Rockin' Girl Bloggers.....

Well my dear friend Skittles voted me for the Rockin' Girl Blogger award. What a sweetie....she says I'm a Rockin' Girl Blogger because of all the daring things I do. Well I don't know about that, but it was sure nice that she thought of me.

So I think I am going to award five Rockin Girl Blogger's that I know.......Now this is hard...because I think you all rock! You all bring something to this table of life......Anyhow without out further adieu here are my five....

Josie......this lovely lady has a flare for the arts and culture. She introduces her readers to painters, musicians, and writers through her love for the arts. Being what I would call an accomplished artist herself she shares with us her early experiences and introduction to the arts through her fathers eyes. I think she is a Rockin' Artist.

Grandmocha......my dear friend....I think she is the Rockin' Grandma extraordinaire....I love how she shares with her readers her life, love and joys of being with her grandchildren.

Janet......A woman who loves the great outdoors. She shares her surroundings by using her camera....I was first drawn to Janet's blog from one of her bird photos....I enjoy how we both have a love for birding. Janet The Rockin outdoors woman and photographer.

Quiltnut...... Now this lady can craft.....she is amazing, what is also amazing is how she finds the time to be a mom, wife and crafter, but she does.....I have seen so many of her quilts and cards.....I truly think she should have her own little gift shop......she is The Rockin' Crafter.

Jeni......her love for genealogy is amazing....he patience in doing her research....her perseverance when her computer goes down....her passion for research and sharing history about her town....yup she certainly is the Rockin' Researcher.

So ladies, grab that badge at the top of this post and use it on your blog...and I hope that you pass it on to other Rockin' Girl Bloggers.

Have a grand day!

To drive or not to drive......

Last week, I spoke about a patient and her ailing husband. I referenced the fact that he still was driving. What I don't think I shared with you was what I experienced and observed when I wheeled him out to his vehicle. The fact that I even use the word "Wheeled" should make antennas go up for some. Here I was wheeling this 90 year old man out to his car, so he could get into it and drive home.....hmmmmm. I maneuvered the wheelchair as close to his vehicle as possible. It was now time for him to get up and be on his way. Well, it became quickly apparent that he required assistance even standing up. I gave aid and he finally stood although requiring the use of his cane to mobilize. With one hand on his car and the other on his cane he made his way to the door of his car. He gingerly moved his way into the drivers seat closed the door and started the engine. While all of this is going on I am thinking to myself, gosh should he even be driving? This was reinforced to me when an observer sitting on a bench having a cigarette said to me...."is he going to drive?" Yes was my response....the bystander then feels it was his duty to tell me that I could be held liable for allowing him to drive. I was taken aback....."Yeah" he said....it's like giving keys to a drunk and telling him to go drive. There was a part of me that couldn't argue with him.

So today I thought I would see what our Motor Vehicle Branch has to say about that.....and this is what I found...."Class 5 to 8 drivers are required to have a Driver's Medical Exam at age 80 and every 2 years thereafter because this is an age where medical conditions affecting driving are more common. Even though you may be in good health, and believe it is unnecessary, the Driver's Medical Exam form must be completed and sent to us. The form is mailed out about 6 months before the 80th birthday, then every 2 years after that. For further information concerning this requirement, please carefully read the instructions on the back of the form you've received."

So basically, what they are telling me is that this guy is ok to drive. He obviously passed his medical test within the past 2 years. What also amazes me with the Motor Vehicle Branch is that they say you can "mail it in" so they don't even have to see you. I know if they saw this man they would revoke his licence on the spot. But you see this is the loop hole. If you have a sympathetic GP he might respond vaguly on the form thus giving the individual the green light, the individual then mails in the medical form and voila his licence is renewed for another two years. This bothers me. I personally don't think this man should have been driving. I don't think his reaction time was good. Should he have had the misfortune of having to deal with a situation immediately I don't think he could have. I did feel bad about assisting him to his car and letting him drive. If that was my father, I wouldn't have let him drive. It truly did seem to me like I was letting a drunk get behind a wheel. But he wasn't breaking any laws. What was I legally allowed to do in this situation? I personally think his licence should be rescinded. But then that opens up a whole new ball game for them. What would they do then for transportation? In that little town there aren't any regular buses, taxis are rare and expensive they don't have any family around. So how do they then get out and about and to appointments? Oh it all seems just so complicated.

What would you have done in this situation?

