One day in your life

One day in your life

The past the present and future all in one.  Never really know do you.  It is something most of us take for granted that tomorrow is coming and we are set on that course.  Looking back at 2013 I tend to agree with the statement that most of us don't live life to the fullest.  I have however found most of my time taking pictures has forced me out into some places I may not normally go.

I was trying to think how this week feels and what emotions does it seem to be bringing up.  Can not really place it yet.  I think it feels like a week where not a lot is critically important and maybe a person can sit back a bit and enjoy.  But that is only a maybe, one never really knows.

I can not help but think about the plunge into renos a bit.  We are still not done but what we have done makes our home better, more comfortable.  Still more to come.  It all takes time.  I heard somebody say if you can survive a reno your relationship can survive anything.  To the point and very true.

Well I see the holiday season on the horizon, ask yourself what matters the most to you?  What could you not live without.  Be honest, do not sugar coat it.  Look inside and see who you really are.  Do you love yourself 100% when you see that person?  Maybe or maybe not.  I know what I want and what I need.  I believe in my heart that there is only a few truly important things one needs.

Happy...what we should all be

Sometimes it feels right.

So who would have thought that a half hour long text discussion with my dad who is in Vietnam could make me feel closer to him.  I think one of the changes I mentioned in my last post about that spark being back may apply.  See, I have found a couple things that I am working on with regards to myself.  One of them involves my attitude and being more open and positive and allowing the negative to move through me and not to dwell on it.  So again, how does that apply to a text conversation?  Well it does because it feels good.  I have to admit it was really nice to chat and I think the thing was he is happy, he is enjoying himself and not just because he is working but because he was having fun and enjoys his time and the people.  So back to that notion of positive, I really love my parents, they are and have been very good parent and grand parents.  Not every thing works out and not everything happens the way I wanted it to.  Yes there are moment but it is a relationship and there are always moments.  I am sure they have a long list of moments where they wanted or may still want to strangle me but hey what are kids for.  So to my dad I am proud to say it was great to chat with you even though you are on the other side of the world and I am sitting here freezing.   It felt good to do that.  That is more to the point, it felt good.  I need more of those feelings.  As the cold and winter descended on us last week I have become slightly bored and struggling to find a way out of it.  This may strike people a little off key, but I have had a couple of Christmases where I was on the depressed side.  I get quite hung up on it.  I struggle to be creative and to find my stride.  As a bit of self admission, I tend to turn to my friend chocolate to cure these melancholy moments.  But I will see what comes along this time.  I have told myself to instead go and do something when those moments hit.  So today I was bored, I went and cleaned up the garage a bit and made dinner.  Not really feeling like working on pictures.  Hey the weather is apparently going to be warm for the next day or two so maybe for Sunday I will get out with the camera and take some photos.  Then maybe some new shots will be produced and posted.  One never knows.

Have a nice night peace and love.

Changes of 2013

Well as I continue to remind myself what was this past year.  2013 saw so many things as per usual, hard to really take it all in but I am starting to look around at things and go wow a lot went on.  Probably one of the biggest changes was my Uncle Rick.  He left us this year and it was and still is one of those things that keeps popping into my mind.  It was his passing that has made me take some further stock in what and who I am.  At his funeral it made me realize I need to change and with that I need to change certain things.  I have started, there are things in motion which when they come to rest we will see what happens.  But the biggest thing was to take on a different attitude towards myself.  I found a bit of light that I think had faded over the years, it is now coming back slowly and starting to shine a little brighter.  That is what loosing my Uncle has done for me, as usual he was always a person to make you think and reflect.  He did it again.  I thank him for that and for the many other things and memories I have from him.

Another big change was sending our daughter off to school.  What a strange event, not tears not sadness just a realization that she is a person that has grown into a great young adult.  I really think that she impresses me so much each time I turn around.  I am looking forward to having her home for the holidays.  I know her energy and laugh will be something to stir up the house again.  Makes me proud.

The young man has also changed, I have not failed to notice that our eyes are just about on the level.  Hard to think that he was a little guy that I picked up and could carry around.  Now I think he could maybe do that to me.  Makes me laugh.  That and with his sister gone we outnumber the girls in the house.

Well change comes whether we like it or not, there is always that momentum.  I remember a saying a friend had on her living room wall.  You can't change the wind but you can adjust your sails.

See what waters we will find in the year that is coming!

Some broken bells....not silver

Oh yeah did we mention winter was coming????

Yes let's reflect on 2013.  The current state of the weather reminds me of spring.  When it flooded like Noah and his Ark were coming back.

I do not want to comment on anything further today.  Winter is hear with snow, wind and cold would rather just go to bed.

Anyway, hope you have a better day weather wise than we are getting.

Some Dala to make your day a little brighter.

I think it is December today....

So I think it is December today.  I am going to make the effort to push through the month and put some reflections of this year.

So I will begin with December 1 and start the reflective moments.  I think the first post I added was about New Years Resolutions.  It was about how hard they are for some and how meaningful or less they are for others.  I found it hard to set some sort of goal or really idea in motion.  I decided rather to choose a word, discipline was that word.  Now having said that the intention was to use the word to reflect on and to ensure that it was a part of the things that I did.  I have no way of know how big of a task it will be to enforce discipline into my life for 365 days.  At this time I am really not sure that I was successful for the entire year but I do think it resonated with me at times during the year. I find that I have become more disciplined in areas.  So I guess it was in some ways a success.

So as December rolls in to Calgary with a blizzard warning, I have my new monthly transit pass tucked into my wallet.  Traci is hammer out the Christmas Cards....hopefully they will go out on time.  I will again put discipline into practice and try to put a little something up to reflect on a year that has had some up hill climbs and some down hill rolls.

For those of you that are interested in you tube I will leave you with something that I have been watching the past couple of weeks.  Infinite Waters, check it out and as they say on their channel, love yourself 100%.

Peace.

Now back to the show....

Yes it has been a little while since my last brief note.  I am happy to report not much has taken place.  I am not sure why but it seems like this past week actually went quite slow.  I was using up some vacation and it was nice just relaxing for the whole week.  All that said, I am also a supporter of the time change I really hate the change in spring, I would prefer that we did not adjust our times.  I am glad though that we seem to feel better about getting an extra hour at this time of the year.  Anyway, life goes on, I did manage to get out and take some pictures.  I have found another lens that I like it is borrowed from my father in law, very nice of him to lend it to me, I may actually buy it off him as it is very sharp and I love shooting with it.  85mm prime f1.8, kicks butt on the sharpness.  But I am starting to compile a list of places for us to go to and take pictures.  Some closer than others.  I am also contemplating a course in photoshop in January.  May make that happen have to save my coin for that one though.  Also in this hunt for sites to take photos of I am finding lots of other cool things, just information and stuff I would not normally get into.  I am starting to make some plans for day hikes in the summer but we have to really get committed to that, it is hard for us to do with Track but we are going to try and make time.

So outside of that it was a nice slow week with lots of idle time to relax.  I am hoping this week goes smoothly.  Still healing the hamstring, did some IMS last week hurt like hell.  But it is coming around and I am hoping we are getting closer to 100%.  Anyway have a great week.

Hope the snow and cold don't pile up too high.

It may hurt a little!

So torn the hamstring on the 4, have had some physio and tried to keep going on the walking and a few gentle rides on the bike in the basement.  Now wouldn't you know it, the weather this past week and half has been quite nice, go figure.  So how much does this hurt, well a little more with the weather and being stuck on the ctrain sort of bites since i could actually be on my bike.

Not going to lie here would rather be able to play hockey and cycle but I figure it may take a few more weeks of rehab before we are even close to doing much.

On other notes, 2 more days and then I get a week off.  have tried to plan a few fun things to do but it seems like I am running out of days to get road trips in for pictures.  We will see how it plays out.

Not much beyond that to report.

