So... Whats for lunch?

[tenkani]

 OMG P.C. got #4,000    :O
[span style="font-weight: bold; color: rgb(192, 0, 0);"]I'm totally jealous BUT #5,000 is MINE!!![/span]

 
EDIT: LOL TOP OF PAGE IS MINE!!!!

[CK]

OMGITSFUJUKIN'TENKANI!!!!!

  Hey amigo! Hope the plants are treating you better or as good as any humans are.

[Sportsdude]

Hey CK how's the american state of Alberta treating yeah?

[CK]

haha! Its not too bad my friend!

Bad rep, yes. But really, you have to check it out for yourself. Check out reggaefest in Calgary. [A href="http://www.calgaryreggaefestival.com/"]http://www.calgaryreggaefestival.com/[/A]

or the Folk fest in Edmonton.

[A href="http://www.edmontonfolkfest.org/"]http://www.edmontonfolkfest.org/[/A]

There are some excellent people here too. I find generally, Alberta is full of regular Canadians that are from coast to coast originally that are just looking and finding opportunity.

  Scares me, the way housing has soared! Glad I bought a house a few years ago. But a boom does produce a negative side effect.

  As for the oil agenda, I guess I am just as guilty, I drive too.

Alberta has come a long way, [A href="http://www.energysolutionsalberta.com/default.asp?V_DOC_ID=1099"]http://www.energysolutionsalberta.com/default.asp?V_DOC_ID=1099[/A]

  most of the energy used to move Calgary's trains are from wind power too. There is still a long ways to come, don't get me wrong. But its not as bad as my former townsfolks think it is.

  One thing about Calgary, it is pretty clean. It is a city that is proud to be Canadian. I have made many friends of different faces and different races right here. Huge Lebanese community here too, damn! They make the best desserts!    

[Sportsdude]

So is Calgary the new Centre of the Universe with it passing the 1 million mark?

[CK]

haha! not even close. The thing with Calgary as opposed to other cities, the burbs in Calgary, are in Calgary city limits. Whereas Vancouver may only have a half a million people, but well over 2 million including the metro area. (Burnaby, Surrey, Richmond). Calgary is just Calgary, divided into 4 quadrants and a downtown.  So a million may sound like a lot, but it is just another city when comparing to other cities. Toronto will always be the centre of the uni! haha! (Now Torontonians, I love you too!).

  I am off. chat soon!

[P.C.]

 CK......hello and HAPPY MONDAY!

Its bloody hot here today. sunny and 31!



(PC, I miss chatting with you sweetie!, hope you are having a great summer!).

  Ohhhh, CK.  Somehow I missed this post.  I miss chatting with you too.  I'm so happy to hear how much you're enjoying your summer.  Good for you, I think you deserve it !!!!!!  Kisses and Hugs.   (HUGE hugs)[/DIV]

[CK]

Thanks PC! Just watching the BC news the other night (via satelite), and they were talking about Vancouver Island and the economic revival. Not sure if it is mostly hype. But I know of 2 engineers that just left our firm to go to Nanaimo and Victoria. I think it is great since a few years ago, it was some dark times out there with the forestry and everything.

Hope all is well with you and your hubby (lucky bugger...)...

[P.C.]

HI CK !!!!!!!

  All is well on the Island. (I didn't know we were in a slump...lol)  I know the unemployment rate is almost nil.  Places are screaming for workers.  Murchies in Victoria, which has been an icon for decades actually ran an ad looking for employees......the first time in their history that they've needed to do so.  Hubby says when they place an ad, the stack of resumes that come in are an inch thick and require a good deal of time to wade through.  NOW, the stack that comes in is a quarter inch.  

Where I am working, the turnover is monthly....employees simply move on at the slightest hint of a problem, as there is no fear...... they will snag another job within the week.  Contractors are getting creative with their ads....showing women in hardhats, beckoning them to 'Try Something New....We'll train while you are making good money'.

  You sound like you are making the best of your summer by doing the things that make you happy.  SO good to hear.We should all take a page from your book and make sure to enjoy the sunny days and warm nights.  Winter will be upon us too quickly.    How is CK Jr. ?  Will he be starting school this September??? (I have a bad memory...lol)

  Been busy at work and at home.  We are buliding a new workshop.....(hubby says the old one is too small....lol.  Any excuse for a project)      

[CK]

I guess it was mostly just forestry in a slump (around 98-2000). That is awesome. Alberta is feeling the pinch. It is hard to find people here, especially when BC and Saskatchewan's economies are doing well too. jobs Everywhere! I just hope the Island doesn't boom too much, it is too beautiful!!

  CK jr. will start school next year. He is doing amazing. Plays so well with other kids. Still with my honey, she has the same address as mine now..Cool!!


Yes, summer is ending, the fun times don't end with it though. Every season brings adventure and laughter (and sometimes, tears).

[P.C.]

Oh CK.....what wonderful news.....still with your sweetie !!!!!  Sounds like life is looking up for you.

  Of course CK Jr is doing well and plays well with others.  That stuff comes from what they see at home.  Good job CK !!!!!

  I hope it doesn't 'boom' to hard here also.  Sometimes I wish they'd put a gate up.  The population since 86 has at the very least quadrupled.  When I first moved here, the drive from my house to Nanaimo was about 45 minutes, with only one traffic light.  Now there are dozens. *cry*

[CK]

Same with places like Maple Ridge. I went back there to visit some cousins and WOW! within a couple years, its like its own city. There used to be green space everywhere, now, Yikes! Still very nice though.  

I know in Tofino, the locals are very much on edge. They don't mind the tourists and surfers, but as far as development goes, it is scaring the bajeebees out of them. They really should try to stop it, its not Alberta flat land, it is prime rain forest! But when I say they should stop development, I am all of a sudden a commi pig!! Just concerned for the environment, and the rain forest! and my buddy PC's back yard!!

[Sportsdude]

Well if sprawl ever gets out of hand like it has where I live you could basically kiss the lower mainland goodbye. But, one thing that Vancouver has helping it instead of like Calgary is that its surrounded by mountains.

When I think of Calgary I see a lot of Denver in it for some reasons.

Another thing helping stop Vancouver is that there is only one highway in the area Trans Can. See I've got

I-55 to the south

I-70 to west

I-44 to the southwest

plus loop highways that connect the main highways in highway 370, I-270, I-170 and I-255.

  I don't know about you but I believe that more highways promotes urban sprawl. When the counties next to me have 100,000 people plus and 10 years ago they had 5,000 people total. You began to wonder if Eisenhowers idea of interstates was a bad idea.

[P.C.]

Well this 'commie pig' couldn't agree more....lol.

  I'm thinking Ucuelet, could be next for a bit of a shake.  There is a new Jack Nicklaus golf course in the works......a $650 million dollar project.  That is sure to give sleepy Ucuelet a good shake.  

[CK]

Yes, Alberta towns are sprawled. Mind you, the downtown of Calgary is enjoying its own revival too, so it is not being abandoned like some cities. Condos and inner city living has become very popular over the last few years.