tex mex turkey

 I ran some errands in the morning. People seemed pretty anxious in general.

The new toaster arrived today. Haven't tested it yet.

Made tex mex turkey- a black bean salad with turkey on top- was good and healthy too!

too little leaves

 The leaves have all fallen and the back neighbour has a new bright back light so I can see it very clearly.

I have been watching the series of seeing things and being amused by the toronto humour of the 80s.

James today was doing community work by recording a video for children learning to read. The hockey team is a big deal in the community.

too much Omicron

 They decided to send the students home (after they take a covid test- hopefully they only need a rapid test as you can't get an appointment)

This will likely make things more complicated for next term as we have 2 days of exams to make up at some point as they have indicated that Mon and Tues will be rescheduled. Will we start term late? Who knows. Covid strikes again.

Windstorm

 There was a large wind storm last night. I put the recycling boxes in the garage. Everything looks fine from the window right now but I know elsewhere in the city trees came down and many traffic lights are down. Cleanup day today for many people!

Seeing things

 I found some old episodes on youtube of "seeing things". It is still really good and Louie is still annoying. I remember enjoying it as a kid.

A week of Omicron

 This week I tried to recover from the week away and while I was doing that Omicron was working its way through some residences. Anecdotally it does seem that what they were saying about it being a milder version but more contagious seems to be true. The vaccination doesn't seem to help much against the contagion from the amount of my students testing positive. It made for a lot of emails this week!

James' game today was postponed because of bad weather in N.B.

Here all my snow melted before I had a chance to shovel.

on trees

 I have a bunch of photos of some walks around N.B. lots of trees, just haven't downloaded yet. Visiting relatives. Now back in Grand Falls. A tough game for James as the boys weren't quite on their game and had a tough loss. Fredericton has a covid case so the boys needed to get tested again as they had played them Sun. All clear for them for now.

A piece of the wheel well dislodged and had to take it in to get it reattached. 1 week old!

Road trip day 3 - the work day

So many people were helpful and we sorted out all our business that we needed to take care of. 

We spent the evening with James' billets who I think will be really good for him. He has to learn to adapt to a new home culture.

Tomorrow we travel to Grand Lake and then onto Moncton.

hotel update

 The hotel is really the only big hotel in grand falls and is very nice- much nicer than I expected. Yesterday it was full, full, full. Kids everywhere. But tonight the parking lot is mostly empty, there is no noise. One of the ladies working here commented on how quiet it is, so it must be nice for them as well.

road trip day 2

 I went searching for the Grand Falls and was not disappointed! The trail beside it was unmarked but they have ziplining over the falls. I couldn't even go on the viewing platforms that were too far out, ziplining would be a no from me!

Also I saw this restaurant and wondered which of the cuisines the palm trees belonged with

This looked like a church that had been turned into a house

road trip day 1

It was a long drive to Grand Falls- mostly clear but there was one stormy area near Riviere du Loup that was tricky because it was also dark at the time. Most of the drive was very beautiful in seeing the snow layered on the trees.

Last night got to meet James' billet family who are super nice and outgoing and really good for him. He even decorated a Christmas tree (which I never have the energy or drive to do). They have caught onto his quirks quickly noting that they no longer cook anything with "flavor" otherwise he won't eat it. James- blanding families one family at a time.

The hotel is really very nice and spacious but is very full. Lots of children- maybe a hockey tournament? Who knows? Their pool and workout areas are open (not that I would partake in that, just a covid note)

One of the players on Miramishi tested positive for covid. James' team played them on Wed so their game today was up in the air but the team managed to get some rapid tests and the team was all tested this morning and given the all clear for the game. I walked down to the arena and took the pictures above before the bus left.

Then I went to the Toyota where the old car was. It really doesn't look too bad except for the front bumper. If I had been here I would have had better questions to ask the collision guy but as James was handling it, he didn't know the right questions to ask.

While James is playing the game today I am planning to walk to try to find the Grand Falls!

 

break down

 

Today I did an in person day at work. 7 hours in person and then 5 hours at home trying to catch up. It was vaguely normal and vaguely weird.

When I got home the furnace was not working. Then the toaster died. 2021 when the machines abandon us.

november marching on

 is it getting better?

Well, covid is creeping closer. A friend diagnosed with cancer. A baby with a difficult diagnosis. Lots of challenges. The week has been challenging.

But I won my appeal at work, so that was good.

Birthday week

 My birthday itself was good getting to see my parents and the feast that Kim and Zully put on and getting to see Joanne. So that was good.

Monday was not good as the car was messed up. 

I am working hard on Winter term now, launching project ranking and working on hiring, trying to get all the pieces in place.

Yesterday I made a turkey rice bowl that we have had before. Today made Mumbai style potatoes which was a new recipe for us- it was good.

Had my e-group in the evening.

Tomorrow evening I have a presentation to do on the projects.

bored meeting

 We joke and call our board meetings bored meetings. We are heading into a transition time on the board as well as a transition time as we work toward in person meetings again.

At work we are talking about the return to in person and the thought that things will go back to as they were. I was encouraging that we should think about what was learned and what is better to do remotely.

As our Fall term course is wrapping up I am starting to work on Winter ones.

I need to change my password at work which happens every 4 months and causes chaos every time as that password is linked to so many different things. I try to do this at night so that everything has time to synch before morning. But morning will be a challenge.