[Rhonda R]

Good morning, Heidi,
I think you’re probably right. That’s what my digestive issues feel like to me….. I’m eating (or not eating) things I’m used to. But it’s been going on since June and getting annoying. I know I was on very good vitamins at home that included probiotics. I can’t get those here. I’m taking a daily, some omega, calcium, D, probiotics (that I’m out of) and some cranberry/C/echinacia. But I question the quality and don’t know how much my body is absorbing. Really looking forward to getting home and getting back on my good vitamins. I did get a Zero water filter pitcher. I use that at home. The water here is quite hard. I do put lemon juice in my water. Can only get the little lemon squeeze bottles. I’ve been drinking detox tea and some digestive tea. My eye doctor told me to limit my zinc intake for my eyes. I’ll have to see if I can find a blender. I don’t think there’s one here. I have also been taking lemon juice and honey. Warm it up a bit and drink it slowly.

Feeling pretty good today. Nose is always stuffy and runny, even when I don’t have a cold. I’ll be feeling fine then all of a sudden it will feel like someone’s taking pins and needles and scraping down the back of my throat. That will start me coughing. I’ll sip some water or get a cough drop and when the scratchiness goes away, I’m fine again. My neighbor across the hall offered some of her natural medicines. I might see if she has a tea that can sooth a scratchy throat.

That creepy guy? I probably should have asked him to stop touching me and explain I wasn’t comfortable with it. Other than that, I didn’t do anything to put myself in danger. I was in a very public place with lots of people in broad daylight. I wasn’t afraid he would hurt me. Kept waiting for him to ask for money, but he didn’t. I didn’t mind talking with him. Just didn’t like him touching me.

I’m laughing at my pics of Chamonix. Many of them look like they are in black and white. LOL. They aren’t. It was just a very grey, dreary day. Hope the weather in Norway is better! Looks beautiful today, but a little hesitant to travel. Don’t want to risk relapse on my cold. Must be well before Thursday.

FYI – Schiphol (Amsterdam) is the worst airport I’ve been in. Not set up well and not labeled well at all. Took me over an hour after getting off the train to figure out where to go and had to ask lots of questions. They have many securities, one for each wing, but there’s nothing anywhere to tell you which wing to go to. I had to ask multiple times and got at least one wrong direction. I’ll make sure I’m there at least 4 hours ahead of time to make sure I can find my way to the right gate! Europe is different. No gate number on the boarding pass. They will post the gate about an hour before the flight leaves, so you have half hour to get to your gate. Ok in Geneva where there was one main area. Go through security and then can get to all gates. Not so in Schiphol. There’s not a common security for each terminal, but a individual security for each wing within the terminal. I think there’s either 3 or maybe 4 terminals there. I flew out of terminal 3 to Geneva and gate M, so……. Not fun!

My boss did ask what I was thinking of doing at the end of my contract. I told him I wanted to go home and was hoping I had made myself useful enough to Worley for them to let me work from Calgary. He seemed open to the idea. Said he would need someone here to do the scoping (which I should never have been doing in the first place) and let me work where I “shine” (was his word), and that’s in managing the database. So really, I haven’t done anything here that I couldn’t have done from Calgary. I’ve had very little personal interaction with anyone here, even when I do go into the office. And HHI already has a person working from Calgary. So we’ll see. That would be good. I would like that.

It’s 4C (39ish F) right now and the sun’s just coming up. Should be a beautiful day. Really want to get out, but not sure where to go.

Have an awesome day!
Smiles,
Rhonda

[Rhonda R]

Hi, Heidi,
How is your week going? Tomorrow TGIF!

