Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Work

Winter 2014/2015

When I started writing this blog, I indicated that we were still working and that is still the case. So, I thought I would show  where we work and tell what we do, as camping season for us is over until the spring.


The front of the building. These 3 doors are for shipping and receiving.


Side entrance and parking lot.
 
Both Pat and I work for the Thames Valley District School Board, in the Distribution Centre or warehouse as we like to call it. Pat has over 31 years and I have over 24 years of service. Pat is the office clerk and I am the shipper receiver. There are only 5 of us who work out of this department, besides us there are 2 truck drivers and our supervisor. The drivers are out every day delivering mail and supplies and/or equipment or furniture to some 180 schools and other sites within our board. They use 16 foot cube vans to do this with. Our board covers 7500 square kilometers and is divided into 7 mail runs, as we call them , to accomplish service to all of these sites. With that large area and number of sites, each receives a delivery once a week.


Pat at her desk.


Out in the Warehouse.
 
Pat's duties include the answering of queries by phone and e-mail, picking orders, doing distributions and occasionally help me, to put it in a nut shell.  Mine are the receiving of shipments and forwarding them to their destination within the board, the storing of items on the racking in the warehouse or second warehouse at this location, the dismantling of old and non repairable furniture and the recycling of that material, filling in for the truck drivers when they are sick or on vacation and occasionally helping Pat, to put mine in a nut shell.


At my desk.


I am right in the center of the Warehouse.

On the fork lift.

Looking from a different angle.

T.V is a video display of the doors from the outside, so I can see when trucks are there.

On the outside fork lift, heading to our back warehouse.

Quick look inside the back warehouse.
The above pic is the second or back warehouse at this location. It is used to store loan equipment such as tables, chairs, platforms and choir risers. There is also mechanical equipment being stored in here. Surplus furniture is brought here to be offered out to other schools or if it is beyond repair, I disassemble and recycle the parts. In a separate section of this building, the maintenance department uses for storing there equipment.
Our day starts at 7:30 am and ends at 4:00 pm during the months of September thru June. During the summer months of July and August we work 9 hour days, 7:00 am to 4:30 pm, Monday thru Thursday and then a half day on Friday, which makes for a nice weekend.

Loaded for the day

Our two 16 ft. cube vans



Our two cube vans inside the loading bay. At the end of their day the drivers unload all the mail and items that they have picked up. Items/packages are placed on the appropriate run for delivery. The mail is sorted and the trucks loaded for the next day.

 
We operate five days a week all year around. July and August are busy months with summer school and furniture moves.
 
That is a brief look at our work place. We are on a count down to retirement in 2016. Pat will be done at the end of March and I will be done by the end of August that year. Then on to fulltime RVing.
 
Thanks for stopping by, until the next time, take care.












Thursday, October 30, 2014

Getting Ready for Winter

WHAT ARE WE UP TO TODAY?
This post is a few days behind. Last weekend was the time to start getting ready for the coming winter. Saturday morning was spent running around doing errands. Saturday afternoon we spent cleaning out the trailer, making sure that anything that would freeze was brought inside. Oh did I mention that we slept in the trailer both Friday and Saturday nights, we do love the great night's sleep on the KING size bed.

Sunday was spent cleaning out the shed of the winter stuff, you know, the snow blower and snow tires, and putting away the summer stuff. The snow blower started right off the bat. Being such a nice day I even got the Christmas lights strung across the front of the house. All of the patio furniture was put away and the filter for the pond was cleaned and put away. This is the first year we don't have fish in the pond, so there was no need to put the net over it to keep the herons from getting at the fish and no need for the pond heater. Another thing different this year was to cover the gazebo on the back deck. It has season panels on it's roof that are suppose to withstand the winter. The last two winters in a row we have lost panels due to strong winds. This year I bought a tarp and covered it to hold the panels in, so we will see what happens. 
Snow blower and gazebo covered

Pond all ready

Driveway rearranged

Christmas lights up
On to the driveway and rearrange the cargo trailer so I can get the truck up further in the drive. This helps with clearing the driveway of snow with the blower.

Finally, to some of the leaves along the gutter at the street. Picked up about three bags, but there will be more before we're done. All in all it was a productive weekend, glad to have done what we have so far.

 Next weekend will see the snow  tires put on the car , so we will be ready   for what is coming.

Thanks for stopping by, until the next time, take care.


Retirement Countdown

 

                                                                      

Monday, October 20, 2014

WHAT ARE WE UP TO TODAY?





