Happy 4th and Freedom to all!

Hey, Happy 4th and Freedom to all!

I hadn't been able to sign in for about two weeks. Very weird it was, and I think maybe because we use a Google sign-in for work. The blog kept insisting on my using that sign-in, yet wouldn't accept any passwords. I only tried a few times, as I'm on the computer quite a bit, but it's for work. By the time the reports are finished up and sent, I usually have had my fill of computer usage! Plus it's also usually quite late/early and I work fairly early in the morning, seven days a week. I haven't even Twittered very often and that is the quickest, easiest thing to do.

Anyway, I finally had time to monkey around with the blog sign-in today, even though I got on the computer to write up two reports from yesterday. Yeah, OK, now I'm feeling guilty about that and need to get to work and get those finished and sent.

Happy Earth Day to You!

Happy Earth Day to You
Happy Earth Day to You
Happy Earth Day toooo Youuuuu
Happy Earth Day to You

It's a beautiful sunny day again today. I've taken a shower, my quota of coffee, that mix of fresh fruit and yogurt that I eat for breakfast and am off for a visit (work). All's well with the world.

How are you celebrating Earth Day this year?

A sunny day

SUNBATHER
A woman was staying at a hotel and she decided to go sunbathing on the hotel roof. When she laid down her bikini top fell off. But, she didn't care because no one would see her anyway.

After a while she heard footsteps; it was the hotel manager. She hurried and covered herself up.

The hotel manager said, "We don't mind if you sunbathe up here, but we really would appreciate it if you would keep your bikini top on!"

She answered, "No one will see me anyway."

The hotel manager replied, "I hate to break this to you. But, you've been lying on the dining room skylights."


THE RING-BEAR-ER
A little boy was in a relative's wedding. As he was coming down the aisle he would take two steps, stop, and turn to the crowd (alternating between bride's side and groom's side).

While facing the crowd, he would put his hands up like claws and roar. So it went, step, step, ROAR, step, step, ROAR all the way down the aisle. As you can imagine, the crowd was near tears from laughing so hard by the time he reached the pulpit.

The little boy, however, was getting more and more distressed from all the laughing, and was also near tears by the time he reached the pulpit. When asked what he was doing, the child sniffed and said, "I was being the Ring Bear!"

THE NEAT-NIK
Ray, was attempting to build a patio for the first time. He bought 100 cement blocks. Laying them out in a pattern, he discovered the chosen area was too small.

He stacked the blocks against the house and cleared more space. The next day Ray put the cement blocks back down, only to find that the ground was too hard to keep the patio level.

He ordered a truckload of sand to be delivered the following morning. Again he stacked the 100 blocks against the house.

Observing all this, his next-door neighbor asked, "Ray, are you going to put your patio away every night?"


FAKING IT
Finally, the good-natured boss was compelled to call Smith into his office.

"It has not escaped my attention," he pointed out, "that every time there's a home game at the stadium, you have to take your aunt to the doctor."

"You know you're right, sir," exclaimed Smith. "I didn't realize it. You don't suppose she's faking, do you?"

AN ARTIST'S EYE
A wealthy man commissioned an artist to paint a portrait of his wife. Startled by the nonrepresentational image on the final canvas, the woman's husband complained, "It isn't how she really looks."

When asked by the painter how she really looked, the man produced a photograph from his wallet.

Returning the photography the artist observed, "Small, isn't she?"

A RIDDLE
If a train station is where the train stops and a bus station is where the bus stops, what is a work station?

____________________________

My early morning visit got cancelled. But now I have time to do the documentation for the three visits that I had yesterday. Oh, and one of my visit families want to go to the circus! I haven't seen the circus for years and years, since my own son was little. I got to hang out on a playground all day during a beautiful couple of days last week and got the sunburn to prove it! Also have gotten to go to the zoo and the children's museum, art gallery and other fun stuff many times. And I get paid for this! It's sometimes sad and sometimes hard but basically I love my job!

Moving Fast

Life has been hectic. Mostly a good hectic, but some other mixed in: Interviews, reject letters, second-opinion doctor visit, and work, lots of work. My bosses are aware of my job hunting and are giving me more hours! Another job interview tomorrow morning, working and training in the afternoon and a County exam for a job at 5:30. Another busy day coming up! How is YOUR life going? Has it also seemed to speed up suddenly?

Some jokes from a website:

What It Means

Five year old Becky answered the door when the Census taker came by.

She told the Census taker that her daddy was a doctor and wasn't home, because he was performing an appendectomy.

"My," said the census taker, "that sure is a big word for such a little girl. Do you know what it means?"

"Sure! Fifteen hundred bucks, and that doesn't even include the anaesthesiologist!"


George and Moses

George W. Bush, in an airport lobby, noticed a man in a long flowing white robe with a long flowing white beard and flowing white hair. The man had a staff in one hand and some stone tablets under the other arm.

George W. approached the man and inquired, "Aren't you Moses."

The man ignored George W. and stared at the ceiling.

