December

This is a long post because I haven’t blogged for quite some time.

I never noticed it is already mid-December. My reason, aka excuse, for not blogging is because I have been so very busy driving full time as a “spare” driver and I applied for a full time route and I am still making jams for Christmas and the Store and I working for Statistics Canada. Yes, I am very busy without even thinking about Christmas.

LFS (Labour Force Survey) started Saturday December 13 earlier than normal because of Christmas. This month I have the Marquette area about an hour drive from here. The area is east of Winnipeg and closer to there but since there is no one for that area I get to do it. This month I also have the “Oakville” area better known as Southport area which is south of us. Luckily I don’t have McDonald, northwest of me, or Cartier, southeast of me or Oakville (in Cartier) which is just east of us. This huge geographic area means lots of travelling in rural areas. Bad weather and rural roads make it a rough weekend before Christmas.

Statistics Canada

After talking it over with DH I have decided to quit Statistics Canada as a Field Interviewer. As I stated earlier I have a very large geographic area to cover and it has been tough to get all the work done in 7 days. This month I have new cases in Marquette about an hour northwest and new cases in Oakville/Southport south of me and carry over cases in Headingly just outside of Winnipeg and many in different areas of the city of Portage. All the new cases are rural. There are always continuing cases each month and I usually carry about 15 or so because these are vacant etc places. All this has to be done before Monday, December 22. This is just LFS cases. There are over 20 health cases as well as over 30 Kids cases I have been working on since October/November. It is just too much. I just finished the Provincial Election and went straight into LFS without a break. Not even 24 hours off and I was into LFS with less time to finish with the later start (day after election). Originally I had requested that week off in October but it was changed so the Project Manager could have me working as soon as possible. I enjoyed working with my Senior Interviewer, Lucille, and with Cathy another rural interviewer but the workload was too much for me. It seemed to be non-stop 12 hour days from early September when the election was called to Christmas and beyond. I will miss Lucille and Cathy. It is the right decision for me, my family and my health. Take Care.

School Bus

Driving school bus is an adventure in itself. Imaging getting up before sunrise, driving in the dark, trying not to run into the white bundles scurrying across the road even before you pick up the first students. It is cold and dark outside and getting darker by the day. Christmas holidays for school started just before Winter Solstice. The shortest day followed by Christmas and then a New Year. Not bad for the end of December.

I almost forgot I had applied for a full time bus route and I got it! Starting January 5, 2009 I will be the bus driver for route six. Exciting and scary at the same time but I will be full time. I start earlier, at 6:45 am I leave the compound not my yard and I get back later. Route 6 is a longer run and is north east of Portage but I am looking forward to the challenge.

Family

DS2 preformed at his music concert just before Christmas. He plays beautifully. The boys were off for the Christmas break and DH took a week off work so we are all home! We planned to do Christmas shopping in Winnipeg, Brandon was vetoed, for last minute gifts etc. Monday was the only day DS1 did not work so off to Winnipeg on a beautiful sunny day. Guess where we spent the most time and money? Yes at book stores. McNally Robinson and Chapters are much richer now. Not only did we purchase books for gifts but for ourselves. It is hard to resist a book sale especially when DS1 and I both enjoy sci-fi/fantasy and keep finding such great books. Mind you DS1 loves almost every genre and DS1 is not far behind and was often found in the science section. We, the boys and I, behaved like kids let loose in a candy factory.  Poor DH had to pull us out more than once. Thank goodness DH was able to keep us on track, at least he tried. Visiting electronic stores was hard for me when they all scattered in different directions. What a tough job keeping track of DS1 and DS2 but DH as well? Three tall guys in a crowded electronic store? Almost impossible! Very tired and happy we stopped supper before heading home with more books than anything else. DH cooked another fantastic Christmas turkey dinner. Of course there were lots of leftovers but that is best part – turkey sandwiches. Take Care.

