Let the Countdown Begin!!

Welcome Back,

22 Days and counting as of today

Jambon booked his flights the other night!!
He'll be arriving Oct 20th, we'll spend a few days here and plan our 7 hour road trip to Ottawa. After 6 months of being apart, it will be great to be in his arms again

I'll finally get to meet his family after 16 months. It will be nice to spend a few days in Canada and see the sites, AND we're getting Married on Oct 27th Can you feel my excitement!?

The planning of this is all spur of the moment to be honest. James and I are doing things the way we want. We don't feel the need to conform to what "society" thinks or stick with all of the traditional things.
We just want to be comfortable, dress semi-casual, no need for the tux rental or paying way too much for a fancy dress that I'll only wear for an hour or 2 at most. I'm not really into dresses or skirts, I don't own either to be honest. Besides there would not be enough time to get fitted anyway
Just a simple ceremony where his immediate family can attend and take pictures followed by a nice dinner is all we are looking for.... ok well not the only thing.
I know some of his friends have been asking who his Best Man will be... It's not going to be that type of wedding with a Best Man, Maid of Honor and a bridal party... After we are married we'll drive back down here and spend 2 weeks together before he heads back to Ottawa.
He'll have plenty of time to spend with his friends, I'm sure they'll want to treat him to a bachelor party... which is all good. Yes, I know traditionally that takes place before the wedding... but like I said we are doing things our way

Continuing on with the non traditional ceremony, I have decided to write my own vows. I don't want to say the generic vows... I just want them to be from me, come from the heart and hold more meaning than repeating words written by some one else, I don't know... it's just not as personal that way...Not that I couldn't mean what I would be repeating... but you know what I mean....

So yeah, once we are married, we can then file the appropriate paperwork to start my immigration process. I have to stay here in the States while James heads back to Canada. He'll be busy finding work and web designing along with getting settled into a place of our own.
Hopefully we won't have to wait the full 6 months... But as much as I'd rather not spend anymore time apart, it's for the best... I still have to live life as usual and I have things to tend to and tie up loose ends before making the big move.
There is a lot to be done. Like changing my name, selling everything I can since I can't take everything with me... Close accounts, forward my mail, get my health records, and 101 other things I can't seem to recall at this time.

Of course we plan on visiting each other as much as we can while this is all taking place... But with the cost of traveling these days, no matter which route you go, gets expensive. I'm hoping to make another road trip up there so I can pack up my car and move some things that way... I'm still undecided as to whether I should keep or sell my car... Guess I'll have to reassess that at a later date... still too early to tell.

But anyway!! The official countdown has started and you can bet that my calendar is marked and I'm crossing out the days!

Things are finally coming together!! I'm hoping to make the big move before April 2009. That will save me from having to resign my lease here... It's do-able.

well, it looks like I've rambled on long enough.. Thanks for reading/listening...

To be continued.....

I can hardly contain myself...

Welcome Back,

Yesterday was to official last business day at work. Most of the employees were transfered to other locations, a few were laid off, and the Office Manager and I was staying behind to close the month, pack up the parts to send back to Chrysler, and clean the place so it's ready for the Kia franchise.

I'm expected to come in 8-5 Monday- Friday until the end of this month... There is a small return that I've been working on. The return is seperated in 3 sections and I've finished 2 of the 3. I expect to have it all completed before noon today...

The Parts manager and part time driver were transfered to my old store. I may be covering for the parts advisor there next week while he's on vacation. Which will be better than sitting here from 8-5 doing nothing while we wait for the Big Return to sent to us. Which could take up to 2 weeks I'm glad I brought my crossword puzzle book.

I have already started applying for a part time job at a few of the local grocery stores. I'd really love to work in the bakery and get more experience in cake decorating. I'd juggle both jobs if I have too. As it sits now, I could be out of work for a few weeks, maybe 1 month while the selling of Dodge and the buying of Kia takes place.

Apparently the company plans to call a few of us back once Kia is ready to go... The only down fall with that is, We'll all be treated as a New Employee regardless of how long we were with the company before the lay off, we will lose all benefits and vacation time and will have to start over again. I guess the few week of being unemployed counts as a vacation, since i was not due for a paid vacation until December

Well if all goes as planned, I'll be making a trip up to Canada in October, which will work out since I won't have to work

So, that's what been going on with me...
I'm sure I'll be spending more time surfing the EF while I'm here doing nothing

Thanks for reading/listening.... Best Wishes

Weekend Wrap Up...

Welcome back.... Blog #44 Hot off the Press.

I've had a lot to think about over the weekend... Such as:
My job and the fact that my Dealership is closing at the end of this month... Trying to figure out what my plan of action is... I have a game plan, which is Taking the lay off, giving me some time to pursue a different career in Baking/ Cake Decorating while still collecting 50% of my normal weeks pay... Of course, and looking for a part time job before the end of the month is a must!