George W. positioned himself more directly in the man's view and asked again, "Aren't you Moses".

The man continued to peruse the ceiling.

George W. tugged at the man's sleeve and asked once again, "Aren't you Moses".

The man finally responded in an irritated voice, "Yes I am".

George W. asked him why he was so uppity and the man replied, "The last time a bush spoke to me I ended up spending forty years in the wilderness".

Road Repair

The road by my house was in bad condition. Every day, I dodged potholes on the way to work, so I was relieved to see a construction crew working on the road one morning.

Later, on my way home, I noticed the men were gone and no improvement in the road. Where the crew had been working stood a new, bright-yellow sign with the words, "Rough Road."


and my favorite joke...

It's a Girl

Stationed in Okinawa, Japan, my son and his wife were expecting their first baby. I was elated when he called me at work with the news of my grandchild's birth. I took down all the statistics and turned to relate it all to my co-workers.

"I'm a grandmother!" I declared. "It's a baby girl, and she weighs five pounds."

"When was she born?" someone asked.

Recalling the date my son told me, I stopped, looked at the calendar, and said in amazement, "Tomorrow!"

What was I thinking?

I just finished talking to one of my bosses. She said I don't have to come in for my two scheduled visits--unless I want to work them. Both bosses are there and the visits are covered. After just spending a couple of hours doing my paperwork for visits that occurred yesterday the prospect of a free day (I don't work full time but it's seven days a week)was too good to resist. I said, well, as long as the visits are covered and they don't really need me....

And now, after hanging up the phone I figured it out. I'm losing around $40 by passing up those visits. Yikes, I cannot really afford to do that! What was I thinking?

Well, on to enjoy the rest of the day. Have a good one!

Once bitten, twice snowed on

It's snowing out again. The weather has been alternating between 20's and 30's below--and that's actually temperature NOT windchill which would sound even worse--and snow. The temps have been too cold to use road salt and so they've been only using sand. Sand on the roads is certainly better than nothing but it makes a slippery, slushy roadway. The city where I live is flat, and a driver just needs to remember to start braking long before they actually need to stop. But the neighboring city is hilly and the slippery roads are quite dangerous there.

I haven't written much about the particulars of my new job. There are many interesting stories, but they aren't MY stories and are confidential, so not appropriate blog-fodder. But last night as a visitation was ending, I needed to bring the children down the long halls out to the foster parent's vehicle. One child took my hand, and I was pleased and relieved as we aren't allowed to carry them or hold their hands against their will. We were all dressed for outdoors. I was wearing thick leather gloves--and good thing that I was! The child bit into the fleshy part of my thumb where it joins my hand like she was biting into an apple. She hung on until I looked her sternly in the eye and said, "No, stop that." a whole lot calmer than I felt! They were the last family in the Center and I was supposed to leave at when the visit was over as the Center isn't in the best of neighborhoods. But my hand was throbbing so I went back into the bathroom. There was a dime-sized open wound, surrounded by bright orange and purple bruising. I ran warm water and soap from the dispenser over my hand until it quit throbbing, then put the glove back on to drive home.

As I was driving down the slick, slippery hill and the car wasn't stopping at intersections in the manner I would have liked, a child's verse was in my head:

Child bite, child bite
Last family I see tonight
I wish I may
I wish I might
Avoid further injury tonight.

I got home OK and put honey on the wound. Today it is much better and barely painful. Long ago as a meter reader I received dog bites fairly often. Those wounds would be painful for days because I hadn't given them first aid right away with warm water and soap. Also didn't know about the curative powers of honey!

The question of today is: How's your work going lately?

A Flunk-ee on Probation

Yesterday I didn't post about all the tests I took. I'd applied for three county jobs in the neighboring state. They sent me three letters, all packed into one envelope (encouraging that they are saving on postage!) Each of the three letters said the same thing in a slightly different manner: I needed to pass some tests to be considered for the job.

The County Courthouse is downtown. Parking, except on meters is difficult to come by and now I'm not able to walk for blocks and blocks. When my old job's old office was downtown, I became adept at finding free parking and fitting into the tightest of spots. If the parking spot was even a tiny bit larger than the Jeep, I could somehow get into it. Now, faced with tests that would take up most of the day, I really didn't want to have to keep plugging a parking meter. To my joy and amazement, I found a FREE parking space less than a block from the Courthouse! That was truly a miracle to find a free parking spot right downtown, at 10:00 AM. I wish the tests had turned out to be miracles too, but that was not to be.

I took the first test, Information Specialist I. It was long and rather difficult with two hours allowed for it. I think I did OK, good enough to pass, I hope. There was an addendum to it called the "Bookkeeping Test" that passing would qualify one to be listed for County Auditor jobs. I took the Bookkeeping Test even though I really haven't done much bookkeeping for years. It seemed to go OK. After taking those two tests I took the Information Specialist II test, two hours allowed. That actually seemed easier than the I test, not as much math on it--and no calculators were allowed for the tests--not even for the Bookkeeping Test which had calculating interest and adding up columns of figures.