Christmas

We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas at home this year. Boxing Day was with the Grandparents in Gimli for a wonderful Christmas. BIL and family were also there. Poor DS1 was rather under the weather but everyone else was feeling alright. Christmas dinner was fabulous, as usual. The turkey was tender, all the veggies were great but the best was dessert. Christmas fruit cake, my favorite, was one of the many dainties offered. The grandparents were so nice to get it just because I like it. They are such wonderful people and great grandparents. Our niece D, and nephew J, had a wonderful time opening and playing with all their gifts. DH took lots of pictures. He loves being the photographer and he takes great pictures.

My family met at Alto’s restaurant for Christmas brunch on the 28th. GrandmomB was not feeling well and DS1 was still suffering from a cold. My brother DB3 was there but DB2 had to work and could not make it. DB1, SIL, niece L, and baby R were all there. We met so Grandmom B could meet her granddaughter Raya for the first time. R is almost 6 months old and stole the show! She has a tooth and loves to play “peek-a-boo”. L and DS1 had a contest to see who could eat the most chocolate ice cream. I’m not sure who won and frankly I don’t want to know. Again DH did a wonderful job as photographer and I even took a picture or two of him and the baby. We exchanged gifts after eating and babyR wanted to taste the wrapping paper. Afterwards the boys, L, and I all walked to Chapters to check out the after Christmas sales. Good thing the three of us have cell phones so we could find each other. It was hard leaving the bookstore but we were on our way to visit M and her daughter A. A’s friend from Germany was visiting so we got to meet her. M loved the jams, some will even go to Grandpa M, and all the gifts. A loved the chocolate the best. The boys, DH and I loved all our gifts from them, especially the homemade fudge. Sitting and catching up was wonderful after a hectic day. I think the tea helped a lot. Unfortunately the evening was too short and we had a long drive home. Getting together with friends and family is what makes Christmas. Take Care.

Sad news

With great sadness Misty, the poodle, was euthanized several days before Christmas. She was suffering and the hardest decision was made. She will be missed. Misty was almost 13 years old and a wonderful companion who loved her pig’s ear treats. I’m not a dog person but she was a good dog and I will miss her.

GreatGrandmother W peacefully passed away on December 27, 2008 in the early morning. She was a wonderful woman who will be missed. DH, BIL, cousins Candace and Pam, and several others spoke at her memorial service. Well dressed, somewhat old fashioned, well loved, a great sense of humour are all impressions I remember of that day. She was 93 years old and lived a full life. We will honour and remember Grandmom Mary always be in our hearts. The world is a little less bright without her. Rest in peace and say hello to Grandpa Ray.

 

Wrap up

December was definitely a busy month. Christmas was relaxed this year even with the shopping trip and travelling. It was great to see friends and family. I no longer work for Statistics Canada but am a full time bus driver for the Portage School Division. Everyone is well, except DS1 who had a cold throughout the holidays. Until next time, Take Care.

 

Busy weeks

I don’t remember much about the past few weeks except cold! DS2 has started to volunteer at the library once a week and DS1 had his second inoculation. DS1 is going to China for the Spring Break with school. Wow DS1 is going to China is less than 4 months! He has grown up so much but remains a teenager in many respects. Both boys are good kids. Anyway they had a week of school and then it was a four day week. Yes, they got another day off school in November on the last Friday of the month. I’m still driving school bus and working for StatsCan. Tired, so tired all the time. Getting up before the sun is so hard but DH helps. He makes tea for me and helps make sure I’m out the door on time. Checking the bus before I leave our yard is getting harder because of the snow and cold. The sun doesn’t even rise until after my first pick up. Lately I’ve been getting home after 5:30 and it is getting darker outside the closer I get to home. After a quick supper I’m off doing Stats stuff until about 8pm. The weekends are taken up with trying to get the huge Stats workload done. It seems that all I do is work, no wonder I’ve fallen asleep on the couch a few times. I did take off the weekend to take the Standard First Aid Course at the satellite Red River Community College at Southport. It was wonderful not to have to worry about Stats and concentrate on something for me. I haven’t even stitched since…I can’t remember, I think it was sometime in August. The course was great and I remembered some stuff from the last time. I had to take the course and not the re-certification because there have been several changes. A major change was the number of chest compressions before a breath which is now 30 to two breaths. Great course and I am now certified as a First Aider. Nov 30

