trip away from home

 I have just returned from my first audit at Toronto. I caught an early plane with my colleague who makes me laugh - who said auditors are meant to be serious anyway - and we went and had a great two days. I saw some great divisions of our company and was introduced to the Keg restaurant which has amazing spinach and strawberry salad and a rather delicious salmon dish - me and my fish right!

At first when I left I felt sad to be away from the girls, actually I felt awful to be going someplace without them. This then swiftly changed to guilt (good at that!) and then lo and behold I started to enjoy this time away in my new job. At first I couldnt get my shit together as its been 8 years since I travelled without Paul and hes a travel control freak so I am used to not having to think about where my passport, ticket, money is. But I soon got it sorted after I dropped it all on the floor and thought I had lost my PR card a couple of times - cue freaked out feeling.

Toronto airport - a little like Heathrow


We stayed at the 4 Points Sheraton at Toronto Pearson airport which was very nice, weird parking lot setup but the hotel was clean and nicely decorated and the breakfast was very nice. I would most definately recommend it. It has good pillows!  It had a marvellous view of the airport of course - no sundrenched beaches this time - but it was just fine.

I was only away for two days, I got back last night at 10.30pm and I am very much looking forward to the next trip. I am not hugely in love with dragging the audit bag about and I feel a bit strange when a black Lincoln picks me up as my home to airport and back transfer. I do however love being on a flight where I dont need to entertain small children or try to stop them kicking the seat in front. I can read or watch a movie or even work! The girls and Paul survived just fine and they were very happy with the black bears I brought home as presents for them.

For me, I have re-found my working life.

temps

I want to edit that last post as it was 28C when I got in the car and headed home last night and its forecast to be 28C today.
Ah, its like a little Spring vacation to the hot climes without leaving home

feeling hot hot hot

I have just had my second picnic lunch with a water view and it was bliss. I have found a little spot in a nice residential road that is waterfront and public and has a little bench to sit on. I have spent two happy lunchtimes now on my bench with a mini picnic gazing out at the glittering water.
Its hot today - 23C I think and forecast to be even warmer tomorrow with temps due to dramatically fall on Friday to 10C with snow flurries forecast for the weekend - nuts!
Last night we had a bbq for dinner - burgers and sweet potato wedges and I even saw a mosquito. It was so warm it was just scrumptious. Tonight I plan on mooching around the neighbourhood with Dukie just letting it all sink in.
Paul is off today and tomorrow so thats nice too, maybe he'll wash my car......

beautiful Halifax

Its amazing weather today, I took the dog for a run at 6.30am and it was warm, I had to take off my fleece. Its lunchtime and I just printed a map of this area which is called “The Arm” in Halifax and went for a wander. Its lovely weather and I had to take off my Spring jacket as I was too hot. I wandered around very pretty roads and looked at rather adorable houses. Its so peaceful and I could smell the sea all the time which is just soul food to me.

It reminded me of Key West and St Augustine – and  I am referring to the houses, its obviously NOT that hot and there are no palm trees but it feels as good. The houses are all sorts of pretty shades and different styles and lots have a water view. I am SO pleased I work down here.

I felt at one with the world which was nice.

I walked back to the office along the waterfront and too late thought about taking pictures, so I managed to get one on my cell phone....

I am coming back tomorrow lunchtime when its forecast to be even warmer with a small picnic. I made my first ever Rosemary bread yesterday in our bread maker – thankyou SO much Helen for that. I think my sarnies will be made of that!

Dear Rosie

Yesterday Rosie passed away. She had been suffering from cancer and Paul had been to see her in January, and we are SO glad he did. That was the best airline ticket ever bought.
So to Rosie. I am glad you are not in pain anymore or alone in your personal life anymore. I am sure your husband came to meet you and together you can watch over your son, your grandchildren and your friends.
You were one amazing lady and a fighter to the end. I will always stand by that comment I made when I first met you, that you would make me sing life a canary if you had had to interview me in a police cell, you had that thing about you. And you were good at your job and Paul loved working with you!
A never to be forgotten lady.

hot potato salad and freezing rain

Tonight for supper we are going to have Cajun chicken breasts with Delia Smiths hot potato salad. This little potato beauty was first introduced to me last summer and was an instant hit – thank you Amy.

We are having this rather summer like feast as

a)      We have the ingredients and they need eating, and

b)      I want to stick two fingers up at the very wintery weather we are having today and have some summer food.

Last night I drove home in freakish freezing rain. I recall when we first moved here I wanted someone to describe freezing rain to me, I wanted to compare it to hail stones. I was a little miffed that the conversation couldn’t allow me to make that comparison and then move on. Well, last night that came back to mind and I cant describe freezing rain either, except that its rain that well, freezes but its not hail.  Its like rain needles coming down. And its dangerous as everything gets so slippery so quickly.

It took me about an hour and a half to get home, and I was a tad scared.

Today, I drove in to work after we had our centimeters of snow last night and I cant say how many centimetres as I am bored of it all and the highway was pretty clear for the most part but near town it really wasn’t. There was so much slush everywhere that when a truck drove past me, it kicked up a wave of slush onto my windscreen and suddenly I could see nothing and it kept coming, I must have been covered in slush from all its eighteen frickin wheels.

My tickets for my Toronto work trip came in today, and we are in a nice hotel with a pool – I am only on an overnighter but I plan to use this pool at least twice. I am rather excited to be taking this trip as its been a very long time since I got the chance to get on a plane without children requiring things.

I am still getting used to my new job, its only day 5 but I think its pretty cool.

 I am eating about 600 calories less a day here as there are no goodies  and I mean none! There is a close by Tim Hortons but that of course requires money so I am going to keep clear of that.

new job

I am here at my new job on day 3.
I have my own office with a stunning view of the water which is a massive treat as I havent been sat near a window for years. I am back in the world of laptops and travel. I am off to Toronto for 2 days at the end of the month and booked onto a training seminar in Orlando in May for a week - yes Orlando in a Disney Hotel! I had to ask my boss to repeat that one!
I get a whole hour for lunch, a whole hour. I have realised that I have taken a short lunch to leave early for my baby, toddler, small child etc for almost 8 years. Now I have time to walk down by the water on warm days and saviour a whole hours lunch break.

I am also now doing grown up things like joining an RSP.

The work is definately different but I plan to enjoy that difference and learn as much as I can again.