Yesterday's work = today's stiffness

As I had mentioned, yesterday I worked a call at The Grand Theatre. It was supposed to be a lighting hang. Minimal lifting, minimal grunt work. Well, there were three other girls and I on this call and we finished hanging the lights very quickly. So then they wanted our help to set up their transformable stages. 33 pieces of stage that were at least 6' by 3' and were very heavy. Not only did we have to move them from storage in the basement but lift them from the dolleys, put 3' legs on them and set them up. I was a little tired after.

Today I woke up and was wondering how I had slept to create such a sore back. It took me all day to figure out that it was from yesterday's manual labour. I am quite stiff. Well, lesson learned. I am a stage manager. I do paper work.

Have a little work tomorrow

I have my first theatre call tomorrow not at Theatre Calgary. I have the opportunity to go to a lighting hang at The Grand. They have asked me many times before, but every other time has been with only a day notice and I have been working, or I have been working. So tomorrow I go to work. I am little nervous - as I usually am with new things. But this will be a new thing (as I have not worked a tech call here in Calgary before). But this is what I have my degree in so I should be okay.

And, I finally got the days I need off for Vegas figured out. It has caused me a lot of grief. And today it caused a lot of ups and downs, but I finally have it worked out.
The only problem is that I have been watching the flights and there are only 2 tickets left for sale for Friday night from Calgary to Vegas and no tickets left for Monday. So I guess there are no options but to fly out Sat night and return Tuesday night. I hope Stef doesn't mind missing one day of school. Oh well, the biggest deal is over -getting the days off. The next is just to get on the plane!

My new glasses hurt me

So, my new glasses. They are different from my old glasses, so I expected them to feel a little different. No big deal, just have to get used to them. Well, they hurt me. The nose piece sticks to my nose and it hurts to move them. The arms of the glasses are thick as opposed to the wire of my old glasses. At work I wear a headset, and this headset presses my ear onto the arm and then both the side of my head and my ear hurt. Good thing they offer 30 guarantee, I think they need to be changed.
Back to the drawing board!

I had a pleasant surprise

As many of you may know I have been pursuing a career in theatre (with a small hiatus this summer to work for Westjet). I have work lined up with Theatre Calgary for Oct 17 and all was to be great. Yesterday I had the pleasant surprise of getting a call from Globe Theatre in Regina. I don't even think that I have given them a resume. They offered me an apprentice job for their Christmas show. Obviously they had someone else lined up who backed out. But how else is a person supposed to get work in this business if they didn't get a start like that. I was very surprised and happy to receive this call. And even more happy that I could turn them down because I have two shows lined up that conflict with their offer!

VS.

Red Hot Chili Peppers ... are gone!

Over the weekend Derek, Jesse and Josh came to stay with us so they could see the Red Hot Chili Peppers. I think that they all had a very good time. Logan went with them to the concert. They all seemed to have a very good time. The only thing I have to say is three extra grown men in a one bedroom apartment makes for squishy quarters.

But they certainly kept me entertained.

Yeah Vegas!

Today, my mom, Stef and I did some planning for our Vegas trip. We booked our tickets to the Cirque du Soleil show O. Stef is very excited, it is a synchronized swimming, acrobatics type show. It should be great!

Gonna go to Vegas

While still working at Westjet I think that my mom and sister and I are going to take advantage and head to Vegas for the Thanksgiving weekend! Woo hoo! It should be cheap to fly, and people say that hotels can be cheap to. It should be fun.

Anyone been? Have suggestions?

I feel a little bad

I am trying to finish with the Wedding Photographer. I know, it is way way after our wedding. It is a very long story and not very interesting. So, all we had left was a picture DVD to be mailed to us. I sent an email with our address to mail the picture DVD. When you hear picture DVD what do you think. A DVD with all of the pictures on it, like getting the negatives. When I met with them the first time I asked about negative and the response was they are digital so we don't have negatives, but we will give a DVD with all of the pictures on it. I feel that my assumtion was correct to think that they would be data files. They emailed me back saying it is a pictures slide show - for those who don't know it would be like a video, not files you can use for anything else. I responded with a question like statement something like above. I received three emails today from him. When I opened my email I started at the most recent mail (bad idea) and read the last response. It was a short and sweet email that said he will replace the picture DVD with a High Res. File DVD and mail it if it is okay with me. So I responded - perfect! Not knowing that he had already had an argument with me, and I had won - without knowing it. The first two emails talk not offering High Res. Files available until this year and the next with a copy of the original package stating picture DVD. Weird. But I won without knowing it.