Loved Geneva. Nestled on the edge of a HUGE lake and surrounded by what I would call foothills, it’s very pretty. And I’m quite proud of myself! Managed to get around without getting terribly lost on my own in a totally strange city where very few people speak English. 🙂 I’ve also learned it’s ok to ask for help and directions. Chamonix/Mont Blanc……. uh, I didn’t get to see much of it. It was fogged in and rained most of the day. I got very wet and chilled. It was 11 C (52ish F) at the bottom and 7C (45ish F) at the top. We got there around 10ish. Gondola was closed as it was 90k winds at the top. Took the cog train early. Nice ride up a very steep mountain side. That’s why it’s a cog train. A normal train wouldn’t make it. It would slide down hill. Top was a view of the remnants of a glacier. I went back to the village. Couldn’t find anyone and it was raining and cold and there was nothing to do unless I wanted to go sit in a restaurant, so I paid another 35 Franks to take the train again and sat in the cafe at the top where it was warm and dry and got something warm to eat and drink. With getting so wet and chilled, though, I woke up Sunday morning with laryngitis/sore throat. Wasn’t too bad so headed to the lake early. Got there around 8:30 so had 2.5 hours to walk the lakeside before my cruise sailed. Very pretty lake. I was a ways up the lakeside taking pics of some ducks when a gentleman came up and spoke to me. He did know English so stayed and talked a bit….. in fact more than a bit. He wanted me to walk further up the lake with him. I went a short ways then said I needed to go back. He turned and walked back with me. I was quite uncomfortable as he kept trying to hug me and tried to kiss me. Even when he knew I wasn’t comfortable with it (I had pulled away and he said Sorry and moved away…. for a couple minutes) then was right back at playing with my baseball cap and trying to hug me again. It was strange and I was uncomfortable.

Haven’t left the house all week except Monday to go get some medicine and groceries. My cold was much worse Monday morning. Feeling better but throat still very scratchy. Digestive system really acting up again and still fighting an infection on and off. I’ve had more health issues over here in the last four months than I’ve had in the last 20 years combined. Not sure what’s happening, but its getting annoying! Better get totally over this soon as I go to Norway next weekend. Looking forward to that. Hope the weather is better there!

Smiles,
Rhonda

[Rhonda R]

Hi,
Just bought my ticket home for Christmas! SOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited! More later. I’m off to Geneva.
Have an AWESOME weekend!

Rhonda

[Rhonda R]

Hi, Heidi,
Well, update on the tax issue……. was able to get through by phone to Louisiana and was able to update my address. They are sending out a new check that should arrive in Canada in about 3 weeks. IRS … rejected my call as they already had too many people on hold. I did find a change address form. And Mark to the rescue. He’s a sweetheart. (Mark’s the handsome man that works in the mail room that I talked about last spring). I couldn’t find a UPS or FedEx store here so thought I’d ask the people in the mail room for suggestions. I just happened to be heading to the mail room when I met Mark coming up the stairs. So I asked him. He said they would mail it from there, from the Worley mail room. Said it would cost about 50 Euros. Both my change of address and request for transcript go to the same address, so that will be good. Will get those out tomorrow. Then I don’t know how to request a new check. A few years ago when this happened, they sent me a form to fill out, but I couldn’t find that form on line. Anyway, some progress made.

How was your weekend? The ballet? The leaf-peeping?

Smiles,
Rhonda

[Rhonda R]

Every time I try to get the transcript ordered, I run into another issue and another dead end. SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO GRUMPY!!!!!!

[Rhonda R]

So I finally was able to get an IRS account transcript request. But I have to hard copy mail it. I can’t find a UPS store, a FedEx store, or a NL Post office. I have no way to send anything overseas. So blamed frustrated!!!!!! Tried to call IRS. Technical difficulties and got cut off. Tried to log into my account. They were down for maintenance. I’ve worked on this for over 6 hours and no closer to getting an transcript ordered than when I started. Also found out my address on my return was my temporary LA address, not my Canadian address. Not sure how I let that go through, and I also let go through not having direct deposit. Shame on me!!!! Now I’m paying for it!!!! Guess I’ll talk with people in the mail room when I go in to the office tomorrow. Maybe they can give me some guidance. Guess I’ll also try calling again, maybe Tuesday as I won’t get back from the office till after 7 tomorrow and will be brain dead. I’m going to have a complete breakdown and bawl.

[Rhonda R]

Hi, Heidi,
How was the ballet? What is an Akashic Reading? How was the leaf peeping?

Oh, wonderful! Weather forecast is for rain the two days I’m in Geneva and rain/freezing rain over at Mont Blanc for my tour there! 🙁 Hope it changes!

