Thanks Dad
This week's little message is a day late because I was and still am on holiday. Have a GREAT!!! week.
Quotes
Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. - Ralph Waldo Emerson My favorite of this lot.
It doesn't matter where you are coming from. All that matters is where you are going. - Brian Tracy
Don't judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant. - Robert Louis Stevenson
It is very important to generate a good attitude, a good heart, as much as possible. From this, happiness in both the short term and the long term for both yourself and others will come. - Dalai Lama
Every moment and every event of every man's life on earth plants something in his soul. - Thomas Merton Another good one to live by
The power of God is within you, so when your mind tells you a thing can't be done, say to that thought, Get out! It can be done. And it will be, if you make up your mind. - Paramahansa Yogananda
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Thursday, September 15, 2011
A hole in the blogosphere
A punch in the guts, and a major kick in the financial pants.
Monday afternoon here I am, working away when my cell rang. It was Chris, he'd stopped to mow the lawn. I had been wondering about him, I hadn't seen him in a couple of weeks and was getting a little pissed because I always prepay him to look after the yard. Anyway...
Him: Deb, it's Chris. Why is your yard gate wide open?
Me: What the heck are you talking about?
Him: I just stopped by to mow the lawn and saw that the gate was open so came in to use the phone to call you and ask what the heck is going on. Did you leave the front hall closet open?
Me: No. What else is going on? (I could hear the dogs going nuts in the background).
Him: The dogs' room door is closed tight. Did you leave it like that?
Me: Nope, what else do you see?
Him: Looks like someone's been in your room. Did you leave the door to your armoire open?
Me: Nope. What else?
Him: The master bath window is wide open. Let me look some more. Ah gees, it looks like your laptop is gone.
Me: I'll be there in an hour.
Before I continue, a couple of things.
The dogs are usually in an ex pen in the spare bedroom to keep Jazz from going through the living room window at people walking down the sidewalk. There's enough room in there that they can move around a bit or stretch out to sleep. They willingly go into it and quite often they'll beat me down the hall after I've finished my morning routine and they know that's it's time to go to work.
Chris has a key to my house because he uses my mower and the key's the same as the house key and sometimes he shows up when I'm not home. We've become good enough friends that I trust him to go in, do what he needs to do and lock up after himself when he's done. (use the toilet, get a drink, etc. when he's there when I'm not home, he even lets the girls out to stretch their legs before I get home)
I hate to admit it, but I did a bad thing on the way home. I got to considering Chris's past, how long he'd been missing, and thought how coincidental that the day he shows up, my house was broken into.
When I got there he was mowing the front and shut the mower off as soon as I pulled up. He followed me into the house and we went around and had a look. He told me that he hadn't touched anything and showed me what was what. I got to the dogs' room and the door was still shut but not latched and the girls were still in the ex pen. It not being fair to them to leave them locked in there, I let them out and put them outside to do their business. I had another look around and realized that not only was my laptop gone, but so was my brand new camera. And I said a very, very bad word. As a matter of fact, more than one.
I called the non-emergency police line and dispatch said that they'd send someone over. While we were standing there Chris said "Deb, look at me." "Seriously, look at me." So I did.
He then said "I know how this looks. With my history, and being gone for a while, I know how this looks. But I did NOT do this."
I didn't say anyhting for a while and he said "I did NOT do this and I'll stay here and give a statement to the police when they get here. You are the kindest, most generous person that I've ever met. I would not do this to you."
My head was telling me that maybe, just maybe he did, but my heart was telling me that no, he didn't. He's been with me for a year now and has never shown me that he would do something like that to me. He seems embarrassed when I pay him for anyting extra that he does that's outside of what we agreed to in the first place. That, and I like to believe in the inherent goodness in people. And so I said, "I believe you didn't do it."
The cop came, said that it looked like the robber(s) had worn gloves and made some suggestions, took our statements and then left. One of the suggestions was putting a block in each of the windows (which Chris looked after before he left) to keep them from being slid open and another was to leave the dogs loose in the house while I was gone. Yup, I'm thinkin' so too. The girls were so pissed about someone being on their territory that they had pushed the ex pen from the back of the bedroom right up to the door. Obviously the asshat that broke in was scared enough that he slammed the door on them, grabbed what was handy, and bolted out the front door. The ex pen is now stretched across the front of the couch to keep Jazz off it and I'm pleased to say that she hasn't even tried to get around it. I also apologised to them for not being able to do their job (you can stop with the eyerolls Dad).
