It's really tough for me to make decisions...I don't know when that started, but things that need to be done get thought about for far too long and then often put on the back burner indefinitely.

I bought a new set of desperately needed pots and pans once and they sat in the box for two years before I finally cracked it open and used them. There's more to that...I'm sure there is.

Last week I bought a new (used) vehicle and that was a big deal to me. It cost a bit more than what I'd wanted to spend but I was steered in this direction by my mechanic (who has been a friend of Dad's for years). A 70 year old Japanese fisherman bought the vehicle brand new in 2000 and barely drove it - it has 37,000 kms on it. It also has all the bells and whistles...more than what I need, that's for sure. It IS turning out to be a bit of a gas guzzler....but I guess carting around 5 of us, one of whom is 6 feet tall, ruled out a little economy car. We had to have sufficient room for the whole gang (and Linds' "luggage" that she carts around everywhere).

Anyhow, here's the new bus.

I really like 54-40's new song...that's Neil's daughter singing with him.

I also like this guy too:

That is all.

Things have been absolutely crazy hectic, but in a good way. I'm going through one of my "highs" at the moment...everything is great and I've got energy to burn. It's a go, go, go time, which is when I fly right.

Ty & I worked the election and that required a lot of running around, training, etc. and explains why I haven't been around much...they threw a lot at us in a short period of time. Hell, they were still advertising for people to work last Thursday!! The training was on Friday and we were each given a 100 page manual, then two lovely old gals tried explaining it all to us. They failed (miserably). They were all over the map and quite possibly suffering from Alzheimers. I think maybe the knitting club was more up their alley, but somehow they ended up working for the Government. Imagine that.

Is it wrong to think that when you've been hired for a job and training starts at 12:00 that YOU SHOULD PROBABLY TRY AND GET THERE ON TIME? What kind of idiot strolls in 20 minutes late? (Eight of them!) I was disappointed that the women in charge waited for them before starting the training - it shortchanged those of us who cared enough to make it on time. So the 3 hour course was crammed into 2 and was totally overwhelming. Not to mention the mob who pushed to get the handouts at the end....again, what kind of people do that? A lady actually had to elbow another fat old broad who was crushing us up against the table - they're not free donut samples lady, it's just paperwork. Chill. You'll get yours.

I'm the type who worries about everything and I don't take jobs lightly - I'm a bit of a perfectionist. So when I picked up my ballot box on the weekend and discovered that it was crammed full of even more paperwork, I kinda freaked out. Ty kept reassuring me that we'd be fine (we were a team - I was his supervisor. Hehe). But why I thought staying up all night before the election and reading through the material until my brain froze was a good idea is beyond me. No sleep is not good. No sleep when you're about to do a job you've never done before (involving 500 people) is really not good. Two plus two was equalling nine by the time the alarm went off at 5:15 (the last time I remembered looking at the clock was at 4:11. Yikes).

So the morning rolled around and we were to report to our stations by 6 am - no freakin' problem, right? A couple of pounds of coffe and I'd be good to go. But fuck if it wasn't a full moon and that means crazy things in my world. As I drearily carted boxes of stuff from my car into the gym, I somehow managed to spill my (extra large, burning hot) coffee down the front of my sweater. And on the ballot box and screen. Yea. I'm a winner. (I quit.)

Anyhow, all went well in the end. Ty and I worked like a well oiled machine, mostly thanks to him. I was impressed by his calm demeanor and ability to perform under some really stressful situations. He rocked it bigtime and kept me afloat.


My poll clerk, Ty.
He's awesome.
See? >>>>>>>>


This election was a mess, as people were required to show identification for the first time ever. Really? We didn't have to before? That's ridiculous. There were oaths to read and vouching to be done and interpreters involved all day long - never a dull moment. But I'm proud to say that we balanced and were out of there without a hitch. Wish I could say the same for the station beside us - that was a mess. I felt bad because the DRO was a passive little gentleman who had about as much clerical sense as a camel. He tore all his ballots out of the books and had them strewn around everywhere - "here, have some". His poll clerk was beet red by the end of the day...I'm quite sure she had an aneurysm at the end. We'd all called our results in and their ballot box hadn't even been opened yet. They'd officially sealed some stuff in envelopes, then realized they still needed it and hadn't counted how many people voted at their station. Not a pretty sight at that table...I asked if they needed help, then ran before it got too ugly.

Our jobs as DRO's were to protect each and every ballot...dude at the table to the left didn't do so well in that department. Did you know someone actually ate their ballot once? Brought condiments and everything. FTR - you're not allowed to do that. I can't believe that it's actually in the FAQ's. Like this is a problem?

We also were to maintain order....I got a little worried when I saw a warrant/arrest sheet in my supplies. Luckily, it wasn't needed. Nor was the bomb threat procedure page....Ty and I laughed at the "DO NOT TRY AND DISMANTLE THE BOMB YOURSELF". Uh, o.k. We won't.

So today it's back to the usual grind - it's nice to put all the craziness behind me.

Next week I'm off to buy a new car...mine's PMSing again. The heater (that I replaced two years ago) laughs at me. Screeches and laughs. I actually side kicked it while I was driving the other day (it's way over by the passenger seat).