Busy me

I’ve been really busy with Stats and the two large assignments that have to be completed by year end, actually before Christmas would be better. I’m trying to make jams and jellies for the Crafters Hand to sell. Apparently people like my jams and have requested several from last year but I just haven’t had the time to create …yet. Driving the bus has been scary lately. That one road is really torturous to drive. It is a skating rink with an occasional patch of swampy sand amid the deep ruts that lead to the steep ditches. Yes driving is definitely an adventure! Take Care Nov 12

Late

I left the house a half hour early thinking that was enough time. It wasn’t. DH had to help me open the hood of the bus. The emergency windows and back door were frozen shut! Everything was frozen. Denyse, a driver who lives down the road, and I were both late leaving and that put us behind from the very beginning. Skating rink roads abounded everywhere with occasional gravel patches. Huge ruts lined parts of the road, evidence of tractors pulling out vehicles on the weekend. Add early morning darkness and you have a rather tense bus ride. Luckily the other drivers helped us and all the kids were only a few minutes late, if at all. I made it through the first winter driving, now there is only how many months left? Take Care Nov10

Snow!

Heavy, wet snow! The school buses not running today with over 30cm (1foot) of the white stuff. Surprising the ground wasn’t frozen even with the snow. The snowplough hadn’t gone by when I tried driving into town.  As I drove our SUV around the sloped curve near out place it started to slide. Stepping on the brake rather than accelerator just causes the car to get stuck on the slope. Found that out the hard way. DH tried to drive in the ditch until we reached the flat part. We were almost there when we began to sink into the mud. Nothing seemed to help, we were stuck. I called a neighbour who luckily was home and able to come and pull us out. Actually it took a huge truck, another neighbour, who pulled us out. He ended up driving in the other, twice, before he was able to pull the car out. He drove us home and called into work because of all the snow. Later in the afternoon we attempted to go into town. It would not go into reverse! No reverse gear which means transmission problems. DH drove into the snow and got the car turned around so he was able to get into town. He rented a van after dropping the SUV off at the dealership. I’m without a vehicle until our car is fixed which could be closer to Friday. Isn’t life grand?  Take Care Oct6

Drizzle

Woke to rain that became ice pellets by lunchtime. The bus was covered in a sheet of ice for the afternoon it trip home. What a trip it was! I was terrified the bus would slip off the ice encased roads. Even the gravel roads were hazardous with icy patches. Several reminded me of skating rinks. Strong winds drove ice pellets so hard it sounded like gravel being thrown at the bus. A “death grip on the wheel” driving experience for me and the kids were happy to get home. I forced myself to drive down the sand, aka bog, road after dropping off the last kids. Slowly and carefully I drove until the better gravelled area. Continuing cautiously driving I arrived home safe. It took much longer than normal but I made it home safely. Take Care Nov5

Helping

This afternoon bus trip the high school kids helped get “Shou”, the Asian exchange student, to his bus. He had missed it so we drove him to the next stop which was in the opposite direction of ours. They were ok with that because “everyone likes Shou”. While at my next stop picking up elementary kids I received a radio request about a little girl who had missed her bus. After much discussion with the school and bus office I left for the final pick up, the middle school kids. While loading the kids the bus office wanted us to wait. The kindgeraten girl was being escorted to us. The schools are close together and share the long bus loop. One of the teens wanted off to “stretch his legs” and went to get her. He held her hand until almost at the bus. This little girl had missed her bus and this tough and gruff teen boy helped her. Everyone complained, of course, when I turned the bus the wrong way, again. After dropping her off into the arms of her worried mom and sisters we left for Southport, the first drop off. The teen will not admit to helping because it will tarnish his image. He surprised me. I knew there was a good guy there and had only seen glimpses before. Now I know he’s a good kid, royal pain sometimes, but a good guy. Enjoy the warm weather. Take Care Nov4