James

As of tomorrow we will be moving into a new place ... no idea when the internet will be up and running again so me and Nat will be incognito for the next few days at least

The last few weeks have been hectic, both personally and at work.

I've been planning for a while to get my forklift license, and it now seems as if that's going to become a reality. I registered at Liftow for the five day course, which basically means I'll learn how to drive all sorts of lifting power equipment, from electric pallet movers to order pickers and forklifts of all types. A funny thing I learned is that the forklift used at work is not only no longer made .... nobody trains it anymore it's so rare! Given how useful the design is it's surprising it's no longer made. It's going to take me four weekends to complete the classes but it'll be worth it.

Last night my wife managed to dislocate her elbow :( We were at my parent's place for the weekly Sunday supper and she was on the floor playing with their new kitten. When she got up she slipped on the hardwood floor (she was in stocking feet) and landed with all her weight on her elbow. My father was kind enough to drive us to the Montreal General. All told from start to finish, we ended up being there from ten last night to nine this morning :( The trauma center was really busy and there was a shortage of both doctors and nurses, so we only really started to see some progress (ie she was moved onto a stretcher and given morphine for the pain) at three in the morning.

Work is ... well let's not dwell on that. When the people in the office make decisions without understanding how the warehouse works, it creates all sorts of problems. The office right now wants everything to be in the warehouse without paying storage fees, processed in a timely manner with a minimum of manpower. Currently though, we have less than the minimum manpower to get the job done, and the people we do have are stressed out and overworked to the point of burnout.

Anyhow, that's the update for now!

I missed two days of work last week because I was feeling under the weather.

I come in today ... paperwork's a mess, there's three extra containers and a tonne of extra shipments that need to be processed.

Gotta go and upright a container that's flipped over ... how the hell did they manage that??!!!

On Saturday natty77  and I decided to go to the clinic, since the flu that called our lungs home for a week wasn't getting better fast enough ... besides, having your lungs rattle like there's a tank engine revving every time you breathe really sucks :) The doctor upgraded my puffer to help with the breathing problems and prescribed horse-pill antibiotics to deal with the newly diagnosed pneumonia. She also gave me off work until Tuesday, when I have to go back to the grind (I really hope I'm feeling better then! I can't afford to lose another paycheck to illness)

I'm starting to feel better from whatever the hairy heck it is that struck me this weekend ... just wish I'd get over it sooner! My breathing is still a bit clogged up, the fever has come down to something a little closer to normal and my lungs are still rattling with every breath.

The funny thing is that I was absolutely fine last week and at the event me and natty77 attended on saturday ... it was only afterwards during the ride home that I started to feel really crappy. Nat thinks that the many six-day workweeks, combined with the lack of sleep while she was sick prior to the event (not to mention the several hours long hospital visit the evening prior to the event) finally caught up to me. This flu hit me so suddenly I didn't even have that gradual decline in health that most experience when they're coming down with something ... or maybe I've been so exhausted I didn't notice.

I wish the brutal hacking cough would go away now, along with the remainder of the fever :(

Created by Train Horns

Don't know what that says about me ... either I have very good hearing or something about my maturity level :-)

Gawds this is going to be a miserable day.

I have come to this conclusion when the bozo the transport company sent to pick up the container we emptied the other day inspected the container, and judging everything good, started to pull the container out of the dock. He caught one of the doors on a pillar and ripped it clean off ... the buck-passing is still going on, with the office, transport dispatch and the warehouse supervisor still calling one another. Now it just remains to be seen who'll get stuck with the repair bill :(

I should have called in sick ...

Wow ... just wow!

   Another Christmas has come and gone, and I'm left to wonder what the heck happened, where did the time go in the frantic rush to prepare for a day that seems to disappear in the whirlwind of activity to prepare for it? The hectic running around, shopping, baking, cooking, planning, decorating ... and before we get the chance to actually enjoy the day it's gone.

   This year we prepared a lot of gifts ourselves ... apple butter, fruit compote, bath salts and canjun spice mixes and lots of baked goods. We rounded things out with a few purchased gifts, but for the most part we made the things we passed out. I like to think that all the gifts we made were truly appreciated ... I know of some people who were truly touched we put so much effort and time rather than cash into their gifts.

