Did my civic duty today...voted for Republicans. Hope and pray come November we can get the current mess out of office. America has gone to HHHH in a handbasket in the last 4 years. I'm certainly going to do everything in MY power to get that man out!!
So, what else happened today? Not much for me, but this was a big day for K. He had his usual Tuesday morning appointment with his therapy group, ate lunch while he was out, and then went to an employment agency in Hurst - they had contacted him last week. He figured it was a wild goose chase. As it turns out, however, it appears Ken may be going to work! We're not announcing it as true, because we're waiting for the final say so. The agency is one of those temporary places that puts folks out on a "temp to hire" contract. If he actually does get this placement, it will start in mid June. It's located in Arlington, which scares me for him to drive that every day. But something has to give...the finances can't stand the strain much longer.
So, since they are apparently able to find K. a job, I may contact them about finding something for me. I'm not interested in a career - I'll be happy to just do office work. Whatever. We're not looking for the big bucks or benefits, just fun money.
We celebrated by going "to the corner" for dinner - our neighborhood Italian Cafe. Not fancy, but cheap.
Other than that, not much happening. I sent out a couple of resumes, but that's it.
Goodnight - take care. May the good Lord watch over all of us.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Monday, May 28, 2012
Monday, May 28, 2012
Memorial Day. Hope everyone took the time to remember the servicemen in your life - those who have gone before, our living veterans, those who did not return, those who returned changed forever, and our active personnel. My son is my personal hero - currently in his 21st year with the U.S. Air Force. He spent much time in Saudi, several tours over seas elsewhere. In 2005 he was on a one year tour of duty in Korea, had come stateside for R&R with wife and daughter and us, and had gone back to complete the last half. It was year end, we had already sent package with a small tree, lights, ornaments to him. We received a call that he was being transported to Hawaii because he had something major wrong with his left eye. In Hawaii they fixed what was thought to be a detached retina only to discover he had a tumor pushing the eye out. He was transported here to be seen by a special oncologist in Dallas who at first thought something could be done, but after taking a second look decided my son should be seen by the renowned Wills eye center in Philadelphia. So, he, his wife and daughter flew to Philadelphia. My son's left eye was removed that Tuesday before Christmas, 2005. He has a rare form of melanoma cancer that strikes about 6 in a million - blue eyed fair skinned people. Suspect? UV rays - too much Saudi. Anyway, he is alive today, is doing well, still in the Air Force. He has testing done every 3 months. Unlike most cancer, the 5 year mark means nothing. With melanoma there is no such thing. So, how did we celebrate the holiday? We were invited to the home of friends for a swim/grill/chill party, but after hem hawing around about it both confessed that we really just wanted to stay home. So we did. We cleaned up the kitchen - and that's a real job. The next place we live I hope to heck we have a SMALL kitchen so that mopping doesn't take up the majority of a day! Having this much space is great in some ways, but keeping it clean is something else.
Did I mention in previous post that one of the things my friend Debbi had given to me was about 6 yards of expensive fabric? Along with the patterns for robes she had been planning to make for herself and her former husband. They were on the island in our kitchen last week so when Ken asked what he could do to help me I told him to put those things in a bag and set them in the garage with Debbi's things. It never occurred to me to check up on it. Well guess what! That bag is nowhere to be found Knowing Ken he went out the garage door with that bag and opened up the trash barrel and threw it in. Because that's the kind of thing he does. He knew he had a bag - and bless his heart he had used a clean kitchen trash bag to put it in, so by the time he stepped into the garage he had no recollection of the fact that it was anything other than trash. And that, folks, is what I live with. Anyway, the trash was picked up on Friday so it is long gone.
Tomorrow morning Ken has his regular meeting with MHMR; and tomorrow afternoon he has a meeting with an employment agency that may be able to help him. Next Monday (June 4) he has an appointment back at the resource place where he was attending a special workshop. That appointment is for a mock interview. If he passes the interview they will be able to help connect him with places that hire people with his issue. He just needs to work a little bit - right now he is doing nothing to help pull his own freight. His disability income barely covers his personal expenses - car, auto insurance, health insurance, meds. He needs to be contributing and it will be good for him to have an outlet (and for me, too!).
That's about it for now. It's storming, thus far hasn't been too bad. Tomorrow I hope to tackle the utility room. It is so awful. It is supposed to be the overflow from my kitchen (large platters, big bowls, appliances, etc.). Since Ken moved in 10.5 years ago it has been a mini garage and I am sick, sick, sick of it. In addition it has the ddddd cat box in it. I hate owning cats. They are dirty, nasty, and always make the place stink. And that dddddd cat litter is scattered everywhere. I just don't think cats were meant to live indoors. I reached my limit with it a long time ago; now time to do something since someone else is not going to do anything about it.
Still have to make another run over to the house where the estate sale is going to be - I'll do that sometime tomorrow or Wednesday. Will be glad to get this done...and I don't intend to bring a cotton picking thing back home with me. If it doesn't sell, it is going to donation, not back to here. There are Kinkade collection series plates out the wazoo...I have never seen such madness in my life. There have to be nearly 100 of them, still in the styrofoam, and all the authentication papers with them, And oodles of Neiman Marcus and Hallmark ornaments, and Hull brown drip ovenproof ware, and Avon cape cod pieces, and on and on and on. Just ridiculous.
We took a few things of our own over there, but not much. I have a few more things I'm going to take, but for the most part we are just tryuing to get Debbi's things cleared out.
So, that's about it. Tomorrow everything starts over again. Job hunting, workshops, at least one house chore has to be completed (self tasked). Love to all, have a good night and great dreams. Peace.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Hmm, what have we done in the past couple of days? Not a cotton picking thing worth telling! Yesterday we went to Camping World and picked up Casten's Castle - our 14 year old motorhome. We had to have the kitchen water lines and faucet replaced/fixed because water was running everywhere. We also paid to have the left brake lights fixed.
Getting ready to go I had told Luci she could co with me, and while I was getting reacy I brushed her and got her ready, too. She tore out of the bathroom afterward and the next thing I knew Ken came in and asked me if I told her she could go. Seems she had gone running to him ready to get in the car and letting him KNOW I had told her she could go!! Oh, well, she's a smart dog. What can I say. She gets very put out when she's not allowed to go. The others get put out because she goes and they don't, but Bennie whines and cries the entire time in the car, and Maggie gets anxious and has panic attacks. It's easier on us and better for them if they stay home.
I followed Ken to the storage unit to put up the motorhome until time to take it to Vogt to have the slide repaired. I noticed immediately that two brake lights on the right are working (not three), and that only one brake light on the left is working. Grrr...they did not fix the problem, only replaced one bulb. Now I need to figure out how to change the others!!!
Later we loaded up some of Debbi's things in the back of the VW Beetle and drove over to the house where the estate sale will be held. Oh my gosh, this woman has so much STUFF - expensive, but still STUFF! Friend Mary had tables set up and covers over them, so all we had to do was start setting stuff out. SO MANY Neiman and Hallmark ornaments and crap.
Today we were basically lazy and then this afternoon loaded up the back of the Saturn with big boxes of Debbi's stuff and went back to the estate sale house. Oh, my God. Avon Cape Cod (the red stuff) goblets, dishes, wine decanter, on and on; and then we started unloading the big boxes. There is not way to explain the number of Thomas Kinkade plates, still in the styrofoam, this lady has. Set after set after set...don't appear to have ever been opened, and the unopened racks to go with them. Unbelievable. We worked all afternoon putting out Kinkade plates. And I doubt any of them sell.
Then we started unpacking another box. A lot of Hull brown and brown drip stoneware. And Homer Laughlin (not Fiesta). There is no way under heaven that anyone ever needed this stuff! I don't think Debbi realized she was doing all of this. Granted, I think some if was gifts from friends and relative and it just got to be too much.
Tomorrow we are going to go back to the house but this time we'll take some things of our own, not Debbi's. I've got some clothes (nice) that I want to hang in the bedroom closet to sell for next to nothing, and there are a couple of things of Ken's that need to go as well. There may be some things out of the kitchen and utility room that we do away with as well. I've got a huge blue enamel roaster that I used to use but now that I have the big electric one, I don't use the old one. I'll think about it. I have the matching big vat pot, but it was my grandmother's -- she used it on top of the gas stove to do her laundry!!! I'm not sure I'm ready to give it up. But we have some miscellaneous things around here that can go.
I've also got to ask Mary if she wants me to go thru the boxes she has in the sun room and set that stuff out. She and Charlie "inherited" a bunch of stuff from a couple who just needed to get rid of it because they were moving into retirement living. It's all in boxes in the sunroom taking up space. I think I'll help her out by setting it up - that way she can price it easier.
Oh, I hope I remember to take over some of the afghans I've made! They're just taking up space on the rack in the breakfast room. I'll keep a few, but I have many. They were made when my girls were in college and I was so worried and stressed out about them being gone.
Good night - hope your holiday tomorrow is fun but take the time to remember why it is a holiday. Thank you to all of our serviceman who have gone before and to those who are still with us and have been wounded, and a very special thank you to my beautiful son. I love you so very much.
And just for a nice tune, here's Leonard Cohen's Dance Me to the End of Love.
Getting ready to go I had told Luci she could co with me, and while I was getting reacy I brushed her and got her ready, too. She tore out of the bathroom afterward and the next thing I knew Ken came in and asked me if I told her she could go. Seems she had gone running to him ready to get in the car and letting him KNOW I had told her she could go!! Oh, well, she's a smart dog. What can I say. She gets very put out when she's not allowed to go. The others get put out because she goes and they don't, but Bennie whines and cries the entire time in the car, and Maggie gets anxious and has panic attacks. It's easier on us and better for them if they stay home.
I followed Ken to the storage unit to put up the motorhome until time to take it to Vogt to have the slide repaired. I noticed immediately that two brake lights on the right are working (not three), and that only one brake light on the left is working. Grrr...they did not fix the problem, only replaced one bulb. Now I need to figure out how to change the others!!!
Later we loaded up some of Debbi's things in the back of the VW Beetle and drove over to the house where the estate sale will be held. Oh my gosh, this woman has so much STUFF - expensive, but still STUFF! Friend Mary had tables set up and covers over them, so all we had to do was start setting stuff out. SO MANY Neiman and Hallmark ornaments and crap.
Today we were basically lazy and then this afternoon loaded up the back of the Saturn with big boxes of Debbi's stuff and went back to the estate sale house. Oh, my God. Avon Cape Cod (the red stuff) goblets, dishes, wine decanter, on and on; and then we started unloading the big boxes. There is not way to explain the number of Thomas Kinkade plates, still in the styrofoam, this lady has. Set after set after set...don't appear to have ever been opened, and the unopened racks to go with them. Unbelievable. We worked all afternoon putting out Kinkade plates. And I doubt any of them sell.
Then we started unpacking another box. A lot of Hull brown and brown drip stoneware. And Homer Laughlin (not Fiesta). There is no way under heaven that anyone ever needed this stuff! I don't think Debbi realized she was doing all of this. Granted, I think some if was gifts from friends and relative and it just got to be too much.
Tomorrow we are going to go back to the house but this time we'll take some things of our own, not Debbi's. I've got some clothes (nice) that I want to hang in the bedroom closet to sell for next to nothing, and there are a couple of things of Ken's that need to go as well. There may be some things out of the kitchen and utility room that we do away with as well. I've got a huge blue enamel roaster that I used to use but now that I have the big electric one, I don't use the old one. I'll think about it. I have the matching big vat pot, but it was my grandmother's -- she used it on top of the gas stove to do her laundry!!! I'm not sure I'm ready to give it up. But we have some miscellaneous things around here that can go.
