So today was it. The last day of being the Saskatoon Location Manager at work. It was a volunteer position with some perks, but the best thing about it was that it kept me in the loop. So now I have to make that extra effort to not be reclusive and on my own in the corner.

I had lunch with my successor and I showed her most everything that I've done over the last two year in the role. There's lots of organizing and planning and thinking of others. I loved letting everyone know that they were appreciated for what they brought to the office in terms of humour, attitude, and community. I really feel like the Saskatoon branch is a small community within the company even though we have 11 different managers for 15 staff in the office. It sounds segregated, but we have such a wide range of talents in the office that we can utilize all of them.

There is one last task set in front of me. What do I think Saskatoonians would excel at. The only answer I could come up with was, "Anything we try, we will be good at." Of course, that's just how I feel about Saskatchewan in general. I need to look at what training courses are offered here and what direction the company is moving in. I think we'd be great at a lot of things.

Although I'm going to miss it, I'm glad that I can concentrate on my day job again.

I had a total of 13 houseguests this weekend. It was great! I think I've finally learned to just relax and enjoy my guests' company instead of playing perfect hostess which makes me anal and uncomfortable to be around.

There was partying and carousing and they've learned that I sleep like the dead so they can do pretty much as they please til whatever time they please without disturbing me. I also like to make them breakfast. There would have been fudge too, but I didn't quite get around to it. Ah well, hopefully for next weekend when I go to visit them.

I also went dancing for the first time in years. It was sooo great! All the goths were little and cute and I loved them all. I hope they didn't realize that I was smiling at them and how cute and serious and angsty they were. Then there was the cleavage!! Oh my! And I really saw that some people are not born with rhythm in any way, shape or form. Joints and other pointy bits sticking out into unoccupied air space around them not in time with the music except by coincidence. But since dancing isn't about how you look while doing it - more power to them for doing it!! I smiled and danced and danced and smiled. I could feel the beat in my sternum for some songs and belly for others. Makes me feel so alive and invigorated. I danced for about an hour which made me pretty happy.

I also saw the little brother of a friend of mine that I hadn't seen in ages and ages. He, the lil bro, was hardly recognizable with all the piercings and the mohawk, but he was still just as cute as ever. He's leaving for Rome in 11 days. And he has a job waiting for him when he gets there. I'm so excited for him. He was absolutely bouncing with energy. It's funny though. The thing that made me 98% sure it was him was that he smoked like his brother! Of all the habits to pick up... It's good to see that even though his face, hair, and habits have changed, he still shines from the inside out. He always did.

Now that Cheruby's life has ended as well, we are much better suited for each other. ... I thought it was funny.

I took a few days off work to spend with Jeremy for his 30th birthday. I presented him with the vision of something from his imagination - one of his favourite made up super heroes. His name is Lamp-post Man. I also wrote a short story about the man that became Lamp-post Man in a ill-fated accident with a radioactive lamp-post. I commissioned the drawing from his friend who draws. I was very pleased the outcome. Cheruby seemed to like it so I was happy.

The birthday party was on Wednesday night at Maguire's Pub and we had a really good time. There was much drinking and music. His string quartet played for a while and then there was an Irish music session. He played a lot which left me to fend for myself among all his friends. I did pretty well, but it was tiring. I chatted with someone I met in high school United Nations. She's the same as I remember. She's teaching music in Kuwait right now on a two year contract. Eep! I can't imagine being away from home for that long. Between her and Cheruby's roommate, I had two people in the room I was relatively comfortable with that weren't playing music.

There was a good moment between me and another girl I just met. Someone said that they wouldn't be able to have a tantrum. Pause. Then this other girl and I said in unison, "But those are so - much - fun." We paused at the same places when we realized we were saying the same thing. Of course, I won because I apologized for not bringing my tin foil hat before she did. I don't think she was going to, but it was still odd.