Did find out I can verify my identity for an IRS account via a video chat. I’ll try here in a bit and see if they are open. Louisiana I’m going to have to call. I’m a little unhappy with my accountant for not setting those up as automatic deposit. The previous year my US returns were. I vaguely remember thinking last March that he didn’t ask for a form for automatic deposit, but I had too many other things on my mind (living in a hotel in The Netherlands, struggling for a bank account, trying to find a place to live) to really have the emotional/mental strength and time to deal with it. I’m severely regretting that now. Oh well, too late now. If my check did show up, it will be out-dated and I’ll have to call for another one. 🙁

Smiles,
Rhonda

[Rhonda R]

Hi, Heidi,
Leaf peeping? LOL. What is that? I’m assuming looking at all the fall colors? Mainly yellows? Hmmmm. I’ll have to look up contemporary ballet. That sounds interesting. What do you like about contemporary ballet and what do you like about this one in particular?

Yes, I’m always a nervous traveler but my flight doesn’t leave till 6 in the evening. I get in shortly after 8 and the hotel is not far from the airport and one of the few European hotels that has a shuttle from the airport. And I’ve finally gotten my phone working out of The Netherlands, so should be good.

Yes, pretty stressed. I keep going back over how God has taken care of me and led me in the past and I’m sure He will again. I just have to trust him.

Smiles,
Rhonda

[Rhonda R]

Good morning, Heidi,
Selfish, arrogant, …… lots and lots of the houses around Calgary are multi-million dollar mansions. Same in Sarnia. And I’ve heard of people complaining that they can’t fly to exotic places for holidays. Sorry! That’s a PRIVILEGE not a right. Then there are the arrogant “cowboys” who have to bully their way around on the roads with their big trucks. Most of them are for show only and not for work. And the HUGE motor homes. And the arrogant attitudes of hunters and jerks that tear up the land with dirt bikes and quads. No respect for Mother Nature. I have a professional photographer friend that goes to Bella Coola, BC every year to photograph the bears. It’s a fishing area for the griz and has been for centuries. So this year when he was there he said a bunch of fishermen came in. Stomped into the water walked all around in the water with their waders and started yelling. The bear left. And people with their “I’m entitled” attitude. I feel these attitudes a lot in the US and Canada.

So I’m beginning to worry if I’m going to be able to get my social security of I live outside the US. Not sure what I’ll do if they pull that stunt. That isn’t right. I’m expecting it to be a total nightmare to apply for social security. 🙁

Not sure what I’m doing today. Taking it easy, I guess. Maybe go up to one of the dunes parks near The Hague. Tomorrow will spend the day trying to figure out how to get my tax records and start packing for my trip to Geneva.

Have an AWESOME day! Doing anything fun?
Smiles,
Rhonda

[Rhonda R]

Well, I’m totally screwed. CRA wants a new form showing calculations from taxes to the US. My accountant says he needs either proof of refund (bank statement or copy of check or the IRS will give a transcript of my account. Apparently the refund was not automatic deposit, which I’m a bit upset at my accountant for not setting that up, so no bank statement. I’ve not been home to see if I have a check. I tried to log into the IRS and make an account with them. Have spent 2 hours trying to get dual authentication set up. Got that done, but then then wanted an address and phone number and won’t accept anything but a US address and a US phone number. I’m screwed. And CRA wants this info before Oct 12. I’m just irate that things are so difficult!!! I think Sunday I will call Dustin and use his address and phone number and get him to send a notice back as they send a text to the phone number. Well, whoever has my old number got an unrecognized text and are probably wondering what’s going on. They certainly don’t take care of their citizens abroad!!!!!

Oh, how am I different after the trip. Probably not different much at all. I am realizing, though, how selfish, arrogant and spoiled many people in the US and Canada are. Makes me appreciate what we have. Even in The Netherlands, which is relatively affluent, there are no Walmarts, and items to buy are not near as many. Ok, the clothing stores and tech stores are probably about the same. I really haven’t visited those. Camera store was very similar. But home improvement stores and everyday things are less. And you have to go to many different stores to get what we make one trip to Walmart to get.

[Rhonda R]

Hi, Heidi,
Oh, I’m totally exhausted. Didn’t get back last night till almost midnight. Train out of Brussels was 10 min late. By the time we go to Antwerp, 20 min late. Left Breda 15 min late. I had a 15 min window to catch my train in Rotterdam. App said we were getting in on track 8 so I jumped off, RAN down the escalator only to discover we had come in on track 13 so ran back up the up escalator to the same platform and jumped on the train with 1 min to spare. Remembered after the train started I hadn’t scanned my card to check in. Ooops. Now how to get out of the train station. Naughty me. A girl went through the gates just before me and the doors stayed open long enough for me to run through. Beep beep beep. But no one was around, so ok. I don’t feel too bad as I have an unlimited weekend travel subscription so didn’t steal any money or a trip from the train company.

