Well, at least we have a white Christmas here! It is unseasonably warm, for this part of Alberta, there must be a chinook :) All is calm and quiet at the village these Christmas days. Population dropped from full house (around 2300-2400) to less than 500. Yes, most people are home with their loved ones for the holidays. There have been a few special touches for the staff here; hot lunch on Friday, then drinks in the bar last night for Christmas Eve. A few of us tried to sing some carols in the bar, but it apparently rubbed a few people the wrong way and we got shut down. This morning it was so quiet, it was almost spooky. I was talking to my camp attendant, and he said he only had 5 people in this whole dorm. That means 37 empty rooms in this dorm. And, as a cost saving measure, the maintenance people have been shutting down furnaces where there are a lot of empty rooms. My room is as warm as it ever is, but the arctic corridor over here....well, let's just say "Arctic" is an apt description! Our generous AGM gave everyone short shifts today and tomorrow (Boxing Day) which made everyone very happy, since most of the people here (except us) are union and hourly workers, so they are cleaning up big time over the holidays. I was all set to sleep in this morning, and when I got back to my room yesterday, there was a sign on the door coming into the dorm that said the water was going to be shut off at 7:30 am until 4 pm today. Great. Now I had to get up early anyway, just to be able to have a shower. So, alarm went off at the regular 6:30 time, I had a shower (after a momentary scare when only COLD water was coming out of the shower), and figured I might as well go have breakfast, since I was up anyway. Then, I figured I might as well work, since I was dressed, showered, fed, and downstairs anyway. I put in more hours than I had to, but it was slow and relaxed. I talked to all my kids, and later on, mom and dad. They had a lovely turkey dinner, and had the usual array of desserts and also gingerbread cookies.
I have to admit I was feeling pretty homesick last night. It all sounded good in theory, being here for Christmas, leaving for home on the 27th and having our family Christmas on the 30th. Now I keep thinking, when I go to do my Christmas shopping after I get home, all the stores will have out their Valentine stuff. Sigh.
All in all, being here wasn't so bad. I mean, everyone else is in the same boat, away from family and friends and loved ones. Everyone tries to be extra nice, and keep each other's spirits up.
Oh, by the way....my old goose Christmas sweater vest won me a second place tie in the Ugly Christmas Sweater contest. Somewhere out there is a picture....but maybe that should stay lost :)
Merry Christmas to everyone!
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Time just flies....
Holy smokes, time does fly. I arrived back at camp (in my running shoes and a hoodie) to -20 degrees (celcius) and 6 inches of snow on the ground. Finally found the car, which had my coat and boots in it, and drove back to camp, with the temp dropping all the way. My room here was FREEZING cold....and even though I cranked my baseboard heater it took days to get it even semi-warmed up.
Since getting back, I've started in my new role as Guest Services Supervisor. The department is not fully up and running yet, but I've been assuming some of the duties, anyway. I spend a lot more time on my feet, and running around checking room status, which is a good thing. I was spending too much time sitting on my butt!! Now I can have that extra cookie and not feel guilty. Shell was passing out pedometers, and I took one, and the first day I logged about 3 miles from lunchtime to the end of my day at 6 pm, and a couple of days I actually surpassed 7 miles. And stairs!!! I refuse to take the elevators, unless I have to because my hands are full, and I have been up and down stairs so many times I can't even begin to count. Also, the flooring is still underway and some corridors are blocked off. When I got back, the 3rd floor corridors were blocked off, so if I had to check rooms on 3rd floors in different dorms in each pod, I would have to go up and down the stairs for each dorm, rather than going to the 3rd floor and checking all the 3rd floor rooms. I am counting on having buns of steel in a few months! Oh, and in my role of managing the room status, I've started enforcing the camp policy (i.e. you must check out or put your room on hold when you leave) and locking out people who are on the "No Sleep" list. I lock the rooms out and put a reminder memo that they must put their rooms on hold before going on days off. It just means that when they get back, they have to go to the front desk and get their key re-activated. Well, turns out I locked out some Very Important People. When I got the phone calls the evening that some of them returned, and asked an explanation, I said...they left on days off and didn't put their rooms on hold. I have to admit, I was a little nervous going in to work the next day, wondering if someone was going to be looking for my head on a platter, but so far...they all seem to have gotten over it. I mean, rules are rules, right?
