And so it begins

My stress level at work just went from 1 up to about 20. Brian leaves for his vacation tommorrow, leaving ME in charge! WHAT WAS HE THINKING? other than, i'm really gonna enjoy my time away from work.

Tommorrow, the countdown begins, until he gets back, and relieves me of all this responsibility. I dont feel ready! I feel overwhelmed..................

But I can do this, I can!

I dont really have a choice! I have to do it !

He comes back to work, October 17th I believe. Its gonna be a very long 17 days! Let me tell you !

On a brighter note though, that means I work all day shifts while he's gone. I think thats a brighter note anyway! That does mean I have to wake up at 4 every morning. AAGGGHHHHH what have a i got myself into :) ha ha

I CAN DO THIS....

but first I must sleep

4 o clock comes much too early! :)

can you bake a pie?

Well, it was my days off, and I went a little crazy with the baking ! Can you tell? Four pies. And do they look good or what? I can't wait to taste them! I guess I"ll be inviting friends over..... ha ha :) YUMMY!

Creamy Peanut Butter Pie

Brownie Angel Pie

Chocolate Mint Pie

Coffee Toffee Pie
I invited a couple of my friends over, and my brother, to sample the pies! :) I"m pretty sure they'll be a hit with everyone! They look delicious! :) ha ha

YUMMY PIES

Family Pictures

TEN YEARS LATER !

My High School Reunion ~ 10 years already !

Wow, how time does fly ! I've been out of high school for ten years. It hardly seems that long at all! We had our Reunion on saturday. It was.... interesting. A bit awkward at the beginning, and all the way through actually :) I found it so anyway :) It was good to see some of the people I graduated with, the people I was friends with and whatever more.

It was also interesting to see, how ten years doesn't change some people at all! The snobs were still the SNOBS......... too good to speak to the likes of me :) haha, ALthough I can't say that for all of the snobs. Some of them had actually grown up over the last ten years, and decided that Maybe it was okay to talk to me this time :) ha ha but what more can you talk about? Whats new? Married single? Working? school? where? after that... what else is there to really talk about it? with people that you didn't really talk to when you were in high school! :)

It was a good time though. Interesting to see how some of the kids had turned out into half decent law abiding citizens..........

Funny to see guys, who made fun of me in grade 5......... and all the way thru highschool, actually be nice to me, ..... haha.... I had to snicker a couple of times, when they came up and said it was good to see me, and all that :) ha ha.... I think I"m still traumatized but what they did to me, in my school years! :) as clear as day, i can still hear them taunting me !

some of the girls............ still, as barbiesh, as ever............ i just wanted to go over there, and rip their little barbie head off......... and say.. BE REAL..... but, i restrained myself

Oh well, I'm well over that.... all in all, it was a good night!

Still can't believe its been 10 years already !

Things are progressing well

Life is good ! The new job is great! I'm happy again! Happy and at work........ those two words, seem an oddity, in the same sentence, but .. its true. I've rediscovered my inner happiness, with my job situation. Alls it took was a leaving of the old job, and a starting of the new job! I'm sure I"ll have my bad days.......... Especially when I work on a busy day over breakfast! BUt for now, let me enjoy this feeling !

LIFE IS STILL GOOD

First Shift........

The first shift as a legitimate Coast Hotel Whitespot Employee....... is in the books! I'm feeling really positive, about the staff, the job, everything! Its so wonderful to work with Brian again! Life is good.

There are a few things, that I"m still slightly worried about. The fact that Brian is going on holidays in a week. But I"m hoping and depending the the staff there, can sort of help me thru it, as I get comfortable in the new place

LIFE IS GOOD !

Matt Cooke has FINALLY agreed to terms with the Vancouver Canucks. He will be returning, and we will see # 24 back on the ice with the Canucks. Now, the season can go forward! :) Matt Cooke is a Canuck AGAIN :)

the party to say goodbye

Well, the party is over and done with. I now fully understand the quote

"parting is such sweet sorrow "

It was a fun night, if one could forget that one was not working with these people again. They got me the coolest gifts to remember them by :) All Canucks stuff, so one would almost think that they knew me pretty well :) haha

The card they gave me, that they all signed, I started to read it, but I couldn't finish it....... I almost started to get teary eyed over it, so I saved it for reading later :) I'm gonna miss them all soooo much! :) They all wished me luck, said I'd do a great job, to come by and visit, don't forget them. gave me a hug, and sent me on my way!

I've had such good times with all of them there. I'll never forget them thats for sure. I just wish I could bring them all with me ! Unfortunately, i can't!

I love you all !

