Four Strong Winds - Red Deer Alberta

 

Four Strong Winds
Four strong winds that blow lonely seven seas that run high
All these things that don't change come what may
But my good times are all gone and I'm bound for moving on
I'll look for you if I'm ever back this way
I may go out to Alberta weather's good there in the fall
Got some friends that I can go to workin' for
Still I wish you'd change your mind if I asked you one more time
But we've been through that a hundred times or more
If I get there before the snow flies and things are going good
You could join me if I sent you down the fare
But if you'll wait until it's winter it would do no good
But the winds sure can blow cold way out there
Four strong winds that blow lonely...

 

Great song from my childhood.  I left Mexico on January 9th, stopped in Vancouver for a meeting and carried right on through to Red Deer Alberta where I had work waiting for me at a petrochemical plant owned by Dow Chemicals. 

I spent Jan through March doing Human Resources work on a railway project and then from April through to the end of June, I worked on a turnaround as a Safety Manager, mostly as a contractor liaison keeping everyone on the same page.


As I type, I am on my last week in Red Deer and after turning down several job offers in both BC and Alberta, I have decided to return home and work on a few projects which have been simmering on the back burner for far too long.  Stay tuned as I build a Gypsy Caravan and finish my boat!  :)
Its summertime!

Not all Tortillas are Created Equally

Chapter 498 The Life and Times of Kevin Nichol
2013 - The year of the Sonoran Tortilla

Further to my January 16, 2013 post, I spent the better part of 2013 living in a number of humble abodes in northern Mexico, namely Esqueda and Nacozari, while I worked as a Safety Manager at the local Mexicana De Cobre copper smelter.

Like most of my international assignments, what started out as an unremarkable pitstop on the road of life, turned out to be a very enjoyable chapter. 

When I arrived in Esqueda for my first month in Esqueda on January 15, 2013 I expected the same climate that I have experienced in resort towns up and down the Pacific Coast.  And while I had packed my Speedos and a couple beach towels, they were of no use to me at -10 C with a chilly wind to boot. I spent my first night fully clothed and huddled in my bed at the camp in Esqueda wondering what I had gotten myself into.  We had snow the following morning.  Esqueda is 1400+ meters above sea level! (Calgary is 1084 and Toronto is 105 m).

By day, I travelled to and from the smelter planning a complete demolition and rebuild and every evening I would walk from our camp, which was a group of company owned trailers, into town for a tortilla, some groceries, exercise and for want of anything else to do.  I left February 15th and enjoyed some time at home, as well as a vacation to France, Morocco and Spain with my daughter (See post below).

I returned to Esqueda for three weeks on May 29^th and stayed at the same accommodations, spending my days at work and my evenings walking to and from town for an evening tortilla or two.  I entertained myself by playing with the ants in a large anthill near the door of my room. 

My longest stay was from August 12th right through until January 9th, 2014 and sometime in September we made the move to Nacozari where we had apartments of our own.  This was a big improvement as far as I was concerned and I was also issued a Jeep to drive which improved the quality of my life ten fold.



The quintessential landmark for Nacozari de Garcia (Who blew himself to kingdom come by driving the burning train full of dynamite out of town just before it exploded, saving the town)

Typical Sonoran Grill

Killer Sunsets

Lunch Break... :)

Feliz Navidad!

The only church in town and one in which I quite enjoyed several services.