This past weekend although we did not go camping, it was all about camping and the RV lifestyle. We spent Saturday and Sunday at the Toronto RV Show at the International Centre. As customers of Can Am RV, www.CanAmrv.ca, we volunteer to spend the time at their display and talk to people about our and their experiences of Rving. We especially like to be with the 5th wheel section, as this is what we have. We also answer what questions we can and if we can't, then direct them to someone who can. We also get to answer some of our own questions and see what is new in the RV world. We thoroughly enjoy our selves at these shows and as Pat says I like to talk, so I fit right in.
 
Neat little trailer
 
Side view
 
5th wheels
Saturday evening we went out to dinner to Jolly's, an Italian restaurant on Weston Rd, excellent food. It was a good time, all us of talking about the day's event and  Rving in general.

On Sunday, we met Malcolm and Sharon, who plan to go full time in two years like we are. By the way, if either of you are reading this, send us your e-mail address. It was great talking to you and look forward to it again.   We were home by six, being excused from helping do the dismantling of the display. All in all, a great weekend, looking forward to the next show.
Getting out of Toronto
Thanks for stopping by, till the next time, take care.
Our 2014 Summer Travels


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Tuesday, October 14, 2014

WHAT ARE WE UP TO TODAY?
 
 
 
 
Monday morning brings us some milder temperatures  and our last day of camping for the year. We got breakfast over with early and got things packed up ready for home. Donna and Gerry arrived just after 9:30 to move the pile of cedar rails from the front field to the back. The four of us went to work loading them in Gerry's truck then unloading them at the back. After 4 trips and about 40  minutes we had them all moved. 
Loading

I think I got a sliver

From here

To here
That being done, we closed up the trailer, hooked up, said our goodbyes and head off home. Good drive home and the traffic not too  bad, we were in the drive and all squared away by 3:00 pm.
On our way

Leaving

Leaving

Gone
 
Today is our youngest granddaughters birthday, so we headed over to see her and take her, her gift. We had a nice visit with daughter number 2, her husband and our two granddaughters. 
Daughter #2 and granddaughters #1&2 opening her gift, the big stuffed dog.

Now they each have one.

 
Playing a game.
That's it for now. The end to a long weekend and another camping season. Thanks for stopping by, until the next time, take care and stay warm.
 
Our summer travels

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Sunday, October 12, 2014

WHAT ARE WE UP TO TODAY?



Woke this morning to a cool 0C with frost covering the grass, our chairs and surrounding roof tops. The sky was clear, not a cloud in sight, it would turn out to be a beautiful fall day.




Puttered about a bit, lit the fire and took a short walk. When it was time for breakfast, I couldn't get the BBQ to stay lit so we had to cook inside, something we don't often do. Will have to look into the BBQ problem when we get home. Breakfast and dishes done we could relax and enjoy the morning before getting ready to head out for thanksgiving dinner with Pat's family. I even managed to fly one of my model airplanes.
Me flying one of my planes
 
The plane

Around one pm we headed up to Gayle and John's for the family get together, just south of Chatsworth. A great time was had by all and fine turkey dinner with all the trimmings.

Our Hosts

The new bridge of the path thru the woods

Kids having fun

Some of the clan

The head of the clan, here in the center, Pat's  mom

More conversation
Back to "The Ridge" by 7:30, Pat, Clemson and I settled down with books and a TV show until nine then off to bed.

It has been a great fall day, thanks for dropping by, until the next time, take care.

Our 2014 Summer Travels


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Saturday, October 11, 2014

WHAT ARE WE UP TO TODAY?




Our first night at "The Ridge " was uneventful, an early to bed, goodnights sleep and early to rise, for me anyways, Pat slept a little longer. Will drinking a couple of coffees, I did yesterdays post. Once Pat was up we headed outside for a walk out to the road and watched the sun rise over "The Ridge". We lit a fire to take the chill off and enjoyed the early morning. Breakfast on the go just after nine and all cleaned by ten.
Sunrise

Our Spot

The sign says it ALL!

Welcome

View from the road.
 

Gerry called just after that to say they had arrived at "The Acreage", so we headed over to help them winterize their trailer and take down the awning. We headed back to our trailer and got the girls set up. While they made themselves busy, Gerry and I headed out to see the shed he is having made for at "The Ridge". Looks real nice, 9 X 12, perfect size for here. It should be ready for set up here on the 15th of November. In the spring he will have the hydro installed ready for next  year's  camping season. On our way back we stopped in Durham  for truck fuel , generator fuel and propane for the BBQ and trailer. When we got back it was lunch time. Shortly after, Audrey and Tom arrived. WE all had a nice visit before they headed back to Hanover leaving us to enjoy the rest of the day.

That pretty much sums it up, Pat and I and Clemson spent a quiet evening to our selves.

I am including the pics below taken by Donna last evening, Friday, as we arrived. Thanks for stopping by, until the next time, take care.
Coming up the drive

At the top

Making the turn to set up our spot

Just the right spot

All set up


Our 2014 Summer Travels

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