Grey Cup

It's Lisa, posting as Mom, so I don't mess up her log in. Also can't remember my password to log in here.

Cold here too, but not like the prairies of course. Still we find  -18 uncomfortable. It's a damp cold.
I transcribed interview most of day and came over a little while ago-Mom and Richard are watching Grey Cup.
I say, um, a lot and repeat words when asking questions.
Also interesting is I notice a slight change in how I speak when interviewing others-I kind of adapt to their style slightly.

Richard and I are both cheering for Hamilton, Mom is cheering for Calgary.

I have enough participants for my data-2 more interviews to go-and many more hours after that.
Did I mention that I will not be doing another degree after this one?

BCSS had a fundraiser yesterday, I felt like Geoff buying the Christmas tree. Except was not the company credit card. It seems I bought some Christmas gifts I had not planned. I guess I get a charitable tax receipt? I won't disclose how much I spent, except that it was quite a bit more than I had planned and that I won in both the live auction and 2 items that I had forgotten about in the silent one.

RW and I went to a chi-chi Christmas fair today-crowded with hipsters and wealthy Kelown-ites. I hope we are not turning into pretentious twits?

Nick seems to be better, though not sure for how long. If I don't chase him around forcing meds down his throat, he seems better. Though will need to get some more appetite stimulant for him. It's actually an antidepressant-Remeron/mirtazepine. He only seems to eat treats however and even then, we keep having to find other things he'll eat-we've been through: canned cat food, canned tuna and salmon, chicken breast, and prosciutto.

Poor Sebastian wonders why we lock him up in the bedroom , while Nick gets to eat anything he wants and we coax him along.

We're rolling along. Went to see Catching Fire last night. Not bad. But I think the Hobbit will be better.

San Diego Week 3

I feel as though I could easily stay two months and still have things to see.  The other day I went to Old Town Sate Park, it is like Fort Edmonton, except most of the buildings are from the same time period.  the people who work in the stores are in period costumes, and some of the buildings have been relocated from other parts of San Diego, some have been constructed on site.  There was a lot of information about Mexicans who settled there.  Quite interesting.  I also went to the Museum of San Diego, their exhibits had a lot about the military, since there is a huge Naval Base here.  Starting on Saturday there is a new exhibit all about Dr. Suess, he was from here, I think I will go back and see that.  I also took a trip to La Jolla, very chichi place.  The high end car dealers are located there, Ferrari, Maserati, Rolls Royce. 

There does seem to be a lot of homeless people in San Diego, under the overpasses of the freeways, are people who have set up camp there, with shopping carts and tarps.  I have seen a lot of cars packed to the brim, with stuff. 

I am always surprised at the stuff that people will tell strangers, I was waiting for the train the other day and this woman sat beside me, and started telling me all about her problems in trying to find a job.  she had just been on an interview that had not gone well, "No one wants to hire old people", she looked to be about my age.  It was sad.

Happy Birthday Anne

Happy Birthday Henry

San Diego Week 2

I have not made it to the beach yet, maybe this week.  San Diego is a very cool city, lots of things to do and see.  Yesterday I went to an area called Hillcrest, it is near the University.  First I went to a place called Hash a GoGo for breakfast, the portions are enormous, so I was pretty full by the time I finished breakfast (no I did not eat it all).  Then I went exploring, I found all kinds of thrift stores and used two used bookstores, so stocked up on hard reading material.  I have my ipad here, but when I am going out and about I prefer to read real books.  There is also a great hat store, G&T you would have d loved it, and other small stores with cool stuff in them.  I asked one of the people at a bookstore for a recommendation to a coffee shop, and she recommended a French cafe/patisserie which was great.  I was still full from breakfast, so I just had coffee, but think I will go back and have a treat one day.

A lot of Museums are located in Balboa Park, which is a 30 minute bus ride away from where I am staying.  I went to see the Museum of Man, which had an exhibit from Spain, called Instruments of Torture, it was very disturbing, some of the artifacts were from 4 or 5 hundred years ago, but they(or updated versions of them)  were still being used in the 20th century.  The rest of the museum was a little more upbeat, one exhibit was all about beer, it's history and all the different kinds around the world.  Another exhibit was all about the Mayans, and their hieroglyphics and calendars.

I took the train out to an outlet mall, that is right at the border between the US and Mexico.  My bus pass is really handy.  The cost to take a bus is 2.25 a ride, and there are no transfers given, if you are going to take the bus, then the train  (like the LRT),which costs 2.50 one way, you pay separate fares so without a pass it could cost 4.75 to get there then another 4.75 to get back.  You can also get a day pass for 5.00 which lets you ride all day for that.  There are a lot of people using mobility devices (wheelchairs, scooters) who use the bus, and unlike Edmonton, the driver has to get up and strap them in, which could explain why the bus is late a lot.  Most of the drivers on the routes I have taken are very friendly.  The bus numbers I use to get from my place to downtown are the 3 and the 5, just the same as when I stay at Allison's so they are very easy to remember.

Weather has been unseasonably warm, according to people I have talked to, but you still see people wearing what I would call winter coats, and toques and scarves.

Feeling sick

I googled my symptoms and it seems to be the flu. I really do not feel well but I suspect if I was still working I would have gone to work anyway. Have been taking it easy but underneath there is a niggling thought that I am faking it. Trying to fake being sick to myself. Whatever.