Have a good week and i hope your fall is gently easing you into the next season.

There is a balloon somewhere going ppppphhhhhhttttttt!!!!

yes there is a balloon somewhere.  Not sure where but maybe in my home.  I am to say the least not impressed with my new (cheap on ebay) lens.  Sadly it arrived and one quick look through the glass and it is shot.  The lens was not advertised with any defects but it clearly not a usable lens.  So now what?  I have requested a refund the and seller is agreeing to do this so I am just waiting for the money to arrive.  I am really forcing myself to keep off the lens buying but I am in a funny spot with this camera.  Do not get me wrong, love my nikon D600 it is a wonderful camera never felt that it was a bad step.  But the lenses for this camera are different in that they are all expensive and to get something good is about $1000 bucks.  So yes the balloon has gone ppppphhtttt!  I am working through ebay and various other used channels to find something but it is really coming down to the fact that I will probably stay with what I have and give up on spending my money right now.  I have borrowed an 85mm prime 1.8f from my father in law, it is something he wants to sell I love this lens it is simply put one of the sharpest lenses I know of.  I am tempted to sell off a couple of the older ones I have (25$) old lenses and buy this from him.  But again it means sneaker zoom.  But it means awesome sharp pictures and I like that.  So I will have to probably discuss cost at some point.  My Wife will love that one.

Moving on, managed to get out and take pictures a few times this week.  It is so nice to get out with the camera.  I have a lot of fun, working at being a better photographer.  I am really into black and white right now I love the idea of that.  I have my second print done and in the frame to be hung in the house.  That is right 2 whole images, what have I shot.....like 10000, and I have 2 that I love enough so far.  Actually I have a bunch from the other fall when took the kids pictures.  I am surely not going to forget those, plus a bunch of other stuff I have in small frames.  So maybe I am better than the 2 bigger prints.

Too funny.

Well as the weekend rolls past I am 1 week away from vacation, not sure what I will get done that week, want to get out with the camera to some places further out of town, that is if the weather stays good.  Have an engineer coming to tell us if we can remove the wall in the front living room, that is right the other half of the house is about to start, seems like we have had enough of a break from things time to get rolling over there.

Well I have 2 pumpkin pies baked up and a nice pork roast getting ready to go in the oven so guess it is back to the kitchen.  Maybe I will do something like bake a few potatoes or even oven roast them, that sounds better.

Have a good week.

That was a long weekend????

So how are you all feeling????  Stuffed with turkey or ham perhaps????  I would suggest that this is that time of year where the eating out weighs the exercise.  That may truly be the case in some instances.  I am for the most part at a stand still my leg is getting better the stairs are now manageable but the old hamstring is still not 100%   I did manage to get out and walk a bunch on the weekend.  I can say that did help keep things moving and loose.  Not too mention I was able to eat a little bit more than one should of the old pumpkin pie.  Love that stuff.

So what to report in with or what to talk about?  No real big news.  I am however in a lens dilemma.  I have taken to ebay and found some older lenses that maybe are more manual.  I am still waiting for the one to arrive,   I think it should be more AF than the other one.  But the other one is very clean and looks and feels good.  First impressions are that it is not bad for the price.  But flare....wow lots of flare. I am thinking maybe the other lens which is series 1 vivitar may be less flare.  I am hoping.  I also have on my shelf a very nice Nikon 85mm 1.8f g lens, wow is it sharp and very fast.  It is a loner from a friend that I am considering in this pursuit to buy a less in that middle range.  Being fixed and a prime you expect it to be sharp.  The vivitar are 28-85mm the first a standar 3.5 to 4.6 and has a macro, the minimum focus distance is ok but not 100% what I am after.  The next one that I am waiting for is 2.8 and has more wide angle with no macro.  So we will see, it should be here.

I am off for a week at the end of the month and I have a plan to go and do a bunch of longer days on the road with the camera.  I am going to go to Lethbridge and pick up the girl as she is coming up for the dixie chicks concert as well.

But in general the weekend was quick, I worked on Saturday and also a short stint on Sunday.  But the time flew by.  Sinclaire was home, it was nice she is such a ball of energy, we sat and chatted for an hour and a half on Friday just me and her, she had a bunch of stuff to get out of her head I guess.

Always nice having her home.

I am also going to be doing some more painting.  Finished all the doors and jams now.  I am going to start on the upstairs.  Never ends really.  But I am going to see how things go as Traci is off for a scrapbooking weekend in Pincher Creek and as luck would have it I am not on call this weekend so maybe I can get out to the mountains for some photogs......


Or stay home and paint....nah......photos.

have a good week

Back to the conspiracy theory

So not much time to put anything up here.  But I thought I would stop in with a quick note.  Things have been filled with lots of things in the past couple of weeks.  Back work, going nuts keeping up with things busy is good crazy is not always fun.  School and Track are busy for Lyndon.  Always good for him to keep going on things.  I got back to hockey last friday first game was good to be back on the ice.  I will now explain the title of this post.  Managed to strain my hamstring when I caught an edge on the ice.  Not something I am know for as I have a pretty good ability to skate.  That said I was down and out.  My hamstring is quite sore and walking is a bit of work.  I have fun on the stairs so no biking even though the weather has been fine for cycling.  No hockey as I can not hurt myself like this and get back out there without further injury.  So the cycling season is wrapped up and I will say this from the start there was something about cycling this year it was not meant to be easy or at least not meant to happen the way I envisioned.  Hockey I will get back to in a month or so I hope the physio has started and it will take some time to heal.

The girl is doing well at school tests and such keeping her busy, hard to think that it has only been a month and a half but seems much longer than that.  She is coming home for the weekend which is great look forward to seeing her.

Anyway, that is about it for me.  Busy with other things and posting is obviously not as big a priority as maybe it should be for me.  So for now that is about it.

Conspiracy I say.....I know there out there.....probably snickering as they spread glass and tacks on the roadway.....grrrrrrrr.


Live it up folks....

Oh, last thought need to change somethings, maybe I will explain that when I get a moment.


Anyway Camera weekend maybe?  Going to try and get out there with it.

Thanks have fun stay young and drink water.

Time off for good behaviour?

So I had booked a few days off this past week not really intending to have had the family event on the weekend prior.  Sadly these few days were very much needed as I found that I was quite tired from the previous weekend.  Even with that said I had a few days to try and relax.  Traci also took a couple of days off and we had planned to try and get away for the weekend to a location other than Cowtown.  Well as we looked we found it hard to spend the money.  It was just not in the cards.  Instead we had planned to go to the movies during the day, to maybe go out to Canmore and Lake Louise for the day.  How about a nice meal out.  Yes that was the plan.  Well as it would happen there was a problem with the girls car, so down to lethbride we go.  Had a hunch what the issue was and also had some idea what the solution might be but rather than guess we decided to run the diagnostic computer on the car and it confirmed what we suspected.  TPS (throttle position sensor).  Had this same issue on my old truck.  Anyway, nobody has this part in stock in lethbridge or calgary.  Nobody.  Keep in mind the car is a focus.  There are billions of these on the roads if you look around.  So we drive back to calgary and go to pick your part and get 3 of these just in case one is bad.  Drive back to the bridge and put it on the car it works like a new car again.

So there goes the relaxing weekend in the mountains and nice dinner, maybe some photo moments as the trees are turning wonderful colors.

If it was boring I would hate it.  Life is like that you never really know.  So unfortunately I am going to have to return to work without having had much fun or photography on my break.   Sucks.

Anyway we got to have lunch with the girl and catch up on the week.  That is always a nice event.  I am not planning any trips to the bridge in the near future.  I am fairly hopeful that we can wait for Sinclaire to drive home for thanksgiving in October.  Oh the fun we have.

Now to go and pack the bike bag and get the layers ready for the AM ride.

