Catching Up/ Grandma's Hands

Ok, where was I?

Oh yeah, I finally got moved to PA. Started my job......... which was right after the State had made their inspection, and found many, many faults with the facility. I will be busy for a while. Next time I will unload about the work I had to do, but for now, let's say I am working and loving it.

The move sucked. People lie.

#1. I rented my van online. I paid attention. I did everything they said. They said to move a one bedroom apartment TO a one bedroom apartment, I would need a 10 foot van. Well, evidently they didn't have 20-some boxes that are marked "crafts". And when you pick a truck up Friday night, to be returned Monday morning, you don't have time to negotiate.

I went to pick up the truck, looked at it. Said " it ain't gonna fit", and asked about a larger van. I could get one........ Monday morning! Well, that would have been negating my contract in less than 24 hours, so not only would I have had to pay the $48. for not keeping that contract, I would have had to do yet Another contract, and changed my date, etc. I could have done it, but on Monday, everyone would be working, and I would have been unloading a 16 ft van with nobody to help. (Life's like that, I'm coming to discover.)

Sooooo, I took the 10 ft, said I will get the important things here to PA and store the rest till I can get back to retrieve them. Oops, I forgot I was not the only one helping me move.

I had 4 guys from my work helping. I was trying to arrange stuff as they were running up and down stairs packing. One would say, "What do you want to go next?: I would point, and in the meantime, three others would be grabbing boxes and running.

Long story short, I drove straight through from Indy. We unpacked in Shiela's garage Sunday. And then I discovered that all the things I really Wanted to Bring???? Were still in Indy. I have summer clothes I can't wear when its flurrying. I have a billion boxes of craft stuff I should have trashed. I have dishes with no kitchen to put them in. Important papers? Winter clothing? Desk? Utility table? Uh, those are in Indy.

#2. And THEN, I was stupid. I forgot my age. When they asked at my new job when I could start, I said, I will be back in PA on Oct. 26th. So I think I will start on Nov 5th. Sounds good. Unless you have a shithouse full of stuff to do!

#3. Directionally challenged, I headed off to get fingerprinted. (If you have not lived in the state for two consecutive years, you need to have an FBI fingerprint check run; and they gave me directions to get to the one they use for work.) Two hours after I started, I came back home with no prints done. Never did find that place. I have since found out that any State Police barracks can do them, so I went to where I knew one was! And am therefore legal!

#4. Then I had to have a physical. I tried to do this in two days. Not good!! The doctor must have been near to the State Police that I couldn't find, because it took me forever to find them too. I finally called when I got lost for the third time. And with 8 minutes to spare. (This is with leaving home two hours before my scheduled physical. ) Turns out I was only 5 minutes from them, so I whizzed over. Failed my physical!!

I have never in my LIFE failed a physical! My blood pressure was wayyyyyyyy above stroke level! This scared me, and therefore took my mind off failing a physical. So the next day I went to an Urgent Care. They gave me blood pressure medication ( a water pill, if you will), and my bp dropped considerably. However, they said see my family doctor. Uh, I haven't been here for 20 years. My old family doctor passed away many years ago. And while in Indy, I had none. When I was sick, I would go to a clinic.

Thank Goodness Shiela's doctor is in my group for insurance at work. He agreed to be my family doctor, and perscribed yet Another medication for blood pressure.... an ACE inhibitor. The two medications now have my speeding pressure down to the legal limit. However, he does need my medical records. Those???? Are in Indy. Go figure. (And, now you can guess why my blood pressure soared!)

That should catch ya up.

Now, as to the "Grandma's hands" part.

I don't know about you, but I never really examined the palms of my hands. I know the backs have been aging along with me. I see them often enough. I grease them with "age defying cream". (That's what the box says, and I know the box don't lie!!)

But tonight, after raking leaves with Shiela all day, and then putting up Christmas lights outside, when I'm sure the wind chill was 0....... or maybe 20........... I looked to see if I had blisters.

