If you were an Edmonton Oiler fan twenty years you’d never thought this was coming: Wayne Gretzky traded to LA Kings. I recall it being a Tuesday afternoon, I’d gone out from Cobogo Warehouse (now the Cobogo lofts) on my 3pm coffee break. Probably over at Joes or something getting a coffee or a hamburger platter. Bob Kennedy senior warehouse guy had the double bay receiving doors opened as I came in. He was listening to the radio. “Gretzky got traded! They‘re talking about it now.” Bob set himself up a little receiving station up front. This was one of the most saddest days of my life here in Edmonton. I myself would be out of Cobogo, 6 months later.

That was and still is another tough day to take. They should have moved Bob to the store and kept me at the warehouse instead. But getting back to the trade over the next couple of days as the shock gradually settled in the city continued on, trying to come to grips with the event. Of course there went the chance to win the 1988/89 Stanley Cup. With Gretzky here we might have won it a few more years. 20 years latter, my take on the trade? A few weeks before that Gretzky got married to actress Janet Jones and the eventual NHL wives club led to the Oiler’s demise. The wives don’t like living here because it’s cold in the winter There should be some kind of contract that says, don’t get engaged or married until after your hockey career. If Gretzky hadn’t got married he would have been here for more then a few years.

I locked the place up took some cash to get my books etc but the friggin LRT got snagged from Clairview down to Corona. The North train was on the south-side tracks that type of thing. It took me 40 minutes to get to Corona station. I barely got in the drugstore and to get my diet Coke and my dialer.

Not only were the calls coming in slow but I barely got a sale until shortly after 6pm. Almost every call was dead air (call block) or if I needed Mr. the Mrs. would answer saying he’s not home or vice-versa, That went on all night but I began to get sales and 1 CC. Anne had called and we had a talk on the break. I ended up with $225 and a $35 CC. it was because the calls were coming in slow, Moe had no choice but to shut us down half an hour early. 8pm. I went out to Audrey’s and got my Grammar book and 2 Star Wars books “New Jedi Order.” I missed the LRT heading home by seconds (again) and when the train home finally came I was very tired and I almost fell asleep on the train.

I wanted to catch the Eskimos at BC CFL game and watched most of it. I think the score was 40-28 something BC when it was over. I caught bits and pieces of Smackdown. I was more into the CFL game.

I overheard one of the East Indian kids at work mentioned Quicktar and how he is an International IBO. My first reaction was to slam the business but I like the guy and he deserves to find all this out on his own. But it was great talking about all the old diamonds and he said he belongs to BWW and that he wants to go to FED which is in Minneapolis. He said they have their meetings at the Ramada on the South Side. He’s been talking about this for several weeks now about some Wednesday night meeting. So I clued him to Ellen and or Joe and Donna Garvey. He’s going to be my “unofficial spy.” This will kind of tell me if she’s still in “The Business.” as they say. Last time I was at an Amway meeting was December 2000 before Christmas. That was with Anne just after we had got married. She didn’t like Ellen at all. And I quite in 2001.

I went to bed right after ECW. At midnight it was +26C. I’m glad we got that air conditioner. I managed to get some sleep. Maybe a couple of hours but I don’t feel any worse for ware.

This morning it’s out of here at 9am and up to Tim’s for my breakfast and get my dialer, bring my insulin and have another shift most likely like last night. Uggh. I think I got maybe 4 CC’s all week. It was a short week as well.

My middle toe has almost healed up but now my big toe seems to have some aching in it. Not sure what’s going on there.

After work we might get out early because of the Cariwest parade. I’ve got my camera batteries being charged and I will take the battery recharge to charge them at work. Hopefully I’ll have some pictures to post later this evening once I get some sleep.

A couple of projects I’m working on for this weekend. First is to do a major rewrite of Crosshairs. Second is to learn from the only full source of sheet music I have (Fur Elise) or at least the instructions on how to play it. So those are among the main projects I have this weekend. Of course back up my data and check my 08-08-08 lottery ticket tonight.

Anyway Bloggers, that‘s all for now

e. Jim