PT allowed as how it was a shame that the only 2 things that I really enjoy doing now that I don't have anymore horses were taken from me. Blogging and taking pictures. And so, there's a temporary hole in the blogosphere.
Will try to get to y'all in downtimes at work.
Monday afternoon here I am, working away when my cell rang. It was Chris, he'd stopped to mow the lawn. I had been wondering about him, I hadn't seen him in a couple of weeks and was getting a little pissed because I always prepay him to look after the yard. Anyway...
Him: Deb, it's Chris. Why is your yard gate wide open?
Me: What the heck are you talking about?
Him: I just stopped by to mow the lawn and saw that the gate was open so came in to use the phone to call you and ask what the heck is going on. Did you leave the front hall closet open?
Me: No. What else is going on? (I could hear the dogs going nuts in the background).
Him: The dogs' room door is closed tight. Did you leave it like that?
Me: Nope, what else do you see?
Him: Looks like someone's been in your room. Did you leave the door to your armoire open?
Me: Nope. What else?
Him: The master bath window is wide open. Let me look some more. Ah gees, it looks like your laptop is gone.
Me: I'll be there in an hour.
Before I continue, a couple of things.
The dogs are usually in an ex pen in the spare bedroom to keep Jazz from going through the living room window at people walking down the sidewalk. There's enough room in there that they can move around a bit or stretch out to sleep. They willingly go into it and quite often they'll beat me down the hall after I've finished my morning routine and they know that's it's time to go to work.
Chris has a key to my house because he uses my mower and the key's the same as the house key and sometimes he shows up when I'm not home. We've become good enough friends that I trust him to go in, do what he needs to do and lock up after himself when he's done. (use the toilet, get a drink, etc. when he's there when I'm not home, he even lets the girls out to stretch their legs before I get home)
I hate to admit it, but I did a bad thing on the way home. I got to considering Chris's past, how long he'd been missing, and thought how coincidental that the day he shows up, my house was broken into.
When I got there he was mowing the front and shut the mower off as soon as I pulled up. He followed me into the house and we went around and had a look. He told me that he hadn't touched anything and showed me what was what. I got to the dogs' room and the door was still shut but not latched and the girls were still in the ex pen. It not being fair to them to leave them locked in there, I let them out and put them outside to do their business. I had another look around and realized that not only was my laptop gone, but so was my brand new camera. And I said a very, very bad word. As a matter of fact, more than one.
I called the non-emergency police line and dispatch said that they'd send someone over. While we were standing there Chris said "Deb, look at me." "Seriously, look at me." So I did.
He then said "I know how this looks. With my history, and being gone for a while, I know how this looks. But I did NOT do this."
I didn't say anyhting for a while and he said "I did NOT do this and I'll stay here and give a statement to the police when they get here. You are the kindest, most generous person that I've ever met. I would not do this to you."
My head was telling me that maybe, just maybe he did, but my heart was telling me that no, he didn't. He's been with me for a year now and has never shown me that he would do something like that to me. He seems embarrassed when I pay him for anyting extra that he does that's outside of what we agreed to in the first place. That, and I like to believe in the inherent goodness in people. And so I said, "I believe you didn't do it."
The cop came, said that it looked like the robber(s) had worn gloves and made some suggestions, took our statements and then left. One of the suggestions was putting a block in each of the windows (which Chris looked after before he left) to keep them from being slid open and another was to leave the dogs loose in the house while I was gone. Yup, I'm thinkin' so too. The girls were so pissed about someone being on their territory that they had pushed the ex pen from the back of the bedroom right up to the door. Obviously the asshat that broke in was scared enough that he slammed the door on them, grabbed what was handy, and bolted out the front door. The ex pen is now stretched across the front of the couch to keep Jazz off it and I'm pleased to say that she hasn't even tried to get around it. I also apologised to them for not being able to do their job (you can stop with the eyerolls Dad).
PT allowed as how it was a shame that the only 2 things that I really enjoy doing now that I don't have anymore horses were taken from me. Blogging and taking pictures. And so, there's a temporary hole in the blogosphere.
Will try to get to y'all in downtimes at work.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
today's radio really tough question
5% of people have called roadside assistance for this.
- Lock the keys in the car? Nope
- Lost? Nope
- Change a tire? Nope
They've lost their car! Must have been a real bender the night before.
- Lock the keys in the car? Nope
- Lost? Nope
- Change a tire? Nope
They've lost their car! Must have been a real bender the night before.