My new glasses

All right, I need everyone's opinion. These are new, but I have 30 days to take them back and get new ones. Glasses are really hard, because it is like a new haircut, you don't really like it until you are used to it. I have had the same glasses for so long it feels weird to see something different. Let me know what you think - honestly. I am not locked into them and I need honest opinions.

(Bad picture of me, but better of glasses)

I broke my glasses

Just the other day Lisa and I were talking on the phone about someone we went to high school with. She commented that he was still wearing the glasses he wore in high school. I retorted that I was too. But that got me to thinking, these glasses are really old. Oh well, glasses are expensive and not on the top of the list right now. That was on Monday.

Yesterday was Saturday. Only 6 shorts days after thinking my glasses were just fine. They have been bothering me a bit lately by feeling out of place. I had a glasses place fix the nose piece for me thinking that would solve the problem. However, they have been slowly feeling more and more slanty. Last night, while talking to Danielle in our apartment I went to adjust my glasses and they felt pliable. I took them off and I was holding the glasses and the left arm in one hand and the right arm in the other. Oops!

So, today, whether I liked it or not, Stef and I went shopping for glasses. Everyone complains about shopping for jean or bathing suits. Try glasses. You have to wear them everyday and with everything. We did find a pair and had them put on hold. I have to see an optometrist tomorrow and hopefully everything will be alright. Sept 10th, I started receiving my benefits from Westjet on Aug 29th. Close, so very close!

I love the Food Network

Right now I work nights. My shifts start anywhere after 3pm and go anywhere up to 1am. Kinda sucky. And because of that work schedule I don't get to watch any prime time tv. People ask if I have watched the last "insert great show here" and most definitely have not. I am finding that the only tv I watch now is the Food Network. Licence to Grill and Chef at Home are my favorites. The only problem is, I watch all these cooking shows and learn neat things - and would really like to try them out - but I work nights. All of my supper hours are spent on the phone booking reservations.

The good news. Every four months Westjet does a schedule repreferencing. So today is my last very late night shift. Starting Monday I will be working anywhere from 12noon to 10pm. Which will be great. Logan likes to work the closing shift at work which his 1:30 to 9:30. So we should be able to see each other a little more!!!

Rough couple of days

I have been writing blogs about the trials of finding a place to live in Calgary. I spent hours on the internet and in the paper looking. We went to see a couple. I wrote about the whole Stef and I went to look at. Well, Logan and I found a great place. I don't even want to get into how beautiful it was - except that it was really no bigger than our place right now and we were planning on putting 3 people into it. And then there was the price. Only $1150 a month. I say only, cause when you compare it to everything else I had been looking at, for what we would be getting the price was excellent. But then you have to remember that the cost of rent isn't relative to other places - it is relative to how much you can afford. Even with Stef kicking in for the rent, we would still have to up our food bill and put away a couple hundred dollars every month to cover the months when Stef would be moving back to Regina for the summer. So we turned it down. It was a great place at a great price - but still to much for us. We aren't about to stretch ourselves for rent - maybe if it was a mortgage payment.

So that was Sunday. Monday I had off and both Logan and I felt a little off. Tuesday I called in sick with the flu. Yesterday, I thought I felt better (and who can afford to miss two days of work in a row). I made it through 2 hours before I was sweaty from hot flashes and fever, dizzy and running to the bathroom yet again. I left. So today, whether I am feeling better or not I have to make it through work. And I thought that I would be fine - I sit all day. But talking engages muscles in the stomach, and when the stomach is upset it is magnified. So wish me luck as I try again today.

