from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Wed, Apr 2, 2014 at 12:03 AM
subject Le NPD veut mieux encadrer l’utilisation des avions du gouvernement; Three found dead after fire ravages a vacant building on Prince Edward Island
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived a long day working on the install. Quite the behemoth it is this show. You should really try to Come and See (ha-ha I couldn’t help myself, it is the real title of the show). Oh, and a For Sale sign has finally appeared on our front lawn, but as of yet cannot find the listing on MLS. I’m whupped, off to bed.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Sun, Apr 6, 2014 at 10:51 PM
subject Réforme électorale: Harper n’a pas consulté les parties impliquées; Justin Trudeau lacks understanding of middle class, says Tom Mulcair
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived the weekend, a visit to the Planetarium, a trip up the Olympic Stadium Tower, a 2-hour wait to see The Clock at midnight, a Friday off work, the After-Party at Bethlehem XXX and the opening of the Chapman brothers show on Thursday. I missed riding in the limo-bus (took a cab instead) and got a little bit hangry by 11pm but food arrived, their kitchen is slow and Beaver needed a break to do a special masked musical performance. It was as packed, as raucous and as full of debauchery as we hoped and expected. I believe the restaurant ran out of everything. Anyway, despite a nap this afternoon with both kids, I’m quickly running out of steam so am off to bed.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Tue, Apr 8, 2014 at 9:57 PM
subject Le Bloc québécois entame sa course à la chefferie; Public service unions launch web campaign against government ‘myths’ on sick leave
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived Monday yesterday. Had a very efficient day at work today, while James and Joanne went into the hospital as she was heading into labour. Took the kids to daycare in the pouring rain. Picked them up in drizzle, grabbed some veggies from Thai Hour and whipped up a homemade tomato meat sauce for spaghetti. Clo had a jury today. Bedtime was smooth. Now we’re watching a documentary about The Shining.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Mon, Apr 14, 2014 at 9:51 PM
subject Réforme électorale: un comité sénatorial propose neuf changements; Condolence book, website filled with tributes to Jim Flaherty
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived another Monday. And another weekend. It was a yoga weekend but my folks drove up and were here Saturday evening so it was a whole different ball game. The kids are thrilled to have their grandparents visiting and all the kid-related tasks are distributed more widely. I even worked until 5pm today.
Our car went into the garage on Friday. In the morning I was going to take Rose to buy a bike seat but it wouldn’t start up after stopping at the bank to withdraw some cash. Called CAA, got a boost, then it stalled again. Got a boost from a good Samaritan. Went to dentist with Rose on the bus as the orange line was down (the bus driver thought it was a jumper). We each had good cleanings and then ate at Panthere Verte for lunch. Car wouldn’t start later so CAA picked it up, ran tests on the battery and determined it was the alternator, and so towed it to Canadian Tire. On Sunday I took my summer tires to the car using my parents car, then took Rose to pick up Etienne and Femke for a swim date at le centre sud, but someone puked next to the big pool so we could only swim in the kids pool.
Today I called Canadian Tire and they had already replaced the battery. I told them to put it back and put my summer tires on. They found no problem with the alternator.
Met with the gallery insurers today at work, who were impressed with the exhibition and relieved to find that the KKK mannequins are much less controversial than they seem on paper.
Am pissed off to hear the Morgentaler clinic closed in Fredericton. Talk about the Dark Ages.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Tue, Apr 15, 2014 at 10:44 PM
subject L’enquête de la GRC sur Nigel Wright abandonnée; Son of Calgary police officer arrested after five killed at house party
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived another day of work. I asked HR for an update on my employment status as May 1 is the anniversary date for new contracts and also whether my new title had been confirmed and received a blunt reply that my new title is now “installation coordinator” and NOT Registrar. Seems like a demotion or at best, a lateral re-naming of my current title, Chief Technician. Cheryl suggested “Registration and installation coordinator” which I could live with as at least it relates to the type of registration services I am now engaged in. But if they stick hard and fast to eliminating that aspect from my title then I have no problem eliminating such activities from my self-appointed job description. As Tammy says, there are pluses and minuses.