I held my hands up, palms toward me....... and looked. OH MY GOD!! I was looking at Grandma's hands!! They are wrinkled!! I have way too much skin to cover the bones, so it lays in folds!! I can't see my lifeline in my palm because it is buried in a wrinkle!! I remember commenting to my grandmother once about her hands. She said, "That comes from hard work, honey." Oh Gawd!!

Test this. Hold your hands out, palms facing you. Cup your fingers just a bit, and look! Are they wrinkled? Do they look like your Grandma's hands??? Scary, ain't it!

The "NO CAR BLUES"!!

Ya know, all things happen for a reason, I truly believe that.

I advertised my car, thinking it would take a week or so. Was lambasted with inquiries, people wanting pictures, you name it. (Oh, and if you use craigslist.com? You can't delete the ad for a while, so now I have email every day... do you still have the car?)

A lady emailed me, and I responded. She called. Ok, we'll call this Point #1. She was a nursing student. Has 3 weeks before graduation. Has children, is divorced, and trying to make her own way in the world. That's Point
#2. She had a car. It was totalled while sitting in front of her parent's house while she was out with her parents. Thank Goodness she has insurance! Her mom let her use her car........ for a month, while she looked for a decent vehicle. She had an offer for a part time job while she finishes school, and they will work around her school schedule. She was to start today. That would be Point # 3, and is also the reason that I am now carless, and still have over two weeks to survive here! (She paid cash, which is Point #4.)

Ok, I can walk to work. It is only 3/4 mile. That I can handle. However, everything else happened so fast, I have money that I need to put into the bank, and I'm not walking 5 miles to do it. I have bills that are ready to go out, but am not mailing them because I don't know when the money will be there. And talk about smoking! This may make me quit! I count my cigarettes out, and lay them in a line...... I can't have THIS one until, oh, say 10 at night. If I smoke all before them by 7, then its a loooooooooooong way till 10!!

I have done such a good job cleaning up all foods in the apartment, that I may starve to death. I am not walking to the store for food.

Tomorrow I'm going to check into renting one for a week. After all, I still have to get my PPD at the Health Department. ( The new job said I could get it here, and bring or fax the results, so that there won't have to be a break between when I get there and when I start work. Hmmmmmmmmmm, starting to think about that now. I might have wanted to take a break between moving, situating, breathing, and starting a new job. But never mind.)

I'm tripping over boxes now. And I am OUT of boxes now too. And with no car to go get some, today I took a nap! lol

Anyhow, things are moving right along. As I said, all things happen for a reason. At the present time, I'm just looking for the reason!!

?????? Wtf????????

Ok, its been a while. I have tendered my resignation, last day is the 26th of October. And I have already got a new job..... in a huge nursing facility in Pittsburgh, 20 minutes from Shiela's house, and I start there the first Monday of November, whatever day that is. I'm excited and scared. Its a huge place, and all the elite send their family there. (choke, choke..... its a JCC, I just know it is!!!!!!)

So I am selling my little car. Makes less for me to worry about getting back home. If I tow it, I have to get a 16 foot rental van. If I have nothing to tow, I can get an 11 ft. van. It is all a matter of money.

So, I put my car for sale in Craigslist. Local. 2001 Toyota Corolla. 4 dr, 4 cyl. a/c. That is the extent of the description, because it is your basic car.

I am surprised at the number of people who have called, and asked if it has power windows. (They need instructions on how to raise and lower a window???). And asked if it has cruise control. Gimme a break!!!!!! Its a freaking FOUR CYLINDER!!!!! What they gonna set cruise on? 12???????

I've had like 50 calls. The last was just a few minutes ago. Some of these people are serious about it. One guy said if you sell your car before you are due to leave, what do you do? I said, I can walk, or I can rent a car. I only have 3 weeks left in your fair city. (Oh, and as an aside, one guy called from.......... ready???....... Pittsburgh! He goes to IUPUI downtown, and is looking for a car to run back and forth to PA!!!!!!!!)

