Jet lagged again

Its now 05:50 and i am jet lagged again, Ive been up since 03:00 and i am wide awake. Jan reckoned she was jet lagged too but she is back fast asleep, and as for Luke, he slept on the way to the airport, slept on the flight, slept on the drive down to Lethbridge and yes, he is fast asleep now.

Never mind its nearly time to get up and face the first day of our new lives, it was 40 C over here yesterday so am i missing the UK weather, i think we all know the answer to that one.

The pic is of the view outside from our hotel just as its getting light.

We're back in Lethbridge

We flew into Calgary this morning and everything is going to plan so far. We sailed through immigration, we were met by VRV and driven to the Sandman Hotel in Lethbridge then the driver drove us down to the airport to pick up our hire car.

My boss is meeting us at the hotel tomorrow morning and i think we will be sorting out all the medicals, social security numbers and medicare.

We also went down to the house tonight to drop stuff off and have a look around.

So far so good.

Final goodbyes

Went and met Rob & John yesterday and their families, they are my cousins and the last time we got together was about 10 years ago, somehow we managed to get the kids to sit still for a pic.

Unemployed, Homeless & Dogless

Gizmo on "Being Gizmo"


Gizmo on maintaining concentration


Gizmo on drinking sensibly and in moderation

Well thats it, keys to our house handed over and the last day a Wincantons has come and gone, just a few last things to tie up and its all aboard the big metal bird to take us to the land of Eskimos, Indians and Mounties...............oh yes and Tim Hortons.

We drove Gizmo down to the kennels in Colchester this morning as he wont be flying out till 10th August, we said our goodbyes (its always easier with an animal...see last post) and as we knelt there teary eyed, he dragged the little kennel maid off at high speed to his new temporary home. Her feet never even touched the ground and Gizmo (the little bugger) never even turned to say goodbye, he was off like a shot. It must have been nearly dinner time.

I havent really got any pics so heres "The World According to Giz".

Last week at Wincantons

Its been a busy old week with moving up to Birmingham, sorting out the final details of the move and still having to work but it went quite quickly and it was quite enjoyable. Here's the summary.

Monday - Tesco Chepstow then reload Highbridge near WSM 8 hours.

Tuesday - Peterborough, Milton Keynes then reload Rushden 14 hours.

Wednesday - Doncaster then Princes Bradford 14 hours.

Thursday - Doncaster & straight back to the depot 10 hours.

If there is one thing i hate and dread its saying goodbye, i hate doing it and i am crap at doing it. I dont know what to say and i dont know what to do and they all seem to be awkward but still its got to be done so on with the back slapping and hand shaking.

I will miss the people at Brockworth and i will miss working there (and im not just saying that because its the easiest job ive ever had) Its a good place, a lot of the drivers moan but there again thats what drivers do best i s'pose, ive had some great times and laughs over the last three years, hopefully one or two of them will read the blog and follow my little adventures.

www.bigrain@swindon.com

Thursday night was floor party night, a floor party is like a dinner party but there are no chairs, tables, glasses, or even any carpet for that matter. Not even any means to cook so its take out food, ie, Kebabs and Dr Pepper, great fun although most were more interested in watching sky TV on a 14" portable TV balanced on a rickety table thing, not sure if they were watching TV or watching to see if the TV would fall off.

Handed the keys over to the new owners on Friday and the rain was horrendous, the garage was flooded, the back yard was waterlogged and i still managed to smile as we wished the new owner many happy years in their new house, then we jumped in the car and high tailed it out, leaving Swindon for ever....................or so we thought.

After spending 2 hours in Staples sorting out a DHL delivery and 10 mins in PC World buying 3 webcams, we tried to drive out of the City.

By now, most parts of swindon were flooded and a lot of it was actually under water. We queued for about 2 hours to get out of town and took another 7 hours to get to Birmingham.

I was bad but at least we were lucky and didnt get washed away, here were a lot of abandoned cars on the motorway and we saw one car with just the roof showing above the water, i couldnt get a pic because it was getting too dark....i think that takes "dipping your headlights" to the extreme.

We are staying in Birmingham till 28th (next Saturday) and we fly out on Sunday morning, in the mean time i am limited to dialup connection speeds and my email is playing up so i apologise now if anyone is trying to email me, everything should be back to normal once we get to the hotel in Lethbridge.