   This year natty77 's grandmother had her stove die on her ... oddly, it did the same last year too. So we had to prepare Christmas dinner at our house ... a big turkey in our little oven, and Nat's first attempt to boot. She covered it in a whole package of bacon to keep in the moisture, and filled in the cavity with a chunk of butter and spices, and gave the whole thing a nice spice rub-down ... it turned out so moist and juicy, it was the best turkey I've ever had :) Since her grandmother lived half a block away on the same street, we carried the whole thing there, along with gifts for her family and a cheesecake for dessert. To say everyone ate well is an understatement! We exchanged gifts and we came back home to prep for supper with my family on the South Shore ... dad picked us up and drove us, because we couldn't carry all the gifts we had over public transit! Another huge meal and a great gift exchange afterwards ... me and Nat were surprised because we made out like bandits! We came home, gathered our "virtual" gifts on WoW and then crashed ... something about lack of sleep and a lot of last minute cooking and wrapping :) lol

   A few things cropped up this year that threw us a curve getting ready for the season ... besides unexpected expenses and having to work Christmas Eve (which is another two big meals with our respective families in and of itself since it's Nat's b-day!), we had our youngest cat, Lady Grey, go absolutely nuts because of all the activity and she was into everything! Plus, we had to babysit a friend's cat ... and since she's somewhat antisocial she spends all her time on top of the fridge growling and hissing at everyone :)

   And now, a day later and somewhat recovered, we look back at the fond memories ... somewhat blurred because of how quickly they passed ... and we wish we could have enjoyed them a little more, spent more time with friends and family, some of whom we don't see often and might not see again for a long while. However, we enjoyed the time we did spend with everyone and we enjoyed making gifts, and even despite the hectic nature we had fun.

   To everyone, friends and family, from our family to yours, me and Nat wish everyone season's greetings and the holday's best!

Happy birthday natty77 !

This is going to be the third day I've missed of work due to the flu :-( It's not only the lack of money (especially at this time of year!), but the general feeling of ick that bothers me and the inability to get anything done. At least last night I was able to start back on solid food for the first time since Sunday, but I still feel a bit achy in the joints and light headed, and the fever is not quite gone yet. Being light headed and a touch disoriented while zooming around a warehouse on a forklift is a bad thing ... and considering this whole affair has left me rather weak of limb, I won't be getting any serious box-shlepping done in a quick manner either.

Just taking a quick look around the LJ community shows that there is a nasty bug going around and a few of my friends have already fell prey to it. Best way to deal with it is to drink plenty of fluids, get plenty of bedrest, keep a bucket by the bedside and a clear path to the toilet ;-)

And surprisingly I've had one of the cats, Rogue, stay with me through the worst of this, never leaving my side and keeping my spirits up by cooing like a pigeon (I joke you not!). So at least as miserable as I was feeling, I always had someone with me, if not Rogue then natty77  to keep my spirits up.

Hopefully I'll be back to work by tomorrow ... then I can bitchslap the SOB upside the head who gave this to me in the first place!

If you saw ME in a the back of a police car, what would you think I got arrested for?

Let's see what I get accused of ... given most meme's make me out to be some sort of angel >p

This morning I received an email from Amazon.ca saying they shipped Wrath of the Lich King. Less than half an hour ago natty77  called to let me know it arrived! And she had a lot of fun tormenting me ... the slow ripping sound of the package opening and reading the back :-)

Guess what i'm going to be doing when i get home? :-)

Woohow! I survived another year! :-)

You Are 20% Evil

You are good. So good, that you make evil people squirm. Just remember, you may need to turn to the dark side to get what you want!

Why is it whenever I do one of these quizzes it makes me out to be some kind of angel? Must be doing something wrong ...

100 questions to yours truly, answered by yours truly

1)Are your parents married or divorced?
married

2) Are you a vegetarian?
I didn't evolve to the top of the food chain to eat only rabbit food!

3) Do you believe in Heaven?
Yes

4) Have you ever come close to dying?
nope

5) What jewelery do you wear?
Wedding band, claddagh and a necklace with Nat's grad ring and a gold "J" on it

6) Favorite time of day?
Night

7) Do you eat the stems of broccoli?
Yes

8) Do you wear makeup?
only if my halloween costume calls for it :)

9) Ever had plastic surgery?
No

10) Do you color your hair?
nope

11) What do you wear to bed?
usually my undershorts :-p

12) Have you ever done anything illegal?
can you define "illegal"?

13) Can you roll your tongue?
nope

14) Do you tweeze your eyebrows?
nope

15) What kind of sneakers?
either Brooks or as of now ... Dr Scholl's

16) Do you believe in abortions?
Depends on the circumstances

17) What is you natural hair color?
dark blond/light brown with red highlights

18) Do you have any children?
three of the small, fuzzy four legged variety ... oh wait, you mean humanoid? none

19) Do you snore?
No idea

20) If you could go anywhere in the world where would it be?
British Isles

21) Do you sleep with stuffed animals?
only if the cats are well fed when they hop onto the bed :-)

22) If you ever won the lottery, what would you do first?
Pay off my credit cards, buy a house!

23) Gold or silver?
Gold

24) Hamburger or hot dog?
depends on food quality

25) If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
freshly baked bread with butter and cheese!

26) City, beach, or country?
Country

27) What was the last thing you touched?
this computer ... duh?!!! :-p

28) Where did you eat last?
Tong por in China Town

29) When's the last time you cried?
Two weeks ago

30) Do you read blogs?
Depnds how bored i am

31) Would you ever go out dressed like the opposite sex?
not really ... allthough medieval clothing was somewhat unisex ....

