january 21, 2023 saturday

 january 21, 2023 saturday

worked since 10pm friday to finished till 8;30 am, lots of salting of all site

breakfast with kyle

catch up with sleep

january 20, 2023 friday

 january 20, 2023 friday 

work midnight 12:30 am to 9am

work again at 10pm till 830 am saturday for night partrol

breakfast with kyle

catch up with sleep

January 19, 2023 Thursday

 January 19, 2023 Thursday

zumba 9am

yoga 10 am all at water baker

kyle had the winter tire installed for the silver rav change tire + alignment is 115$

5:45 pm zumba at lorry greenberg community center. Karlina used the Greenboro library as well. 

January 18, 2023 Wednesday

 January 18, 2023 Wednesday

worked from 3am to 10am

pick up winter tire for silver rav

pick up the kids from st marks

doctors appointment 2pm 

and kierens eye exam at 3pm at costco optical 

January 17, 2023, -6C, Tuesday

 January 17, 2023 

Tuesday

it was not snowing ..so here is the break I needed, after last weeks snow storm. I worked like 50 hours in 3 days, and it was nuts. 

I cleaned up myself and got ready for gym class. I decided to try Nepean Sportsplex again, since they have 8 am class. Well, bummer...there was traffic on the highway, so I decided to proceed to Walter Baker Sports Center because Zumba starts at 9:15 am, so I have time. 

Boss at worked message that upcoming freezing rain, possibility of call in. But did not happen. We will start at 3am. 

Walter Baker  ( Barrhaven) 100 Malvern St, was my old stumping ground, 20 years ago, I used to come here to swim and read books at the adjacent library, Ruth Dickinson. Just las Sunday, I took my kids for swim and library. 

I came in early to make sure I made in on time for Zumba class. The group was nice, and the teacher was really nice. She is very good at cueing the dance and I feel that I have a workout. 

Then I stayed for the Yoga class at 10am. it was a good one,  i feel it helped my left shoulder. I have been feeling off with this shoulder for couple of days now, and it seems to help a bit. 

I showered after the class, and headed home. 

We have to work tomorrow starting 3am. I did few paperwork in the office and pay some bills. 

Kieren will have his doctors appointment tomorrow (chadha medical)  and also his optometry appointment at  Costco as well. 

January 16, 2023 Monday

 January 16, 2023 Monday

It was a sunny day, and i slept a lot - probably the whole day. 

I cooked some mashed potatoes with the chicken and veggies. It was nice to have the little gang gather for a meal. 

I manage to fold some laundry and went off to my class.  The gas has been pretty funky and I was on my blinking "running out of gas". I found a gas station off Brian Cobough road, and filled it full. It was quite high, around 1.47 but heck, I need gas. 

Francois Dupuis Recreation Center

ottawa.ca

2263 Portobello Blvd, Orleans ON K4A0X3 ·

Zumba at 630pm

Zumba toning at 7:30 pm, then take the last 15 minutes on the treadmill.

 I was surprise that the parking lot was empty when I came out. They must have close by 9pm. When I arrived at the center, it was so packed, that I cannot find a parking spot. 

Hmm. these are people who are on the resolution just like myself. Lets see how soon this will last. 

It was a dry cold day, must be around -7C, then the night dropped to -20C.

January 14, 2023 Saturday

 January 14, 2023 Saturday

the work was short 1am to 9:30 am. thank goodness that clean up after the storm

we stop at marks to look for gloves for kyle but nothing nice

Did zumba class at greenboro for 10:30 am to 11;30 am

slept for the day until 5pm

visit tessie and uncle ken and barrhaven with kyle. we were suppose to bring garlic to friends, but none seems to be home. 

January 15, 2023 Sunday

 January 15, 2023 sunday

it is nice and sunny today, it could go as cold as -20C. but hey it was -10C when i left for gym class. 

I did Zumba at Bob Mcquarrie for 9 am

and cardio class at ray friel at 10 am. 

Im home going laundry and cooking pancit, then I will take the kids swimming at walter baker by 1pm. 

January 5 2023 Thursday

 January 5 2023 Thursday

Oh boy, did it ever froze? Freezing rain last night and I have to scrape the car before heading to work. Thank goodness for Kyle who has the strong muscle to do it. 

we did a midnight shift, throwing some salt on the icy sidewalks. 1:30am to 9:30 am. 

I got home and took pictures around me, everything is frozen. The roads are icy, some accidents. 

I sold 2 bags of garlic to a lady, I talk over the phone with her, and will deliver it tomorrow in alta vista. 

I am sure I will be called in to work again tomorrow. 

