It's true....little guys do try harder

I have to say, Kier and I were pleasantly surprised at how great our "2 guys and a truck" were.  (Their real name is K and L Moving....and I really recommend them!!)  They were efficient, polite, respectful, and good at their jobs.  They moved 90% of our stuff in the 4 hours they predicted.  We went back on our own for the final 20 or 30 things.  I'm so glad it's done...but we're still working our asses of right up to the last minute.  We're back here tomorrow before we "run for the border" tomorrow afternoon.

On the trip front, I'm excited to say that I've nailed down our final excursion and even found a fun thing to do the night before we board the cruise ship.  I bought us tickets to see the British comedian Dylan Moran while in Sydney.  "Who the heck is Dylan Moran?" you ask....no, you are asking, I know you are.  Well, for you movie buffs, he was in the movie "Run Fat Boy Run" with Simon Pegg.  His current stand up show is getting rave reviews.  I hope he's good.  I find just about anything, short of watching paint dry, to be interesting...and over the past few days I've had my share of watching paint dry, and am actually growing to appreciate it ;)  But Kier, not so easily pleased...oh well, nothing like a bit of British humour to give us a good chuckle.  I mean really, who didn't like Benny Hill??

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  That part time job I'm going to look for in October....well, it WON'T be as a mover!!!

Making a list and checking it twice

I'm a list person. Always have been.  It was particularly handy when I worked as it kept me on track.  It seemed I could get a whole lot more accomplished when I felt that sense of satisfaction at crossing something off the list after having completed it.  I'm sure that reflects a certain personality type...Type A maybe...who knows??  Anyway, here is the list I started after I retired and in anticipation of our big trip...

TO DO:

1.  stop work...................................................................................check
2.  sell house....................................................................................check
3.  golf.............................................................................................check
4.  book retirement trip at a great price.............................................check
5.  book flights for trip, also at a great price......................................check
6.  househunting trip.........................................................................check
7.  buy house...................................................................................no check
8.  buy land to build house................................................................check
9.  move belongings into storage.......................................................check
10. build house.................................................................................half check 
(but I did....write lots of cheques.......................................................check!)  
11. book all pre/post trip hotels, for a great price (of course).............check
12. get started on planning of next trip...............................................check
13. get Aussie $$..............................................................................check
14. pack...........................................................................................check
15. car serviced before trip to Portland..............................................check
16. move belongings out of storage....................................................
17. one last trip to the dump..............................................................
18. pay all outstanding bills................................................................
19. say goodbye to everyone.............................................................
20. head to the US for flights.............................................................
21. enjoy holiday...............................................................................

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  That #19 on my "to do" list is going to be impossible...unless I use this blog to facilitate it...so, if I don't speak to you before Thursday....BYE....see you in October.  But, stay tuned, cause the next blog you read will likely be posted from Australia....

Ready, set, go....in three more sleeps!

Well, we're finishing up the last few things here at the house before we go into "lock down" mode on Wednesday.  We've found some "movers", (we'll call them that but time will tell!!) to help us...the typical small outfit with "2 guys and a truck".  We've opted to keep the truck we've rented as with 2 vehicles we'll do the move in half the time...one would think.  (again...time will tell!!)  Every thing's set for tomorrow and according to the crew, they can do it in 4 hours...we've told them as long as they can do it in 5...seeing that it took 7 hours for the professionals to unload the truck, we thought 4 was definitely pushing it.   With Irene passing through today, the sky's look clear for a smooth move tomorrow. 

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  Just because something says "no return" does not mean you can't return it!!  Who'd have thought.  I learned this little lesson thanks to Kier and a little building supply company who shall remain nameless (but if you "come on down", I'll tell you ;).  I also stood, for a very short time, in that uncomfortable place...you know the one...

                                                   ROCK.........me......HARD PLACE

when Kier turned to me, in front of the store employees, and said "I was never told we couldn't return this???  Did you know??"  Let's just put it this way...a stern voice and steely glare seem to work over company policy...oh...that and a little thing called a "restocking fee"...for more information on how everyone and everything has a price...see WHAT I LEARNED TODAY on August 25th !!! ;)

I'm baaaaaaaack!!

I've been on "stay-cation" (for you Corner Gas fans) for the past few days because my neighbour's wireless was down...but we're back in business today.  Things are coming along well with only 1 week left till departure.  And I've had a few queries about whether the blog will continue while I'm in Australia.  The answer is ABSOLUTELY!!  One of the original reasons for the blog, other than to give me a "project" during retirement, was to chronicle the big trip....the planning as well as the execution...so stay tuned!!