I've also got to ask Mary if she wants me to go thru the boxes she has in the sun room and set that stuff out. She and Charlie "inherited" a bunch of stuff from a couple who just needed to get rid of it because they were moving into retirement living. It's all in boxes in the sunroom taking up space. I think I'll help her out by setting it up - that way she can price it easier.
Oh, I hope I remember to take over some of the afghans I've made! They're just taking up space on the rack in the breakfast room. I'll keep a few, but I have many. They were made when my girls were in college and I was so worried and stressed out about them being gone.
Good night - hope your holiday tomorrow is fun but take the time to remember why it is a holiday. Thank you to all of our serviceman who have gone before and to those who are still with us and have been wounded, and a very special thank you to my beautiful son. I love you so very much.
And just for a nice tune, here's Leonard Cohen's Dance Me to the End of Love.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Friday, May 25, 2012
Ten years ago today we married in the courtyard garden of our (then) church, First United Methodist. A lot has happened in these 10 years. We elected to celebrate quietly - we went to Cafe Bella for early dinner, had way too much food, and shared the bottle of wine we had bottled and labeled in Fredericksburg, Texas, last month. The other picture is of us at the wedding. We've certainly aged since this picture, and we were not young then!
We didn't do much today. We meant to go pick up the motorhome from Camping World and go park it back in storage until we can get it into Vogt for slide repair. We need to get that done so we can use it. Either that or we need to put it back on the lot of the place where we bought it and sell it on consignment! We're actually thinking about doing that. Either way we have to pick it up tomorrow or they start charging storage.
I forgot to write what I experienced yesterday. I had to go out to Dallas Baptist University. On the return trip, at the intersection of Mountain Creek Parkway and I-20, a motorcycle police officer was in the center of the roadway with all traffic stopped, lights flashing. He kept looking to the south as though waiting on someone, and then came the thundering sound of motorcycles - decorated with U.S. flags, military service banners, etc. It was the Patriot Guards of Texas escorting a fellow serviceman to his final resting place at the national cemetery which is located next to the DBU campus. It was quite an emotional moment. All of us waiting in the cars were clapping, some were saluting, everyone was respectful. It was the first time I've seen the Patriots up close. My husband's mother is at the national cemetery, and we have been out there a few times when services for someone were occurring, but I've never seen the guards before. They make quite an impression.
Other than that I've spent the day looking for a job, sending resumes and cover letters, and filling out online applications that want more information than I had to complete on my government security clearance!!! The one I did for FedEx was outrageous -- all these questions about truck driving, and I was applying for part-time office clerk!!
I've applied for several positions at the local community college, but I'm not thinking I'll get anything. They put your name in a pool of many others and it's kinda like a dark hole. The only way to get into one of those jobs is to know someone. And that's a shame, because I am a GOOD teacher/instructor! Even my former workmates are telling me that's the line I need to be in. We'll see. In the meantime I'll just keep searching and keep applying.
Ken contacted a couple of places today that are thru the Texas Workforce site, and both of the places told him that the jobs have been filled for quite some time, that TW never updates their database. Basically knowing somebody is the only way right now to get a job.
So, that's about it. I'm going to play a few games, and then go to bed a bit early. In the morning we have to start moving things over to the other house. NOT looking forward to that but will be glad when it's done. Then have to label and price everything -- YUCK! Everything will be negotiable! I do not ant to bring ANYTHING back to THIS house. I'm ready to get this place cleaned up and put together again.
Take care, hugs, so until next time...
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Thursday, May 24, 2012
Made a trip to Dallas Baptist University today to pick up copies of my college transcript. First one wasn't dark enough to read and the margins were so skinny that there was no way possible to get it to scan into my computer. So, I asked if they could do better. The first young lady said no. Her companion took it and did some adjustments on it and printed it out for me. Yea! Stopped by the book store while there - nothing there I wanted. Wow, the school has grown SO much since I last attended in 2003. Once I completed my Master's I just never wanted to drive back out there. Spent from 1996 thru 2003 working full time and going to school just about full time to get the Bachelor and Master degrees completed.
Met hubby at Julie's Fresh Kitchen for lunch as we were both headed home at the same time. His workshop ended today. He's feeling a lot more positive about things than he was. I'm truly hoping that things work out for him and that he finds a job. I think it will be a great boost for his ego. He just needs to work another year or so - he'll be 64 in October of this year...would be nice if he could work until the age of 66.
We stopped by the Social Security office to talk to them about K's disability payments if he is able to go to work. The counselor advised that he can earn up to $720 per month without anyone questioning it, and up to $1010 per month before it really becomes something to investigate. We're hoping he is able to find something part time but if he finds something full time it either has to pay next to nothing, or else it has to pay enough so that if he lose his disability funding that the paycheck makes up for it.
As a part of the workshop Ken has been attending, he has mock interviews on Monday, June 4. If he does well he will be allowed to interview with actual employers who come to the center to do hiring. We will cross our fingers and pray about it.
In the meantime, today I applied for several positions at Tarrant County College. I had to have the transcript to attach to the online applications which is why I had to go get it. So, I applied for several teaching positions, attached resume and the transcript. Had to scan the resume into the computer, which made each page a .jpg. Then had to paste each jpg into a Word document I created to hold them; then had to download pdf capability so that I could save the thing in that format. Got it all done, completed the applications. Wham, bam, thank you ma'am, got one back already that says I'm not qualified! Have no idea why. I have the Master's degree they wanted, plus 18 years in the computer technical field - which is a few more than the "must have at least 3" years. Grrr....
Oh, on the way home from the SS office, Ken spoke to the temporary agency that called him earlier today. Based on his situation and what he's done about it, they can say they can help. We'll see. He has an interview for a job on Tuesday. It's a temp to hire position, but he doesn't care. He's not looking for a career, doesn't want to be in charge. He's been there, done that, doesn't want the stress of it any more. Neither do I. He just wants a little income to help pay off bills and to have a little over for fun. thankfully we are working on the bills! One at a time.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
What a day. I overslept! Got up in time to throw down a bite to eat, jump in the shower, dress and run out the door to a workshop at Texas Workforce. Don't know why I'm bothering, I'm getting very discouraged. I've sent out a jillion resumes and no one even responds -- oh, that's not right - I've had a couple of rejections. Mostly no responses.
Today I got a PowerPoint presentation from the counselor he wants me to check out and possibly use to create a short introduction to computers for his networking workshop. I'll present that for free - he just wants me to stay in practice. There are several folks in the workshops who have no idea how to use a computer.
Other than that, I've created the resumes he advised me to develop. One for the software engineering experience, one for learning and development, one for office/clerical, and I need to produce one more - to cover the experience as an engineering cost accounting specialist. Quite frankly, I don't care if I get a job selling jewelry at Dillards or Macy's!!! I'm not really looking for a career, just some additional income. In fact, I may go to those places tomorrow and put in applications!!! Maybe I'll try Lane Bryant as well. and even good ol' Walmart. The only reason I wanted different employment is because I don't want my weekends sewed up - now that I'm retired I would like to be able to travel...of course if there's no money, there's no way to travel either!!! and right now I need a JOB because the cost of my transplant medications and medical bills, along with Ken's required meds and medical bills is just out of sight - even with insurance coverage. And dang insurance is costing us right at a grand a month. We're making it, but it's not a lot of fun!
What else - Maggie seems to be surviving. I am still very angry over what she is going through and the vet bill. I still plan to write to the manufacturer of Biospot and to Petsmart to let them know what has happened as a result of this product. I think the manufacturer should have to pay the vet bill. Maybe I'll ask Ken to call...he's a lot better at yelling at people over the phone than I am!!! Of course what will happen if he calls is they will refuse to do anything about it.
I finished the dang MSWord course - got the final assignment back today marked complete and no rework required. Took the final exam, got a 95%, maybe 90%, can't remember. Anyway, that's finished. Once I did the survey then I got the certificate of completion for 1 Continued Ed Unit. Yippee, I'll add it to the notebook where I keep all the records of accolades and class completions. Tomorrow I'm driving to Dallas Baptist University to get a copy of my transcript so I can add that to my records as well. Apparently just my dang diplomas for Bachelor and Master degrees are not sufficient - employers are wanting a copy of my transcript.
Sometime in the next few days I'll start the course in PowerPoint. I'm trying to get a certificate of completion in each of the Microsoft Office applications (2007). Unfortunately we don't know where the disk is for MS Office and we don't have ACCESS loaded on the computer so i have to figure out how I'm going to get the training done for the database course.
Guess I don't really have anything to say tonight - so in that case "good night" is always a great thing to say. Everybody take care, God bless, pray for us and we'll do the same for you. Love as always to the three delights of my heart and the wonderful additional delights they've given me. Even though I may not see you, you are still very much with me.
Today I got a PowerPoint presentation from the counselor he wants me to check out and possibly use to create a short introduction to computers for his networking workshop. I'll present that for free - he just wants me to stay in practice. There are several folks in the workshops who have no idea how to use a computer.
Other than that, I've created the resumes he advised me to develop. One for the software engineering experience, one for learning and development, one for office/clerical, and I need to produce one more - to cover the experience as an engineering cost accounting specialist. Quite frankly, I don't care if I get a job selling jewelry at Dillards or Macy's!!! I'm not really looking for a career, just some additional income. In fact, I may go to those places tomorrow and put in applications!!! Maybe I'll try Lane Bryant as well. and even good ol' Walmart. The only reason I wanted different employment is because I don't want my weekends sewed up - now that I'm retired I would like to be able to travel...of course if there's no money, there's no way to travel either!!! and right now I need a JOB because the cost of my transplant medications and medical bills, along with Ken's required meds and medical bills is just out of sight - even with insurance coverage. And dang insurance is costing us right at a grand a month. We're making it, but it's not a lot of fun!
What else - Maggie seems to be surviving. I am still very angry over what she is going through and the vet bill. I still plan to write to the manufacturer of Biospot and to Petsmart to let them know what has happened as a result of this product. I think the manufacturer should have to pay the vet bill. Maybe I'll ask Ken to call...he's a lot better at yelling at people over the phone than I am!!! Of course what will happen if he calls is they will refuse to do anything about it.
I finished the dang MSWord course - got the final assignment back today marked complete and no rework required. Took the final exam, got a 95%, maybe 90%, can't remember. Anyway, that's finished. Once I did the survey then I got the certificate of completion for 1 Continued Ed Unit. Yippee, I'll add it to the notebook where I keep all the records of accolades and class completions. Tomorrow I'm driving to Dallas Baptist University to get a copy of my transcript so I can add that to my records as well. Apparently just my dang diplomas for Bachelor and Master degrees are not sufficient - employers are wanting a copy of my transcript.
Sometime in the next few days I'll start the course in PowerPoint. I'm trying to get a certificate of completion in each of the Microsoft Office applications (2007). Unfortunately we don't know where the disk is for MS Office and we don't have ACCESS loaded on the computer so i have to figure out how I'm going to get the training done for the database course.
Guess I don't really have anything to say tonight - so in that case "good night" is always a great thing to say. Everybody take care, God bless, pray for us and we'll do the same for you. Love as always to the three delights of my heart and the wonderful additional delights they've given me. Even though I may not see you, you are still very much with me.
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
I made it to the workshop on Monday - Ken didn't go, he stayed home to wait for the microwave repairman. Before I left I suggested he call to confirm the appointment since the idiot we had chatted online with so apparently didn't have a clue what he was doing. I got a text at the workshop telling me that sure enough the joker had screwed up and schedule it for Wednesday of this week, which was exactly the day we told him we couldn't do it!!!
As it turns out, it was ok. Ken needed to heat up his lunch so he plugged the thing back in, it was still humming, but he put his lunch in anyway and set the timer. It ran thru the timed cycle and shut off - completely! He tested it a few more times before he called and canceled the appointment. Good thing - we honestly didn't have the funds to pay for the service call and the repair.
