HOUSE News!

This is for those who don't already know, we are now the proud owners of a new house in Cape Breton. It is about 20 minutes out of Port Hawkesbury, so very doable in terms of travel.

We have to say that we have had to face what seemed to be endless Brick Walls. I (Gemma) did a Tarot reading a couple of months ago, and even a follow-up reading, and they both said that if it was going to happen it would be complicated, seemed to be inferring a lot of paperwork. From that we inferred that the lawyers were going to make a meal of it. We decided to get a myriad house inspections done, which now means we have a new oil tank, and also the house is rewired - so it pays to be careful with an older property. Even down to our last days before completion day there were questions from the lawyers, and I now realise that much from the Tarot reading was related to this. And back to the 'Brick Walls'' ' what is this reference, it is particularly referenced to the Randy Pausch 'Last Lecture', we realised those last days, even the last weeks, working up to buying this house, that Brick Walls "are there not to keep us out, they are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something, because Brick Walls are there to hold the 'Other's ' back" and those are the words of Dr Randy Pausch. We feel that he truly gave us the strength to persevere to achieve our goals.

The other good news this week, is that Jerry got is work permit through, and it is for 3 years, and is an Open Permit, which means if he does not get work in the Carpentry field, he will still have options. Now that we both have our work permits, we can now focus on working towards our Provincial Nomination.

We have a lot of decorating to do before we move there, but will be able to go there with the dogs on weekends to get work done.

Thanks to everyone for their support, you know who you are. We appreciate all that you do.

Some recent News!

Since I last updated the blog, prior to today, several things have happened.

The first rather important event of course is that Jerry finished his course, and now has his Honours Diploma in Carpentry. The Convocation was a wonderful evening, and Jerry looked pretty spiffing in his gown.

We also have a new arrival here since March, called Branwen, and she is now 5 months old. She is a Siberian Husky, and everyone pretty much is her friend now. It has been quite a challenge having a puppy in the house again, but we are over the worst of it I think.

I received a Labor Market Opinion through my company, and now have a new 2-year work visa based on that, so there was much celebration over that. The aim once Jerry has his work permit through, is to start working towards provincial nomination, which will help us to fast track to permanent residency.

We have come to some decisions over the winter: we realise that to build a house from the ground up, with the price of lumber here in Canada, would be very expensive. We have been looking for property for Jerry's Mum and stepdad who currently live in Spain, and were looking to buy a property here with some land. As we were in that process of searching, the lights went on for both of us, that this was something we should be doing as well.

That is the current situation, that we are looking to buy a property that is within a sensible driving time out of town, which has some land that can be worked. Since Jerry has finished school, we are no longer so tied to the need to live in town. The plan being that whatever we buy, we will make changes to the property, to make use of passive solar where we can. We have equipment that we have purchased since we arrived, which will work as well in an existing house as a new build.

Will update again, when we have made some progress.

Dr. Randy Pausch Passes Away.

Dr. Randy Pausch who gave the now famous 'Last Lecture' lost his battle with terminal pancreatic cancer on Friday morning 25th July, 2008, at the age of 47. He leaves behind a wife Jai and three children, Logan Dylan and Chloe, his sister, and his monther.

His lecture was put on 'youtube' for people who had been unable to attend, but has now been viewed by millions.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ji5_MqicxSo The lecture he gave--'Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams'--wasn't about dying. It was about the importance of overcoming obstacles, of enabling the dreams of others, of seizing every moment. It was a summation of everything Randy had come to believe. It was about living. He said he knew what he was doing the day he wrote the lecture, "Under the ruse of giving an academic lecture, I was trying to put myself in a bottle that would one day wash up on the beach for my children."

Subsequently, the lecture was expanded into a book 'The Last Lecture', In this book, Randy Pausch has combined the humor, inspiration and intelligence that made his lecture such a phenomenon and given it an indelible form. It is a book that will be shared for generations to come.

His enduring line: "You cannot change the cards you are dealt, just how you play the hand."

We are very saddened by his loss, but grateful that we have been allowed to share him for a little while.

New Arrival!

This is she! Morley Raye "of sunshine" as her Mother says. Not being a Mother myself, it has been a real honor to meet Morley and get to hold such a new baby. At my ripe old age, I had never had this opportunity before.

So that really has been my number one event of recent weeks, to hold her and be amazed at how perfect she is.