Letter for Rick

Rick,

It was wonderful to have met you and to have spent the time together.  Not a lot of time unfortunately but it was enough to know you as a person.  Many years, at least 40 in my memory that you and I have had a chance to cross paths.  Sadly our paths have parted.  In parting there has been left an empty space in many peoples lives.  I know you though and you would never want to see the tears or have people feel bad for you.  You always found a way to bring laughter and light to people.  I remember how you teased Grandma, you would bug her and bug her, but it was always light hearted and never mean.  But at a moment you would be there for her to take her to her appointment or shopping.  Selfishness was not in your manner.  You were a giving person that in your way you gave to those that would accept you and your lightness.  I told Donna our memories are full of laughter and smiles, I can only see those moments because that is who you were.  Yes you were that odd person with so many strange little thoughts and quirks.  I know none of us are going to feel complete, I know your children and Donna feel this most of all.  Nothing will fill that space and that is the sad part.  But as I said you would not want that and you in your funny way would find a way to bring humour and laughter and a smile to those that needed it.  Thank you for always being my uncle.  Thank you for calling when you could and for taking time no matter what you were doing.  I learned from you many wonderful things some of which I did not realize until you left.  You made me question right and wrong, you made me think and not just to sit and be idle.  You made me smile and you made me laugh.  You loved all of us, my kids and my wife.  We loved you for who you were and for that our lives are blessed.  In life we learn from our experiences or we fail to see.  In some cases we fail to see until we are moved or pushed.  When I sat in the memorial for you I saw how many people you moved and how many people loved you.  I saw tears and felt sorrow.  I wished you could be there one more time to see this and to feel our love.  But as you left and I realized I missed some things.  I needed to change myself.  Again you taught me something.  I saw what I needed to do, clarity.  So Rick thank you for being a wonderful person for loving and caring and sharing your light.  As your father said of you, you are a gentleman and wonderful person.  As your light has faded I look around and I see that it may have dimmed briefly but shines on in Graham and Hayley and I know that light will burn bright again, as the world they know was shown to them by a wonderful person.  That person was you.  Love and laughter Rick walk softly on.  We love you and we will miss you but we will remember you for who you were.

Cheers

Live life as it passes to quickly.  Learn to see through the crap to the beauty on the other side.  Not everything is about more.  Sometimes less is better.

Winnipeg bound

Sadly I am off to Winnipeg as we have to say goodbye to Rick. I am quite sure this will be a difficult weekend as he is a very much missed person.   Rick we miss having you in our lives walk softly on .   Love you.

Time flies.....or something like that

So yes it has been a bit since the last post.  Sorry to those that expect a bit more.  Simply put this one is a short update.  Time is moving along fast and we have survived the week after the girl went to University.  Things are going well lots of little challenges.  But we did get her car down to her so she is able to go out and do things for herself now.  We did also make a short run down with the car and dropped a few other items off.

In other news the house is moving slowly forward.  The design of the kitchen is going to have to wait as we are trying to get things settled down on the money front this is such an expensive time and well there is only so much money to go around.  I am personally ok with this but things do need to move ahead at some point.  That said we finished the baseboards and now have few other minor bits left and some touch up.  Then we can officially call that half done.

The other thing is 19 years today for Traci and I.  

Pages turned, is it the end of the chapter or the beginning of a new one?

So most of us find a start and a finish to things.  For some the start and finish can be a long way apart.   I must admit it is somewhat strange be at a point in time where I see both.  I see a finish to having our Daughter ever present in our daily life as she is now away from home at University.  But I see the start as well that is the start that exists for her and for us as parents.  It is a very odd place but I am proud to see my children grow up and move forward in life.

Those big steps taken this past week have been added to the list of may things that went on.  Sinclaire has a drivers license now and she has a car that will be joining her at school, just needed to get a few things finished on it for her.  It is now ready to go.  Lyndon on the other hand has been handed his grade 10 time table and that is what we expected full of wonderful challenges.  His second semester is going to be a true test with math, science and english all in one.  He is very good at math and science but he knows english is a challenge and he has to work at it.

So what about us the parents?  We had planned a little vacation towards the end of the month, that has since disappeared with some of the extra costs we have at school and with the house renos.  We finished the den, new desk and shelving and filing system.  Now we are just clearing the old paper work out.

I do hope that Traci and I get a break we both need a little time to relax but it seems that it is just way too much money right now.  We will see maybe a last minute flight or short drive to some place for a break.

I have managed some photos over the past week I have found a great Youtube channel, belongs to Phlearn.  They have some wonderful tips and tutorials that I have been drawn to.  I now take a photo and work on it at bed time, following some of the suggestions that I get from the Phlearn guys.

But it is back to work, a short week only 3 days and I am sure lots going on but I will worry about that tomorrow.

For now here is the next image that is going to print.  I will be going through my photos again tonight to find another image to work on.  But this is from a car show in bowness the past weekend.

VACATION TIME!!!!

So once again it is time to take some time and enjoy the remains of the summer.  This week is really dedicated to getting the kids organized.  Such big changes for both of them that it is going to take a bit of effort to make sure we have everything organized plus a move of one down to her dorm room.

I am truly wondering what on earth happened to that little guy and little girl.  Poof they are these young adults.  Sinclaire landed a job at a dental office this year.  It was truly by chance that our good friend told her boss about Sinclaire needing a job.  They have treated her so awesome at the office.  You could not have asked for a better opportunity with great people and excellent pay for her to get to University.

But I have also discovered that Sinclaire is such a wonderful person that her coworkers are already upset she is going.  They have asked her to come and work at Christmas time.  When she is off school. The one young hygenist is taking her for lunch on Monday as a thank you.  These are the moments that make me proud.  They are moments that say to me it was the right thing to do when my wife stayed at home and we raised our children.  It was worth giving up the money we could have made and the maybe things we could have spent that money on.  I gladly give it up to see this moment.

Well I am not sure what I will produce this week but have a great one!  Maybe pictures to come?

The parting in two parts and the way we are now. Oh! and the renos.....

So long.

So long since I posted.
So long to my other camera
So long to my old vacuum

Just a few so longs for the start of this post.  First the the parting in two parts.  (you can giggle now if you choose).

Part 1 (gotta love it).

So I think I mentioned this but I had to part with somethings.  It comes down to this, I have too many things.  Now not all things are bad or unnecessary.  But I had to choose, something.  I had to give way to what I really want and not just have all these other things hanging on the edges.  So in walks my good friend Kijjiji and he ask "can I help you with your stuff?"  Not wanting to be rude, I simply said "what stuff would you need to help me with?"  His reply "the stuff that you need to sell to get what you really want."

Ok enough of that cutting to the chase I sold some of my hobbies.  Yes I parted with stuff that I thought I would never part with.  Why did I do this?  Well two fold and since this is part 1 of 2 I guess it will be A and B of part 1.  So A, I can not allow myself to buy more stuff without looking at the finances.  I have money tied up in things that are not getting used.  B I wanted something that I know I will use.  So what does a person do.  I can not create debt, I can not spend that money I don't have.  So I went to work on selling things.  It was tough I sold my glass beading stuff, not an easy choice but got good money out of it.  I sold my camera, yes you heard right my camera.  I also sold some unused fishing stuff.  So there I parted with stuff.  Now I have cash.

So what then you say?  I now have my new camera.  It is so wonderful, the images are great.  But I also needed a lens, so for now I have only 2 lenses but I figure it is an opportunity to use the lenses I have and enjoy them both.  Trust me I am happy.

I will move past the much anticipated part 2.  It will come later.

The renos.......

Yep totally stalled this past week.  nothing.   I think it is burn out.  We did manage to get the bathroom finished up and we are really down to the finishing work.  Plus on the up side the kitchen designer is here next week very interested in what she can offer us.

So in the big picture we are simply enjoying some time off the renos.  We will start up again this week. But it was nice to just not work on stuff!

