The Hero has been going to swimming days with Iceman's grade 1 class. They are sporadically scheduled once a month and strictly for fun. We were at Costco last month and they had swim trunks. The Hero's are faded so we decided to pick some up. The sign simply said Nike Swim Shorts and the price. We had orginally thought a medium would fit because the Hero has lost some lbs. The medium looked a bit small so we grabbed a large. He has packed them along to a couple of business trips but has been too busy to take advantage of the pool. Yesterday was the first day he had the opportunity to wear them. So he and another Dad are in charge of getting 25+ 6-7 year olds ready to swim. After they all head out to wait beside the pool the Dads get changed.
The Hero had a bit of a problem... he goes to pull them on and they are snug on his thighs, he is yanking at them and can only get them up far enough to still give him some serious crack action. Then he looks down at his junk and decides that no one needs to see that at the pool. He calls me to relay the story and says "it was like I had a grapefruit down there!!" Now that is some serious speedo action!! ROFL!!! He said the look on the other Dad's face was priceless as he is trying to yank on these tiny shorts. Everyone had a good laugh that he had brought his son's shorts by mistake. They naturally thought he had grabbed Kodiaks trunks. He wasn't about to correct them and admit that he'd bought them in the "boys department". It was an honest mistake on our part. He modeled them for me last night and it was a hilarious sight... but I will spare you pictures.....I'm not savvy enough to put cute little pictures over the nasty parts like Ree at Confessions of a Pioneer Wife. Kodiak has inherited a new pair of swim shorts, which fit him without problem. LOL... I don't know if I'll ever be able to keep a straight face when I see those things.
Showing posts with label hero. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hero. Show all posts
Friday, May 09, 2008
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Big Breakfast!
At least one day on the weekend the Hero makes big breakfast. He makes all sorts of yummy things, sometimes I help him, others he does it all. He will make everything from waffles, pancakes, eggs many different ways, sausage, bacon and his famous Firehouse Hash. It's a tradition that we all enjoy and appreciate.
The boys at the firehall have recently adopted this practice for their duty crew Saturdays. Yesterday was the Hero's weekend and he coordinated the food this round. Iceman and Turtle donned their turnout gear and went along to help check trucks and clean the hall. They were bragging their Daddy up as he was preparing belgian waffles for the crew. They said that he does this every weekend and that was met with much skepticism from one of the newer members. She even grilled them later to see if it was in fact true. ( She annoys me to no end but that's a whole other story. Iceman showed her who was boss when he could go through everything on the check list and not only know what it was but where it was supposed to be.)
On the menu yesterday were Sour Cream Waffles...
The boys at the firehall have recently adopted this practice for their duty crew Saturdays. Yesterday was the Hero's weekend and he coordinated the food this round. Iceman and Turtle donned their turnout gear and went along to help check trucks and clean the hall. They were bragging their Daddy up as he was preparing belgian waffles for the crew. They said that he does this every weekend and that was met with much skepticism from one of the newer members. She even grilled them later to see if it was in fact true. ( She annoys me to no end but that's a whole other story. Iceman showed her who was boss when he could go through everything on the check list and not only know what it was but where it was supposed to be.)
On the menu yesterday were Sour Cream Waffles...
1 ½ cups flour
1 tsp. Baking powder
½ tsp. Baking soda
1 Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. Salt
2 large eggs
¼ cup oil
1 cup sour cream
1 ¼ cups milk
Stir in first 5 ingredients together in bowl. Make a well. Beat eggs together in a small bowl until frothy. Add oil, sour cream and milk. Mix. Pour into well. Stir to moisten. Cook in hot waffle iron until browned, using about 1/3 cup batter for each. Makes 12 waffles.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
The Week the Women Went
Kodiak, La Diva and I were watching the reality show "The Week the Women Went" last night. Kodiak says "Can you imagine if that happened in our town?". I said "You guys would be fine." He then remembered when I went to California for a week and his Dad held down the fort without trouble. La Diva says "Everyone would be asking Dad to babysit." Kodiak says, "No kidding."
I'm glad they recognize that their Dad is one in a million. He has always been very hands on with them from the time they were born. He was barely a grown up himself but he jumped right in and did all he could to be involved with them. He has always wanted to give his children what was missing from his own life- a real father figure, a Dad that was there and cared about every part of their life. He has done that in spades. The hardest part for him is having to be away from his family. Where most men relish that time away, he counts the days til he is home again. We are blessed that it only happens for short periods of time now. It was hard on all of us when he worked 15 or more days away from us. He misses us and we miss him.
