Working 9 to 5...

...Actually...make that 8:45 until 6:30. I've only been at the store for a week now, but obviously, I've caught on quickly enough that today I worked with only one other person, to cover both sides. The job is easy, and fun. The only thing that is hard is the standing all day. I tend to choose shoes for looks, over comfort.

There's a lot of really nice things. I'm a sucker for jewelry, both real and costume, and there's tons of it in there. Some of the costume pieces are created by my one boss, which is neat. A little boutique has some of their clothing in the one corner. Some of it is nice...but some has a little too much sparkly stuff for my taste. Also, Hip2Knit has a little area there, right next to the coffee stand, so that is a very tempting thing. Hmm...jewelry, clothing, a yarn shop, and all the free coffee I can drink....yup...I found me the perfect job.

I also got another part time job. I'm going to be a front-line teller at one of the local banks. Actually, it's not going to be part time, but just casual, but between the two, it should be ok. It'll be a bit more busy, especially around the end of the month when the pension cheques come out, but it'll be fine.

Settling into life here...

So, earlier this week, I paid an inordinate amount of money to the movers to get my and Olivia's stuff here. The greater part of it went into storage, since I haven't found a place to live yet. That will be soon, but the rental housing market is interesting here. A lot of rental owners don't advertise, so, I basically tell everyone I talk to that I'm looking for something, to get a lead on a good place.

I also started a job this week. It's just part-time retail job at the local jewelry store/crafter's market, but there are a lot of really nice people who work there, so I'm starting to meet new people.

I definitely have to get a better winter coat. My very light black and white plaid wool coat definitely doesn't cut it, and my black London Fog trench coat will not really work if it gets much colder. It's bad enough right now that I shiver constantly whenever I'm outside. Oh well...I guess I have to face the fact that I now live in a place that actually has a winter.

When it rains, it pours...

So, the week so far has been interesting. Busy, but interesting. I had a job interview today, and I think it went well. It was at one of the local banks, and it lasted 30 minutes. They asked a lot of questions, and I think I answered them pretty well. I really have to watch out, because the more animated I get, the more I wave my hands around when I talk. But, I made them laugh, so that's always a good sign. And it was because I was charming and amusing...hopefully....

Also, tomorrow, I get all my stuff. And, boy oh boy, is there a lot of it. The first time I read the email from the movers, I thought that I had just shy of 3000 pounds of stuff.

Nope...

I initially estimated my stuff at 2200 pounds. However, after all was said and done, I have 2900 pounds MORE than that...so...more like 5100 pounds of stuff. Wow....Of course, that includes 14 boxes of books. So, tomorrow, I have to go to the customs office and clear my stuff.

Looked at a couple of places today. One place was not bad, but I'd really like a yard. The other place would be somewhat ok, except for the chain-smoking old lady in the basement apartment. And it was a tad small. I'll have to look at tomorrow's paper. Wednesday is a big mail day around here...the local paper hits the mailboxes.

But it's a dry cold...

Actually, I was really scared about coming back to Saskatchewan. We're not known for our balmy winters. I remember one year when I still lived in Saskatoon, we had over thirty days that were under -30 Celsius. One day, in particular, I had to be at work for 8:00 am, because it was the day we kicked off the one sale we had per year. It was -50 with the windchill. There was a lot of whining that day.

Fortunately, it's been reasonably warm. I had hoped that El Nino would come through. So, HA HA MICHELLE....it's not quite the Frozen North that you kept taunting me with. Olivia does love the snow, though. She's quite upset that it's all pretty much melted away, but there's some left in the shadowy areas of the lawn so that she can chip away a bit and fling ice balls at me.

She's also discovered hockey. We were driving home yesterday after lunch, and she saw some boys playing street hockey.

"What is that", she asked.

"Oh, those boys are playing hockey", I replied.

"Olivia play hockey, too!"

So, a small souvenir stick from the local team was found, and she used that, while I used my brother's old street hockey stick. Now she wants to go out at eight in the morning to play.

A very big thank you...

...goes out to all the people who have extended their kind words and encouragement. Olivia and I are settling in well, and eventually everyone in town will get used to me being around. It's still a tad disconcerting to be stared at, though...but I'll live...

I thought I'd share one little note that I got the day before we left. I was upstairs, packing our suitcases and heard a knock at the door. It was my friend Cacey, who lived next door. She gave me a little card, and a big hug. I've read it quite a few times, but then, that's what I do when I have something that I find comfort in. (Click on letter to enlarge it.)

See Kim Knit...the Canadian Version...

We are here...we are here...we are here....

Yes, just like the Whos in Whoville, we are here. We have made the trek back to Saskatchewan. The trip went well...and now we are just adjusting to a much slower pace of life. But what can you expect from a place that has only two stoplights.

Olivia has really enjoyed the snow. There's not much of it, but there is enough for her to scoop together into a snowball (or iceball, in some cases), and fling it at me.

The next couple of weeks are going to be the hardest for her, I think, when it finally sinks in that we are not going back. But, there is a little girl next door who is exactly one year younger...(they share the same birthdate), and she and her mom came over to visit and the girls played together.

I've gone out a couple of times...once to the grocery store, and once to find some hangers, and gotten a few strange looks. I guess new people are a novelty around here, and I don't exactly blend into the crowd.

But, we are here, and now we just have to settle in....

Still packing...

The movers came and took away all the big stuff. And now, I'm still packing suitcases.

I haven't showered in two days, and I'm beginning to be all Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch....

Minus Marky Mark....

Happy Halloween!

So, it's been a while since I've written anything. The movers are coming tomorrow. Daemond graciously helped me pack some stuff, since I readily admit that packing is not my strong suit. Ok, fast packing is not my strong suit. I get easily distracted sometimes.

We had a ton of kids come by for Halloween last night. It was almost like that scene in Night of the Living Dead when all the zombies are walking down the road. Someone said that one year, they stopped counting kids after they hit 350.


Olivia was a Stegasaurus. Initially, she was going to be pink with yellow accents, but she had a major colour change once we hit the fabric store. So, instead, she was green and purple.


While the dads took the kids around collecting candy, the moms sat outside in sub-arctic conditions handing out treats. Ok...so I think it was only about 32 Degrees Fahrenheit, but we sat out there for three hours.

Here are some other pictures, if Blogger will be cooperative...


Denby as Joe Dirt...and he really did grow out both sideburns and the mustache for the occasion...
The girls from the cul-de-sac