Hope you all are having a great day! Cheers!

Happy Father's Day!!!

Being Father's Day, I was going to do a post about my dad.....but I thought better of it, as it would just be to emotional for me, and I will save that for another day.

Today I want to celebrate the two great Dad's in my life. I consider myself fortunate that I have not one but two great men in my life.....my hubby and my father in law. I posted about the two of them last week. But today I want to celebrate them.

These two men are the light of my life. They are warm caring men. They know how to show emotion and are not afraid to do it. They are very comfortable in their skin. They are hard dedicated workers. They would give you the shirt of their back if you needed it. They are creative and industrious. They are musicians and chefs....but most of all they are Dads and I thank God everyday that I have been blessed to have them my life!

Happy Father's Day to my favourite guys........

And Happy Father's Day to all you Dads out there, hope you all have a fantastic Day....you deserve it!!!!

Cheers

Saturday's Photo Scavenger Hunt

Now this weeks theme is Hair....and in looking back over the years I have had some really crazy do's........My hair has been purple, bleached blonde, streaked you name it.... it's been long, short and bald...but this one...this just makes me laugh....this picture was my Grade 11 picture...we had just finished P.E. class and had to rush to get our photos done....

There you go....me in all my glory.....tee hee.....Happy Hunting all!!

Some Friday Ramblings......

Well I did it....I passed. There was no grade on this just a pass or fail. The instructor who tested me for my practical part said I did very well and that I just forgot one thing.....I was amazed.....I just wanted to puke after the practical portion....I was so tense....I know we all were...one of my colleagues actually went to the bathroom to be sick after her testing......but now it is done for another 2 years....dear god I don't know why I put myself through this.

You know what was weird about it all....I didn't start to get nervous until the day of the exam...but my anxiety level just hit the roof. So when it was all over and I arrived home, I was just a wreck....tense...knots in my stomach.....I think I bordered on an anxiety attack. Hubby finally arrived home and asked me what was wrong....I tried to tell him...then I just started to cry....yup ....I cried. He held me and then he started to laugh....don't know why he laughed....but it made me laugh...which was a good thing. After the hug I felt somewhat better but still knots....so what do I do when I am tense or stressed.....you got it....I clean.....I vacuumed, dusted, cleared the window sills, got on my hands and knees and got into the corners, cleaned the bathrooms and put on laundry. I then decided that I was going to cook. Hubby had brought home some Halibut steaks...he was going to bar-b-que them but I volunteered to cook. Having never cooked a Halibut steak...onto the Internet I went looking for a recipe..the one I choose was for grilling the halibut. I made a base of fresh squeezed orange juice, Worcestershire sauce, butter and fresh ground pepper.....I based the steaks and let them broil...whilst that was cooking I made some lemon and herbed rice.....sauteed zucchini, red peppers and mushrooms in a basil and olive oil base.....it all turned out really well...I was pleased as was hubby.

After cleaning up after dinner, I thought I would make some of my cards...which I did....still feeling tense I was hoping that is would ease my mind. It did. For a bit. Until silly me went and watched a documentary on the airplane crash that took place in 1972 with a KLM jet and a Pan Am jet, 600 people lost their lives in that crash. Apparently is considered one of aviation worst airline tragedies. These two planes collided whilst on the ground...the Pan Am flight was grounded waiting for instruction and the KLM plane was taxiing the runway in preparation for take off.....it was so very tragic.....I cried.

I went to bed after that....had a very restless night....up at 0200 till 0430. I finally got off to sleep...only to be awoken by a bad dream.....tears where streaming down my face. The bases of the dream was that my youngest daughter and I were visiting the zoo. We were at the reptile area....the care person said my daughter could go in and pet the turtles......and so she did....then up from behind came an alligator....he grabbed her sandal...she was able to get away....but as she was running it grabbed her from behind.....I jumped into the tank to try and save her...I was pounding on the alligator....people were standing around just watching....my ex was there...just watching...I was screaming to him to do something to get help...to throw me something....he didn't do anything......I woke up......tears running down my face. I wanted my husband to be there to comfort me....he wasn't he was up and didn't hear me. I felt abandoned. I felt like I couldn't trust anyone. I have always been fascinated by dreams and the meaning of dreams as I have always had very vivid dreams. So I looked up interpretations...in a nutshell...dreaming of an alligator or crocodile is not a good sign. It can mean I fear a decision that is going to take place, or someone I trust is going to betray me....or even....I could be mistrusting my own feelings...whatever it is....it was disturbing, and I am still struggling to get the vision of that dream out of my head.