The strangest part was meeting all these people that love Cheruby's ex-girlfriend, including her parents. Obviously, Cheruby and her are still friends and she's a good friend, but it was still had me feeling a bit like an outsider. I didn't feel that way by the end of the night though which was awesome. I didn't even have a drink to make me relax and not be a spaz. Woot! I'm actually starting to look forward to meeting her. She sounds like a great person. Of course, don't let this delude you into thinking that I starting out wanting to meet her. It's been a journey and I'm glad to be at this end of it.

The rest of the trip through Cape Breton was so beautiful. We drove up the eastern shores of Bras D'or Lake to Sydney and Louisbourg. While I wish we'd had more time to go hiking and more time to walk around sites, we had to settle with driving by a lot of very cool things.

I kept thinking that people I know should come here because it's so beautiful. I didn't send very many postcards, but Peggy's Cove left me speechless and awestruck and feeling completely at peace. I thought of Neil Gaiman's American Gods as I sat there. What was it about that place?

The other thing that I kept being reminded of through my travels through the countryside of Cape Breton was, "No, but the deer looked kind of crazy though." You tell me...

That sounds like the beginning of a joke, but it's not. Surprised? Heh.

So tonight, only four of us dined together at a restaurant called the Five Fisherman. They have a salad and fresh steamed mussel bar. WOW! Fresh steamed mussels are fabulous! No squish-pop at all. None. And they tasted really delicious as well.

We had this waiter whose name was Sean. He didn't seem real nice at first and I thought I was going to have a miserable time. The first of us ordered and the salad and mussel bar is complimentary with any entree. She mentioned the mussels and asked if he would brought them to her or if she had to get them herself. After some discussion, he said that he'd bring hers to her. It was quite cute. And going in order of age, the second person ordered. She too mentioned she wanted the salad and mussel bar at which point, Sean interrupted and said politely, "The salad and mussel bar is complimentary with each entree." Without missing a beat, the woman replies, "Right, shut up then. Got it." Sean, who had been all too serious up until now, doubled over with laughter and admitted, "You got me. I'm not a nice person." He might have used stronger language but it's already fuzzy in my memory. The night was much more interesting and fun from that point on. Sean was a big flirt. We tried to make conversation with him, but he said, "We'll chit chat later. I just got two new tables." It was how he did it. Real charismatic, this guy, but really not nice. So, he reminded me of a certain ex-waiter friend of mine. He'll be nice to you because you'll pay him well if he acts the way he's supposed to. We still knew he was being nice to us to get a big tip. We didn't disappoint. 15% on the bill to expense (cap) and an extra 10% in cash from us. We really liked him.

And you'll never guess who was one of his new tables - the phone guys from work! They were sitting in the table across from ours. We ran into them in the office yesterday. And even though we were from across the country, we all knew him because he'd come to each of our locations to do phone upgrades. Really good guys.

Our initiative meeting was this morning. This is the reason we were all brought to Halifax. We were charged with the task of gathering the opinion of the masses across the country about a new initiative that we're trying to bring about. Of course, we're trying something new - telling the staff about the change before it's all planned out so everyone can have a say in what they think might or might not work. It's a struggle because we've never done this before, but at the same time, it's the right way to do things because all the employees of the company come up with great ideas and it's hard to find a workplace that values us that much.

One of the great things about the meeting was that we know things are going to happen differently because of what was said. One programming project is being stopped so the work doesn't have to be done. Of course, Saskatoon has a much different culture than all the other branches, but it's something that we love and we have cultivated. We are planning on growing and I hope that we keep that same environment. I'm going to try my best to do that because it's important to me.

We also got some parting gifts from our director. The note we got with it made me cry, of course. I'm such a sap. I just feel so lucky.

And I say "lucky", but I know that isn't it. I worked for it and I've been rewarded beyond my expectations.

We just got back from the Press Gang restaurant and I thought of many of my friends. Stone walls and wooden beams were the decor with candles everywhere, including a wrought iron chandalier. There was a little alcove in the back for two with a curtain that could be closed for extra privacy. There was a wall with holes in it that fit candles and the wax had been let to drip down the stone. I have pictures so I hope they turned out okay.

