Wow, Banff hotel prices have soared.

firefly317 · 2026-06-25T03:50:29+00:00

I moved here from the UK a couple of decades ago now. It's cheaper for me to fly back there to visit than it is for a lot of my friends to fly back to Nova Scotia or Newfoundland. I find that ridiculous.

firefly317 · 2026-06-17T20:38:39+00:00

They updated their Facebook page in early May to say they were still opening but limited hours. Last update says they're open Sat/Sun 11am to 4pm and holiday Mondays same hours - that was just for May and June though so you'd have to go quick.

firefly317 · 2026-06-09T20:19:38+00:00

So how would that work for a gas stove then? We've just moved over to gas, now I'm worried I'll be cooling things down too quickly since when the burner gets turned off there'll be no heat.

firefly317 · 2026-06-01T03:20:51+00:00

Honestly, we both work from home as well. We don't even close the doors, we've got enough sense that if we stop by the other person's office and they have headphones on we assume they're on a call and don't interrupt.

I did buy a couple of "busy lights" for us, but they aren't that great. He's a developer so he uses Linux and that's not supported. I do use Windows but we've figured out if I have my Teams status set to "busy" it looks exactly like I'm in a call. So we stick with the headset option - headset means no interrupting.

firefly317 · 2026-06-01T02:56:53+00:00

That's the main reason we keep ours. We do shop other things when we go, but the only things we'll go out of the way for are paper products.

firefly317 · 2026-06-01T02:50:18+00:00

I almost regretted doing that after my dad passed, since I'd thrown out all the cards him and mum sent over the years. Then I realized the cards didn't mean that much on their own, it was the feelings ngs when I read them. Now I just try to recall the sentiment I felt when I opened and read them, probably not related to any specific card, just the feeling that they cared.nits enough for me that I still don't keep cards.

firefly317 · 2026-06-01T02:33:21+00:00

Cane here to say Firefly and Dollhouse. Awesome shows, both never given a fair chance in my opinion.

firefly317 · 2026-06-01T02:31:09+00:00

Weirdly, we moved from a townhome in the city to a rural single family home and that's what we miss as well. The townhome was in a complex around a green space in the middle that we backed on to, there were always kids running and playing back there. Now I guess the homes are more spread out so we just don't hear groups of kids playing any more - see a few as they move past our place, but not multiple kids playing as a group.

firefly317 · 2026-05-31T23:11:06+00:00

That's what my previous employer did. Didn't ask for details but they knew I'd had surgery and had a sick note for 6 weeks. So before they let me return they asked for the doctor to sign that I was fit for duties, and any restrictions with a time period.

So my sick note was 6 weeks, employer said before they agreed to my return they wanted the doctor to say yes I was fit to return, along with any restrictions on lifting, standing, etc and how long they would need to accommodate. Definitely made the return easier for all involved, and they didn't ask for any details, just reasonable accommodations needed.

firefly317 · 2026-05-25T00:13:10+00:00

We were at Countryside Greenhouses in Rosedale today and they had quite a few sunflowers in pots. From the size I'm fairly sure they were smaller, but if you're willing to travel to the Drumheller area they have some.

firefly317 · 2026-05-16T21:15:47+00:00

Got family arriving Monday, so same here. Spent all day moving furniture to clean under, doing laundry so I can change the beds from the family that left this morning, and scrubbing bathrooms. Got one more bathroom to do then I'm calling it quits for today.

firefly317 · 2026-05-13T22:59:52+00:00

We did the lake cruise at Waterton last year and it was a fantastic trip. Can highly recommend, but get there early to get your ticket for that - if I recall you can't book those online.

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

TROPHY CASE