First day of work

For Mel. She was nervous. I don't remember if I was nervous on my first day. It's only a three hour shift this afternoon - training on cash tills. Next day is Wednesday; two days later.

It seems a funny way to start. I always found training on something new should be put into immediate practice or it might be forgotten.

Strange desire to work

I've enjoyed not having to work since I packed it in. It's nice not having to get up early, although I can if I want to. It's nice not to have all those meaningless targets and nice not being encouraged to throw public money at people on the off chance there may be a bonus point in it in the event, however coincidentally, that person starts work.

But lately I have been scouring job vacancies in an attempt at persuading step daughter Mel there are jobs she can do and I have been finding myself thinking "could I do that?" and feeling as if it would be good to apply. I guess there's an element of wondering if I am still able to work.

There would also be a bonus in that a wage would provide some money for the horrendous prescription bill we have. Hopefully there is light at the end of that particular tunnel soon.

In practice, it would be difficult to take a job anyway due to caring responsibilities. But I could quite see myself in a government job here...not that there are any advertised.

Every time I look there are no vacancies in Moncton; only other places. I have to wonder if vacancies are filled by transfers with people wanting to move here rather than recruiting.

Ah...Saturday

Even though I no longer work during the week, weekends are still special. I still feel more relaxed on a Friday night, hence the whisky7up last night.

This one began with Chelsea at 8.45 am, followed by Liverpool at 11.00 - although I spent as much time watching the Spurs match and then at 1.15 it was ManU v Arsenal - with Bacon sarnies.

At 3.45 there was also the Milan derby but that was really hard to get into. I have no interest in either team.

Available now is Seattle v Toronto followed by Montreal v Miami. If I can't raise interest for either Milan, I certainly can't do it for the last two games. And three games in one day is enough isn't it?

* * *

Hurricane Bill was last weekend. This time it's Tropical Storm Danny. We're due for a lot of rain tomorrow. That'll make a change. I wish someone would invent a sarcasm font.

* * *

I discovered that Maynards (as in winegums) make a sweet called Fuzzy Peach. I never had them in England so I'm not sure if they're there...but what a name. Bit suggestive I thought. But I googled expecting to see a bunch of 'adult' style images and I was astonished to find loads of pictures of peaches. Quite a surprise considering what often comes up from the most innocent of searches.

* * *

One of my favourite dinners tonight. Meatloaf with mushroom sauce and, this time, a hint of Burrito seasoning. Hot and steaming - with the cold, wet weather it was like winter (UK style, not Canada). And it's still August.

Thanks to Henry Blake

Having a welcome glass of Whisky and 7Up tonight and a few dry roasted nuts.

It's one of those magnificent combinations:

Real Ale with Cheese and onion sandwiches.

Cold Beer and Sour Cream & Onion Pringles (or salted peanuts)

Chardonnay and.....lots of things.

Good news

The last couple of days have been much cooler and last night was almost cold. To be honest it was cold with the bedroom and bathroom windows open. But I revelled in it and snuggled under the quilt. It was bliss.

* * *

SD had an interview today after touting herself around some employers yesterday and she's going to start next Monday. It's good because there are so many different things she'll be doing. Not only will that keep things varied it will mean she can claim experience in a variety of tasks - Customer Service, Stock control, Cash Till Operation etc - to use on any future applications. It'll open up loads of part time/holiday work options if she does attend Uni.

Always the way

Made a slight detour after the doc's today to pick up some shopping. After my comments yesterday we didn't have to pay extra for the cab back. It was only one bag, but a very big one. Always the way.

I can't believe Aston Villa failed to win their tie against Rapid Vienna. Knocked out on the away goal.

Also amazed at the numbers of Vienna fans there. It sounded like they were the home team.

Step daughter Mel finally put in some proper efforts at finding a job today. Still plenty more to be done but it's a good start.

Taxi charges

Taxis here are very good. Great service, never long to wait and not very expensive.

Officially they can charge for additional passengers or bags on top of the metered rate. It's built into the fixed charge before the journey begins.

But the drivers are pretty relaxed; often asking for the fare rounded down, stopping the meter if you get caught in traffic, that sort of thing. Rarely have I had to pay for additional passengers or bags. Very occasionally there may have been a couple of bucks as a sort of compromise.

We now have a wheelchair so my wife can again come grocery shopping and get out more easily on other occasions. But every time we've been out with it there has been an extra charge of varying rates.
As before, it seems to be a compromise. It really seems like a casual "Oh, let's call it x dollars."

As I say, the charge is legit so I can't really complain and it's better to only pay the extra some of the time rather than all the time. And it's only been when we've had shopping as well; not just us and the chair.

But it does seem to be triggered by carriage of the chair. It seems a little unfair.

Phone calls

So after yesterday morning's latest second and final chance, we had another second and final chance in the afternoon....and I just had another second and final chance.

This tme I thought this is too much and I stayed on to see if there was anything I could do...or at least hurl abuse at someone.