I worked with Mum and Dad in the Call Center in its previous life, and then with Mum Lareina with the new company Minacs. They have become good friends and an honor to know them.

Update from Cape Breton!

Well you will see that we have had a wood stove installed a few weeks ago, but because it is quite windy by the water here, the smoke does not go out the chimney. We are now waiting for a cowl to be hand made to put at the top of the chimney outside. It has been cooler for quite a few days, and have had to have the heating on, which is not good when you have paid out for the wood stove. We have discovered that wood ready to burn is a bit scarce this year, so we are going to ask a friend to come with chainsaw to the lot and cut down some dead trees that we can use. Jerry has build a wood shelter, and we already have some wood stacked in there, which should be ready by January. On the wood stove front, it was sitting here in the room ready for installing, but needed to be moved a bit, and I said that Jerry's back is not strong, that I would help. I had done this while in France, no problem, but here is the crux, the fire stones were still in this one, and I only lifted it briefly, long enough to strain some muscles in my lower back. I thought I had put it down quick enough, but I have been seeing a chiropractor, who is doing amazing work on it. It is good timing in one way, I have been working over 3 months, and so this is paid for under the company health cover fully. Last Friday Jerry had a treatment as well, as he was still a little out of shape from his last week of work back in September when he strained some muscles in his back. He is now fine, and does not need to go back, but I have at least a few more to have.

The other photo is to show that I actually went to the hairdresser a few weeks ago, as I thought my hair deserved a proper cut, rather than my hacking at it. And then Jerry did the honours for me and coloured it for me. And if you are observant, you will note that I have gone darker, but the red is still there just.

As to my job I can't believe that over a month has gone by already. My training went well in Moncton, and then I have been back here getting organized. It has been quite a challenge, but a relief to be off the phones. The main reason for that is due to the fact I now work my own hours, so I start around 8:30 through till 5pm. Jerry drops me off on his way to school, and then comes down to pick me up at 5 unless he hears differently from me.

I have been preparing local work instructions for our site, and meeting with the various departments to clarify the details. We have the client coming in this week, so they will want to see what we have in place so far. Although they are truly going to be more concerned with what is going on on the floor, to do with calls, and their customers.

The big challenge for me was giving the presentation about our Quality Management Systems to the new Agent training classes. A little over 10 years ago I used to teach at the University where I was doing my degree, and would stand up in front of 200. These classes are only 24, but after all this time felt like quite the challenge. I have done three so far, and they are getting easier every time.

Business Trip!

Well not exactly, I am off to Moncton this afternoon for five days of training with the Quality Specialist there. Feeling nervous but excited about the challenge ahead. When we left the uk, getting this sort of job was not part of the plan, and thought I had left all this behind. But having been out of it for three years before coming to Canada, to be back in a salaried job in a year is not bad going for such a small town. I picked up the hire car yesterday, and have a four hour drive ahead to get to the hotel. Staying at the Ramada Crystal Palace Inn Hotel in Moncton, the irony is that we lived so close to Crystal Palace and the football ground in our London days.

The other news is that we are getting quotes in for installing a woodburning stove in the house, in the hope of saving on heating costs from last winter. With that we are planning on either making or ordering window quilts, to help with the heat loss. We still do not know whether we will keep this house after building our other house, so undecided on the replacement windows we need for the downstairs. Although there is the initial cost with the woodburning stove, we feel that it is worth while doing.

Job Update!

Here is a picture of my sister, Mum and I up at the lot the other day. My sister and Mum have just gone back from their visit. We are not entitled to time off during the first three months, but under the circumstances they initially let me have the whole of the second week off. Then there was a turn around and I had to work the Wednesday and Thursday. I had the Friday off which was their last day. Since it was on the Thursday I was offered the position, it was a good move.

So that is the good news is that I finally got offered the position of Quality Coordinator. I was expecting to be interviewed again, but as it turned out I was called in just to be offered the position. The money is not as much as I was expecting, but it is a salaried position, so a step up the ladder. It is a training position which I start by going to Moncton, New Brunswick for a week for training. They are organizing car hire and hotel for that week for me. I have one more week on the phones and then my next challenge begins.

It is my sister's birthday next week, so we had an early birthday celebration and also for my new job last Friday on their last evening here. There will be more celebrations next week in Toronto as well.