Saturday, March 28, 2009

Remember Snow Day 2009...




Snow Day 2009...it began snowing about mid-day Sunday, February 28. By the time darkness fell the white stuff was falling fast and sticking to everything. The newly wed Arthur and SIL arrived just after nightfall and declared there was a 'blizzard out there'. Their power was off and they came to Mom and Dad's in order to have heat and entertainment. Hmmm. You would think newly weds would have plenty of both, with or without electricity. Hmmm.

Our cable was out, but we have tons of DVDs, books, magazines and games. We also have a generator the size of a utility building behind our house that will run for four days on a tank of fuel. And a fridge and pantry full of food.

I tried to temp the children and hubby into watching 'Grumpy Old Men' with me, but they would have no part of that. So after visiting awhile I retreated to my room to do crossword puzzles and watch my movie alone.

Before it got dark, Courage and Krumm bundled up in layers and went out to play on sleds. They had a blast being children and getting frostbite. They urged me to come out, but I only made it as far as the front door steps. It was just too cold for me!

Finally, with all the children inside and thawed out, I went to bed and slept like a bear in hibernation. The next morning, after many calls to the county to see if we had been added to the long list of business closures (we were not on that list), Arthur and I got up, showered, and headed out to work.

Driving to work was not so bad. It was the parking lot at the county office that nearly got us!

The parking lot is approached from one end by a small incline, which we made up without problem. But shortly after we got into the lot, other folks started sliding and spinning and making a whole big mess of the parking lot. I moved my car from one spot after watching helplessly as a small car slowly slid and spun getting closer and closer to my 'New Old Betsy'. I moved her to a lower spot in the lot, away from most all other cars. But parking there made a longer journey for Arthur and I to make to the safety of the building.

It took me and Arthur almost half and hour to inch our way from the car to the building. The pavement was iced over into a sheet of slippery glass. We had to walk taking little baby steps, with knees bent to have some balance, and all the time searches for bits of dry ground to place our toes. And during this time, cars were sliding sideways down the lot, crashing into other cars and coming right at us at times. We watched as one of Arthur's co-worker's attempted to push cars and pleaded with him to stop before he was knocked down and crushed by a sliding car. He did eventually slide down and bust his butt, but luckily a car didn't slide over him.

The snow and ice are beautiful as it falls and covers the earth, but it is also dangerous.

To this day, I watch traffic tickets come in with the date 2/28 and 3/1 and I look to see what the charges are...over half are following too close with an accident and/or failure to maintain a lane. Hmmmm.

More Birthday Celebrations




We had more birthday celebrations this week. Courage turned 19 this week and my step-dad, Ed, turned 63.

We celebrated Ed's birthday extra large last weekend with a cookout and live gospel music with over 50 people in attendance. Ed enjoyed having friends and family around to enjoy food and music. (SIL and Arthur)


Last night, me, Krumm, Arthur and SIL (Son in Law), took Courage to Buckhead to eat at The Cheesecake Factory, a first for all of us.

We started out with a hot cheese and spinach dip with tortilla chips and sour dough bread and butter. Courage ordered a Parmesan chicken sandwich, Krumm ordered a burger, SIL a burrito, and Arthur and I shared a chicken salad sandwich and I also got a bowl of clam chowder. The portions were HUGE! Everything was good except for the clam chowder. I found it terrible tasting and a total waste of money. At last, we came to the good part; the dessert! Arthur and SIL had Godiva chocolate cheesecake and Courage and Krumm ordered Tuxedo cheesecake. Both were 'delishush' but the Tuxedo was my favorite! (Courage and Krumm with famous Cheesecake Factory strawberry lemonade)

(All us girls at Cheesecake Factory)

Courage is 19! Wow, how time flies! Seems like just yesterday she was walking through the house in pull ups and toting her beloved 'Da-Dack'.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Birthday Week


It has turned into birthday week. This is day 3 of my celebration of turning 48. Tonight, my family treated me to dinner at the new Japanese restaurant in town...Kyoto. We would normally go to Nagoya for hibachi style food, but decided to give this place a try. They make the fried rice a bit different (they add bacon) and their sauce is a deeper shade of pink (hmmm). But the food was great, and the company most awesome! I am happy to have celebrated another year on this earth with my loved ones!

Tuesday, March 17, 2009

An Irish Blessing


Thanks to all my friends at work, friends at church, friends in general, and family, I had a wonderful birthday!

I got cake, cupcakes, pie, lunch, dinner with family and several gifts. But mostly I got lots of hugs and happy birthday wishes - which made my day! My former in-laws called and sang to me, I put them on speaker phone so the office could hear them, and that was really touching because it's been a tradition for a bazillion years!

I got to see my Mama and Dad and see them happy and smiling.

Courage is still recovering from a terrible tonsil infection, but she feels better tonight and that makes me happy too!

The Hubster gave me exactly what I asked for this time for a change...a gift card to Smoothie King! YUMMMMMO!

The birthday card I received from my former brother and sister-in-law (now friends, not relatives), had the best Irish Blessing inside! It really touched me and seemed appropriate, so I want to share it with you;

May God give you... For every storm, a rainbow, For every tear, a smile, for every care, a promise, and a blessing in each trial. For every problem life sends, a faithful friend to share, for every sigh, a sweet song, and answer for each prayer.

How sweet that is! I pray it for me, and you too!