So we come that other part, part 2 of the parting.  We are now 2 weeks away from Sinclaire heading out to school and Lyndon starting high school.  Big changes and lots of things that will change as people grow up and need less of Mom and Dad.  I am proud to see my children grow up and take on their own challenges.  It is after what we strive for as parents, to teach our children to become people and adults.  So in part 2 it is a parting of a sort.  Not that we are ever that far it is just that we are apart.  I will miss the energy and the humour that Sinclaire brings.  I feel worse for Lyndon as he is left to deal with his parents......

Ah the fun we will have.

Well take care and make sure you live life it is worth it.

Most of the way there

This post is most of the way there.  I am struggling with getting all the way there.  Yes it is a struggle, I am now going to sell my camera.  That is what I am struggling with is getting the camera onto the web for sale.  So I have now done that.  It is posted on kijiji.  why am I selling it?  Well I am going to be getting a newer one from a person I know very well.  It is a very good camera Nikon D600 body, I am also going to consider a new lens that he has but I will have to see.  So far I have about half the money from selling other things.  So now the big push.  This is like a poke in the eye with a burnt stick.  I hat to give up the camera at all, I would love to have it as a second but I have to watch the pocket book.  so up for sale it is.  I will see how I do and in the end I am sure it will work itself out.

Keeping on the photog note, I am going to share with you a fellow coworker whom I think takes some amazing pictures, he and his wife have managed to travel a lot, to some very amazing places.  I enjoy all his photos they are truly stunning.

So enjoy the view.

The World is a beautiful place (Props to Catalin and his wife)

If you know anyone that wants a Nikon D7000 please let me know I am selling not because it is not good but because my photography wants more megapixels......

Long weekend!

So the long weekend has come to a close and I am sorry to say that not a lot of big things were done.  We managed a lot of small things though.  Reno's oh the reno's we have officially reclaimed the pantry.  it is fully completed.  The Bathroom took a twist for the not so nice, just when we thought we had it closed up and were going to see the finished product the electrical took a little twist.  Now totally a learning opportunity, I must admit it was my in experience and rookie mistake but I have learned and for it I get to do a ceiling patch on the drywall, so I am working this to make the ceiling look awesome, to be honest the patch is looking good at this time. We have restored the front closet, so that area is cleared up.  Yes the baseboards will be done this week!!!! and that will leave the shelving in the new storage closet and then the den built ins.

So with all this I am going to go on record and say we are going to take a bit of time in September and I think Traci and I are going to take a little vacation from everything.  Yes we need a break and I think it is important that we take it.

Other fronts I have been diving into the photoshop world with regards to my photography I am working on a black and white portfolio, I am drawn to that medium and have done some research so my novice PS skills are being tested but I have had a few surprises and I am quite happy with the results.

I will be posting them on my behance site.

Flyfishfoto on Behance

Take a look and check it as I will be posting more photos over the next little bit.  Hope to get a few more up there maybe in the next week or two.

Well take it easy and enjoy the weekend what is left of it, for those that read this on Monday welcome back to work, at least it is a short week.

The conspiracy theory....

So I have to admit I am feeling like there is something afoot.  You know if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck it must be a duck.  Let me elaborate a bit more on this thought wave of mine.  I start each spring looking forward to getting onto my bike rather than the ctrain.  The freedom and exercise are such a wonderful thing.  As with every spring I pull the bike up tune it up get it ready and then start the slow process of riding in the cold spring mornings with sweaters and extra layers on.  I also keep a spreadsheet of my biking.  I know sounds a bit corny but what it does for me is sets my goal for the year.  I have found that if I ride consistently through the year I can get 6000km's of outdoor riding in.  So you can see how the motivation starts, I have a graph in my spreadsheet that moves as the KM's change from have left to ride to finished riding column.  Now how might this lend itself to a conspiracy you ask. Let me present my evidence to you.

1. winter seems to take forever to stop dumping snow on me.  That is right the snow seems to find a way to keep happening and does not want to simply clear up in spring the way it should.  So this equals a later start or more sporadic start to the riding season.  In this case I did not get start for almost 4 weeks later than normal.
2. Spring rains, we had a lot of cold spring days with rain and then suddenly we end up with a major dump of water, so much water in fact we end up with a 100 year flood.  Yes, I had thought to myself about a week before the flood that the spring run off had been gradual enough that I might make it through the spring with all the trails open and no flooding.  Then bam!  We get a disaster of which I think we will maybe need a year or two to resolve.
3. Flooding equals damage.  The trails I ride and love are left in ruins.  There are so many sections that are damaged, I have multiple detours, in some cases I am even riding in zones that are closed (the trails are ok but the signs are still up).  So damage is such that I think when will I be able to ride from my house into downtown.  I am now forced to drive over to another community on the far side of the river and ride in.  Which on the way home has left me sitting in traffic, something I truly hate to do.  The frustration is mounting.
4 This is my final bit of evidence, Monday on the way home from work the rain comes and it is a major down pour.  I am hustling to get to the truck, I throw on the rain coat.  Halfway home, bam! flat tire.  Now you think to yourself this is not usual riding a reasonable distance every day you must get those flats regularly.  The truth is I have tires that are built to resist punctures, this does not make them 100% never going to get a flat.  But I have had 2 flats on this brand of tire in 3 years.  Some might say I was overdue.  But I changed the tube in the rain and got to the truck.  Bam!  Stuck in a major traffic jam and what takes 10 minutes of riding on my bike when the trail was still in place, took 45 minutes in the truck.  So I get home inspect the tire some more and pump it up.  Check the tire before bed the tire is 100%.  95% of the way into downtown on Tuesday, Bam! flat number 2.  Thank you to the two individuals and fellow cyclists that stopped and gave me a hand getting enough air in my tire to get to the office.  So, I replace the flat, find the chunk of glass in my tire and from there ride home.  I then ride on Wednesday with no issues.  Life is grand.  Bam! Thursday I am going to load up the bike and my tire is flat.  So I say screw it.  I took the ctrain.

So I present this evidence to you as a my cycling this year is now taking major hits.  I am no longer getting my full 50KM's per day, I now get 38KM's per day.  I also get hit by flats and frustrations getting home.

I ask you to think about this but I believe that there is a conspiracy to keep me from riding.  Who is behind this I would really like to find out.

Happy Trails.

Great weekend!

Had a great weekend up in Sherwood Park.  Kids ran in track and it was an awesome time to play with the camera.  I find the track a very challenging environment to take photos.  My camera is never the limitation it is definitely my skills.  But that is the enjoyment for me the challenge to try and get the shot and not only the shot but the emotions or the feelings.  I have to say I am not totally unhappy with the photos but I am always wondering why a pictures comes out the way it does.  In the end I am sure it rests on my shoulders.

That said the the camera was in full use this weekend it got on the track and captured a bunch of shots.  I am really starting to see more of what I am doing wrong at times and but still trying to figure out what it is that needs to be done to correct the wrong.  That is my learning curve.  I will say this I am impressed by the guys and gals that do capture sports and manage to do this in a way that shows the action.  I think it is the emotion of the sports that is what you want to really show.  The effort the strain the power.  Those are the things I see in some of my images.  I have to believe if I see these others do as well.  In that they are good images as those emotions in my opinion make the viewer understand the athlete.

So what else is there, so busy on so many fronts and yet we are still struggling to get this bathroom done.  I have some progress on the front entry as it is now sealed and we are getting so close in the bath room area we may have a toilet at some point. So all in all I am ready for another weekend and more camera action.

The Job you never wanted, but got anyway.