Actually finished this time

Before, I had declared that I was done my wedding video. Sure I put the disclaimer that I might have a few things to add. Well, yesterday I actually finished it. I burned it to a DVD and gave it a watch last night and found everything worked as planned. YEAH! So now I will set it to burn a handful of discs today before work! I am very excited, and kinda sad, that it is complete. I like watching bits of my wedding every day. But I think that 1 year 1 month and 18 days is long enough after the wedding to have completed the video.

Baby Blankets

Last year was the year of weddings. Leah and Marc Perrault in May, us in July, Lani and Regan in August and Lisa and Curtis Machnaik in October. This year is the year of the baby!




First, Sydney Paige Baisley was born to Lani and Regan on
May 13th.









Then Avelyn Paige Brown was born to Amanda and Steve Brown on July 19th.





Then Owein and Alana Heileger had little baby Alena Zara Heileger on August 4th. (I don't have a picture because we have yet to see that little bundle)


Most recently, my cousins Carla & Marc VanHorne had little Kaeleigh Heather Rose on August 9th.





Many months ago I had decided that the best possible baby gift would be a home made blanket. So before I went to Edmonton (to work for a month, the middle of March to the middle of April) I bought a bunch of flannelette fabric and began making quilts while away. I bought 4 different fabrics, all as unisex as I could find so that boys or girls would be fine with it - even though it ended up being 4 girls. It was a surprisingly long process. The first one was fun, the second one, the novelty wore off, the third was no fun and the last, I procrastinated like it was home work. It seemed to take forever, but they were well worth it as I think they all turned out beautifully.
I would have written about the blankets sooner but I just gave out the last on the family reunion weekend and didn't want to give it away. I could have been smarter though, I gave 3 away before I took a picture. They were all different and two of the four had cotton batting centers for extra warmth and padding. (two had to be mailed so the smaller they would fold the better.)

Another milestone

Life is full of firsts. Some a big, some small, some good, some bad. Today we had another first. Our first pet died. Guy Smiley was a samurai Fighting fish, and he chose to end his life today but jumping out of his bowl and behind the TV. Needless to say I was not impressed when I discovered his bowl empty and knew that there was a dead fish somewhere. Ew.
Margarita, the red fish, is doing fine so far without her friend.

Logan the Bank Robber Catcher

This was the write up in Thursday's Calgary Sun

CalgarySun.ca
Thu, August 31, 2006
Police catch alleged robber
UPDATED: 2006-08-31 03:25:48 MSTBy TODD SAELHOF

Tipped off by a security guard, police arrested a 42-year-old city man suspected of a pair of recent bank robberies.
About 4:15 p.m. yesterday, a loss prevention officer at The Bay in Chinook Mall saw a shopper fitting the description of a thief suspected of holding up a CIBC only 20 minutes earlier.
Calgary police arrested the man and charged him.
Further investigation revealed the suspect is also believed to be responsible for knocking off an ATB branch at 2140 34 Ave S.W. on Monday.
Kenneth Michael Griff of Calgary is charged with two counts of robbery.

That loss prevention officer at The Bay Chinook Mall is my loss prevention officer. Logan caught a bank robber. And he is pretty happy about it. He has received a lot of attention because of it.

As I may or may not have been recording - Logan has sent in his application with the Calgary City Police. He has been through the physical, eye exam, 100 probing questionnaire about everything in his past, and most recently the aptitude test. We are awaiting results as we speak. So after this bank robber thing some of the cops that he works with all of the time have been asking when he is putting in his application - he replies that he already has. They have all said they will be writing a letter to recruiting. He even had cops from the Robbery Unit thank him. Yes, he has been quite the hero these past couple of days!

House hunt a bust

Yesterday Stef and I went on an adventure to see a house. It was listed as a 2 bdrm house on trendy 17th etc. We drove down 17th for a very long time. The trendy part of 17th stopped at least 5 blocks back. But still not bad, a nice area. We pull around the corner, quality starts to go down but still not bad. We are looking around and can only see apartment blocks. Weird. Start walking down the street. "Oh, there is a house". We couldn't see it cause it was overgrown with bushes and trees. We walk through the forrest to see a house that couldn't look more run down with bare wood showing everywhere, unpainted for a least 10 years and the shingles were falling off. And then we see the sign on the top floor saying "For Rent". So... it is not a house but a suite in the house great. We have pretty much ruled the place out by this point. So we get to the door and I ring the door bell, but there are two, so I ring them both. A very friendly but slightly dodgey looking fellow opens the door. He is the main floor tenant. He says that he will give the landlord a call and tell them that we are here. After a couple minutes (of Stef snooping around the side of the house) he comes back to say that it has been rented and the guys it not coming. How rude. Was I just supposed to guess that it was rented - thanks for the telephone call!

