Merry Christmas!

Well the week rolled by basically uneventful. Len was working and I kinda just hid at home with Kaylee. Went for a few local rides during the afternoons just to get outta the house. It definately didnt feel like the holidays nor was I really in the spirit for them. I know Len was a little upset that we werent going to have a "normal" xmas but so be it. If the money isnt there theen there is othing you can do about it. Paying the bills and keeping food in the house is more important. He kept complaining that he wanted to do something nice for me and I continued to ignore it. We said we werent going to worry about each other and that was that. I knew in the back of my head though that he prolly would stop off somewhere on the 24th and get something so needless to say I was going to get him something as well. On the 23rd, I got a message that our friend Mike (who did the winter ride for diabetes) was on his way over. It was nice that he accepted the invitation, as he really has no family o the west coast to be with and that he felt welcome enuf to be with us. So I had the approximate time that he was going to arrive and I headed off to Duncan. First stop was at Arrow for Lens gift. He has been eyeballing this watch for damn near a year and I thought I would see just how much it was going to be, Maggie always gives me a discount of some kind. Well it was still there and of course she did so, I double checked that I could return it if in fact Len didnt get me anything and that he was upset that I overspent when we have no extras so to speak. She said not a problem, but I dont think you will be bringing it back! Didnt she know it, I would have to kill him and then pry it off his dead arm to take it back once he received it. I made a quick stop at the bank and then god forbid off to Wally World to find a few things I need for my school projects that I have to do. In all of this it should time me about right to meet Mike on his way thru or damn close to the house. Well damn, am I good or what. I finnished up at Wallyworld and jumped back on the bike, as usual with Duncan the traffic was insane and I just about went around the back way then thought otherwise as I might just find Mike on the road. Well sure nuff, I hit the highway and got to the first stop light at Beverly corners(where Can Tire used to be) and there in the right hand lane 3 cars up is Mikes truck. Yep cant miss him. Big green sierra with the beacons on the top and his logo for the winter ride all over the back window. I angled the bikes headlights at his side mirrors and started flashing the high beams. Nope that didnt work, light changes and I figure that I will catch him. Well his lane is moving quicker but not him, but do ya think the idiots infront of me in the fast lane would get their asses in gear! Finally I start to gain a bit onn him and as I get closer, I figure rev the bike a bit and he would look. Nope, dumb son of a bitch. I get beside him and just hold on the horn, finally he looks over and at first has no clue until he sees me giving him the finger. Of course, Im on the bagger and bundled up for the cold so it might be a little hard to figure it out but he clued in quick enuf. I jumped infront of him and then we proceeded thru the crawl side by side in one lane, talking as we waited for lights and traffic to move. We made a quick stop for evening libations and then back to the house to wait for Len.

We sat around with drinks and catching up for the evening, a round of phone calls to others to say hi and Merry ho ho ho, dinner and then relaxing. He was a little rough from the night before so we didnt push it too much and Len had to work again in the morning. The 24th rolls around and Len headed off to work. Mike and I were thinking of going for a ride but I also was waiting for Bulls mom to come by and pick up Kaylee. The ride didnt happen, Len got home and we decided to let the girl at her few gifts before she went away for her visiting. As I decide to let her go at it, I notice that there is now a harley box under our baby tree. Yes baby tree, thats just how into this holiday I was. No decorations came out, but because I knew there were a few things from back east and also a few from us for the girl child I put up the 2 foot tree I used to use in my salon at the old folks home. Anyways, so obviously I was right he did stop somewhere on his way home. Maybe I wont have to take the watch back. So let Kaylee go nuts and open up the stuff that is there for her and then she hands the couple things to Len from My mom and of course the watch. I says to him, now if ya want me to take it back, I can, if I shouldnt have spent the money. Now I think he is a little worried. He opens it up and well yep, Maggie was right, there was no way I was going to be taking it back. It was on his wrist and he was keeping it. He was so happy. He got me a new mug from Dranes as I decided earlier in the week to throw my favorite mug across the floor to see if it would break and yep, it did! I wasnt really concerned with what he got me or the cost cause I know that when finances are better then I will be getting pipes for my bike. Even though it wasnt a big xmas we were happy just to be together and to have Mike there as well. Isnt that what it is all about really? Eventually Kay headed off and none to quick as she had found that damn Hippo song and was blasting it repeatedly! The three of us got to drinks again and then ended up playing monopoly for a few hours before a late dinner.

