I'm ready!

By the time this post is published, I should be seated on an airplane, winging my way to Ottawa on the first leg of my trip to Jamaica.

As I write this on Thursday evening, my bags are almost packed, the travel documents are printed, and the feelings of anticipation are building with every hour that passes by.  I'm working tomorrow for a half day, then have a few errands to run (including a final tanning appointment) before I head home to do the last minute panic.  Do I have enough sunscreen?  Have I packed too much, too little, what have I forgotten?  Where's my beach bag? Hanging on the bedroom door knob.  Is the camera battery fully charged?  Yes, I did it last weekend.   Sigh...I'm such a nut case just before I leave on a trip! AND this is why I start packing a week in advance.

When I get to Ottawa, T is picking me up at the airport and later in the afternoon we have pedicures booked.  (Note to self: pack polish!) We've already decided it will be an early evening as our flight leaves Ottawa at 7 a.m. Sunday morning.

We've got a little over an hour layover in Toronto (the center of the universe) and then we're off to Montego Bay, expecting to land by 2:30 p.m. local time.  I expect, by the time we go through customs, get our luggage and find our shuttle, and travel the 45 minutes to the resort we'll probably be in our room dropping off our gear by 4 p.m.

The next task will be locating the rest of the wedding party as we're all planning to get together to watch the CFL Western final between the Saskatchewan Roughriders and the Calgary Stampeders.  The groom has already promised to bring along his laptop.  I'm envisioning, ten or so crazy Rider fans huddled around a laptop watching the game.  The game is being played in Calgary, and if the past few weekends are repeated the game will be played in snow or at least slush.  We'll have slush too...it'll just be part of our drinks!  GO RIDERS!

I'm so looking forward to this trip.  It's been a crazy few weeks at work and I'm ready for some down time.  Spending with friends who live far away will be awesome.  I'm grateful to be able to witness G & B as they join their lives and their families together.

See you later...I'm back on November 25th!  Have a great week everyone!

Friday Funny

OMG ! !....I was in the public restroom - I was barely sitting down when I heard a voice in the other stall: "Hi, how are you?" 

Me: embarrassed, "Doin' fine ! !" 
Stall: "So what are you up to?"
 
Me: "Uhhh, I'm like you, just sitting here." 
Stall: "Can I come over?" 

Me: (with an attitude) "No, I'm a little busy right now ! !" 
Stall: "Listen, I'll have to call you back. There's an idiot in the other stall who keeps answering all my questions!!!!

In Remembrance

*comments off

Gameday Sunday

Today is game day for the Saskatchewan Roughriders.  Win today, and they'll be in the Western final and only one game away from the Grey Cup.  Since we are hosting the 101st Grey Cup in Regina, the pressure is on.

It's also cold...very cold! (-11C = 12.2F)

Makes me happy to be the kind of fan that stays home and watches the game on television!

Go Riders!

Getting ready

I took the car into the tire shop to have the winter tires put on.  When I arrived just before 8 a.m. I found a line-up outside the door.  Fortunately I had booked an appointment, because many of those waiting were disappointed to hear the earliest appointment was for Tuesday morning.

It was a pretty cold walk home so I was grateful that I'd bundled up.  Although the temperature wasn't cool, the wind certainly made it feel that way.  Apparently I should have waited as they had work done in less than an hour!  Since I was watching curling I waited until the game ended to take the walk back.

When I picked up the car I went to the tanning salon....fifteen minutes in the bed and I was toasty warm! The trip to Jamaica is just a week away.  I haven't started packing yet, though have been setting things aside as I come across them.  Of course, I haven't come across the bathing suits and shorts yet...not with the weather we're having.

Yesterday I went to pick up a couple of gift cards, one for my friend who is getting married in Jamaica and the other for DeNephew who turns 13 this week. While I was in the "mood" for shopping I decided to start my search for Christmas gifts.  I have to show you these items for my friend C.  (I don't think she even knows about my blog so I'm safe to share!)

C is a crazy cat lady (more so than I).  Not only does she also have three cats, her house is full of cat objects with knick knacks and paddywhacks (as she calls them) everywhere!

These are magnets for her fridge...I know she'll be thrilled with them.  Aren't they cute?  I may have to go back to get some for myself!  Or maybe pass a big hint onto my children.