The recording said press one to speak to someone. That'll do, I thought. But then I heard "press zero to be removed from this special list."

If it works, I wonder if that stops the calls completely or do I now qualify for a series of third and final opportunities? We shall see.

Final chance

This is important information about your credit card.

So begins the message from the automatic dialler.

I've had about 5 "second and final" chances to do something or other in the last week. The phone is usually nestling in its cradle again by this point. It just happened again; two days running. They started before I even had one issued in Canada.

I wonder if final ever means final. I don't remember receiving pre-recorded phone calls back in England.

* * *

Something in the Guardian about plans to suspend internet access for filesharing offences. Some suggestion that it wasn't to be Government policy until someone had a meeting/holiday with "friends" in the recordings industry. Can this be true? Seems a bit brazen.

* * *

Big truck outside this morning. What a flaming racket. 7.30 am...what sort of time is that for a delivery in a residential area?

The guy left his engine running - LOUDLY - while he went to the house to announce his arrival. Like he needed to do that!

Then it was all louder engine sounds while manoeuvering, together with the BEEP BEEP BEEP etc. Then unloading with all those motors and pistons going.

Thirty four years ago

We're now in that part of the year where I look back to 1975 when me and Rick went to Canada. 'Today' was our first day there and we went sailing. We took turns on the rudder and adjusted the sails under direction from Rick's dad.

We were on the river, but the term doesn't really do it justice. It was pretty big and had 'beaches' in parts.

We parked and swam in our skivvies for a bit and lunched on board.

'Tich' was a 23 footer as I recall. Comfortably slept four, five at a push...not that we did. Sleep, not push.


I Can't Dance

I can't dance and I was never interested - other than for the usual chatting up in my younger day. Couldn't do that either :(

So why do I enjoy watching "So you think you can dance" on TV? I watch both American and Canadian versions. It's a mystery to me. I do wonder if it's a kind of dumbing down issue (what with North American TV generally not being as good as BBC/ITV/C4) as I also enjoy "Idol" too. I would never have watched this sort of thing back in England. I haven't sunk to watching Big Brother yet or any of the other so called reality shows.

Wet

Bill already dropped to Category one yesterday and is just giving us a soaking. Hoped to save on aircon and opened the windows. It made it cool right next to the breeze but elsewhere it's still a bit stifling...so back on for the AC.

It's a typical rainy Sunday.

Nothing interesting in the Sunday Papers. That's largely because in New Brunswick there aren't any. I'm sure it's religious reasons behind it but I've never been able to find out for sure.

The Province is pretty religious. Every week someone is quoting chapter this: verse that in the paper's letters page.

The latest ones revolve around Marilyn Manson's forthcoming concert and how disgraceful Moncton is for hosting it. Coming so soon after the wicked AC/DC it's just too much for some.

Hurricane Bill

Still hot. 27c with a feels like of 37. Been like it for around two weeks now. Thank goodness for aircon.

Hurrican Bill is expected this weekend. It should have died down a lot by the time it gets 'up' here but it's expected to hit Nova Scotia more than us. However, we'll get the usual bucket loads of rain and wind. Maybe that'll cool things off a tad.

Woke up too late for the New Zealand Haka today. I always like to see that. Made do with the second half. Australia is a really poor side. Never seen them look so bad. Even England would give them a hard game right now.

I wonder how many people begin their blogs with something like "Captain's log...." Just Trekkies d'ya think?

Wondering if New Brunswick is heading towards Quebec's situation regarding a pro-French policy. There is disquiet among the Anglos. There has always been a perception that French is favoured. Or, perhaps, more a case of bilingual people getting advantages - with French people being more likely bilingual than Anglos.

The City just voted a policy that supposedly makes official current practice. But it's thought that a few more posts may become bilingual.

It could just be coincidence but the flyer for a major supermarket in the city seems to have gone predominantly French. Whereas it was once 50/50 it now seems about 80/20...although the important parts are in both languages.

Have to wait and see how it goes. Certainly hope it doesn't go the way of Quebec with its silly application of language policies. Nothing wrong with the policy as such, just the way it's used.

Was it coincidence that my English language newspaper was "delivered" outside the apartment building there (in all weathers) while the French papers were delivered inside...right to the apartment doors?

Saturday lie in....or not

I can have a bit of a lie in tomorrow.

I'm four hours behind the UK and there's usually a lunchtime game of footie kicking off around 8.30 am here. Not this weekend, though, just the 3.00 pm games @ 11.00 am here.

Oh...just remembered. No lie in. There's a tri-nations Rugby match. Australia v New Zealand. Starts around 7.00 am I reckon. Not too early.


Just been having an argument with some twit on a forum. Complains about posters getting together to gang up on him when he actually went to another part of the forum to drum up support so they could come and "educate" us. And he doesn't think that arrogant.

Worth doing?

I have no idea how this is going to go or whether I'll have enough to say. I'm certainly not going to aim for daily...even weekly might be too much.

I nicked the title from a James Thurber TV show from eons back.