32) Ever been involved with the police?
When I was younger yes

33) What's your favorite shampoo?
Head and Shoulders

34) Do you talk in your sleep?
According to my brother, when I have a dream about food :-)

35) Ocean or pool?
pool ... lot easier to come by ... and not since I saw Jaws when I was younger ...

36) What's your favorite song at the moment?
Stan Bush - Dare

38) Window seat or aisle?
Window

39) Have you ever met any one famous?
my first english prof in Vanier College was the Leader of a political party, the Equality Party ... and they actually had seats in Parliment!

40) Do you feel that you've had a truly successful life?
yes and no .... vague enough for you? :-)

41) Do you twirl your spaghetti or cut it?
cut

42) Ricki Lake or Oprah?
oh gawds no!

43) Basketball or Football?
neither

44) How long do your showers last?
depends ... in a rush for work a minute, otherwise as long as I want :-)

45) Cake or ice cream?
yes please :-)

47) Are you self-conscious?
yup

48) Have you ever drank so much you threw up?
my bachelor's party ... mom says it was a cosmic injustice I didn't have a hangover the next day :-)

49) Have you ever given money to a tramp?
yuppers

50) Have you been in love?
Yes

51) Where do you wish you were?
I'm home ... I have my wife and love next to me and the cats gnawing at my feet ... what else do I need?

52) Are you wearing socks?
not at the moment

53) Have you ever ridden in an ambulance?
nope ... and hopefully I can keep it that way, thank you very much

54) Can you tango?
not if my life depended on it

55) Last gift you received?
scrapbook from my wife for our one year wedding anniversary

56) Last sport you played?
Archery .... too long ago, especially since I got a new bow this summer :-(

57) Things you spend a lot of money on?
my wife, SCA stuff, and especially bills

58) Where do you live?
Point St Charles (Montreal)

59) Where were you born? 
Saint Mary's Hospital (Montreal)

60) Last wedding attended? 
Nat's best friend's in May

61) Favorite fast food restaurant?
toss up between Harvey's, Burger King, McDo's and Timmy's :-)

63) Most hated food?
Liver, blood pudding and things like that ... YUCK! >-p

64) What's your least favorite chore?
cleaning the toilet facilities, both human and feline >-)

65) Can you sing?
about as well as a herniated hippo in heat ... in other words, no :(

66) Last person you instant messaged?
Nat

67) Last place you went on holiday?
Hamilton Ontario to visit friends

68) Favorite regular drink?
iced tea :-) perferably green-tea blend :-)

69) Current crush?
My wife Nat

70) Name of your best friend?
Glen

71) What are you wearing right now?
since I just got up ... shorts

72) When is the last time you had sex?
Last week

73) Who gave you your first kiss?
that knowledge was lost in the annals of history

74) Who did you lost your virginity to?
girl by the name of Caroline

75) What will you name your future children?
perferably not "Hey you!" :-)

76) Favorite movie?
Lord of the Rings triology and Braveheart ... it's a toss-up

77) Favorite television show?
Mythbusters, various and sundry cartoons and history stuff

78) Celebrity crush?
none

79) Favorite flavor of ice cream?
Coffee ... a close second is cookie dough :-)

80) Do you want people to do this meme?
why not? good way to get to know people better :-)

81) Do you have your nails done (girls)?
NA

82) If you were on Death Row, what would your last meal consist of?
lots of fresh bread, a variety of cheeses and pate and real green iced tea to wash it down

83) Do you remember when toilet tissue came in colors?
vaguely ...

84) Did you have a VCR when you were younger?
yup ... still converting some to DVD ... grumble grumble

85) Did you have a laser disc player when you were younger?
if you mean a CD player then yes ... otherwise no

86) Do you remember when MTV played music videos?
Yes

87) Who was your favorite band when you were in the 6th grade?
I didn't listen to much music back then

88) Who is your favorite band now?
Heather Dale

89) First concert you ever saw?
Gawd ... so long ago I can't remember

90) Last concert you saw?
Heather Dale last time she was in Montreal at the Yellow Door

91) Do you ever buy cd's anymore or just download from iTunes?
I buy CDs and download rare, hard to find stuff or things when I want only one or two songs from a given artist

92) Are you married?
Yes

93) Do you want to be married?
I won't have proposed if I didn't
.
94) Are you in a relationship?
Given that I'm married ... uh, yeah? :-p

95) What is his/her name?
Nat

96) What is your middle name?
Oliver

97) What color are your eyes?
Steely blue-grey .... although they occasionally change color based on my mood :-)

98) What is your best feature?
my eyes and my sense of humor

99) How old are you?
35 at the end of the month! ... waaaaaa! :-)

100)Do you like memes?
never met a meme I didn't like ... although there was this one time ... :-)