So, anyhow, today I cleaned and packed. My kitchen cupboards are all cleaned out. My bathroom has been scrubbed down, and all I will have to do is touch up in those rooms. The other two, I may have to hire somebody. Gawd, I hate moving and I AM NOT doing it again!!!!

This move does get me to within an 8 or 9 hour trip to Em's though, and now THAT will be my vacation destination of choice!!!!! Esy and I are already planning a trip to the race in Loudon next year. Wooo Hoooo.

Anyway, that is all for the present. I will post when I am ready to rip down my computer, and go into withdrawal until it is set up in PA.

Oh, and I talked to Mom tonight. It was her Birthday. My sisters were there, and they called me, so I could be there with them. I should have been there!!!!! I will be soon!!

Its GONE!!

I bared my soul! And it disappeared!! Gawd, I hate the whole WORLD tonight!!!!!!!!

The Day Before the BIG DAY

Well, here it is, Saturday night. Tomorrow is the big event of the summer at work. Our water park will be open to the public for this one day....... hoping to get more members. They named it.... gimme a break, they really did!.......... BIG SPLASH. Now I tell you, it took a loooooong time to come up with that name, I'm sure.

I have to be there tomorrow. Why, I am not sure. I guess the administration figures there is safety in numbers. I am not pleased. Since I have such a dependable staff, I imagine 3 of the 6 will call off, so I will be the one sweating their........ wait, never mind , I have none. However I WILL be sweating. I have been doing my rain dance.

I sent a resume in to a place in PA. Their automated response said it could take a few weeks to respond. That doesn't help me one hellova lot. However, my kids, love them to pieces! all said, "Mom, forget finding a job. Just come home! You can live here (or here, or here or here) until you find one and are settled. " (My son in law, Mike, was appalled at my salary. Seems he and my daughter BOTH make more than I do, and they are peons, he says. That also upps a person's ego, let me tell you!)

Anyway, I have vacation, starting the weekend of Labor Day. I intend to hit the pavement running. I will find something before I leave PA!

My job isn't fun anymore. The staff I hired are great. Those I inherited suck. And I have my hands tied, so I'm stuck with them. I won't look back. A lot of the people there, I will miss a lot. Including my boss. He was the greatest! But the job, I will not miss.

Ok, gonna go do something constructive........ like watch TV a while.

Aging....... oh Gawd!

It seems like yesterday I could run all day, and then go out and dance all night, eat breakfast, shower and go to work again! Sleep? Who needed it!

Now, as I sit here waiting for time to go to bed, I wonder where that time went.

My job is very demanding. Ok, so maybe it seems so to me. They tell me all the time to let my staff do the hard work. Well, they don't have to work with my staff! I want it done right, so I am right there along with them, and most of the time, I am doing the most and sweating the most! I work, then run and check other areas, and then run back and work some more. I sit and eat my lunch at my computer so I can catch up on the emails that people shoot off to me, asking for something "special". There is a word I am beginning to HATE!!

Since I started out this way, even my boss depends on me doing that. He does not hesitate to call and add to my burden. All the departments do, because they know one way or other, it will get done. And I'm getting tired of doing it.

I have perfected my resume. It sounds awesome. And now I am looking to find a job back home. But THIS time, I am doing it right. I hope. lol

I would love to come home and clean. Or go shopping. Or do something with a friend. I am tired of coming home tired. I sit down, and my body stiffens up. I limp and cripple my way to the bathroom, to the kitchen for food, to my computer. This is not right!

They tell me all the time at work they have never seen anyone with so much energy. I am on the go constantly. Should I tell them that the minute I sit down, my day is over? Ya know? Age catches up with a person. I think my mind might not know it, but my body sure says, "Hey lady, you are heading toward 60. You shouldn't be doing this!"