January 4, 2023 Wednesday

 Jan 4, 2023 Wednesday

We manage to get the truck from Tom yesterday. So another farm truck. LOL

It was a mild day and it continue to melt the snow, and the farm looks different. 

I was out going for a little walk and digging some holes for compost

I was called in for work to apply some salt to sidewalk as the rain melted all the salt. 

I did a early morning snow run from 4am to 7am, then come home and do some work. 

Started cleaning up some garlic and started selling them. 

Finished Kyles 2021 taxes, 1 done. 

Jan 3, 2023 Tuesday

 jan 3, 2023 wednesday

woke up late and no motivation to do anything. eat, and got an old truck from a friend with kyle. its not a question if this is a money pit, it is just an old rusty 2005 silverado. 

Daylily Collection 2022

 This year, i went to Artistic Landscape in Bank Street and they seem to be getting rid of the big display garden. I do not know why, maybe they do not supply these kinds of daylily anymore. These are mature clumps, probably of rare kinds, so I am a sucker for all things beautiful and flowers. 

Hemerocallis

So here are my new added collection list:

1. Yellow - Double Charm ( rare) Hardy 1969 double lemon yellow self pollinating

2. Yellow  - Techny Peace - 1987 Reckamp - Klehm- single - pastel yellow blend with green throat

3. Daylily - Tuscawilla Tigres - a double orange, early to midsummer bloomer, then reblooms again

4. Daylily - Catherine Neal - 1981 Carpenter - I like the dark color of this daylily - almost dark violet to brown

I did not have the chance to take picture for 2022, but the coming years, it will be a beatiful ones. 

December 28, 2022 wednesday, ( a snowy day)

 December 28, 2022 Wednesday

we were called in for snow work and to my head, it will be a short clean up shift and will be done by early morning.

It kept going and going and it was 8am and still snowing and i was getting hungry. Kyle has to come home and meet the contractors to install our new water heater. He came back and joined us again, he said lots of accidents on the road, it is a Wednesday afterall. 

John and I decided that we need breakfast, by 11am - we are so hungry shovelling snow since 2 am. The breakgast at A and W was done by 11 am so we settled on burger anyways. 

Silly me, I did not check for the weather anymore, so I was not ready for this cold. By lunch break, I was still hungry again. 

One of our sites was a Call Center with many cards parked already. It was darn near impossible to drive my truck around the building and it was a bit challenging time span.  My snow truck is big, its a RAM 5500 with a 20ft enclosed trailer carrying my sidwealk Kubota and 2 snow blowers. I am at most 40 ft long and it is not easy feat to snake it around parked cars.  I ended up parking in the middle of two buildings then walk to the end of the other building and shovel snow by hand. Not really! I sit in the truck while the guys shoveled the other side - I was miserable at this point. 

We still hustle and did out run and continue until we finished our route. After which, we headed back home. We finished by 3pm and I was super hungry. No amount of chocolates can fill me up. 

It was a lesson for me that I did not check the weather. 

I could have pack myself some hot water and noddle cup and I will be fine. The burgers is not something that gives me comfort, only noddles (I'm asian) . 

The next day was a good snow clean up and actually it was 12 midnight to 5:30am  run on Thursday, december 29, 2022.  

December 30, 2022 Friday - A walk at Flectcher Wildlife Park and Carleton University

 Friday, December 30, 2022 

It was a decent day, maybe 3 degrees C and I notice Kieren has a stuffy nose. Of course, winter is like that. You get runny nose, cough etc, since you will be spending most time indoors. The cold winter air when you get out does not help. 

However, outdoors is still best place to be. 

I took Kieren to a walk /hike at Fletcher Wildlife Park, it was nice and great weather. I took him to the pond, which was frozen, so we read about turtles and frogs hibernation cycle. 

We walk towards Carleton University, the path at Fletcher is really connected with NCC pathways and boom, you are at Carleton University. We did our usual, cross the Hartwell locks and explore the paths. He has not been to Carleton University in awhile, with COVID and also life has gotten busy. My 3 kids grow up at Carleton as I spent my undergrad in there. When I did not have babysitter, i took 3 of them to school library. I think they are at university before stepping into kindergarten. I took them to Carleton Swimming pool and tunnels and have fun times. There are few changes over years and Kieren was quick to point the out the newer buildings. Where there use to be open ground, now buildings are there. We did a short loop between Architecture and Engineering building, he looked around for the rocks where he used to climb, but no avail - it is fenced off due to construction. His rock was situated directly accross Minto Case, he used to climbed it everytime we come back from swimming at the pool. 