Anyway, I'm almost at the end of this rotation, heading home Friday night to a whirlwind week off. I will be spending Christmas at camp this year, but home for New Year's. Last year it was the other way around, I was home for Christmas and at camp for New Year's.
The weather got above freezing for a day or two, but is back to snow again today.
Since getting back, I've started in my new role as Guest Services Supervisor. The department is not fully up and running yet, but I've been assuming some of the duties, anyway. I spend a lot more time on my feet, and running around checking room status, which is a good thing. I was spending too much time sitting on my butt!! Now I can have that extra cookie and not feel guilty. Shell was passing out pedometers, and I took one, and the first day I logged about 3 miles from lunchtime to the end of my day at 6 pm, and a couple of days I actually surpassed 7 miles. And stairs!!! I refuse to take the elevators, unless I have to because my hands are full, and I have been up and down stairs so many times I can't even begin to count. Also, the flooring is still underway and some corridors are blocked off. When I got back, the 3rd floor corridors were blocked off, so if I had to check rooms on 3rd floors in different dorms in each pod, I would have to go up and down the stairs for each dorm, rather than going to the 3rd floor and checking all the 3rd floor rooms. I am counting on having buns of steel in a few months! Oh, and in my role of managing the room status, I've started enforcing the camp policy (i.e. you must check out or put your room on hold when you leave) and locking out people who are on the "No Sleep" list. I lock the rooms out and put a reminder memo that they must put their rooms on hold before going on days off. It just means that when they get back, they have to go to the front desk and get their key re-activated. Well, turns out I locked out some Very Important People. When I got the phone calls the evening that some of them returned, and asked an explanation, I said...they left on days off and didn't put their rooms on hold. I have to admit, I was a little nervous going in to work the next day, wondering if someone was going to be looking for my head on a platter, but so far...they all seem to have gotten over it. I mean, rules are rules, right?
Anyway, I'm almost at the end of this rotation, heading home Friday night to a whirlwind week off. I will be spending Christmas at camp this year, but home for New Year's. Last year it was the other way around, I was home for Christmas and at camp for New Year's.
The weather got above freezing for a day or two, but is back to snow again today.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Random musings...
Things at Albian have been hopping this last couple of weeks. The winter drilling program is starting to get ramped up, and although it won't be fully underway until the ground freezing, preparation is beginning and of course, occupancy is increasing. The winter drillers go into the muskeg to drill, and they can't get equipment on the land until it's frozen, as it's like swampland when it's not frozen. The beaver dams were blown up and the Athabaska River has carried all the occupants of the now defunct lake into the new lake. I'm sorry, I don't have the names of these lakes, but the beaver dam was the last relocation. The second floor arctic corridors are now open for A pod and B pod, and closed for C pod. I did some room checks this week, and forgot about the C pod 2nd floor closure, so that required lots of climbing up and down stairs, since I couldn't move from dorm to dorm along the corridor. In order to do the second floor rooms, I had to either go up to third or down to first to move over. Good exercise though! I managed to get in two Zumba classes and I hope I'll be able to make 3 times per week when I get back from vacation.
Now for the pictures...at one of the other camps that is about 35 min driving distance from here, someone showed up for work at their job trailer (I think it was Thursday morning) and discovered a black bear had decided to try an office job. Looks like he was checking the paper stock, taking inventory of the supplies, and maybe trying to fax or copy a letter, it's hard to see. Oh, and the last picture looks like he's just on his break, or overwhelmed with the duties. No word on how they got him out of there.
So I am off to San Francisco today. The weather looks like it will be decent, around 14-15 degrees most days (mid-high 50's) and very little precipitation for the days we'll be there. Last day there looks very nice, about 16 and full sun. I don't expect I'll be coming back with a tan, but sounds great compared to Calgary here, where they had their first snowfall (that accumulated) yesterday morning. When the plane was coming in, all I could see from the air was a nice white blanket. I visited with Aimee here in Calgary last night, and am flying out this afternoon.
When I get back to camp, my role at work will be changing, but I will post those details on my return when I see how the department is progressing. I am not sure I'll have internet access but will try to get pics up when I can.
