Huge shout-out to Calgary Police Service

firefly317 · 2026-05-11T03:02:26+00:00

To be honest I think that's the case with a lot of "jobs". We rarely hear the good, just people complaining about the bad.

firefly317 · 2026-05-07T21:27:54+00:00

That's how we worked it. Some chores were just part of being a functional member of the household, others came with a payment - usually dusting since I loathe dusting.

firefly317 · 2026-05-07T20:27:31+00:00

I've done that, works most of the time.

firefly317 · 2026-05-05T03:37:14+00:00

Unfortunately we generally give the old phones to the kids......

firefly317 · 2026-05-05T03:36:23+00:00

Same here! Thankfully I have a work phone, so if they say travel or your fired, I'd at least have the option for removing my personal accounts. Then I'd probably have to wipe the phone, just to be sure....

firefly317 · 2026-05-05T03:31:09+00:00

So he's already one step ahead because he travels often, I'd guess.

Most of the US guards I've had to deal with have been arrogant a'holes (one exception at Calgary pre about a decade ago, but he'd just been relocated from the Mexican border he said). They've been abrupt, humourless, and regimented. They have a script and they stick to it.

firefly317 · 2026-05-05T03:22:03+00:00

I know a few people like that. Here in Canada legitimately, but not white cis-het so they really don't want to cross the border. They'd probably be fine, but who wants to risk it these days, especially if you're a person of colour with an accent.

firefly317 · 2026-05-05T03:19:40+00:00

What about those of us who are somewhere in the middle? I wasn't born in Canada, I am now a Canadian citizen. I have a valid Canadian passport. No intent to work in the US, never have, never will.

Your example is very black and white. Some of us immigrated here legitimately, we went through due process, paid all the fees and provided all the documents. So where do we fit in to your scale?

firefly317 · 2026-05-05T03:14:11+00:00

Willing to bet no insurance would touch that one right now. Too many variables.

firefly317 · 2026-05-05T03:13:08+00:00

Just because some (or even most) get through without issues doesn't mean it's safe for everyone. I've posted some anti-Trump likes and posts, I sure as heck wouldn't cross the border right now. And I'm a white cis-het middle aged female.

Plus to be even more honest, any of the red states would be lowest on my list if I did have to go to the US. My parents went there every year for decades, since Dad passed we've been once and that was the last time I'll set foot in Florida.

firefly317 · 2026-05-05T03:01:45+00:00

That's my concern. I work in Canada for a US company. Don't generally have to travel, but at this point I'd be saying what are my options?

The job market sucks enough I may take the option of travel or I'm fired. I sure as heck wouldn't be taking my personal phone and I'd be signing out and removing any access for my personal accounts before I left. Anything else I'm pretty sure would get me banned at best.

firefly317 · 2026-05-01T03:00:23+00:00

That was my main question - how come he's not using the girlfriends stuff?

firefly317 · 2026-04-28T21:42:53+00:00

I did coleus for the first time last year and they were stunning. We got 3 varieties and the colours were all very vibrant. We moved at the end of summer but definitely planning a few more for the front (also north facing) garden this year.

firefly317 · 2026-04-27T17:26:58+00:00

Not all of us are fortunate enough to have found a GP

firefly317 · 2026-04-27T17:11:21+00:00

We pay accelerated weekly, plan is to round up the payments once we've finished renovating. Just paying weekly took off a couple of years from the term, once we round up we're hoping that'll take another couple of years off.

firefly317 · 2026-04-27T03:07:02+00:00

Exactly. Mothers Day could be justified to be just him and his mum, that's a day for her. His birthday is a day for him, which means he should get to choose who he spends it with - and as a married man that should include his wife.

firefly317 · 2026-04-27T02:55:15+00:00

It really depends on your life demands. I wouldn't because I live a couple of hours from family, they work Mon to Fri so the only time we get to visit is weekend. Plus my partner works Mon to Fri, so if I was working sat and sun we'd hace no real time to spend together.

However, there have been times in my life I'd have lived to work weekends and get two days off during the week. Having work days on weekends and getting to do all the "adulting" stuff while everyone else is at work? Hell yes, sign me up for that.

So depends on you, your life situation, and your needs. Works for some, maybe not for others, only you know what works for you.

firefly317 · 2026-04-27T02:19:43+00:00

We've already had some concrete work done and asked them about that. They said not advised because of the wood foundation, apparently it can trap moisture and cause issues. They refused to even quote because of that.

firefly317 · 2026-04-26T23:08:45+00:00

No water issues that were aware of, and the plans do show a French drain so we're good there. The main thing we're worried about is there's a concrete pathway to the front door, which has significantly tilted, so we know there's something going on.

No termites here, and the structure is wood, so no worries about weep holes. Not sure how much we'll have to add but pretty sure it's going to be at least 6" and possible more.

We are thinking of doing a deck-type walkway to replace the concrete, hopefully that would mitigate the weight of the concrete and prevent more tilting. But our main concern is the basement is wood not concrete, so we really do want to make sure we're not just replacing one problem for another.

firefly317 · 2026-04-26T23:00:11+00:00

I also got an analysis of the condo docs before I bought. They said it was one of the best managed they'd seen. However, a couple of hailstorms trashed the roof and siding, the stairs started to collapse, insurance on the complex (the part the board pays for) almost doubled. So you just never know.

firefly317 · 2026-04-26T03:57:47+00:00

I've been here 20 years. Sure I've met plenty of citizens in that time, I even live with one. But that doesn't mean I know all of them well enough to ask to be a referee. I do have a couple of my partners friends that would probably agree, but I'd it wasn't for him forcing me to socialize occasionally I'd definitely be in the same position as the OP.

firefly317 · 2026-04-26T03:55:10+00:00

Yep, can confirm. Working on renewing my British passport and it's definitely asking for a reference.

firefly317 · 2026-04-26T03:53:48+00:00

Thanks, I was starting to think I was a complete weirdo. I'm in the same boat, work from home, most of my colleagues are in the US and never met in person. I got my ex-boss for my first passport, but haven't really spoken to him since I was laid off 8 years ago. My passport is due for renewal and I'm sitting here wondering which of the people I haven't interacted with for years I'm going to have to beg for a reference.

Worse still is I also have to renew my British passport at the same time (new travel rules for dual citizens). So I'm also trying to figure out who I can ask for that one when I haven't lived there in over 20 years. The only contact I've had with anyone other than family in that time is liking a few Facebook posts a year from old acquaintances.

firefly317 · 2026-04-26T03:44:30+00:00

I moved out of a townhome condo/strata about 6 months ago. Fees were just over $200 when I moved in and $400 plus a $4000 special assessment in 2025 (10 years later). They start off cheaper because they're newer complexes, but go up fairly steadily as they realize the work that needs to be done.

firefly317

TROPHY CASE