But he was great about it, and doesn't hold a grudge.

The Ball was a hoot. I don't have any photos with me in them, yet, but soon I hope. I got to see people I haven't seen in 20 years!

The girls are freaking OUT about Halloween. Of course, I was the one who did the pumpkin carving, but Ray designed hers. I screwed up Greta's, but saved it, I hope, by carving one that was barfing out his guts.

Once I'm back from church, I'll upload some photos while working on my next retail marketing assignment.

Next up at work - our first Mess Dinner in 15 years on Friday! I'm excited. And nervous because I get to run the show. Erk.

I'll do the Flex now, and just photos next time.

Sunday: church, homework, laundry

Mon: girls to school, me to work. Chiro. Ballet at night.

Tue: girls to school, me to work. Tap at night.

Wed: girls to school, me to work (no more academic days - boo).

Thu: girls to school, me to work. Insure the truck for tomorrow.

Fri: girls to work, me to work, hair chair, Mess Dinner. home late.

Sat: girls to ballet. Groceries.

And at some point I need to find my invigilator and get her to sign for my exams next month.

I wish I was two of me

because then I might be able to catch up with all my stuff I need to do.

Last night was a VERY Successful Oktoberfest at the Club. Too bad we ran out of boots. We ordered 50 and was sold out in 8 minutes! Next year I hope they order 100.

Sailor is away for another three days - back on Tuesday. Yay. Our sitter is going to be the richest kid in the Estates.

I'm hoping to hear back by Wednesday about the location for the store and the funding (ensuring the account is live) from the bank. Then I can order gowns in. Pretty exciting, really.

I have finished only my first marketing assignment. I'm in the middle of readings for assignment #2. I find it fascinating, but like much formal education, it's sucking the fun out of it for me. I really want to be switched on for it though, because it's Retail Marketing and it's important in order for me to be successful.

No picture yet. I want to take a couple more before posting them up. I got one of Ray and her missing tooth though!

This week's flex:

Sun: no-day. Did some laundry. Will watch PVRd shows and iron tonight once the girls are in bed.

Mon: Picture day at school. I'm busy at work getting stuff ready for a silent auction next week. Ballet at night.

Tue: Sailor's home. Work and school. Tap at night.

Wed: Off to the pumpkin patch with Greta and her class for the morning, then home for some work I hope.

Thu: Work and school.

Fri: Last day to make sure the silent auction stuff at the Club is ready to go. Drawing for door prizes for the Ball that morning!

Sat: Dance for the girls. Laundry and groceries.

Pictures of parties

The girls had their parties last week. What a sh*tshow. Ray spent her time melting down and Greta spent her time running around having the time of her life.

It's my birthday today. I spent my time driving between town, the spa, the house, and town. I have pretty toes though and two eyebrows instead of one. It's all good.

Ray's Cake

How Ray spent her time

Birthday photos at Sears.

Best of Ray

Not the best of Greta

Finally laughing

And Halloween Costumes are bought and on

This week's Flex:

Wed: my birthday. Bank. Spa. Bank. Kids. Chinese Take-away.

Thu: early work, CNC appreciation after work, home, change, sitter, off to girls' school for a parent info night/wine & cheese.

Fri: Sailor off work. I'm leaving early. We're heading to the bank in the afternoon to hopefully sign for a business LoC!!! Then getting the girls from school (Ray has the pumpkin patch field trip, lucky girl).

Sat: Dance for the girls.

Sun: Sailor leaves til Wednesday.

DND Photo Contest 2010

As promised, here are my entries for this year's contest:

Special Effects: Mayan Puzzle

Environment: Ice Castles

Family Life: Rolling through Summer

Open: Marching Troops have Priority

Military Life: On The Bridge

Naval Celebrations: The Wave

Portrait: Summer Sprinkler

Animal: In-Flight Refueling

Don't know how I'll do this year, but it would be nice to place again. I'll find out in November.