On the 25th, I made my round of phone calls to family and Mike called his parents as well, I eventually made breakfast and Mike went on a little social visit with Vince. When he got back we were starting to get ready to head to dinner. But first the boys decided to go for a ride. Well not to be outdone from Halloween, I dug into my xmas boxes and found my assortment of xmas hats and they both put one on over their helmets. Len was a jester hat and Mikes was an elf with the ears. This is a little joke as he has been nicknamed the Leprachaun. I got pics of them on the bikes and a quick video of them leaving. I did do it all up to music but facebook banned it on me, guess they didnt like my song!!!! When they got back we loaded up and headed to Vic for dinner with our friends Bruce and Viv. We also had our friend Deb there with her boys. It was good to see her again cause we havent seen her since we were in Kelowna in July. We had a great dinner and games night with them all. And yet again, I repeat, what more could you ask for then the company of good friends at xmas. Mike drove home as he was takig a day off from drinking and a good think cause I hadnt realized exactly how much of the punch Len had been spiking and drinkin til we got home. Dumb bugger started a conversation with us in the truck and then fell asleep to it. I woke him when we got home and he stumbled into the house and dissapeared leaving Mike and I to bring in all the bags. We sat up for a half hour ad then went to bed ourselves. Well atleast Mike did. I had a fight on my hands as the drunk fell into bed taking over 3/4s of it. I could barely get in and there was no moving him. Not to mention the elbow I had stuffed into my back. He moved briefly but that was only to move his arm under his head so I now had an elbow to the head. Yep this is going to be a great night. If I was lucky, I got about 3 hours sleep and was up again at 630. Well needless to say, Len and I didnt get to far yesterday. We said our goodbyes to Mike as he was heading up to Comox now and I didnt think I would be able to stay up. I tried a nap but that didnt work, then we put a movie on figuring I might just fall asleep to that. Ya wrong, he did, but not I. I made a quick and easy dinner for us and then we sat down to watch Shrek. Eventually I did nod off before waaking up and heading to bed. Thankfully I slept reasonably well last night and think Im good to go and cause trouble today!

Well have one more week off school, and have the basic outlines for both projects ready to go. First off, I need my damn doll back from my niece. Then I will start doig all the creative parts for that one. But Im not going to start it if I cant get the doll. I will have to change my whole plan and do something different. The second one, I have typed out and ready to fabricate. I just have to find a few little details and I will be ready to roll with it. I think Kay is coming home on Monday and then I just have to worry about January 5th!!!! OMFG she is turning 16!!!!! Where did the time go? She wants to get her licence and she says she wants to learn on my truck! Damn I hope my clutch holds out!! We also have New Years and that should be fun. It is a wedding party that we are going to with many of our friends and a group of us are all staying in the same motel. Look out Nanaimo, here we come.

Hope everyone had a good xmas and all the best for the coming year. I know that mine is going to be strenous but it will pay off in the long run.

Well Holidays are here

Well last Monday rolled around to a light dusting of snow, it was worse in the morning when Len left for work. When I headed south it really wasnt that bad besides the drivers still wanting to crawl along even though there was no snow in the air or on the road. Gotta looove that Malahat . Anyways I got to my appointment with my teacher ad it was pathetic as I figured it was going to be. She asked if now that I had had some time to think about it and calm down if my opinions had changed. Ya NOPE, still feel the same way! She went on to say that it is her rule to do things that way and if I miss it that there really isnt anything fair that she can do without giving me special treatment. And in the big scheme of things that 10% really didnt affect my overall mark in the long run. In my mind I think it did, even if it was just by 1%. She made other suggestions to help get by in casse weather became an issue and I could not get to class. The only one that was good to know about was if it is an exam day and the hat is a weather related mess and impassible, I can call her and she can fax my exam to the Duncan campus and they will make arrangements for me to go there and write the exam and in turn fax it back to her when done for marking. This is good to know on the off chance that I cant get through. All the rest of her suggestions were of little use considering I dont have fax or email in my truck on top of the hat. So be it and carry on, obviously like I figured there was really nothing that will be done to chage anything.