This is that little lesson on the wonderful world of Jobs.  I have had a few jobs as a younger person and I think we all can appreciate this little fact that they build your character.  I know some of the jobs I have done are not that fun some of them were the right job at the right time.  Others well they were just jobs.  But what I want to focus on is that job you never knew was a job.  In this case I will talk about drywalling.  Yep, I have been drywalling and I honestly can say I am not interested in this job.  I have some home reno experience doing this sort of thing over the years but I am most definitely never planning this as a career.  So this gets me thinking about other jobs.  What other jobs have I had to do and never wanted to do?  Think about anything you see or do is to some person in this world a job, a source of income (may be large or small) that puts food on the table.  I started to think more about this as I sanded the drywall tonight.  I though you know people make money doing all sorts of things not that they are all that great but they are a job.

So what in the world does all this mean?  Well think about it, you have a job, you go and do your job, that is a job that maybe somebody else would never want or could never see themselves doing.  I have come to think about this as we only see work as a stepping stone to some form of status in life.  It gets you money or gives you that satisfaction or maybe power over others.

So I keep thinking about this as I was watching the Tour De France, cycling a job for these guys what about the guys in the cars leading the team.  What a crazy job.  Now every place I look I see jobs all sorts of them.  Well my job continues to transform itself it is never the same and it never stops changing.  I guess in some ways it is annoying but in others it is what you want change and something different to keep you going.  But all in all I look at it as a job a necessary evil if you will that gets me some of my wants in life.  I do one day plan to retire and certainly hope my retirement plans are going to work out.

For now it is a job which is better than no job in my mind.

That is all she wrote?

So I am amazed by how many times this week hill that I was climbing seemed to get steeper.  I am not sure what exactly I am suffering from but I think it involves all my wrongs coming back to bite me.  I am certainly glad to see the end of this week and hope to have an opportunity to sit and relax.  Nope not a chance which is why I say the week and now it seems the weekend is still out to get me.

I was back to work this week, had a couple of stampede lunches and events to attend but we had too many things going on at work to allow for me to actually go.  Sad but true I put work before a free lunch.  One has to appreciate the importance that stampede holds on this city.  Full of people from out of town, business shutdown effectively and the week is a blur of pancakes and beef on a bun.  Lots of people and by people I mean adults spend the week intoxicated to a large degree.  Sales people for vendors spend their entire 12 days drinking, I am sure their liver thanks them.

But for me this was not a week of relaxation, too much happening we played finish work that was delayed due to the floods.  And this was followed by how many little problems will appear on your systems this week.  Thursday it was all day long, started with issues in the morning followed by one in the afternoon and another in the evening.  Just one long up hill climb.  Then a big one this morning and hey at 4pm on friday afternoon boom! lets turn on the firewalls on your citrix servers.  What the hell is that?!

Not to bitch too much but it is just a flow of a lot of little things that have amounted into too many things this week.  I am not convinced it is simply the company stretching us too thin and we are starting to see our systems wobble.  But I am frustrated and really just want it out of my head for this weekend. I am going to allow this little post to be my brain dump then.  I have now said my peace the week is officially behind me and I will move forward onto the positives.

With that I am now going to sign off and get some sleep.  I hope your weekend is full of the fun things you enjoy and that only the positives present themselves.

Smile.

On the road to no where......

So I am back on the bike and back to work.  The floods that have ruined so much of the city pathway system are truly making the ride a different adventure.  I spent Sunday night sitting up all night worrying about the ride in to work.  I did not get a chance to do a test run so I was winging the trip on Monday morning.  As it turned out it was an adventure with many different roads and some not so good stretches of crosswalks.  I have found that I am very cautious going from pathway to crosswalk, there are at least 6 areas I go through right now that to my feeling are total death traps.  You do not assume anything and by no means do you think you have a right away.  That said I have managed some of these crossings before but I was able to get back on the other pathways so I did not have to use the alternate route, but I fear it will be a while before the old routes is an option.  So for now I will brave the journey and once again learn to keep a sharp eye out for cars and such.

On to other things.  we are getting so close to finishing some of the reno's the week off was extremely productive. I am very happy to think that we may have the first half of the house finished and can take a small break.  But we are at that point that takes the hard push to get it over the line, you are tired and really are thinking it can wait but not in this case I am determined and back to the word for the year disciplined to get this done.

So that is the update to this point.  I am not sure that there is much of value in these comments.  I am again drawn to the camera and what it has produced this week.  I was able to get a lens for my dad, he was quite happy that I found a 150-500mm here in Calgary.  I am potentially going to update my Nikon to a newer one perhaps if my father in-law decides he wants to sell his.  In which case I may have a Nikon for sale.  If there are any interested people out there.  May have to part with a couple of lenses as well we will see.

But for now it is back to work and all the fun that comes with it.

Let's see is there a happy pic some place?

What next?

Simple times this past week.  Mostly work on the house.  Nothing like some renos to see how well you can work with your spouse.  My better half is as always amazing.  Puts up with me and my frustrations.  I get quite short on some of this work.  It is challenging to me to have to build and construct but I guess that is why there are professionals.

I thought it was time to relax. The best news is all the tile is done.  Yes we have all the tile in place on the floor.  Sooooooo happy I really do not enjoy that job.  But now the fun work we have to clean up and grout.  But we are taking a day off tomorrow.  No plans beyond a small shopping trip for some shoes.

So I will leave you with these few gems.  From the flyfishfoto (Traci came up with the foto part) camera here are some pictures from this week.

Stepping Away for a minute.... or a week.

As I have taken the week off from work, it is has been just a week since I was at the office.  It was nice to get some time away.  We have gained a bunch of ground on the renos.  Tile is going down faster than the titanic.  I am happy to say we are conserving water by removing an old shower (saving the bucks on the reno of the shower) it is now a closet which will free up room in our master bedroom closet as we can put our winter blankets in this one.  We have painted ordered baseboards done new lights drywall work and on and on.  As this is renos there is no surprise.

We sent the kids to Kelowna for track, they had a great time out there, we stayed home and relaxed in the evening had a drink and watched a movie.  What a very relaxing time.  I managed to get out and take some photos at the car show on Canada Day.  I am so happy with the shots, some are great and some are so so.  I even got a chance to photograph an old building I was eyeing all winter.  I will see what I can do in the digital dark room.  I have moved to PS CC which has opened up a new can of learning for me.  Youtube and Adobe tv are my evening viewing.

Sinclaire started her job, working at the dental office as a helper really great opportunity that found her. So happy for her, we have heard nothing but moans about how we are on vacation and she has to work.....oh how the world has changes.

Looking back a week the floods.  These are still a major impact to the work world and to the people in Calgary.  I do not discount the people that are just getting a chance to see their homes for the first time.  I think it would be truly terrible to be sitting and waiting almost a week just to see your home, not to get to fix it or begin to take in the effort to fix it.

For me the bike path is destroyed out of the SE I have an alternate route ready and I can definitely bike to work starting next week.  Little more effort to get it all done but I am willing to do this as biking for me is a release and relaxing time.  I am thankful it is still an option.

That is all not much but an update today.  Not in the mood for much more than that.  Enjoy the warmth and maybe try a random act of kindness.  Make that choice.

cheers.

From darkness to light and a little in between.....

First off it has been a little while since I last posted.  I know I was determined to keep this moving along with less spaces.  But as mother nature has done many times in many places she took us to task.  She has unleashed a flood that has ripped up a lot of the city in many locations with many people impacted, including beyond the city to small towns and places that many do not consider when they think of southern Alberta.

I found myself in the dark after 4:15 am on friday.  What was strange was I had rode my bike on Wednesday and managed to dodge a bunch of rain, there were no signs of flooding or near flooding.  It was simply high water.  Thursday was supposed to be a messy day rain and lots of it.  I woke up had the biking bag packed and looked outside.  The rain was coming down.  But I have good rain gear for riding so I am not really put off by the rain.  However, the wind was up and I thought it was a day that I would rather not mess with things.  The wind was gusting very strong so much the rain went sideways at time.  As Thursday moved to afternoon I realized how good the decision to take the train was.  I am not certain I would have made it home on the bike path.  So I get home it is cold and wet out.  But I am home.