SO, workshop turned out ok. Juan (counselor) wants me to teach some basic computer skills classes (he's wanting me to get networked with folks at the area colleges and teach there). I meet with him tomorrow to go over a PowerPoint presentation he has already that I can use as an intro course or tweak to fit the needs. Other than that I've been busy, busy, busy, getting resumes developed in preparation for critique this coming Friday. Juan says I have to have a separate resume for each area of expertise - the software engineer field, learning and development, administrative/secretarial, engineering cost accounting, and he even wants me to do resumes on music/piano and quilting/sewing machines!!!
Ken started a special workshop this morning - it meets for 3 days for 4 hours per day. They are preparing the attendees to meet with employers on Monday, June 4. It is pretty intense. He's also working on completing continued ed class in MSWord. He starts the keyboarding class at UTA the first week in June.
SO, what's really been happening? Our cocker spaniel, Maggie, had a place between her shoulder blades on her back to erupt a week or so ago. I cleaned it, been watching it. I noticed on Monday when I started checking it that the hair and hide were sloughing off. The more I checked it, the more hide and hair were coming off. This is the spot where we had put the Biospot brand flea treatment the first of the month! I started checking that poor baby, and it began to look as though I was about to pull all her hide off her back. I called the vet early this morning and got her in at 9 a.m. The picture to the right is how her back looked when I took her in.
The vet took one look at her; he was not a happy camper. He says that stuff needs to be taken off the shelves at the pet stores, that she is not the first. Then he remembered that our little Maltese had a horrible reaction, basically a seizure, almost died that night, etc. I didn't get to bring Maggie home with me. He kept her for the afternoon and they gave her a medicated bath to remove the rest of the necrotic layers and to do cultures on her. We got to pick her up about 3 this afternoon. The picture on the left is how her back looked wen we picked her up. This destruction is about a 4" x 6" rectangle. Needless to say, I am PISSED OFF about this. I plan to contact the Biospot manufacturer as well as Petsmart about this. This should not be allowed.
We treated ourselves to lunch at Real today; it's been a while since we've had Mexican food. It was a treat. Our anniversary is Friday - we don't have any money to speak of so can't do anything fancy, but we'll probably go to a little Italian place we frequent and take the special bottle of wine that we had labeled down in Fredericksburg. This year we will have been married 10 years. I marvel at that! It's the longest time I've spent with anyone other than my children and the people of my former employment!!
Later, have a great Wednesday.
As it turns out, it was ok. Ken needed to heat up his lunch so he plugged the thing back in, it was still humming, but he put his lunch in anyway and set the timer. It ran thru the timed cycle and shut off - completely! He tested it a few more times before he called and canceled the appointment. Good thing - we honestly didn't have the funds to pay for the service call and the repair.
SO, workshop turned out ok. Juan (counselor) wants me to teach some basic computer skills classes (he's wanting me to get networked with folks at the area colleges and teach there). I meet with him tomorrow to go over a PowerPoint presentation he has already that I can use as an intro course or tweak to fit the needs. Other than that I've been busy, busy, busy, getting resumes developed in preparation for critique this coming Friday. Juan says I have to have a separate resume for each area of expertise - the software engineer field, learning and development, administrative/secretarial, engineering cost accounting, and he even wants me to do resumes on music/piano and quilting/sewing machines!!!
Ken started a special workshop this morning - it meets for 3 days for 4 hours per day. They are preparing the attendees to meet with employers on Monday, June 4. It is pretty intense. He's also working on completing continued ed class in MSWord. He starts the keyboarding class at UTA the first week in June.
SO, what's really been happening? Our cocker spaniel, Maggie, had a place between her shoulder blades on her back to erupt a week or so ago. I cleaned it, been watching it. I noticed on Monday when I started checking it that the hair and hide were sloughing off. The more I checked it, the more hide and hair were coming off. This is the spot where we had put the Biospot brand flea treatment the first of the month! I started checking that poor baby, and it began to look as though I was about to pull all her hide off her back. I called the vet early this morning and got her in at 9 a.m. The picture to the right is how her back looked when I took her in. 
The vet took one look at her; he was not a happy camper. He says that stuff needs to be taken off the shelves at the pet stores, that she is not the first. Then he remembered that our little Maltese had a horrible reaction, basically a seizure, almost died that night, etc. I didn't get to bring Maggie home with me. He kept her for the afternoon and they gave her a medicated bath to remove the rest of the necrotic layers and to do cultures on her. We got to pick her up about 3 this afternoon. The picture on the left is how her back looked wen we picked her up. This destruction is about a 4" x 6" rectangle. Needless to say, I am PISSED OFF about this. I plan to contact the Biospot manufacturer as well as Petsmart about this. This should not be allowed. We treated ourselves to lunch at Real today; it's been a while since we've had Mexican food. It was a treat. Our anniversary is Friday - we don't have any money to speak of so can't do anything fancy, but we'll probably go to a little Italian place we frequent and take the special bottle of wine that we had labeled down in Fredericksburg. This year we will have been married 10 years. I marvel at that! It's the longest time I've spent with anyone other than my children and the people of my former employment!!
Later, have a great Wednesday.
Monday, May 21, 2012
Monday, May 21, 2012
This morning I truly needed something to cheer me up! About 12:30 (middle of the night) I was starving. We had eaten at 2 p.m. so it was ok to be hungry. I heated up a bit of the chicken and rice casserole we had taken to the Poly gathering, and the microwave heated fine. But when I stopped the microwave it continued to run. I opened, closed, opened, closed, pushed off button, over and over. Didn't help. Ken was up0 at 4 and he went thru the same things plus he unplugged it from the outlet in the upper cabinet. Didn't help any.
We called Sears (purchased from Sears in 2010) and were referred to a web site to chat with the service people. OMG, went thru stupid stuff trying to get help with the microwave...had to go thru all the sales pitch regarding purchasing a service contract, etc., etc. Service contract is $281+. No, we are not interested in a service contract. Ok, to get a tech out will be $75 charge plus repair. Ok, how do we get a service tech to come out? We finally arranged to have tech out this afternoon between 1:00 and 5:00 - which means Ken will not be able to go to the workshop today because he will be waiting for the repairman. No way am I going to be here by myself when some repairman comes. So I'm going to the workshop - Ken will stay home.
Also, we got a division order from Chesapeake Operating, Inc. about payment for our share of royalties on the oil and gas ewell drilled in our area. I'm supposed to sign it exactly as my name is typed on the paperwork - but there's a small problem...they've given me a different middle initial. Instead of Dorthy L. Casten they've decided I'm now Dorthy C. Casten. I called this morning and was told to sign it with my normal signature because their records have it correct as "L." Now the other problem with it is that it requires a witness to my signature. Ken is PO'd because I told him he can't be the witness - that's unacceptable legally. So I'm going to have to take it to my niece to have her sign it for me (she's a notary). Just when in the HHHH am I going to have the time to do that????? I have no clue, but it will get done. (K. is also driving me crazy because he wants to know how much we are going to get! I don't know, I didn't ask, because I know it won't be much - probably a dollar. The royalties are split between a jillion people in the neighborhood and our properties are just not that big so our mineral rights are just not that big. Certainly NOT going to be enough to forego job searching!)
Anyway, that's about it for now. Have to go clean up den and kitchen because repairman is coming and there's no way I want him in there the way it is.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Author: Veronica A. Shoffstall
After a while you learn the subtle difference
Between holding a hand and chaining a soul,
And you learn that love doesn’t mean leaning
And company doesn’t mean security,
And you begin to learn that kisses aren’t contracts
And presents aren’t promises,
And you begin to accept your defeats
With your head up and your eyes open
With the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child,
And you learn to build all your roads on today,
Because tomorrow’s ground is too uncertain for plans,
And futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.
After a while you learn
That even sunshine burns if you get too much.
So you plant your own garden and decorate your own soul,
Instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.
And you learn that you really can endure...
That you really are strong,
And you really do have worth.
And you learn and learn...
With every goodbye you learn.
I found this on a piece of paper that was in a bin of things that have been put away in the garage for a number of years. I have it dated as October 1983. I still like this poem (??), and still think it is extremely expressive of a hard emotional time in my life. It must have been the same for the author. BUT, I've moved on - and made many more goof ups since then!
Most of last week was spent doing workshop "homework" assignments for Word and Excel, and drafting a resume in functional format rather than chronological. I've completed all of the Excel class and 2 sections of Word. PowerPoint is next but I need a break. We got Ken signed up for a keyboarding class at UTA that starts in June. He's been hunting and pecking all these years, so now he's going to learn how to really use the keyboard. Friday morning we attended a workshop that was orientation to the workforce connection center, information about how to get some classes for free, and how to get involved in an intense job search workshop program offered by the resource center.
Friday afternoon we attended a resume critique workshop where our coach and counselor took the time to review each person's resume, make suggestions, told us how to rewrite it, etc. I had some work to do on mine. He also asked me if I really wanted to stay in the same field - I told him I don't know anything else. He said for the kind of money that I'm used to, it will take a while to find a job. I told him I'm not looking for that kind of money, just looking for SOME income. He then suggested consulting, training, etc., and gave me some sites to look at for ideas. I've been spending time doing that. And I've applied for a couple of consulting jobs. We'll see. When they're through laughing!
The counselor, Juan Hernandez, also suggested that Ken open is personal bookkeeping business. Ken put an ad on Craigslist, but that's as far as he's gone.
Ken and I were invited by our counselor to an "invitation only" networking workshop that happens this coming Monday afternoon. We plan to attend.
In addition, Ken followed up on a hint for folks in his situation (private matter). The place to which he was referred cannot help him but knew where to send him, so he had an appointment with them on Thursday morning. He will be attending a 3-day workshop at that resource center this Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
While Ken will be busy with his stuff this week, I will start a 3-day intense workshop in the morning at 9 a.m. (Monday).
Yesterday I started going through one of the bins that's been stored in the garage. I found pictures I've been hunting for a long time (my children). I couldn't imagine what had happened to them. So yesterday I scanned some of them in to my computer. I want to put them on a thumb drive and take them to some place and print them out - hoping to get them to all print out in the same size (4x6) so that I can put the prints in an album to keep. I also want to put the originals in an album for each of my kids but I don't have a clue how to mount all these various size originals in an album. Ken suggested I talk to a photo shop (like Wolf camera) to see what they suggest. I don't want to glue them into a book, don't want to use those crazy picture corners, and don't want to tape them, and I find that those photo albums that are suppposed to be self sticking tend to fail after a while.
This morning we met up with friends Mary and Charlie McQ. at the house they've renovated. It is so CUTE! It's a 1940's/1950's vintage small 3-bedroom, 1-bath house that they got for about $12,000 and then they have been renovating it and probably have another $30K in it. It is a doll house. Has a small kitchen that is laid out so cute, living room, small dining room, the bedrooms are the expected size for that age home but not all that small. But it has a room that was added on to the back that just makes the house completely liveable. And it has a 2-car detached garage. If we didn't have a house already, I would consider buying it!
Anyway, we met up with them so we could get a key. Our friend Debbi was laid off when I was, and she (and hubby) moved back to Virginia. She left lots of stuff stored at our house. Well, Debbi and Mary are friends, too. Mary and Charlie are staging an estate sale at this renovated house the first weekend in June. Ken and I are taking all Debbi's stuff over to the house and setting it up as part of the estate sale. Mary and I have been planning this for 6 months - we're hoping to recoup some of Debbi's money, although we certainly don't expect to recoup a lot. She has a lot of McCoy, Laughlin, Neiman Marcus, Hallmark, Disney, and heaven only knows what else. She had furniture, too, but my girls and friend Linda got most of that.