The food was spectacular. I started with the beet salad which was on a bed of feta surrounded by a turret asparagus spears. For the main course, I had the blackened halibut with dill sauce. And dessert was the Chocolate Caramel Parfait. [sigh] It was so good and so filling.

We actually got shushed in the restaurant because we were being too loud. What do you expect when you get 10 women together from across the country who are all outspoken and outgoing and opinionated? Oh and a company executive and a company director were there buying wine too. It was so much fun.

Let me start with the fact that life is really good. I know that I've been saying that for a while now, but it's still true so I'm going to keep saying it.

I got to see mom on Wednesday and I think she stayed longer than she meant to at my house so she could meet Cheruby. Sneaky mom. We sat outside and talked and talked and she told me about her trip that she's going on sometime in the next two years. She sat in her egg chair and I laid on my hammock. It was beautiful. I don't think I'm going to be able to hunt the rest of the dandelions before I leave for Halifax on Tuesday morning.

Cheruby and I have been spending lots of time together. This week, he learned that intending to play City of Heroes for an hour meant playing for three hours. Heh. I wasn't playing, he was. I had to get him hooked on it somehow. [grin] And I got to meet his cousin this week who said that I was too good for Jeremy. Apparently, he thought I was pretty and smart and funny. And that I've got to be cool because I play video games. I don't think that's cool criteria myself, but it goes with the rest of me that is pretty cool. I'm not good at video games, I just like to play.

I've been seeing more of her and Neuba's honey which is nice. There has a resurgence of his D&D game and we've invited Batty to play with us as well. Batty and I have been going through withdrawal since our GM moved to Calgary. PPbbbbbbbbbbttthhhh...

I'm feeling very blessed.

We finally made it off the couch to do some qigong on Friday night. We did it outside which was completely amazing. I get so ... energized, which isn't quite the right word for the feeling, that I can't meditate on it for very long. She usually does that part at least twice as long as me. I think the problem is that I can't seem to focus the energy anywhere, it just seems to explode everywhere and I have to get rid of it some how to feel not out of control - subtle but important difference from in control.

Then I made supper for her and Cheruby before we sat down to some BSG including the season one finale which shocked me. Then the jerks wouldn't let me watch any of season two. Booo!

I was awake for a few hours yesterday, but only because I had to be and was rewarded with flowers and lunch. And I took up hunting my dandelions with a very big knife today. Two and a half hours later, I have cleared out approximately 16 square feet which isn't very much of my infested yard. More hunting later.

This evening I was supposed to do some Kung Fu with her, but we decided that sitting on the couch and being lazy and watching Six Feet Under was a much better plan.

While we were watching the first season's finale, Cheruby phoned just to see how I was doing. What a sweetie! I love moments like these when someone else lets me know that they were thinking of me. These are the things that can make my day completely spectacular whether it was a bad or good day prior to the event. [GRIN]

It takes a lot for me to call in sick and yet, that's what I did today. How does one decide whether or not you are sick enough to not work? I don't really think today was as bad as I wanted it to be, but decided today I wouldn't be good at work even though I felt guilty because I had a team meeting which I know my staff arrange themselves around a little bit. Grrrr... So I'm mad at myself for letting them down a tiny bit. I'll have to send out an email for the items that can't wait for two weeks. Dang.

The stupid dumb luck part of the day was that I answered my cell phone which woke me from my slumber at 1:30 this afternoon because it must be important or I wouldn't be getting a call. Yep. It was the Vice President of my department at work who I haven't had a chance to speak to personally yet, but have heard a lot of good things about. And I'm at home babying myself because I didn't feel well enough to work. He let me go back to bed after discovering my state of being so I don't even know what it was about.

It's reminiscent of the first time the Director of my department decided to do a surprise drop-in on Saskatoon to visit his three staff here. One was on vacation, one was on jury duty, and I was feeling really ill so I went home early. Then I got a call at home from him letting me know he was in the city. Sheesh!

When looking at it from another perspective, one might think I call in sick a lot if on two important occasions, I just happen to be out of the office ill. But I trust that my reputation at work will precede me and that wouldn't have been the thought at all.