Now for the pictures...at one of the other camps that is about 35 min driving distance from here, someone showed up for work at their job trailer (I think it was Thursday morning) and discovered a black bear had decided to try an office job. Looks like he was checking the paper stock, taking inventory of the supplies, and maybe trying to fax or copy a letter, it's hard to see. Oh, and the last picture looks like he's just on his break, or overwhelmed with the duties. No word on how they got him out of there.
So I am off to San Francisco today. The weather looks like it will be decent, around 14-15 degrees most days (mid-high 50's) and very little precipitation for the days we'll be there. Last day there looks very nice, about 16 and full sun. I don't expect I'll be coming back with a tan, but sounds great compared to Calgary here, where they had their first snowfall (that accumulated) yesterday morning. When the plane was coming in, all I could see from the air was a nice white blanket. I visited with Aimee here in Calgary last night, and am flying out this afternoon.
When I get back to camp, my role at work will be changing, but I will post those details on my return when I see how the department is progressing. I am not sure I'll have internet access but will try to get pics up when I can.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Now snow is in the air...
Nothing sticking on the ground, but definitely snow in the air. We had a fire alarm a couple of days ago, and it was very windy, and also there were snowflakes in the air. Sigh...oh well, it IS the end of October, as compared to the first snowfall in mid-September last year.
Replacement of the arctic corridor flooring is underway. The 2nd floor walkways over to the core building were sealed off on Wednesday. That means when I go to work, or back to my room, or to any other rooms for other reasons, we have to go outside. Not bad, really, unless you happen to be lugging stuff from one place to another. Hopefully, another week and the 2nd floor walkways will be open. The first and third floors don't connect to the core building anyway, so you always have to use the 2nd. I guess they figured they would get that one done before the weather got too bad.
I heard something interesting today. They are going to be digging a new hole, or mine, I guess you'd call it, soon and in order to do this, they had to move a. the road in from Highway 63, and b. a lake. Move a lake???? I guess environmental people have been here the last 6 months moving creatures over to the new lake. Every single fish, and anything else that would life in a lake had to move. How do they move fish from one lake to another? They stun them, with a cattle prod in the water, they float up, they scoop them up, record the species etc, and dump them into the new lake. In about 15-20 minutes, they come to and swim away. The last critters to be moved were the beavers, and they blew up their dams this week and either have or will be now draining the old lake. The beavers will move on down the river and find a spot to build their new dams. NO, no beavers were harmed in the course of this relocation.
Speaking of wildlife, there was an interesting picture in a Shell newsletter that I saw floating around camp. Because so much of northern Alberta was destroyed by wildfires this summer (over 1,000,000 acres) the bears and other hibernating animals had to travel farther and wider to stock up for their winter sleep. That's the reason there have been so many sightings (100+ last year, 400+ this year) of bears closer to human habitation (in camps, in garbage bins etc). Well one of the little guys went into a pit on site, and then couldn't get out of the hole. Workers placed a ladder in the hole and sure enough, Yogi figured out how to use a ladder and rescued himself out of the hole.
One of the camp attendants here has started a Zumba exercise class. I finally made it to one last night. It's so much fun! I will be sure to get my exercise in 3 times a week with this! It's like a dance aerobics class, high energy with Latin/African sounding music. Sort of like learning a line dance. But a lot of fun.
Only 5 more days of work for me, then I'm off to San Francisco for vacation!
Replacement of the arctic corridor flooring is underway. The 2nd floor walkways over to the core building were sealed off on Wednesday. That means when I go to work, or back to my room, or to any other rooms for other reasons, we have to go outside. Not bad, really, unless you happen to be lugging stuff from one place to another. Hopefully, another week and the 2nd floor walkways will be open. The first and third floors don't connect to the core building anyway, so you always have to use the 2nd. I guess they figured they would get that one done before the weather got too bad.
I heard something interesting today. They are going to be digging a new hole, or mine, I guess you'd call it, soon and in order to do this, they had to move a. the road in from Highway 63, and b. a lake. Move a lake???? I guess environmental people have been here the last 6 months moving creatures over to the new lake. Every single fish, and anything else that would life in a lake had to move. How do they move fish from one lake to another? They stun them, with a cattle prod in the water, they float up, they scoop them up, record the species etc, and dump them into the new lake. In about 15-20 minutes, they come to and swim away. The last critters to be moved were the beavers, and they blew up their dams this week and either have or will be now draining the old lake. The beavers will move on down the river and find a spot to build their new dams. NO, no beavers were harmed in the course of this relocation.