This afternoon we went to Hoot's (an old, big smokey country bar) to meet up with friends from Poly High School. It was actually class of '68, but all we other classes go, too. We met a new friend today, and I think Ken has already befriended her on Facebook. She's neat. JR (Hoot's owner/manager) furnished the BBQ today, the rest of us brought sides and deserts. I ate way too much. There was this beautiful coconut cake there, and I wanted a small slice of it. OMG, Ken brought back a slice that was about the size of half a cake. I made him share it - it was far too big for one person, it would have fed 3-4. We offset it with diet coke (lol).
That's about it for now. I've discovered a few more pictures and I want to get those scanned into the computer. This picture business is one of the tasks I wanted to accomplish with retirement - I hope I get it done.
See ya! Have a great new week.
Take a listen to this one by a Welsh Chapel Choir: Oh Happy Day
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Short post tonight. I'm reading a book and want to get back to it (lol). When cleaning out the garage I found a bin of books that were packed when I moved from my home in Wedgwood way back in 1998. One is a book given to me by a dear friend on a long-ago birthday. The inscription reads, "To my "Old" Friend! May you have many many more Happy birthdays! that would make you a 1000. Love ya!" This, along with some given to me by my daughters way back then, are some of my favorite books ever. The name of this one is The Time of Her Life, by Marjorie Eatock. It's all about a lady who is 55 years old who is about to turn 56. Her life has turned upside down since her husband had a horrible stroke, is in a nursing home, has completely forgotten anything and everything about their 30+ years of life together, only remembers his first wife (committed suicide about 36 years previously) and the daughter he and the first wife had. All the money is gone because it takes every penney to keep the husband in a nursing home. The bank account is overdrawn, there's no money for a haircut or hormone meds to help with the horrible hot flashes, there are many problems with the step daughter she has raised since the age of 3, the son she and husband had is off on business in another country. For the first time the lady is going to have to go to work, and finds a job at the Bunny Burger. So, I gotta get back to the story.
Ken had doc appointment today (endocrinologist). Same one I use. He brought my lab results home. Glucose was 364 average. I've got to get this down to 150 or below or I am going to die,. I'm working on it -- I'm shooting up with insulin every time I breathe.
I woke up about 7:30 this morning, got up sea sick, checked my email, worked the online jigsaw puzzle, felt worse so went back to bed. I slept until about 3:00 today. Got up, still not feeling so well, was planning to cook tonight but just couldn't. Ken got burgers from Whataburger.
Got my final assignment back from Excel online class. Aced that. Took the final exam, made 95. Did the class survey, and that completed the class so I got a record of the class plus a certificate for 1.1 Continued Ed hours to put with my job search stuff to take to Texas Workforce office tomorrow. I also got started on the MSWord training. Ken turned in his first assignment in Word, is waiting to get it back and hoping it is all correct so he can move on to the next section.
Other than that, I got an email from friend Mary McQ. about the "house and estate" sale we are going to participate in. Friend Debbi moved back to Virginia in January and a lot of her things came to my house to await sale so our garage and utility room have been packed since back before Christmas. I'll start taking these things to the estate location next week. Friend Mary and husband Charlie owned an antique mall that is now out of business. After that Charlie got a super deal on a house that needed renovating/remodeling. Think he paid about $12,000 but had to do equal that plus more to the house to make it ready to sell or rent. Work is just about done, so the sale will take place the weekend after Memorial Day. They are moving furniture, etc., into it to look lived in. I'm picking up a key to the house this weekend so I can move Debbi's things over to the house as well. Hoping everything sells.
Got text message from daughter-in-law Nicky. Was good to hear from her. Exchanged FB message with granddaughter out of state. Got message from great niece Katie - she saw picture of her afghan, she loves it. Wish I could hear from my daughters and grandchildren. I miss them so DDDD much.
That's it. Gonna go read.
Ken had doc appointment today (endocrinologist). Same one I use. He brought my lab results home. Glucose was 364 average. I've got to get this down to 150 or below or I am going to die,. I'm working on it -- I'm shooting up with insulin every time I breathe.
I woke up about 7:30 this morning, got up sea sick, checked my email, worked the online jigsaw puzzle, felt worse so went back to bed. I slept until about 3:00 today. Got up, still not feeling so well, was planning to cook tonight but just couldn't. Ken got burgers from Whataburger.
Got my final assignment back from Excel online class. Aced that. Took the final exam, made 95. Did the class survey, and that completed the class so I got a record of the class plus a certificate for 1.1 Continued Ed hours to put with my job search stuff to take to Texas Workforce office tomorrow. I also got started on the MSWord training. Ken turned in his first assignment in Word, is waiting to get it back and hoping it is all correct so he can move on to the next section.
Other than that, I got an email from friend Mary McQ. about the "house and estate" sale we are going to participate in. Friend Debbi moved back to Virginia in January and a lot of her things came to my house to await sale so our garage and utility room have been packed since back before Christmas. I'll start taking these things to the estate location next week. Friend Mary and husband Charlie owned an antique mall that is now out of business. After that Charlie got a super deal on a house that needed renovating/remodeling. Think he paid about $12,000 but had to do equal that plus more to the house to make it ready to sell or rent. Work is just about done, so the sale will take place the weekend after Memorial Day. They are moving furniture, etc., into it to look lived in. I'm picking up a key to the house this weekend so I can move Debbi's things over to the house as well. Hoping everything sells.
Got text message from daughter-in-law Nicky. Was good to hear from her. Exchanged FB message with granddaughter out of state. Got message from great niece Katie - she saw picture of her afghan, she loves it. Wish I could hear from my daughters and grandchildren. I miss them so DDDD much.
That's it. Gonna go read.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Love this song: I Can Only Imagine
Yea! I finished an afghan for great niece Katie Jo. It's just the big grannie square but I think it looks nice in the colors Katie wanted - black, tans, beige. Can't believe I actually found a varigated yarn in the right colors! Hope she likes it; it's currently in the washer, then will dry and block. Hope to get it delivered this week.
Up next is a quilt for great niece Presley. Presley is a 4-year old diva, daughter of my nephew Michael. She is the youngest child, with two older brothers - and the boys are a bit older than her. And she's all girl, except for the fact that she likes to go fishing. The fellow who eventually gets this little diva better have a pretty strong personality (lol)!!
Right behind Presley's quilt is a project for another niece, Brenda. Brenda is decorating her house in Gone With The Wind and is hoping for a couple of dolls - maybe Barbie size or a little larger - dressed as Scarlet and Rhett. I offered to buy her a set but she wants me to make them so she can hand them down to her kiddos. I found the pattern for Scarlett, still have to come up with appropriate pattern for Rhett costume.
SO! What else is happening? I don't remember that we did anything on Saturday -- seems that we just spent the day working on resumes and training stuff. I did tell Ken that I wanted to get out of the house on Sunday - I knew I would spend the day depressed and crying because of the kids and grandkids. We had a slow morning on Sunday, in fact I slept until after lunch. Then we took Luci and drove down to Granbury and strolled around the square a bit. Luci was a little iff getting into the car - she didn't know exactly what was about to happen, but she settled down on the way and had a grand time greeting everybody on the sidewalks who stopped to talk with her and pet her. She was one tuckered out little girl afterwards and fell asleep on the way home. We got back home about 4 and ate the KFC chicken we bought on the way home. We have never yet had KFC get an order correct. Even when we make them repeat it. And sure enough the 2 apple turnovers we ordered and paid for were not in the bag -- and it was too far to drive back to get them. About 8 pm we decided to go to Braum's for ice cream, then shopped at Braum's for a few groceries.
I had pre-warned Ken that on Monday I was planning to back out the cars and work on the garage. I thought it would take us an hour or so to take everything out and clean up, including washing the floor. OMG, we worked on that thing all day long. There were so many bins and boxes that had not been opened since I moved here in 2001!! A lot of pictures, papers, things that belong to my kids, way too much to go thru during clean out. A couple of bins got put in the house in the back hallway so I've got to go thru those and get things sent to kids. Even though none of them talk to me any more, these things are not mine and I need to be sure they get them.
We finally, with butts dragging, got the confounded garage cleaned out, trash thrown out, floor swept and washed, sat while it dried, then put stuff back in some kind of orderly fashion. We were both wiped out. Thankfully while at Braum's I had picked up a frozen meatloaf, a carton of microwavable mashed potatoes, we opened a can of Pork and Beans, and a can of sliced peaches. We called it supper - at least I did. If Ken called it anything it was dinner -- he is not a REAL Texan.
Later Ken said some very nasty words to me - something along the lines of, "The bad thing is, the shed's next." I don't even want to think about it, because after that is the attic.
Ken took a shower and hit the bed, all the critters went with him. I stayed up, worked on an Excel assignment, did some job searches, piddled, and finally about 2 am took a shower and washed my hair. No way could I have gone to bed nasty.
Today Ken went to his MHMR appointment while I stayed home working on budget and bills. I don't know how we are going to make it, but I know we will. (I've lived long enough to know we will.) I pulled our individual credit reports today as well because we need to be aware of those for employment purposes. Some places will not hire unless we have perfect credit, and we have some bumps. We're working on them, but they still show up. Both of them were certainly higher than I anticipated!
I've been searching for refinancing for the house - at least I know my credit score won't keep us from doing it. But then I also figured out that the credit score won't prevent us from buying a different house either. And neither one of us want to live in this area any more. Has NOTHING to do with the neighbors, we've always been a mixed working class good neighborhood. We just don't want to live in a bedroom community that is so dang far away from everything! I want a gas station close by, and want to be around the corner from a store. Where we are now it takes forever to get out of the area before we can even head for a store. So, lots of things to think about. And there is a house on the market that I would dearly love to have - it's the 2 story plan that I had hoped one day to buy...unfortunately it is in the same neighborhood and immediately across the street from the house my daughter owned when she was married. And she now lives not very far from there. I don't think she would want me living anywhere close to her. She hates me.
Oh, yes. Got a call from a recruiter. He asked me what programming languages I use. I told him I don't actually use any, although I am familiar with lots of them. I asked him if he had reviewed my resume - he said he had glanced at it. So I told him if he had read it he would know that I manage software projects, that coders actually do the programming. It was apparent he was a newby and had no clue about my experience - because I am definitely not unique. Once we were finished talking about my resume he inquired again about what languages I use. Once again I said I don't code. He says, oh, you're IT. I said no, I am a software engineer who manages software projects. At that point I thanked him for calling and ended the call.
That's about it! Always hoping life gets better. Ken has doc appointments tomorrow, and I've got a workshop to attend.
So I'll end with this song - dedicated to my mother: Knowing What I Know About Heaven, sung by Guy Penrod
Yea! I finished an afghan for great niece Katie Jo. It's just the big grannie square but I think it looks nice in the colors Katie wanted - black, tans, beige. Can't believe I actually found a varigated yarn in the right colors! Hope she likes it; it's currently in the washer, then will dry and block. Hope to get it delivered this week. Up next is a quilt for great niece Presley. Presley is a 4-year old diva, daughter of my nephew Michael. She is the youngest child, with two older brothers - and the boys are a bit older than her. And she's all girl, except for the fact that she likes to go fishing. The fellow who eventually gets this little diva better have a pretty strong personality (lol)!!
Right behind Presley's quilt is a project for another niece, Brenda. Brenda is decorating her house in Gone With The Wind and is hoping for a couple of dolls - maybe Barbie size or a little larger - dressed as Scarlet and Rhett. I offered to buy her a set but she wants me to make them so she can hand them down to her kiddos. I found the pattern for Scarlett, still have to come up with appropriate pattern for Rhett costume.