Then it was on to the performance tests but the computer room was filled up. The attendant asked if I wanted a break while waiting for an opening. I took a break in the Courthouse coffee shop and had a tiny little coffee and a half tuna sandwich. Both were little but very good. Thus fortified I returned to the testing office for the performance tests.

Took the typing test and passed at 58 WPM. I always put that I can do 60 WPM but I guess not, anymore. The last test was a MS Word 2002 test. I used that program all of the time at my former job and know it well. The attendant sat with me through the sample test, in which I got one wrong that she said, "That wasn't wrong!" That didn't bode well for the test.

I have to hang my head and tell you--I didn't pass that last test. I thought I knew how to do everything but one question, but obviously I missed far more than one question to flunk the test! You were asked to click on the first thing you would do to perform the given task. They seemed to allow only one way to do things and apparently that wasn't the way I was used to doing those things. Very discouraging and I don't know how to even study up to take it again.

The good news is that I CAN take that test again, but who knows if I'll do any better at it. At least I will look up the one thing I didn't know how to do, so there will be one more correct answer, maybe.

The Worker's Comp person called me today between visitations to ask about all the testing too, so I had to tell her about needing to re-take the test. She wasn't impressed and told me I needed to get some training. During our last meeting she told me that I couldn't go out of town to visit my son, his girlfriend and grandson, not even during the holidays. Worker's Comp wants me to either be working or applying for jobs. Reminding her that I've been working 7 days a week didn't change her mind about that, either. That's why I was so thrilled and happy to hear that son and grandson would be coming here to visit--since I'm not allowed to go there to see them. Now THAT is a miracle, thank goodness!

Just call me Gumby

Well, yesterday was certainly interesting. I do like flexibility and unpredictability. The trouble is that last one can interfere with the rest of one's life. I was making chicken soup, watching the time and listening for the phone or the cell. I'd talked to both bosses but that was no guarantee that things wouldn't get all switched up. At 1:20 there was a call on the cell phone. It was direct boss calling to ask if I could come to a 1:30 visitation at the Center. As the other boss had said earlier, my regular visitation at 2:00 had been given to somebody else. Yikes!

I was (sort of, just in case) planning for the scheduled 2:00 at the client's house. While just a half-hour difference might not sound so bad or such a scramble, it was because I'd planned the soup to be done at 1:30, then pack up and leave. I said I was right in the middle of soup-making and wouldn't be able to leave home until 1:30, so would be late to the visitation. The boss said she'd switch the 2:00 person to the 1:30. I asked if I was still scheduled for the 2:00 then? She said she'd get back to me.

Ten minutes later I was done with the soup and sort of packed up. I really didn't want to waste the gas (and time) to go flying over there if someone else had been assigned to my 2:00 visitation. Finally I called the boss back and left a message. She called me back wondering why I'd called (?) because she just saw my number and hadn't listened to the message. I asked if the 2:00 was on or off for me. Apparently in the commotion she'd forgotten that it had been still up in the air and that she'd said she would call me back. It was on. So I rushed over the High Bridge to the neighboring state and to the client's house.

Whew! Now wasn't that interesting? I'm still waiting for a schedule for this week, have no idea what the scheduled times are, let alone the certain changes. Boss said she needed my E-mail, so sent it so her last night. This morning I'm on the computer checking for the schedule and got a "test" E-mail from her. Sent it back and am still waiting to see if or when I'm working today!

During the commotion of yesterday the land-line phone rang while I was on the cell talking to the boss. It was the Real Estate Agent with a showing for today! So I've been cleaning and sprucing up too. Away with the discount Halloween goblets and candles I'd bought for a quarter apiece and a set for a quarter. Also put away all the jars that were sitting on the kitchen counter. I'm going to clean and fill them with homemade "Cafe Vienna" "Mocha" "Spiced Tea" "Chai Tea" for (inexpensive) Christmas gifts.

Flexible Schedule

The utility guys came to fix the furnace last Tuesday. I waited most the day for them but it was worth it! They told me they had been making bets in the truck about what sort of furnace I had, and one had guessed correctly and also had guessed correctly what the problem was. These type of furnaces are known for that problem, apparently. So charged me for a hour of time and $4 for supplies for a total of $84--the cheapest furnace repair I'd paid yet. And also the only effective one. I'm very much enjoying the heat in here now!

I should be at a visitation right now, but it was canceled. This is the third one in a row that has been canceled. I got ready, took out the garbage and moved the garbage bin to the alley before leaving, because I thought I wouldn't be returning until after dark tonight. I had 7-and-a-half hours scheduled for two visitations and only a short half-hour to drive between them. I sped over the interstate "High" bridge and to the Center where the key to the visit rooms was missing (again). The building key was there so I could get into the building and knocked on the visit room doors, thinking someone had used the key and had not put it back. Well, that last part was true!