We are currently on the hunt for a couple of movers...or at the very least some hired muscle to assist with the heavy lifting.  We have a truck booked and all, but are searching kijiji and other spots for some less expensive movers to do the job.  I think it should be a relatively easy move as everything was boxed up by professionals...but we'll see.  The first quote I got was $90/hour which includes 2 men and a truck.  Hmmmm...

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  Everyone and everything has a price...it's really true.  The tough part is finding the exact spot in the middle where people can meet...somewhere on the corner of "Holy Crap That's Ridiculous" and "Screw Off You're Offending Me".  This idea was once proven to me, many, many, many years ago, by a rather obnoxious American.  (Caveat...I'm not saying that ALL Americans are obnoxious...just this particular one that I happened to be out with!)  We were out at a pub in London, Ontario and they had a promotion on whereby if you drank a certain # of beer, you'd get a free t-shirt, just like the ones sported by the waitresses on that particular evening.  He approached a waitress and offered her money for her t-shirt...not just any t-shirt, but the exact one she was wearing.  He didn't have the time nor inclination to drink the required # of beers in order to win the shirt, so he said.  (I figured he just didn't need the liquor to be obnoxious...he was already there!!)  She said she wasn't allowed to do that, because it was her uniform for the duration of the promotion.  Well, that was just like fuel to the fire....this guy was convinced that everyone had a price, and he went about proving it.  To make a long story short...she had a price...it turned out to be $100 American...and I have the t-shirt to prove it....because like any "real gentleman" (that was sarcasm, although it doesn't come across in the written word), he gave his date the t-shirt he bought from the waitress.  Impressed, you ask??  You know the answer to that....

Anyway, all that to say...this philosophy has really hit home to me during this whole housebuilding process.  It's all about negotiation...meeting in the middle...finding that common ground...but most importantly...it's NOT about the t-shirt!!!

The Surprise....that wasn't

The other day I went to Kent's....5 times!  Just when I'd get back to the house from one trip, picking up one item, they'd send me back for another.  This pattern repeated itself several times throughout the afternoon.  To the point that I told my friend Kevin at the Contractor's Desk that I was certain the guys were planning a surprise party for me.  I said "they keep sending me for one item...then when I get back, they send me for another item...I think they're planning a surprise party for me and they just don't have the decorations up yet!"  He smiled and said "sure Katrina".  Needless to say, the surprise was on me when I returned at the end of the day from my final trip to Kent's to find....you guessed it....no surprise party :(  It was just a day of  ...extremely poor planning.

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  This is an old lesson, but one that always bears repeating....never "assume" - it makes an "ass" our of "u" and "me"...

Winner and still "champeen"....

Yesterday was a great day.  I took my mother up to her homestead for a family get2gether.  There was lots of great weather, food, and laughs.  It was good to see everyone, some cousins and 2nd's that I hadn't seen in ages.  It's always nice to reconnect.  And with every good BBQ there should be a rousing game of "stink pipe".  I'm proud to say that I have followed in my father's footsteps with regard to my "stink pipe" ability, and have carried on the family honour of winning.  And not just winning...I kicked ass!  Sorry Frank!  And some would say whipping the butt of your 81 year old Auntie is nothing to celebrate....but you know what I say to that???  Beatcha, beatcha, beatcha...in your face!  You know I'm a touch competitive.  I chalk it up to years of having no one to play games with, being the youngest meant that everyone was "too cool" to play with little ole me.  So, when we went up country and I was allowed to play "Mystery Date" or "Lie Detector" (2 of my MOST FAVOURITES I might add), I reaaalllly liked to win.   Somehow that has carried with me through the years.  Of course, the reactions to my victories were mixed....

Bill sees no evil, Auntie Lena hears no evil and Bonnie speaks no evil

I took a bit of a tour around what's left of the homestead.  Thankfully the woodshed/outhouse is long gone cause the memories of my little backside perched on the edge of that hole, ever afraid of a snake coming up and licking my behind with that forked tongue, are just too vivid! 

So off to the old butcher shop I went, where I recall seeing huge carcasses hanging (bear in mind that I was just a little tyke...small enough for Trip to knock over, pin down and lick my face till I cried in terror)...(wait a minute...I'm detecting a bit of a pattern here....is it possible??  It seems I have an aversion to being....LICKED!  First the fear of the licking snake...then the licking collie...and even the licking pugs up in Gael's kitchen....hmmm...never realized that before....apparently I DON'T LIKE to be LICKED!!!!)  Anyway, I wasn't long in the barn and you can see in the photo that I ran out in fear....it was the ghosts of cows past...they were "mooing"!!  (cause everyone knows that cow ghosts don't say "boo"!!)