I know, I know

I haven't written in ages. I haven't forgotten, I've just gotten so damned busy I can't seem to make time for stuff. In fact, I'm doing this at work, and I really shouldn't be.

So, quick updates: taking 6 months Voc Rehab in Jan. End up with a release date in August to start the business. Girls' birthday parties on Sunday coming - garg! Baking, stuffing bags, etc etc. Ballet Monday nights - last week I thought my thighs were going to desert me. They didn't stop hurting til Wednesday night. So tonight I have Ballet, tomorrow first Tap of the season.

Things are busy at work with this Naval Ball thing taking up the majority of my time and coins taking a close second.

Found an old friend via Classmates this week. Amazing. Simply amazing. Still waiting to hear back from two others to see if they want to be friends or not.

I have pictures at home. I'll post some when I can. Speaking of which, I entered the photo contest for DND this year. I'll upload the photos and post them here - hopefully this week Ha!

Flex for the week:
Sailor's at sea til the 8th.
Mon: work, ballet
Tue: work, tap
Wed: off for education. Two coffee dates, finish math assignment 5/6. GOTTA finish Retail Marketing assignment 1/5.
Thu: work (maybe do a film, maybe not. find out on Tues). finish stuff for the parties.
Fri: work, pick up Ray's cake
Sat: dance for the girls, groceries. finishing touches on the food for tomorrow
Sun: church, set up for the parties, party!!, recover

September Morn

Ray was over the moon to start school again. She loved it! The teacher was super nice and had all the kids wave and say goodbye to us.

This was a momentous day for another reason too. Greta decided, after 9 months of regression, to start going to the bathroom in a toilet instead of in her pull-up. All day, from start til finish, she ran to the toilet and in the afternoon, when we picked her sister up, she even went into the toilet, locked the door, pulled off her bodysuit and tights, and then put them back on when she was done! I nearly sobbed, I was so happy.

Now we just have to work on #2.

The tailoring bill came to $89 for the blazer, a green school dress for Greta (hem) and hemming Ray's other uniform dress. The sleeves were STILL too long, so I ended up doing them myself, and I got a bag of buttons for the blazer, seeing as how Greta hid the one I had.

I have finished two assignments

from Math (83% on the first one!) and I'm in the middle of the first Retail Marketing one. The third course I wanted has gone up to over $850 including materials, but NOT including an extra $30 for a mandatory e-book, so I'm going to find another course to take instead.

Tomorrow is mine and Sailor

's 8th Anniversary. It'll be our 4th without both of us at home. I'm going to a local pub to celebrate with some girlfriends anyway, as I've found a sitter for a couple of hours.

The fund-raiser on Friday was great. I won the first raffle draw and picked a $50 gift card to the local CB&W store. Then I won the second-to last draw and got a $20 gift certificate to a local pizza place. Perfection! A great time was had by all, and we raised a lot of money for our friend. I even got to sing a song before I had to leave.

I've just finished making a raspberry dream cake and some marshmallow fondant. Seems Greta wants a Buzz Lightyear cake, so I'm practicing doing something else. I just have no idea what else to do - don't know what to put between layers, or the design over it. I've asked around for some ideas.

Yesterday I got to sing at a friend's birthday party - Beatles medley and "Hit The Road Jack". Then I went to another friend's party and we hung out fo

r a while then went home.

This week's Flex:

Mon: Greta to JK for an hour. Ray has day 3 of Grade 1!! I'm going to make a chocolate zucchini loaf and a wacky cake for the Saturday festival at the church. Going out to celebrate my 8th wedding anniversary with some of the girls. Early night back though.

Tue: The girls take the bus into school and I'm back to work. That night we're babysitting for a friend and they're staying the night.

Wed: Off for academic leave. Girls to school, then more baking (banana loaves probably), the car into the shop, the fireplace is getting maintained, meeting with the seamstress who answered my ad, oh, and some homework. Then getting the girls, picking up our veggies from the farm.