Once again, we are so blessed!
I'm glad they recognize that their Dad is one in a million. He has always been very hands on with them from the time they were born. He was barely a grown up himself but he jumped right in and did all he could to be involved with them. He has always wanted to give his children what was missing from his own life- a real father figure, a Dad that was there and cared about every part of their life. He has done that in spades. The hardest part for him is having to be away from his family. Where most men relish that time away, he counts the days til he is home again. We are blessed that it only happens for short periods of time now. It was hard on all of us when he worked 15 or more days away from us. He misses us and we miss him.
Once again, we are so blessed!
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Catching my breath
This has been a crazy busy week and I feel like I've finally caught my breath.
The Hero had a big day on Tuesday with a spot on the local breakfast show promoting the Fire Within project that he has been involved in since the summer. Following that he had to rush to pick a up a colleague from the airport, meet me and then we all headed back to the city to attend the press conference. It was a great success with representatives from several fire departments, politicians, corporate sponsors and the all important media. They got a few moments on the 6 o'clock news which was no small feat considering we are in the midst of an election and that is the top story these days. It was awesome to see the organization get some recognition and see more people jump on board with such a worthwhile effort. Hopefully the exposure will parlay into more departments getting better equipment and PPE. I was very proud watching the Hero in his element and it was awesome to hear people sing his praises. He could care a less about the glory but I was glad to see him get some pats on the back after the months of hard work and juggling of all the hats he was wearing in this endeavour - as a corporate sponsor, as a volunteer with a VFD and assisting the organizers of the Fire Within.
Wednesday was Kodiak's day as Torch Bearer for the Winter Games. We cheered him on as he did his part in the run. He was so proud and excited about this once in a lifetime opportunity. He's such a great kid!! After the run the Hero was approached by a team doing a documentary on the games and they interviewed him as parent of a torch runner, as well as a volunteer doing medical with the VFD for one of the events. Later in the day the crew came on the bus and asked whose Dad was a firefighter and then interviewed Kodiak to tie the story together. The documentary will air this coming weekend. Kodiak is very excited about it.
Thursday night was the Opening Ceremonies for the games and Kodiak was involved with the rest of the torch bearers in the procession that led to the lighting of the flame and the official opening of the games. It was a long event but thankfully it wasn't too cold that night so we survived without frostbite.
La Diva kind of got the short end of things this week. Her birthday is Valentine's Day which usually means a party at school because it is her birthday but this year they were out of school due to the games. Add her big bro stealing her thunder by being a 
torch bearer for the games, the opening ceremonies having the nerve of being scheduled for Valentine's Day and you a Diva who was feeling a bit less than special on her national holiday. We did our best to make her day special and had a breakfast of chocolate waffles, pink whipped cream and berries. She opened presents after breakfast and was pleased with her loot. My 'rents came down in the afternoon for the ceremonies so she was showered with more gifts and we had Chocolate Wafer Cake. I lined a heart shaped cake pan with parchment, layered chocolate wafers, topped with pink whipped cream and repeated the layers until it was full. The next day I loosened the sides, warmed the bottom of the pan with a hot cloth and it came out onto the plate seamlessly. It has been ages since we had this cake. My Mom used to make in the style of a log per the recipe on the side of the Nabisco Chocolate Wafer Box. It was as delicious as I remembered and my Mom was impressed with my use of the heart pan. (no small feat to impress her).
La Diva and Iceman headed home with my 'rents after the ceremonies. They spent the rest of their holidays with them. They will be back tomorrow. Kodiak and Turtle had a good weekend together learning how to play the Wii. Yes we finally found one!! It was almost an act of God as the Hero and I crossed wires in our communication that morning. If that did not occur he would not have been at Wally world at that precise moment and snagged the last of the shipment that had came in that day. It was their first shipment since Christmas.
The Hero has been busy since Friday doing medical for the games. He has put in some long days. Kodiak, Turtle and I took in some of the ringette games on Friday. It is quite the sport. I think it requires more finesse and greater skating ability. Even Kodiak was impressed with the skills of those girls and I think a bit surprised at how vicious they can be. Yesterday we were lazy, catching up on emails, blogs, message boards, playing Wii and Webkinz, doing a bit of laundry but basically vegging. I read the best little book packed full of wisdom and hope to get a post compiled about it very soon. It really impacted me in a huge way. It was a lovely day!!