She did give me my marks ahead of the class in the meetinng ad thankfully they were both better then anticipated. Somehow I pulled a 97 on my exam, not bad considering I was only physically in class and not mentally! Now the partner project had me worried, as my partner is a bit of a slacker(I found this out after I was paired with her) I had all my written portion finished 2 days early, also had all my handouts for the class done, given to the teacher for copying and in my posession. All my partner had to do was get her written to me so I could bind it all together, get her handouts copied and make a power point presentation. Well she shows up about 20 minutes before class, gives me her written, doesnt have her handouts copied and at this point in time the teacher wont copy them, and the power point she made was just our table of contents printed on the screen. Obviously I should have kept all the creative stuff to myself, cause it was a pathetic attempt and definately done last minute. Then we get in class and the teacher goes over what she is expecting from our presentation and there goes my prep out the window! I had something else designed and it wasnt what she wanted so I had to wing it. Great, hate being thrown on the spot like that. Well overall and thankfully for the extra work I had put into the project we ended up with a 95. I was really worried about it and will not chose to work with her again in the future.

Overall I ended up with a 95 in this course.

Monday night the snow really started to fly. It wasnt too bad downtown but as ya got closer to Langford it got worse and I knew damn well that the hat was going to be a complete gongshow. Yep I was right, all traffic was sitting in the right hand lane following a calcium truck. Nope they werent plowing just spraying. WTF is with that, they need to run the plow as well. Anyways, I did not have the patience to sit in this line of traffic all the way home so I took to the left lane to feel the truck out and if I had the traction to go. Yep no problem, truck was fine and off I went up the fast lane. Hey I was good, I was still under the speed limit for a change but atleast I wasnt doing 40 and stuck in second gear. Len tried to follow but the ranger being empty had no traction what so ever, so he had to fall back into the slow lane to get up tunnel hill. As I reached the Shawnigan turn off was where I saw the flashing beacon of the roads crew and thought shit now I will have to get behaind him cause ya cant pass a plow on the left. That is when I realized they werent plowing and just spraying. So I did pass him and keep going until I had no choice, cause all of the previous commuters were unable to finnd the lanes they had made one lane in the middle of the two, stradddling the white line. If I had of tried to take the left, I would have been over the center line, so now I am stuck and doing 20 over the summit. When we came over the top and out to Bamberton the drivers continued this one lane drive annd I again took to the left to get home and out of this crud. In the turning lane infront of my house, I just about hit the same guy twice cause of his pathetic driving skills. I was already in the turning lane and bumper to bumper with him when he figured he needed my lane and didnt even signal and just pulled over into me! Luckily I was able to hit the brakes, control the truck and not hit the stupid SOB. He got a full blast of horn and lights in the process but it didnt wake him up. At the corner, he decides to play dumb phuk again, this time slowing for the corner then at the last minute without signal, he hits the brakes and makes a uturn! Here I am again on a slight incline corner hitting the brakes and having to take evasive manuevers to avoid hitting him. Yep you got it lights and horn again! Thankfully Im feet from my driveway and get the hell in and off the roads. The next moring Len tried to leave for work, but there was no helping the ranger outta the driveway, so there it sat, and Im now onn my way to Vic and school way early cause the good ole beast of an Exploder charged up the drive in 2 no problem. Oh well help Len for the morning and go to school in the afternoon.

