Another Year Another Raise :D

So I'm currently taking my advanced classes and soon wrapping up what's left of this five year apprenticeship. I guess you could say I'm not so good at this blogging stuff eh? For someone who spent a lot of time online you'd think I could get back here at some point. Well here we are anyway and here I also sit on the bus heading into class on a sunny Thursday morning. I find advanced class is a lot of review which is perfect as far as I'm concerned. I've been creating study notes with all the work we've been going through. There is definitely stuff there I have not touched upon in three years. Is it refreshing to see it again? Like cool ocean spray on the face? Well ocean water is salty and in the end can dry out the skin so in a way sure it's like that, lol.
The family has grown by leaps and bounds. Am married and have gained four more children. An adoption for both of us and three step children. Isn't that term so... so.... well I don't know. I just don't like using it when I could just say daughter. The kiddies know who their parents are and I know who their parents are so if I'm talking to a complete stranger they don't need to know the personal inner workings of my life. "Oh step child so this isn't his first marriage eh? Or maybe he had children out of wedlock. Tsk tsk tsk. Poor girl what has she gotten herself into? Hmmm) But then if you saw the kiddies you'd know they were not of my genes. I'm Native through and through and they are soooo WHITE! :P So you get the picture.
ANYhooooo back to my apprenticeship. I'm bad for tangents. I'm done school at the end of Feb. Then I have a week of dedicated review for all those getting ready to write the Red Seal oooooOOOOOOoooooo. IKR? :) Then my hours will be up sometime late April early May. THEN comes the day... Read Seal ooooOOOOOOooooo test day for me! Now From what I've gathered through the grapevine, this Red Seal oooooOOOOOooooo test is always changing. That or there is a pile that they circulate with no predetermined pattern. Always changing its pattern.... I guess it wouldn't really be a pattern anymore if that were true eh? So I could get any version of the test and if I WERE to fail my firs attempt it would probably not be the same the second time around. Well ok. That does make sense. Can't have people memorizing these things and getting by the second time around solely by having a good photographic memory. :) Also plenty of people have failed the first and second attempt at the test. (Hence my crazy study notes/novel I'm creating. So there is that to worry about. Other than that I SHOULD be Red Seal ooooOOOOOoooo approved by summer. Fingers crossed. :D
School with a bunch of guys can be an interesting thing. I noticed that as a group they can be unapproachable. Also they can be un-appealing to approach. One on one though they can be the friendliest of creatures. :P One has to study them well and know the signs when approaching a group of this species. Also the size of the group has a lot to say about how they would act individually. The bigger the group the more they show signs of boasting and the need to be king of the hill. As the groups get smaller they tend to be calmer and more approachable. Always maintain caution though. You never know when one will act out and set even the tiniest of groups going. (Diane Fossey would have been proud of me! LOL) Ok so I'm a bit to blame for the lack of approach. I don't hunt, fish, watch sports, drink a lot of beer or find the need to talk about how much my partner wants a g-spot orgasm (I certainly hope MY partner doesn't have a g-spot... o.O) So with few things in common with the majority of them I do tend to stick to my own thoughts. One on one though it can be quite different. They are the most polite individuals. They probably talk to me the same way they talk to their wives/gf's. I should start a tell all blog about what who says about whom! Be the whistleblower on what REALLY is discussed in construction lunch rooms and whatnot. Would I give names, eventually get taken to court for slander and become a tabloid celebrity? HA! As if eh? I'll just describe them with so much detail that you'd know who "John Doe" or "Subject A" is anyway LOL.
So this is where I am and I now have to run because I have class starting in about five minutes. I'll let you know how "Subject C" was when I get out. ;)

Official YET?!?

TAMMIE AND SIERRA
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I've finally finished my probation and I still have my job (guess they really DO like me... ). As of Monday January 23rd I have been an employee of the sheet metal workers union for 3 months. More specifically Dilfo Mechanical, and I hope I stay with them throughout my apprenticeship. I am now awaiting the MCA to get a hold of me so that we can get this business of a contract over with. Then I'll officially be an apprentice! Now honestly did you think I'd make it this far? I should watch what I say though. Might jinx myself in some way....

bek is moving into the building tomorrow. Am looking forward to having a friend close by. Back in 1999 I lived in the same building as a friend as well and we survived it. We both then and now are/where single mom's so there are a lot of things we can do to help each other out when so close. On the same note, we DO have a floor and two dead bolt doors between us if we feel we need them, lol. Also next September Tammie will have a little companion to go to school with. I'm sure Sierra will love having Tammie by her side more.

My brother was in a car accident last weekend. I believe they hit black ice and ended up totalling the truck they were in. He was wearing his seatbelt and his friend was not. They both walked away from the accident physically sound, but badly shaken up. Having something like that happen gives you a different perspective on life. I'm thankful my brother is here to tell the tale.