Tomorrow the whole crew will be back together again. I'm sure they had a great time but it is always nice to have all the bunnies back in the Hutch. Back to school and routine on Tuesday.
The Hero had a big day on Tuesday with a spot on the local breakfast show promoting the Fire Within project that he has been involved in since the summer. Following that he had to rush to pick a up a colleague from the airport, meet me and then we all headed back to the city to attend the press conference. It was a great success with representatives from several fire departments, politicians, corporate sponsors and the all important media. They got a few moments on the 6 o'clock news which was no small feat considering we are in the midst of an election and that is the top story these days. It was awesome to see the organization get some recognition and see more people jump on board with such a worthwhile effort. Hopefully the exposure will parlay into more departments getting better equipment and PPE. I was very proud watching the Hero in his element and it was awesome to hear people sing his praises. He could care a less about the glory but I was glad to see him get some pats on the back after the months of hard work and juggling of all the hats he was wearing in this endeavour - as a corporate sponsor, as a volunteer with a VFD and assisting the organizers of the Fire Within.
Wednesday was Kodiak's day as Torch Bearer for the Winter Games. We cheered him on as he did his part in the run. He was so proud and excited about this once in a lifetime opportunity. He's such a great kid!! After the run the Hero was approached by a team doing a documentary on the games and they interviewed him as parent of a torch runner, as well as a volunteer doing medical with the VFD for one of the events. Later in the day the crew came on the bus and asked whose Dad was a firefighter and then interviewed Kodiak to tie the story together. The documentary will air this coming weekend. Kodiak is very excited about it.Thursday night was the Opening Ceremonies for the games and Kodiak was involved with the rest of the torch bearers in the procession that led to the lighting of the flame and the official opening of the games. It was a long event but thankfully it wasn't too cold that night so we survived without frostbite.
La Diva kind of got the short end of things this week. Her birthday is Valentine's Day which usually means a party at school because it is her birthday but this year they were out of school due to the games. Add her big bro stealing her thunder by being a 
torch bearer for the games, the opening ceremonies having the nerve of being scheduled for Valentine's Day and you a Diva who was feeling a bit less than special on her national holiday. We did our best to make her day special and had a breakfast of chocolate waffles, pink whipped cream and berries. She opened presents after breakfast and was pleased with her loot. My 'rents came down in the afternoon for the ceremonies so she was showered with more gifts and we had Chocolate Wafer Cake. I lined a heart shaped cake pan with parchment, layered chocolate wafers, topped with pink whipped cream and repeated the layers until it was full. The next day I loosened the sides, warmed the bottom of the pan with a hot cloth and it came out onto the plate seamlessly. It has been ages since we had this cake. My Mom used to make in the style of a log per the recipe on the side of the Nabisco Chocolate Wafer Box. It was as delicious as I remembered and my Mom was impressed with my use of the heart pan. (no small feat to impress her).La Diva and Iceman headed home with my 'rents after the ceremonies. They spent the rest of their holidays with them. They will be back tomorrow. Kodiak and Turtle had a good weekend together learning how to play the Wii. Yes we finally found one!! It was almost an act of God as the Hero and I crossed wires in our communication that morning. If that did not occur he would not have been at Wally world at that precise moment and snagged the last of the shipment that had came in that day. It was their first shipment since Christmas.
The Hero has been busy since Friday doing medical for the games. He has put in some long days. Kodiak, Turtle and I took in some of the ringette games on Friday. It is quite the sport. I think it requires more finesse and greater skating ability. Even Kodiak was impressed with the skills of those girls and I think a bit surprised at how vicious they can be. Yesterday we were lazy, catching up on emails, blogs, message boards, playing Wii and Webkinz, doing a bit of laundry but basically vegging. I read the best little book packed full of wisdom and hope to get a post compiled about it very soon. It really impacted me in a huge way. It was a lovely day!!
Tomorrow the whole crew will be back together again. I'm sure they had a great time but it is always nice to have all the bunnies back in the Hutch. Back to school and routine on Tuesday.