We started a new course this week and it is actually a fun class. It is learning about paraprofessionals (teaching assistants) Our diploma doesnt allow us to work in the Victoria school boards but it does allow us to work in the Cowichan Valley, woo hoo lucky me! Hadnt really given it any thought before but it may be an idea. Hell the pay is better and then I would also get the summers off! Hmmmmm, now there is something to think about, summer, riding, and good pay. Will have to do a number crunch and see if it is worthwhile to have the 2 months off without pay or if it is better to be working year round. As I said this class is fun and so are the projects. To start with she has given each of us a day where we have to do "circle time" Yes just like back in kindergarten. We can do what ever we want and focus on any age group as long as it is relevant. I did mine on Wednesday and focused more on teens and it went well with a little bit of chaos thrown in. The projects which we can work on over the break are both simple, easy, and creative. The first is some kind of a visual schedule or system. Little pictures that a child could look at to see what they are suppose to be doing next. Im thinking I need to steal that doll back from my niece and use it again with the thought balloons to have the child express feelings and such, maybe in the contrext of a deaf child who has not yet learned to sign with their parents and this would be a way to communicate. The second project is that we have to create some kind of an educational game. well have several different ideas on this one but I think I have it covered, just have to build it and set out the rules for it.

So the holidays have started and besides having time off, I couldnt shive a git, no decorations this year and no presents either, just no money to do anything, so be it. As for the girl, well she does have and extended family network so there will be some things for her just nothing at home here. Thankfully she isnt upset about it and I promised that whe things were caught up we would take her on a little shopping spree.

I went out for a little afternoon ride yesterday ad it was a blast, little cool but good none the less. Wish this liquid shit in either form would quit so that I could get out a little more. That two wheeled therapy has got to be the best to put a mind to ease.
As for the next 2 weeks, nothing major on the agenda. Work on my projects, have a xmas dinner invite, Kaylee will be bouncing around, here, there, and everywhere. We have a NNew Years wedding to go to in Nanaimo oh and if the weather cooperates for a couple days, Ang and I are on a mission to Coombs to visit another girlfriend from the past that we havent seen in a long time. Now that could be entertaining and just downright trouble. Beyond that nothing much to do besides find more trouble to get into and Im sure I am capable of doing so!!

To those that are celebrating and in the immortal words of Bull - "Hairy Misstress and crappy new years" Hope I see some of yall in my mission for trouble.

Well exam day is over, thank goodness. Not really sure how I did but keeping my fingers crossed. There was a few questions that we hadnt even gone over in class at all nor were they on the review. Heres hoping my pathetic attempt of an answer is right. It was a hella lot of writing on this one, and Im really not sure about it. I made sure I made enuf points to cover the marking scheme but the question is if I put the right stuff down. Alot of it was common sense stuff, and some were duplicate answers. Stuff like, Joe is addicted to drugs, what factors caused it, what interventions could be used, what social or economic factors are there, etc. The next one would be similar but Jane is 15 and pregnant, now same set of questions for her. Dont think I failed, but dont have a good feeling for a high mark, thats for sure. A lot of the reasoning is because my mind just wasnt with me this week and things werent sinking in.

I handed in my exam and the teacher stopped me for a minutes, that she had a couple questions. First one was simple, just wanting to know what name I wanted on my name tag for when I go on practicum, damn I got eight months before I go whats the rush. Second was that she wanted to set up an appointment with me for Monday, since I havent been myself this week, and that I seem to have some issues. Well fine, I guess I can try and get in early on Monday but no promises. I said I wouId call if something came up but try and be there none the less. On my way out I stopped to check in with the director, since I didnt see her the day before. Well really not sure of where this meeting is going to go now. She told me that the teacher was planning on meeting with me on Monday after she had marked the projects and exams, I said yes we have an appointment. Then she gave me the vibe that maybe I am being to hard on myself and too much of a perfectionist. Maybe I should try and get more sleep and relax more before an exam. What the hell does that have to do with the issue at hand!!!!! Ya maybe I am to much of a perfectionist, but it seems that I obviously know whats going on and am capable of getting the marks. I set myself a high standard outta the gate so now it is my mission to keep it there. What is wrong with having that expectation for oneself. I was given a fully funded tuition and living allowance to go to school and better myself that I do not have to repay, so why in the hell wouldnt I set my standards high. (Not to mention, I heard an ad on the radio that they have now changed the program I am in and that they are only offering up to $4000 towards tuition instead of full funding, Im seriously lucky I got in when I did, or it would require a student loan as well)

Oh well, nothing I can do now but wait. Try and focus on the new course next week. Then 2 weeks for the holidays. Oh them, ya bah friggin humbug!