All my kids attend Carleton U summer camps and Ken attended Shad Valley. That was the highlight of his summers. 

Kierens favorite building is still Minto Case, he pose beside the mural of a student of Engineering. After a quick picture opportunity, we went back to our loop at Hartweel Locks and came back to Fletcher. We did enjoy our walks despite his shoes being dipped in the puddle. 

We went to barrhaven to see my uncle ken and tita shonee. I brought in some little gift, calming tea, biscuit, anthorium plant. I make my uncle laugh because i put a shiny golden christmas balls on the anthorium plant. I brought in some homemade cookie, i hope my uncle will enjoy it. 

Kieren loves to spend his money, so we stop by at FreshCo near Lietrem Rd. All his wants is TicTac. I manage to get some grocery and some fresh herbs. Thats something I love on winter - fresh herbs makes your food like gourmet, even if its just a noodle soup. 

We came home and we got Karlina to get ready for their weekend at dads. 

Kyle and I went to Toms house to check the truck - yeah, his old truck. He said he will give it to Kyle to make room in his driveway. The kicker is - it needs a new battery. We went to Canadian Tire and bought a new battery. It went and fire up, but still, who knows if the brake works - we will find out on January 2nd. We will come back to continue the truck journey. 

Dec 31, 2022 saturday ( rainy day but 6 degrees C, its a good day) Tessie & Me and the Fax Machine

 december 31, 2022 saturday

It was a rainy day, roads are so foggy, but still a pleasant 6 degrees C. 

we worked over night doing snow patrol, we started at 10pm on a friday and finished at 7am on saturday. the overnight was rainy/misty/ foggy, so driving conditions was not the greatest. We still finished our 61 sites on time, refilled our gas, and happily got off work. 

I dropped Kyle at home to rest and I went to see tessie. I pass out on her couch and woke up at 8:30 am, and I drove her to her doctors appointment at Somerset Street.  

She got the prescription needed, so  we went to Dynacare in Barrhaven to get her bloodwork done around 10am. I am surprised that the clinic is open and with few people so we get it done in no time. Next stop was Walmart  Barrhaven to pick up her prescription - while Walmart is always fast, today was a slow day, so it took her awhile. However, that was good, at least we got prescription needed.  

Next on the agenda is to call the hospital for her x-ray. While calling hospital to book an xray is best thing to do, good luck being answered. So, instead of calling the hospital again, we decided to fax a document to request an XRAY.  ok...fax, sending fax people of the 20th century...Just so our luck, Staples Store is beside Walmart. They have this old looking fax machine, that came straight out of 1990s and it worked. It was self serve, and me being a 90s office junkie, I know how to operate the darn machine.  Fax was sent in no time, and it cost me 1$ per page. Waiting 5-30 minutes on the phone for call in? or 1$ on Fax machine? I will take fax machine anytime. 

Tessie at this time got sleepy and tired. She was sleepless and not feeling very well. I was starting to get sleepy. I was up overnight and need a real sleep.

Tessie managed to get me a kind of sardines with black beans on it. Looks like a fried fish with black beans, she got me 4 cans because i liked it. 

So our errands were completed, and I dropped tessie at her home. I drove for another 25 minutes to my home, Kyle was already sleeping, I quickly eat the sardines and rice and went to bed as well. 

Sleep very well and I woke up Sunday morning at 3:30 am Jan 1, 2023. 

dec 27, 2022 tuesday ( hot water tank tomorrow)

 dec 27, 2022 tuesday

i started my snow run at 2am and was finished by 8 am

kyle started training on the truck overnight from 730pm to 7am

ken was here, and i took him to gym, get groceries and drop him back to his dad

i have to work tomorrow again starting 2am

meanwhile , hot water tank replacement will be here by 830am by aquadrain

Dec 23 2022, ottawa storm , school bus cancelled

 dec 23, 2022 friday snowstorm, school bus cancelled

it was forecasted to go on until saturday and it did

we work friday 12:30 midnight to 1pm (dec 23)

and we work saturday 2am to 11am ( dec 24th)

as a snow removal operator, we brave out in the pouring snow, head to the shop at midnight, check out trucks, load our equipment, crew and head out. it is not an easy job, you will be driving in a condition which is very risky and majority of the public are told to "stay home". 

its calm, as less vehicles are on the road. Plows, and emergency essential workers, thats us. 

we develop skills to be calm, to show strength, to be alert even when tired. its very tiring sometimes, and people around me get cranky. I try to console myself that winter will be over soon and its gonna be sunny. 

it is not for the weak of heart, I hope i will survive this winter with complete faith in me and ability for my work. 