Friday, February 01, 2008
The Lucky Nail
The Hero had a house fire call on Wednesday. It was bitter cold and they were out in it from about 10:00 a.m. til 4:00 p.m. Yesterday he pulls this nail out of his pocket and tells me it's his lucky nail. This nail was once a part of that house. As one of his fellow firefighters was cutting something with a chainsaw so the Hero could get in with his axe the Hero felt this zing. He figured it was a piece of wood that had flown out. Later when he went to change out his air mask he discovers that it was not a piece of wood but this nail that had landed neatly between his helmet liner and the top of his ear. It was sitting there where you'd place a pencil with the point towards his head. Lucky nail!!??!!! Lucky Hero!!! His angels are doing overtime. You can see where the saw had sheared the head of the nail. I'm going to get a shadow box for it. A reminder of how one small thing can change the course of ones life forever.
He had a rough day but he came home safe. His PPE did the job and protected him, kept him warm until he had to go into the basement where a broken water main had left over a foot of water. He then discovered a hole in his boot and had water seeping in. Thankfully that was near quitting time. I snapped a picture of him when he came to get dry socks before heading back to the hall to clean up the equipment, restock the trucks, etc. He looks less than impressed. It was about -28 Celsius that day.
"Nothing can harm a good man, either in life or after death."
— Socrates
Thursday, January 17, 2008
An Honor for the Hero
Let me introduce to you Deputy Chief Hero. Last night my Hero was elected as D.C. of our local VFD. I'm really proud of him as he has gained the respect of the majority of the department in a very short amount of time. I'm also happy because it is a 3 year term which makes me hopeful that we are putting down some roots here. He was really humbled by the overwhelming support of his peers and their surprising decision to nominate him. It's usually the old boys network that run the show in these small town departments. To have a young D.C. is a rare thing. My Hero does have 19 years of combined experience in the firefighting/ems/SAR fields so he is definitely qualified for the position despite his age. I think that they made a great choice as his passion is to ensure that his crew have the best training, equipment and PPE that is available to insure that they return safely to their families after every call. Another bonus is that the white uniform shirts are so much sexier than the boxey blue ones. ;)Our friend, Shrek, was elected to the presidency of the association. So I know that together they will be a force to be reckoned with. I hope they will be able to do great things to further the safety, credibility and camaraderie of the brotherhood.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
The Bucket List and the Green Bowl
Last night the Hero and I went on a date. We rarely go to the movies for our dates because I like to talk to the Hero. However, we both wanted to see The Bucket List and we got a killer deal on passes at Costco. It was a really fun movie with lots of laughs, some tears (from me of course) as well as thought provoking. I started a 100 things list some time ago, I need to find it, I know I had a hard time putting anything to paper and doubt I even made it to 50. I think I wanted it all to be something huge that would make a difference to the world. I need to revisit it and be more honest and less holy in my ambitions.
The evening started off with me sitting on the side of the highway, a place I am familiar with. There were 2 cars part ways into the ditch along the highway but with considerable distance between them. The road was dry and weather clear so it was rather peculiar to see cars in the ditch. There were a couple cars already pulled over but the Hero needed to make sure they were ok and no medical assistance was needed. He always has a reflective coat of some sort in each vehicle and for that I'm thankful. I can spot him easily in the darkness of the road. Turns out that one car was stopping to help the other and as he slowed down the people in the first car started throwing things at him. He then misjudged the shoulder and the soft, slushy snow dragged off the road. The Hero informed the police and called back the little nurse who had also stopped and was headed to the first car. What the heck is wrong with people?? No wonder everyone is getting so hard hearted towards their fellow man when you have lunatics who attack a good samaritin.
Remarkably this ordeal still left time for us to get to the movie with 30 minutes to spare, which it took almost all of for the Hero to get snacks. While he was gone I watched the see of blue and grey heads with their balding partners make their way up the stairs of the theatre. I was enjoying how tenderly they took care of each other as they climbed those dimly lit stairs. I was then alarmed as several of them near collapsed into seats and started taking their pulse. When the Hero finally slipped into his seat I told him to be prepared to spring into action because I feared someone was going to collapse.