Called the boss about the missing key and she told me that the visitation had been canceled! I had gotten ready, raced over and stood out in the cold waiting--for nothing. Well, almost nothing, as she said I can get the 1-hour "cancellation" pay and a half hour for doing the paperwork. Friday morning the exact same thing happened, for a different family's visitation, and Friday afternoon the boss called me (BEFORE) I drove over the bridge, this time, to let me know that the afternoon visit had been cancelled too.

Although I'll get 1.5 hours of pay for each, it isn't what I'd planned for or what had been scheduled. So far I still have the 4-hour visitation in a family's home later this afternoon. But even that appears to be iffy because another boss told me just this morning that another worker had been assigned that visit, "to give me a day off"! Some day off when I had to go running over there! But my direct boss told me the visit is still on. We'll see what happens when I get there.

OK, I really do like this new job, but like any job it does have certain things about it that could be improved. When hired they told us that we would need to be flexible--and they really weren't kidding about that! They are also hiring more workers even though most of us are clamoring for more hours. What's up with that? Will the person who shadowed one of my visits be TAKING OVER that visit? Possibly so as I haven't seen her (new person) name on the schedule yet and she will be wanting hours too. I really don't want to donate any of my visitations to her, even though she seems to be a nice person!

Last week my hours did increase so Worker's Comp will (hopefully) be more pleased with this job. The job placement person is coming to meet for the usual two hours next week. I've already filled out the required job-hunting logs for her and the "Returns" matrix of companies who have gotten back to me, with rejection letters or E-mails.

I also finally finished the last folder of scanning for the friends who had this computer fixed. It was a barter deal and I had to fulfill my end of it after they paid for the repair. It was a good deal that worked out well. I couldn't have done my new job very well without computer access. The documents are E-mailed to the main office and there is a deadline about how fast they need to be submitted. Since a lot of my work is during the weekend, that would have been a problem to find a computer to get it done had not this one at home been fixed. I'm grateful. Everything is still turning out well, just not very predictable!

Oh-Brrr and Oh-Brrr Again

Just finished typing three visitation reports (which took a couple of hours) and my fingers and lips are blue. Yes, the furnace is OUT again, since yesterday. Do suppose that guy was right? I sure hope not! We also got our first snow yesterday. Bad timing for that.

Another week of action? Words CAN hurt you!

Another week of action coming right up! There's a Worker's Comp appointment, a doctor's appointment and an assessment, so far. I'm still waiting to hear about the training and shadowing for my new job. They said they desperately need a new worker but that it's hard to find the time to actually hire one. That seems to be quite true, as I first interviewed in August and had put in the application three weeks before the interview. But SLA's job (where she recently went back after being gone for more than a year) may have a night opening! I've never done that work before but would LOVE to work nights! The Post Office job I had was a night job, from 8 PM to 4 AM--and then I worked in the office I was just fired from as a temp during the daytime. I don't want to double-up on jobs like that again but the other job is a PT job and so is this one. Maybe the two together might work out?

Something that I found out very recently surprised me, in a bad way. It seems that the commonly held notion that it's illegal for past employers to bad-mouth a dismissed employee is incorrect! Yikes, and I heard it from good authority, two different local attorneys. A past employer is allowed (by the virtue of free speech) to SAY WHATEVER THEY WANT TO ABOUT A PAST EMPLOYEE!!!! Even if it's controversial, even if it's not true.

Now, usually an employer, especially a large one will exercise some restraint and caution about bad-mouthing someone. But they don't have to by law, in fact both of the attorneys said that proving a case like that would be very difficult to do--and the employers know it.

The burden of defense would be on ME (or any wronged former employee) to PROVE that the company,
1. Actually made derogatory statements about me to a potential employer, and
2. That those derogatory statements were the primary reason that a potential employer decided not to hire me.

As the attorneys said, that would be extremely hard to prove and it would be a rare case that the wronged employee would actually win such a case. Especially since the potential employer is not going to be at all interested in getting involved in a civil lawsuit against another employer! Thus they will downplay or totally omit anything damaging the former employer said to them and claim other reasons for not hiring.

Isn't that interesting, but in a bad way? I really need to find out what they're saying about me.

How is your week shaping up for action so far?

Skinny-dipping and stolen vegetables

OK OK, I take back most of what I've said about my Worker's Comp stalkers! Yesterday I called the Employment Finder one, who called me back and she was wonderful! Very supportive and talked with me well over an hour about the interview issues. It was good to discuss it with someone. Blogging it also helped---a lot! So thanks for your support.

After hearing the huge job description (clerical for five different departments but only 80% time) and the particulars, she seemed to feel that it wouldn't be that great of a job. She thought it might be the combining of several different jobs (maybe due to budget cuts) and probably very stressful. So if I get it it's fine with her but even more so if I don't get it. I was relieved and surprised to hear that. She isn't so bad, helpful even. I usually can get along with most anybody, even BZ and her little evil buddy--before I got injured, anyway.