1:30 am the police drive through the neighbourhood telling everyone that it is time to leave and that you should consider a 72 hour departure.  I found this a bit much considering we are not that close to the river but we decided to see how it goes.  4:15am, power is off and we are very much in the dark.  The better half sits up around 5:50 am and goes your late for work.  I look outside the rain is coming in buckets and by buckets I mean the gutters are at least 2 feet wide in water.  It has not stopped since Thursday AM.  I thought about work, not happening in my mind an evacuation order flooding expected in the downtown.  Now what?  Cellphone rings at 6:30, my boss, wants to know if I can help with some issues at work.  My comment the power is out, I have no computer or internet except a laptop that will run for a while.  He asks if we are still at home and I said yes, he asks if I can get to our company web portal.  I mention the part about no power and internet again.  He is a little distracted right at that point, we will let it slide.

So no work that day.  Couple of cell phone calls and we begin the plunge into a world with no power.  How very strange, it is like a novel or a movie where you know the character should not go in there but they do and you  know they are going to get attacked by a crazy zombie or something.  As the morning moves along I find that there are people everywhere.  Kids, I did not know these kids existed in our neighbourhood.  I am in awe by some of it.  We go to the park and look at a river swollen and raging like an ill tempered child trying to grab anything and everything to keep from being hauled away by it's mother.  I am shocked.  I think of my cycling, I have pondered this all year how it seems that my cycling goals will be cut short due to the fact mother nature just makes it hard to get to them.  I think of my route to work, I know already that it is devastated beyond repair in some places.  I am crushed in that respect.  Not being selfish here it is just that feeling when something you enjoy is taken away.  I have not had time to digest it or even think about finding new ways to reach my office at this point is still the darkness of now power.

So we pull out of the basement an old sony walkman.  It has a radio and we find an old set of speakers that my wife had to go with it.  This was 1986 vintage gear coming out of the basement (why we have it still I do not know).  Two batteries and a slotted screwdriver to tune it and we have AM radio.  Yes AM radio, we have the outside world.  Keep in mind up the hill in parkland or queensland the people have no issues, power and all the luxuries it brings are theirs to enjoy.  So this may sound bad but it is not like we are living in isolation.  I think it just brings to mind how much we are taking for granted each day.  Back to the radio, our piece of contact from a world we are detached from.  I keep hearing from people on the radio and I have no way to see or know what it is like they are taking about it but I can not visualize this.  I want to see it I want a connection or tv.  I have no power.  I hear the safety people say go to the website for information.  I swear at them, I have no freakin internet you idiots.  Yes I can go to a hot spot I can go to a library but I do not want to leave the house.  What if something happens our dog can not be left behind that is not an option.  So we wait.  Night rolls in.  I find myself walking into rooms hitting the light switches out of habit.  Only to think how silly I am.  No power you putz.  No power.  Candles.  Not much romance but candles.  Think back to the romance they once offered.  Oooo la la.....the romance.  Light.

We go to bed I am stir crazy, caged or at least feeling like that.  Saturday offers daylight.  It offers hope and maybe the possibility of less water.  Desperate for something other than being locked in the house.  My wife and I have been up running the generator to keep the fridges cold and freezers colder.  Power. I have kept my phone charged I am on call for work but no power no internet I can not help.  I get a call in the AM from a coworker we can get access to our data center on the edge of downtown.  I have to go and replace a drive.  I head down to new world with services....many services.  I am refreshed and relieved.  I feel at peace again, I can read the news and see the pictures see the downtown a little see what has become of things.  See the temper the river has unleashed on the city.  I am coming back home now.  Feeling better.  A call, the power is back on.  We are alive and able to feel the freedom it gives us.  We don't look back.  The old walkman sits on the front table.  It's temporary services no longer needed.  I think we will keep it.  Saturday night I feel different I feel like I am part of it again, no longer left out.  Like being left out of the joke that everyone else knows but you do not.

Sunday, light, sun shines.  I am feeling good time to get doing some things that need to be done.  Back to the data center to replace the second failed disk.  Sadly the parts replacement group screwed up the delivery and it did not arrive until Sunday.  I replace the disk and drive home.  Slurpee.  It is a good day.  I am happy again.  I feel for those that are still looking at large amount of mud and water running through their homes.  I have seen the pictures now I know what it looks like.

I am back.  Work enters my day on Sunday for 3 and half hours as we sort out the issues our President is having.  Important person so you do what needs to be done.  Not going to complain as it was really a nice opportunity to feel productive.  But it was not my first choice.

Finally we are seeing the river levels drop people are starting to feel the relief.  But now the shock and horror of what has happened is visible.  The wounds are left bare and unattended.  You see it everywhere the river is running.  It continues to be big water not something to play with.  But it is ugly, it makes you hate the river that most of the time is a beautiful part of this city.  I have the pleasure of riding along the pathways all summer enjoying the river as a companion on my commutes.  But now it is not a beautiful thing it is still an angry river that is slowly returning to normal.

Monday.  I work from home, no hope of going downtown today, no desire.  Maybe Wednesday.  Maybe.  I spent the work day getting caught up and discovering that so many people had no clue what was happening in Calgary.  I am not shocked I am embarrassed as I to have ignored other issues, not to the same degree just brushed them off.  I will look at those things differently.

Finally I come to a final point in this long tale.  For those that choose to read this thank you for walking with me on this journey.  Couple of final points.  I have heard how people have come together to help others.  People are saying it is what we do in Canada and Calgary.  I am proud to be Canadian.  But I ask you this why does it take an event like this for people to want to come together to help, to be friendly to be human.  Why is that bit of compassion and human friendliness lost until we get to a crisis.  Can we not slow it down and show a lot more of this type of action more often.  I have a guy on facebook that I hardly know but he is a realtor, he has done nothing but help people and try and get help for people.  Yes it is good business but I do not for one think that is his primary goal, he is just a good person helping people he knows.  Try it out a little more often people it can maybe change our world or neighbourhoods and our lives.  Kindness.

Last thought.  I have potentially found a bike path that will allow me to ride about half of the way from work that I usually take the remainder will require I drive my truck to a spot.  Not ideal.  But it is something.  I am thankful.

Thanks for reading.  I hope this never happens where you live.

This is the bridge that I cross the bow on that is near our house.  I can not even get close.

Monday

what remains of the water out behind our house in the park

Saturday

When hell and high water were at their peak, see the picture above it is the sam area.

As my grandfather likes to say "god willing and the creek don't rise", well it rose!

My apologies to those that may read this one!!! You have been warned.

For those few people that are committed to my little chuck of cyberspace I will offer the following this is in no way intended to be a rant or cry for pity.

Ok that said I have been an absolute bear for the past 5 days.  Not sure why really I have tried to find that point in time that pushed me to be so fowl of mood.  I can not really identify the moment.  I guess in some instances you simply have to let it out maybe it is a case of bottling up the mood until it blows.  Well needless to say everyone around me pretty much wants or wanted to be someplace else.  Again no idea.

So what is so bad about letting out the steam.  Well it would appear my temper and moods seem to have gotten the best of the situation.  You know the idea control the things you can and you can control how you react.  Well like a true goaltender I reacted to each shot.  Unfortunately they were bad reactions.  So yes my tongue was wagging with comments and some hard words at time.

However I have come down a bit.  little less on edge, maybe even back to normal.  I would honestly like to apologize to everyone for putting you through that but sorry it just happened.

So let me be the better version of me.  Why is it so hard to let that version out I know not.   I will say this there is so many times I want to just scream at myself but really that is not going to do much for me.

I think one thing that helped me out was that I was able to see that moment that I was in.  I was at the track with my family.  Taking pictures with my camera, always a good thing.  That realization seemed to help swing me back.

Now if I can keep it going for a few more days I will be on vacation on the 27th.

