Busy start to a busy year

I'm definitely slowing down on blogging here. Mostly because I'm trying to keep another blog going for the store, as well as a Facebook fan page, and all the money-balls in the air too.

I open in 27 days. Freaking out. Just a little.

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.