Yup sounds like same stuff different day. I was Chief Training Officer, went to Univ. of Cinici for the Fire Engineering Course. Couldn't handle the BS from the front office. Geez if one guy who was 1/2 asleep hooked up the hydrant without the gate valve on the other side, I had to document that everyone one was retrained, and the order came the next freaking day. Drop the regular program and do this. 3 weeks later they want to know why the regular training isn't done, and I'm going ok so 4 platoons, 28 vehicles, travel time, vacation days, sick days, and I'm running 3 things at once. Plus officer training every week Mon to Fri 8 to 5. With a staff of 4. Wow. Then there's pre-budget meetings, budget meetings, big canary meetings, meetings to fight over compartments on the 3 year down the road Heavy Rescue, in the mean time I need to be showing some dolt how to hook up a gate valve?

There WAS a pension surplus. Take the average of your best 5 years, figure out 2 percent of that, and multiply that by years of service. I had 25 at 53. Plus 3 years for full time 'volunteer' service where I was driving the ambulance all the time. So 28 plus 53 gave me the number to go early, and only 3 chiefs made more money than me ..out the door.

Now lymphomas and stuff like you had, even after retirement, they put you back on pay at your current rate and rank, and book you off sick. No taxes on the pay. It's only 128k now. Send me the cheques.

Right now I can't sleep, stupid mass is pushing my carotid, jugular, windpipe, and now the trimenigal nerve (sp? long time since Anatomy Class), and hurting my ear. I suspect they are going to see me in emerg this week. The burning feet are the worst ..

I've got the airmiles to go around the world. I need to try compression stockings, the last time I flew my feet got huge. And I'm not that old...

My restriction is the 3 months ban on travel outside the province after surgery. I'm going to sip wine on in a Paris Cafe yet. And a single malt standing on the farm my GG grandparents left on Islay. Maybe a watery beer while jumping up and down on Don's bed doing rehab to hokey pokey with the sound system cranked up. And a couple of nurses. Can you get a pizza milkshake!?


John Conley
Musica est vita