ITS OVER

My sojourn at the Langley WHITESPOT is over ! Not without one last bout of tears though ! :) stupid computers thought it would be a good day to screw up, and mess up my close. so it took me alot longer than normal to shut down tonite. I ended up having to call squirrel for help! the guy that talked to me was super nice, and got me calmed down, and walked me thru it, so I survived........

on to the new job!

I CAN DO IT YES I CAN

the countdown is almost over

ONE LAST SHIFT !!!

another shift, has come and gone. The hours slipped by, before I knew it, i was leaving the restaurant for the second to last time! tommorrow is definitely going to be Wierd!

I think I may be a little sad, when I walk out of the doors, for the last time, as a manager... a little apprehensive, a little excited....

crazy!!!!!

Two More Shifts

What a Night !!!

It was busy, and i worked for the last time, with Gavin, and James. It was sad, for me. I found it sad anyway! :) I've worked for so long with both of them. It will definitely be wierd, not working with them again. I must admit, i was getting a little teary eyed towards the end of the night. How stupid is that eh? I'm so going to miss both of them! I'm sure we will see each other occasionally, but, it won't be the same...... another chapter in my life is closing........and I dont like it!

It makes me so sad, I hate saying goodbye, for the last time.

Maybe at some point in the near future, I'll be glad I made the decision to leave my current job, and try something new.... but right now, I"m regretting it!

what have I done?

3 shifts

COUNT THEM.... ONE, TWO, THREE,

Friday, Saturday and Sunday, my last three shifts at Langley Whitespot. On one hand I feel relief, on the other hand, Its pretty sad. I've been there for, i guess its the almost 8 year point. Lived and learned, made some pretty good friends.... and now the time has come to move on! I"m excited, yet scared. I guess thats pretty normal though !

I keep telling myself that this is a good move for me. It will be good for me, I'll learn so many new things. Change of scenery... and all that. sometimes I believe myself :) ha ha..... ask me in about a month....... I"ll let you know if I made the right decision! :)

Until then, I will remain positive, and just look to enjoy my last three shifts working ... in Langley. Monday night will be emotional I think... my farewell dinner................ maybe it won't be, its not as if I won't see my friends from work, occasionally. I just won't see them at work.....

THREE MORE SHIFTS! :)

The one year anniversary of the NHL Lockout, is today! Thankfully, there will be a season this year! Training camps are up and running all over the league now. The Canucks are up in Whistler, and things look good for the team this year!

If only Matt Cooke would sign his contract. Rumour has it, that that could happen any time now, so once that happens, things will be looking up for the team. There is always the off chance, that Ronning will sign too. :) One can only hope! :)

Its so great waking up in the morning, and having hockey news to read! :)

GO CANUCKS GO

Hockey is indeed back !!

AND THE THRILL IS BACK, THE HEARTACHE IS GONE, HOCKEY IS BACK, LOVE LIVES ON.... !!!!

A Bunch of us, went in to the open practice for the fans this afternoon. Just walking into GM Place, seeing the ice, once again, reminded me, why hockey is the greatest sport in the world !

We were there for about an hour and a half I would guess. Watching the players scrimmage. It was really nice to see the big line playing together, Naslund, Morrison, and BERTUZZI. There were a few standouts that I noticed, Fedor Federov shows spurts of brilliance, bursts of speed. Ryan Kesler, also seemed pretty quick on his feet. The new additions, Anson Carter, and Richard Parks also seemed to putting forth a little extra effort to show the fans what they could do! It was really cool! :)

At one point during the scrimmage, Ohlund, tripped Bertuzzi, .... from where we were sitting, you could see Todd glaring at him..... and then Naslund tripped himself, so they were all having a good laugh at their own expense. :) It was a pretty relaxed atmosphere !

I would say that there was probably a good 500, maybe more at the rink today. To see the Canucks as they begin their training camp. It was so fun! It got me really pumped to see the start of the season ! It was over too soon. The fans started to trickle out............. we stayed longer than most. I was hoping they'd come back out, but it was not to be. while we were there anyway.

We finally headed towards the exit, headed out down the street in search of something to eat! We were hungry ! We decided on moxie's, so we headed that way! :) we ate a lovely meal, had great service............ it was around 2 o clock by the time we were done. Andrea, kim, Erin, and James decided they needed to head back, and me and sarah wandered on down robson street! :) about twenty minutes later, I got a call from ERIN, they had run into Richard Parks, and she got him to autograph her hat. How cool is that? Why does that always happen to everyone but me? I never run into hockey players like that! so that was a pretty cool ending to the day for them! :)

Sarah and I enjoyed our wandering down the streets..taking in the sights.... watching the people.

