pouring rain and chilly here today...can't wait to leave it all behind! At least it is rain and not snow, and I hope that all the snow is gone by the time we get back on May 10th. They may even be cutting the grass...

My friend K. is also going on a trip...her blog can be found at K Kwest. She is headed to Spain and possibly parts beyond.

We are leaving tomorrow for Belize and parts beyond, so be sure to check in on my other blog - Central American Quest

The Job Interview

Well holy cow...I got a call AND an e-mail about a job interview for the North West Territories!!! The job is in Norman Wells, a small community on the Mackenzie River. That would be WONDERFUL!!! I am waiting to hear back from them. They want to know if I am available for interview on April 21st at 1:15pm, but I will be away in Central America, so I am hoping they can interview later, as I don't know if I can depend on the phone system in central america. But holy COW! I was so excited...

turkey day...time to open up a fresh wound while christening the new food chopper...OUCH. I probably need stitches, but I'll be damned if I spend Easter Monday at the ER, waiting for hours. So a tightly wrapped bandaid will have to do. It is right on the fleshy pad of my middle finger of my right hand...GREAT. So I awoke the charming resident teen and enlisted her to help get the bird in the oven, which she graciously did.

Now I have to finish tidying the house for the afternoon guests :-) and dye some eggs for decor...

Happy Easter

Easter morning...I remember when it used to be that Amber got up early in the morning to look for easter eggs (jelly beans) that the "easter bunny" had hidden all over. now they were fast asleep when I got up...no excitement there...but then they got up and we had an easter "conference" in the dining room - chocolate and gifts were exchanged - yummy! There were stuffed bunnies, bubble blowers, snow globe, and tons of chocolate. We had fresh baked cinnamon buns (straight from the can, lol) for breakfast, and settled in to watch some home video.

Seems fairly nice out...might even drag myself out for another walk - not like the one from Friday actually happened...

Good Friday

Yes, it is good, and it is Friday, because I don't have to work and I am getting paid for it. I have been up for a bit today, busy with e-mail, and checking out a website that people from one of my old high schools have set up - Stephenville Integrated High School. Check out their site and if you actually went there, perhaps you would like to join - Integrated High

Kind of a sunny day...I may even drag my ass out for a walk later today, if the stench from the plant/mill are not too bad. Tip for future residence...check out whether or not you are downwind from industrial area...

the younguns are still sleeping...will soon be time to begin morning WAKEUP call...heh heh...

well, the snow in my driveway is low enough to drive over now. We had only cleared enough snow to park two cars instead of three as it was just too much snow, and the pile grew to about 7 feet...now it is mere inches and I am excited...it should be clear by tomorrow evening! I parked on top of it tonight, hoping the heat from the car would melt it somewhat. The yard is nearly clear, just a foot or so in the back and nearly the same in front. There are flurries flying now, but nothing to worry about.

went shopping last night and bought the cutest little electric chopper for about $9 at Wal-Mart. I melted the food holder on the stove of my last one, and had e-mailed Black and Decker about it, to no avail...no one even bothered to answer my email. It likely would have cost me a fortune for the replacement piece anyhow. No more garlicy onion hands!!! The resident teenager also bought one for her upcoming move out plan...which, I might add, brings me to my next topic...

Moving Out

It cannot happen soon enough. Earlier this year I was all worried about the whole empty nest thing, and having a tough time with it...yeah, I'm over that...I am SO over that. It is time for this little munchkin to move on and experience the world. I know I will still miss her, but she has become so dependant on me...doesn't eat most of the day after spending it lounging around the house, and then pounces on me when I come through the door - what's for supper...charming little thing...I show her the fridge and all the items in there that SHE can cook with. I am pooped when I get home and the last thing I want to do is COOK. I do manage once or twice throughout the work week, and usually a couple of times on the weekend, but other than that...she must fend for herself. And today was no exception...I cooked last night (homemade pizza) so tonight was not her night....I show her the fridge again.

