# How Was Your Week?



## balmoralboy (May 22, 2004)

I have had a tough week. It started with a conference of church people we had on the weekend, including my wife's cousin and his wife. Nice people, but it was very busy plus you had to be on your best behavior the whole time. 

Saturday night it snowed. It mostly rained off here, but there was 20 to 30" on the mountain between us and civilization. So they all decided to stay until Monday. That was fine, but now we've got to find food for 20 extra mouths. And man, could they eat! I'd be amazed if any one didn't gain five pounds! And none of the staff could make it in except the cook. So Sue and I were the waiters and busboys.

By Monday morning it was evident that the power company had serious problems. 10% of the population was out of power. We were fine, but lots of areas weren't. We took our youngest back to Halifax for university on Monday morning and took some pictures on the way.

<IMG SRC=http://www.balmoralmotel.ca/350/roadway.jpg>

<IMG SRC=http://www.balmoralmotel.ca/350/pole.jpg>
Notice how the butt of the broken section is sitting on the phone cable below.
<IMG SRC=http://www.balmoralmotel.ca/350/tower.jpg>
Note that is a 347 KVa line on those towers.

While in the car we got a call from the power corp - can we house 9 guys coming in from Bangor, Maine and open up the restaurant to feed them .....Dinner at 9PM, Breakfast at 5:30AM and a boxed lunch each morning?

So, dropped off Tris, figured out what to feed them, then loaded the van up with supplies and back to Tata. Organized housekeeping to clean rooms and staff to cook meals by the cell phone. 

they stayed three nights - so my day was up at 4:30AM set tables and make coffee, print off the weather report, serve breakfast to the 9 guys, finish bagging up the sandwiches fruit and drinks for the crew so their lunches are ready to pick up by the time they finish breakfast. Cook came back at 5PM to get the Dinners ready. Served dinner about 8:30 PM each night, then took orders for their boxed lunches and helped make sandwiches until about 11PM. Then off to bed and start again at 4:30 AM.
During the day try to get more supplies, and keep the accounting going without falling asleep at the desk.

A lot of work, but worth it in the end. And hey, my week was better than the guys running the power corp. They had been scheduled to be asking for a rate increase starting Monday morning. Tuesday's editorial cartoon was two guys in suits - one guy's briefcase shows he's the regulator, the other guy's has the power company name. The power company guy is holding a candle and saying " I suppose this isn't a good time to ask for an increase?"

And then, today, I finally get back to my computer to check what's happened this week on tractorforum and I've got to fix my computer. I didn't think I was gone that long.......

<IMG SRC=http://www.balmoralmotel.ca/350/green.jpg>


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## jodyand (Sep 16, 2003)

Yea Jim my week was not that hard But i do feel for you because I've put in many a long hours with my old job. Looks like y'all had a heck of a storm glad you made it out OK.


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## MowHoward2210 (Nov 2, 2003)

Great story and pics, Jim! :thumbsup:


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## guest (Sep 16, 2003)

how was my week? better than yours.. thats for sure...


man im not looking forward to the winter..

funnuy... sometimes i gripe about having a truck.. cuz folks ask you to move stuff for them...

but having a motel....


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## balmoralboy (May 22, 2004)

> _Originally posted by simple_john _
> *how was my week? better than yours.. thats for sure...
> 
> 
> ...


Of course, the good side is 3 months in Florida................


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## Chipmaker (Sep 16, 2003)

I can honestly say my week was fantastic compared to what yours was ......while doing what you do co-ordinating staff, food supplies, housekeeping etc etc is all part of running an inn, having to deal with snow and power outages etc would really just makes it a big pain.......

It takes a special type opf person to deal with folks on a day to day basis........and dealing with folks in a normal situation is one thing, but lousy weather etc makes it harder, but I guess you folks up there in the great white north consider this normal ...... 

That sure is a neat pic of the wood pole snapped off at the top and setting on the lower telephone cable........seems odd how it snapped off where it did...


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## jodyand (Sep 16, 2003)

So thats why they put the the phone cable below the powerlines to hold them up when the snap off


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## balmoralboy (May 22, 2004)

> _Originally posted by Chipmaker _
> *I can honestly say my week was fantastic compared to what yours was ......while doing what you do co-ordinating staff, food supplies, housekeeping etc etc is all part of running an inn, having to deal with snow and power outages etc would really just makes it a big pain.......
> 
> It takes a special type opf person to deal with folks on a day to day basis........and dealing with folks in a normal situation is one thing, but lousy weather etc makes it harder, but I guess you folks up there in the great white north consider this normal ......
> ...


Thanks Chip,

Actually, the great part is dealing with the people. They're all relaxed and having a good time!

The weather is not so good.

Actually, the poles often snap there. I don't know why, but I suppose it's got something to do with the distance between the wires and the ground giving the highest strain in the middle part of the pole????


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## bontai Joe (Sep 16, 2003)

My week started on Monday with my daughter's ride being late to pick her up after school, only to find out she wasn't at school any more. When I got home I was greeted by my hysterical neighbor who was supposed to pick up my daughter, who while crying was trying to tell me she didn't know where my daughter was. So I went to the school to look around. It was 6:15 and Bev was supposed to be picked up at 3:30. By 6:45 I called the police, who went with me as we searched the school again. I had called home several times to check messages on the machine, with no luck. I finally left the school at 8:00 and went home to be greeted by the ringing phone. My daughter was at a friends house, because she couldn't think of anywhere else to go. For some reason, our answering machine decided that day to not take messages (it's now in the trash!) So after sprouting a new crop of grey hair, I had everyone home safe and sound by 9:00 PM. The rest of the week went quietly, but I certainly don't need another like this one.


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## balmoralboy (May 22, 2004)

Joe, 

That makes my week look like a picnic. Glad to hear it turned out OK.


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## AlbanyBob (Aug 25, 2004)

What great pictures of the storm Jim. 

Thanks for sharing and yes my week was much better then yours there. Nothing to complain about here.  Sorry Jim.  

But I have been thinking that someday I may visit Nova Scotia but I think now it will be in the summer.  Just wondering when summer is there. What do you have about 2 weeks of good weather? Then snow again.

Have a better week
:captain: Bob


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## MR. T (Oct 3, 2004)

Enjoyed the pictures.It's been a long week for me.Had to work approx. 68 hrs.the past 5 days.Sometimes I feel I'm too old for these kind of hours.May God bless my wife for never complaining about my job.


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## Argee (Sep 17, 2003)

Pretty dam good. Was able to get my shop rearranged so I can put both tractors in it with room to spare which allows me to use my equipment shed for other items I want to keep out of the weather this winter.

I did maintenance on both tractors on my days off...change oil and lube...installed a toolbox on my 1715 and got my GT5000 ready for snow blowing season. So all in all it was a pretty productive week.


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## Ingersoll444 (Sep 17, 2003)

Wile not as busy as Jim's, or as scary as Joe's, all in all I had a pretty rotten week. Mostly from things I cant go into here, but work has been a REAL headacke. I am in the auto parts biz, and this is 1) the start of the "crash season" my busyest time

2) everyone is hauing there old junk out for use this winter

and 3) New inspection laws in NY make it mandatory not to have a check engine light on to get your car inspected. So I spend all day hearing "My light is on, whats wrong?" Ok just hold the car up to the phone and I will take a look.


Add that to my doughter starting to come down with a cold, and getting cranky at night, made is a week I am GLAD is over.


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