Back on the house hunt

To add the excitement of our fantastic holiday - we drove Stef home with us. Stefanie now lives in Calgary as she started school at SAIT. We gave up looking for a place to rent over the summer because it was getting stupid. Things that were listed were rented the same day. People did not give you time to think before you needed to put money down. Yesterday I started the search again. This time with a little more luck. I have an interview/viewing of a home on 17th ave (a very trendy street) for only $750 + untill, and one for tomorrow for a condo in Kensington (an even trendy-er area)! I am very excited. A little nervous that we might actual move, however, I would really like to help my sister out. And if she is chipping in on the rent she will be helping us out as we find a really great place! Cross your fingers for us. I really hope that one of these work out.

Family Reunion

To finish the tale of our holidays I continue to our family reunion. My dad's mom's mom's family is fairly large and growing. The only original sibling that was missing was my dear grandma, but there were three generations. I am the oldest great-grandchild and there were two babies there that were 2 weeks old! It was very neat. It was out at, wait for it... Lutherland at Echo Prov Park on Pasqua Lake in SK. It was a beautiful location with plenty of space for camping, however, my family chose to stay in the "lodge". Which was just a larger building with 14 rooms with sleeping for five.
There was water sports, football, baseball and other fun activities during the day. A camp fire, kareokee, limbo and dancing at night. And the common theme, family fun and booze. We took the liberty of bringing the remaining shooter ingredients from mom's party with us. We had a great time. Most of all it was great to see all the people that you don't get to see all the time, or the people that you get to see, but not often enough!

After the party

No, this is not a post about the hang over I had the day after Mom's 50th bash. Though I do want to say for the number of shooters I had I was in great shape.

Logan and I had thought about spending our holidays on the East Coast. Check out the maritimes! However, after doing some math we realized that even though it would be much cheaper than if I wasn't working at Westjet, it would still have cost us around $1000. That kind of money we can't sink into a holiday. We are grown-ups and have to think about things as boring, but needed, like tires.

So instead of the East Coast, we went camping. We packed up on the Sunday (after the party) and drove out to Deifenbaker on Monday.


We set up camp in a great site. There were hardly any people there! Late Monday (after being lost for a couple of hours) Derek and Chelsea joined us. We spent the night around the fire and Tuesday on the water. We were very fortunate to have the Kotlar's boat out with us. We did have a struggle at first with the battery, and were floating in a boat that wouldn't start. However, that was easily fixed with a new battery and we were on our way.





We found a great beach, with a huge cliff of soft, very hot sand. Chelsea created a fun game of first toboganning down the hill, and then surfing on a knee board.

We spent the whole day in the sun, in the water and on the sand. I even tried water skiing. That is something that I have never done. All of the other water sports, just never skiing. I didn't actually end up skiing, just dragging behind the boat, but I tried!


Derek and Chelsea left on Tuesday night. On the drive out I called Nicole and left a message saying that we were camping and that they should join us, but that we wouldn't have service. To our pleasant surprise, as we were finishing lunch on Wed Nicole and Kenn pulled up! Back on the water! This time, at the same sandy beach Kenn started digging a whole with the soft, rock-less sand. With all of our help we created a huge whole full of thick mud - a mud bath! Out on the water we did the usual knee boarding and skiing, but also brought out the tube.


Camping was great. The weather was fantastic - until the last night when we thought it was going to storm. We hid away in our tent until it passed and then it was calm and clear again. So we restarted a fire! When we finally went to bed we left everything out (after we had already rain proofed things earlier). And of course, it rained. We were up early on Thursday to pack up our wet camp and head back to Regina!

We had a great time! And a very inexpensive holiday!