It's About to Get Real

For the past week and a half I have been in training.  It's hard to teach an old gal a new career but I'm working on it.  The first week I stayed in a hotel in Red Deer and would stumble back to the room at the end of the training day and try to read my material.  I was totally exhausted from the learning curve that was being thrown at me each day.  It was a new experience being a big girl and driving to a new city and staying by myself at a hotel but I did it!

This week since it was a short week of training I decided to do the drive up there and back for both Monday and Tuesday.  It added two hours to my day but it also gave me a beautiful drive in the morning.

And at the end of the day it gave me a chance to let my brain soak in what I learned or perhaps relax from too much thinking.

Today was the final day....two tests were completed and two tests were passed.  We learned a little more, heard about payroll entries (yeah!) and were presented with a certificate along with well wishes for a successful week.

And so tomorrow it will get real!  No more practice entries.  No more pretend money.  I won't have to get up as early or read anything at night but I am sure that I will be exhausted from trying to remember everything and hoping that I did it all right.  Fortunately we have a few days to watch and learn and then we will be watched.  Yup, it's about to get real!

When do I get holidays?

On Hold

So I woke up to a rainy day.  My plans were to take it easy after a long week of training.  Ron went to work and I went downstairs to get a phone to call my dad to wish him a happy birthday.  Down the stairs I went...splash!

The sub pump decided not to work through the night.  Now we are trying to find the right people to help clean up the mess.  So much for a sleepy day.

I guess my reading will have to wait and I was so looking forward to it.

So for those who have been waiting for house pictures...let's just put that on hold too.

Oh the Fun WE HAD!

For nine weeks Ron and I got to be full time grandparents.  It was wonderful....not always easy and sometimes very tiring but wonderful!

The month of June Emma and Jacob gave us lots of laughs and many smiles.  We got to take them camping and canoeing and they were part of the move from Deschambault Lake....through smoky skies and lots of miles of travelling.  So before we put them on the plane for home we wanted to make one more stop with them...the zoo!

And so it only seemed fair that one of the first things we did with Sarah was take her to the zoo.

While Emma and Jacob were part of the tear down of the house, Sarah's job was to set up the house.  The furniture arrived and we unpacked, put away and searched for the things that we had put away.  When the house was in liveable condition it was time for Sarah to have her holiday and so we had to go find some mountains.

The Three Sisters in the Background (Sarah, Emma and Abbigail)

Her idea to pose like this to match the picture!  Love her creativity.

Feeling on top of the world!

We might have pushed her just a little too hard.

Enjoying??? Lake Louise

But for the most part she loved the mountains...wanted to climb them, take pictures of them and just see them.

Of course life with Sarah wasn't all fun and games.  She was working out.  First swimming lessons.....

And then her goal to be the "Next Ninja Warrier!"

So we had the kids in total for nine weeks.  Emma and Jacob made it to Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Sarah made it to Alberta and British Columbia.

Not bad for a couple of grandparents and three beautiful grandchildren.  Wonderful memories for us all!

Catching Up

So the last few months have flown by and sometimes I have to be reminded of where we are and what my phone number is.  I hope to spend the next few evenings trying to catch up with all the events while I spend the week at a hotel.

Why at a hotel?  Well, it is time for me to go back to work.  I will be in Red Deer for a week and a half to train.  So my days of semi-retirement and full time nanny have come to an end.  It is time to get back into the working world again.

But first lets just go back a few months.  In March we thought that we were staying another year in Deschambault Lake.  Our medicals were done and even I passed the psych assessment and then....life changed.  Ron got a transfer to Alberta.

In May we went to Three Hills and purchased a house and then I flew to the Yukon.  I met up with Stephen for a trip south.

At the end of May, Ron and I flew to Ontario where he performed a wedding for a beautiful couple who happen to be moving out west in a few months.

The first week of June we flew back home, bringing along two sweet little visitors.

 

Emma and Jacob spent four weeks with us.  During this time we dealt with a very smoky Saskatchewan.  Our house was packed up and we travelled to Alberta.  Jenn flew out to pick up these two munchkins and left Sarah with us for the next five weeks.

 

We had lots of fun with our precious granddaughter.  During her time with us we had the newly married couple from Ontario move in with us and a dear friend of mine come to visit for ten days.  When she left, she took Sarah back home with her.  That was yesterday.  Now I am in Red Deer.  Tomorrow I will be off to learn my new job. 

So....that's it in a short little blog.  I will try and fill in the blanks over the next few days.  So for now...wish me luck.  They might ask for my phone number tomorrow.

 

Settling In

It is always fun for me to see a house become a home.  Most of the boxes are unpacked.  Some pictures have been hung.  We are starting to remember where we put things.  There is still lots to do but its getting there.  So we have been able to take some breaks and enjoy Sarah a little more instead of putting her to work all the time.

First we had a visit from Uncle Stephen with his two dogs and an extra one that he was taking care of. That added a little excitement to a house of boxes but it sure was fun to have our boy close enough to come for a visit.  

Then of course there are forts to make while I try to clean up.  Someone has to work at messing up.

And with the weather being so hot you just have to take time for the pool.

We have been to many parks, including the splash park.  Yesterday we went to a parade to celebrate the flag.  A party followed at the park where Sarah bounced in the bouncy toys long enough to need an afternoon sleep.  

Yes, I would say we are getting settled.  Our neighbours have all introduced themselves.  We have had a phone call from an old friend that only lives one hour from us and a visit from friends from Ontario.  Our summer continues to look busy and I am excited.  Sarah always asks grandpa when he gets home from work, "are you still learning the routine?"  Well, I guess we are all learning the routine which means we are getting settled into our new life.

A Happy Reunion

After a month with Nanny and Grandpa it was time for Emma and Jacob to fly home.  They had been such great visitors but they were super excited to see mom and be able to go on a plane again.  Their excitement mounted as they watched the plane land and  then the happy smiles began.

The kids were so thrilled to see and hug mommy.  The west jet employee really enjoyed their reunion.

And so for a few minutes three out four kids were together...chatting, sharing their adventure and doing lots of hugging.

But soon we had to say goodbye to Emma and Jacob but thankfully we were not left totally without grandchildren.  Sarah will be with us for the next five weeks.

Her only request was that she could have a little break before we put her to work since she had got up so early to travel here.  So yesterday we took it easy.  We got the keys to our new house and checked it out, stayed in a hotel and went to bed early.  Okay, she got the break but today our furniture arrives.  She is going to have pull her weight today.  She wants to tell the movers where to put things.  The only problem is she likes the master bedroom.  There may be a fight for that room!

We Made It!

Well most of the way anyway.   Moving trucks arrived on Monday.  The skies were smokey and the weather was warm.  Two guys got busy and spent the day packing up the house.  What would take me weeks to do they were able to accomplish in a day.

We checked into a little cabin at a fishing resort just down the road.  We were able to enjoy a smokey sunset.

The next day another mover showed up and the house was loaded up.  We felt sorry for the guys doing all the work because we could feel the effects of the heavy smoke and we were just watching them load the truck.

Finally we were out of there.  It was nice that some came to say goodbye to Ron and wish him well but we were anxious to leave the area and try and find fresh air to breath.  We drove as far as Prince Albert that night.  The hotel was full of people who had been evacuated.

The next day we drove all the way to Calgary and we were happy to have a visit with 

Stephen.  He sure can make the hotel room come alive.

Yesterday we want to the zoo (more about that another day) and today we say goodbye to Jacob and Emma and hello to Sarah...and oh yes, take possession of a house.