Another WC person called me at 8:00 PM last night for a different reason, the upcoming Dr. appointment. She won't be able to make it and so will send someone else to accompany me. Disappointing, as she and I had talked quite a bit about a strategy to make the Dr. at least stop and talk to us! Every other appt he has just done sort of a fast circle into and out of the room, waving my X-ray and saying all is fine.

A couple of days ago as I was struggling to my feet, out my window I saw a woman inspecting my garden. Like, REALLY inspecting it, brushing leaves with her hands, looking at my vegetables! She walked right down my mini-driveway to the back door and I was all set to race downstairs, thinking she was going to knock at my door. Nobody walks down that far unless they want to knock, as it is quite private. But she didn't knock. In fact she turned around--and stated TAKING squash, zucchini, corn and tomatoes!

I wanted to lean out the deck door and yell, "Hey, stop stealing my stuff!!" until I really took a close look at her. She was older, had long white hair, was using a walker (with a basket to put the stolen vegetables) and had an oxygen tube-thing up her nose. Her clothes were non-matching, and very worn. She looked poor, very poor. The food she was stealing is good, healthy food. I hope it helps.

However, after that I'm going to keep my vegetables somewhat picked so I at least get a few things. Maybe ungenerous of me but I barely planted a garden this year, had difficulties in keeping it watered so it's not very plentiful, like usual. And I've been using the produce as barter, since I don't have much money either. Brought some to the wonderful neighbor who mows my lawn, gave some to the people who fixed my computer, etc. So while she certainly can have a little, I NEED the rest to barter! Not to mention I ate zucchini all last week and this week too (with varying herbs from the front garden), so I'm sort of living off the meager garden, too. I do miss all the tomatoes she took, had given the last batch away and was waiting for these to ripen. Oh well. There's always worse off people. I'm doing relatively well.

And then last night I dreamed of skinny-dipping! It was a meeting for work (not any real workplace, an imaginary, dream workplace) by the ocean. I could smell it and hear the waves. There were families with naked children, not like one would see in the U.S. At 9:00 PM (in the dream) a horn blew as a curfew and the families all left. The adults on the beach started stripping down to nakedness, and more adults arrived. A (imaginary) co-worker and I were shy about just stripping down in front of everyone so we went to the hotel-like structure on the beach, undressed and RAN down the beach. In the dream I was wondering whether to fold my arms to stop things from, er, jiggling as I ran! Interesting dream. Wish I hadn't awakened right then.

Well, what do you have planned for your weekend? Fun, good things, I hope! Have a good one!

Am I doomed, in yellow suspenders?

Well, got through the interview yesterday. I was nervous before the interview and kind of a basket case afterward in the car but basically it seemed to go well. I arrived early because like most universities, there's a parking hassle and I wanted to be as close to the building where the interview was being held, as possible. I offered to come back later but the receptionist contacted the two interviewers who were raring to go. Actually the raring to go thing turned out to be not so good as the interview lasted a half hour, at the most. It had easy good communication and they were friendly, which is a good sign since they are the two bosses of the position.

They had a series of questions to ask. Now these were just some normal questions but THREE out of the five questions asked had to do with things I'd rather not talk about, yikes! I've not ever been in a position to have employment skeletons in my closet!

A couple of the five questions I was asked: Why was I let go? What would my former supervisor say my best points are? What would she say my weaknesses are? Loaded questions for me now, all three of them.

I did some evasive action, using what they ONCE would have said of me. And I said that my "termination" was due to budgetary constraints (partially true) and some other reasons. Thank God they did not ask, and what are the "other reasons?" It was really stressful and back in the car I was shaking and upset. What if they call my former supervisor, Bossilla!? Even the HR person there would not give me a favorable account, she would say I was fired because of performance issues.

But I did stay calm during the interview (maybe fortunate that it was so short!) and when they had another woman take me around and introduce me to everyone in the office. I used to think the introductions thing was a good sign but now (having worked in HR in two different companies) I know that companies often do that to get the rest of the office workers' opinion about each of the candidates. They are interviewing ten candidates.

Am I doomed to only be able to get entry level jobs--and be LUCKY to get hired, just because my old cruel boss and her two cohorts have blackballed me? I didn't do anything wrong!

Still haven't heard from the part-time job for which I DID get hired. It's a position that college students often take but sounded fun. The money was kind of low but not as bad as some entry-level jobs. They had to do a background check and check my driver's license and had told me it would be a few days before all of that goes through.

Last night I dreamt of yellow suspenders(!?) Have NO idea what that dream was all about. What kind of dreams have you been having lately?

Intake Took

I'm still waiting to hear back when my training will occur. As part of it I get to shadow three different people. That will be fun! One of the Worker's Comp people called me today for a long chat. The other one is on vacation so I haven't heard from her yet this week, which is unusual. The university HR person called me twice this morning--each time to reschedule the interview. Right now it's tomorrow afternoon and I need to make sure my suit stills fits me and that I have nylons without runs in them.