Jambon surprised me with some news last night as well! Seems his step sister is due to have her baby in mid October... So his parents are planning a road trip out to Ottawa to visit her. James figures since his parents will be there and I can take a few days to drive up to Ottawa, we should get married in the process!!
Nothing fancy.. just a quick, legal ceremony having his parents there to witness the occasion. We figured that at least that will get the ball rolling as far as getting my paperwork started for my Permanent Resident Card.
While James is back in Ottawa he'll be able work and get his own place, while we wait for the paper work to finalize. In the meantime we can visit each other on a regular basis and I can tie up my loose ends here.... Oh and legally change my name of course to Mrs. Jambon lol

Finally things are coming together... Hopefully by next Spring I'll be making the Big move to Canada It's been tough not knowing when things will start happening, that alone has been the most frustrating these last 4 months. Tom Petty said it best, "The waiting is the hardest part".

On another note... The PE Addicts finished another beacon Mission about an hour ago.. Today it was a 29pedder, all went smoothly, all boxes were looted....a bit of a loss, but we all walked away with 40.64ped. We are still looking for a beacon that contains globals.. We have yet to find one, but that doesn't stop us from trying!

Well this concludes my weekend wrap up... I'll be sure to keep you posted on the part time job search.... Take care

Getting the "Pink Slip"

Welcome Back Bloggers,

Well, the rumors flying around at work were somewhat confirmed today.
The Parts/Service Director came in and sat down with the managers for a little pow wow.... My manager,Al came back and informed me that the owners are in fact closing the store. September 30,2008 is the last day of business as "Dodge".

The owners have already started the buying process to obtain a Kia franchise. They will find a place for as many employees as they can, the rest will be given a "pink slip" and will be able to collect unemployment. I suspect that the Managers will be harder to place. However, everything still has to be sent back to Chrysler, and the setting up for Kia has to be done... That should be interesting to say the least.

We were asked to go about business as usual and the employees will be told "officially" next week.

As tempting as sitting home and collecting unemployment sounds it's really not as good for me as I keep hearing about. I did some research and found how to calculate what I'd be getting paid/week through unemployment... Looks like I'd get about 50% of my normal weeks pay....Not Cool... Then it could take up to 4 weeks to see my first check, Oh sure, it will be retro active, but still... it's having enough money saved to not fall behind for 1 month.

I am fortunate enough to at least get some sort of heads up... I'm thinking that I have a few options here...

* I get offered to work back at the other Dodge Store, same pay, same benefits, same schedule, same drama... just a different location.

* I take this opportunity to get out of the Automotive Business... From what I heard the other day, Chrysler is going down hill and fast... So much in fact that they asked for a loan and were denied, but given a lesser amount just to stay in business 1 more year. Yikes... I could be looking at another lay off in 12 months....

Technically I can work a part time job and still collect unemployment as long as I don't make more than I'm collecting... So, Before the store closes... I could try to find a part time job at a Bakery or in the Bakery Dept at one of the local grocery stores and finally do something I'm passionate about. If the part time thing works out and I'm offered full time, then bonus... Otherwise I find something else before my 30 weeks are up.

* Worse case scenario.... I collect unemployment, work a part time job to make up for the difference, try to enjoy the extra time off and wait for a call back once the Kia Store is ready for business... The company being the way it is... Will want "their" employees there and would rather keep the hiring of "new" employees too as little as possible... So even IF I went back to the other Dodge store, I think my time there would be short lived, and I'd be transfered back to the old location...

So there you have it.... That's what I've come up with so far... I'm trying to think of all of the possible situations and wanting a solution.to each. If anything it's really opened my eyes to the fact that I need to be a bit more conservative and save as much as I can whenever possible... When life throws you a curve ball, I want to be ready to hit it out of the park

Not that I'm a shop-aholic... Good god no. When I'm not working, I'm home... I do get out once a week for laundry and grocery shopping, I don't even shop online.. No No, I tend to spend my extra money in a virtual world I just have to be a little more frugal, and stop dumping in $50-$100/month... That $10 here $30 there oh wait!! $20 here sure does add up.

I know that this next comment is one of the more popular cliche's... so bear with me...

But we all come to a cross road in life... maybe a few times in fact.... And you see yourself standing there and each road is marked but you still are unsure which way to go But really, all you are thinking about is being able to look back on this moment and NOT regret the choice you made.

Do you take the easy road, the more popular path...

Do you take the more difficult road, full of ups & downs with twists & turns...

Do you venture off and create your own path and hope that it's not a Dead End...

That about sums up how I'm feeling right now... I'll be sure to keep you posted...
It's getting late, I still have to get up and work a lame Saturday shift in the morning...

To Be Continued...........