In other news, I met with Jerry from our local EDA so he could give me our annual financial report for the AGA next week. There are some Elections Canada things I need to look into, a letter I had ignored from a couple months ago that seems important. He seems to have no opinion either way about whether I should try for the nomination but in the case that I do, thinks I should be out knocking on doors, visiting the old age homes, spreading the news, etc. already. So I am already far behind. Also I have not yet started the 40-page questionnaire that is the nomination application. Maybe I will wait until next week and see what Louis-Phillippe thinks.
Interviews at Skol tomorrow and Thursday, then we have a cottage rented for the long weekend.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Thu, Apr 17, 2014 at 12:52 AM
subject Ukraine: l’aide canadienne à l’OTAN se fait attendre; RCMP arrest computer-science student in ‘Heartbleed’ theft of Canada Revenue Agency data
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived work, interviews at Skol, collecting the car from Canadian Tire, getting a boost from my dad, filling up and then letting it run for four hours in the hopes that the battery will charge up. Met Amber and Nicole at NDQ to talk about the art bar.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Mon, Apr 21, 2014 at 10:03 PM
subject Dépenses des sénateurs: des tonnes de documents à analyser; Free speech founders without judgment, tolerance
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived the Easter long weekend at a rental chalet in Bromont with my family, my parents, my in-laws and nephews. Last night Rose finally caught Sol’s sickness and had itchy feet that kept her, and by consequence all of us, up all night. But that craziness aside, it was a good weekend: lots of good food and drink, walks in the woods, a Saturday afternoon that Clo and I spent at the spa, the kids played at the park nearby, the weather only got warmer, the Habs took a 3-0 series lead against Tampa Bay. Rose has spots and can’t go to daycare tomorrow but Sol should be OK, his high-contagious period is over. Rose asleep now but earlier signs pointed to another sleepless night so fingers are crossed. Have lots of phone calls to make tomorrow to invite remaining CPC members in the Papineau to the AGM on Thursday. And I need to trim my fingernails and my beard. Oh and I lost my $500 mouth guard but luckily it simply fell out of my luggage while packing the car last Thursday and I emailed our neighbours about it and lo! and behold Fred found it. Still, I miss it and hope I am not grinding down my teeth too much without it.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Tue, Apr 22, 2014 at 11:10 PM
subject Pas de funérailles nationales pour Herb Gray; Prime Minister’s Office tweets still blurring party lines
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived another Monday (even though it is really Tuesday). And also a slow day at work, worked on my CPC list, didn’t make any calls though. And tonight, after supper of pea soup my mom made, my folks and I went to Vice et Versa to watch the Habs take game 4, but it certainly turned into a roller-coaster!
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Wed, Apr 23, 2014 at 10:45 PM
subject Régime de retraite: Ottawa proposera une nouvelle formule; New medical marijuana system encounters growing pains with RCMP seizures, recall
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive yadayada. I forgot that yesterday was Earth Day, did you do anything special to mark the occasion? Today I took Rose with me to work, we participated in a fire drill, then we went to Skol as we had one more interview to conduct. My parents met us there and took Rose to the musical swings, then my mom went to Fabricville and my dad and I took Rose home, then to get her bangs trimmed, picked up Sol, made supper and cleaned the dishes. Called all 24 current Conservative Party members to invite to the AGA tomorrow evening. Only one confirmed, of course it was Michel. He asked if I want to run. I said yes, and we will discuss it further tomorrow. Also tomorrow: my HR meeting to discuss contract, hours and job title.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Sat, Apr 26, 2014 at 10:09 PM
subject Des publicités fédérales ciblaient surtout les hommes; Coyne: Supreme Court’s opinion on Senate shows status quo is with us forever
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived the AGA for the Papineau EDA on Thursday. Only Michel showed up, which was not a big surprise given that I had called every member on the list. Louis-Phillippe was there as well of course and we spoke a bit about the selection process for candidates who may want to run in Papineau. Michel seems keen that I tackle it, and so is on the committee along with Louis-Phillippe and I guess Gerry, who was away in Toronto. I guess the sooner I fill out the paperwork the sooner the #cpc can check me out and make sure I meet the qualifications. LP even said they don’t want anyone coming from “left field”, or to stage publicity stunts (given that this is Trudeau’s riding) to which I couldn’t help wonder if it was directed at me? He follows me on Twitter, so he knows I Tweet you a gazillion times a day, almost always from a Tim Hortons. He’s never asked me why. After the AGA I met up with Clo and Stacy and others post foire-papier at Bethlehem XXX and we stayed out late, until 2, taking advantage of my parents’ last night with us. They have moved on to Ottawa to visit friends before going down south in search of sun and warmth.