Trip was good. Got in to Brussels ok Saturday. Immediate difference. Trash in the street. Homeless people camped by the station…. Hotel was only a 2 min walk from the station (after I figured out my bearings and which way to go). They stored my luggage till check in time so I grabbed my poncho and wandered the streets. Went to a cathedral and the grand place square. Bought Belgian waffle (9.20 euros) Wasn’t that good, but now I can say I had a Belgian waffle in Belgium. Guy asked me for money. Said he lived on the streets. I gave him my two granola bars. I think he was a scammer. He spoke very good English and was dressed in a decent coat and pair of pants. Not my problem if he lied. But I did see a little old lady with a hunched back and wrinkled face with a cup asking for money. I don’t give money to homeless people. Will give food or other things, but not money. I broke that rule for her and gave her 5 eruos. She was SOOOOOOO happy. I saw her three more times that day and every time she grinned big and pointed her hand to heaven to say thank you. It was raining most of the time so checked into the hotel at 2 and took a nap and edited pics till about 7ish. Went back to the square for some night shots. They were having a festival with these tall (12′) wicker characters. Real people got inside of them and danced. I don’t know how they did it with those towering characters above them. Tour was long Sunday. Tour guide scared me. She said we might not make it back in time for my train at 8:52. That’s the last train out Brussels to Amsterdam (through Rotterdam). We were supposed to be back by 8 but she was concerned about the traffic jam coming back into town. I wasn’t happy but risked it as I would have lost my money and wasted a trip. Southern Belgium and Luxembourg are quite pretty. Very hilly. Luxembourg was quite interesting and the tour guide was very good. Gave us lots of history and had a great sense of humor. Stopped in Dinant on the way back. Not what I was expecting. It’s an ancient town on the Maas River, so in a very strategic location. Found out that’s where the saxophone was invented in the 1800s by a man named Adolph Sax. There was a museum and tons of saxophone “statues” all over. She also told us about a siege in the 15th century and how the people made “cookies” of wheat, water and honey. That’s all they had. The town bakeries still make them so had to buy one. Wow. We are so spoiled. Hard as a rock and a bit on the bitter side. Cathedral there was run down and in poor repair. Did run into a traffic jam on the way back and I was panicking but did make it. The girl I sat next two was from South Africa. Didn’t talk with her on the way down, but coming back we talked almost the whole way and walked Dinant together. She also was better on her phone than I am so helped me get to the train track as I was panicking. Really nice girl. I gave her my email. She didn’t email me but sent a connection on LinkedIn.

My poor Trav. His tags expired on his car. He can’t renew them in AZ. NY won’t give him tags till he changes his drivers license. NY won’t accept AZ drivers license. He also has to provide birth certificate and passport or ss card. He lost his ss card in the move and has had horrible luck with his passport. He had to renew it and it never showed up. He reported that one lost and ordered another one. It never got to them before they moved from AZ to NY so he didn’t get that one, either. He requested another one and that request has gone in a black hole. He went today to the passport office and they told him he had to make an appointment on line before they would talk with him. ???? Poor kid and with working nights he has very limited time to take care of anything. My heart breaks for him. I told him he needs to ask for a temporary registration till he can get his drivers license switched. He’s requested a new ss card, so hope that comes through for him soon and he did get an appointment set up to go back to the passport office.

And I’m having my own government problems. CRA (Canadian Revenue Agency) emailed me saying I had new mail that might need a response. Logged in and found some old notices. Did not find anything that would have needed a response. So I’ve had that happen before. They’ll send a notice of a new notification but it doesn’t require a response so didn’t think anything about it. Today I got a reminder about new mail that needs a response. I have no clue where to find that new mail or what they want. Too exhausted to go looking tonight but guess I’d better go see what I can find again. Governments have gotten to be such a royal pain – as well as banks! I think internet has made things much more difficult and really destroyed customer service.