So this morning, I put laundry on the line.....cleaned the house....made a couple more cards...and now I am going for a run. I hope the run will clear my head. Hubby just wanted me to sleep and relax. I told him I wanted to go and paint the suite....he said no. He wins....so I will run ....and then maybe get my hair done.

Sorry this has been all so scattered.....but I just have these overwhelming feelings that I just can't put my finger on, and that disturbs me. More times than not when I have been feeling this way, bad news has followed, and I really don't want any bad news today! I want to leave this post off on a positive note.....So here is what the sun looked like this morning...

What a great day to be alive!!!!

Cheers all and Happy Friday!

This and That Thursday....

Today I think I will keep things light hearted. This morning, I am up early as I am nervous and can't sleep any longer. I have to go and recertify for my Advanced Cardiac Life Support(ACLS). I have been studying for just over a week. Last night I did the pretest and got 95% so I am feeling pretty good about it. But with any test I freak out. Even when I know I know the answer to a question there are times I second guess myself. The ACLS has both a written and practical component to it. I don't know what worries me the most, being tested by a doctor in front of my colleagues or writing the test. I just have to keep telling myself "I can do this" And just to add to my nervousness, the place where I have to perform the test is about 60 km away, it's being held at one of the colleges, a place I have never been to before. So, I am a little freaked about leaving enough time to get there and find the room I am suppose to go to. So wish me luck!

Now on the lighter side of things. I thought I would share a little bit of nature with you. The other morning my hubby was out in the yard and looking at the garden when he spotted this butterfly fluttering around my flowers. So he got out his camera and here is what he saw......

Then at the beginning of then month when we were down in Victoria watching our daughters field hockey games, we spotted the most unusual thing going on up on one of the stadiums light posts.......

Do you see the size of that nest.....and the little head peaking out?.......

Well here comes mom to feed them.....do you see that she is carrying something in her claws....

She lands to feed the babies......

Then dad arrives......

And here she is in all of her glory.....

When we first started to observe all of this, we thought it was an eagle....now that we have the photos to compare we believe it to be an Osprey. We observed all this whilst sitting on the sidelines......

Cameras are amazing aren't they....the things we can capture. Hope you all have a wonderful day!

Cheers

Sandwich Generation

I am sure by now most of you have heard of the term "Sandwich Generation" This generation have been identified as the generation who are still raising their own families and find themselves caring for their aging and ailing parents.

Well as you know I don't post much about my work anymore. But sometimes a situation arises that I feel I just need to share and would appreciate hearing your comments on the topic.

My last two day shifts I cared for an 86 years old woman. She came into the hospital for the treatment of her rapid heart rate. This woman is generally very active, as a matter of fact the day she came into the hospital she was planning a dinner party.

Her and her 90 year old husband live alone in a 3 bedroom rancher to which they just moved into. They made the choice to move because they realized that the farm was becoming to much for them. Good decision on their part. However, they bought their new residence before the farm was sold and are having financial worries. As it turns out they had the farm inspected and it turns out they need to spend $20K to repair the septic. Ouch! In addition to the financial worries her husband is very crippled with scoliosis and walks almost bent over, and mobilizes very slowly as a result. He also has other medical concerns I was witness to his condition when he came to visit her. He arrives to visit his wife and is completely short of breath. I get him a wheelchair for which he was very thankful and wheeled him into visit his wife. When it is time for him to go, my colleagued volunteered to take him to his car via the wheelchair. I know I know what you are thinking...what is this man doing driving. That is a whole different issue and a great topic for another day. Anyhow, this goes on for two days, on the second day another staff member brought him to the unit and I ended up wheeling him back to his car. Here is my concern. The patient is the primary caregiver to her husband. She was crying while she was telling me this...it's becoming very difficult to manage him, boxes are piled up that haven't been unpacked, she is maintaining the house to the best of her ability. She is doing all of this with her current condition. My heart went out to her. I contacted our Discharge planning nurse explained the situation to her and to see if there where any services that they would qualify for. Unfortunately, with all the cut backs, there was little she could offer. It was decided that maybe they needed a long term care assessment which would get the ball rolling for the time when they may need residential care. The discharge planning nurse and I both discuss about family involvement. And the role the families need to play in situations like this. I spoke with the patient about this and she of course said that they were all busy with their lives.