There's also a hole in something. I know this because it sounds like a bicycle that's got baseball cards in the spokes. Kind of a dying lawnmower thing. And it smells like burning oil. (Or maybe that's my brain on fire?)

The final straw was the burnt out headlight. I was picking Linds up from Jesse's at midnight on Thanksgiving and when I rounded the corner just before his house, a cop was coming towards me. He pulled a U turn and I knew I was doomed. Lights, sirens, the whole she-bang. I pulled into Jesse's driveway and asked the cop if he could at least have the decency to turn off the lights /siren so he wouldn't embarrass me in front of my daughter's boyfriend's family. He took his sweet time and and by that time Jesse's mom was peeking out the front door to see what the commotion was all about. The neighbours too. "Oh hi, I'm just here to pick Linds up". "Yes officer, I have my license right here". (Douchebag).

So it's time to part ways, me and the Volvo. I'll miss her - she's got character. But I probably should've packed her in when Ty and I broke down in the tunnel - that was a trip.

Oh yeah, I had a road rage incident today in front of Lindsay's school - she went in and told everyone to witness her Mom in action outside...they all peeked out the windows and watched it unfold. Including her teachers. Yeeha. I was right though....Linds almost got mowed down by a pompous ass who was rushing into his financial institution. "I don't care that your portfolio's fucked...you still can't run over my daughter". (It's the law) :P

(I'm not really a redneck, I just talk like one)

Did I tell you I'm a winner yet?

Well, time to run - my eyelids feel like lead. I won't be adrift for so long this time...will check in with you all soon. The time off I have coming will be spent here, catching up with all of you. Be cool. (Just because I'm not, doesn't mean you can't be)

:)

I am pathetic.

Seriously...I composed a post some time ago, complete with pictures, and didn't post it. Why?...I don't know. I suppose it's because, to me, nothing's ever "finished" (there's more to that - remember, I'm 10 years "separated" without having ever divorced).

Later on today (when I get home from the races), I will post it - just because. I don't know how to adjust the date, so it will probably appear before this one chronologically.

Nothing much to report - although yesterday was one shit of a day. It started out o.k....the mother in law and I did our usual Friday breakfast at Ikea. Yes, Ikea and breakfast do go together - a buck for eggs, hash browns and toast. Anyhow, we're kinda like that "start the car" lady from the commercials over the whole deal. But things quickly went downhill after breakfast.

Linds normally is out of school at 11:30 on Fridays but when we went to pick her up, she was still finishing up some homework. No biggie, we simply scooted over to Save On Foods so the mother in law could sneer at their prices. I also discovered that the Canucks' tickets I usually get for 1,600 points plus cash are now 22,000 points each. In other words, I'd have to spend $18 million to get a free hockey ticket. I'll pass, thanks. Go Giants.

So after squeezing all the lemons in the produce department, we went back to get Linds (who still wasn't "finished"). Which was hard to understand, as she was outside, farting around with friends. She was also wolfing down a huge black forest ham/cheese croissant that the school had provided (as, apparently she is a needy child of poverty and we can't afford food. Hard to tell, what with the $100 shoes/$110 hairdo, etc.). Anyhow, the issue I had with this was that the day before I made her a lovely black forest ham/cheese sandwich that she didn't eat, announcing that she doesn't do ham. Apparently that was only applicable yesterday and today it's her favorite.

I was losing my patience by this time, as I had an hour and a half before I started work. I told her to get her ass and her (not as good as my) sandwich back inside and get serious about finishing her homework (the school she's at doesn't believe in homework...the students must complete their work before they leave each Friday - I love that system, as it ensures the work actually gets done).

I dropped off the mother in law, then pondered what to do in the little time I had left before work. I almost turned right and headed to Dad's but, foolishly, decided I'd go to Safeway and get the groceries instead. Bad move.

Have I ever told you about an ongoing battle I have with a red light camera on my route home? The kids laugh because it's not uncommon for me to slow down, almost to a stop, on a green light because this light's been programmed to "catch" unsuspecting motorists and people who drive like sane people. I've clocked the green to red and it's been as little as 7 seconds on occasion....I don't even think it has yellow. So far, I've beat the little bastard every time, but today my luck ran out.

As I approached the light I was "ready", as usual. Elbows out, teeth clenched, arms tense with my hands grippping the wheel (ready to floor it through the yellow). And, as expected, it did turn yellow - right as I was on the crosswalk line. Now any reasonable person would just carry on through the light - but I have issues. So I slammed, hard, on the brakes. "Hahahaha light, you can't catch me". Although, in my calculations, I forgot that it was raining for the first time in weeks, so I started to slide, sideways. I ended up in the middle of the intersection, in the red. "Cheeeeeez".

But that was just the start. Work was awful - I think it was Dickhead Day yesterday. Got through that, bought a nice bottle of wine and came home to watch the rest of the football game and make some chili. Then Ty phoned, needing a ride home. No problem, right?

Well I ran out of gas on the way, wearing my after work comfy pyjamas. I won't even tell the rest of the story because, quite frankly, there aren't enough swear words available.

So, today's gotta be better, right? I'll keep you posted.