An Edmonton Day

I slept in, late, after a draining week of work; something we realize we need to appreciate; the work I mean, not sleep.?I know I got it backward.?I’m working on that.?Lots of work, that’s a good problem, but we look for it.?I remember searches when there was nothing to find.?We are lucky.

????????But there was much to do.?Saturday; it was laundry, dry cleaning, wash day, and some work chores; they never end.?

So brush, shave, shower, and off we go.?

Pick up the new glasses, that they had for three days until I called them.?‘Oh yes, they’re here.’?That kind of inefficiency drives me crazy.

????????But I pick them up, get fitted; and get lucky,?there is a ‘great’ coffee shop next door, then off to the office.??

????????I drive by an open lot we just spent the profits for an entire winter on.?That spilled pain thru the whole company book, but I just know the regret, of not buying; would hurt worse and dig at us forever.?

The place was garbage strewn old transfer station that we have picked and raked into a clean, almost rentable look.?

A little skiff with a bobcat should transform it into a prime lot.?Can’t wait, bit exciting actually; three acres of open, level, graded, and graveled land, has such a ‘ready for anything’ look.?And we will get there.?And it's just down the block.??

????????Down at the corner is our main yard.?I use the tiny fob to activate the long gate, pull slowly inside, and make a long turn around the trailer yard, looking at the loads, and the equipment, bypassing the parking lot to pull up in front of the main entrance door.

????????It is quiet inside, just what I wanted; I hang my jacket, set the briefcase down, and sit at my desk.

????????The coffee is strong and tasty.?I need it to clear the last whips of sleep.

????????And the month-end blizzard of data, debts, payables, needs a read and it can suck one into its gravity tunnel; one must resist keeping perspective, to interpret.?The coffee helps and we have to find the monthly balance of debt and profit; peer into the future, into a journey of life and breathe for our little company.?This world changes so fast, with our numbers behind a week, or 3,4.?I am almost grateful, that change can be hard, and confusing, and there is enough confusion outside of the company to add more internally.?

But we cannot stay the same, so I look ahead, as far as I am able; and see what??More mystery….and it is a draining task.

????????I see my son outside, he has heard from two nurses we helped sponsor for Ukraine Aid.?They are there now and have met people with real needs.?700 refugees with documentation that cannot get out, and can we help??Jeff called Ed Stelmack, who we dealt with when he, Lakusak, and the firefighters sent 2 planes and now a ship of goods to Ukraine.?They reacted immediately.?A volunteer firefighter, who had been on the flight to Ukraine called, and said they could, and would help.??Like watching a hand reach across an ocean.

????????And I dive back into my money, the debt, the interest piling up, the fuel costs pounding us.?It seemed a bit clearer, not as critical anymore.?I saw a plan and had another sip of coffee, the warm liquid, was so real and tasty.??And a toasted cinnamon bun, cool now, but the butter had melted and the dough was a chew feast.

????????I went thru all our loans, there were a lot.?5 coming due this year alone, but only one next year; well the pandemic, can’t buy anything if there’s no work.?But in 2024, another 6 loans, wow; and these were the little ones.?The main stuff, buying out my brother and acquiring the land, the new shop, these were the heavyweights.

????????But if we kept slugging it out, we would be fine.?We knew before, that it would be hard, long, and constant labor; now that we’re in it, no sense in crying.

As long as we keep making the cash, minimizing expenses, and balancing the loans, which was exactly what I was trying to do, if only the world, inflation, and lack of more qualified employees wouldn’t get in the way.??

But we saw a path, a bit irregular, and required a little effort; I would talk to accounting on Monday, but it was a route; no guarantees, but we are used to that.

????????I set my pen down and headed across town to my Vinyl store. Am enjoying my turntable, and after very enjoyable conversations with the music masters, purchase an electronic jazz symphonic collaboration and an old?New York smooth funk recording; then skipped a block over and caught the best restaurant in town opening, one minute past 5.?

Managed to sneak into the bar, all 4 chairs open.?I was in all work shirts and steel toes.?It was heaven in a kitchen; the steak was so tender I cut it with my fork, (really!); and feeling classy as a Bavarian prince sipped a cabernet and a craft beer from Lacombe.

????????Looking at my vinyl, still plastic-covered albums, the restaurant owner asked about Love and Robots, ( I know! Those words don’t go together.),?

And the bartender recognized the obscure British electronic title.??

Edmonton.?What a town this is.?So small, yet we reach so far.

????????Listening now to my records, soo good; one dreamy, one smooth.