Now theres another issue all together. I really hate Christmas! It is too comercialized, materialistic and just an all round pain in the ass! If it wasnt for the girl child I would say screw the whole thing. Well this year it may very well come to that. What little living allowence I get, covers the rent and my personal loans as well as the insurance on my vehicles. Len pays for the groceries, household bills, gas and any of our entertainment. Good enuf and fair but the problem lays in the fact that he has not been working a whole of alot so there is not alot of money for extras at the moment. It is turning into the first time that I may not be able to get Kaylee anything. Mind you she has the same mind set as me, it is too comercialized and she doest care. I also have her SWEET SIXTEEN 10 days after Xmas. Now that I have to worry about more, cause it is a special time in a girls life. I have a limo booked for her and her girlfriends to go cruise around in for the afternoon then I think her plan is to come back here and have a party. The limo is free so that helps but still have to figure out some kinda present that is special for her.

I friggin hate this time of year.

Oh well so much for griping. I got to stay home today instead of helping Len out on a job he is doing this weekend, may have to go tomorrow but relaxing today. Have to make an appie of something for a party we are going to this evening and this afternoon, K and I are going to Freakshow's for his open house.

Now for those that read this, the post on my facecrack the other day was true but a joke. Yall didnt read it clearly. All I said was I came home to another bike for my garage. I cant believe it took our little naive, gullible blonde Suzie to understand it. Her response was STORAGE and yes that is what it is. Mountain brought my other, other bike over to keep warm and dry for him over the winter months. How many times have yall heard me say that Lens bike is my other bike, and those that have been around Mountain or myself, know that I put a fair number of Kms on his bike this season as well, I think I rode it more then he did. So it is another ongoing joke that it is also my other bike. Hence why I posted the pic of me riding his bike on my profile. It is my third bike! Sorry but it was funny watching the responses and quite entertaining.

Oh well off to annoy the child and run a few errands.

2 Weeks in one

Well, I slacked off last week as it wasnt a really eventful week. Yep did bring K to school with me and everyone said the same thing, bout how pretty and good she is. Wish it would sink into her head, but then again when it does, it will prolly mean that boys are in her eyes! I can wait.

School was, well different, we had a sub teacher and she just flew thru each days lesson and we were done and able to escape no later then 3 every day. Was kinda a nice change, especially with riding. Got to get ahead of traffic and over the hat before it got dark and colder. I spent most of the week and weekend working on the major project we had to turn in yesterday. I was deffinately a big one and I was fighting with my word programs to get it done. Ended up having to type it out twice as the first program I used decided to move everything around and wouldnt let me fix it. Friggin PCs.

Saturday was suppose to be the party in Cedar but it got cancelled, so instead we went to the truck parade. Always nice to see the rigs all decked out in lights and trying to play jingle bells on their horns. Sunday we decided to pull the bikes out before I buried myself in more project work. Heck first time Therapy has been out in a while. But she was as good to go as ever. Thankfully the winds had blown most of the crap off the roads and they were realitively clean and dry. Well except for one spot on the hat, where we went to pass a car to the right and as I pulled around there was an ice patch infront of me! Holy shyte, with my tire this might not be good! Well, let off the throttle a bit and leaned hard to circle around it and made it by the ice and car no problem. Did a loop around Langford and didnt find any of the peeps we were looking for so headed on home. Len had to go help a friend for a few hours and I had my project to fight with. Later on we drove back down to pick up the girl, who was visiting with her dad and we stopped for a visit with some friends of Lens that we hadnt seen in a long time.