It was a good day! we had so much fun !

On our way back to the car, i took this picture, i dont know if you can tell but the picture, and background is pretty hazy cuz of the whole burns bog burning.....

I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE SEASON TO START

GO CANUCKS GO !

a well deserved day off !

OPEN PRACTICE FOR THE FANS

Well, today being my one day off this week, I"m gonna be celebrating in style! :) Open practice for the fans today. My first chance to see the Canucks of 2005/2006 :) A group of us from work are going, we leave in about an hour or so! :) It will be a good day! :)

GO Canucks GO ! :)

overwhelmed again !

went out to my new job today, opening shift, long day.....

will i ever feel comfortable there? I feel so overwhelmed. why did I do this? ....

I felt like this when I first became a manager..... so maybe at some point in the near future, I will feel comfortable... with my new job, and new responsibilities !

Right now, I'm almost sick, with worry that I wont do a good job........... that i'll 'fail' , that I wont be able to do it................

you know, the comfortable, wasn't so bad, why did I venture out...............

there has to be a reason somewhere....

but what?

I can do this, i can! I have to believe that I can !!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm tired !!!!

How will I survive the long day ahead? its 345, in the morning. Yes, in the morning and I"m preparing to get ready to go to work! I'm not used to this day shift stuff. I"m gonna need lots and lots of coffee this morning, until I feel somewhat normal! I can tell you one thing, if I work day shift on a regular basis, like I'm apparently going to. I"m definitely going to have to get to bed ALOT EARLIER! I"m going into my new job today!, this morning, leaving in about an hour. But I need to have breakfast, do some laundry, and have a shower, before I even think about leaving for the day! Today should be interesting. Meeting, or re - meeting some more people that I will be working with! I hope the day goes okay..... right now I just feel like falling back into bed, pulling the covers over my head, and going to sleep!

i do not feel all bright eyed and chipper, at this point!


Why did I say I'd go in on my day off! this early? after not getting home from work till 1145, and not getting to sleep till 1230?

one of life's great unanswered questions!

oh well, off I go to face the day ahead!

~ four more shifts ~

One shift down, four to go ! It was a busy night tonite, we were understaffed, both out front and in the kitchen. It was stressful. But somehow We all survived! It seems wierd that I only have so little time there left!

Tommorrow morning I head out to the new job, for a day of training, on my day off! AM I DEDICATED OR WHAT? ha ha ..... so Up I have to be at 4 in the morning. thats gonna be interesting, considering that its already almost midnight and I just got home :) ha ha...

I HOPE I HEAR MY ALARM! :)

four more shifts !

~5 more shifts~

It just keeps getting more frustrating! I found out tonite, that the girl they brought in to replace me, is getting paid more money than I ever got paid. Hows that for a slap in the face, and thanks for your hard work and dedication for the last year!

Granted, she may be inflating her numbers a little, but if this is indeed the case, I think I"m pretty justified in being upset. The only thing I've ever done there, is try and do a good job, and to be treated the way i've been treated my last few shifts there.... I just dont know what to think! I feel sooo , hmm, sooo hurt, I think would be the best way to describe it.

But on the positive side,( yes there is a positive side) :) I've met alot of people in my time there, and I"m proud to call most of them friends :) We've had some good times there, and I will always look back on the memories i've created there with great fondness. I've learned alot, my time there, changed, grown, matured, to a certain extent anyway :) I'll miss certain aspects of working there, for sure ! I just wish I could have left with a better feeling.... if you know what I mean!

5 MORE SHIFTS

I Need To Get Away !

I need a holiday ! I'm about fed up with Whitespot, as you can probably tell, if you've been reading my blog periodically, over the past few days. I know life isn't fair, but it just seems right now, at work, life is treating everyone else, but me, fairly. My shifts, are closing shifts till I"m out of there, while, the other managers there, are getting three days off a week, weekends off, four days off in a row. You know I could really use something like that right now !

I know I"m leaving, and I only have a limited amount of shifts left at that restaurant, but that shouldn't mean that I'm the one that gets the lousy shifts. That doesn't mean that i"m the one that doesn't get a weekend off. That doesn't mean that I"m the one that doesn't get four days off in a row. Or does it? Maybe I"m NAIVE..... but one would think, a happy manager would be of greater value to the restaurant, than one who is unhappy, bitter, upset, severely stressed out... maybe I"m wrong.... which could be a distinct possibility.... who knows. Alls I know is that I need a break! I'm tired of being a pawn! Use and abuse, thats the current philosophy around the place right now. It sure feels that way anyway!