After the movie we stopped for Decaf Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Lattes at Starbucks but sadly there was not a table to be had so we headed back to town. We took a little cruise around our little town checking out the for sale signs while finishing off our Lattes. We no sooner pulled in front of the house than the phone started to ring and it was Kodiak informing us that Iceman had just hurled all over himself and his bed in his sleep. Kodiak was so thankful when we came through the door mere seconds later. He was not looking forward to cleaning up his little brother or the mess that he had left. Leftover spaghetti had been Iceman's choice from the offerings of the week. Nasty! So the Hero got Iceman in the shower while Kodiak and I stripped the top bunk. Miraculously he missed all 4 of his stuffed animals! Kodiak ran down to the basement to bring up the big green tupperware bowl a.k.a the puke bowl. Thankfully that was the end of the puke session and he is his normal self this morning. I was worried as he had spent the afternoon at a birthday party in the petri dish known as McDonald's playland. I hope it is nothing that will spread through the entire house. I don't do puke well and the Hero is heading south later this week.
Hero had a call at about 4:00 am so I'm tired. He took Kodiak and La Diva boarding today so I hope to get a nap out of Iceman and Turtle. I have BBQ beef cooking in the crock pot, I used that recipe as a guide and just went my own way with it. I'll let you know how it turns out.
The evening started off with me sitting on the side of the highway, a place I am familiar with. There were 2 cars part ways into the ditch along the highway but with considerable distance between them. The road was dry and weather clear so it was rather peculiar to see cars in the ditch. There were a couple cars already pulled over but the Hero needed to make sure they were ok and no medical assistance was needed. He always has a reflective coat of some sort in each vehicle and for that I'm thankful. I can spot him easily in the darkness of the road. Turns out that one car was stopping to help the other and as he slowed down the people in the first car started throwing things at him. He then misjudged the shoulder and the soft, slushy snow dragged off the road. The Hero informed the police and called back the little nurse who had also stopped and was headed to the first car. What the heck is wrong with people?? No wonder everyone is getting so hard hearted towards their fellow man when you have lunatics who attack a good samaritin.
Remarkably this ordeal still left time for us to get to the movie with 30 minutes to spare, which it took almost all of for the Hero to get snacks. While he was gone I watched the see of blue and grey heads with their balding partners make their way up the stairs of the theatre. I was enjoying how tenderly they took care of each other as they climbed those dimly lit stairs. I was then alarmed as several of them near collapsed into seats and started taking their pulse. When the Hero finally slipped into his seat I told him to be prepared to spring into action because I feared someone was going to collapse.
After the movie we stopped for Decaf Skinny Cinnamon Dolce Lattes at Starbucks but sadly there was not a table to be had so we headed back to town. We took a little cruise around our little town checking out the for sale signs while finishing off our Lattes. We no sooner pulled in front of the house than the phone started to ring and it was Kodiak informing us that Iceman had just hurled all over himself and his bed in his sleep. Kodiak was so thankful when we came through the door mere seconds later. He was not looking forward to cleaning up his little brother or the mess that he had left. Leftover spaghetti had been Iceman's choice from the offerings of the week. Nasty! So the Hero got Iceman in the shower while Kodiak and I stripped the top bunk. Miraculously he missed all 4 of his stuffed animals! Kodiak ran down to the basement to bring up the big green tupperware bowl a.k.a the puke bowl. Thankfully that was the end of the puke session and he is his normal self this morning. I was worried as he had spent the afternoon at a birthday party in the petri dish known as McDonald's playland. I hope it is nothing that will spread through the entire house. I don't do puke well and the Hero is heading south later this week.
Hero had a call at about 4:00 am so I'm tired. He took Kodiak and La Diva boarding today so I hope to get a nap out of Iceman and Turtle. I have BBQ beef cooking in the crock pot, I used that recipe as a guide and just went my own way with it. I'll let you know how it turns out.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Baby It's Cold Outside!
Winter hit us this week. The Hero is out dealing with their first accident of the season to prove it. I hope no one is seriously hurt. With the white stuff also comes that bitter cold that I can't adjust to. I want to curl up on the couch with my coffee and watch food network all day. The magic thing about the white stuff is that it kicks you in the behind and makes your realize just how quickly Christmas is approaching. The Hero had to take a trip south so the crew and I went to get my Mom and she stayed overnight. Yesterday we did a marathon shop. I managed to cross a few people off the list but really need to get at it. It was only yesterday that I realized how much time I don't have. Now I'm hoping and praying the weather improves so I can get out there again. I have probably mentioned before how much I hate driving. Winter driving with the world's morons, who are deluded into believing that driving an SUV or a pick up truck makes them invincible, is even worse than regular driving. I'm of the mind set that there is no sense hurrying to my death on icy roads so I don't take chances in the passing department. I think a 360 spin into the ditch during my first winter with a license scared me for life. I'm also hauling precious cargo most times and they are worth more to me than redneck dummy riding my tail because they are in a hurry to get to Tim's.