Thu: work and girls on the bus.

Fri: work, friend N is driving the girls in for me, and with luck I can get off work at 2 to get them.

Sat: First day of ballet. Ray is whining that she doesn't want to dance this year, but tough shit, she's going. Greta starts Musical Movement. Then we're to the Church's Festival where I'm singing for 30 minutes (guess I gotta practice this week too, eh?), then we're going home to our usual weekend stuff: laundry, groceries, etc etc.

And now onto the pictures:

Day 1 of Grade 1:

Time keeps on tickin'....

Ray starts school on Thursday. Greta follows the next week. I had to take time off work to account for the difference between preschool not taking them and school starting. I brought work home with me, though, and I have two courses to start to keep me busy.

I've been purging since Sailor has left. So far, I've done the dining room (not that it's noticeable, but I know it's done), the linen closet (ditto), and the 'office' portion of the living room. Since I made room in the linen closet, I could move the MK stuff up there, and the text books into the spare room (because I moved hardcover books off the bookshelf in there). The scrapbooking stuff has also gone into the spare room until I can figure out where my scrapbooking stuff is going to live full-time. So now one shelf is tidy, the top of the large shelf is clear (I still have to go through magazines and recipe books), and I've actually done all the filing today too! 6 months worth...!

Then, I went through the entertainment centre and culled the videos and some dvds too. This opened up space on the shelves to move the kids ones around a little and make it look less crowded.

Next up, the rest of the kitchen - I removed some vases already and the baker's rack looks less crowded. Next up - shelves, cupboards, and recipe books. Those are going to be hard to let go of.

Some pictures, I suppose, eh?

Went to a wedding last weekend. They had a wicked sweet table.

I haven't taken a photo since. I suck. I've wanted to. I've planned to... and then life hit and I haven't had a chance to.

I'll start up again tomorrow.

This week's flex:

Sat: return slippers to Walmart (they were a hassle to get in the first place, so this ought to be fun), meet with a prospective employee. Hope the girls get to hang with their friends instead of with me.

Sun: Church.

Mon: I was thinking of taking them to the Forest Museum. We'll see how the weather behaves before deciding.

Tues: I have to go into town and pick up tickets for work, so the girls are coming with me. I'll drop the tickets, answer some emails, then we'll head back home.

Wed: I have to go BACK into town to get the girls' uniforms from the tailor shop. The smallest blazer the Unicycler had was 4 sizes too big, so I asked the tailor to take it in as much as possible. The woman who is doing the job was rude and kept saying, "50 dollars... maybe more!" when I was talking to her boss about it. Skank. Whatever, it's STILL cheaper than paying $185 for a new one.

Thurs: Ray starts grade 1!! I'll for sure take pictures of THAT!

Fri: Greta gets to hang at her old preschool for the day because she really misses one of the teachers. Ray has her second day of grade 1. That night I have a fund-raiser to go to for a friend with a brain tumour.

Back to the grind

Bah. Work. Ick. Church camp was fun last week - except for the yelling and screaming and tantrums. And Ray had some too, ha. Here's a few photos from our trip.

Why we went.

The first full day's schedule.

The house called Hennage. We stayed at the back, in the same room as last year.

Greta found a great dress in the Tickle Trunk and wore it nearly all week. Too bad the thing was SO large! She had to walk around with her skirts up all the time. Too funny.

We went on a canoe ride. I was in the bow, getting splashed by Ray's paddle, while she was getting bonked in the head from Greta and her paddle. Fun. Anyway, this is where we will have lunch the next day, Lady Godiva Bay.

Ray went on that slip and slide about 5 times. I made it down once (took a great tumble at the end!), but Greta just watched. Next year I'm sure she'll go for it.

Wednesday's Schedule

Hanging out at Lady Godiva Bay after our picnic lunch.

Ray got her face painted at the "carnival". So did Greta.