I also expect to slow down a little during the vacation.  One reason for the lack of posts is the house has been going non stop from morning until 9 or 10 at night.  Just really busy and maybe that is part of my mood.  need to slow it down.

So take the time to take a walk see the world and smell the flowers.  Choose to be the better person, my life and situation is in a word awesome, there are so many others that have way more challenges than what I have, I am very thankful for my family my health and successes we have each and every day.

Rock on.....my mood is already better.  See blogging is healthy gets that sh*t out of your head.

Doin it different this time around?

Maybe.

So what is so different?  Go ahead ask me the question.  Not that I will answer the question.  Friday off today.  I have of course a very long list of things that need to be done.  I have gone and looked at 3 stores that sell vanity's no joy in any of them.  All crap.  I picked up a bunch of paint.  Very happy I ordered it up front and did not have to wait for them to do the colour match.  Got the required painting supplies at the depot.  Cut the grass, closed out an old account, replaced the door hinges on the back door and managed to start the process of finding the missing grad photo.  It is only 1pm.....ish.

So what is so different?  Well the well organized plan of attack, oh yeah stopped at the MEC store and got some biking supplies, cleaner and truing stand.  Yep well organized plan of attack.  No missed stops no turning around wishing I went the other direction that time.  It was choreographed to a precise point.

That is what makes this so different.  Most of my Friday's off, yes I get every third one off (welcome to oil and gas).  Anyway, most of them get filled.  It is an opportunity to pick up drop off and get things cleared up.  So when day becomes a blur of chores I am left with a day that is not really a day off but a day on.

So in my travels today I was looking for a vanity for our main floor bath room.  No easy task I discovered.  You can buy cheap crap or you can buy expensive cheap crap.  Still have not found what we are looking for, very disappointed at this point.

I am really beginning to think that the best idea would be just make it ourselves but that is also a very time consuming business.  Not that my skills are even ready for that sort of task but we could get some help.

Well my beak is over back to the task list and I guess some other tasks.

Have fun this weekend, we are probably tiling (almost done....then the grout).

Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle!!!!!!

So where have I been.  This may be a really short post.  To be honest busy is where I have been.  We have continued the renos and are tiling like crazy, if there is a spare moment there is butter on a tile.  But it is getting there.

We spent a rain filled day watching track.  Saw the hurdlers sprinting in a downpour of epic proportions.  Saw the distance runners trying to swim the corners.  It was cold windy and wet.  Then I moved on to the work week with a bike in a downpour.  Thankfully my rain gear works.

But we are back into nice weather.  We are into June the sun is up in the morning and it is wonderful again.  Maybe.  Tuesday saw the girl receive another track award from high school.  So awesome it is really something the amount of credit she gets but does not believe she deserves.  It is so hard to teach a child to be humble but at the same time to believe in yourself and it is ok to accept the praise and be proud, without having them turn into a head case.  Thankfully we are not dealing with a head case.

So as I head into this weekend, a weekend with a friday off, and no track.  I look to complete so many things.  We have paint on order we have grout ready to go.  We have tile to mud and wiggle into place. And maybe just maybe we will sit and relax.

So sorry for my lack of words but as a tired and ready for bed guy, I hope your week and weekend amount to something great.

cheers.

When the Dog bites, When the bee stings.....


I think that is how that song goes.  What a strange week to have back at work.  It is a 5 day work week which is making it longer than I care for but hey it is a week.  Some nice bike weather, mother nature has taken it easy on me and not rained when I am riding.  Really appreciate that little bit.  I have had wonderful weather for the most part not outstanding but it definitely could have been a lot worse.  So what is with the song you may be asking.  Well I have had two near dog bites on my bike this week.  To be honest that is really a first most dogs have no interest or take no exception to my biking.  In fact the geese are much more of a concern than the dogs in my opinion.  But I must say the dogs are looking to score some points this week.

I had time today to discuss something that really has me stirred up.  Retirement.  Yep, that was what I was doing with the HR person today.  I can retire in as little as 10 years.  Now not sure that will happen but looking at the information she was showing me today that is a real possibility.  Not sure what to think.  Makes you really wonder if that is going to take place or if it is a dream.  Also keep in mind that this is the optimum opportunity if I get all the things in a line right now then at 55 I am out of the workforce if I choose.  What a great feeling in some respects.

So how does one get to this point it really seems like a long way off but I am looking at what we have left in front of us with regards to kids and school and house and life.  Wow time is really moving along.  Almost a little much considering the grad ceremony is still warm.

But in my mind I know it is incentive and a plan not an absolute but a goal.  Which brings us full circle to success.  Yep, can you measure success this way?  I am able to retire when I want after I turn 55.  I think if you are a success person then yes, I would suggest if I get to 55 and things line up, success can be had.

So now I am left with the thought what to do in retirement?  Seems odd but I think I will start planning my next career.  Maybe.  Photographer?  Who knows.  Measure that success when we get there.

So keep your dogs on a short leash for my safety and by all means enjoy!  Hope you have sunshine and warm weather this weekend.

Cheers.

Had a few?


So had a few moments to relax today.  It was sunny and warm.  I overheard a conversation about success.  Couple of guys talking at the dump when I was getting some of the drywall out the truck.  Well they mentioned things being successful.  I started to think on my drive home how would you measure success?  Interesting question as to some it is only in money or things they have.  I am sure you see where this heading.  I then thought to myself how successful am I?  Well depends on what you look at.  The first thing that popped into my head was my children.  We have succeeded in raising two children.  Though they are not out on their own by any stretch.  But when I think about where they are heading I think they are good kids with a strong sense of right and wrong.  I think that is successful.  I am not sure why I am pondering this success thing so much.  Maybe it is just having some idle time to think things through.  But in the end success is a gauge to measure something that may or may not matter to all.  Really it is a personal thing.  I am successful at a lot of things.  Not all of them would be of value to others.  But to me when I gauge this person (the one in the mirror), I see the value of what I am and the successes and the failures.  As both have their place.  I am going to relax for the night and have a wonderful first day back at work.  I look forward to riding my bike and being back on the pathways.

Life.  Live it.  Each day.  Be a success.

Well now!!!

Dad is back on shift.  Mom is taking a break.  Yep, Mom is off to have a weekend of relaxation scrapbooking so I will take the helm for the next few days.  Not sure whether anyone is aware but with the amount of rain today, we may be at the helm of ship.

So many wonderful moments this week.  I have managed to relax a little I think. We have had a very busy week but both Traci and I have been home so it has made that business easier.  Good thing to as it seems that we both needed to be able to get a few things sorted out this week.  Still there were some odd things that happened and other things got dropped from the to do list.

I am thinking a bit about this blog thing and what is it that I am doing on here?  I am finding it a bit like my diary of thoughts.  A place to put things maybe to read them and share them.  I am hoping to have some focus some clarity to what this spot is meant to share with everyone.  But for now it is just what I have in my head.

This past couple of days I had some time to take portraits of the girl.  Not idea that the weather is not working for me.  So we had to come inside.  But that is the challenge is it not.  Photography is something I really enjoy.  I love looking for things to photograph.  I have said that before.  But I have been tooling my thoughts to this grad photo business.  I must admit I am not sure why but my photos have left me a little underwhelmed.  I am not as pleased as I hoped.  The main thing is I wanted to try some flash stuff.  I wanted to get creative with it.  To be honest my photos will need to be retouched to fly.  But my thought when I saw them was hey what did you learn?  What did you think they should look like and why are they not looking the way you expected them to?  It was about growing and getting the experience.  I am critical of what I create photographically.  I like to get things right in the camera.  But if this was simple I would not be interested.  There is a challenge to this and that is part of the enjoyment.