Some day, I promise not to whine. I will be able to get online and hop up to do something here at the house. I will have that energy that has somehow disappeared. Gawd, if the woman whose boys I raised and potty trained while she worked would walk into my house, she would shit! She used to say my floors were so clean I could serve baby food from them. I am not obsessive-compulsive. I just always liked a clean house. I sure don't live in one now! And I hate that.

I hate not having the time or the energy or the inclination to paint! This job has taken all the fun out of my life, and I need to move on.

Enough whining!

Me and Computers

And this is only Monday. I can hardly wait for the rest of the week. I forgot what I was going to say, because for the longest time, they tried to tell me I was not ME! They always tell me that when I try to respond to Em's blogs. I may have to make up a new name and password to make a comment! (Which, by the way, was funny. I loved the bird poop story! And the others I had to catch up on, naturally!)

So I am job hunting from a distance. I go once a week to papers around my hometown in PA, to see if someone, Anyone! needs my services. Last Saturday, I found one around Pittsburgh. It sooooo sounded just like what I can do, and have done for ages.

So I went to my resume that I have saved on here. Brought it up.

I needed to add a few things. To make it sound better. (They weren't actually lies, honest!) Then I needed to create a cover letter. I have already set up accounts at all the local papers around there, so that I can email all my stuff. So I did.

Now, did I send it? Noooooooooooo. My computer won't communicate. I get some "error" message. I checked everything, and even emailed stuff I didn't want to, to people I never see. But when it comes to the resume, it will NOT send it.

I thought I'd print it out, and just send it snail mail. You can't do that if your printer will only print half a page. It wasn't doing that before! I tell ya there is a conspiracy! Anyhow, I tried sending it to me at work. I could print it out that way.

Evidently I created spam or a file that was too big...... it wouldn't accept it! (Our expert tech doesn't like me. He probably has my computer at work booby-trapped!)

Sooooooooo I came home, said I'll put it on a disc, take it in and plug in. Then print it.

Wrong. Esy sent me a bunch of discs. All empty. And all, evidently, NOT working in my computer! I thought maybe I'd have to re formulate them. No. It says they are fine.

I would like to blame it on the old computer. I would like to blame it on pretty much anything! Truth be known, I am probably just not smart enough to know what I am doing! Maybe I better go back in my resume and delete a few things!

Ok, tomorrow is Tuesday. I'm sure it will be better!!!!!!

Dear Diary

Ok, so I am having a bad day, and my family lives so far away. I have a tendency to NOT make friends.... good friends you can confide in, ya know?

Where that came from, I can only guess. Mom was a very private person. Dad was also a very private person. Ergo, I am a very private person. I can count on one hand the number of people who know the Real me at all!

People used to be surprised when I acted. Years ago, when I split up with the kids' dad, nobody knew we were having problems. They were all totally shocked. And when I split up with my latest husband several years ago, nobody knew things were bad. I left my job, and none of them had a clue. These were people I had worked with for over 7 years.

I discovered that when you confide, you are vulnerable. And I have never liked being vulnerable. I am the ultimate "handle it all..... do it all" person. I'm the person everybody else comes to when they have problems. Because I have none of my own. That can make you feel good, and that can make you feel shitty.

Today I feel shitty.

The job I have, I used to love. There was constant change, constant challenges. I love that. I had a few snags... that's why they hired me in the beginning. There were certain staff that were lax........ well, that's a good word. I started out with people who stole time, property. I managed to get rid of all but one. That one is the reason that now I am searching for something closer to home.

I don't know if any of you have ever worked for a Not for Profit Company, but I can tell you now, I would rather work for a company who's bottom line is profit. I can understand that. My hands are tied in many ways here. For instance, the one man I need to fire is their "success story". (I would rather not have a success story if I had one like him.)

