"Keep a Journal: How else are you going to get a good look at who you were?"

Wednesday, December 26, 2018

"Checking In"

You know, I really ought to, every six months or so.

Let me talk about what's happened since I wrote that last post in April.

First off; I did not mention all that was going on in my life at the time.

I had a massive Asthma attack early in 2017. About a year after I'd moved into my place on 116th street. At the time I didn't think much of it, but the aftermath had some serious consequences:

-I have developed rather a bad case of Arthritis in my lower back.

By March of this year it had become clear that I couldn't keep up physically at work. Our (then) new HR rep, Stephanie Whiting, took me aside and pointed out that I couldn't go on like this.  She offered what help HBC's resources had to offer.

Including re-training in another role.

So I was on "light duty" for a few months doing busy-work. Some of it actually turned out to be useful: IE, a thorough examination of our reserve racking for damage and breakage found a few notable instances that had to be addressed. We're actually supposed to inspect the racking regularly...but at that point it hadn't been done for a few years.

By August this year, I was seeing my MD and a Specialist. Medication I am now taking for Piriformis kinda interferes with my ability to operate heavy machinery in enclosed spaces, so I lost my machine operator certification.  At the time, it kinda hurt; though I did recognize the necessity.

Then an un-expected opportunity came up.

Vitor, an intelligent and competent young man, (who had been hired by our MHF department after Soon retired) left HBC for a new career at SeaSpan. There was an internal hiring process started for the new opening in Clerical, and myself and one or two others applied.

I got the job.

I was brought on in late August and ... well, I'm still learning the job; four months later. But I've gotten pretty good at the parts that I do most often.

I'll talk more about the more ... interesting parts of the new gig later. For now; I'll tell you about Christmas.

Ever since Mom had to go to the care home, we've all had this gloomy idea hanging over our heads that "this Christmas could be Mom's last!". This is her second Christmas in that facility ... and frankly, she's not doing so well now. Dementia is like that. So now that idea is a stark faced reality ... and it hurts.

Oh, I put on a brave face; said something like "well, Mom put up with me for 19 years, so I guess I can give her a few years in return".  But she's not there any more.

Mentally, I mean.

So ... I've sort of been focusing my energies on my relationship with Dad. (While I can still have one, says my inner cynic.)

I should mention in passing that while the new gig doesn't strain my body nearly so much as "wrestling mattresses and humping appliances" did; it doesn't pay as much either. I took about a 20% pay cut.  Adjustments are still being made.

Back to Christmas:


  • I couldn't afford to fly out to Alberta.
  • My nephew Mike, after several months of trying, was unable to find work sufficient to allow him to stay in Vancouver. His Mom was searching for a way to bring him back home that wouldn't cost an arm and a leg. (Karen's finances are, if anything, even tighter than mine -- she's still paying a mortgage!)
  • Colin wouldn't let me weasel out of a deal that I had made for getting him a new laptop. Well played, kid... but I'm still taking it back if you flunk out of school.


So the upshot of all that was that I was going to be driving to Alberta in the middle of winter.

Again.

Yep, that's about as crazy as it sounds. However; I had a co-pilot. Mike agreed to come along.

Complication #1:

As the "new guy" in the MHF office, I felt duty-bound to work both the Saturdays around the Holidays. So our journey to Alberta began 2 PM, Saturday December 22. Then I also volunteered for the following Saturday -- even though it meant cutting my visit to Alberta a little short.

Remember that bit about my relationship with Dad?  I was determined to go to Church with him on the 23. NOTHING was going to prevent that. If I only had a few days to visit; I was going to make them count!

Mike and I arrived 8 AM Alberta time. At that point, I had been up almost 27 hours straight.  We made it. I drove the 40 minutes to Cardston and was on Dad's doorstep at about 9 AM.

To find that my Father's en-suite toilet had leaked all over the Master Bedroom and into the basement below.  Dad discovered the "flood" at 4 AM, and had been up since then vacuuming the water out of the carpet. (We're still drying things out as of me writing this.)

I caught a nap. Dad took a break.

We went to Church. It's the simple things you treasure.

Complication #2:

The week before I was to leave on my whirlwind Christmas Tour; I was helping Kim out. She was bringing in supplies for her visit to Quesnel, and also some stock-up for her return.  There's a new house being built across the street from Kim's place and sometimes the contractors like to park their really big Ford Behemoth pick ups on the verge in front of the place.

Which they're not supposed to do.

On this occasion, buddy went one better and parked the beast with a trailer hitch sitting two feet over into the driveway.

Now, I saw the trailer hitch, and maneuvered my car to get past it (space was a little tight as another pick up was parked just ahead of the other side of the driveway); but ... I failed to see the 3" hook sticking off the back of the hitch. One of those small pin hooks that are used to secure the chains for an anti-sway bar. (It was a BIG trailer hitch...)

The hook caught the seam between my fender and the bumper cover about mid way up the side of the wheel well ...

... and peeled the bumper cover off the front of the car like a banana.




That's a photo of the aftermath in situ. The detached bumper cover is in the back seat of the car.

Well, much as I was calm and poised about it when it happened; my brain spent the next day or two gibbering to itself whilst running in small circles. The body shop I got the HHR's mirror replaced at refused to just put the cover back on; oh no! It had to be done with all new parts! Regulations, you know.

I prayed about this one... 'cause I was out of ideas.

In answer; I got the idea, "call Tony Holobuch".

There followed a conversation along the line of "Hey bro, you ever put the bumper cover back on a late model GM?"

-"No, but I've put the bumper cover on a late model Honda; can't be that much different."

"Where do we start?"

-"Remove the broken bits and get a new set of brackets and clips from your GM dealer."

And so we did.

Image may contain: car

All fixed!

Sunday, April 08, 2018

Sorry kids, I found a new hobby.

WHERE have I been...?

On Quora.

"Question Or Answer".  My card: https://www.quora.com/profile/Brian-R-Sanderson

So there's that.

Okay...so here's a rundown on what I'm up to lately:


  • Barry Kemp -- fine gentleman that he is, handed me some graphics projects that took a "borrowed" copy (thanks Peter!) of Photoshop and some weeks of time to finish.  Final result: I know a little about Photoshop and just what it is that Graphic Designers do all day.
  • Barry also handed me off an old HP laptop that I in turn handed off to Kane Brunsch to see if he could fix the video (intermittent fault).  Kane will be getting back to me in a few days.
  • Just had a Family Reunion over the Easter Weekend.  Family LEVEL 9000!!!  Worth every bit for those precious hours together.  This is good...because I am deeply in hock until such time as I get all the extra charges paid off.  I have resolved to be a much smarter traveller in the future.
  • I dented my car today.  I am (strangely?) not all that upset about it.
  • I'm dating.  Kim and other ladies.
  • I'm corresponding.  With Kim and other ladies.
  • I'm cohabiting with my Barely Housebroken Teenage Son.  But only on the days he has College Classes.  My goal is to get him accustomed to not needing a ride everywhere.  Starting with how to use Transit.  Baby Steps, Baby Steps...


More on all the above (and that's just TODAY). Later.