My question to you all is this. If that were your mother or father would you leave them to floundering? Or would you step in and assist them in anyway you could?

The patient told me that she has 5 children, a daughter who lives in Vancouver and the sons all live back east.

I can remember when my mom was deteriorating with her Alzheimer's, all the brothers and sisters got together and came up with a plan. We recognized that we all have our lives and families to care for but felt that if we worked together on this it wouldn't be to much of a burden on anyone. I being the nurse took the lead role. My eldest sister and I had power of attorney, but because my sister was travelling so much at the time I managed my moms finances....I liaised with the home care nurse, I arranged for my moms meds through the pharmacy, I did her shopping. The other brothers and sisters all took turns coming to cook mom her dinner and give her her evening meds. I had also arranged to have mom picked up for adult day programs. We took turns doing her laundry and I would bathe her and wash and set her hair. I guess there were some advantages to my mom having 12 children.

I realize that most families can't do what we did....but a lot can but for some reason chose not to. I recognize that distance and family obligations can make it difficult for families to step up to the plate for their parents. But I just can't help but think ....our parents were always there for us....they made many sacrifices so that we could have a good life. Shouldn't I do the same for them? When my mom took ill I went to the mainland and stayed....I knew my sisters and brothers were there...but she is my mom and I will do whatever I can. My life was put on hold. There were financial repercussions for me doing that....but I would do it again in a heart beat if I had too.

Is this culturally based? Some sociologist might say yes. Having being in the health care environment for a long time I have witnessed all kinds of family dynamics....some families just want to be totally there for their loved one and others it's really comes across as an inconvenience to them to have to be there or do anything for their loved one. For some families it is just an expectation that this is what you do. I wonder why this is? I know some would say people reap what they sow....but in this situation I can't imagine this woman being anything but kind and giving. So where are her children? Why haven't they stepped up to the plate?

So what is your take on this?

Hope you all are having a fantastic day!

What to do What to do.......

My middle daughter is visiting right now. She called just out of the blue yesterday afternoon...."mom can I come to visit"......of course! Was my quick response. I know when she calls me out of the blue like that, she is looking for some grounding and a place to escape to, a place where she can get away from the hurried life of the city. I know she likes to come see me, she loves the environment to which I live and the different adventures it brings her.

This trip is not just all about having an adventure or chillin.....she wants me to assist her with getting registered for college. She's been out of high school for a year now and has been working...but she is quickly realizing that she wants more than serving tables for the rest of her life.

Isn't it funny we spend 12 years in school being told that we must prepare for our future....like my daughter I had know idea what I wanted to be....why is that....we are presented with so many options....why is it so hard for us to make up our minds which career path we should take?

All during her high school years she was drawn to the arts and film. In actual fact one of the films she produced and directed won an award. It seemed almost natural that she would pursue this as a career path. She registered for a program in Film/Broadcasting and had been accepted....she changed her mind. She then said she wanted to get into Real Estate but she is to young to get into that right now. Personally I think she would do fabulous in Real Estate....she loves to talk, and she could sell you almost anything...she is very determined and strong minded. So that is something possibly down the road. I think the market is saturated with agents right now....but then......I haven't done my homework on that so I can't really comment. The next area she is thinking is becoming a Personal Trainer...she is crazy into fitness....there is a 2 yr Diploma program at the college which she is thinking she might like to get into. Again, I think that is ok, but I think she would have to check out the market

for employment opportunities in that field of work.

The way the job market is right now you can get any job.....actually I am trying to convince her to learn a trade....welding, pipe fitting, construction, drywalling....anything in the construction field they are screaming for qualified people and are paying crazy salaries to get them.....then there is health care....now I know she doesn't want to be a RN like her mom, but I suggested that she look at becoming a Radiologist technician or an ultrasound tech, or lab tech....all of these jobs are in high demand. I have also tried to suggest she get her Industrial First aid and Worksafe qualifications and be the safety officer at job sites.

Here is my problem.....she is motivate to go to school .....awesome......but I fear that she isn't really seeing the big picture the long term plan.....her future....any of those jobs are careers in the making....good jobs, great pay and benefits.....but she seems to be focusing on becoming a personal trainer.