Be safe out there!
Be safe out there!
Friday, November 16, 2007
Ramblings
I've updated my favorite things list and added it to my links list in the margin. Check it out for updates as I discover new favorite things.
Today was report card day for the crew. Kodiak is totally rocking out the Jr. High experience. I'm very proud of him. La Diva is also doing quite well but needs to pick up that spelling mark. She is an atrocious speller. Iceman is struggling but I knew that already. I'm not overly enthused with his teacher and his report card has confirmed my concerns. I'm really disappointed that the discussions I had in the beginning of the year with the speech therapist and his teacher seem to have fallen on deaf ears. Maybe I'm jumping the gun and perhaps our parent-teacher conference next week will make me feel better. However, I'm pretty convinced he has dyslexia. I'm looking into getting him some help through Sylvan Learning Centres. The positive thing is she says he is working really hard and his marks for effort reflect that. He truly enjoys school so I hope that we can get him the help he needs to succeed without being discouraged. He asked how he did in his report card. I told him that he is working really hard, trying his best and that is so AWESOME! Turtle is doing very well. He is a smart cookie and tries to chime in when I'm working with Iceman. That ticks off the Iceman so we've worked out a system so Turtle is off somewhere else when Iceman and I are working. While it would benefit the Turtle to be with us it is too hard for Iceman when his younger brother is getting it and he is struggling.
The Hero is on the west coast today. He just emailed me that he forgot to consider the time change when he went to check in for his flight. He's a whole hour ahead of the game. LMBO! Sounds like he had a productive trip. We will be glad for him to be home. He's done more traveling than usual as of late and I miss him when he's gone. Shhhh, don't tell him.
I finally did some much dreaded sorting of our equivalent to a junk drawer. We have these 2 baskets that are dump zones for the Hero when he walks in the door. They were overflowing with junk. I tossed, sorted, returned things to their proper place and had an empty basket. It's amazing the weird things you find in these catch alls. Just a few of the odds and ends that I discovered today:
Well I should go and put the Turtle and Iceman to bed. I may just open a bottle of merlot tonight. I think I've earned this week.
Today was report card day for the crew. Kodiak is totally rocking out the Jr. High experience. I'm very proud of him. La Diva is also doing quite well but needs to pick up that spelling mark. She is an atrocious speller. Iceman is struggling but I knew that already. I'm not overly enthused with his teacher and his report card has confirmed my concerns. I'm really disappointed that the discussions I had in the beginning of the year with the speech therapist and his teacher seem to have fallen on deaf ears. Maybe I'm jumping the gun and perhaps our parent-teacher conference next week will make me feel better. However, I'm pretty convinced he has dyslexia. I'm looking into getting him some help through Sylvan Learning Centres. The positive thing is she says he is working really hard and his marks for effort reflect that. He truly enjoys school so I hope that we can get him the help he needs to succeed without being discouraged. He asked how he did in his report card. I told him that he is working really hard, trying his best and that is so AWESOME! Turtle is doing very well. He is a smart cookie and tries to chime in when I'm working with Iceman. That ticks off the Iceman so we've worked out a system so Turtle is off somewhere else when Iceman and I are working. While it would benefit the Turtle to be with us it is too hard for Iceman when his younger brother is getting it and he is struggling.
The Hero is on the west coast today. He just emailed me that he forgot to consider the time change when he went to check in for his flight. He's a whole hour ahead of the game. LMBO! Sounds like he had a productive trip. We will be glad for him to be home. He's done more traveling than usual as of late and I miss him when he's gone. Shhhh, don't tell him.
I finally did some much dreaded sorting of our equivalent to a junk drawer. We have these 2 baskets that are dump zones for the Hero when he walks in the door. They were overflowing with junk. I tossed, sorted, returned things to their proper place and had an empty basket. It's amazing the weird things you find in these catch alls. Just a few of the odds and ends that I discovered today:
- ear protectors, those big safety kind for operating heavy machinery or mowing the lawn
- a pee in a bag kit~ for men to pee in when they can't find a washroom. Essentially it turns hard when you pee in it and is biodegradable. :S
- lip balm
- flashlights
- tetra helmet stickers
- pens and pencils
- gum
- allan key
- various keys and keychains~ for what I'm not sure.