SO! What else is happening? I don't remember that we did anything on Saturday -- seems that we just spent the day working on resumes and training stuff. I did tell Ken that I wanted to get out of the house on Sunday - I knew I would spend the day depressed and crying because of the kids and grandkids. We had a slow morning on Sunday, in fact I slept until after lunch. Then we took Luci and drove down to Granbury and strolled around the square a bit. Luci was a little iff getting into the car - she didn't know exactly what was about to happen, but she settled down on the way and had a grand time greeting everybody on the sidewalks who stopped to talk with her and pet her. She was one tuckered out little girl afterwards and fell asleep on the way home. We got back home about 4 and ate the KFC chicken we bought on the way home. We have never yet had KFC get an order correct. Even when we make them repeat it. And sure enough the 2 apple turnovers we ordered and paid for were not in the bag -- and it was too far to drive back to get them. About 8 pm we decided to go to Braum's for ice cream, then shopped at Braum's for a few groceries.
I had pre-warned Ken that on Monday I was planning to back out the cars and work on the garage. I thought it would take us an hour or so to take everything out and clean up, including washing the floor. OMG, we worked on that thing all day long. There were so many bins and boxes that had not been opened since I moved here in 2001!! A lot of pictures, papers, things that belong to my kids, way too much to go thru during clean out. A couple of bins got put in the house in the back hallway so I've got to go thru those and get things sent to kids. Even though none of them talk to me any more, these things are not mine and I need to be sure they get them.
We finally, with butts dragging, got the confounded garage cleaned out, trash thrown out, floor swept and washed, sat while it dried, then put stuff back in some kind of orderly fashion. We were both wiped out. Thankfully while at Braum's I had picked up a frozen meatloaf, a carton of microwavable mashed potatoes, we opened a can of Pork and Beans, and a can of sliced peaches. We called it supper - at least I did. If Ken called it anything it was dinner -- he is not a REAL Texan.
Later Ken said some very nasty words to me - something along the lines of, "The bad thing is, the shed's next." I don't even want to think about it, because after that is the attic.
Ken took a shower and hit the bed, all the critters went with him. I stayed up, worked on an Excel assignment, did some job searches, piddled, and finally about 2 am took a shower and washed my hair. No way could I have gone to bed nasty.
Today Ken went to his MHMR appointment while I stayed home working on budget and bills. I don't know how we are going to make it, but I know we will. (I've lived long enough to know we will.) I pulled our individual credit reports today as well because we need to be aware of those for employment purposes. Some places will not hire unless we have perfect credit, and we have some bumps. We're working on them, but they still show up. Both of them were certainly higher than I anticipated!
I've been searching for refinancing for the house - at least I know my credit score won't keep us from doing it. But then I also figured out that the credit score won't prevent us from buying a different house either. And neither one of us want to live in this area any more. Has NOTHING to do with the neighbors, we've always been a mixed working class good neighborhood. We just don't want to live in a bedroom community that is so dang far away from everything! I want a gas station close by, and want to be around the corner from a store. Where we are now it takes forever to get out of the area before we can even head for a store. So, lots of things to think about. And there is a house on the market that I would dearly love to have - it's the 2 story plan that I had hoped one day to buy...unfortunately it is in the same neighborhood and immediately across the street from the house my daughter owned when she was married. And she now lives not very far from there. I don't think she would want me living anywhere close to her. She hates me.
Oh, yes. Got a call from a recruiter. He asked me what programming languages I use. I told him I don't actually use any, although I am familiar with lots of them. I asked him if he had reviewed my resume - he said he had glanced at it. So I told him if he had read it he would know that I manage software projects, that coders actually do the programming. It was apparent he was a newby and had no clue about my experience - because I am definitely not unique. Once we were finished talking about my resume he inquired again about what languages I use. Once again I said I don't code. He says, oh, you're IT. I said no, I am a software engineer who manages software projects. At that point I thanked him for calling and ended the call.
That's about it! Always hoping life gets better. Ken has doc appointments tomorrow, and I've got a workshop to attend.
So I'll end with this song - dedicated to my mother: Knowing What I Know About Heaven, sung by Guy Penrod
Friday, May 11, 2012
Friday, May 11, 2012
A beautiful song to bring comfort and peace: This Is To Mother You by Sinead O'Connor.
Yummy! Fresh macadamia nut cookies, fresh, hot, straight out of the oven!!! Bought these really neat packages of cookie dough on sale earlier this week so tonight decided to treat us by making a package. These are so easy! The cookie dough is in a square that is cut into 12 smaller squares. Just place the small squares onto ungreased cookie sheet, pop in a 350 degree oven for 14-17 minutes until slightly browned, take out, cool for a couple of minutes, and kick back with great fresh cookies! Amazing how they come out to be round cookies from those squares!
So, what's been happening. Seems I failed to mention we went to the Fort Worth Volks Folks meeting on Tuesday night. Meeting was ok, people are nice. And the BBQ at Spring Creek is always good. After the meeting we got to see the different VWs folks had driven to the meeting. Neat to see the camping buses and different models of bugs, and some of the things like the VW Thang, Rabbit, Square back, etc. Makes us wish we had an older Beetle to go with our 2007 version. But, not right now! Got to get bills paid off!!!
Let's see, yesterday was Thursday. We were going to go to a workshop but decided we needed to spend the day working on training, brushing up on things like Excel, Word, PowerPoint. I've now worked thru the second unit of Excel, submitted it for review with questions, got it back, corrected/completed it, and it has now been resubmitted. I think Ken has made it through the tutorials of Word and is now ready to start the actual training modules for credit.
We've been working on our resumes, trying to get them in the shape wanted by Texas Workforce Commission. We wonder about that since every online job we've submitted to wants them in chronological format rather than functional!!! But, we're trying to comply. I keep getting emails from recruiters for what seem to be great jobs, but they are located a million miles away from Fort Worth -- and I'm not going! I thought I wanted a simple job - secretarial or receptionist, but the more I started looking at my resume and the job market, the more I want to go back to doing something similar to what I was doing before. Maybe part time, maybe not with so much responsibility. We'll see. I've been looking for a engineering contractor firm but can't find them online.
Yesterday we picked up flea med from the vet for Luci. She cannot use Frontline and definitely never again the BioSpot that we had put on her! So the vet's office gave us Advantage and because of her sensitivity it is in an extremely controlled amount for her less than 6 lb size. She got bathed with Dawn dishwashing liquid yesterday and allowed to air dry (I brushed her) completely before the med was used.
Today we needed a break from the job hunting adventure and resume writing and workshops. We decided to take a break. Ken met up with his buddies for lunch, and I went to a Blanketeer Project Day, meeting up with fellow members at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church. I'm so glad I did - I needed the break. I got home about 4, saw a job opportunity email about a position in Houston so I applied for it. Also applied for a position in learning and development for a local company. I would really like to be considered for that one.
We went to Fuzzy Taco for dinner, each had a margarita -- mine on the rocks, Ken's frozen. I had a shrimp taco (ok, but not a favorite), and I made the mistake of ordering a burrito. Yucko...Ken finished it for me. I would much rather have good ol' plain tacos from Taco Bell or else my homemade variety!!!
Oh, yeah! I was surprised today by a delivery of a gorgeous floral arrangement - from son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter. Yellow roses and fillers in a beautiful old-fashioned style jug pitcher. I cried. I miss my three children and their families so very much, and I am always so touched if they remember me at all. My son has always seen to it that I am not forgotten, and I am so thankful for that. It's usually just a card, but it doesn't matter what it is, it's the thought and the fact that someone cares enough to remember.
So, that's about it. There's a breakfast in the morning with the bug folks, but I doubt we go -- I don't attend things that happen at 9 a.m.!!
So goodnight with a song in remembrance of mothers. My Mother's Faith We are going to "visit" my mother this weekend.
Yummy! Fresh macadamia nut cookies, fresh, hot, straight out of the oven!!! Bought these really neat packages of cookie dough on sale earlier this week so tonight decided to treat us by making a package. These are so easy! The cookie dough is in a square that is cut into 12 smaller squares. Just place the small squares onto ungreased cookie sheet, pop in a 350 degree oven for 14-17 minutes until slightly browned, take out, cool for a couple of minutes, and kick back with great fresh cookies! Amazing how they come out to be round cookies from those squares!
So, what's been happening. Seems I failed to mention we went to the Fort Worth Volks Folks meeting on Tuesday night. Meeting was ok, people are nice. And the BBQ at Spring Creek is always good. After the meeting we got to see the different VWs folks had driven to the meeting. Neat to see the camping buses and different models of bugs, and some of the things like the VW Thang, Rabbit, Square back, etc. Makes us wish we had an older Beetle to go with our 2007 version. But, not right now! Got to get bills paid off!!!
Let's see, yesterday was Thursday. We were going to go to a workshop but decided we needed to spend the day working on training, brushing up on things like Excel, Word, PowerPoint. I've now worked thru the second unit of Excel, submitted it for review with questions, got it back, corrected/completed it, and it has now been resubmitted. I think Ken has made it through the tutorials of Word and is now ready to start the actual training modules for credit.
We've been working on our resumes, trying to get them in the shape wanted by Texas Workforce Commission. We wonder about that since every online job we've submitted to wants them in chronological format rather than functional!!! But, we're trying to comply. I keep getting emails from recruiters for what seem to be great jobs, but they are located a million miles away from Fort Worth -- and I'm not going! I thought I wanted a simple job - secretarial or receptionist, but the more I started looking at my resume and the job market, the more I want to go back to doing something similar to what I was doing before. Maybe part time, maybe not with so much responsibility. We'll see. I've been looking for a engineering contractor firm but can't find them online.
Yesterday we picked up flea med from the vet for Luci. She cannot use Frontline and definitely never again the BioSpot that we had put on her! So the vet's office gave us Advantage and because of her sensitivity it is in an extremely controlled amount for her less than 6 lb size. She got bathed with Dawn dishwashing liquid yesterday and allowed to air dry (I brushed her) completely before the med was used.
Today we needed a break from the job hunting adventure and resume writing and workshops. We decided to take a break. Ken met up with his buddies for lunch, and I went to a Blanketeer Project Day, meeting up with fellow members at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church. I'm so glad I did - I needed the break. I got home about 4, saw a job opportunity email about a position in Houston so I applied for it. Also applied for a position in learning and development for a local company. I would really like to be considered for that one.
We went to Fuzzy Taco for dinner, each had a margarita -- mine on the rocks, Ken's frozen. I had a shrimp taco (ok, but not a favorite), and I made the mistake of ordering a burrito. Yucko...Ken finished it for me. I would much rather have good ol' plain tacos from Taco Bell or else my homemade variety!!!
Oh, yeah! I was surprised today by a delivery of a gorgeous floral arrangement - from son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter. Yellow roses and fillers in a beautiful old-fashioned style jug pitcher. I cried. I miss my three children and their families so very much, and I am always so touched if they remember me at all. My son has always seen to it that I am not forgotten, and I am so thankful for that. It's usually just a card, but it doesn't matter what it is, it's the thought and the fact that someone cares enough to remember. So, that's about it. There's a breakfast in the morning with the bug folks, but I doubt we go -- I don't attend things that happen at 9 a.m.!!
So goodnight with a song in remembrance of mothers. My Mother's Faith We are going to "visit" my mother this weekend.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
A little Elvis sweet music this evening. Once upon a time, a very long time ago, in a different lifetime, I had a gold charm on my bracelet with "I love you more today than yesterday, but less than tomorrow."
Been a busy week thus far.
