Coldonion

Wow Thursday already,

Yesterday was a cleanup and rest day, relaxing and watching TV. Today at work was pretty easy, assembling a few demo items and tidying up. The big bosses are in for the grand opening of a new costco store on Friday, so they were passing through our store for an inspection. Apparently once this is over, the tension level shall drop a bit, and things can go back to a bit more normal pace.

Ah, well that's about it, everyone take care

Ian

Hi all,
Not much happening now, finished my work this morning, now a day off tomorrow (YIPPEE!). Cleaning and sleeping, I think that is about it. Tonight we go over to Roanna's brothers house, then off to a restaurant, his birthday is today and we got him a couple of small gifts for him.

Other than that, work is going well, payday on Friday, the Bank came through with some good info for us, so hopefully by summer, we can be thinking about looking for a home, something a bit bigger and hopefully not through the roof cost wise, though houses are not cheap in Calgary at this point in time. No race though, we can stay here for a while which is fine for both of us. Occasionally, some idiot parks in our car spot, but other than that, no problems. They got thier squash court is fixed we may try start playing that on the weekends for some exercise. A few more months I think, and they should be putting up the tennis nets, we just have to find a few cheap rackets.

Ah well, rambling on now, everyone take care.

Ian

Hi all,
Not much happening this week, work...sleep....work...sleep, thats about it. Saturday we went to the bank to do some banking stuff, change a few things and accounts and such. Sunday we arranged to meet at Costco and do some shopping, Roanna was to pick me up after work (10 am), though they could not open the stores due to an electrical problem with the registers (no power). So we came back home, loaded up the car with the bottles and cans, and took them down to the recycle center (hello, $24) washed the car. Went to the store for some buns and soda water, then back home to make some chili dogs and potato wedges, sat down and watched the Calgary Flames play hockey (not so well they lost!!!)
Then up and back to Costco to do some shopping for the week (and a bit more), buying in bulk fills out the fridge.......
Cooked dinner, and watched some TV and in a bit, I think I will be off to the shower and bed, up at 3:45 and off to work at 4:15. Next week I should be going back to 2 days off, I just get and had Tuesday off for the last two weeks, which was a supprise to me. The job is going well, I seem to be getting the hang of it, good exercise to and from work and ALOT of heavy lifting. It tends to be a bit frustrating though, when you have spent 1/2 hour moving and stacking items neatly for display, to come in the next day and find that it has been moved some where else. Well I guess it could be worse, they could be moving the REALLY heavy stuff on a daily basis....
Friday is my first paycheck, not much but again better that what I have been making for the last 18 months. I plan to stick it out for at least the 90 days probation, maybe I can try to get an early raise or some other perk.... At best it is close to work, and I get alot of exercise (plus shed a few of those pounds I have put on). Then I get the benefit of shopping there, even if I eventually leave, we will deffinately have to get a card, some of the meats and other things down there are really good.

Anyhoo, hope everyone had a great weekend.

Ian

Here is a shot of my job, believe it or not this is about 10 minutes after I knocked off, and about 10 minutes after they opened, the parking lot was filling up fast!!! 

Well just got back from a quick walk to the recycle bin, the newspaper stack was getting a bit high...
Seems like the second day of spring is even better than the first, sun is out, and people are loving it, it is a bit nippy outside but warm in the sun. Today is my day off, so I am just resting and relaxing, staying out of trouble and out of the stores. Last night I made my first deposit into my checking account (my four hour orientation at Costco), I wanted a savings account, but they would only let me do 1 transaction per month, then they charge me for each transaction. With a checking account I get 15 transactions a month, before I have to start coughing up the dough. Hopefully I won't need to use the card more that a few transactions a month. My job is supposed to do direct deposit, so this is why I got an account. It is good to have money coming in, even though it is slightly above minimum wage...

On other good news, I FINALLY got the ball rolling on the Air Canada / Bank of Butterfield (my old bank in Bermuda) problem. I recieved a fax with a conformation of money sent to my cancelled credit card account, so it is floating some where in the Bank of Butterfields vaults. Years ago, I left that bank because of crappy service, only to go back to it because the other bank (Bank of Bermuda) had EVEN worse service. I spoke to the Credit card woman I have been dealing with since last August, so now the faxed info has been passed on to another department and they have to find it. Hopefully soon, I want to get this behind me, and of course I want my money! Like I said in an earlier blog, if this was money owed to the Bank, I am pretty sure they would have flown up hear and beat the crap outta me until I paid up.....
I think my next purchase may be an extra matress so I can stuff my money into it!!!!

Keep it safe all

Ian

Here is the picture of the frost covered trees, just off of Heritage Drive, about 10 mins walk from our apt. 