Yesterday the employment intake took ("intake took" ha ha, I'm easily amused, which is lucky in the scheme of things!) two hours instead of the stated, half-hour. It was for a good reason though, as the big boss wanted to talk with me. That was a good conversation and I got a pretty good idea of some of the details and expectations of the position. I very nearly was LATE for the counseling appointment, though! Then SLA and I went out for dinner. She paid, since she's newly employed after not working for over a year. I had been picking up the tab for the both of us, but we weren't going out very often and went to the cheapest places (excepting for fast food--that's even cheaper but we don't need to be eating that). SLA had about four pit stops along the way but also threw in money for gas. Gas prices have stayed relatively low, compared to how high they've been. I'm keeping my fingers crossed because I'd like to travel to see the kids again soon, once I find out my job schedule. Last night I had a dream about Grandson walking around!

So, how's Tuesday treating you so far?

Seasoning: A bit of this and a bit of that

The water in the kitchen sink still isn't working. I did use the sprayer attachment while I was doing the dishes right before the water stopped running. In thinking back, that's what happened the other time, too. Except it started working again after about a half hour. I cleaned everything out from under the sink, have been turning those shut-off knobbys on and off but nothing, no water comes out. Guess I'll have to call a plumber.

This morning I go to my new employer to "sign up" with the Social Security Card and all. Then they will schedule a time to train me and then I can sign up for shifts and actually work. It's been so long that I'm just a bit nervous about it. Plus this is a completely new job, I've never done this type of work before. So it should be interesting and exciting.

Right after the new employer I have a counseling appointment today. I had started going only a week before I got fired (talk about good timing!) because of all the stress. After getting fired I went every week for the rest of that month. That horrible termination letter that I was handed at the final interview said that I would have health coverage until the end of the month. But the counseling appointments were denied by my health insurance even though they happened during the same month. A dentist appointment was also denied by my insurance. I ended up having to pay the dentist myself but the insurance finally did kick in for the counseling appointments. It was several hundred dollars and I had absolutely no source of money at the time. So it was a good motivation for me to convince them to pay out! Now I only go to the counseling appointments every three weeks. Even so, it seems to come up quickly. Seems like I just went to one!

I haven't heard anything about Open House yesterday. The Real Estate agent was going to call me right after but he didn't. I'm assuming (sadly) that maybe nobody came to the Open House again. That R.E. company doesn't advertise very well. Probably barely anyone even knew that there WAS an Open House. I'm still hoping some people walked through it, but am doubting that.

Well, it's Monday and the season's are changing today. What is your favorite season, and why?

Great Expectations

Lest you think that I'm really on the gravy train since I can (sometimes) sleep in late:

Here are the expectations for the "Rehabilitation Job Placement Plan and Agreement." I had to sign and agree to these in order to receive Worker's Comp payments:

* Full Time job search 6-8 hours per day/5days per week.

* Job search radius is within 50 miles

* 2-3 applications per day

* 2-3 contacts with Job Placement Specialist per week

* Legible daily job logs need to be submitted weekly

* Job Leads followed up within 48 hours

* 2 interviews per week, if possible

* 4-10 cold call job searches daily

My job logs are inspected and questioned. If I don't fulfill the agreement (above) they can cut some or all of my weekly WC payments.

When I mentioned this to friends, they nearly all exclaimed, "But all I had to do was call in every week!" Yes, my dearest pals, but that was for Unemployment Compensation, not Worker's Compensation. The two are different animals. The bright side is that WC pays out higher than EUC. And if my WC ever did disappear, I also managed (in those dark days immed following my firing) to become eligible for UEC.

Something I didn't know, and maybe you don't either is that if you get FIRED from a job, you don't get Unemployment Compensation!!!!!! And I had worked at the job for six years.

I nearly fell over when I received the UEC denial in the mail and wondered what on earth I was going to do--no job, no money and an injury besides. But every week UEC sent me three thick envelopes with essay questions about what had happened, which I completed and returned diligently. In time UEC made a ruling that I was NOT fired for cause, as my ex-employer was declaring and that I was eligible for UEC. Whew! It was a long hard road.

By the time UEC finally was preparing to kick in, the Worker's Comp person at their main office also declared that I was still eligible for WC. She had been appalled that my former employer did not call WC and let them know that I was to be fired. It took a bit of time but she had me reinstated on WC. So guess which one of the Compensations I selected? WC is enough for me to pay the bills while UEC would have been a blessing, for sure, but my housing costs are so high that I would have lost the house. So all is well and I am VERY grateful to the nice woman at WC who fought the battle for me. There are some good people out there who are interested in justice!

YIKE--Ike

Heard on the news briefly this morning that Texas is being slammed by Ike. I had so hoped that either the storm would dwindle into nothingness before landfall or divert to an area where no damage would be done. The news said there are a lot of people who were still there when the storm hit, and it's headed up through Arkansas the last I heard.

Can't they find a way to lessen the impact of these horrible (I refuse to call them--acts of god) manifestations of nature? Some time ago I watched a show about weather modification. It was on PBS, I think, and said that weather mod attempts had been going on since the dawn of humankind but that the scientists in Nazi Germany had actually figured out some methods that worked. The show talked about how a pulse of energy could be used as a weapon to turn weather bad and make bad weather worse. This pulse could be directed to a particular area in order to "attack" that location. Well, I wonder, is THAT what's been happening? Or is that just another conspiracy theory? What do you think?