Tuesday morning I had an appointment with Dr. Matthews (opthamologist)for check up. I got there 10 minutes early, I was finally called back at 11:30 a.m. Grrr! Fortunately the eyes are stable. Still have some vision in the left eye, but sure wouldn't want to depend on it to be the "good" eye as I am legally blind in that eye - but it was no worse than 6 months ago. Neither was the right one. No bleeders this time, so no cauterization of the eyes. Yea!
I had no breakfast or shots before the doc visit, and had no time for lunch/shots before a workshop started at the Texas Workforce Commission office. I drove straight from doc's office to the workshop. Fortunately I remembered to grab the glucometer and shots along with a zero coke, package of crackers, and a breakfast bar on my way out of the house. So I checked glucose - 310 even without food at all! I took 40 units of Levemir and 12 units of Humalog, crammed down the crackers and breakfast bar, entered the building and signed in both myself and Ken. Ken showed up about 10 minutes later.
The workshop was a good one -- dealt with resume building. Boy, times have changed and resumes are not created the way they were in the old days! We learned a lot, got a lot of hints of what to do and got sent home (along with all the other students) with a lot of work to do, including some online training to accomplish.
Last night I started taking the free online Excel training. Yes, I've been using it for years, but it never hurts to refresh, and by taking the training I will receive Continued Ed credit and a certificate - which will look nice on the resume. I took the pre-test for the course and made 80%. I started working thru the course materials and accomplished the first unit, did the required assignment, and submitted it for review by instructors. It was returned today marked "incomplete." I had failed to Bold header cells as per instructions! Tonight I did the work requested and resubmitted the assignment. I'm hoping nothing else is found so that I can move on to the next section. I want to complete the Excel training so I can move on to PowerPoint, Word, and Access (need the refresh and certificates).
This morning Ken started working on Word training and reviewing his resume. I didn't get much done. I've got to figure out how to do job searches but until I get the resume done it doesn't do any good to put it into the system - the system looks at resumes a particular way so I need the resume to match the resume-to-job comparison method.
We attended two more workshops today - the first one was Networking. We certainly are not the only ones looking for jobs and doing all we can to get onboard. And we had the opportunity to meet some nice people, including one fellow who is a football player but just got cut from Pittsburgh. He has a degree in psychology and is trying to start up a non-profit organization that has something to do with children. In this workshop we had the opportunity to review printed out job descriptions of available jobs thru the TWC system. Ken and I each collected information for several that we need to look into. And we saw one particular thing that applies directly to Ken's situation. He'll be checking into that tomorrow.
The second workshop we attended was Changing Careers. Neither one of us is sure we want to get back into the rat race of corporate engineering or accounting, and we each think we want to get into something less stressful. What that is, we don't know. We've still got to discover what that is.
That's about it for today. We've got much work to do on the resume's, some work to complete so we can get back with TWC and get busy. Tomorrow we attend a workshop regarding interview tips, and then on Friday we attend orientation for WIA, and neither of us have any idea what that is! We know we will be taking career assessment tests, that sort of thing, but we don't know anything else about it. It's a program we get into that gets us doing intensified work toward finding a job. The counselor today told us that right now he could pull 10 job descriptions that either one of us could fill. We'll see!!!
Tonight we made chili pie - shame on us. And I ate three tootsie roll pop suckers!!! And now I've taken the meds and insulins so Luci and I are headed to bed with the rest of the family.
To all my family and friends, I love you, and here's Elvis singing a favorite: If We Never Meet Again
Been a busy week thus far.
Tuesday morning I had an appointment with Dr. Matthews (opthamologist)for check up. I got there 10 minutes early, I was finally called back at 11:30 a.m. Grrr! Fortunately the eyes are stable. Still have some vision in the left eye, but sure wouldn't want to depend on it to be the "good" eye as I am legally blind in that eye - but it was no worse than 6 months ago. Neither was the right one. No bleeders this time, so no cauterization of the eyes. Yea!
I had no breakfast or shots before the doc visit, and had no time for lunch/shots before a workshop started at the Texas Workforce Commission office. I drove straight from doc's office to the workshop. Fortunately I remembered to grab the glucometer and shots along with a zero coke, package of crackers, and a breakfast bar on my way out of the house. So I checked glucose - 310 even without food at all! I took 40 units of Levemir and 12 units of Humalog, crammed down the crackers and breakfast bar, entered the building and signed in both myself and Ken. Ken showed up about 10 minutes later.
The workshop was a good one -- dealt with resume building. Boy, times have changed and resumes are not created the way they were in the old days! We learned a lot, got a lot of hints of what to do and got sent home (along with all the other students) with a lot of work to do, including some online training to accomplish.
Last night I started taking the free online Excel training. Yes, I've been using it for years, but it never hurts to refresh, and by taking the training I will receive Continued Ed credit and a certificate - which will look nice on the resume. I took the pre-test for the course and made 80%. I started working thru the course materials and accomplished the first unit, did the required assignment, and submitted it for review by instructors. It was returned today marked "incomplete." I had failed to Bold header cells as per instructions! Tonight I did the work requested and resubmitted the assignment. I'm hoping nothing else is found so that I can move on to the next section. I want to complete the Excel training so I can move on to PowerPoint, Word, and Access (need the refresh and certificates).
This morning Ken started working on Word training and reviewing his resume. I didn't get much done. I've got to figure out how to do job searches but until I get the resume done it doesn't do any good to put it into the system - the system looks at resumes a particular way so I need the resume to match the resume-to-job comparison method.
We attended two more workshops today - the first one was Networking. We certainly are not the only ones looking for jobs and doing all we can to get onboard. And we had the opportunity to meet some nice people, including one fellow who is a football player but just got cut from Pittsburgh. He has a degree in psychology and is trying to start up a non-profit organization that has something to do with children. In this workshop we had the opportunity to review printed out job descriptions of available jobs thru the TWC system. Ken and I each collected information for several that we need to look into. And we saw one particular thing that applies directly to Ken's situation. He'll be checking into that tomorrow.
The second workshop we attended was Changing Careers. Neither one of us is sure we want to get back into the rat race of corporate engineering or accounting, and we each think we want to get into something less stressful. What that is, we don't know. We've still got to discover what that is.
That's about it for today. We've got much work to do on the resume's, some work to complete so we can get back with TWC and get busy. Tomorrow we attend a workshop regarding interview tips, and then on Friday we attend orientation for WIA, and neither of us have any idea what that is! We know we will be taking career assessment tests, that sort of thing, but we don't know anything else about it. It's a program we get into that gets us doing intensified work toward finding a job. The counselor today told us that right now he could pull 10 job descriptions that either one of us could fill. We'll see!!!
Tonight we made chili pie - shame on us. And I ate three tootsie roll pop suckers!!! And now I've taken the meds and insulins so Luci and I are headed to bed with the rest of the family.
To all my family and friends, I love you, and here's Elvis singing a favorite: If We Never Meet Again
Monday, May 7, 2012
Monday, May 7, 2012
No exciting news today. Felt pretty good when I got up, put stew fixings in the crockpot(how is it that we have no cans of green beans?), checked emails and job opportunities, worked the free online jigsaw puzzle (shockwave.com), told Ken the burgundy rug is getting washed today.
While I was getting the stew put on I asked Ken to take the things out of the dryer so that the mattress pad in the washer could be put in the dryer. On the way though the utility room to the garage I noted that indeed he had taken the clean clothes out of the dryer - and thrown them right down in the dirty nasty basket with all the wet towels, dish rags, dish towels, dirt in the basket, etc. I came unglued. It is not possible for this man to be this stupid!!! All of it had to be completely rewashed, wasting time I needed for a million other loads, wasting electricity, etc. I really am at my rope's end with this man. What the hell could cause him to do something this stupid!!! I think he does this chit intentionally. Be that as it may, I reminded him to call his doctor, because he cannot live here acting crazy and doing the crazy chit he's doing. It's affecting my own health. And it really bothers me because sometimes he acts perfectly intelligent, but so much of the time he's living in the land of the lost.
So, I take the nasty burgundy oriental rug out of the garage, place it on the driveway, put the dawn dishwashing liquid and water in the sprayer container, turn on the water to wash the hose, wse finally get it all adjusted so that it flows correctly, and then Ken asks me where the rug came from!!! It's like he's never seen it before. Ken, this is the rug that was under the dining table when the table was in the den in front of the big windows. Oh. He pretends to remember, but he doesn't.
Fortunately the sun was bright and it was hot today. After both sides of the rug were washed and rinsed we left it in the sun to dry (upside down so the front would not fade so much). It was almost dry by 5 or so; we moved it into the garage for overnight. I want to move it outside again tomorrow so that it airs out well. I may redo it with vinegar just to make sure all the odors are out of it. With two dogs and two cats (been in the garage since we got Luci), the rug has seen days of animals all over it.
Hopefully later this week we'll get the navy oriental rug done as well. After that we still have a green one from our bedroom to do as well as the one on the back porch.
After doing the rug I felt pretty bad - no idea what happened unless it was being out in the sun and heat. I was zapped, fainty, upset stomach. I had promised the sewing machine shop that the vintage Brother 651 would be picked up today, so Ken very kindly went to pick it up (see, sometimes he's perfectly normal!). I elected not to keep the cabinet it had been in because it was too lightweight for this machine and had been rigged to hold this machine, and not rigged very well. Machine still has to be cleaned (externally), spit shined, but it is a good looking sewing machine that does zig zag, etc. I was planning to give this one to cousin Mason for his wife, but may get them a newer one - I have a feeling A. prefers a more modern machine.
Anyway, I konked out in the recliner - woke up drooling all over myself. Ken actually had to go to bed for a while because he, too, wasn't feeling so great.
Did some more job searching today, posted resume at some job sites, exchanged emails with my former manager, may end up going back to work for him or else doing consulting work for him (he formerly owned a consulting firm and would like to again).
Other than that, I made cornbread, we had stew for dinner. Ken went to his room and watched the ball game (Rangers), and I watched Dancing With The Stars. Have NO idea why I watched it - I don't usually. I wanted to see how well Melissa Gilbert did. Not bad considering she's an "old" broad now.
Much later, after Ken went to bed I fixed some popcorn, checked emails and Facebook, and jotted down the boring nonsense on this post.
Just had a text message from Tamara checking on us. Nice to have at least one kid who gives a DDDD whether I live or die.
Tomorrow is doc day again (eyes, Dr. Matthews), then a resume workshop at Texas Workforce Commission, then tomorrow night a meeting with the Volks Folks. Busy day, won't get much done. So, take care - 'til next time.
While I was getting the stew put on I asked Ken to take the things out of the dryer so that the mattress pad in the washer could be put in the dryer. On the way though the utility room to the garage I noted that indeed he had taken the clean clothes out of the dryer - and thrown them right down in the dirty nasty basket with all the wet towels, dish rags, dish towels, dirt in the basket, etc. I came unglued. It is not possible for this man to be this stupid!!! All of it had to be completely rewashed, wasting time I needed for a million other loads, wasting electricity, etc. I really am at my rope's end with this man. What the hell could cause him to do something this stupid!!! I think he does this chit intentionally. Be that as it may, I reminded him to call his doctor, because he cannot live here acting crazy and doing the crazy chit he's doing. It's affecting my own health. And it really bothers me because sometimes he acts perfectly intelligent, but so much of the time he's living in the land of the lost.
So, I take the nasty burgundy oriental rug out of the garage, place it on the driveway, put the dawn dishwashing liquid and water in the sprayer container, turn on the water to wash the hose, wse finally get it all adjusted so that it flows correctly, and then Ken asks me where the rug came from!!! It's like he's never seen it before. Ken, this is the rug that was under the dining table when the table was in the den in front of the big windows. Oh. He pretends to remember, but he doesn't.