I did find a few more things for my daughter, but my son is nearly impossible to buy for.  Not only is he a low maintenance kind of guy, he has no real hobbies or interests beyond the computer. And if there is something he wants, he buys it for himself.

A few years ago when I asked what he wanted for Christmas, he said socks and underwear.  So that's what he gets!  Along with a few other items that are consumable.  He always with whatever he gets. So maybe he easier to shop for than my daughter!

So the process to get ready for winter, for my trip, and for Christmas is started.  When I get back from my trip, it will be less than a month until Christmas.  There will be snow on the ground (most of it has melted from the last snowfall) but I'll be relaxed and ready to tackle the last few weeks of 2013.

Hope everyone is having a great weekend wherever you are!

Friday Funny

I'm not ready!

It was in the forecast, other areas of the province were getting similar weather, and it is November but I still was hoping against hope the bad weather would miss us.  No such luck!

We woke up this morning to freezing rain, snow flurries and winds gusting to 70 km. per hour or higher. Simply walking out to the car to let it run for a few minutes before I scraped the windows was treacherous.

The drive to work was a treat, NOT.  The city hadn`t yet sent out the sanding trucks so every intersection was a  virtual skating rink.

There are three kinds of drivers in Saskatchewan at this time of year.  There are the big-ass truck and SUV drivers with four wheel drive and a total disregard for others.  The second kind are those who drive smaller vehicles but mistakenly assume they are driving big-ass trucks and SUVs.  I'm not certain which is worse but I gave a one finger salute to at least one of each kind on the way to work this morning.

Then there are those, like me, who until the changeover to winter tires, become old women drivers.  Hands firmly gripping the wheel, constantly checking mirrors, ready at a second's notice to slow down and get the hell out of the way (of the other kinds of drivers) We realize it is not driving on ice that is dangerous...it's trying to stop on ice that is the problem!

I'm scheduled to take the car into the shop this weekend to put on the winter tires. By then this bit of ice and snow should have melted but there is more in the forecast.  Winter is here, like or not. As Deniece would say, `Suck it up, buttercup``.

Have a good rest of the week everyone!

Running in place

If you saw me you'd know the title is a lie...I don't run  I amble, stroll, occasionally trot but there is no run in this body.  I just feel like I'm running in place at the moment.

Every once in awhile I get a glimpse of a light at the end of the tunnel.  My only worry...it might be a train. Frankly, though things at work are improving.  My fellow supervisor is back after recovering from his recent surgery and has taken half of my old team over, the other half will transfer to their new teams within the next week. That will leave me with only my new team, who have been transitioning to my team since mid-September.

The project I'm currently working on should be complete by Friday as well, and though I have a report to write for an on-going project, I have the information I need and it should not take me very long to finish it.  I've committed to have it done by Tuesday afternoon so everything else will have to take a back seat.

And of course, I'm looking ahead two weeks to my vacation in Jamaica.  My friend T and are travelling together (I'll meet up with her in Ottawa) to attend our friend G's wedding.  We'll be staying at the Gran Bahia Principe* in...get this...Runaway Bay.  How perfect is that?

I've started looking through my clothing, deciding what I need to take with me, and trying to keep it to the bare minimum.  I'll probably take the large suitcase anyway simply to ensure I have room to bring items back.  Christmas shopping in Jamaica?  Maybe...I'm sure I'll find items I wouldn't find here!

On the home front the news makes me positively giddy!  On Tuesday I was doing my happy dance...though I didn't win the lottery...even better, my son is finally working again.  He went into the place he worked at over a year ago, and as luck would have it they had an opening.  Although he was hired as a seasonal employee I'm hoping he'll have the opportunity to stay.  If not, finding another job should be easier, as most employers would rather hire someone who already has a job, rather than someone who is unemployed.

Today our Saskatchewan Roughriders play the final game of the season.  While it is somewhat meaningless as they have already clinched their spot in the playoff I'll still be hooting and hollering at the television.  Go Riders!

Housework can wait until tomorrow!

Have a great weekend everyone!

*Courtesy of TripAdvisor.

Friday Funny

I'm just over two weeks away from my next vacation.  I haven't started packing yet...but I've been thinking about it!

Have a great weekend everyone!