- business cards
- receipts
- measuring tape
- CDs of photos I've yet to have printed
- sunglasses
- safety glasses
- lanyards
- screws
- paperclips
- elastics
- moist towelettes
- gloves
- rubber gloves
- CPR mask
- waterproof notepad
- Sharpies
- lint brush
- mini pack of clorox wipes
- a sucker
- a plastic fire chief badge
- a hotwheel car
- glowsticks
- loose change
Well I should go and put the Turtle and Iceman to bed. I may just open a bottle of merlot tonight. I think I've earned this week.
Tuesday, October 09, 2007
Heroes in the Sky!!
WHEW!! It's over, we made it through the weekend. I was very proud of my Hero. He pulled off a great event against some odds. I don't think even he realized how much of our life was wrapped up in this until this weekend. The Hero and his buddy Shrek worked so very hard to get this off the ground and keep it going. Shrek singlehandedly sold the lions share of calendars and it was inspiring to watch him in action. They did a fabulous job and I hope they both get the credit that is due them. Even though they will each say "it wasn't us, it was everyone". Yes they had a great deal of help but they put in very long days and it really would not have happened without them.
I was amazed at how the Heroes in the Sky campaign, coupled with the attention of the press and the public, took the departments morale from an almost flatline with blips of moaning and complaining to a full charged, strongly beating heart of pride and excitement. It was awesome to watch the transformation in the guys. They all appeared a little taller by the end of the weekend. I've always said that the most important thing for a volunteer firefighter is having the respect of their peers and their community. They were able to experience that on a whole new level this weekend. They could see that it didn't matter what town was on their crest it only mattered that they were a firefighter.
One of the most touching moments of the weekend was when a tearful young woman came in with a handful of money. She wanted to show her gratitude for what they did for her brother. Her brother was a young man who lost his life in a motorcycle accident in a neighboring town. The volunteers of that town's department worked hard to save him. She needed a tangible way to express her gratitude and that opportunity came this weekend. She didn't want to purchase a calendar and her moment of contact was brief but I imagine that as much as it humbled the guys it was a cathartic moment for her. It didn't need to be the particular group of individuals that worked on her loved one, it just needed to be someone from the brotherhood of firefighters to hear her thanks.
This week is Fire Prevention Week. So while you are checking to ensure you have the proper smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers and practice your escape plan remember the firefighters in your community. The odds are high that the group of brave men and women that are tasked to keep your community safe are volunteers. Show them the respect and appreciation they so richly deserve.
I'll add some pictures later... must get to my neglected house. Eek!!!!
I was amazed at how the Heroes in the Sky campaign, coupled with the attention of the press and the public, took the departments morale from an almost flatline with blips of moaning and complaining to a full charged, strongly beating heart of pride and excitement. It was awesome to watch the transformation in the guys. They all appeared a little taller by the end of the weekend. I've always said that the most important thing for a volunteer firefighter is having the respect of their peers and their community. They were able to experience that on a whole new level this weekend. They could see that it didn't matter what town was on their crest it only mattered that they were a firefighter.
One of the most touching moments of the weekend was when a tearful young woman came in with a handful of money. She wanted to show her gratitude for what they did for her brother. Her brother was a young man who lost his life in a motorcycle accident in a neighboring town. The volunteers of that town's department worked hard to save him. She needed a tangible way to express her gratitude and that opportunity came this weekend. She didn't want to purchase a calendar and her moment of contact was brief but I imagine that as much as it humbled the guys it was a cathartic moment for her. It didn't need to be the particular group of individuals that worked on her loved one, it just needed to be someone from the brotherhood of firefighters to hear her thanks.
This week is Fire Prevention Week. So while you are checking to ensure you have the proper smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers and practice your escape plan remember the firefighters in your community. The odds are high that the group of brave men and women that are tasked to keep your community safe are volunteers. Show them the respect and appreciation they so richly deserve.
I'll add some pictures later... must get to my neglected house. Eek!!!!