This is my 4th season in snow removal and i think this year is a heavy one. Lets see!

December 26, 2022 Monday

 December 26th 2022 Monday

it was a calm day today, after christmas.

 Ken and Karlina went to the gym, while Kyle and I went for our walk at Petrie Islands. 

this was a tough year for us, we are both working for snow removal. It sucks and its cold out there, especially that we are both sidewalk crew. 

We had a snow storm already dec 12th, and another one happened on december 23rd. 2 back to back storms and we work, and thank goodness we are home for christmas eve. we got paid on the 23rd, and as we got home on the 24th, we got food at Costco and get some Dollarama gifts. The 3 kids are very good kids, they were happy with little gifts that we got them, nothing major. 

we have the best of health and happy kids so thats the best present we can ever ask. 

We purchased the 2019 Rav this year Novermber 2022, to replace our old Rav that seems to have some problems, so we both have to work. Cost of winter tires added to our expenses, plus we just moved here. 

All in all, I think we are doing fine and we will survive this winter. 

I am ever grateful that we have the snow run job to keep us going this winter. 

dec 14, 2022, wednesday

 dec 14 2022, wednesday

its another sunny and cold day

we have work meeting from 8am to 11 am at cityscape - 

then i went to scotiabank to finalize kieren and karlina rrsp

then went to buy salt for our water at canadian tire kanata  and kuerig coffee maker

Dec 13, 2022 tuesday

 dec 13, 2022 tuesday

it was sunny -7C. 

we did overnight shift - night patrol training from 10pm to 8am, which was tiring going through all the routes, learning areas in the dark, some lights and all turns. All in all, it was training night, what can i tell you?

even when I was wearing my snow pants, towards the morning, I was soo cold. 

By 9 am, we have a meeting with Gen from NCC, she is our liason and hopefully will help us figure out ways to work with our farm needs and even house repair. 

We also visit March road farm, and it was nice for our liason to listen to us. 

Kyle and I visited Giant Tiger, did some groceries and we both pass out in couch, so exhausted. 

We went to Canadian Tire to pick up a cover for our Rav4 seats and snow brush for our vehicles. 

Tomorrow, Thursday, I will have to attend 8am meeting for work and 11:30 am appointment at Scotiabank. 

dec 11, 2022 Sunday and its snowing

 dec 11, 2022 sunday

i was hoping to get my nails done, but it was such a slushy day. first major snowfall of december, people are the worst, it is always feels like everyone cannot drive. or maybe it was just sunday. 

i finally took kieren to a hair cutter, his hair is thick as mine and its funny in the morning. he finally got it styled. 

dec 10, 2022 saturday

 dec 10, 2022 saturday

one of those few days where I can work outside and finish some farm chores. it was biting cold. haidee came in the late afternoon to clean the house. 

i took the kids swimming to minto rec complex in 3500 cambrian. I am quite surprise that it was so run down and the hot tub did not even work. overall, i am glad i took the kids out

2022 dec 12 monday, sunny -7c

 dec 12, 2022 monday

sunny, -7c 

snow run

we did snow removal this morning, started at 1:30 am and end up 8:30 am

it was nice to have a new enclosed trailer at work, it was not shovelling snow after the long run

we both pass out in the couch as we reach home

woke up at 1 pm for breakfast with kyle

and washing my salty clothes from snow work yesterday - we did an overnight removal of snow from 1:30am to 8:30  am. it sounds short, but oh boy, it was tiring. 

I will be back again for night patrol tonight at 10pm. 

dec 9, 2022, friday -

 december 9, 2022, friday

sunny - 3c

it was errand running days

went to cs alterna to get refund for my managers check and check my small accounts

went to bank of nova scotia, to transfer my resp to kieren and karlina

went to dr chadha - book kieren and karlina for medical

went to toyota, schedule for the Rav4 for necessary rust proofing

came to farm, check for generator for our transfer switch

will join in nancy and mj for a christmas party and MJs birthday party

dec 8 thursday - and the path is mulched

 december 8, 2022 thursday

there was a little bit of sun today, i manage to finished the walking path with mulch towards russell road, so i can easily visit the sunchokes next year. 

 kyle helped me with the tractor to make it fast. he brought one log, to have a sitting area, when making fire. 

Wed-Dec 7, 2022 - master gardeners christmas potlucj

 wed, dec 7, 2022

i manage to plant the last batch of sunchokes for the russel road side, it was rainy. 

we attended the master gardeners pot luck at leslies, it was nice to have a day to eat and enjoy to see beautiful people. 

tessie gave us pancit, he cooked for us. 

there was a power failure again, and it seems to map our osgoode and the house power did not return until late night. 