The sensible side of me says...this is her life....she must choose her path.....then I say to myself... she did come to me for advice.
So tell me, how do I find a balance between giving her advice and not try to tell her what I think she should do? I think that would be a huge mistake and potentially alienate her from me on this topic...and I don't want that. Oh it is such a tough one....any suggestions folks......My eldest daughter is at the same point...she has asked me to help get her registered for a program for the fall...and again she has no idea what she wants. There is a part of me that just wants to do it for them get them registered for the program tell them where the need to be and when....and to some degree I think they want me to do this for them.....but they are grown and should be making their own minds...with my guidance if that is what they want. But it is such a fine line....guidance, instructing, advising, can be so easily misconstrued as ordering, telling, or intruding. Oh the joys of it all.....

So there you have it ....my conundrum for the day......

My 200th Post.......

Today is a special day for me...it is my 200th post. I know that doesn't seem like a lot to most, but to me it is a milestone. So what shall I post about? All posts have some meaning to the author or why else would we post? But there are some posts that seem to have had more impact on me than others. So if you will indulge me I would like to share with you some of those posts.

The post I did in remembrance of my mom Kathleen Sandford
The post when I asked you what you thought When is a Lie a Lie
Then there's my Christmas Tree post. I enjoyed that because it included my brother. He hadn't had a Christmas like that for many many years, and it just warmed my heart that my hubby and I were able to give that to him so here is my Christmas Tree 2006
My post on living life in the moment. Something my daughter showed me"

Then there are the post when I converted to "Beta"and all the fun I had with that ....NOT! And of course all of the meme's, the contests, Photo Scavenger hunt(which I haven't been able to participate in for the past two weeks....boo hoo)the weather and all the storms and power outages I experienced this past fall and winter. Yes it has been fun. I have met some absolutely wonderful people, I truly feel like we are a community, an extended family. Wondering when Motherkitty's grandson was going to join the world, Cathy and Curmudgeon and their health challenges they were faced with. Those of you who lost loved ones or where reunited with loved ones. Wolfbaby and the "Wolfden soap" So many many wonderful stories that made me laugh and cry. I thank you all.

Thank you all for your kind words and encouragement along the way. You're a great bunch!

Today is also special as it is my step sons 12th Birthday! Yup a whole 12! He lives 4300km away and hence we won't be able to spend the day with him but at the end of the month he and his brother will be coming out to join us for the summer and we will celebrate then. So a very Happy Birthday to you my dear Jesse....love you very much! A Birthday cake and party await your arrival!

Happy Sunday all!

Joining Forces

My post yesterday had to do with the different generations in the workforce and how sometimes the traits of those generations can collide but recognizing that all groups bring something to the table. You all made some very thought provoking comments and I thank you for that. Just to set things straight....I had mentioned in my post about the nurses and the white uniform and I got the impression that some of you thought we didn't wear white anymore. There are still a lot of nurses who wear white...when I took my training 18 years ago the only thing we were allowed to wear was white..and hence I wore the white dress uniform for the first few years of nursing. I didn't change into scrubs until I went into the Critical Care environment. The point I was trying to make was, that for the Traditionalist it seemed you had to wear the starchy white uniform and the hat or you weren't considered a good nurse. We all know it's not the outfit that makes the person. I believe that as long as you present clean and professional that is what should matter. I will leave it at that.

Today I want to share with you something that I observed that goes along the lines of the generations intertwining and working together.

My husband is a very strong and independent man. He is the tale end of the Baby boomers and beginning of the Generation Xer. His attitude towards life and work is reflective of both those generations but he has a great respect for the Traditionalists as well. Yesterday was a great day for me to observe this in action.

Relationships. I have never seen such a symbiotic relationship as I observed yesterday between my husband and his father. Two totally different individuals yet they worked together like they knew what each other was thinking, they could anticipate each others next move. They get along amazingly well. I was in awe watching them work together. Hubby has been busily working to get his boat sea worthy. The weather has taken it's toll on the boats interior. So he decided that he was going to strip down the interior and rebuild the cabinets and benches. Yesterday was the day for working on the cabinets. My husband is not a carpenter by trade nor is his father but you wouldn't know it. His dad made the new drawers and hubby made the outer shell. Yesterday was the day for putting it together. The two of them without a word just started piecing things together. Silence, the only noise you heard was that of the tools. Hubby knew when his dad needed a hand and his father knew when he needed to step in. It was wonderful to watch.