A small milestone
Just looked and we've hit 4,000 page views, this is my 200th post. Will have a look and see if I can figger out who number 4,000 was.
Our visitor # 4,000 came over from Buck's, so we'll give him the win.
In other stuff, one of my bosses** (I have 2, they're partners) walked in to my office this morning and asked me for the file on that job I quoted.
Me: Which one? (I've put out numbers for over 100 jobs since I've been here)
Him: The one to [general contractor's name redacted]
Me: Do we have a job name?
Him: Well you know the one.
We got it sorted out but specifics are so VERY handy!
** Herein after referred to as 'The Lads'.
While we're discussing work...
Flip-flops should be banned from the work place. Out of an office of 5, 3 wear them during the summer, 2 of those consistently. That incessant slap, salp, slap is enough to make me wanna reach out and touch someone (if'n ya know what I'm on about).
Our visitor # 4,000 came over from Buck's, so we'll give him the win.
In other stuff, one of my bosses** (I have 2, they're partners) walked in to my office this morning and asked me for the file on that job I quoted.
Me: Which one? (I've put out numbers for over 100 jobs since I've been here)
Him: The one to [general contractor's name redacted]
Me: Do we have a job name?
Him: Well you know the one.
We got it sorted out but specifics are so VERY handy!
** Herein after referred to as 'The Lads'.
While we're discussing work...
Flip-flops should be banned from the work place. Out of an office of 5, 3 wear them during the summer, 2 of those consistently. That incessant slap, salp, slap is enough to make me wanna reach out and touch someone (if'n ya know what I'm on about).
Saturday, September 3, 2011
One from one of my personal favorite, Elvis
This one was on the flip side of the 45 (yes I'm old enough to remember them) of Hunka Burnin' Love. Liked it a whole lot better than the 'A' side and it's one of my favorite sayings.
It's Your Baby, You Rock It
It's Your Baby, You Rock It
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Road trip, Part 1
A couple of weeks ago Part Time (yes, he's still around; am I a sucker for punishment?) and I took one of our usual summer road trips which I'll divide into 2 parts, the first part deserves it's own post. We had done a bit of planning this time instead of our usual get in the truck and say which way are we going today? (which leads to some great sights, but with no destination in mind how do you know if you're off course and when you've arrived?) I had decided that I wanted to go south and west and with a quick look at the map I said "the Bar U". We had driven by the entrance a couple of times before and had never stopped in at this national historic site. What a shame. So many terrific things to see in this great province that we live in and to have not been there before.
We pulled off the highway onto the access road, hung a right onto the property and what's the very first thing that we saw?
The story goes that Mr. George Lane was on the way home from visiting his wife in Calgary who had just delivered a child when he happened on a pack of wolves feasting on a cow. Being the cattleman that he was, he rode at them with his revolver drawn and firing when they decided to attack HIM and have a meal of horse flesh and human. (more likely just defending their dinner) The late, great Charlie Russell heard the story and painted it. The painting hung in the Lane house for years and in the '70s someone saw the painting, heard the story and commissioned this larger than life sculpture. Absolutely beautiful.
A couple of different angles for your viewing pleasure.
After ogling this baby for about 5 minutes we went into the building where you pay (no free rides with Parks Canada), read about the ranch, watch a short video and head out the back. You can either walk down to the outbuildings or wait for a courtesy shuttle. We opted to wait for the shuttle.
This pair of lads came up the hill.
The one one the left seemed to be the most steady of the pair; the other one seemed to be a little 'chargy'. He wanted to go, not plod along.
There were some other people that had come in behind us so we waited and chatted with the driver for a bit. At one time the Bar U had 1000 Percherons on the ranch. At that time, everything was done by hand or with horsepower. With a couple thousand cattle on close to 160,000 acres to put up hay for and feed in the winter, they were a much needed commodity. The Bar U Percherons were very prolific in the show ring as well, winning at the Calgary Stampede on numerous occasions, and in other locations across North America. I learned that when horses still pulled fire wagons it was mandated that because of their leg structure and sturdiness, Percherons were THE breed. Others would break down on the pavement of choice in that time; cobblestones.
The stud horse barn.
The harness repair shop.
The harness repair shop again.
The tractor repair shop.
A chuckwagon set up at a replica of a trail camp. Note the Bar U brand on the side.
Another shot of the tractor repair shop.
We pulled off the highway onto the access road, hung a right onto the property and what's the very first thing that we saw?