They took Bill on at Community Service 9 years ago. Seems he was at a party, someone said something he didn't like, and Bill went out to his vehicle, got his gun out, and shot the guy in the knee. That is one HELL of a success story. I think most of the higher ups are afraid if they get rid of him, Bill will shoot them. So I am saddled with him. And being saddled with him calling off when there is hard work (21 days so far this year!)now my good staff is starting to go. If Bill can get away with this, then why are they working so hard.

I told MY boss, the next write up needs to come from him. The last time I wrote Bill up ( for flat out lying on his time card!), Bill called Bob, my boss, and said "She sticks up for the afternoon shift, and I get written up."

I asked Bob to give me a spreadsheet with all Bill's absences. I can fire him. This has been a week now, and still no sheet. Is he afraid?

Anyhow, I am at the end of the rope that leads to JCC. I'm now looking for another rope to swing to. Anywhere near PA will be fine.

Other than that, my life is just ducky!

Why, oh WHY do you People Let me DO THIS???

Ok, my livingroom is a shambles. You might ask why. Well, the tv stand that I built? The one shelf was not even..... that is to say it was crooked! If you cocked your head to the right, it looked fine. But only left-handed people cock their head to the right. (I think its some sort of quirk.)

Well, I cocked my head once too often, to the left. So now the TV, boom box, and the Comcast "we can give you oh so much better, and charge you an arm and a leg, and sorry you have an old tv " Box are sitting in the middle of the livingroom floor. My stand that I was oh so proud of, is laying on its side. I have all the proper tools out to dismantle it, and put it back together. I'll do that tomorrow. I sweated getting all the stuff apart!

I remember when I wasn't so particular. I'm thinking it wasn't that long ago. But back then, I didn't HAVE to be. My ex bought everything of the finest quality. If it wasn't right, he tossed it and bought again. (Doesn't he sound like a Saint???) Nobody would ever outdo him in purchases. Of course, when the credit card bill came in, he'd lecture me on watching my spending. ( I, myself, NEVER used his credit card, but that is a totally different story!)

Today, I have my T-Square, my yardstick, and my pen at the ready. I used some old wallpaper that I have a habit of saving........... and lookit that, it came in handy! I'm using the straight side as a guide. So far, I have noted that I am about 3 inches off on the top........ no wonder people have to tilt their heads!)

I think I have done quite enough domestic shit today. I'll let you know how straight it is after I take all the screws out, re-align it, and rescrew it. I'm hoping I finish it sometime this year. (see previous "project" blog.)

And, a quick note: I am hating my job immensely! Sometimes, when you think about doing something..... like moving back home, you notice all the little things....... or big things, in my case. So, I am working on my resume like a demented person......... uh, wait. I AM demented. Ok, I am working on my resume. I will lie some, in order to get the job I want. And, I need all of you for references. Pretend I did something fantastic for you!!

Enough for the night. I think I'm tired.

Can I Pick Another Race to Belong To?

I was reading the mail.... The passengers on the flight that the man with TB took (I am horrible with names, as you will discover), are now suing him for possible exposure to TB. Evidently this is different than someone with TB who thinks they actually NEED to eat, so they go to the store to buy groceries...... thereby exposing everyone in the store to the disease. Damn good thing those people didn't know that!

This is a freaking SUE HAPPY race! Prisoners sue because they are not allowed to have ice cream kept in the freezer......personal ice cream. People sue because someone allowed them to become drunk and they wrecked and killed someone. People sue because their child was hurt at a camp that THEY signed papers for the child to attend! Many, many people sued because they got cancer from smoking cigarettes that they had been warned about for years. Give me a break! Where does it say that a person is not responsible for themselves?

I could see if someone on that flight had tested positive for TB, but no, noone did. They are suing because they MIGHT have tested positive?

This is my own personal opinion (which I think is still legal...... at least at this writing), but somewhere along the line, we should all be responsible for our own selves. This is why America........ Hell, the WORLD, is in such a mess. Noone wants to take responsibility for themselves!

