THE STAGIAIRE'S ABSENCE

The stagiare was there today. Her reason for not coming in was valid. For not calling in? A lack of experience.

Last Wednesday night her younger, 18 year old sister was crossing the street, 5 minutes away from home, and she was stuck by a hit-and-run driver. The girl is in an induced coma while they repair the broken bones in her arm and legs; she also has head trauma. Of course I understand C.’s feelings; it’s a frightful thing to go through. However, it would take one minute to call and warn us, or leave a message, and I know she had the opportunity to do so during the 4 past days. I’m sure she also thought about it, but, being young, decided that this was serious enough to absolve her of her personal responsibilities. Then again, that is why the students do temp-work before graduation – to learn how it is in the real world. Both the school supervisor and I, each in our own way, explained to her that, yes, it was a terrible thing, and no-one could fault her for not coming to work, but you need to advise your employer. She’s a very quick study; her reaction told me she understands.

It shows the kids are back in school – at least the CJEP (Quebec College) and universities are. Traffic is back to normal, aka super slow. Even leaving a little earlier from the office didn’t help. It was a 2 hour drive home. Accidents and stalls added to the construction…UGH! I have to get used to it all over again. With a good vehicle, and a funky sound system, it isn’t all that bad, until you begin counting how many hours per day you are sitting waiting…inching ahead…waiting…inching ahead…waiting, and today mine added up to 3 ¾ hours. Friday it was a total of 5 hours, the in and out of the city. Let’s see, what else could I be doing during those 5 hours? If you add it on to an 8 hour work day, you are away from house (and the doggies) for 13 hours!!! That’s a trip to Vancouver and back, isn’t it? Obviously it’s time to change the starting and finishing times – like, do your driving when the traffic is lightest. Yes. Working on it.

Because it is so late, I took a very short walk with the doggies. We wandered down to the apple tree, and I picked one to munch on for our return to the house. I like the tart, sweet taste of a Macintosh fresh off the tree. By the end of the month they’ll have ripened perfectly, and I’ll have another excuse to invite the grandchildren over, LOL!

Bud is doing better after his confined rest inside all day, so I’m hoping for a nice, long, uninterrupted sleep tonight. I could use it!

Have a good night y’all, and if you catch sight of a SMILING face in your dreams, it may very well be mine!

Luv from the Bush in Quebec.