As many of you know I come from a large family. I have 6 brothers. You know I can honestly say I never observed at time when my father and brothers ever got along when working on a project the way my hubby and his father do. My father was the dictator and what he said went. My brothers fought back. Needless to say they clashed and arguments were common.

That has not been the case with hubby and his dad. I have never seen them argue. They are like best friends. They have a connection like I have never observed before. Both very independent men yet able to appreciate and respect each others opinions. The behaviour was just amazing to watch that I just had to get out my camera. I have many more photos than what I am sharing here, but sometimes a picture says a thousand words.

The guys working independently

And then without saying a word, they join forces and work together

So I guess the lesson I have learnt here, is that we CAN work together. We don't have to clash at every turn. If we respect each other and acknowledge that we all have something valuable to offer.

Cheers all and I wish you a grand and happy Thursday!

Can we all really work together?

On Monday I made a post titled "What kind of Intelligence Are You?" Most of you stated that you were not surprised with the results of the quiz. And most of you felt that the quiz described your characteristics fairly accurately.

Now on the same line, I was reading an article today title "Young,old,in-between: Can they all get along?" They go on to say ...."Four different generations, each with different outlooks, now rub elbows at work." they talk about employers striving to cut the friction caused by these generation gaps. They call it the corporative diversity initiative: Mulitgenerational diversity. Wow! Now that is a mouthful. To me it sounds like a lot of mumbo jumbo....but maybe that is why I fit in with the Baby-boomer group and not the "Gen-Xer and the Gen-Yer" I had never even heard of the Gen-Yer group.
For those of you feeling a little in the dark about who fits into what group here is an oultine of who is who:

Traditionalists
(Born between 1922 and 1945):

They have a strong sense of duty, sacrifice, loyalty and a great faith in institutions, people and governments. They are unlikely to rock the boat, break the rules or disrespect authority, and usually stay with employers until retirement. They measure work ethic on timeliness, productivity and the ability to blend in, and believe promotions, recognition and raises should come from job tenure.

Baby boomers

(1946-1964):

They run governments, they're the managers and CEOs - in short, they are in control. They believe in teamwork and relationship building, but are skeptical about technology, as they believe it brings with it as many problems as it provides solutions. They measure their work ethic in hours worked (and like to be seen working them). These are the workaholics.

Gen Xers

(1965-1980):

They are more skeptical toward authority and cautious in their commitments. They prefer free agency to company loyalty, and - as the first generation of latchkey kids - are self-reliant and independent workers. They value control of their time, flexibility and freedom; they embrace technology as a way to maintain control of their lives. They respect production, open communication and having options.

Gen Yers

(born after 1980):

They are ubiquitous with technology. Also known as Millenials, Gen-Yers value altruism, have positive can-do attitudes, and expect positive reinforcement from employers. They have a bit of a pack mentality (wanting to connect with their peers) and enjoy material comforts and the good life. At the same time, they will not take just any job, but will spend time searching for a job that provides the greatest personal fulfilment.

Source: Monster.ca report Generation Clash!

This report goes on to say that the role of the manager has never been so difficult...."There are significant differences in terms of work styles, familiarity with technology ... [and] attitudes" among the different generations, he says. They even like to sleep and work at different times.

So I started to think about my work environment and the age gap and attitudes of the staff. Currently the majority of the staff I work with are of the Baby-boomer group. But we still have our traditionalists and our Gen-Xer's in there as well. So yes I guess I do work in a diverse work environment. What I have noticed is that the Gen-Xer's thrive on the technology, don't mind working the overtime....but are really enjoying their down time. The Traditionalists do have a hard time with technology and feel that the sense of work ethic is lacking and will often regale the staff with their times when they stood when the doctor entered the nurses station and would also give up their chair so the doctor could sit down. The also find it necessary to tell us about when they wore all white and the nursing cap and their uniforms were crisp and starched. I have heard them say on many occasions that the younger staff look sloppy when they come to work and feel they don't take pride in their work. I don't believe that to be so and I think the Traditionalists sometimes just have a hard time accepting change.

Now as for us perfect Baby-boomer workaholics....well. Yes I believe we are leery of change, but we do accept it and have attempted to become proficient in the area of technology. It hasn't been easy, but I think we are more accepting than the Traditionalists.

You know now that I have read this it actually all makes sense. It has given me some insight as to how to deal with some of the dynamics that takes place in my work environment.