Chores, now THAT'S a nasty topic...they seem to be near non-existent in this dear child's memory, and nearly distant in the memory of the boyfriend. He manages to clean the dishes 3-4 times a week, but usually not without prompting...grumble, grumble says I. I don't ask for much, just the dishes done each day from the boyfriend, and from the resident teenager, vacuum once a week, clean the bathroom once a week, and an occasional miscellaneous chore...it is more of a chore to get her to do it, no matter how I phrase it.

Noise at night...lets see...resident teenager gets off work close to midnight, and the boyfriend gets off work at midnight...what might this result in? You got it...two wound up teenagers late at night...laughing, watching television, carrying on, talking, in and out of the bedrooms, bathroom, up and down the stairs...ARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHH

Then there are the dishes that are left all around...been a problem for several years and has never gotten better...

yup - I am so over the empty nest thing...is it July yet???

more rain...and boy is the snow going fast! I am wearing sandals today to coax out the sun later though.

still no tax refund from revenue canada, although I know now that they are not holding money back from me as I received my GST rebate today. I just don't know what is taking them so long. We are to leave for central america in 10 days and I don't have a nickel for the trip yet!!! I have convinced myself we aren't going to be able to go, and then if I get the money, it will be a surprise. Actually, if I don't have it by the weekend, I'm afraid we will have to reschedule the trip, perhaps to mid-May - early June. I have a co-worker who is gone from the 9th-15th or so of May, so I couldn't go until after that. this sucks. so much for filing early...on Friday it will have been 2 months since I filed...what a crock. I should have paper filed, and then they would have had what they needed right away.

well, my weekend of sloth is over...I did barely anything this weekend, but sit around and watch movies, read, or sleep. I did manage to tidy the basement a little, but there is still the huge task of readying for the yard sale in May/June. I am selling piles of stuff, as I refuse to pack all this crap again. Most of what is in the basement is either going in the yard sale, or is empty boxes. I just hope for a nice Saturday, with no rain, as there is a whole lotta stuff.

I am up early this morning, and refuse to go to work this early!!! They get enough of my free time as it is, with me not taking hardly any coffee breaks, and working through lunch when on the road.

Wonder if I will hear about those northern jobs this week???

Check out Inuvik here - Inuvik Info

rain today, but I am fine with that...it is taking the snow...I can see the grass in my yard...mind you it is skirted by about 4 feet of snow, but it is grass, none the less...soon I will see robins! And better yet, the times go ahead tonight at midnight...whoo hoo! Longer days, I can handle that...

I applied for three different jobs in the North West Territories yesterday...the pay is awesome and I think it would be quite a learning experience to live that far north. I have lived in Labrador, so know some idea of the cold and snow, and I have lived in Grand Bruit, so have some idea of the isolation...bring it on! I think as long as I have a sattelite dish and internet on my computer, I will be just FINE! I can live anywhere for a year or two if it means getting rid of my student loan debt!!!

My friend Kathleen is also looking up north, so it might be cool if we both get jobs up there at the same time. We had thought about driving up, but it is probably 7000 kms or more...little more than I want to do on my own right now, and we would both need our cars, so couldn't travel together.

big excitement this weekend...I will be watching movies and knitting on my blanket...whoo hoo! But honestly, I need the rest. Its been a busy week, and I had a few calls on duty to go out on, so need to take it easy and relax.

Got some actual exercise today - let the resident teenager take the car to work, so I walked to my office for a few papers I needed, then walked to Sobeys for some groceries...its pissing rain, but I was dressed for it. I haven't walked anywhere in ages. Funny how places that seem close in the summer seem too far away in winter. Of course, I saw a special on meat while at Sobey so bought extra and packed it in my backpack...what felt reasonable when I left Sobeys felt like a quarter of moose by the time I got home...but I made it nonetheless and I feel better for having gotten some exercise, even if it was just a short walk. I will be glad though, when the snow is gone and I can actually walk on the sidewalks again, so I do not fear losing my life to the logging trucks that thunder by me on the road...

The b/f of resident teen is out shopping today, buying up stuff for their new apartment that they have yet to rent. They are so excited about furnishing it...I can understand that. I remember my first place and how excited I was, but so very poor at the time. It will be nice to go and visit them when they move out.

I should look at rentals in NWT, as I hear they are quite pricey...I only need a room and a bathroom though, a little kitchenette...just fine with me.