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

Monday, August 19, 2002

...And now for our latest issue!

Vacation Time!

Penticton was a blast, as always...got to do everything I wanted to do, except float down the canal to Skaha Beach. Oh well, it will still be there next year.
I DID however, get to: Dance with my wife, Swim in the Pool, see the SS Sicamous, Explore, play some mini-golf with the kids, fly a kite, watch some movies, party, eat junk food, learn the proper way to pit and peel a peach, eat some fine Italian cuisine, find some very nice little shops downtown, and price a new TV set to replace ours which blew up. I also got to draw up a few entries for the company logo contest (I hope I win). The only downsides were the kids getting sick for the first day or three, and Danielle's complaint about the sleeping arrangements. Everybody but Laurie had to share a room...and even she and I were 'sharing' -- we had what I believe was the only nookie in the place all week! Which is probably what Danny was REALLY steamed about. If Dan and Clayton want to trade rooms for next year, they are more than welcome...They can HAVE the closet-ette and kiddie size drawers and no air conditioning...
Personally, I think Laurie and I will simply make other arrangements for accomodation. We'll have to anyway. Or perhaps Dan and Clayton will, owing how they will still be 'honeymooning' by the time Penticton rolls around next year.

Other Accomodation: may mean getting a trailer and a new(er) vehicle to haul it with. I should start on it soon, because the Tracker ain't getting any younger, and I don't believe it will survive another winter in it's current condition. A trailer may actually be the more difficult part, we could end up borrowing it from someone else. Then we camp out on someone's lawn for the week we are in Penticton.

Mom's business:
Is her own business, but she has worked out a budget for it and bought (with my help) some really good gear to run it with. She is setting herself up as a Forensic Geneologist. She's excited - got 'er juice back! She's also a little dismayed by Dad's upcoming tantrum over the expense of all the stuff she bought.
Kwy is probably going to be upset that I didn't let HIM sell mom her computer. Well, the prices he quoted were good, but I think DELL provided a better product at a price we would have difficulty matching. Raj Kumar is coming back from Fiji in a few weeks, he'll probably want to buy his new system then. That should help KWY feel better.

Work:
Is work. I have again been loaned out to the Central Stock division; which is nice. We had the LAST company barbeque at 'ol 504. Next year at the new building! Speaking of the new building, the construction is complete and the interior is being fit and wired. We start the moving process in about a month or so. Xmas will probably be run entirely from the new building -- expect chaos unless we ALL stay on top of things. The management company at 504 doesn't want to buy the racking -- so we're taking it with us. The process to empty out the outlying zones of rack has already begun. Gonna be REAL busy soon.

Bicycles:
I thought for sure the freewheel body was GONE on the HG cassette I had. Turns out the chain is very worn. As I have some spare chains, this was an easy fix - and didn't cost me anything! I will be taking the bike out for a shakedown later today and we'll see if the fix works as advertised. I have to fit the lights to the Norco if I want to ride back home tonight (tomorrow morning). I am on close-up at work this week and my departure time puts me out of sync for the bus and a ride home...so, either I take the car, or I have to ride both ways - and ride home in the dark; scary!

Saturday, August 03, 2002

Ok, let's start with the highlights:

Kwy's Wedding.

John Coad (old mutual friend) told me that he had phoned Hell and it was still 200 degrees down there...ha ha ha.
Seriously; am I the ONLY one who held out hope that KWY would get married some day?? Having finally met the blushing bride the day of the wedding, I can only confirm my initial opinion first voiced when I saw her picture; "definitely worth waiting for". Of course, what she sees in HIM, we can only wonder.

Anyway, the wedding/reception/dance went well and KWY and Bride are in the Gulf Islands enjoying the Newlywed Effect...

KWY's Stag Party.

KWY felt sorry that I wasn't able to go to Fraga, so he arranged a little LAN party of his own in the amply spacious basement of his new place in Clearbrook. Nine guests and ten systems showed up. We played TA and Half-life...I remember starting the half life tourney at about 3am and then looking out the window a short time later - it was DAYLIGHT!...and my butt hurt from the chair I had been glued to for the past 2.5 hours. I know I'm too old to stay up all night playing deathgames and bingeing on pizza, but it's nice to go back once in a while to the heady, foolish days of my mis-spent youth. Other highlight of the Stag was the presence of Donovan and Wife Sheila. In BC to visit family, they accepted KWY's invite to the party - cool!

My 36th birthday...halfway to my "threescore and twelve". Bogdan baked me a Bavarian Cake! What a nice surprise!

My weight.

I finally fixed my goal at 192 pounds. I started at 251, and I am presently just under 215. I lose a half-pound every time I ride the bike to work...which I am gonna miss out on this week.

My Vacation.

I finally got my vacation schedule straightened out (not a moment too soon). Took care of the Benefit Plan Enrolement at work as well.
We're going to PENTICTON!!! A little sun, a little Golf, See the sights, Swim, Shop...should be fun. Laurie expects me to dance with her...a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do.

Oh, and I will take the time to get some writing done...although not HERE...