After ogling this baby for about 5 minutes we went into the building where you pay (no free rides with Parks Canada), read about the ranch, watch a short video and head out the back. You can either walk down to the outbuildings or wait for a courtesy shuttle. We opted to wait for the shuttle.
There were some other people that had come in behind us so we waited and chatted with the driver for a bit. At one time the Bar U had 1000 Percherons on the ranch. At that time, everything was done by hand or with horsepower. With a couple thousand cattle on close to 160,000 acres to put up hay for and feed in the winter, they were a much needed commodity. The Bar U Percherons were very prolific in the show ring as well, winning at the Calgary Stampede on numerous occasions, and in other locations across North America. I learned that when horses still pulled fire wagons it was mandated that because of their leg structure and sturdiness, Percherons were THE breed. Others would break down on the pavement of choice in that time; cobblestones.
An old threshing machine. (I'm sure Dad will correct me if I'm wrong)
The cookhouse and outhouse.
A tent set up at the chuckwagon site.
The typical chuckwagon set up.
The lads on a short rest stop.
This used to be the root cellar. The roof caved in recently.
The interior of the cook/bunk house. Can you imagine the tight quarters when there were twenty bunks up here instead of the 7 that were on display? (and the racket?)
Some glass batteries that were used for power.
An old generator.
This gal was working in the cook/bunk house baking cookies over a wood stove. Man, was it hot in there. She also maintained the rather large garden out back.
The legendary John Ware also spent some time at the Bar U.
'Few personalities stand out in the ranching industry of Canada like that of John Ware. An African-American born into slavery in the Carolinas, John rose to fame in the Canadian west. A true pioneer, John established his reputation in frontier society with deeds rather that words. His skills in the saddle and straight forward honesty earned him the respect of fellow cattlemen. Because of his courage and enormous strength, the First Nations people called him "Matoxy Sex Apee Quin" (bad black white man) and wondered if he had a connection to the spirit world.
'In the spring of 1882, Fred Stimson met veteran cattle drover Tom Lynch in Helena, Montana. Cattle prices were high in Montana so they traveled west to Lost River, Idaho. When business was concluded, Fred Stimson headed back to High River, leaving Tom Lynch to put together a trail outfit to bring the herd some seven hundred miles to their new rage. At Lost River, Lynch hired two hands just up from Texas, Bill Moodie and John Ware.
'At the beginning of the ride, Ware was given the lowly job of night herding on a decrepit old horse with a shoddy rig to match. He fulfilled his duties for several days before asking if he might have "a little better saddle and a little worse horse." John's request was granted and not only did he ride the bronc, he also gained a new measure of respect and admiration from those he rode with.
'Over the next two years, Ware worked for the Bar U Ranch and eventually moved to a spot along the Red Deer river, just north of the village of Duchess. In September of 1905, John was killed when his horse tripped and fell on him. Since his death, a wealth of legends have been woven, making him a Paul Bunyan of the Canadian west.'**
I think that this stop was worth the $20 admission and the highlight of my day.
** From the Parks Canada Visitor Guide
To learn more about the Bar U please visit
To learn more about the Bar U please visit
Some sad industry news
A couple of days ago a young Enmax (the local power authority) employee was killed on the job by being electrocuted while working on transmission lines. The lad was a well liked and respected 25 year old member of his community and a volunteer fireman.
My question is this: what was a first year apprentice doing up a pole working on high voltage lines by himself? I'm thinking that somebody's head is going to roll over this one.
My question is this: what was a first year apprentice doing up a pole working on high voltage lines by himself? I'm thinking that somebody's head is going to roll over this one.
I'm so blessed to live here
Alberta labour market tops North America
CALGARY — Alberta topped all jurisdictions in North America for labour market performance over the last five years, according to a report released Thursday by The Fraser Institute.
Measuring Labour Markets in Canada and the United States: 2011 Edition, which ranks the performance of labour markets in 10 Canadian provinces and 50 American states, is a composite measure of labour market performance based on five equally weighted indicators: average total employment growth, average private sector employment growth, average unemployment rate, average duration of unemployment, and average labour productivity.
Read the rest:
CALGARY — Alberta topped all jurisdictions in North America for labour market performance over the last five years, according to a report released Thursday by The Fraser Institute.
Measuring Labour Markets in Canada and the United States: 2011 Edition, which ranks the performance of labour markets in 10 Canadian provinces and 50 American states, is a composite measure of labour market performance based on five equally weighted indicators: average total employment growth, average private sector employment growth, average unemployment rate, average duration of unemployment, and average labour productivity.
Read the rest:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)