I think that if you strive to work with the diversity rather than against it, we may find that our work might be a little easier. What do you think?

If you would like to read more about this you can find it here .

Well I hope you all have a fantastic Wednesday.....

Cheers all!

Are you in the career you thought you would be in?

Your Dominant Intelligence is Bodily-Kinesthetic Intelligence




You are naturally athletic and coordinated, good at making your mind and body work together.
Sports are fun and easy for you, especially those requiring good hand - eye coordination.
There's also a good chance you're a great dancer, or good at expressing yourself through body language.
You learn best by doing, and you feel like you've always got to be moving (even if it's just your hands).

You would make a good athlete, physical education teaches, dancer, actor, firefighter, or artisan

What Kind of Intelligence Do You Have?

These results don't really surprise me. I got this quiz over at jmb place and she is an avid reader and had been commenting on how her friend did this and it was very true. Knowing that I am not an avid reader and not mathematically inclined I wanted to see what this test would say about me. Well the results as I said didn't surprise me, the part about .." I learn best by doing" That is so true. It's funny when I was in high school and did an aptitude test many of the careers they highlight here were ones that were shown when I was in high school. I did another test about "What kind of writer are you?" Again it didn't totally surprise me...it said I would be good at being a film writer. Now in the aptitude test I took all those many years ago it told me I would make a good television producer. So my question to myself is...why didn't I follow any of those career choices? How on earth did I end up becoming a nurse?

What about you, was there a career path that was suggested to you and you went the totally opposite direction?

I'm on the run today....I am up early on my day off to go to work to take an in service on ventilators and respiratory ailments. It's only a half day course but I must be off. Hope you all have a fantastic Tuesday!

Our weekend in Victoria

Well thank you all for your camping stories and for wishing us well on our adventure.

Our day started off very early. We were up at 0500 packed and on the road by 0600. Amazing I say. Our trip to Victoria was wonderful. The drive down was uneventful. We made fabulous time, so much so that we had time to spare. We were able to make it to the campsite and pick our spot. We set up our tent and left some things at the site and then headed off to my daughters first game which started at 0900. The sun was shining....we couldn't have asked for better weather.

The girls didn't do that well. They lost their first game...but they played as though they were tired. The next game was close...great game, but the other team scored in the last few minutes of the game. Darn. But we were all proud of their hard work and how well they played together. Most of these girls are new to this sport and there are a lot of rules to learn...and hitting the ball around with the silly little sticks...it's amazing what they can do.

The girls put in great effort on their first day and it was a pleasure to watch.

Hubby and I left the field and went to set up our campsite. The tent that we had set up didn't have a fly so we were just going to buy a tarp, but then thought better of it and ended up buying a new tent. You know what they say....when you get a new tent you should first set it up at home. This tent was very interesting. It had two vestibules....so you ended up setting up the outer fly first and then you lay the inner part of the tent after and it attaches to clips on the fly. Well it all looked just a tad difficult so I left that chore to hubby....

I wanted to show you a picture of hubby setting up the tent....but he vetoed the two photos I had of that....anyhow...there is the tent in the background.....notice those trees....this is an old growth campsite....after all the wind storms we had in the fall there were a lot of trees fallen down....but we weren't allowed to use them for firewood as they are to rot and make compost on the forest floor. So instead we had to pay almost $6.00 for a bundle of wood. Crazy....

And here is our expensive fire.

It was a lovely evening.....No smores though....just reading by the campfire and telling stories....very peaceful. Sunday came ......we slept in....I can't believe it. Hubby suggested we set the alarm but I nixed the idea as everyone is always up at the crack of dawn when you are camping and I figured this time would be no different. Well what I didn't count on was me being up at 0400 getting my antihistamines and then going back to bed and not waking up until almost 0900.....my daughters game was at 1000 and we still had to take down camp and drive the 20 mins to the fields. We made it to the field with 10 mins still left in the first half.

They won the game, so there next game wasn't until 3:30, which meant we had almost 4 hrs to kill. My daughter and her team mates were tired and just wanted to sit in the shade and relax. I couldn't blame them. So hubby and I decided that we would take a drive around town. We drove around the water route which took us to some very posh neighbourhoods. We made our way to downtown and to the inner habour...and what do we see but this....

What's that you say.....well it looks like a helicopter stationed on what looks like a yacht!!!

