change of vocation

After years of trying to fix my back and the obligatory downtown it entailed, I have found a new vocation that is quite different from ROV, but as much fun... I now work in a zoo! :P

You can follow its stories here: www.parcsafari.com

and on Facebook.

And because I like to blog and love to cook... I started a new foodies blog.  In french and english, you'll find recipes, restaurants and bars recommendations, special events and cool products ideas.

No need to live near Montreal to appreciate it... well maybe for the restaurants, but it'll be useful when you come visit.. because you HAVE to visit Montreal, it's an awesome city!

Hope you'll like it,

Food for thoughts it's all there :)

and if you have any questions, reach me here: info@foodforthoughts.ca

farewell peeps!

hope

For the first time in months, my back didn't hurt at all last night. I was able to lay in bed with no pain and fall asleep easily... let's hope it keeps going that way and become as easy to sit, stand and walk now :P

idle II

Going to the clinic everyday, getting my back and neck stretched... I think it starting to work though, I find sleeping less painful than it used to be.

Since I can't walk for more than 15 min or drive more than 30 min luckily, downtown mtl is 15 minutes away from my place so I can drive there! I spend the days watching movies or sipping coffee decaf only arg! outside on St-Denis, watching the world go by and enjoying the warm weather it's been sunny and 27c everyday since I came home! yippee!

Festival season opens today with the Mondial de la biere... technically I'm not suppose to drink either, but I say that sampling beers from around the world doesn't count as drinking... a sip of each to see what I like and don't... and plenty of water so I don't dehydrate which is the reason why I can't drink coffee or alcohol my newly plumped lumbar disks :P

idle

It's summer.. too many things going on and not really any time to write about it...

I'm finally gonna get my back treated, meaning I'm not going back to work for a while...
Good side: I'll spend most of the summer in Mtl with its sunny, warm weather and frenzy of festivals, parties and activities...
Bad side: the whole stretching your spine so it stops hurting has many rules and regulations that will prevent me from enjoying or even going to most of that fun stuff :(

... and I just got a call for a lunch date so I'll continue this post later... there's game 3 tonight... I still have faith! :P

I'm home!!

and deep into playoffs frenzy!!!

The whole town is bleu-blanc-rouge!!!! Every other car has Montreal Canadiens flags on their windows and 1 out of 5 persons is wearing a CH jersey, cap or t-shirt... it's freakin' electric!!!

And on the radio... well there's only one theme... :P

!!!GO HABS GO!!!



The song that keeps on giving! XD




Unless you speak french and grew up in Quebec in the 8os, you wont get this one...
but OMG! it's my favorite one!!! Gold'Halak!!! wouhahaha!!!

what the hell is wrong with 2010???

There's too many good people dying or getting life threatening illness... from rockstar I had a crush on to friends and loved ones, I don't think there's been a week between each bad news since January...

What the hell is going on?!?!

Which springs again that recurrent question... Why is it that the people I know die instead of getting married?

is it too much to ask that, for once in my life, I enter a church wearing a pink dress instead of black?!

>:(

back in St.John's

The rig arrived in Marystown Saturday.. we've spent 2 extended shifts 18h and 21h trying to get everything packed and ready to go... the LARS and winch finally got lifted to a boat Sunday night technically Monday morning, 2am... and we left the rig at 2pm today.

I'm now in St.john's; tomorrow is a day off, to recuperate from the hectic last 3 days, then I'll be in the shop Wednesday... and going home Thursday.

That's it for now, I'm too tired for any more details...

going dark

We're almost done with this last job, so we should get under tow in the next 24-30 hours... that means we should be in St.John's around Friday! yippee!!! :D

That also means, that for the next 3-4 days I might not have internet access... our satellite signal is kinda iffy when the rig is moving or not keeping a straight heading, and let's just say that towing is not the most stable way to travel...

So I'll see ya when I see ya... but no matter what, I'm getting closer to my first return home on the date I'm supposed to! XD

on a lighter note...

.... we're flat out busy and it's FUN!!!! the ROV in the water and me in the shack flying it is how I like it! :)

It should be a short job, but I'm seeing stuff I never have before.. when I see them... This glory hole is dirty as s*** so as soon as we brush something, visibility goes from 10m to 10mm.. might as well pilot with our eyes closed! and it takes 20min to go back to somewhat decent... tricky...

we've just started bubble watch again, only for the last hour of our shift, and it might already be over when I get back on tonight... then there'll be some more pulling big yellow metal stuff up, bringing big yellow metal stuff down, pulling monkeys fists, activating lever... hurray! XD

the rig is on fire...

...not mine luckily... but the Deepwater Horizon down in the Gulf of Mexico is... :S

There's an Oceaneering crew onboard, but last we heard they were safe and sound.. 11 people are missing though and some were seriously injured.

A creepy reminder of what can happen in this scope of work.. when shallow gas meet sparks this is the result :

:(

I'm alive...

...just a bit busy...

we're moving to a new location, which means that for the past week we've been in the water monitoring subsea tools and operations. Very little time for breaks or lunch when it's like that.

We were suppose to go to the shipyard after this job, but now they've fit in another small job, so it'll be another week before we start getting towed towards dry land...

good news is: I'll be outta here on May 6th like I'm supposed to... no choppers delay, boat ride from hell or fogged up situation! The rig itself well, the 3 boats towing it :P will take me to the coast of Newfoundland! and from wherever we "park", a bus will drive me to St.John's.

how nice is that?! :D

but in the meantime, it's anchors galore around here, going up, going down, tweeking them... awesome for sleeping :S

my psychic family

It's my mom's birthday tomorrow, but since I'm leaving today and my sister left for NYC yesterday, we celebrated on Monday...

My dad surpassed himself once again, and gave my mom... this :

a freakin' Mercedes convertible!!!!!!!!!!! hers is midnight blue instead of silver...

What's really really really really weird is that 2 weeks ago I had made the decision that for my 35th birthday which, btw, is still years and years away :P I would buy myself exactly that! Figured that at 35 I'd be on my way to Cougar Town so I might as well get there in style! :P

My psychic dad beat me to the punch... meaning I'll get to practice my driving-with-the-top-down-hair-in-the-wind-music-blaring by borrowing my mom's sweet ride, before buying my own...
How cool is that?!?! XD