Tuesday - December 6, 2022 The Russell Road area, near the city drain

 Tuesday, December 6, 2022

Russell Road Sunchoke Project ( delayed)

it turns out to be  a rainy day today. 

i spend sometime with my eldest son Ken, and we went to swim. He tested the gym at Francois Dupuis community center. 

I joined the 1pm Zumba with the oldies. 

Came home and got eat and chat. I am heading out to see tessie, and drop 3 bags of clothes for tita shonnee, she wanted to send some for balikbayan boxes. 

Monday - the Sunchokes near Russell Road

 Monday December 5, 2022

It was a little bit of sun and dry day. As usual, it was cold. I started at 10am and worked in the field up to 5pm. It did went dark fast. 

I was cleaning up  in the area near the baby oak. 

I made a semi-circle for the sunchokes as windblock. It is 75% done. This farm has zero trees blocking us from the wind. While sunchokes will not do any winter wind block, at least for the summer, it will be a nice row to plant the beans around it and some greenery. 

The area has nothing but natural green vegetation, and some quack grass. the soil is a bit loamy and sand, but still sticky and wet. I dug out some sunchokes from the side of my house and move them here. 

The ground is very un-even, "ankle breaker farm".  Base of my analysis, this area was probably tilled by a tractor. Over time, grass and weeds took over. The deep trenches are where stones are and areas where snow become ice forming these depressions. This is also the slope that brings the water to city drainage, so this long stretch of deep scar is by water movement. And it keeps going for years, so if you walk around this area, its deep 6 inches deep . 

My solution is to plant native sunchokes in this area to use this section of the farm and also stablize the soil. As water erosion comes every spring due to snow melt, the plant and its roots can absorb the water and retain the soil thus helping remediate this soil. As we also walk to visit the crops, this area will have foot traffic and soil will be leveling. I removed some of the grass to see the depression in the soil and we can actually bring in some mulch to create a walking path, without breaking out ankles. 

More on this for Tuesday work. 

Sunday - pumpkin, sunchokes, and some garlic

 Dec 4, 2022 sunday

farmers way north, ottawa, ontario

it is still a clear day, feels like 2C and dark. I dont like it when there is no sunshine, but well, i got work to do. 

The pumpkin seeds need to be planted on Russel and the sunchokes by Leitrem road need to be planted as well. I have small garlic that I need to plant and keep it companion for some greens. 

The horehound needs to be planted, it is in pots, and it is an herb for cough. I have it by the back yard, so I guess that is first to be done on the list as well. too many stuff to do. 

I will try my best to finish the farm work before the ground totally freeze. 

gear up, snow pants on, toque on, mitts, gloves and bring it on!

Nancy came a visit for awhile, then i went back to work. it was  productive day. ~

Saturday - Asparagus, Sunchokes and clean up

 Dec 3, 2022 Saturday

2C, and dark clouds

3763 Farmers Way NORTH,  Ottawa Ontario

another 5 hours of work in the farmfield, here is what I had accomplished. 

It was still a good weather - maybe 5 degrees C. I managed to put mulch over the asparagus and i planted the rest of the sunchokes for windblock on the farmers way side. It was not much, a 1 gallon bucket of tubers.  I dug these tubers from the mature side, just near the house. Our goal is to populate the farm with useful food staples and start windblocks on all side. 

All around us are major cash crop fields so it is empty in the winter, and the wind is so strong. If affect us badly, all our containers are blown away, nevermind that we do not have a barn anymore. 

These winds never affect the cash crop farmers - because they do not live here, but we do. Our farmhouse is connected to our 10 acre organic veggie farm. 

Our farm is a little triangle: one side is Leitrem road, Russel Road and Farmers Way. Our house is on the edge of the farm, located on the side of Farmers  Way

Over on the Russel Rd side, I found the walking onions and I planted them along the raspberry rows. 

I also gathered 3 Douglas Fir,  planted them with some sunchokes and pumpkin seeds around it. 

I burned some debris of old wood from the storm  to keep myself warm. 

About 1pm, it rained and I got a visit from my friend Lori and her dog koko. Overall, it was a good work for the farm. 

We have Haidee clean the house, there was a power out around 4pm and it came back around 5pm. For one hour, that sucks as I realize I do not have candle ready. or even kerosense gas. I haver some headlamp, which will probably ran out of battery.

We drop Haidee back to her place and we went to home depot. 

I spend the last part of the day with Kyle, go for some home depot errands and some driving over Tatlock road, just to un-wind for the day and enjoy our new Rav4.