I'm a Saint Patty's Baby


I was born 48 years ago, at Joan Glancy Hospital, in Duluth, Georgia. I weighed 5 lbs, 6 oz. Mama said I looked like a baby rat. She didn't know until later...because she asked for 'knock-out' drugs. How did women give birth 'knocked out'????

I didn't even hear of St. Patrick's Day until probably middle school or later. About that time the holiday began being commercialized. Now it's another way for Hallmark, Walmart, etc., to make money from selling cards, stuffed toys, party supplies, etc.

I wear green, just in case someone has pinching fever.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

Friday, March 13, 2009

Strange Thoughts


My brain is so overloaded with information and decisions and sadness as I take in the fact that my step dad, who has been daddy since I was seven, faces the news he may have only six months to live. He has gone down, health-wise, drastically since he got this news on Wednesday. His seizures are coming closer together again. We (me, my mom, brothers, uncles, aunts, cousins, friends) cry, and he cries.

Also, the Hubster's dad is very aged and having health problems of his own. He is just over 90 and has done remarkably well for his age, but he is beginning to wind down.

Courage went to the doc today with what she thought was strep throat; it was tonsillitis instead. She has bottles of meds to take now.

I am so tired, and yet want to stay up and read, watch t.v., learn, explore...not be too alone with my thoughts.

A weird thought popped in my head when I lay on the bed with courage and she dozed...I, like most women, have certain body parts and features I have never been 100% satisfied with. I have never liked the shape of my nose. (from Daddy). I have always thought my lips were too thin. I look at Courage and her lips are so fat and fluffy...more so since she is feverish...but her lips are full and beautiful. Like Angelina lips.

That makes me think of Arthur's nose. She has the perfect little nose, not too straight, not too sloped, not to wide, not too long. Almost a nose-job nose. (At least in my book!)

I find that I like that my girls each have a 'perfect' version of a feature I find imperfect in myself.

Strange thoughts...huh?

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Mental Exhaustion

I am mentally exhausted.

I am wishing everything would go back to 'normal'.

Death is a part of life.

Life is not always easy.

God never promised an easy life.

He did promise he wouldn't give us more than we can take.

I got to spend some time with Courage today, that helps.

I have lots of nice people around me, that helps.

It helps when someone says, I am sorry, even when it's not their fault.

I won't know what to say to my dad in the morning as we discuss him dieing.

I will say I'm sorry.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

For Reasons Unknown


Things happen to us in our lives that we have no control over. Things that we don't understand. Things we wish we could change.

We worry over it, we fret, we cry, we scream, we tear at our hair and face, and yet, you cannot undo the changes.

You go through stages of anger, sadness, disbelief, and acceptance. And we still wonder 'why?'.

Last year, I lost my job. I went from having a good salary to drawing what I considered a 'measly' check from unemployment.

I spent last summer alternating between worrying over not working, and enjoying being home. I worried over the money we spent doing improvements to our home. I got a lot of projects finished around the house.

As the summer began to fade, my worry about not working increased. All summer I applied for jobs that I felt were in my 'area' and my 'pay rate'. I had a few interviews.

I can't believe it now, but I actually told one company 'never mind' because, in my mind, they were dragging around on making a decision, and I felt like they were 'jacking around with me'.

One interview went terrible because I did not research the company beforehand, and I tried to be lighthearted with a young, inexperienced HR rep, who did not understand being glib during an interview when jobs were rare.

I was told by Gwinnett County that someone else was awarded the job I wanted. Two weeks later, they called me and said the job was mine if I could prove I graduated high school.

I found out after working with GC for a while, that my credentials had nothing to do with me getting the job. The person who first got the job, could not prove she was a high school graduate. Rumor has it she couldn't type, was on up there in age, and didn't have any office experience. But she had something over me; she was a friend of the 'big boss'. But she couldn't get her diploma, so I was second choice. Of course, having a cousin who works in the department helped me, I am sure.

I went to work making a third or less of my former salary, as a temp. That means my job is temporary. I could go home today and find out tomorrow morning I am not to return. I have no benefits such as insurance, paid days off, etc. No matter how long I work as a temp, I will never receive an increase in pay. I endure statements, though not meant to be hurtful, such as 'oh, I'm sorry, she can't help you with that; she's JUST A TEMP'. How many times over the years have I made statements like that? I have even heard them before in previous jobs...but not for more than 3 months at one job.

I am not complaining. I have a paycheck coming in. It's not what my former salary paid. It is more than unemployment benefits.

Now, back to the opening statement. Sometimes, things happen, that devastate us, that hurt us, that shock us...and we can't control it.

But sometimes we figure out why it happened.

Today, I got more bad news about my step dad, who has brain cancer. After the tears started to fall, one by one, angels began to gather around me. One angel handing over tissues, one whispering a prayer in my ear, one shedding her own tears, and all hugging me, kissing my cheeks and the top of my head. All saying words of comfort and encouragement.

I know why I lost my cushy, comfy, well paying job last year. I know why God placed me in this job, though it doesn't pay well, and I have no benefits.

It is because it is a place filled with his angels. And today they surrounded me.

Please see my Ed's Journey blog to get an update on his illness and life.

May you be surrounded by God's angels today.

Computer Problems!

I haven't written in a while...been having computer (and time) problems. I hope to write tonight! Thanks for your patience!