Recently, the sister of one of the guys who works for me, was robbed... in broad daylight...... in a parking lot of a major department store. A man pulled alongside her shopping cart, which was parked by her car while she unloaded groceries into her trunk. Her purse was in the cart. He grabbed the purse, which was hooked onto the cart. Julie held onto the cart. The man then pulled a gun and pointed at her, and she let go of the cart. He grabbed the purse then, and sped off.

Same store a week later, a 67 year old woman was walking back to her car and three women in a car slowed down and one grabbed the purse from the woman's shoulder. The lady held on, and was drug through the parking lot. Results? A broken hip, a concussion, abrasions.

Has that store beefed up security? Uh, no. They said they have "cameras". The cameras showed nothing discernible. Oh, and I have shopped at that store. I don't put my purse in my cart. I watch where I am, and who is around me, and I do have Mace in my purse. If someone attacks me, please do NOT sue.

Murder for no reason. Theft. Vandalism. Just plain meanness. What is up with the world? With the human race? I don't like this race. I'm sort of leaning toward animals now. I think I should maybe join a racoon family. They eat when they are hungry. They don't attack unless you threaten their young.

Yeah, I think from now on, I will claim descendency from racoons. Safer. Yeah, thats it. Erase my name from the human beings of the world. They are basically an ugly race.

I washed clothes today. Not unusual, since I am not allowed to go to work in the nude. But as I was folding them, I noticed.......... they are the same clothes that I wash every damn washday! Why? Because I only change them once a day. I get up, take off the jammies, put on my work clothes and head off down the yellow brick road. (Or in my case, the black/gray cement, tarmac or whatever it is.) I work. I come home, get my shower, put on my jammies. On the rare day that I don't work, I might put on shorts and a tee shirt. Or sweats, if its cold.

When I go to the store, I do so in the clothes I wore to work, because I stop on my way home. Once I unlock my door from the outside and walk into my apartment, I lock the door on the inside. I' m done for the day.

Do I go out with the girls after work? No. Do I date? No, Hell No. I work. Period. From 9:30 in the morning until 7 or later at night. For a salary. No overtime, no comp time. I'm a dedicated worker. Or so they say. I'm too tired after my day to have any kind of night life. Except my computer. I live on it. lol

I used to have a life. Do I miss not having one? Yes. I would love to go for a drive, stop for a burger, see a movie, anything. Besides not having the energy, I don't have the desire at present. I think I am more focused on getting bills paid, so I can move back home. I could move back tomorrow, but my kids did not make my bills, and therefore they will NOT help me pay them. And they would try. God Love Them, they would try. So, in two months my car will be paid off. After the new computer I want to buy, I will take that money and apply it to the other bills. Hopefully in two years, they will all be paid, and I can go back where I belong.

OR, I can look for a job at a sister facility. There are several I'm checking on every week. Close to home. I even thought of applying at a Convention Center or such. I enjoy that part of my job. I deal well with the clients, and I listen to their needs. However, I will find one. And then I will move home.

And then, just maybe, I can have a life. And a more diverse load of clothes to wash!

Another Day from Hell at Work

Today was uneventful. Yesterday, though, was a Day from Hell! It started off with only one call-off. That should have been my first clue.

The afternoon shift is the best bunch in the world. Except for yesterday. Antonio, my Hispanic worker, was on time. (Actually, he was early because he had a wreck over a month ago, and can't get his police report so he can turn it in to the insurance company. I appear to be his secretary AND interpreter, and I don't understand nor speak Spanish! I make his calls for him.) And Nikolay, my Russian worker, was on time. Cho, my Chinese guy, called off. His girlfriend........ or his fiance'...... I get them mixed up.... had to go to the hospital. Vinny, my Kentucky guy ( I consider that another country, therefore an alien) called off because his sister was mugged in Meijer parking lot and they were calling credit cards, changing locks, getting keys made, etc. That left me, Nikolay and Antonio.

