Flying away

I'm off again tomorrow on my second work related trip in the past three weeks. You would think that having packed my suitcase just a couple of weeks ago, it would be a snap. Ha! You'd be wrong...I leave most of my dress shoes at work because I don't wear them anywhere else. Well, I left the office on Friday without the shoes I intended to take with me on this trip. I did have one pair I could use and luckily my daughter D and I wear the same size so I borrowed a pair of her flats.

I checked the weather channel and it won't be any better in Ottawa than it will be here. It's not really cold but definitely getting there. I was really hoping for a few more days of nice weather to enjoy as I'll be walking to dinner most evenings. There is a restaurant in the hotel I'm staying in, but I've eaten there once and was not impressed. $15 for a bowl of soup is just a little too much for me. I was one of only a handful of people in the restaurant, and then a group came in with several small children. Guess who they sat them next to....that's right, me! Don't get me wrong, I generally like children, just not tired and cranky children in a restaurant with no kid's menu. I probably won't eat there again.

To get to my course is easy, there is an underground walkway from the hotel to the building where the training room is located, with a Tim Horton's on the way. I generally grab breakfast there, read the newspaper, and watch the line up grow as people stop in their way to work. It's amazing how quickly the orders get processed while the line-up keeps going. I can think of a few places that could learn a lesson in efficiency from the staff at this location.

I've decided not to take my laptop with me. I took my work laptop on my trip to Calgary; it was a nuisance taking it through security and I never did get my wifi to work. I'm pretty sure I'd be able to get internet with my personal laptop but it's one more thing to carry. Instead I'll take my crocheting - it's been sadly neglected for a month or better. If I spent as much time working on my projects as I do playing on the 'net they woudd be complete!

My blog will be quiet until I get back. I'll take my camera, will share some pictures as I expect the fall colors will be in full force there.
Have a great week!

Winter is coming whether I want it to or not.

It's late October, Halloween is Monday, so we can expect snow in the next few weeks if not days. So far the long range isn't showing any major precipitation but I won't be surprised to see it happen on Halloween.

I can't remember the number of times when I was young, and then when my children were growing up, going out trick or treating with costumes on top of snow suits or winter coats. I suppose there was some benefit to that because the costumes fit for a couple of years! Though I don't remember ever convincing one of my kids to wear a costume two years in a row.

This year, I'll be in Ottawa for Halloween. I leave early Sunday morning, like really freaking early, at 6 a.m. I don't what I was thinking when I booked the flight. However, I'll be in Ottawa by early afternoon so will be able to get a good night's rest. This is another trip for work, the last of a series of courses I need for my current position and one I've been wanting for some time.

This session is the human resources module and when you manage a group of people, the personnel issues arise almost daily. I really don't understand why they leave this module to last. This past week I've been completing my performance review discussions with staff who were part of my team this year. There have been some issues throughout the year (and continuing) that require a knowledge of human resource and labour relation policies. And I'm working on two competitive processes. If nothing else I hope this session reinforces the decisions I've made.

I'm looking forward to the trip as well because it will give me an opportunity to get together with a number of friends who have moved to Ottawa over the past few years. I probably won't get to visit very often from now on, since this will be the last trip paid for by my employer. If I'm paying for the trip, I'm more likely to go somewhere warm!

And now with winter coming I'm even more grateful we booked our winter holiday early. Just 74 more sleeps to go!

Soft kitty, warm kitty

I love the television show, Big Bang Theory. The humor is a little bit highschool nerd trying to fit into the modern world. It makes me laugh.

If you haven't seen the show, one of the truly memorable characters, Sheldon is a highly intelligent physicist who turns into a little boy when he feels ill. At those times he asks Penny (she lives across the hall) to sing to him this ditty.
"Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur
Happy kitty, sleepy kitty, purr, purr, purr"

I was uploading some pictures from my camera tonight while I was watching the latest episode and even though it wasn't of tonight's show the song kept running through my head.

Here's my soft kitty, Sami hanging out in the sunroom

Sleeping Sasha likes to cuddle in my chair with me

Saku prefers to have the chair to himself

My beautiful Silas was happiest on my lap

Missing my boy, and treasuring the last few photos I have of him.

Wordless Wednesday

Don't promise me the moon and stars

We are currently in the midst of a provincial election. Fortunately the campaign is limited to about 30 days which is short enough we won't have to listen to the politicians make promises they have no intention of keeping. Oh they will keep a few, the ones that cost the least and are most visible to the voting public, while the rest of the promises are defeated in the legislature. (It's really not difficult process, the government members just don't show up for a vote, and *poof* there goes that promise!)

If somehow I could send a message to the politicians it would be this:

As you make your promises to the electorate, I'd ask you to remember who will be responsible to pay for these promises. Please recall that ultimately ever penny government spends come from the pockets of the taxpayers. I'm one of the few who don't mind paying taxes (at least most of the time) because I see the benefits everytime I drive on one of our roads, take a flight from an airport, or go to a hospital or a school.

But when you promise us the moon and the stars I get angry.

You MUST realize we simply cannot afford to provide free housing or education or medical care to every person in this province. So much of our tax revenues rely on the natural resources and the businesses that spin-off these industries. Those natural resources are not infinite and we, all of us, have a responsibiity to the generations to follow to preserve and maintain these resources for as long as possible.

We give you the trust to make the best decisions for our province. We want you to promote our products and services across the globe, to provide services that the private sector is unwilling or unable to provide, to safeguard the natural resources, and to care for the less fortunate in our communities. It's not an easy job.

So please don't patronize us in the waning days of the campaign. Spend your time instead of considering how you might best meet the goals and expectations of the province's people. Give us something real and believable to base our decision. Frankly, this moon and star stuff isn't fooling anyone! Maybe I'll vote for the Rhinocerus party...are they running this year?

From a frustrated and undecided voter!

Too tired to post

So I'll share a picture from my last Caribbean cruise...just 79 more sleeps to my next winter getaway.

This picture was taken from a narrow gauge railway train on St. Kitt's. We spent an afternoon touring the island, it was beautiful!

Gratitude

Thank you Trish and Dawn for your lovely comments to my last post. I cannot tell you how much it means to me to hear from you, it's so good to know I'm not alone in this moment.

I've realized that no matter how difficult it is to let go of Silas, (or for that matter, anyone we love), I would never wish that he had not been part of my life. He asked so little of me and gave so much; I will be forever grateful.

I'm grateful too, that you are part of my life as well. How fortunate I am to know that there are others outside the realm of my everyday who demonstrate empathy towards me. Thank you for your friendship through the web.

I was surfing the net last night and came across this little picture. It made me laugh and thought I'd share it here. I hope you enjoy it too!