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  It's often said that friends are the family that you pick yourself.  I can honestly say that my family are the friends that I picked myself!!!  Thanks for a great day, Gael and Jim.  It was great seeing you all and we'll plan to do it again in October at my place...so practice up on the "stink pipe" cause I'll be defending my championship!!!

Groupon me!

I love Expedia  (http://www.expedia.ca/).  It's probably because I've used it in the past and have always had success.  It's nothing fancy, really, just an ordinary travel website, but I find the prices good.  I use them for hotels, flights and this past March I even used them to book a package holiday for significantly less than I could have booked elsewhere.  And with the recent addition of Expedia's "unpublished hotel rates" option (ie purchasing hotels blindly by star rating, like you do on Hotwire), the hotel prices are even better.

I like Groupon (http://www.groupon.ca/).  I don't have any reason to...I've never actually used them myself, but I know people who have.  I will say, though, if you are a Maritimer, that Groupon is only good if you live in Halifax, or travel there often.  What is Groupon, you ask?  Well, it's a coupon website.  You purchase coupons from them for various restaurants, services, etc.  One word of advice though...read the fine print.  Usually with the restaurant coupons there is a caveat that you can only use one per table, or something like that.  But, having said that, the value seems good.  And the one time when someone used a coupon in my presence, it was "no muss, no fuss". 

Well, need I express how excited I was when I noticed that Expedia has partnered with Groupon and now there are coupons offered that are specific to travel???  I signed up right away so that coupons particular to my departure point will be sent weekly to my "inbox".  And I even signed up twice...I used one e-mail address for offers pertinent to Halifax, and a second e-mail address for offers relating to Portland, Maine....cause really, you can NEVER get enough travel deals!!!


WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  I don't like heat...or more like, heat doesn't like me.  I morph into a sloth when it's hot...a multi-toed sloth albeit, but a sloth none-the-less.  No energy...headache-y...short fuse...you name it.   And seeing that I don't like cold either, puts me in a bad way...where does one live when they don't like hot or cold??  Maybe Australia is the perfect climate for me...I'll get back to you on that....in October....

There's a light at the end of my tunnel

I've got 2 words for you....Sun Tunnels.  They are, perhaps, 2 of the best investments we made in our entire house project.  If it wasn't for cousins Ferne and Frank, we'd never have even known what they were.  For such a small little item (and an inexpensive one to boot, if you avail yourself of a little cross border shopping), they sure add a nice touch to the place.  We put 1 in the laundry room (thanks for the idea Cuz!) and the second in our walk in closet.  A little natural light in there will certainly help us with those early a.m. dilemmas...you know the ones... "is that blue....or black??".



Laundry Room



Walk-in Closet





















For such a small little opening, they throw a heck of a light.   Our only regret....we didn't get more!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  I have always prided myself on having an excellent memory...I may joke about the impact of the dreaded "m" word ...but I really thought I was just joking...until yesterday.  In order to get into our storage facility, you have to punch in a code.  This de-activates the alarm system on your unit.  You then punch in the same code upon exiting the complex so that the alarm gets re-activated.  The code they assign you is quite simple...or so I always thought.  It involves part of your phone #.  Simple...right??  But how often have you been asked your phone number and you've had to stop and think....and think....and think....and then after what seems like forever, the number just pops into your head and you laugh and comment "huh...no wonder I can't remember it...I never call myself!!"  Well, yesterday I went into the storage facility, entered the code, went about my business, and on the way out ...total blank on the code...which I had entered easily not 5 minutes earlier.  And even when I did manage to put together a combination that ultimately opened the gate, there wasn't that sense of "aha...now I remember"....it was more of a "thank god that was right...I was running out of ideas".   Guess I'll have to use that age old solution to such problems...I'll write the number on my hand...followed by a longer note up my arm reminding me what the number on my hand actually means...

One thing I haven't forgotten......only 15 days till we leave for Australia!!!!!  (that soft sound you hear...is me pulling my shirt sleeve down over my wrist...)

Have resume...will travel

With the house 2/3 completed and our trip 18 days away (where has the summer gone??), it's time to start circulating my resume in hopes of landing the ideal job for when I'm ready to start work in mid October.  I think I've found the ideal job too...it's working for the town...we had our culverts dug today.  I want to be one of the guys in the orange hard hat...specifically the guy standing on the right...