I went early this morning to take a State exam in HR Asst. At first the test seemed quit daunting but I went back over my answers and actually figured out how to work with the formula of how to come up with civil service scores! There was an entire page devoted to questions on that. There were also questions about employment laws, equal opportunity and the like. I was surprised at how much of that stuff I knew. After all, I did work in an HR Dept for a brief time, and then before that as a temp plus all of THIS stuff since I got fired from my job. But the proof will be in what score I get--can't wait to find out!

Not voted off the island

Again I have only been able to comment on a couple of your blogs. Will try again tomorrow.

OK, bet you knew this was coming: work is hellish. They seem determined to pay me back for all the time I've had off. Don't they realize that being off from work with an injury is not fun? Guess not. I naively thought just because I was kinda happy to be back that things would go well. Not. Not at all. But I've tried to keep up an insanely happy outlook. They probably think I'm overdosed on pain pills (I wish, none of the pain pills have really worked) but I keep smiling. It's had some rewarding moments; like when they look utterly befuddled and confused, but mostly being back to work has been just plain hellish.

Monday was one of the worst days I can ever recall and I really don't want to go into all the nasty details and re-live it all, but let's just say that I was scolded for my emails (BS snooped through all of my stuff, of course) chided and repremanded by my three bosses. Yes, I have three bosses now, not just BZ but two of her cronies are officially my bosses too. And Favorite Co-worker, who is one of my new bosses, isn't speaking to me. She avoids me whenever she can to the point of turning around and darting back to her office when she hears me come hobbling down the hallway to the bathroom or the workroom. It hasn't stopped her from assigning huge chunks of work for me to do in impossibly short amounts of time, and ccing BZ on it all, too so any failure of mine will be noted.

I cannot carry things while hobbling on crutches, yet the little cart that I needed even when able-bodied has disappeared. When I had a large mailing to do, I had to put it into a box and push it all the way from the workroom to my desk using my crutches. It took a long time and I was pretty tired just getting all that stuff over to my desk. Just getting around on that shiny, slippery, polished wood floor is exhausting. The office takes up an entire floor of the building we're in and has a huge amount of floorspace.

Oh, and BZ has taken away my company cell phone. She said it is a budgeting move, but I'm the only one who had it taken away. I was planning to call into work from my car if the parking lot, road and sidewalk were too icy to nagivate in the morning. Now I will have to drive all the way back home, get back up my inside stairs and call from home. That call will be criticized because it will be late by the time I can do that. I'm just hoping it's not slippery in the mornings so that problem doesn't ever come up.

Some of my assignments so far have been to get a count on the books in the publication room. I can't stand for any length of time and certainly can't balance well enough to move boxes around. But BZ took care of that one when I (nicely, politely) pointed that out to her. Then I was assigned to put heavy, bulky files together, which I am still working on. It's tough to do when I don't have good mobility or reach, but sort of possible, I guess, if difficult and tiring.

I had made some fudge to bring to work on Monday, hoping for a good re-start. Normally any sort of sweets, especially chocolately types disappear before noon. Only one piece was taken and that was by a visitor from our main office. I am being boycotted by the rest of the staff. They think I'm a lazy slacker, I guess, despite the obvious struggles I have to get into work, the crutches and the cast up to my knee. That, plus total exhaustion hit me pretty hard on Monday. I was nearly in tears so many times that day but wouldn't give in to it, wouldn't give them the pleasure of knowing how much their cruelty and just plain meanness hurt me, both emotionally and physically. Barely anyone even spoke to me unless it was unavoidable. BZ told me that she and the HR Dept wanted to meet with me on Tuesday.

By Tuesday I had toughened up a bit so went into the scary HR meeting joking and smiling. In reality, I was scared stiff. They could do some pretty mean and awful things to me. Financially I'm on my very last pegs, having received only 2/3 of my salary the entire time I was out on disability, plus the first three days off from work were totally unpaid. I was prepared to hear the worse: which wouldn't be to be laid off, because then they would have to pay unemployment compensation and also pay out all my remaining vacation time. The meeting turned out to be fairly decent despite the scary beginnings of rejecting body language, closing the door and all of that. I don't know if my upbeat attitute helped any but it couldn't have hurt. I did get assigned a whole bunch of brand new duties, despite the fact I have been gone for five weeks and am very behind in my regular duties.

During the day on Tuesday someone put my fudge so close to the hot coffee pot that it melted. It was a hassle to bring it all the way back to the car and then from the car back home, but I did it with pleasure. It was really good fudge and their loss! I brought it home on Tuesday night and today brought my Mom a few pieces and had one for dessert myself.

So I am surviving. But aren't we all in one way or another? I want to THRIVE again and get back some joy and happiness. That's my primary goal right now, after surviving the brutal times at work, of course. Hope your life is going much better!