Courtney's business partner went to Mexico last week so the boys came over three days. We had a good time. I love watching them play together. We made a fort.

Geoff has been going to work every day for the past two weeks but his last day of work was Friday. He meets with his boss tomorrow and gives back his truck, then that should be it. His shoulder and arm have really been bothering him so a few months' rest are in order. He was scheduled to have an MRI on his shoulder in January but got a call last week because they had an opening on Tuesday, so that was good. He has to see his doctor next week to find out if there is something to be done about it.

Spent Saturday morning out in the yard doing a bit of weeding, emptied the rain barrels, covered the strawberries, etc. Geoff cleaned out his work truck and put winter tires on the Escape. Woke up Sunday to inches of snow and more falling. So we felt quite smug. It's still snowing and is cold, not so smug now.

Vancouver

Richard and I are here until Tuesday. I took Monday off so we have a 3 day weekend together.
Walked around yaletown today and along English bay.
Nick has not been feeling well, there is something wrong with his liver,sniff. So have been enticing him to eat with chicken and anything else I can get him to eat. Vet isn't sure what's wrong, we are trying antibiotics etc., but I don't want to put him through anything like surgery etc as he is senior. He doesn't seem to be uncomfortable except when squirting medication in his mouth. Luckily we have good neighbour who is willing to provide good care while we are gone, thank you Mom!!
Have 4th interview set up. For my research, one more and will have minimum needed which will be good.
Have been taking all neighbour s maple leaves to Jones as they really help keep weeds down. She's got 4 big trees.

Edmonton and San Diego

Have not posted in awhile, at least not since I left home to go to Edmonton and apt/cat sit.  I had a good time in Edmonton, got to meet with lots of friends and family and catch up.  The time seemed to fly by.  I spend Thanksgiving with the other Sivaks at Deanna's house.  Everyone was there except Rod and Ali.  It was the first time I have seen Deanna and Rod's new place, and I was surprised at how spacious it is.  Certainly cannot tell from the outside.  I saw some pics from Nate and Lauren's wedding, it looked like the backdrop of the mountains was fake.  Haley and Matt's wedding plans are coming along, they have decided to get married in Edmonton, instead of Canmore, and have everything booked except for the photographer.  Not too much new with that side of the family, but it was really nice to see everyone again.

I met with a bunch of people who were or used to be from IBM, thanks to Vicky who arranged a supper get together.  Whenever I meet with ex coworkers I feel so happy in my decision to retire, same crap different day.  Two friends had just gotten back from a riverboat cruise in Europe, two different trips, they don't know each other and that sounded like such a fun way to travel, only 180 passengers on the boat, one went from Trier Germany to Prague and the other Amsterdam to Budapest.

I also got caught up with all my Edmonton Nieces and Nephews, which I always enjoy, nice to hear what is going on in their lives.  However I will not provide an update on their goings on, they must POST themselves.  The last couple of days I stayed at a downtown hotel, thought Allison would appreciate some alone time with Magda and Olive, and my allergies were acting up so a win/win for both.  Rocky has a lot going for it, but not too much in terms of ethnic food, so I really enjoyed eating out at restaurants, Italian, Indian, Vietnamese, Portuguese, Thai as well as a few delicious home cooked meals.  I also met Allison after she returned and heard all about her trip as well as seeing pictures, made me want to go to Machu Pichu.

I meant to get out and do some tourist things in Edmonton, but just did not get to them.  I did see a couple of movies Gone, Girl and The Judge, both good movies.

My flight left Edmonton at 6:30 am on the 1st, so it was an early start.  On the plus side no traffic to speak of.  Going through border security in Calgary was surprising good, I always feel nervous, but the agent I got was really nice and friendly, not mean at all.  When I got to San Diego, I had a 3 hours before I could check into my place, so spent it at the airport, found a nice quiet corner and read my book.

My landlady met me at my new home.  It is a restored Victorian Manor in an area called Sherman Heights. It has basically two rooms, a Kitchen/Dining room and a Bedroom/Sitting room and a bathroom of course.  It is in the corner of the building so windows on two sides, 10 foot ceilings which make it very light and airy.  I am very comfortable here.  Outside there is a putting green, as well as a lot of places to sit and enjoy the outdoors.  The neighborhood reminds me a bit of Allison's, a mix of older large houses next to newer houses, some with beautifully kept yards, others more run down.

There are a couple of grocery stores within walking distance, the closest is a Walmart, which I prefer not to shop at, the second an Albertsons.  I bought a bus pass for the month and I am figuring out the transit system.  On Monday I went downtown to the Mall, Theresa it has a Nordstroms.  Yesterday I was going to the Museum of Photographic Arts, but took a wrong turn and ended up at the Maritime Museum.  I enjoyed the museum a lot, it is several different kinds of boats that you can tour, a Soviet Sub, an American sub, The Star of India, a Ferry very cool.  One thing I learned was that on the passenger ships (Star of India) the first class passengers basically had to furnish their room themselves, however there were companies that would set up the stateroom for you and they guaranteed they could do it within an hour.  All the other lower class passengers made do with teeny tiny rooms (2nd class) with nothing but bunks, or in steerage in a huge room with row after row of bunks.

For lunch I ate at a seafood restaurant (Anthony's Seafood Grotto), and tried something new, a Squid Steak Sandwich with avocado and tomato on a toasted ciabatta, very tasty.

Weather has been perfect, low twenties, very good for walking around.

Here are a few pictures of my place.