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
So incredibly thankful
The Hero has been passionate about firefighting and emergency services since he was a kid. He has thrown himself out of helicopters into forest fires, he has helped with an oilwell blowout, he has fought numerous fires in fields, forests, houses, industrial situations, vehicles etc. I know he knows his stuff. He also sells and wears the best safety gear available to firefighters. I try to put aside the dangers that come along with his passion. I try to just trust that he knows what he is doing and that God will keep him safe.
On Saturday I got that phone call with those words that a firefighters wife never wants to hear "I got hurt". The rollercoaster of emotions in a matter of seconds was very intense. The colour draining from my face and the tone of my voice was enough to even cause my tween to notice that something wasn't right. The Hero was in a house fighting the fire (that's my job he says. You are a volunteer and don't have to be a hero, I think.) and while trying to do his job a gigantic rock star like speaker that was mounted on the ceiling fell onto his foot. They originally thought it was an old school big box tv but after investigation in daylight discovered it was a gianormous speaker. He did not break his foot but crushed the ligaments which the doctor said will be more painful than a break. He has to stay off his feet for a week, his foot is very swollen and it hurts (more than he will ever let on). He has some killer drugs to take but they have him stoned into the next day so he doesn't like to take them at all.
Thankfully it wasn't life threatening. It will be a lesson in patience for my man who is used to going a million miles an hour. I'm just getting past the busyness and shock of it all and realizing how incredibly blessed we are that it wasn't worse and that it is something he will recover from without lasting ramifications. I'm thanking God for His protection of my Hero.
On Saturday I got that phone call with those words that a firefighters wife never wants to hear "I got hurt". The rollercoaster of emotions in a matter of seconds was very intense. The colour draining from my face and the tone of my voice was enough to even cause my tween to notice that something wasn't right. The Hero was in a house fighting the fire (that's my job he says. You are a volunteer and don't have to be a hero, I think.) and while trying to do his job a gigantic rock star like speaker that was mounted on the ceiling fell onto his foot. They originally thought it was an old school big box tv but after investigation in daylight discovered it was a gianormous speaker. He did not break his foot but crushed the ligaments which the doctor said will be more painful than a break. He has to stay off his feet for a week, his foot is very swollen and it hurts (more than he will ever let on). He has some killer drugs to take but they have him stoned into the next day so he doesn't like to take them at all.
Thankfully it wasn't life threatening. It will be a lesson in patience for my man who is used to going a million miles an hour. I'm just getting past the busyness and shock of it all and realizing how incredibly blessed we are that it wasn't worse and that it is something he will recover from without lasting ramifications. I'm thanking God for His protection of my Hero.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Wisdom???
The Hero and I went to the dentist today and it turns out that both of us have to have our top wisdom teeth removed. Happy, happy, joy, joy! NOT!! Ugh. Why do they call them wisdom teeth? What is the purpose of them when everyone eventually gets them pulled out? Will I be less wise after September 10th? LOL. I guess the wise thing to do would be to put it out of my mind, trust that the dentist knows what he is talking about and pray that my recovery will be quick and easy.
Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens. - Jimi Hendrix
Knowledge speaks, but wisdom listens. - Jimi Hendrix
Monday, August 13, 2007
Happy Anniversary! Happy Anniversary!
13 years of marriage. WOW! We've sure come a long way in our life together. In those 13 years we've had 4 beautiful children, lost a babe, moved 8 times, changed jobs, quit working, achieved dreams, revised the plan a zillion times, cried, fought, laughed, prayed, loved, had moments of despair, mediocrity, uncertainty and pure joy. I'm so very thankful for every moment of it for it has made us the strong couple we are today. We are in an amazing place in our marriage and I am thankful every moment for my wonderful husband. I Love You so much! Happy Anniversary to my Hero.
True love does not come by finding the perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.~ Jason Jordan
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
Manitoba Blowout
The Hero spent the first week in August in Manitoba on a well control job. It was his first call out since being appointed to HSE's ~ Safety Boss well control team. Thankfully, for me, it wasn't sour and didn't catch fire. It was hard work with long days in high humidity but I think he enjoyed the whole experience overall. You all know how Troy loves a good adrenaline rush.
On the way home they had to make a pit stop in Dog River, SK. The scene of CTV's "Corner Gas" comedy.
International Air Show
The Hero through the company he works for spent the last weekend in July helping with the fire/rescue at the air show. He had a great time and thankfully there were no incidents.
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