Time Flies

The time seems to be going by quickly and I haven't done a blog post for over a week so I thought I would do a combined update of what we have been doing over the last while.

Last weekend on Saturday night I attended Elaine's choir performing Verdi's Requiem with the symphony.  This was excellent and I enjoyed it very much.   A requiem is funeral music  but this was music that would wake up the dead.  There were soft beautiful parts and then much with great volume with choir and orchestra.  I was up in the 3rd balcony which gave a view over the whole performance from above.  It was about 90 minutes plus intermission for the whole performance and I was pretty well on the edge of my seat the whole time.   The four soloists they brought in were amazing as well.   It was very enjoyable.

Then last Sunday for Mother's Day Janice made the supper at home with an excellent pork roast.  Mike was here and we had a nice evening visiting.   I think Elaine enjoyed a quiet evening at home after being out so much with her rehearsals and her concert.

Last night we were out to a restaurant with people from my work for my retirement.  We had a very nice time with the group I have worked with plus two people who retired previously.   I just am into some final cleanup in my office at work with 3 1/2 days to go.  On Wednesday afternoon there is a come and go retirement coffee/ tea.  Elaine will come then and bring home my custom office chair and a few personal belongings.  Then Thursday morning I will just do some goodbyes and hand in my keys, etc. 

This evening we just got home from an enjoyable BBQ at Bronwyn and Wade's with good food and good visiting with friends.  We are finally getting some weather that seems like summer is on the way.   Now we will have to start preparing for our trip which is just over a week away leaving Monday May 23.  Time flies ... 

Papers all signed

Yesterday Elaine and I had a meeting all afternoon to sign the papers for my pension and benefits.  So everything is as official as can be now.  It took a while since even though we had already thoroughly analyzed the pension options, they have to review everything to ensure there is no misunderstanding of the financial implications.  Then there were tax forms and designation of beneficiary and insurance plans.  The time is coming near and I only have 8 1/2 working days left after taking a vacation day tomorrow.

 
Other than that we have been busy getting arrangements for some outdoor work before we get back to the basement renovations.   The driveway and front sidewalk are way overdue for replacement and we are getting estimates from contractors.  We also have to decide want to do about new front steps at the same time.  And we need to get someone to do some grading around our house so the water drains away from the foundation.    This will help keep the basement dry and then we can get back to getting some work done down there.   I won't be doing this work myself but just the planning  and arrangements will keep me busy for a while after I retire.  

Lyn at the Royal Wedding

On the BBC news website I was looking at this panoramic  high definition view of the crowd watching the procession for the royal wedding.   I think I spotted Lyn in the crowd.

 If you are zooming in on the high def picture at the link to the BBC site this shows where Lyn is in the crowd.

Retirement Countdown Update

I have had a retirement countdown to my official retirement date of May 31.  However my last day at work is actually May 19 using up my remaining vacation days.   So I have reset to retirement countdown to show the days until May 19.  The countdown is now 22 days.

Easter weekend

We are home now after being up in North Battleford for our church meetings on the Easter weekend.  The weather was very good for the weekend mostly sunny.  It had dried up enough not to be very muddy on the camp grounds.     It was wonderful to see so many people there young and old.   We enjoyed the meetings and visiting with people at meals and afterward.  One highlight for me was that Kaia was there with her grandma Eunice.  We have been praying for Kaia and it was so good to see her doing well enough to come.  Elaine and I had lunch with Kaia and Eunice one day.  She still very much needs our prayers.  

We had a great time but are tired now and mostly taking it easy today and resting up.   I guess now we just have to get ready for our next trip in about a month.  

Spring Flooding

We have seen the news reports of flooding in many areas across the prairies from the spring runoff.  After supper Elaine and I went for a drive to see some of the flooded areas within the city.

 

The golf course is mostly water hazard 

The bike path and the dog park (in background) under water 

Signs along the bike path peeking above water

High water level on the lake looking across to the legislature at twilight.  

We will be heading to North Battleford  next weekend for Easter.   We will likely see what the other areas north of here through the valley are like at that time.   There is a flood risk warning that water could top the highway at Lumsden within the next few days.  Some people are talking about possibly going up to NB via Moose Jaw.  We will wait and see what unfolds the rest of this week. 

Spring Cleaning

With my last day at work coming in about 6 weeks I have been going through the files in the file cabinets and the binders in the bookcase in my office.   Some of the files I inherited from people who left long ago and had never taken the time to fully go through them.  I got rid of a lot of paper (many boxes worth) when we moved to the new part of the building in 2001.  But one file cabinet, that I didn't use since then, I never took the time to go through the files.  I have now gone through that file cabinet and only kept one file folder that could still have some value.  The rest I either put in recycling or for shredding.   I did the same going through binders in the bookcase and got rid of a lot of stuff, and organized information that could have longer term reference value.  Hopefully then the person who moves into my office will have some room to organize her own stuff. 

Ukraine 5 - Scotland 0

This evening we went to watch Mike play in the first game of the annual WCP Cup soccer tournament.  He is playing on team Ukraine who beat Scotland this evening 5 - 0 in a fairly easy match for them.  Mike said the other teams in their group will be tougher to beat.  It is very large tournament with men's, women's and youth divisions played over a 3 week period.  The games get good size crowds which are quite lively depending on which teams are playing.  The exhibition grounds were very busy since the world men's curling championship is on at the same time, but that will be over next weekend and the soccer continues for two weeks after that.