Hope you’re having a good day.
Smiles,
Rhonda

[Rhonda R]

Hi, Heidi,
Yes, terribly frustrating. I copied down the message that had another phone number. I’m thinking what I’ll do is wait till I get home. Canada’s notaries aren’t accepted in the States. I’ll have to have an attorney sign the papers, but I can get that done in Canada and FedEx the form. I can include my bank account number and the case number. And then I can call the number that they sent. So hopefully can get it taken care of once I get home. But seems to me like Wells Fargo will end up with millions of dollars from people who will have no way to get their money. It was their rep that got me in this mess and totally misrepresented what could happen and then lied to me on how money would be sent. Don’t know that was a purposeful lie, but they certainly did not educate their customer reps to handle this situation correctly. They really should have educated their customer reps about what would happen with the out-of-country account closures a whole lot better than they did!

Yes, you’re right. Bob is very controlling. Kenneth, the quality manager on HHI, started ordering I-pads for the project (they are going all digital). He had a requisition all ready to go. Bob got back from vacation and totally destroyed what Kenneth was doing. Kenneth wanted to order 20. Bob said, No, we are only getting 5. The CLIENT and requested 4G on the I-pads. Bob, said, No, we aren’t getting 4G and we are going off line while in the plant when the client wanted to stay live. I seriously question why he’s only getting 5 I-pads, though. I don’t think that will be enough when they really get going. But not my problem. LOL. He got on a call today and showed the SPID experts how to go into SPID and assign the systems/subsystems. Then he told them they have to turn of this layer and that layer, etc to do it. ??? So I have to physically code the drawings, send it to India then they will put it into SPID so we can reprint the PIDs with the system/subsystems on it. Double work. ???? He’s insisting on doing all these fancy connections and data transfers. He’s spending lots of time getting these all set up with so far no benefit and as far as I’m concerned having to manage the database, they will only cause more problems and extra work. But I think he’s trying to make a name and an image for himself that he’s set up all these fancy data interactions – even though they won’t work efficiently and cause far more problems than what they’re worth. Oh well. Not my problem. Ok. I’m venting. I certainly won’t be crying crocodile tears when I can leave. But so far every possibility has dried up.

So off to Belgium tomorrow for am over-nighter in Brussels. All packed and ready to go. Will get into town before 11 and have the day to look around the town. Then Sunday have an all day tour through Dinant and Luxumbourg. Won’t get back till 11:30 Sunday night. Will make for a long week. Unfortunately its supposed to rain all weekend. Won’t be good for pics.

Did get to meet a couple of the ladies on the HHI project Wednesday when I went for safety training. Rosa gave me a ride back from The Hague. That was really nice. 45 min instead of 1.5 hours. Too funny. She used to live in the building across the street from where I am. Nice to be able to get to know some of the people on the project. Also bumped into the other lady who lives across the hall from me last night. Talked with her for maybe 10 min. She said she’d go for walks around the lake with me and a week from Sunday maybe we’ll go do something. So that was nice to meet her and talk with her. Met Daria, her roommate a month or so ago. Daria is from Russia. Andrea is from Italy.

Have an AWESOME weekend!
Smiles,
Rhonda

Oh. P.S. Found out my little Everett, the orphan I’m sponsoring is sick in the hospital with pneumonia. They sent out a request for prayers for him to everyone on their email list.

[Rhonda R]

Hi, Heidi, This is going to be long. I am so angry! I need to vent. So….. I FINALLY heard back from Wells Fargo – via their secure email meaning I have to log into Wells Fargo to get it and that will be gone in a few days I think – only open for 90 days after my account closed. Anyway, they never sent a check like I was told they would. Now they send me this form that has to be notarized and snail mailed hard copy back to them to get a wire transfer. So there are no notaries over here and it would cost me over $100 to FedEx the documents back. ????? !!!!!! Poor girl. I pretty much blew up at her. It was their rep that got me into this mess and suggested I do an automatic close on the account. Did NOT explain to me that I would not have time to transfer the money out. So furious! I have no clue what I’m going to do. There’s a way to put an attachment in their secure email so I asked if I could do that, but I still don’t know what I would do about a notary. SOOOOOOOOO ANGRY!!!!