Fortunately the sun was bright and it was hot today. After both sides of the rug were washed and rinsed we left it in the sun to dry (upside down so the front would not fade so much). It was almost dry by 5 or so; we moved it into the garage for overnight. I want to move it outside again tomorrow so that it airs out well. I may redo it with vinegar just to make sure all the odors are out of it. With two dogs and two cats (been in the garage since we got Luci), the rug has seen days of animals all over it.
Hopefully later this week we'll get the navy oriental rug done as well. After that we still have a green one from our bedroom to do as well as the one on the back porch.
After doing the rug I felt pretty bad - no idea what happened unless it was being out in the sun and heat. I was zapped, fainty, upset stomach. I had promised the sewing machine shop that the vintage Brother 651 would be picked up today, so Ken very kindly went to pick it up (see, sometimes he's perfectly normal!). I elected not to keep the cabinet it had been in because it was too lightweight for this machine and had been rigged to hold this machine, and not rigged very well. Machine still has to be cleaned (externally), spit shined, but it is a good looking sewing machine that does zig zag, etc. I was planning to give this one to cousin Mason for his wife, but may get them a newer one - I have a feeling A. prefers a more modern machine.
Anyway, I konked out in the recliner - woke up drooling all over myself. Ken actually had to go to bed for a while because he, too, wasn't feeling so great.
Did some more job searching today, posted resume at some job sites, exchanged emails with my former manager, may end up going back to work for him or else doing consulting work for him (he formerly owned a consulting firm and would like to again).
Other than that, I made cornbread, we had stew for dinner. Ken went to his room and watched the ball game (Rangers), and I watched Dancing With The Stars. Have NO idea why I watched it - I don't usually. I wanted to see how well Melissa Gilbert did. Not bad considering she's an "old" broad now.
Much later, after Ken went to bed I fixed some popcorn, checked emails and Facebook, and jotted down the boring nonsense on this post.
Just had a text message from Tamara checking on us. Nice to have at least one kid who gives a DDDD whether I live or die.
Tomorrow is doc day again (eyes, Dr. Matthews), then a resume workshop at Texas Workforce Commission, then tomorrow night a meeting with the Volks Folks. Busy day, won't get much done. So, take care - 'til next time.
Monday, May 7, 2012
Job 16:20. "My friends scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God." Here is a long loved gospel song sung by the Booth Brothers: Tears Are a Language God Understands
No exciting news today. Felt pretty good when I got up, put stew fixings in the crockpot(how is it that we have no cans of green beans?), checked emails and job opportunities, worked the free online jigsaw puzzle (shockwave.com), told Ken the burgundy rug is getting washed today.
While I was getting the stew put on I asked Ken to take the things out of the dryer so that the mattress pad in the washer could be put in the dryer. On the way through the utility room to the garage I noted that indeed he had taken the clean clothes out of the dryer - and thrown them right down in the dirty nasty basket with all the wet towels, dish rags, dish towels, dirt in the basket, etc. I came unglued. It is not possible for this man to be this stupid!!! All of it had to be completely rewashed, wasting time I needed for a million other loads, wasting electricity, etc. I really am at my rope's end with this man. What the hell could cause him to do something this stupid!!! I think he does this chit intentionally. Be that as it may, I reminded him to call his doctor, because he cannot live here acting crazy and doing the crazy chit he's doing. It's affecting my own health. And it really bothers me because sometimes he acts perfectly intelligent, but so much of the time he's living in the land of the lost.
So, I take the nasty burgundy oriental rug out of the garage, place it on the driveway, put the dawn dishwashing liquid and water in the sprayer container, turn on the water, we finally get it all adjusted so that it flows correctly, and then Ken asks me where the rug came from!!! It's like he's never seen it before. Ken, this is the rug that was under the dining table when the table was in the den in front of the big windows. Oh. He pretends to remember, but he doesn't.
Fortunately the sun was bright and it was hot today. After both sides of the rug were washed and rinsed we left it in the sun to dry (upside down so the front would not fade so much). It was almost dry by 5 or so; we moved it into the garage for overnight. I want to move it outside again tomorrow so that it airs out well. I may redo it with vinegar just to make sure all the odors are out of it. With two dogs and two cats (been in the garage since we got Luci), the rug has seen days of animals all over it.
Hopefully later this week we'll get the navy oriental rug done as well. After that we still have a green one from our bedroom to do as well as the one on the back porch.
After doing the rug I felt pretty bad - no idea what happened unless it was being out in the sun and heat. I was zapped, fainty, upset stomach. I had promised the sewing machine shop that the vintage Brother 651 would be picked up today, so Ken very kindly went to pick it up (see, sometimes he's perfectly normal!). I elected not to keep the cabinet it had been in because it was too lightweight and had been rigged to hold this machine, and not rigged very well. Machine still has to be cleaned (externally), spit shined, but it is a good looking sewing machine that does zig zag, etc. I was planning to give this one to cousin Mason for his wife, but may get them a newer one - I have a feeling A. prefers a more modern machine.
Anyway, I konked out in the recliner - woke up drooling all over myself. Ken actually had to go to bed for a while because he, too, wasn't feeling so great.
Did some more job searching today, posted resume at some job sites, exchanged emails with my former manager. I'm still answering questions from work from time to time.
Other than that, I made cornbread, we had stew for dinner. Ken went to his room and watched the ball game (Rangers), and I watched Dancing With The Stars. Have NO idea why I watched it - I don't usually. I wanted to see how well Melissa Gilbert did. Not bad considering she's an "old" broad now.
Much later, after Ken went to bed I fixed some popcorn, checked emails and Facebook, and jotted down the boring nonsense on this post.
Just had a text message from Tamara checking on us. Nice to have at least one kid who gives a DDDD whether I live or die.
Tomorrow is doc day again (eyes, Dr. Matthews), then a resume workshop at Texas Workforce Commission, then tomorrow night a meeting with the Volks Folks. Busy day, won't get much done. So, take care - 'til next time.
Love this song by Keith Whitley and Lorrie Morgan. Keith is in our Kilgore family tree. Til Each Tear You Cry Becomes a Rose
No exciting news today. Felt pretty good when I got up, put stew fixings in the crockpot(how is it that we have no cans of green beans?), checked emails and job opportunities, worked the free online jigsaw puzzle (shockwave.com), told Ken the burgundy rug is getting washed today.
While I was getting the stew put on I asked Ken to take the things out of the dryer so that the mattress pad in the washer could be put in the dryer. On the way through the utility room to the garage I noted that indeed he had taken the clean clothes out of the dryer - and thrown them right down in the dirty nasty basket with all the wet towels, dish rags, dish towels, dirt in the basket, etc. I came unglued. It is not possible for this man to be this stupid!!! All of it had to be completely rewashed, wasting time I needed for a million other loads, wasting electricity, etc. I really am at my rope's end with this man. What the hell could cause him to do something this stupid!!! I think he does this chit intentionally. Be that as it may, I reminded him to call his doctor, because he cannot live here acting crazy and doing the crazy chit he's doing. It's affecting my own health. And it really bothers me because sometimes he acts perfectly intelligent, but so much of the time he's living in the land of the lost.
So, I take the nasty burgundy oriental rug out of the garage, place it on the driveway, put the dawn dishwashing liquid and water in the sprayer container, turn on the water, we finally get it all adjusted so that it flows correctly, and then Ken asks me where the rug came from!!! It's like he's never seen it before. Ken, this is the rug that was under the dining table when the table was in the den in front of the big windows. Oh. He pretends to remember, but he doesn't.
Fortunately the sun was bright and it was hot today. After both sides of the rug were washed and rinsed we left it in the sun to dry (upside down so the front would not fade so much). It was almost dry by 5 or so; we moved it into the garage for overnight. I want to move it outside again tomorrow so that it airs out well. I may redo it with vinegar just to make sure all the odors are out of it. With two dogs and two cats (been in the garage since we got Luci), the rug has seen days of animals all over it.
Hopefully later this week we'll get the navy oriental rug done as well. After that we still have a green one from our bedroom to do as well as the one on the back porch.
After doing the rug I felt pretty bad - no idea what happened unless it was being out in the sun and heat. I was zapped, fainty, upset stomach. I had promised the sewing machine shop that the vintage Brother 651 would be picked up today, so Ken very kindly went to pick it up (see, sometimes he's perfectly normal!). I elected not to keep the cabinet it had been in because it was too lightweight and had been rigged to hold this machine, and not rigged very well. Machine still has to be cleaned (externally), spit shined, but it is a good looking sewing machine that does zig zag, etc. I was planning to give this one to cousin Mason for his wife, but may get them a newer one - I have a feeling A. prefers a more modern machine. Anyway, I konked out in the recliner - woke up drooling all over myself. Ken actually had to go to bed for a while because he, too, wasn't feeling so great.
Did some more job searching today, posted resume at some job sites, exchanged emails with my former manager. I'm still answering questions from work from time to time.
Other than that, I made cornbread, we had stew for dinner. Ken went to his room and watched the ball game (Rangers), and I watched Dancing With The Stars. Have NO idea why I watched it - I don't usually. I wanted to see how well Melissa Gilbert did. Not bad considering she's an "old" broad now.
Much later, after Ken went to bed I fixed some popcorn, checked emails and Facebook, and jotted down the boring nonsense on this post.
Just had a text message from Tamara checking on us. Nice to have at least one kid who gives a DDDD whether I live or die.
Tomorrow is doc day again (eyes, Dr. Matthews), then a resume workshop at Texas Workforce Commission, then tomorrow night a meeting with the Volks Folks. Busy day, won't get much done. So, take care - 'til next time.
Love this song by Keith Whitley and Lorrie Morgan. Keith is in our Kilgore family tree. Til Each Tear You Cry Becomes a Rose
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Friday, May 4, 2012
Poor Luci, she has suffered so much since the flea med treatment. This morning she got a bath with a soothing shampoo which helped her a lot. She's still very clingy and needy and wants to be held 24/7. We didn't use a hair dryer on her - her poor body has had enough. Friend Denise thinks that with the med being placed between the shoulder blades the way it was (per instructions) that it was absorbed thru the skin to the spine, and I tend to agree. Little Maltese have no under coat, just the soft silky hair so the med just goes directly to the skin. I will NEVER apply that stuff on her again; she will go the vet for flea med.
SO, this was also my day at Dr. Wilson's - endocrinologist. I took my glucometer and was loaded for a good conversation with him because I am so tired of this high riding blood sugar. I got sick on March 20, and have not been able to get the glucose under control since. The lowest numbers have been almost 300. He looked at the trend chart and the basal insulin (levemir) was raised to 40 units twice per day - 40 in the morning, 40 in the evening. Meal units were raised to 26 units each meal. Hopefully this will help.
The good news is, I was down 8 lbs. from the last appointment, and down 11 lbs since September of 2011. Yippee, only 100 more lbs to lose!! I'm going to try to get to Weight Watcher's this week. It's the only program that has ever worked for me. I have to lose at least 10% of my body weight, preferably 20% before bypass surgery can be considered. That means I have to lose at least 22 lbs., preferably 44. We'll see. Of course Dr. Wilson and Dr. Fishbach are of the opinion that if I can lose 22 or 44 that I can lose the rest without gastric bypass or band. We'll see.
We stopped at Kroger on the way home from Wilson's office. I am wanting to walk a LOT more, so instead of using a scooter I got a buggy to push thru the store. I made it fine until the last part of the shopping at the deli counter. I had not eaten lunch because I had the appointment with Wilson, and I guess the walking helped drop the sugar even more...I about passed out at the deli counter so had to find a chair. But, we made it home, got the groceries put away, and had some great sausage dogs for dinner.
