I'm going to Canada next Friday. Toronto, to be precise. It has kind of crept up on me so I am now in a flurry of excitement about it. Only stopping for 48 hours. I'm actually doing work a favour! I have to be in Ohio, at the mothership,the following week and by flying via Toronto, and staying a Saturday night, I'm saving the company 500 quid! I'm staying with friends (saving more money)...who I haven't seen for about 15 months, and a trip to Niagara Falls has been mentioned..so we are all winners!
Anyway, I fly into Lester B Pearson Airport, and being a bit of a geek I thought I should find out who he was to have an airport named after him. Well, if you didn't already know (I bet Kevin did....) he was the 14th prime minister of Canada, and recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize. Now I know we might feel that they are giving those away with cornflakes at the mo (oooo...political satire...)but he got his for organizing the United Nations Emergency Force to resolve the Suez Canal Crisis. He did lots of other worthy stuff too, but true to form this is what actually caught my eye in the wikipedia entry...". In 1917, Pearson transferred to the Royal Flying Corps (as the Royal Canadian Air Force did not exist at that time), where he served as a Flying Officer until being sent home with injuries from two accidents; while training as a pilot at an air training school in Hendon, England, Pearson survived an airplane crash during his first flight. Unfortunately, in 1918, he was hit by a London bus during a blackout and was sent home as an invalid to recuperate and then discharged from the service..." Bless!
On a slightly sentimental note I shall take the opportunity to pay tribute to my lovely friends in Canada - kate & chris. Fifteen years ago this very month I went through a particular difficult time - my first marriage broke up - and without them and my other extremely lovely friends Jenny & Richard I could not have got through it and come out the other side.....thanks to them I have extremely happy memories of two drunken and slightly deranged years in my little bachelorette pad in Sale.
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label friends. Show all posts
Friday, October 16, 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
It's been a hard days night
I've been a bit distracted for the last few weeks, and hugely stressed. I've had a lot on my plate, and now it's all over I can share it with y'all. Ironically, I'm finding time to get back on with blogging because I'm off sick, which is probably my body's reaction to the end of the stress!
So, there's been work...there's always work, but June is the end of our FY, and targets are not met, and, well, you just try that extra bit...to try to make a difference. Then we had some very important clients coming to visit...oh and the small matter of a two day user conference to organise and host. Everything went fine...client is extremely happy, user conference was a success.
Simultaneously I was organising a couple of minor things at home. Laura's 6th birthday party, which should have been straight forward. I booked a local pub play area, and they do all the work. Just turn up with the cake and the child. But we had it on a school night, so there were lifts for various children to co ordinate, and party bags...who knew that could be so complicated?
And then there was husband's 60th birthday....oh the build up to the event of the decade has been going on for 6 (very long) months, since I had the foolish idea of a sixties themed party back at new year, and then somehow this got combined with the reunion of the band he used to play in 40 years ago....hence the posts about the purchase of the drumkit(s).
So, I booked a venue, designed the invites, sent the invites, managed the replies, booked the caterer, organised a cake, liaised with the disco (my brother), booked the live band (my next door neighbour), organised costumes and had a few tears and a tantrum. Peter reaquainted himself with drumming. And...thank christ....the party was a great success. Oh, did I mention, all of the above - work and home events, happened over the space of 5 days? Now you know why the immune system has given up the ghost! Here are selected highlights....
For the foolhardy or the extremely bored all the photos can be seen here.
So, there's been work...there's always work, but June is the end of our FY, and targets are not met, and, well, you just try that extra bit...to try to make a difference. Then we had some very important clients coming to visit...oh and the small matter of a two day user conference to organise and host. Everything went fine...client is extremely happy, user conference was a success.
Simultaneously I was organising a couple of minor things at home. Laura's 6th birthday party, which should have been straight forward. I booked a local pub play area, and they do all the work. Just turn up with the cake and the child. But we had it on a school night, so there were lifts for various children to co ordinate, and party bags...who knew that could be so complicated?
And then there was husband's 60th birthday....oh the build up to the event of the decade has been going on for 6 (very long) months, since I had the foolish idea of a sixties themed party back at new year, and then somehow this got combined with the reunion of the band he used to play in 40 years ago....hence the posts about the purchase of the drumkit(s).
So, I booked a venue, designed the invites, sent the invites, managed the replies, booked the caterer, organised a cake, liaised with the disco (my brother), booked the live band (my next door neighbour), organised costumes and had a few tears and a tantrum. Peter reaquainted himself with drumming. And...thank christ....the party was a great success. Oh, did I mention, all of the above - work and home events, happened over the space of 5 days? Now you know why the immune system has given up the ghost! Here are selected highlights....
For the foolhardy or the extremely bored all the photos can be seen here.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
The little drummer boy
A quick pictorial catch up of my world over the last few weeks.
Here are the drums....
Not as big as you might have thought, but I am informed reliably informed that size isn't everything, as long as the operator is fairly skilled.
And yes, they are situated in a book (and CD/DVD) lined study. Are the family men amongst you asking how that jammy begger gets his very own personal playroom? Frankly, I ask myself that sometimes, especially as he is actually downstairs hogging the telly, watching football, and not even luxuriating in his own private kingdom.
In fact, just to rub it in, here is another shot of aforementioned booklined..etc etc...
If you zoom in Kev you might be able to recognise some of the filums...
Last weekend, as mentioned over at Mrs P's, we went to a wedding, with picnic on Box Hill. We were friends of the groom - he and I were at uni together...indeed we graduated 20 years ago this year, so took the opportunity for a reunion shot.
No shots of the actual service or the official photos you might notice. That's because we weren't there. Shan't go into too much detail for fear I will be overcome (again)with the need to go downstairs and point out a couple more home truths to the man of the house. (Actually, can't do that - I'm still not speaking to him) Suffice to say that if anyone says anything about women and their inability to handle directions I shall be round forthwith and shove a bat up your nightie.
Multi-tasking.....don't get me started.......
Here are the drums....
Not as big as you might have thought, but I am informed reliably informed that size isn't everything, as long as the operator is fairly skilled.
And yes, they are situated in a book (and CD/DVD) lined study. Are the family men amongst you asking how that jammy begger gets his very own personal playroom? Frankly, I ask myself that sometimes, especially as he is actually downstairs hogging the telly, watching football, and not even luxuriating in his own private kingdom.
In fact, just to rub it in, here is another shot of aforementioned booklined..etc etc...
If you zoom in Kev you might be able to recognise some of the filums...
Last weekend, as mentioned over at Mrs P's, we went to a wedding, with picnic on Box Hill. We were friends of the groom - he and I were at uni together...indeed we graduated 20 years ago this year, so took the opportunity for a reunion shot.
No shots of the actual service or the official photos you might notice. That's because we weren't there. Shan't go into too much detail for fear I will be overcome (again)with the need to go downstairs and point out a couple more home truths to the man of the house. (Actually, can't do that - I'm still not speaking to him) Suffice to say that if anyone says anything about women and their inability to handle directions I shall be round forthwith and shove a bat up your nightie.
Multi-tasking.....don't get me started.......
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