Working Man

Nick has started his new job. He is a civilian investigator for the Hertfordshire police and works out of Borehamwood. This is a picture of him off to work on his first day. Doesn't he look nervous! It's been 20 years since he's had a 'first day at work'! Nick’s been shadowing two other colleagues who asked him to stop wearing a suit as it was making them look bad. So, here he is on his way to day 14 of the job. At least it's easier for him to cycle to work in this outfit!

As an investigator he takes statements off of witnesses, gathers and views CCTV footage, and compiles evidence for court cases. Recently, his caseload has included a list of people who have driven off without paying for their gas (I can’t believe how many!), a bank robbery, burglaries and a house fire. He records statements from witnesses, perpetrators or the victims. When he’s busy, he loves it. There’s no work or stress to bring home. It’s just punch in and punch out. Exactly what he needs after a stressful job like the army.

It's a great job, but I think he should go into the movie industry as a Bruce Willis double. What you do think?
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To answer a few questions....
-- Yes I took the photo of Stonehenge at the top. I love that photo. I was there with Mom, Jim, Jack and Nick in January. Cody called me on my mobile shortly after taking this photo.
--I start my new job on Wed Aug 29. I'll post on that next (for now I best get back to my lesson planning)...
--To read comments click the gray "0 comments" or "5 comments" or whatever number of comments there are. The comments will open up in a separate window (so if you have your pop-up blocker function on you will have to allow pop-ups by reading the line that's just appeared at the top of your screen/bottom of your tool bar).
--To post your own comments type in the big box at the bottom of the comments, choose an identity (most likely 'other') fill in your name how you want it to appear in the comments and click the orange "publish your comment" button. Easy!

Camping in Wales... To identify with the

We have the kids for two weeks of holiday and we wanted to go out an do something. Camping is inexpensive and there is a lot of the UK I haven't seen. So, camping it is. Even though this is the rainiest summer Britain has seen in years... even though we had to drive through flooded regions to get there and back ....




(flooded regions in Gloucester where people had sandbags outside their homes and others were fighting over the short supply of bottled water)... But, they have the best view from a grocery store ever.





We went camping! In Wales (land of rain)! This is where N spend many of his summers growing up. His mother () was Welsh.



And it rained! So, we played cards in the tent, ate in the tent, read in the tent, I even cooked in the tent!



I guess that's why the tents are so big in England. This is ours and it was medium in size compared to the others around. It has three bedrooms and a middle common room that extends out front.













On our first day of mostly rain, we went into Pembroke.



and went to the Pembroke Castle where King Henry VII (Henry Tudor) was born. Speaking of reign.






Did you know that Henry Tudor (father to King Henry VIII) wasn't even the son of a king? He was the son of royal blood (Lord R--s to mention one) but he actually was just a well educated, well-off man who was at the right place at the right time. His mother made the right alliances and the right choices for her son and he won (sort of by luck) a rebellion against King Richard III. Maybe that's why Henry VIII was so desperate to keep his blood line going.. it had only just started.

The king of the castle right now though is J...








We had one day of sun and warm weather when we went to the sea. Just a couple miles from where we were camping we had the most beautiful stretch of coastline.





N and the kids went exploring and found all sorts of treasures.

















We even went jumping in the waves like these kids are.




The water was warmer than the Okanogan Lake but getting out was cold! Jumping the waves was awesome! It was like being at a wave pool. I'm usually very scared of the sea and hate swimming in it, but this was warm, shallow, sandy under foot and fun!













The evenings were normally nice. We played catch and frisbee and went into nearby Tenby. Tenby had a gorgeous coastline. Here's J against the evening sky.




The tide was out on those evenings and it exposed a vast expanse of sandy beach.



People wrote all sorts of things in the sand from "Hi Mum" to tractor adverts.





So, Ce made her mark.






















And we all explored the caves and caverns.



















The ride home was through the breath-taking Brecon Beacons.



























The nights were not like the evenings and it poured rain! Part of the tent even collapsed one night under the gale force winds. I'm not sure if I can convince everyone to camp again, but hopefully as time goes on, they will remember only the good things and not the cold, damp sleepless nights.

Canadian Vaccation

Hello, welcome back to the blog. Please feel free to comment. I think anyone can now. And, if you comment then I know someone is looking at this site and that we are loved :)

Canada was awesome! The weather was brilliant, the company was fun and the events were spectacular.

I got to see Heather and Scott's little one























Nick and I met up with my brother Dan and his wife Christine in the Okanagan. When I was growing up I spent many summers at our family cabin there. It was great to show Nick the same cabin and beach I spent so much time at.






We had a BBQ with Grandma, Grandpa, Aunty Helen, Uncle Dana, my cousin Christine, her hubby Greg and their little one Zac.



Nick and Dan even got a round of golf in.



We arrived back in Calgary just in time for the Stampede parade which we watched with Mom, her friends, Gillian and Tod.



The parade was awesome. There was lots to see and was a great way to spend the morning. Here are a few highlights of the parade.

















Of course, the person who stole the show was MY STEP-DAD!





We saw Good Charlotte on the Coca Cola stage.



Sadly, we didn't get to see all our family and friends, but we did see a few.



And ended the trip with a Sleeman beer at the airport.



There were so many people and things we didn't get to see. 2 weeks goes by so fast. Next year I want to throw a great big BBQ where everyone can pitch a tent and meet up. Everyone from UofL, Sundre, etc. It will be like a little reunion of friends. Then, with the rest of my time, I can see my family. I still have to explore my uncle's new home in Edmonton. I think he built it two or three years ago! Shame on me.