So I am still scratching my head about Bob. Just do not figure that guy out at all. He got back from a 2-week vacation – which may or may not have included the trip to Hungary. Don’t know. First thing he does is email Roel who manages SPID (software) to see if he got any response about the request Bob had made. So Bob set up a link between SmartCompletion and SPID so that the systems would appear in a dropdown in SPID so all the equipment, pipe, instruments, etc could be assigned to a system in SPID and automatically then show on the PIDs (piping and instrumentation drawings) when the next revision is issued. I was supposed to color code a set of PIDs and send them to Roel. I got them color coded but did not send them as there were quite a few changes between the rev’s and several new PIDs had been issued since we had first scoped them and I wanted Bob to look at them before I sent them. So instead of asking me if I had got it done, he sends an email to Roel to see if he got any information. I immediately felt attacked and pushed up against the wall. In the email he also asked if he had gotten a login to SmartCompletions (Roel’s team needs a login for the link to work). Again, I don’t know why he asked Roel instead of asking me about it. ???? Roel comes back and asks why he needs a login to SmartCompletions and he’s saying he had planned on only putting the info in SPID and now he’s hearing he has to use another software. I sent back an email right away to both of them that I was waiting to discuss the scoping on the PIDs with Bob before sending them and explained to Roel the login was for the link and they would not be doing any work in SmartCompletions. I sent an email just to Bob telling him where the scoped PIDs were and asked him to look at them before I sent them. So later Bob calls me and says, “I guess I wasn’t clear on what I was asking.” I’m thinking to myself, Nope, you weren’t. I felt attacked and from Roel’s email, sounded like he was upset, too. So later Bob looks over the PIDs then sends them off to Roel with detailed instructions on how he’s to enter them in SPID. ????? Roel is the SPID manager/expert. He had already told Bob to just send them the info and he and his team would get it in and Bob’s telling them how to do their job and how to do things in SPID? ???? I really don’t think he has a clue how he comes across.

Anyway, it’s after midnight. I’m exhausted. 11 hour day today. Worked late to scope other PIDs for Bob as he has a meeting with the client tomorrow and needed them for the meeting. I have safety training tomorrow (have to be up by 5:30) It’s 8 hours of training and 2 hours of testing tomorrow. In The Hague so 1.5 hours each way of travel for me. 13 hour day. 🙁 Bob did say a couple times he really appreciated me working late to get those done for him.

Thank you for letting me vent.

Good night,
Rhonda

Oh. P.S. Hearing about a possible job in Indiana but don’t think I’ll take it. Explain later.

[Rhonda R]

Well, I just did something I don’t usually do…… I splurged big time. Had to rebook activities for Norway, so spent more than I normally would. 8 hour cruise on Friday and bus trip Bergen to Flam with return cruise on Saturday. Be a total of round 350 Euros (500 CAD). More than I usually allow myself to spend. But what the hey. That will be my only tirp to Norway. I’ll proably freeze. I’ve been noticing that my winter ski coat is feeling rather thin. Not sure why as it’s been fine in Canada down to -16 C. Now 0C here, it feels thin. I think its the humidity. 🙁 Both trips I believe have enclosed cabins, though. But that’s not always good for pics. May end up buying me a new coat. Although I don’t want to. Cuz then I’d have to pack one to come home.

[Rhonda R]

Hi, Heidi,
No resolution. Not sure what to do or where to go. The only way to get it resolved is not working. No answer and no response from the case, no answers from the on line complaints, so I have no where to go to get it resolved. Pretty sure I’ve just lost $1800. I can imagine how many other people are in the same boat. Seems like Wells Fargo will end up with millions of dollars that “can’t” be returned to the owners. I may try again and see if I can get through to one of the other areas in the exceptions department. But I’m always told I have to talk with the one group and the one group is being totally unresponsive. I’m feeling very helpless.

So another boring, horrible day. I haven’t even gotten dressed. Looked at going to West Duin Park, but I’ve been running an infection for the past few days so opted to stay here and rest and drink, drink, drink (lemon water and cranberry juice). So ….. I hate days like this where I don’t leave the house. But also wanted to see if I can beat this infection. How’s your day going?

Looked at going to a city in Belgium but couldn’t figure out how to get the weekend pass on the Belgium trains like I got last week. I’ll have to look again.

Smiles,
Rhonda

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