While I was helping get the event rooms set up, they called housekeeping on the radio. (I want to blow up all radios) Apparently there was water leaking down from the ceiling in the ladies locker room. Now, a guy can't go in there. So, I got to play repairman. I knew the leak had to be the a/c unit and caused from condensation. Well, it was partly that. But mostly, it was because our HVAC company was clearing the block in the a/c unit over the Pilates Studio which is next to the locker room. He blew the water out, which ran over to the locker room and found a place to escape.

Our maintenance man told me what to do. I listened. He said get a wheeled barrel. Get a chair. Climb up on it, tilt the tiles and let the excess water run out into the barrel. Sounded simple. So I did it. First one went smooth. I pushed up from the center to pop the ends. Water cascaded down into the barrel. I moved the barrel and the chair, and smugly attacked the second tile. Evidently the water had gathered to the BACK of that tile. When I pushed up from the center, the back popped up, and all that water cascaded all over me! Head, back, down to my feet! Water moves fast!

I did manage to empty the tile of water though. Then I had the ladies wait while the HVAC guy came in and tried to remedy the problem. When its humid, the pipes sweat. When there is no outside outlet, its gonna go somewhere... usually down! Andy climbed up, used his CO2 tank and blew the water back toward where he blew it from. Two of the old women came in and watched. I think they got a thrill out of seeing a man young enough to climb a ladder. He Is cute. Too bad he's young, bald and married. lol

After the "fix", I came home and changed clothes. Then I went back and told my boss I was resigning from female areas maintenance. The area can sink for all I care.

And you thought I had a hum-drum job! One of the teachers kept saying, I'm soooo sorry! She asked me later, Do you drink a lot? I told her no, but I was seriously thinking of remedying that!

I Love My Job, I Love My Job, I Love My Job......... click, click.

I'm still here. How come it worked for Dorothy?????

Projects

I am working on a project! One of the thousands that I have already started, you ask? Uh, no. I am making a Spring/Summer spread for my bed.

(I looked at all the projects I have started, said, Naah, I don't wanna do that this evening, so I started something new. I took the comforter off that I use during the cooler months. I had a white chenille spread on the bed, but I didn't like it after I got my furniture moved. Go figure.)

I had some (duh, I have a LOT!!) material that I had no idea what I was saving it for. Turns out, I was saving it to make a spread for the bed!! I have been cutting and pinning, and cutting and pinning. Tomorrow I may sew it all together. Or maybe the next day. When (not IF) it is done, it will be neat. Sort of bronze shimmery stuff. I like it because I can make pillow shams of all different colors!

I have a million pillows on my bed. I use two. Three at the most. The others are just to make it look even, I guess. Anyhow, I figure I can use all those scraps of material that are mainly blues, whites, grays and shades of red, and make some really neat colorful shams. Should make my room really colorful............ for the couple hours a day I get to spend here.

My youngest daughter and her fiance (for 6 years now!) bought property. They have busted their asses getting a basement built. They both worked two jobs the last few years to do this. They bought a double wide trailer to put on it. Custom built. And it arrived last week. She is waiting for me to do a painting for a house warming gift. I haven't started. I asked her what she wanted. She said, the carpet is burgandy. Boy, what a CLUE!

(That last was to explain why I am making a spread for ME instead of a painting for HER!)

Anyway, I AM working on my crafts!

A Little Bit About My Job

I get ticked off. Easy.

I have never minded working my butt off if that is my job.

Yesterday, we had a Bluegrass Festival, in addition to our usual grueling job. We had to rush to get it set up after the monsters....... uh, i mean Summer Camp crew.......... left for the day. We had no extra help; just my normal crew.

No problem. We had almost an hour to tear the pavilion down, put out trash, put up two tents, 5 tables, and run Do Not Enter tape, so nobody could sneak in.......... (mind you, this place is open.)