This was our priest for the week. Pretty cool guy. This, of course, was Skit Night.

Thursday's schedule.

How much did she love getting in a tube and floating in the water? Nearly as much as her sister did!

The last night, the staff makes the adults an amazing supper. We all dress up and have a lovely dinner, without the screaming of the children to distract us. Nice conversations and this year, we included the preamble to the Eucharist that we celebrated together in the outdoor chapel.

There were many fires burning on the lower mainland. The haze hit us this day, and the setting sun burned red in the sky. Spooky.

The last night, a cross is lit and taken onto the water. We sit and watch the candles burn down, sing songs and reflect on our faith. Kinda pretty, and cool this year because we were on the dock instead of watching a canoe go around in circles with it.

The sign posts when you arrive. These were taken before we boarded the ferry home.

This week's flex in case you're interested:

Mon-Fri: Sailor at sea. I'm at work. Girls at daycare.

Sat: Dunno, but I'm getting a Brazillian Blowout in the afternoon! Wheee!

Sun: Church.

What a week that was!

Holidays, last week. Four days in Qualicum Beach where we did TONS of stuff.

This giant turtle was in the playground across the drive from our room. This is where the girls gravitated to upon our arrival.

Our apartment as seen from the pool. We overlooked the pool and playground right beside. It wasn't too bad, but it did get a little noisy at night once or twice before the teenagers were chased away by the management.

A stop sign at the Double R Bar ranch.

The Sandcastle Competition in Parksville! This was my favourite entry. The detailing was amazing on both front and back. Note the giant dino tracks at the bottom and the amazement on the discoverer's face when he sees prehistoric man (in his plaid pants yet) plot his golfing move. Love it!

Sailor and Ray into the ocean. My father took a similar photo of my mum and me when I was about the same age as Ray, going into a lake in Nanaimo.

Greta had been asking me since June if she could ride a pony. Looks like I might have a rider on my hands. She loved this ride and wanted to go again and again.

Ray FINALLY got on a pony after 5 years of wanting to but not. She loved the ride and probably next year, if we have the money, we might put her into the horse camp at her school for a week.

This is the Cheeseworks we went to (as you can see). They had these lovely signs up all over the place that made us laugh. I picked up squeaky cheese (free thanks to a coupon Sailor found in a tourist booklet he picked up), Caerphilly cheese, brie (natch), and a Peach Wine (with a 15% off coupon in the same booklet). Deeeelish!

Ray's favourite hole on the course. We did the bumper boats after the game, and we had a RIOT!

This week's flex:

Sunday: Leave for Camp Columbia.

Monday-Friday: At Camp Columbia. Sailor's at sea Tuesday-Friday.

Friday: Come back from Camp Columbia.

(I sense a trend)

Saturday: Two family BBQ's. Let's see how I get to both without hurting feelings.

Sunday: Church. Uniform prep for the week back to work.

I'm slack and idle

I didn't take a single picture all week. Bad bad bad. I made up for it this weekend though.

A deer catching a rest in the neighbour's yard.

A hummingbird came to have his/her dinner at the Malahat Mountain Inn.

My dessert at my friend's birthday dinner.

The view from our friend's house. Not too shabby, eh?

Greta, hanging around. She was so happy to be hanging from her knees again, even if it was only for a few minutes.

Hera, the young Bald Eagle. She caught Lady Gray's lure (the Peregrine Falcon... who was NOT impressed at all!).

Duck, the Harris Hawk. Fast as lightning.

This is Cleo. She's a three year-old Barn Owl. Such a cutie.

This is a Gyrfalcon (Merlin).

This is Manwe, a Bald Eagle.

This is Storm. He's a Golden Eagle. His legs were HUGE!

This week's Flex:

Mon: I'm at work, Sailor's on leave. Ray has piano lesson #2.

Tues - Fri: I'm at work, Sailor's on leave.

Fri after work - we go to Qualicum Beach for our vacation til Tuesday. YAY!