Speaking of wildlife, there was an interesting picture in a Shell newsletter that I saw floating around camp. Because so much of northern Alberta was destroyed by wildfires this summer (over 1,000,000 acres) the bears and other hibernating animals had to travel farther and wider to stock up for their winter sleep. That's the reason there have been so many sightings (100+ last year, 400+ this year) of bears closer to human habitation (in camps, in garbage bins etc). Well one of the little guys went into a pit on site, and then couldn't get out of the hole. Workers placed a ladder in the hole and sure enough, Yogi figured out how to use a ladder and rescued himself out of the hole.
One of the camp attendants here has started a Zumba exercise class. I finally made it to one last night. It's so much fun! I will be sure to get my exercise in 3 times a week with this! It's like a dance aerobics class, high energy with Latin/African sounding music. Sort of like learning a line dance. But a lot of fun.
Only 5 more days of work for me, then I'm off to San Francisco for vacation!
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Fall is in the air...
Not that it's cold or anything, and certainly we didn't get snow in September, like last year, but you can tell winter is approaching. Right now it's somewhat mild, at around 10 degrees C or 50 degrees F, and expected to stay around there for the next week. Stratford, by comparison, is looking sunny for the next week, with temps in the 70's, or low 20's. Up here at camp the days are shorter by about 20 min or so, but the difference will be increasing quickly now.
As far as camp life...well, the maintenance people have started into the new flooring project, in which all the carpet has been ripped out of all the arctic corridors (the hallways that connect the living quarters, or pods, to the main core building). Carpet was a really bad choice for that anyway, and they were really in bad shape, even a safety hazard, as the carpet was bunched up from being repeatedly shampooed and cleaned. So we're walking on plywood floors in all the hallways. Feels like we're in the middle of a big construction project, haha.
Pretty much since the beginning of September, the camp has been overbooked and other camps have been taking in the overflow. Since these other camps are not near as nice as this one, it's like back in the day when we had the trailers, and guys crying and whining, wanting to get into Albian. There will be some big changes coming to camp, but until an official word is out....my lips are zipped!
As far as camp life...well, the maintenance people have started into the new flooring project, in which all the carpet has been ripped out of all the arctic corridors (the hallways that connect the living quarters, or pods, to the main core building). Carpet was a really bad choice for that anyway, and they were really in bad shape, even a safety hazard, as the carpet was bunched up from being repeatedly shampooed and cleaned. So we're walking on plywood floors in all the hallways. Feels like we're in the middle of a big construction project, haha.
Pretty much since the beginning of September, the camp has been overbooked and other camps have been taking in the overflow. Since these other camps are not near as nice as this one, it's like back in the day when we had the trailers, and guys crying and whining, wanting to get into Albian. There will be some big changes coming to camp, but until an official word is out....my lips are zipped!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
A resurgence of summer...
Yep, we're having a heat wave here. 27 degrees (or 81 F for my American family and friends) at 7:30 pm. I haven't hardly been out of the building, except for yesterday. Just when you think your day can't get any worse, there's a fire alarm! On the bright side, it was not the middle of winter, -15 degrees and 3 a.m. I was just really busy and was chomping at the bit for the all-clear sign. We had to be standing outside for at least 40 minutes. Nice bright sunshine, I think I even got a little burn on my face.
Got some really bad news last week. Our beloved rec director Ed is leaving us. *Insert crying face here*. Today was his last day. He'll still be staying at camp here, but with a different company and doing an outside labourer job. We will miss him sorely. Sara the baker made a great dumbbell cake, which I will get a picture of tonight when we say our farewells to him at the bar.
We are hopping at the village the last few days. Back to the old days of being out of rooms and running like crazy. It's kind of funny, as none of the front desk staff (well, maybe one that started last November) have ever seen camp this full and crazy. There will be no more complaints of boredom for a while. When those slow days do come around, you definitely enjoy and take advantage, after a stretch like this. I just think of it as job security, haha.
I am on my wind-down here, only 5 more days to work and I go home again. It's been a busy one, and I don't think I've been to town yet. I'm kind of disturbed that I don't remember if I've been to town....but I'm pretty sure not. Will be heading in tomorrow with Jen though.