Until the lake freezes over

This a a photo of the big lake freezing over. A co-worker took it but I have to use it without permission because he doesn't know about my blog. It's cold here and we've had snow the past two days. Snow is pretty but it's not fun to shovel, which it looks like I may have to today in order to get out for work. Driving in snow isn't fun either, so I'm leaving for work early.

I've missed you all and sort of replaced my blogging habit :(
So here's a quick rundown of what's up in my world. I DO really hope to get the time to visit your blog soon and catch up on what's happening in YOUR world, too!

I've lost a total of 52 pounds and even people at work are noticing. The guys were the first to notice, or at least say anything about it! BZ and Favorite Co-worker haven't said a word, of course.

The lovely tax people did an audit on my 2004 tax return and are asking for a whole bunch of money (from all the penalties). I'm appealing but just sent in my last appeal yesterday. If I lose this one, I must either pay all of that money or they will garnish my wages.

Job is the same, in fact I have an annual review coming up that I am dreading. I do have to take ten days off before the end of the year or lose them. Now that would be stupid to lose my days off...

House is the same, still pretty much a demolition site in the basement. The woman helping me had a fire in her own house and needs to get it liveable by the end of the year or lose her homestead tax exemption for property tax. So things haven't been progressing, but that's OK I guess. So far I'm hanging on here and my son is working again down there and it looks like they will stay there.

And some crazy good, sort of, news..I'm going to be a grandma!!!!!
Remember how my son broke up with his girlfriend? Well turns out that in late October she found out that she was pregnant, very pregnant. And they had wondered why she kept gaining weight all those past months! So anyway, they are back together since finding out they are going to be parents. I had a weird mix of emotions over it: excited to be a "nana" at first, then sad for my son who had broken up with her because he liked another girl and wanted to date her.

The kids were in denial over it and she has not even gone to the doctor even yet. So I was worried about them and felt I needed to jump-start their responsibility towards this new life, so I went shopping in thrift stores and got a whole bunch of baby things and clothing. Had a day off the Wednesday before Thanksgiving so I washed up all the baby stuff, cooked a bunch of food. Thursday I spent with my Mom but on Friday I went to see the kids with the jeep loaded down with good stuff. It was fun to look at the little bitty baby things! The tiny little socks really got to me, and the bunting, and the onesies--everything so cute and so tiny. The kids reacted in the same way as I did, with lots of awwwwwws and oooooohs.

Her due date (they think, she just had an ultrasound which cost my son $130 and couldn't even tell if the baby is a boy or a girl, no doctor has examined her yet) is December 11th. Soon, very very soon. And another weird thing about it is that my neighbors are also having their first child and I've watched her grow larger all summer and fall--her due date is December 9th. Little did I know that I would have a grandchild about that time, too! Life is so strange. Especially this year. How has your year been so far?

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween! Sorry that I haven't been on here for so long, it's been a hectic, busy time both at home and at work. My younger brother came to visit last weekend. He brought chicken and noodles, a common dish in Indiana, he said. It was simple and plain and really good. I brought the fixings for sandwiches: fresh bread buns, cream cheese, smoked turkey and wild salmon (which I get at a discount in the building I work and keep around home to feed guests)garden lettuce, tomatoes and green peppers. We all ate well! He and I nearly got into it, though. We've had a rocky relationship but it's been good for the past two years until last weekend. He was just itching for a fight and criticizing my son, my work problems (which Mom had told him), my flooding problems and even how I do Sudoku! I held my tongue, which I'm getting much better at, through practice at work!

Only my friends have noticed that I've lost 34 pounds. Nobody in the family or at work has said a word, even though I'm 3 sizes smaller on the top and 2 sizes smaller on the bottom (wish it were the opposite, but any smaller is good!)

The kids are coming up late on Thursday, to stay until Saturday or Sunday to help on the basement. It's a lot of work. We got the bathroom and the bedroom door hung, flooring laid in the bathroom but there's still the huge job of cutting sheetrock to fit ALL the walls, which were cut up a foot or more.

At work I'm very busy transcribing hour-long pod casts, shipping all sorts of stuff and anything else they throw at me. I survived another near hit. But a higher up woman (but then, everyone there is higher up than I am) was fired. I didn't like her, but they did it in a very cruel manner and even had a pizza party the day after to celebrate her demise. I couldn't eat any...Favorite Co-worker isn't speaking to me again, which doesn't bode well as she has BZ's ear and is her little pet.

Anton, Amanda and I went on the Haunted Ship Tour again this year. It was really fun, I liked Dracula jumping out of his coffin the best, but the kitchen scene with meat cleavers and body parts was good, too. I actually got scared when (in the dark hallway) a masked figure leaned over and spoke low into my ear! For some reason it was more scary than the jumping out or screaming.

What are YOUR Halloween plans? Hope you have fun! I may not be around much for the next few weeks, either. Sorry about that. I do enjoy reading your blogs and miss you all!