The slogan sported by all town vehicles 
"Qplex...energy.everywhere"
...guess it doesn't apply to people!!

he never moved off his shovel until it was time to leave ...that's the job I want.  I'm sure their hourly wage would be scary...although....I'm thinking it would get kind of boring after awhile....but I do look good in orange!!  ;)

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  It's very hard to have one resume that is generic enough to suit all job applications.  I've got one now, but I think I'm going to have to modify and shorten it.  It's been maaaannny years since I' ve had to circulate a resume...so I'm not sure what the guidelines are.  It used to be the rule of thumb that they be less than 2 pages, then somewhere along the line it was said that you shouldn't put your date of birth on it...and now...not sure what the latest hints and tips are....  One thing I do know...with the same employer for the past 25 years, it won't be too long...  Oh, and anybody that knows of the ideal job...that would be one that pays well for short hours and lots of travel...keep me in mind!!

The Clampetts prepare to hit the road

Uncle Jed gets the truck ready while Elly May takes the picture

Jed and Elly are off looking for Granny to sit on top

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  A picture is worth a thousand words!!

Bye Bye Youth....One Step Closer to Senior's Discounts

Should I ever go missing, or get lost in dense woods, there will be no problem in locating me.  Just send up the helicopter with the "heat seeking" ability, and I'll be found in no time.  These hot flashes I'm now suffering will set that monitor off like a 'blinkin' beacon'!  (Try saying that 5 times....blinkin' beacon, blinkin' beacon, blinkin' lights, night lights, stars....oooh, pretty sky....where did I get off track...did I mention my memory and attention span are getting shorter too!!) This is just one more reason that getting older SUCKS!!   Yesterday I was sitting in the truck checking my e-mails and suddenly...the windows are steamed up, and I'm lunging for the window opener to get some air circulating...and not just to un-steam the windows...I need the air to dry off as it seems I've just been through a sauna.   And last night I noticed the early stages of "chicken neck" (no disrespect to the chicken Dean, but just because roosters might find it attractive, doesn't mean I do!!).  Where is the justice in life....really....as if birthin' babies isn't a big enough cross for us women to bear!  (I know what you're thinking...I never birthed no babies...but as a member of the female gender, don't I get credit for having the parts to do the job??).  This menopause crap is really a pain.  I'm having a hard time finding the benefits involved...and god knows there can't BE any or men would be lobbying government for the rights to experience it!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  Speaking of government....apparently I should have been paying way more attention to all this 'debt ceiling' hoo-ha (is that 1 word or 2?) in the US..."but why", I said to myself "it's not going to affect me" I thought.  Aaaa ha!  Wrong again!  Who knew that when you live in a duplex and your house-mates don't look after their side, you get frowned upon as well.  Seems that's what's happening by the look of my investments.  They've taken a HUGE hit over the past 2 weeks.  And where is the leader of our country?  Off touring.  Where you ask? ... to "countries-u-can't-pronounce", followed by "countries-u-never-want-to-visit", and finishing off with "countries-u-can't-find-on-a-map".  And where should he be....HOME...making sure my investments don't take any more of a shit-kickin'!!!  That scraping sound you are now hearing....is me stepping down off my soap box....yet again!!

Where does the day go?

No, I don't mean that when we're so busy with this house that the time flies, although that's also the case.  What I'm curious about is...where is September 4th going to go?  We leave North America on September 3rd for a 20 something hour flight, but don't arrive in Sydney until 8 a.m. on Monday, September 5th.  Where does September 4th go?  I realize we cross the international date line...I understand all that.  But what if something monumental happens on that Sunday?  It will be "old news" by the time we hear about it.  Now, if something happens on October 6th, we'll get to experience it twice, cause we have an extra long Thursday when we are traveling home from Australia.   Thankfully my birthday isn't until the 10th, or else I wouldn't get to celebrate it at all.  Oooh...never thought of the benefits of that...I would actually stay 49 for another year....couldn't I???  ;)

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  It's always best to stay downwind of the "port-a-potty".  When trying to get some up-to-date photos, I had to get behind the potty to get a good angle to best show the progress we've made....eeeewwww, not a nice smell...