I'm gonna be in fine form when I start my new job.

I NEED A BREAK !

Oregon sounds good right about now!

6 more shifts !!!

Its almost over ! But everything that could go wrong, will, as evidenced by my shift tonite. The head grill is now sick for 10 days, there is no one to take his place without dishing out overtime. The paycheques for most of the servers were messed up ..... so they were all upset, for some odd reason. sick call, after sick call..... running out of food items.........dealing with customer complaints..........

Its almost over........... I think!

I think, I can do this.......... I THINK.............

I'm just tired of dealing with the same ole stuff, day in and day out. I want to get out to my new job, and start there. sure there is probbaly some of the same problems there....but its a new environment!

I WANT IT TO BE OVER!

why oh why? must i put up with all this........

i'm sure there is some reason, somewhere, I just dont see it yet !

My Nephew

My wonderful nephew. As is usual, its friday, so we have him for the day! :) Nothing like being woke up practically at the crack of dawn, by a sweet little voice saying.. "AUNTIE, AUNTIE" .. what a sweet heart he is! :) I took him for a walk this morning! :) we went to see the ducks, and he had fun throwing rocks in the pond! :) he is in such a good mood today! :) He truly is so much fun to be around!

Life is good, whenever Ethan is around! :)

worth a read

(someone sent this to me, I thought it was worth sharing)

Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.

George Carlin (Absolutely Brilliant)

George Carlin's Views on Aging :

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions. "How old are you?" "I'm four and a half!" You're never thirty-six and a half. You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key. You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead. "How old are you?" "I'm gonna be 16!" You could be 13, but hey, you re gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life . . . you become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony . . . YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!

But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There's no fun now, you re Just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed? You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50 and your dreams are gone. But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would! So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60. You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70!

After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday! You get into your 80s and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn't end there. Into the 90s, you start going backwards; "I Was JUST 92." Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. "I'm 100 and a half!"

May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!

HOW TO STAY YOUNG

• Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay "them "
• Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
• Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop. And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.
• Enjoy the simple things.
• Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
• The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.
• Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
• Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable,improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
• Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.
• tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away!!!

WHAT? 10- 0

This is awesome ! The BC Lions are doing the province proud so far this season! 10 wins, no losses. yes you heard me right. I do believe that means, they are UNDEFEATED!!!!!!!! :)

Keep up the great work, you'll make a die hard fan of me yet! :)

7 more shifts again

Just because I'm a nice person. I've added once again, one more shift to my countdown..... The other manager or rather in charge who was going to work my saturday shift. Realized that was the night he had plans to go to a concert. So me, being the wonderful thoughtful considerate person that I am, said I'd work it for him, just cuz I care :) haha

oh well, I'll survive.

Work has been pretty good the past few nights. If you call payroll getting messed up, people yelling at me, and debit terminals not working good :)

haha

never a dull moment at the spot! :)

COMMENT SPAM

How incredibly annoying. I log into my blog daily, always eager to see if anyone reading my blog had left me a comment. Imagine my disappointment....the last couple days I"ve been getting comment spam. "great job, maybe you'd be interested in investing...blah blah blah " I changed a bit of stuff on my settings..so hopefully that puts a stop to it. :)

AND PEOPLE COME VISIT MY BLOG :)

7 more shifts

7 more shifts. How is this possible you may ask.... well, i managed to convince, another member of the whitespot team, that he would love to work two of my shifts next week. Enabling me to work two days out at my new job. Thus, I lose two shifts, at the old place, and lose two shifts in my countdown :)

I'm so glad this all worked out. Cuz it gives me more training out at my new job, before the General Manager over there goes on holidays, leaving me in charge! :)

So, I have thursday night, friday night, saturday night, sunday night, thursday night, friday night, and sunday night, and I am finished with the langley whitespot forever, ... so it appears right now anyway :)

Now the the summer is over, the restaurant has died down quite a bit, so here's hoping that my remaining shifts there, are trouble free :)

a girl can dream can't she ?

computer troubles

Well, once again, our household is back to being a one computer family! :) The E: Drive on my computer for some reason, wont work at all. I can't read discs, in fact I can't even open the drive. I dropped it off at Sandramax this morning, to replace the drive. I cannot rave enough on how good sandramax is. Amazing customer service!!!!!!!!!!!!!

anyway, My computer won't be back till sometime tommorrow. I miss it already :) I guess I should be thankful that I dont have to go without a computer totally! :)

haha i think we are spoiled, with how readily accessible computers are to us in this day and age !