In the course of the day, someone forget to mention that there was an event in the Auditorium. A movie. Funny thing, this movie occurs every 3rd Wednesday. I happened to have to run past my office, and there was the gentleman who runs it... looking for me. The auditorium hadn't been set up, the sound booth wasn't open, and no tables were out in the hall for his movie sales..... not to mention the Federation Tower doors weren't open for the guests.

My guys, who were sweating as much as I was, whipped in there, cleaned the area up, set up chairs, set the tables out. In the meantime, I ran up, opened up the sound room and dropped the screen. Not a snag. We were done long before anyone arrived to notice the event had been forgotten. AND, we had the outside pavilion perfect! (We weren't the ones who forgot it!)

Why is it that, no matter where you work, the "little guy" (in this instance my workers, getting barely above minimun wage) never is applauded? If they were to go on strike, my company would collapse! They have NO clue what they ask for.

Years ago, I worked in a Nursing Home. Everyone was at each other's throat. So and so did so much more than so and so. Our Director of Nursing (one of the best women AND managers I ever met) decided that we should all learn what each person and each department Really had to do. We came up with " Walk a Mile in Their Shoes". The gist of the idea was, every department would participate, and find out what the other department had to do in a day.

She started the ball rolling by assigning the Nursing Supervisor to one of our Housekeeping staff. After one day, the nurse "had something important to do", and disappeared. However, that was the last time they tried that. And, they quit bothering the housekeeping staff about stupid stuff.

I find that I relate more to the laborer than the administrative personell. After all that, my boss told me today that I did a great job, and I could leave work early today. I'm wondering what I can do for my guys, who did, AND have done AND always do, such awesome work.

If i hit the lottery, I am starting a business. I am hiring all my best workers away from the company. I will appreciate them!

In the Beginning......... I was stupid.... and haven't changed!

All right. You don't want to know how many times I have tried this. God gave me blond hair. He made it darker as I got older, but I changed it back so I would have an excuse. I hate being dumb!

I came to the computer at a later age than most. That is to say, I was still writing with a pad and pencil when a lot of you were getting your first computer. And, sad to say, I have not improved much. Oh, I can still fake a lot. (If people get into a discussion about programs, servers, etc., I have found that you can nod your head, look pensive, and they think you are a pro!) However, I still love to write. With a pencil. Pens don't excite me, but I have one hell of a collection of pencils. My guys at work understand my fetish and collect pencils for me. Some of them have even learned that, to be a "special pencil", the lead has to leave a soft dark mark. Now they check the mark. Then they give me the pencil.

I started this blog because my (this is going to be questioned later, but I still swear it is the truth!) "daughter" Em has one, and I read it every chance I get. After only a couple years, I have come to the conclusion that this is as good as any therapy a person can get. Not to mention the fact that it is the ONLY kind of therapy that I can afford!

As is my usual, I am starting in the middle. I will fill in as I go....

Tonight, I decided to get organized.... in my home. I know I start too many projects and finish too few. I thought I would change that.

I took a pad and one of my "special pencils" and began..... Things to Put Away. and Things to Keep.

Then I spent an hour going through all of them. In the process, I finished two storage boxes, which I could now scratch off my list. Oh Gawd, they weren't even ON THERE.

I started the cleansing process because my bedroom is a shambles. My livingroom is great. I am never in there. I aimed to make my bedroom match my livingroom.

I drug out stuff I had started. Found a box to put lamp shades, lamp pieces and globes in. One down!

I got out my material that I had planned on using to make slipcovers for my sofa and chairs...........

Three hours later, my bedroom DOES look like my livingroom. The material is laying all over the sofa and chairs. I have pieces I think would make great accent pillows scattered on the floor. I moved some glass I intend to paint on to one shelf. And here I sit. I'm way too tired to continue tonight!

My pencil is still sharp and my list of Things to Put Away and Things to Keep is still empty. I wonder if I can start all over tomorrow?

Next time, maybe I'll get around to explaining Me. Or the time after next. Or.................