Well I have been taking a lot of heat for not updating my blog for the last couple months and rightfully so. I have been in a state of flux the last while trying to find a place to work and live within TransCanada. My original project I joined TCPL for has been put on hold awaiting permits, which could take up to 18 months. They then shuttled me over to the first Phase of our Keystone project which was competed. My role there was to assist on the claims litigation against some contractors. Anyone that knows me professionally knows that this is not my type of work to be doing. With this role, it required me to move to Calgary. That’s not so bad except I am trying to sell my house in a very flat market right now. So I do not plan on taking a big hit on the house I built. Anyways, after working on Phase 1 for ohhh about a week, I decided that I did not want to do that., I basically have resigned myself to the fact I will be leaving TCPL. My bosses caught wind of this(because I told them) and I had a meeting with 3 of my managers and director. They all convinced me to stay and gave me a new opportunity working on Phase 2-4 on the Keystone project. I would be based out of Houston TX. I liked that so I accepted the role, in the meantime I had 4 calls in two days on jobs I had applied to. It is a good indication that he market is coming back. I was tempted by at least 1 of the jobs but decided since TCPL had shown me the love that I decide to stay.
This has created a whole different bunch of stresses for me. I now am not sure what will happen with e selling my house, and whether I need to or not before I move to Ontario ;if OGS (Oakville Generating Station)does get cancelled they will want me to move to Houston to work which means selling my house there and buying here. If it doesn’t et cancelled then I will sell my house and move to Ontario when it happens. The other problem I have with all these plans is I am not sure how my move will work as it is suppose to be complete within 1 year of my hire. So If I move after a year, is it now an employee transfer vs a move? Will they pay for it now that it is over a year? I haven’t received these answers yet, as well as the questions I have for my Houston assignment, like LOA or Per Diem, Travel, Uplift, Project bonus ect. So you can see what the turmoil has created.
On a personal note, things have been ok. With all the travel between Calgary and Houston I haven’[t seen my house much, I have completed the back yard as far as the fence and sod goes. That cos me $10k of which I will not see back in the house sale. I just got tired of not having a back yard. Now that I do I hate it as I have to mow it every week and it takes a lot to mow this Par 3 back yard.
I have been out golfing a lot this year and have been having a blast. I think I am even getting better although some days my score doesn’t show it.I think I have been out 23 times already this year. That is one thing that I think I will like about Houston is Golfing all year round. After this week though, I am not sure I want to golf during August in Houston as it is so damn hot! This upcoming week I have 3 days of golf Monday through Saturday and maybe even squeeze in Sunday.
I spent the week before in Sydney Nova Scotia visiting my brother and family. It was a lot of fun and I got to see a lot of people I haven’t seen in years, some I hadn’t met yet! The weather was perfect all week with one day of rain(not on my golf days either) I managed to get out 3 times golfing and even got to see my friends Dave and Linda Bennett from Ottawa. We managed to squeeze in a couple dinners and a night out at the Cape Breton Summertime Revue show. I took my brother Bill and his gal and they loved it as well. A good time had by all! The week went by way to fast though and I regret not booking two weeks now. I think next year will be a 2 week stay down there.
My next trip will be from Houston to Charlotte North Carolina on the September long weekend to visit my Buddy Mike Sandford and Family. It has been over a year since I had seen them. Mike and I have ben friends now going on 8 years and he even worked for me during 4 of them. We have a great relationship and I am excited to get down seeing them!
The trip after that will be Panama in October and I am going with my friend Dave and Linda from Ottawa. I will also have at least one visit to Ontario during that two month time frame to visit family as well. So I do have more plans coming so stayed tuned for more travel updates. My travel schedule for the next month is going to be busy traveling between Edmonton, Calgary and Houston with a side trip to Cold Lake for Golf.
Ok, that’s enough for today, I will endeavor again(as I always say) to update this minimum on a weekly basis. If not keep bugging me and I will eventually get around to it!
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