I feel better about my photos when I look at it based on how the experience makes me better at photography.  So once the rain is done maybe the flowers will start to come out for their photo shoot.  I will once again play with the light and try my hand at being creative.  Also we are planning an outdoor shoot with Sinclaire for her grad dress when that happens I will hopefully get better shots.  But hey she is a great model she is probably the most photogenic person in our family.  Which makes it easy on my end.

So have a great weekend hope that the rain is not too much at once and that the sun shows a few hours of light for the warmth factor.

The most wonderful time of the week!!!

Love it when it is thursday dressed like a friday.  Not making know too much how happy I am to have a break from things.  I am on the tail end of a cold which has dogged me for a week and half.  I am feeling much better now.  But to be honest the best part is the joy of having time off from work.  I really am looking forward to having a break.

That said I am full of gems today.  First up, back to the start of the year.  Yep, discipline.  Need to check in on how we are doing.  So a quick check on things and to be honest we are doing well.  A few little adjustments maybe but in general I would say we are getting an above average grade.

Number 2 on the list of things (ooooh will there be 3 because that is what Job's used).  I am looking at the progress on some of my photos and found that I am struggling with my PSE 11 upgrade.  I have updated in hopes of staying current only to find things are not working the way I want.  Piece of crap upgrade.  So back to the google searches and some work to figure out how to make things happen.

Well i know you are waiting for this one so here it is number 3.

well you still waiting?


Yep that is the point not sure where the 3rd item is today.  Not that I need one.  Actually I am very much on the positive side I am on holidays and ready to relax.  So really who needs number 3.  Well I have a few things to mash in here.
-  Lyndon 15 years old tomorrow May 17 - Happy Bday young man.
-  Sinclaire competed in 3 events today in track, an 800m, 3000m and 1500m and qualified in all 3 for city championships!  Awesome.
-  Traci - knitting class is almost done and her sweater looks awesome just needs the collar.
-  Scott - Vacation.  nothing more is needed.


Everyone I hope your long weekend is safe.  Have fun! relax! Enjoy!

Almost here and I am sooooo happy!

Well it is right around the corner.  Vacation 1 day to go.  Need a break.

Glad to have got that out there. I am still getting over the cold but have found my stride again feeling much better.

Enough about that stuff.  Something happened the other day, cycling in to work and some guy is drafting me.  I am of course sick as a dog and finally I look over my shoulder tell the guy to back off and perhaps pass.  His comment, you are going the perfect speed.  Now since this moment it has happened again where I had a person drafting me.  Drives me nuts.  Do you draft when you drive your car?  I hope not.  But that is not the point in this conversation.  Really what I am amazed at is that I said something.  I do not know why but I just said something.  I was shocked afterwards but quite please I had.  So more to the point why did I say something?  What pushed me to that point.  Speak your mind....and the rest will follow.  (stole that from a song).

So now I feel this great urge to just express things all the time.  Dangerous I know but I am feeling like wow I can tell people the honest truth and I am free to do so.  Obviously not everything will happen that way but I do feel a bit empowered.


Moving on.  Grad May 22nd.  Girl gets it done.  :)

Next no real idea had some thoughts for pictures for grad but the potential for Rain may dampen that we will have to see.

Now for something a little lighter.  If more people were real and relaxed and loved and lived like these folks.  Much better world.  Got a good chuckle out this.  I loved that they just went and said yeah sing sure not about anything it was simple they had fun!

Gas Pump people


Have FUN and Be YOUNG!

DAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!


hi.  Well I am still fighting this cold, I really can not believe how long it is taking to clear up.  But hey it is something that will go away eventually.  That said not much taking place the reno's are stalled due to track meets and colds.  I am fully prepared to get the tile in we even found some accent tile for the shower.  Very excited for that to get going.

So what can I say we have been warm we have been sunny.  I have stayed inside sweating and chilling.  I would like to point out that no matter how grumpy this has made me my better half has been amazing.  She lets me stay in bed and sleep and if I am coughing she heads downstairs to sleep on the spare bed.  I am amazed by her.  She is simply put one of the best things in my life.

We put some new patio chairs out on the font porch.  It made Traci very happy she goes out there so often to sit and soak up the sun.  She was upset about not getting the matching chairs so I managed to find them and we go them the other day.  Made her week I think.

But I am often watching Traci.  I find her ever more wonderful and beautiful.  I know she would not be willing to believe the comments but it is true.  I look at her every day and see something I hope never fades.  So she is the Mom in the house.  Hopefully you all remembered Mothers Day.   I put a small photo album together for her and she loved it.  I almost got some tears.  So my absolute love and Mother of my children I hope that the day was special.

Have a great week.  I hope to be less nasal the next time I post.

Cheers!

Missing a little this week.

So just a little post today.  Happy Mother's Day for those Mom's out there.  I know it is a day early but have a wonderful day!

My cold has gotten the better of me this week.  I still managed to get to work on the bike despite feeling like absolute garbage.  I have hope that things are going to be better next week as I am trying to get over this stupid thing.  Nasty cough and fever the first few days followed up with a runny nose now.  I am really hating this cold.  Won't leave but perhaps after I give it a kick it will.

Anyway no photos not energy no interest so sorry for the dull and boring and no I am not looking for the cold sympathy just not feeling much like doing anything so give me a few days I should be back in full gear.

Stay healthy and Celebrate your MOM!

I am back....sort of.


Looked and noticed that my last bit was Friday.  Just not squeezing in much time for this as it is that time of year where our house goes nuts with sports.  Both school and club track is in full swing and of course we the adults are trying to squeeze some nonsport activities in.  So here it is in the middle of the week.  I have managed to acquire a cold, head is stuffed and I am grumpy.  I am hoping by sleeping a lot today I can get back to things tomorrow.  Busy weekend coming up and really do not have time for this.

I am again moving forward with my positive musings.  We are getting closer to a vacation which is really quite overdue in my books.  The girl gets to graduate on the 22nd nicely done kid!  I am quite happy to see this high school stuff end for her, she is so frustrated with how high school can influence your life.  I really do not remember the high school times as that bad.  I was trying to ponder what I recall of that time in my life.  Nothing sticks out and nothing makes me want to go back.  I think there is a lot more that goes on in life that when you get out of the high school crowd you open up to.   That is really what I recall.  The girl will succeed she always has and she has such a great personality that I know she will be able to find her way.

High school aside, biking is in full swing, the wind has been taxing me but I have managed to push through.  I think the wind was around 65km/h the other morning.  I am not a fan of that sort of gust but you know when you are out there it is just something you accept.  It may sun or rain but you just need to go.  I am also finding that the legs are adjusting to the riding and I can push through the week and survive.

Photography side of things now.  PSE 11 is installed.  I have waited to this time to update our photoshop elements.  I was hoping to get to CS from adobe but they have now announced that they are going to the full cloud solution.  Not sure yet that is monthly charge which is great for Adobe not so great for me.  Prefer the one time cost, I think.  We will see I am thinking I may try out the trial version.

Those items aside, I have thought about having a garage sale.  My better half feels it is not needed and that we have nothing to sell.  I am of the opinion that we are actually in a great position to clear out a bunch of the old things that are of no major interest.  I actually love the garage sale mentality.  Deals!!!! People really get crazy on that stuff sometimes.  I have taken to browsing the Value Village for biking shirts and layers.  I have a hard time going to the MEC and paying 25$ for a shirt when I can get one for 5$ at VV.  Even Sinclaire has found Lululemon in her size at the VV which makes her happy.  I missed a couple of photographs of NYC that I was eyeing the one day and went back to get them and they are gone.  :(  Proves that you need to just put your money down when you see the stuff you want.  Crap.

But shopping at the VV has an interesting effect, I find I look at things differently, you sometimes wonder where they came from and who used them last.  Why would anyone purchase that item now?  Goes to show that everyone has different tastes.  Well maybe a shopping trip is in the near future or maybe I will try and sell some things in a garage sale.  Have to see?

From the camera this week unedited and untouched.