GAME > ON

ONE MONTH, and the NHL season begins !

after months of desolate nights with no nhl hockey in sight. October 5th is the night. All hockey fans, who can, will be sitting at home, reading the newspaper............

AS IF !

any hockey fan who can, will be at the game, will be somewhere, listening, watching, attending the first hockey game of the season. The first 'real' hockey game in the nhl in over a year and a half!

GO CANUCKS GO

A day off - there is life outside of work !

My wonderful nephew came over today. What alot of fun he is. He is a ray of sunshine, in my life these days. I can almost forget about the stresses of work, when he's around! :)

Today, we took him to the park, where, he discovered the MONKEY BARS. Which he was quite thrilled with, The FIREMAN"S POLE, and the SLIDE. He loved them all, but he wouldn't take a step near the SWING. When we put him on it, he was so scared! it was sort of funny :)

He loves going to the park, thats for sure! :)

What a good day.

RIght now He's having a nap, and then his parents are coming over for a BBQ tonite. And it looks like its gonna be a lovely evening. You can tell its decidedly fall though. Just walking thru the forest, the comforting crunch of the leaves, and the crispness in the air, in the evening!

I LOVE FALL.......... and I love ETHAN

It was a beautiful day today. Warm, and sunny. You could definitely feel fall in the air though. Which isn't a bad thing! :)

It was a perfect day, to spend with my nephew, watching him run and play on the playground, that his daddy and I played on when we were around his age! :)

Time flies, thats for sure !


What fun.....

STRESS, WHAT STRESS?

HELP !

10 more shifts

Another shift over and done with ! one shift closer to leaving that restaurant forever. Thinking that, kinda makes me sad....... I'll miss so many people there. But its not like I'm gone from the area, and I wont see them anymore.

I am in such turmoil...over everything thats happening there right now. I feel bad leaving my friends.... to cope with the endless changes that are soon to appear..... and I"m not sure that I can do the job thats expected of me at the new restaurant......

I wish I had more time to train. So i wouldn't have to go in on my day off ! I"m so tired and worn out these days. I hate to give up even one of my days off! Once I get out there, I"ll have a week and half to learn everything I need to learn..and then my new General Manager is going on holidays! Granted at this point, he really needs his holidays, but I feel ill equipped to deal with whats expected of me!

Will I ever feel rested and relaxed again?

11 more shifts

One shift down, 11 to go.

And the snippy comments begin! One would almost think that my current general manager will be glad to see me go! Just re affirming my feeling of being a simple pawn, in her whitespot life. It drives me crazy, but I just think to myself, soon, very soon, I won't have to deal with her anymore! :)

This is so wierd for me, I don't usually have a problem getting along with anyone. But i've been having huge issues, forcing myself to remain positive, and nice and friendly, whenever I have to deal with her! . So far I haven't said anything to rude or outrageous. But believe you me I've been tempted! :)

I can survive this sudden onslaught of nasty comments, directed my way.... I THINK !

12 more shifts

Now, i dont even want to work for Whitespot anymore.

A busy friday night, much like they used to be ! I think I"m just burned out! Emotionally worn out, Physically burnt out, i'm just weary.... so weary........

I need holidays or something! Something to restore me to my normal happy, go lucky self.

I feel overwhelmed !

13 more shifts

THE COUNTDOWN IS ON

As I get closer to my last shift at work, I have begun to realize what truly wonderful people I have been working with for the past 7.5 years. Of course there is that select few, that you definitely won't miss. The majority of my staff, and co workers, are wonderful people. It makes me sad to think of going into work, and not seeing these same people. Its all part of moving on I suppose. I"m sure I"ll meet new people, who are just as wonderful, at my new place of employment. 13 more shifts to work with the ones that I've known for years though. Truly, my last day will be bittersweet! Wanting to leave, but not wanting to leave anyone behind ! I supposed I should enjoy these moments that I have now, too soon, it will all be over ! I will have to bid them adieu........ Its all part of life, Isn't it? saying good bye ?

Re-signed Ruutu

Jarko Ruutu, is re - signed and back with the Canucks for another year ! Jarko really adds to the entertainment value of the team. I'll never forget, that one game, last time there was hockey... there was a lot of jibber jabbering going on between him and an opponent. Jarko got the last word, as he calmly stuck his tongue out at the other guy! :) I still giggle when I see footage of that :) He's a pesky player, much like a matt cooke, with maybe not quite as much skill around the net! :)

Welcome back Ruutu, i look forward to seeing you this season in a canucks uniform! :)

Now if only we could come to an agreement with Cooke, and Ronning..............

i do believe, it could happen! :)

GO CANUCKS GO !