Sunday, May 21, 2006

Cool!!!

Okay, no time to blog really. Just can say I'm still in the woods. Been a rainy week againb. Really cold (It's snowinfg today in Timmins!!!), the bugs are worse than last year but I dont care. I got to deliver trees for a few days, because they were quite busy and it was great! Had to drive the quads and mess up with a $60,000 pick up truck in logging roads. Just a lot of fun!!!

Of course, I'll be back to planting tomorrow, but it was great times and it's great training for next year.

Okay, goota go, we're leaving back to camp in minutes now.

Have a good week!

Monday, May 15, 2006

Weird week

So it's was a strange shift.

3 of our 5 buses broke down, forcing the 5 crews to shuttle to two different planting blocks (the closest to camp being 20 minutes away, the other one an hour 15 minutes...in the other direction)in two buses only. We started planting in average around 10 every day (usual:8-8:30). The client, Domtar is quite severe on quality so they have been slowing us down to get that right. Our crew got good reviews, but the camp as a whole didn't bode as well. Also, the camp management decided to shorten our hours (we finish planting at 5 instead of 6 or later...) apparently to rest and focus on quality. Real reason: They were running out of trees. The growhouses can't keep us with our planting, whihc is ahead of schedule and we've been waiting for then to speed up the deliveries: Here's a pic of me in a refer (refrigerated) truck. I love unlaoding those vans and I'm apparently one of the few ones, so I always get in and this year, they pay us either 25 or 50 bucks a refer. For about an hour extra work, it's pretty good money, it pays for camp costs!

Most of you didn't get anything out of this last paragraph, did you?

We also got a four day shift, interrupted in the middle by an impromptu in-camp day off that was supposed to happen at the end of the shift. We would have then had two days off in a row, one in camp, the other, here in Timmins. Instead, they cancelled one day, since they had buses, tree (frozen, low numbers, delivery) and low morale in camp (third rainy day in a row, but it usually doesn't stop operations tojust be wet...)

So yeah, it was also a rainy week, the only relief from being soaked wet for a whole week being in the bugs eating you out as soon as the rain stops. You gotta love the bush!

And then, when we thought every thing was okay with the bus situation, we got major problems while coming to town yesterday and had to abandon one bus almost in the middle of the road (defintitely sketchy). Another fine day off tradition! It also meant we were too late to get to the Mad Caddies show in Timmins. It sucks, I really wanted to see it, but we were more than an hour and a half late when we got to town and we desperatly needed a shower and some food.

Next time.

As for the rest, Bandy (The camp supervisor) told me I would get a paid morning a shift to help and train with the tree deliverers. It's great news, a step closer to deliver trees next year!

Okay enough treeplanting gibber, I worry about the appartment search my brother and father are supposed to be doing in Montreal right now. Can't wait to see my next appartment. It'll be funny to search for my new home with the address written on a piece of paper and no idea of what it looks like!

Can't wait to be a student again, can't wait to see ow it'll be sharing an appartment with my brother!

Okay, time to get going on all the shit to be done in 4 hours!

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Smelly Tup

Wasn't even in Toronto for 24 hours. Did my trainings and then left in the afternoon for Northern Ontario to set up camp. Been working for 9 days, sleeping in sketchy motels or at camp, where we were only 7 for the first 3 days.

The first week of planting has been good. It's already hot up here and bugs are already out. It was tiresome, but I already made good money and it was great to see the old faces again and the new ones seem like a great bunch. Will see.

Again this year, I see things with a new perspective, and planting is easier than ever.

Have to go, plenty of stuff to do and we won't even be in Timmins for a whole day either. I'll post pics next week. It's 5 and 1 this year, meaning 5 days of producaiton for every day off.

Happy birthday to my little sister Andree-Anne, my friend J-S and my mom! Bonne fete a tous!!!

Time to go run everywhere!