Well back to school on Monday and back to our regular teacher, was uneventful but Tuesday was another story. It turned into a day from hell and set the tone for my week. Started off with smacking my head twice, tripping over my feet and falling, spilling hot coffee all over my hand, then Im trying to go to school and for some dumb reason the truck decides to be dead, no power no where. This is at serious coffee in Mill Bay.(yep right after the hand burning incident) Now she started up fine, no problems in the driveway, but now there is nada, no lights, fan, radio,clcik for the ignition. Nope DEAD. Well what the phuk! (Bear pay attention here, might give ya some ideas if you have problems, mechanically speaking) I play with it for a few minutes and it seems I can get a bit when I wiggle the key, then it changes its mind and says nope. I pop the hood and check the battery connections, everything is tight like it should be. Ok now WTF. Call Len and gripe, then start calling looking for a ride or loner car for the day, call school and report that Im dead on the hat but am still trying to get there. I finally manage to track down Vince and he sends Sheryl off to help with jumper cables. Good thig I know what Im doing as neither of them are mechanical. Shit I remember Vince trying to blow things using them, and sparking his bike battery trying to jump it. While waiting, I get a guy to push the truck back to an open area so that Sheryl can get to me, instead of right infront of the store. I talk to my friend Steve who is a mechanic to get possible ideas and back to under the hood I go. Well I know it is a new strong battery and that isnt the problem, it has to be something else. Yep the connections could use some cleaning but it shouldnt be completely dead. Start playing with the wires and looky here, I get lights again, try starting, nothing but lost power again. Back to playing, well I think I have found the culprit. It is the battery wires where they hook into the clamp, they must be 20 years old like the truck and are startig to wear. Wiggle some more and power again. Sheryl is here now so I hook the cables up and she fires right up. I thank Sheryl and keep the cables with me and off I go like a bat outta hell to school. I get there just before 2 and havent missed any of the days lesson. At break time, I ask a few questions on the project and turn in my handouts to get copied, then I ask what about the homework sheet from last nite? She takes it and says well I have to mark it now, so you will lose 10%! Like hell, it isnt my fault that I couldnt get there. Well needless to say that just adds to my day and Im in a completely shitty mood and all can tell.

I wait til the next day to see if she really took the marks off and she did. At break I approached her with my opinion and she wouldnt waiver. I dont think it is fair to lose the marks, 1) I called in and told her what was going on, 2)I worked under my hood in the freezing cold just so I could get there, 3) I asked her about it, not the other way around, 4) I got the truck running and still drove 50+km to get to school, late or not, not another soul in my class would bother going 5) I dont have the option of a bus, cab, or walking as Im not in Vic and my course isnt offered in Duncan. Im not asking for special treatment, but jaysus, I went above and beyond what anyone else would have done to still get to school. If I was in Vic, I would have said screw it and found another way of getting there. I was beyond mad now and was ready to grab my stuff and leave then. The others told me to go to thee director and talk to her, so that is what I did. She listened to me and made a report, saying that she would discuss it with the teacher and get back to me. Like I said I dont want special treatment, but I had extrenuating circumstances here, and I dont think the teacher needs to be so hard nosed about time of the assignment. In her mind if it is due that day, it is due by 1:15, if you turn it in at 1:16 it is late. Not as long as it gets turned in on that day. I really think that is a bit much. Well all of this just set my mood for the week, I was grumpy miserable, and wouldnt answer in class. If she put me o the spot for an answer, I responded with a nope its not there, dont know, in other words, dont give a damn at the moment. Mat find out today what is going to happen.

Thursday rolls around for project day, and I have everything done, ready and packaged to go, hoping my partner has done the same. I decide to go in an hour early and make up the time I missed so that I dont have it missing onn my attendence, keep that 100% record. Teacher looks at me like I have 2 heads when I tell her Im clocking in now to make up the time missed, she says she doesnt think I can do that, and I says well I already had this conversation with the director when I was sick for the day and was told that I could make up the hours. She takes note but says she will have to discuss it with the director, yep you go ahead, and Im going to continue being a thorn in your side this week. So I sit around doing some work, waiting for my partner. Figures she has part of the stuff done but she hasnt got her handouts copied and the one creative part I asked her to do was pathetic. I was choked. I knew this was going to be phuked. Then in class the teacher goes over the expectations and everything I had organized for the presentation portion was wrong, guess Im going to have to wing things now. Oh well, presentation out of the way, just the final today. Hope the hell the marks stay up there as Im worried about the project and the exam cause this one is a whole lot different then before.

Well time to do some more studying and cross my fingers, but I think the tone of the week has set my mind in a bad place. Heres hoping that it hast messed with me too much.