Rat, Ship, Sinking

Well I never, so I'm not the only one bunking out of the overpriced UK. The famed author of the Policeman's blog has gone over to Edmonton, Alberta. Best of luck with the RCMP Dave, their dress uniform is spanking.

As for me, I'm just collecting my thoughts having driven all the way across Canada through the Rockies, across the great plains to the Maritimes and back again. Don't ask me why, just that I was fulfilling a promise to Mrs S who grew up on this side of the pond. I have touched the waters of the Pacific and Atlantic and feel some kind of Rubicon has been crossed.

More soon when I'm not bound to using flaky wireless connections and Library resources that won't let you cut and paste from a data key.

Blogless

I’ve been finding it difficult to write of late. It’s not just that I’ve lost the urge. That’s been as strong as ever. It’s more to do with being overwhelmed by everything in Canada, and not much opportunity to write on the old laptop due to lack of battery power. Never mind the fact that reliable wireless Internet connections have proved far and few between, so no blogging.

In less than two weeks we’ve crossed Canada from Vancouver to Halifax, about 8000 Kilometres, or 5000 miles by my reckoning. I’m sure others have done it faster, slower, longer, or by cycling, walking, running or Golf Cart, but that’s what we elected to do.

There is so much stuff from the journey rolling around in my overcrowded head that I’m going to have to prize it out with jackhammers and a JCB. This may take some time.

Notwithstanding; Mrs S and I recently looked at our budget, after travelling from Vancouver to Cape Breton and many points between, looked at the weather and the quality of Motels we’ve stayed in (I’ll write a list of some pretty unhappy stops if anyone wants to know where to avoid on the Great Plains, specifically Medicine Hat and Moose Jaw), and by the time we got to Moose Jaw decided that we were paying a lot for not much and decided to go camping the rest of the way.

Since making that decision I’ve been used as table de hôte by every sodding biting insect within a five kilometre radius and developed a pathological hatred of Mosquitoes. The Quebec Mossies were the most aggressive, and got worryingly close to my important little places despite several layers of heavy duty insect repellent. Several days running I woke up looking at each new crop of little itchy lumps wondering “How the hell did he get up there?”

Now I’m out and pitching in the workplace, seeking a job over in the west side of Vancouver that isn’t to do with the fast food or retail sector. The car is holding up well, and the Mosquito bite marks and prickly heat are healing. I’ve got to the stage where Karma be damned – those little suckers are going to die. My attempts to reach the status of Bodhisattva are going to have to wait. Pass me the RAID, Buddha.

Blog entries are going to be backdated, and I promise whoever reads my rabid drivel that the quality and quantities of entries will improve.

Regards

Bill

New rules

We bought our first car in Canada on Tuesday. A 1998 Ford Windstar. Not the best liked of vehicles, but as both Mrs S and I find it comfortable and apart from a couple of minor niggles like the column gear shift and a warning light that stays on, even though there isn't a problem, not a bad piece of kit.

Being a cautious soul, I am sticking to the posted speed limits, which seemed to annoy one person in a Budget rental pickup that roared past us with much obscene gesticulation, indicating that he was much displeased with my obedience to the traffic laws. I did not respond, basically because I already knew what kind of person he was, and didn't need to make my feelings known by word or deed. That boy needs to grow up a bit.

That said, it feels odd chuntering along in Kilometres an hour, and don't ask me how weird it feels being able to turn right on a red light. I'll get used to it, eventually.

Oh yes, welcome to another Police related site to the sidebar www.police.info