Hi all,
I hope that everyone is having a great weekend, mainly grey clouds during the daytime, and just so to keep it unexciting, at night it gets foggy. Though during midweek this left alot of horfrost on the trees, this is what roanna says it is called, I'm not gonna try to spell it any other way. Anyhoo, walking home from work!!! (Haven't said that for a LONG time) I took a few pics.
I'll post later, seems like I have a bit of a problem posting it right now.

So work has been good, heavy lifting, pushing and pulling things, the a.m. shift is nice, quiet, do what you have to do, then tidy up. Today I took the car in since I had to be at work for 4:30 instead of 5 a.m. so I was off at 9:30. Roanna came down and we did some shopping, getting a few items that we needed for dinner and the house.

Last night we made hamburgers, for tonights dinner, getting together with the family to celebrate three birthdays. Then back home and into bed early.

Keep it safe all.

Ian

Well it's nice and grey out there today, I'll have to check the weather station to see what's supposed to be up. It's not to bad cold wise here, just at night, so just gotta keep under the sheets.
Today I gotta go out and get my photo taken for my PR card, so I'll wander across the road and see if the Digital Post can do it. If they can't meet the requirements, I'll get it done down town, some one set up a little instant photo shop across the street from the Government Building, where I gotta do my interview. I guess that person thought ahead when he set up that little photo room, I've used him 3 time out of 4. So far doing all this paperwork I have sent in 5 sets of 2 photos for ID, I have only seen 1 photo graph come back to me (my passport), now 2 more photo's, and I assume that one will come back for my PR card. I guess they must be keeping the rest for "WANTED" posters......

So I got another day off today, then back to work tomorrow, yesterday my hands were so beat up and pulled out Roanna's parrafin wax and gave them a dip. Not bad results, I'll have to use it more often on a day off and maybe pick up some cheap gloves. Made some chili in the crock pot, and just relaxed at home, Ian stays indoors....Ian doesn't spend any money.

Today I am gonna try to contact my old bank, I STILL haven't recived word about the money that Air Canada sent to my ex credit card. The bank has been supposedidly looking for it for the last 2 months, but supprise supprise they haven't found it yet. I guess on the flip side, if it was ME oweing the bank this ammount of money, I am pretty positive they would have flown up some leg breaker to track me down and get it back.

Things are going pretty much well for both of us, now that I am working , we are doing a more concerted effort to save money now, get the credit cards paid off, and get some money in the savings account.

I will work the hours given until the first month, then once I am pretty comfortable with the job, look to do more hours. The funny thing about my job (putting out the merchandice) is it isn't done much during the opening hours, so in order to work more, you slip over to another department. Like cashier, or carry out person, I figure maybe slip over to the tire department, see if I can pick up some training and if I like it work extra hours there. Though driving around those forklifts looks pretty fun as well!!! Though I think those people make 4 am!!

Well enough chattering, this weekend we get together with the family, we have about 3 birthdays to celebrate, so planning on a BBQ, though we haven't decided on a menu yet (though I was eyeing up the spare ribs at Costco on Monday).

Keep it safe all

Ian

Well,
first day of work is done, 5 hours 5 til 10, moving around lots of palates of goods, tidying up, and trying not to get run over by a forklift...
So I work with two women, who were showing me the ropes, these women, for the last two months have been working by themsleves in the department with the heaviest items...go figure, so they were very pleased to see me.

Yesterday, Roanna & her Mom, and two other artists held an art show at a private home, Roanna did very well selling her necklaces, earings and braclets.
We also picked up a very nice painting (3 small painings on the horizontal). Sorry we forgot the camera, so no pics at all.

Well I am off to have lunch, hope everyone is doing well

Ian

Well it seems that these things happen in bunches, I get my Permanant Residence card interview in just over a week. I start my orientation FOR MY JOB!!!! this Wednesday!!! Finally I join the ranks of the employed, give me a couple of months and the banks will be fighting to give me a credit card (or cards). Not to bad I went to a job fair for COSTCO last Friday, and got the call yesterday (Wednesday) with the offer. I chose the early a.m. shift, 5 til' 130, apparently there is lots of opportunity for OT, and cross training in other departments. I took the "merchandicing" position, putting out products on the floor. (If anyone doesn't know, it is warehouse style shopping, also you gotta pay for a card to be a member).

The job is only about a 30 minute walk from our apt, but as soon as the snow is gone, I'll get a pedal bike, then that will be a bit quicker to work. So this should help as well, walk to work for exercise, and bus back in the afternoon.

So that's about it for the news, I figure I'll be at work by next week, but maybe sooner, go in get the walkthrough, fill out the paperwork, and I guess get a start date.

Everyone Keep safe.

Ian