Yesterday I build the side bed rails for Sol’s bed, picked up a real twin mattress, rigged up his new bed, picked up both kids from daycare fed them and we all went upstairs to meet Tarik and the neighbours as he wanted to share with us his 2 offers. And guess what? He seems amiable now to let the building go for around 700K, and will fix the roof himself. So the potential for us to buy is back on the table, we are thinking of re-offering at around 687K. We came home, whipped up some past for supper and everyone went to bed exhausted.
Today was a big day: Rose had her last music class, then lunch, then Maëlle’s birthday party, then an opening at Jean-Michel’s gallery (part of P2, Pied Carré, he shares the Sculpture Espace magazine space). It was nice to see the new spaces that Dazibao now occupy on the RC, as well as the renovations in general. Still, we stayed a bit too late, got hangry, drove the kids home but stopped for Pho takeout (too much styrofoam, add that to the guilt list for driving around in the car today), ate at home, kids in bed no problem (probably exhausted). After some cleaning, we plan to watch a movie. I think it is called relaxing, but it often causes me to feel anxious or guilty, like I should be writing a grant, making a painting or planning my campaign or something.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Sun, Apr 27, 2014 at 10:43 PM
subject Stephen Harper dans une impasse; New federal law on prostitution coming soon
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived a day at IKEA. Honestly I don’t understand why I go and how it ends up taking so long. Brought Victoria and the kids, the parking lot was full and overflowing, we ate first and then shopped a bit then attempted the lineup for Smälland which was impossible and I could only distract Rose with the promise of ice cream (which is really frozen yogurt but she doesn’t care). By the time we were out of there four hours had elapsed. Stopped at MEC to return the winter jacket I had bought in January (the fabric stains) and bought front and rear LED bicycle lights with some of my credit. Don’t you just love a store that accepts a return o questions asked and even without a receipt? Because of course I couldn’t find the receipt. I manage to keep almost every receipt ever, including Hamel, Jean Coutu, Mondiana, random grocery stores, the SAQ, but when it comes to something where a return or even as a clothing expense on my taxes do you think I can keep it?
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Tue, Apr 29, 2014 at 10:25 PM
subject Vote à visage découvert: le Bloc présentera un amendement à C-23; Harper urges provinces to push forward on Senate reform
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived the rest of the weekend and Monday as well. That evening we met with the other tenants and discussed strategy in light of Tarik’s other offers. We decided on offering him $687,500, conditional on inspection and with the understanding that he will replace the roof, some masonry work and seal the leak in the foundation with some sort of membrane. Judith is sending the letter tonight or tomorrow.
Work has been calm. I used up my extra week of vacation already in only working 24-hour weeks since the exhibition opened, and also by not working crazy 60-hour weeks during the install. I also found that the company did not give a cost-of-living increase last year as was told to me by HR so I wrote the head of accounting today asking for the $800 in back pay. Haven’t heard back yet his response.
-chris
from chris lloyd
to pm@pm.gc.ca
date Wed, Apr 30, 2014 at 11:03 PM
subject Les conservateurs critiqués pour un programme de travailleurs étrangers; Toronto Mayor Rob Ford taking break from campaign, seeking help for substance abuse
Dear Stephen,
I am still alive. I survived a day at work, mostly spent driving around as we needed to pick up crates for Robyn Moody. His shipper was late, and content to let them sit another day in the warehouse. His show at PHI opens on Saturday, it is the installation Clo and and I saw in PEI last summer, hundreds of little spinning motors arranged on the floor in the shape of some lake in Alberta where an American geologist had suggested using underground nuclear explosions to separate the oil from the sands. Apparently the only reason it didn’t move ahead was because they couldn’t contain the radiation.
-chris
DEAR PM 