Final week in our house

Wdenesday morning and its been a busy few days, i have been to Doncaster and Bradford twice so both shifts were 15 hours. Coming home to start work again on the house knowing you have to be back at work in 9 hours is a little demoralising but never mind, its got to be done.

The gardens nearly done and the sheds been ripped down, the house is practically empty so were almost done, hopefully we will be finished by Thursday night and we can all go up to Birmingham.

The new family move in Friday lunch time so the pressures on to get it all finished, luckily i am finished work for the day (its just gone 10:30) my trip was a short one, a delivery in Chepstow and colection from Llantrissant.

Busy weekend emptying the house

Well that was one busy weekend, we moved out all the items the kids wanted, the tumble dryer, fridge freezer, some carpet etc etc etc.

We've ripped up all the carpets now, smashed up the beds, took down the shelves and taken the lot down to the dump, in fact we have made about a dozen trips. i am so glad all that is done, we have a skip coming round tomorrow and that should take care of what is left.

Gizmo got a little upset when the carpets came up and refused to go in the house, he can sense that something big is happening. Now the beds have gone we are sleeping on mattresses on the floor and he tries to treat them like a dogs bed which is annoying. As i work nights, i normally sleep late afternoon into the evening but its difficult because of a certain four legged ankle biter who thinks the bed belongs to him.........................

Oops, got to go and fill some forms in, we'll carry this on tomorrow, se you all later

Scotch whiskey

We went to see the movie which Luke loved, personally i thought it was a bit naff but there again i am over 40 (just) which means i am all grown up but not quite senile. Ive seen them all but i thought this was the worsed. Im looking forward to the next film which i believe is called "Harry Potter and the Zimmer Frame of truth".

Just had another email saying the flights are confirmed so thats it i s'pose, were going, lots to do tomorrow but for tonight i am relaxing with a nice glass of scotch.

'nuther Canada Update

Recieved an Email saying our flights are being reserved for 29th July, my Wincanton boss is still refusing to let me go early, not only that but i still haven't got the reference i asked for 2 weeks ago, looks like i will have to go and remind him on Monday, it reall is amazing how unimportant you become when you are leaving.........as if i expected anything else !!

We're off to the cinema tonight to see the latest Harry Potter, its better than ripping up carpets which was the option.

Luke got whacked in the eye while he was at school yesterday, he said i could post a pic of it on the blog, we took him down the hospital but they reckon its okay, it looks worse than it is.

Smokin' New Car

Saw this as i was making my way back this morning

Wakey Wakey Wakefield

The Dedicated Drivers Waiting Room


Goods In Bays

I hate Morrisons supermarkets, they are pokey and awkward to shop in, and they are a nightmare to deliver to. If you read my post "Witches of Northwich" you get an idea of how helpful they are there, well now let me tell you about Morrisons Wakefield.

The idea is simple, drive into the compound, make your way down to "Goods In" and reverse on a bay and hand your paperwork in at the office. You then wait in the designated driver waiting area......and you wait.....and you wait....and you wait !!

Eventually a "Lumper" or should i say Oompah "Lumper" comes out, takes your keys and goes back in the warehouse to unload you.

Now heres the clever bit, if you go with them and break down the load pallet by pallet (in other words do their job for them)they will let you Drop & Drive which means you dont have to wait for paperwork and as soon as its all broken down you can bugger off on your merry little way.

However, if you dont do their job for them and you are prepaired to wait for paperwork they you park opposite and wait for the load to be checked off, sometimes up to 5 or 6 hours.

Today delivered 26 pallets to them and i thought"theres no way im breaking that little lot down", i would rather climb on the bunk, set the alarm clock and take pot luck with the paperwork. I was Tipped (unloaded) by 08:00 this morning so i had a 2 hour nap and went to see if the paperwork was ready.

The young lady the other side of the hatch was engrossed in a conversation with her colleague about what she and her boyfriend were up to last night, they both seemed to be talking at the same time. Anyway, she paused for breath and i pounced, i tapped on the perspex, gave a polite little cough and asked if my paperwork was ready yet.

The answer was swift and to the point "NO". Then turning back to her friend, she was off again" Yakitty Yakitty Blah Blah Yakitty Blah" By the way this was at 10:00.