Amazing isn't it. The ship is called the "Atessa" it is 225 ft long, it carries 35,000 gallons of fuel, it is the 13th largest yacht in America and 69th largest in the world. It is owned by Denis Washington, who owns Seaspan. Mr. Washington lives in Montona. He is also the proud owner of our fastcat ferries. It's hard to imagine that kind of wealth.

We returned to the field to watch the last game. They lost....boo hoo. But they had a great time. They had to rush to try and catch the ferry so they were off like whirling dervish. Hubby and I gathered up our belongings and made the trek north. Home.

It's Friday and a camping we must go....

Let's do the Friday dance!!!! Yipee.....it's Friday it's Friday...... Being a shift worker I don't normally get that excited about Friday as a Monday could be a Friday for me. Anyhow, today I feel like I am on holidays. I actually was able to get my nightshift off for tonight and for tomorrow night, I can't believe it.

So I have big plans for the weekend. My youngest daughter is coming to the Island for a Field hockey tournament. This tournament will be played in Victoria. That is about a 3 hour drive away from where I live. So hubby and I have decided that we are going to go down there and watch her tournament. Rather than stay in a hotel we are going to camp. I love camping. I can't say that I loved it so much when my girls where little, it was a lot of work then. I mean think about it...what is so ideal about trying to cook a meal on a camp stove underneath a tarp as the rain is teeming down. Then trying to keep your little rascals dry and comfortable. I can remember at one point, my two eldest daughters said to the father and I....do we have to go camping ......it always rains. Which it did.

I remember one time in particular. I was 6 months pregnant, my eldest daughter was 7 and my other daughter was 3 1/2. We were going to camp our way to Alberta to see my brother and his family. We left our sunny home early in the morning. Knowing we would have to make numerous stops on the way to our first destination we figured it would take us about 7 hours to arrive at our final destination for the day. We made it to the Okanagan where the sun was shining it was wonderfully warm, we stopped for a picnic lunch the girls ran around and played. After that it was making our last jaunt. Our plan was to stay at a Provincial campground 30 mins. past Osoyoos. For those of you who don't know Osoyoos, it is Canada's dessert. It gets extremely dry in the summer months cactus are abundant. The temperature when we arrived was 36 degrees Celsius which is about 104 F. Stinking hot!!! Anyhow, we made a short stop there so the girls could have a swim and then moved on to our final destination. We arrived. We start to unload the car....got the first tent set up when I heard a rumbling in the distance and this big black cloud. Oh my goodness...quick honey I shouted we have to get the cover set up over the table so I have somewhere dry to cook dinner. We had one of those mesh tents with the tarp roofs for putting around your picnic table....we were frantically trying to set it up....it was to late.....the rain came...and it poured ....and it poured.....as I was holding up one end it gave way to the weight of the water and it all came pouring down off of the tarp down my back....I was soaked. The girls where shooed into the car....we couldn't use the tent for sleeping as the rain had formed a river underneath it....we moved what we could from the car into the driest part of the tent....we managed to get the cover over the table so I was able to make a very simple dinner.....the winds came up and it got cold....we all piled into the car. My eldest daughter got the honour of sleeping in the front seat. The back seat folded down and that is where my ex husband, my 3/12 year and me and my 6 month pregnant tummy attempted to sleep for the night.

Morning couldn't come soon enough....the rain had eased off a bit...but when we looked outside the car we saw the mess the rain had left. Everything was soaked....I mean soaked. I suggested to my ex that he take the car and see if he could find somewhere we could stay to dry out. He left and again I attempted to make something for the girls for breakfast and start to pack up. Have you ever tried to pack up a soaking wet tent...urgh. Well we make it to a motel....where we were able to get a room, and shower and warm up. The rain had stopped so we unpacked the tent and laid it out on the car to dry.....it took almost 3 days for everything to dry out. And this type of weather and experiences kept repeating itself the remaining way to my brothers. It seemed every time we decided to set up camp the clouds came and so did the rain. My goodness...did we have the tarps or what......I was never so happy as I was when we reached my brothers. The girls were really good sports about it....but they too had had enough of the rain. And that is how most of our camping experiences where....spent camping in the rain.

So I find it funny that I still enjoy camping, but I do. I love to be outdoors, I love the smores you make while sitting at the camp fire....the smell of bacon on the grill, the echo sound of someone chopping wood.....the children's laughter....the dogs barking in a distance....the crackling of the fire......yup it's camp out time this weekend.....Yippe!