Ground Hog Day in August

For those of you that have seen that old Bill Murray classic...I now feel like I'm living it!!  Every day is the same.  Here we are on a beautiful Saturday and I'm picking up rocks, or picking up nails, or picking up wood...notice a pattern here?  The most changeable part of my day is the weather...other than that, every day is just like the one before.  The summer will be over in another few weeks and we'll be wondering where the time has gone.  Oh well, we measure our days differently now, not in time, but in progress.  Now we measure how far along the siding is, how much gyp rock has been done, how many rooms are insulated.  Won't be long now and I'll be picking up my belongings at the storage facility.  That's one "picking up" I'm looking forward to!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:   Competition is alive and well, and living in the Saint John/Quispamsis area.  We are currently shopping for a propane fireplace.  We've found one that we like, and now are looking to comparison shop.  Yeah, I know what you're thinking...cause I'm thinking it to... "if you found what you like, just buy it, forget about comparison shopping".  It only serves to muddy the already unclear waters.  It's impossible to find the exact same thing from one store to the next, or even an item that has the exact same features.  So you never get a true "apples to apples" comparison.  And what's really amazing is how subtly these business will try to point out the flaws of their competitors products while trying to highlight their products.  Oh well, I also learned today that my GAFF is getting pretty low... for those of you that have never heard of that....it's my "Give a F*#@ Factor"... and it's waaaaay down there.  I'm on the countdown now...27 days 'till we're "picking up" and leaving....on holidays!!!!  Yahoo!!!

Squeaky door....meet grease !

I had a meeting the other day with my banker.  Apparently I qualify to have a "special" account manager...someone who is going to work closely with me to make my $$ work harder for me.  I had a nice meeting with the fellow for about a 1/2 hour where I advised him that as a long standing customer, who was recently retired, I was going to become more demanding and start asking for things.  I've been an RBC customer since 1980...wow...that's loyalty!!  (I pointed that out to the banker as well!)  He thanked me for my loyalty...but hey, as they say...talk is cheap!!  He was nice, friendly and receptive, however, he seemed awfully preoccupied with "wooing" Kier over to the RBC.  I told him straight up..."listen...you'd best be spending your time 'wooing' me...not Kier".  I also advised him that Kier gets a Cadillac banking service from the TD, and that he was constantly trying to lure me over to "the dark (green) side".   The banker didn't seem to give up on Kier...even when I explained that Kier gets free banking from the TD...and "it's hard to beat free!".   Before I left I asked "okay, so what are you going to give me today?"...to which he replied "well, I might be able to scratch up a pen".  Yeah...not what I had in mind....so far, my "special" account manager....isn't so "special"!!

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  The squeaky door doesn't always get the grease.  Sometimes they get a squirt of grease, but not the whole jar that they were looking for.  I called the CIBC Aerogold Visa people today looking for them to waive my annual fee.  My friend Janet told me of a promotion at her bank where new credit card customers get the fee waived.  I should get something for my 20 years (give or take) of good custom....shouldn't I??  So, I make the call...I get a woman with a very strong accent...Chinese I think.  The call center is likely in Toronto, I surmise, or maybe Vancouver.  When she asks me where I live, and I tell her New Brunswick...she asks me "Is that the city....or the province?"  Hmmm, wonder what part of the world I'm talking to??  Anyway, my time and effort did NOT meet with success...I'm still going to be billed the annual fee...but for my trouble, she's able to offer me...wait for it....500 free Aeroplan Miles.  Oh well, maybe she'll throw in a free pen with that!!

The life of a general is not an easy one

Things are progressing well on the house building front, and as the "general" my work has shifted more from physical labour to placing orders, paying bills, sorting invoices, and shopping.  (I must admit, that is the best part of the job.)  My days are filled with the little things now....where should this light go?....is this window  too high?...where do you want the thermostat?  All very "general-like" decisions, for sure!  Thankfully, though, those are all easy ones, now that we've finally finished making all the big decisions...kitchen designed and ordered (thanks Donna!), hardwood and ceramic selected and ordered, appliances bought, and window coverings picked out.  Those (the blinds) we are ordering down in Bangor enroute to Boston.  With a 2 week turnaround on delivery, they'll be ready for us when we return from Australia.  They are that much cheaper down there that we can afford to upgrade our blinds to some fancier ones. 

I've actually come to the point in this process that I'm ready for it to be finished.  I feel like I've been living in a vacuum for the past 5 weeks...you lose touch with everything and everyone when your life is focused on one thing, and one thing only....boooorrring!!"

WHAT I LEARNED TODAY:  One month from today we will be boarding our flight to Sydney, so that means that in 30 days we'll be leaving town enroute to the US ...let the countdown begin!!