So I thoroughly embarrassed myself at karaoke the other night. Yes, I have been dodging that bullet since I got here. Playing along when people start bugging "are you going to sing" I always say yes. I pick out a song, pretend to fill out a request form, then I sneak out before the inevitable. However.....this last time, with the "help" of a "friend" who actually filled out the request form, then physically held me down so I couldn't leave....I had to sing a duet with one of the young H&S guys. We gave them "Something To Talk About". It was bad, and when I looked around all I could see where cameras and iphones recording the event for posterity. Yes, it was bad. Oh well. It's not like I'll ever run into any of these people at home!!
Got some really bad news last week. Our beloved rec director Ed is leaving us. *Insert crying face here*. Today was his last day. He'll still be staying at camp here, but with a different company and doing an outside labourer job. We will miss him sorely. Sara the baker made a great dumbbell cake, which I will get a picture of tonight when we say our farewells to him at the bar.
We are hopping at the village the last few days. Back to the old days of being out of rooms and running like crazy. It's kind of funny, as none of the front desk staff (well, maybe one that started last November) have ever seen camp this full and crazy. There will be no more complaints of boredom for a while. When those slow days do come around, you definitely enjoy and take advantage, after a stretch like this. I just think of it as job security, haha.
I am on my wind-down here, only 5 more days to work and I go home again. It's been a busy one, and I don't think I've been to town yet. I'm kind of disturbed that I don't remember if I've been to town....but I'm pretty sure not. Will be heading in tomorrow with Jen though.
So I thoroughly embarrassed myself at karaoke the other night. Yes, I have been dodging that bullet since I got here. Playing along when people start bugging "are you going to sing" I always say yes. I pick out a song, pretend to fill out a request form, then I sneak out before the inevitable. However.....this last time, with the "help" of a "friend" who actually filled out the request form, then physically held me down so I couldn't leave....I had to sing a duet with one of the young H&S guys. We gave them "Something To Talk About". It was bad, and when I looked around all I could see where cameras and iphones recording the event for posterity. Yes, it was bad. Oh well. It's not like I'll ever run into any of these people at home!!
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Sunday, August 28 2011
I know, it's terribly uninspired of me as for a title. So since I've gotten back, we've had a Hawaiian theme night at the bar on Friday night, and Shell Family Day on Saturday.
The Hawaiian theme night was fun, even though attendance wasn't very high, people did seem to enjoy getting "lei-ed" as they came in. Well, most did. Some party poopers absolutely refused a lei, however most were willing to at least pretend to play along :) Our rec director Ed was in fine form, keeping the Hawaiian/beach party music going and running the games. The kitchen brought down Hawaiian pizza, chicken wings and meatballs and pineapple upside down cake for dessert. Ed had a limbo contest, a hula-hoop contest and a relay where each team had to take the lei, coconut bra and grass skirt off their teammate, run across the bar, do 6 hula moves, and run back. The bartenders served drinks in fancy glasses and I saw lots of smiles around.
On Saturday, Shell had their family day even. Shell employees were allowed to bring their families in, and for a few hours, there were no security stops at the gates. They had jumping castles, an ice cream truck, goodie bags, balloons and Shell toy trucks for the kids and also live music. ESS provided a lunch of hot dogs, hamburgers, grilled cheese, fries, salad and drinks. They were expecting around 750 people, but I never heard what the final tally was. It was very strange to see people and especially children and babies freely wandering about. It kind of made us workers feel like zoo exhibits, ha ha. Oh, I almost forgot...there was a guy set up in the parking lot to release foam "balloons" into the sky. The foam is pumped into a form, and when it's filled, the guy would pick up a Shell logo shaped from foam and release it into the wind. This "balloon" is made from soap and water, basically, and lasts 30-40 minutes and can rise up to 4,000 feet in the air before it just dissipates, just like bubbles. It's the "environmentally friendly" answer to balloons.
Today there is a big tented area set up right in the lobby across from the front desk where maintenance are going to be working for a couple of weeks. They are making some electrical upgrades or something. Anyway, the area is taped off with the Danger tape, and if anyone goes into the taped area, they will lose their site priviledges (meaning they are out of a job!). I hope everyone heeds the tape and we don't lose anyone!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)