45 minutes later i went back in and we had a repeat performance. As I was walking back out i saw the Lumper who tipped me, he reckoned the paperwork was ready at 09:45. I went and found a Manager who went in the office to ask where the paperwork was. Little Miss Chatty reached under a pile of paperwork and exclaimed "'Ere it is". She didn't even have to bleedin' look, she knew it was there all the time.

I finally got out at 11:00 Aaaaaaaaaaagh !!!

EDIT:

Oh yeah, see that coffee machine, do not, i repeat, do not get a drink from this machine, i have seen cleaners mop round the toilets then use the same mop to give the machine a little clean, the bit where the drink comes out.

Canada Update

We exchanged contracts on the house this morning and we are going to complete on the 20th July so things are going great for the move.

I have spoken to H & R and we are looking to fly out at the end of this month. I asked my boss at Wincantons if i could leave a few days early and he said "No". Never mind, its only putting us back a few days.

At home we are dumping loads of stuff and selling what we can so its getting quite empty now. Our aim is to leave Britain with our lives in three large suitcases and completely start anew

Dodgy Camera work

Look at the size of this jam, i am so glad i am going the opposite way, took me a few seconds to position the camera so thats why you get to see the dash, the sky, a bridge and a bit more sky.

Three more weeks to go

Unmarked Police car,
"Book 'im Danno, Speeding One"



Okay thats close enough, is that a statement or a compliment ????????????


Heres the truck but look closer

Thats the end of the week for me, this morning was a straight run up to Tesco in Doncaster then back to the depot, this week has been very kind to me, we got a bit of a busy weekend in front of us, last minute sorting out and emptying the garage. Tomorrow we are off up to Birmingham to visit Rob & Cath, Rob is my cousin and they are a few of the ones who came to us for last weeks party, looks like its a bit of a return match, should be great fun. Thats one of the nice things about moving away,it actually makes you realise how lousy you were all these years with keeping in touch with family.

While i was sat sat in the Motorway Services this morning enjoying my "All day Breakfast" grilled pannini and medium sized Latte with splenda not sugar...........

Sorry i am rambling, while i was eating my breakfast this truck pulled out and i had to laugh at the advertising on the side. What self respecting trucker would haul a trailer like that..........yes i know, if the money was right, its better than catching crabs in Alaska.

Note to Aaron the Truck Driver

i got the crabs in Alaska thing from your blog so thanks for that, i googled it and what an amazing job, when i read comments about going to the top of the world, getting wet and freezing and at the end of it all catching crabs, i thought this was something to do with a night out in downtown Anchorage, but how wrong i was. These guys are risking their lives on a daily basis, i think i would prefer the ice driving given the choice.......

Actually no, H & R in good old Lethbidge sounds more comfortable, maybe next year

How to fold a T-Shirt

Picture the scene, your OTR kit bag was packed in 10 seconds flat, and you are now about to regret it.

We all know theres nothing worse than a creased t-shirt apart from digging out your spare jeans and find youve folded them so youve got 2 sharp creases right down the front of the legs.

Well no more worries about the T-Shirts anyway !!!!

Happy Independance Day

Enough of the moaning

On a lighter note, its been a nice easy week this week, days are all melting into each other and i cant really remember where ive been, I remember being in Doncaster and i was in Wakefield at one point, its all good stuff.

Today i went to Asda Bristol then down to Bridgewater, i took it nice and easy and still finished before lunch.

Todays the day we advertise the sofas and wardrobes so weve been pinning little notices in the local superstores, hope the sofas dont sell too quick, as we will be sitting on the floor

The Royal Mail Pension Rip-Off

Jan tried to close off her Royal Mail pension fund this evening and guess what we found out, she cant close it down and claim a refund on what she has already paid in. All they will do is either suspend it or transfer it to another fund. They have got £2000 ( or CAD$4200 ) of our money and they say there isnt a thing we can do about it. Well we arnt going to give up yet, Jans getting an interview with the union rep tomorrow and see if there is anything we can do. At the very least we will cause a stir because i dont there are many people who know about this little bit of legislation.

Personally i have never trusted company pension schemes, i believe they employ a good many clever scheming "bean-counters" and i dont think they ever have the employees interests at heart. Too many pension schemes have either failed to pay out or the companies have gone under without having the pensions underwritten.

Luckily we wont lose it completely because its transferable over to Canada but thats no the point. We are going to send Alan Leyton (Royal Mail Big Boss) a nice little email this weekend and let him know exactly what we thing of his company.

Good news is the rains stopped (for now)