I have received several emails from recruiters and potential employers. But, I have no interest in moving to Madison, Wisconsin for a lead engineer job; and don't care to move to Maryland or New York either. If something comes through for Colorado, I will be hard pressed to say no. I have a couple of workshops to attend this week so I can get my resume into a functional version rather than the responsibility format it is currently in. Hoping this will lead to some positions that are not necessarily engineering or full time. I really want something like receptionist, data entry, general clerical, etc. The counselor at Texas Workforce Commission says with the degrees and experience I'm probably going to have companies wanting to hire me for full time rather than part time or contract work. And probably for software engineering positions. I don't want to do that, I don't think.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Scarborough Faire is a Rennaisance fair that is held in a large area south of Waxahachie every year from early April thru Memorial Day. I've lived here all of my life except for about 9 months, and I've never been. My friend Denise King and her family go all the time and really get into the spirit of it, dressing in costume, etc. Going to this fair just one time was on my bucket list. So, we planned the trip, charged up scooter batteries, and headed down there today. The cost to get in was $24.00 per person!!!! Outrageous. Oh, my gosh, difficult gravel walking paths and roads and pot holes. But we managed to get the scooters to handle it. We figured out that driving on the grass as much as possible is a lot easier on the scooters than trying to drive on the gravel pathways. So we headed through the fair grounds.
We stopped at a falcon show -- ok, but the one at Medieval Times is a lot bigger and better and more impressive. Must say, however, that the hawk doing the demonstration was a beautiful bird. Then we wondered on down the paths past several shops, some selling rennaisance-type stuff (head gear, clothing, leather goods, etc.). We did quite a bit of people watching. It was so dang hot! And here were all these people dressed in heavy clothing, boots, etc., and you just knew they were dying! 
And they were attempting to speak in the old language of "My lady" and My lord," which was a bit silly. But they were having a great time. There were the usual places selling drinks, sausage on a steak, pretzels, etc.We went to a leather shop and yippee I found a beautiful tooled leather bracelet. It's royal blue and it's really fleur de lis, but looks a lot like crosses (to me). I love it. Ken got one, too. His is brown with black tooling. They were $10 each or 2 for $15. I could kick myself for not getting one for all my family! Would have made great Christmas gifts.
We wondered on, stopped at the glass shop, Ken got a shot glass for his collection for $4.00. I did NOT get a wine glass -- wasn't willing to pay $130 for one!! We did finally find a silver shop with puzzle rings. Ken wanted a replacement for the one he used to have (which he purchased years ago at Scarborough). His original one had broken. We stopped at the Crown Rose Restaurant for late lunch, had Shepherd's Pie - really good, had not had it in a very long time. We stopped at a dog show which was so boring we left. We managed to wonder thru the entire park, made our way back toward the entrance, stopped at the Don Juan Miguel show where we realized both of us were checking our phones instead of paying attention, so we headed to the Lemon Chill booth and bought one pint of the stuff. It had 39 grams of sugar so we bought only one, shared 1/2 of that, threw the rest of it away. That means we each had about 10 grams of sugar instead of 39.
We had pulled across the road from Lemon Chill into the shade, and as we were about to pull away Ken's scooter died. We had been on them on that rough terrain for over 3 hours so the batteries were gone. He did his usual freaking out and melt down. Security was called, a couple of guys came to help and then the lady on the golf cart came to help. Ken was throwing a ridiculous tantrum, would not do anything that made sense (get on the cart, the guys will push the scooter to first aid, we will plug it in to charge). Finally got him to do what was needed, we made it to first aid, the staff were very helpful, Ken continued to make an ass of himself and to embarrass me. i told him the same thing I told him last weekend - come Monday you tell your psychiatrist that the meds are not working, and you cannot live here at my house any more - you have to either enter an institution or find somewhere else to live. I can't do this and will not do it any more.
While we sat at first aid waiting for the scooters to charge we found out about the people in hot costumes -- we saw so many people coming into first aid due to heat exhaustion, a lot of them in those ridiculous costumes. Thank God we don't have to wear those crazy kinds of clothing any more!! Every few seconds a call would come in, the safety folks would run jump on a golf cart to go pick up somebody. These were announced as DFO's...someone "Done Fell Out."
The batteries finally charged enough that we hooked up the scooters and made it to the car, loaded and headed home. We stopped at Whataburger for food to go, made it home, ate, gave it up for the night. I had a good time, it's not really my cup of tea - I wanted to go, but have now done that, would not spend that kind of money again to get into the fair. Wish we could find a place that sells the leather bracelets somewhere else. It was a very expensive day - for the price we could have gone on a short trip, spent the evening in a nice cool motel/hotel room, had a nice dinner, relaxed, etc.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Piddled this morning, did not make it to church -- we won't go until after Mother's Day. Going during this season hurts too much because the entire world is focused on Mother's Day. Since my children have decided I'm not worthy to be their mother, I try to stay away from the painful reminders.
This afternoon I went to a Lockheed Blanketeer Bee at friend Susan Taylor's home. It was fun to see everybody, I really miss working; can't wait to find a job. Today we were not working on a community project so we each took our own individual projects. I took the afghan I'm finishing up for Katie Jo. I got the chain edging on it completed. Now all I have to do is tie it off, work in all the many yarn strings, run it through a washer/dryer cycle, and it will be ready to send to Katie. One project completed - check!!! (I drove Ken's Beetle today; it's fun to drive. Can't wait until 2014 when I can get another car. I'm hoping for a Mini Cooper.)
After getting home from the bee I decided to fix pan fried pork chops for dinner, with fresh cooked asparagus with vinegar mustard sauce (sweetened), oven fried new potatoes, and seasoned corn. Yummy. Been a while since I've cooked, but I did ok. I've got stew fixings for tomorrow -- Monday, Monday -- laundry/bathroom cleaning/house cleaning day.
Luci has been a brat since being sick. She has learned "up up" because she wasn't feeling well, and now she does not want to be put down. She cries if she is put down, immediately dances around to be picked up, cries if she does not get what she wants. Most of the time this is because she either wants to go wherever Ken is going or wants me to pick her up while I'm doing something else. She is sticking like glue.
That's about it for today...life is boring in our world. Hopefully this coming week will be a good one. Hope it is for everybody.
Listen to this oldie but goodie: Mr. Don Williams
Lord I Hope This Day is Good
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
This "poster" says just about all that needs to be said on the subject. I will never reach perfection, but some people I know think that they have already.
Ken woke me up at 8:28 a.m. on Wednesday...to tell me he was leaving, going to Goodwill to work a couple of hours. So, I got up, did some online job searches, and started working on an updated resume. Dang! Took me all day to get that done and then post it on a few sites. I am SO ready to go back to work. It provides "escape" for me from a LOT of things and is a great way to put what's happening at home in perspective.
Unfortunately on Wednesday night I found a FLEA on Luci!!! So Thursday morning Luci and Bennie got bathed, dog beds, blankets, our bedding got put thru the laundry. After lunch Ken and I went to the Texas Workforce office to talk to counselors to get help with job searches. I got some help on how to search for jobs other than my engineering field (I don't want to do that any more - I'm looking for part time, temporary, or contract work instead). Afterward we headed to Petsmart where we got some OTC flea spot meds, Blue Buffalo dog food, treats, etc. Luci got a new dress.
We put the med on all the critters -- the two cats, Maggie and Bennie had no problems with it. Unfortunately, Luci did. Almost immediately. It was like the med attacked her brain and I swear she went into seizures. She became crazy, then lethargic, clinging to momma, would not let me put her down, when I did put her down she would cry for "up up," which means pick me up. At one time I thought she died. She crawled under the bench where my printer is located, did a couple of flips and circles, then flopped over. She was totally unresponsive, I was hollering at Ken that she had died, but I guess he couldn't hear me because I was down under the desk and the sewing machine trying to crawl in after her. I finally managed to get her out, got her to open her eyes, checked to make sure her tongue was not back, and then refused to put her down the rest of the night. It was scary and awful. I was up with her almost all night. I was texting a friend most of the night because I was terrified. I tried to call the emergency vet but couldn't get through. About 3 she woke up enough that I knew she knew I was there, and she "talked" to me a minute. We went to bed, but I worried about her the rest of the night. When we woke up this morning she seemed to be much better.
Ken and I rebathed Luci - not the others. She has been better since the second bath. We will NEVER put OTC flea med on her again. When we went to bed I stayed awake to watch her and was reading an article in Reader's Digest by a vet -- which said to never put OTC flea med on a dog. Apparently it does cause seizured/neurological damage in some dogs, and some can die from it!!! An online article said the same thing.
Other than that, today was my doc appointment with the endocrinologist, Dr. Wilson (diabetes specialist). I had lost 8 lbs since the last visit, altogether 11 lbs since last September. But glucose still out of sight. So, Levemir raised to 40 morning and evening, and Humalog raised to 26 at each meal. We'll see if it works.
If all goes well, we'll go to Scarborough Fair tomorrow. Ken has the scooters in the house for charging over night.
That's about it. We're pretty boring.
Matthew 7.
1Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?
4Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye?
5Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Welcome, May! I love May - so unpredictable, sometimes stormy, sometimes slow rain, sometimes hot but not too hot. Today is beautiful. I'm going to try to get out of the house to make my way to Wally World to pick up a last skein of black yarn to finish up the afghan for grand niece Katie Jo. It's really looking pretty if I do say so myself. I don't drive much any more, so will need to see if Ken will take me. I'll post a picture when I'm finished.
Nothing much been happening. My glucose level is raging at or near 400, haven't been able to get it down. Makes me really SICK...wobbly, fainty. I've taken 35 units of Levemir this morning, along with 15 units of Humalog. Am going to go take more Humalog so I can eat some lunch. Am so tired of this "see saw" I'm on with glucose. Wish I had received a new pancreas transplant when I received the kidney. Trying not to eat anything but the barest of food until this levels out. Overdid things on the trip to San Antonio and the hill country, but have been watching everything since we got home.
Good news of the day! Niece Ryan has learned she is pregnant! That's after two early miscarriages this year, and after being told by docs that she can't get pregnant without fertility assistance because of blocked tubes!!! Caution, caution, caution, but hopefully this one will not be a "chemical" pregnancy as the last one was, and that this one will be viable. She has one child who is 2, so it was quite a shock to be told she couldn't have children. This is exciting.
OUCH! We've received a call from Camping World regarding the "fixes" on Casten's Castle. $535.08!!! That covers the work done on the connection for city water hook up and the water issue in the kitchen area which required a new faucet and water lines. They were unable to fix the slide - told Ken it needs to be taken to an Allegro Bay dealer for that. Ken called Vogt RV and was told they can do it but we will have to leave the coach with them for 2-3 weeks because they are so far behind...we have to get it in line for repairs. We're lucky they can do it at all since coach is 14 years old. Most places won't work on a coach that old. We're probably going to have to take out a title loan on the dang thing in order to pay for the repairs. I hope not!! I'll check the tree out back to see if there's any money sprouting.
9:00 P.M. Didn't make it to Walmart...feel dizzy with this pendulum swinging glucose. Ken went instead and picked up a few food items as well as the yarn. Fortunately he did not come unglued about going by himself. He also took care of some other things I wasn't able to do today -- making some calls, taking care of some business, etc. Thankfully he also dropped off a watch for me at the repair shop. All-in-all it was a "calm" day - which was really nice, but doesn't change things -- days like this are just interludes between the insane days.
That's it -- no exciting things going on. 'bye for now
Nothing much been happening. My glucose level is raging at or near 400, haven't been able to get it down. Makes me really SICK...wobbly, fainty. I've taken 35 units of Levemir this morning, along with 15 units of Humalog. Am going to go take more Humalog so I can eat some lunch. Am so tired of this "see saw" I'm on with glucose. Wish I had received a new pancreas transplant when I received the kidney. Trying not to eat anything but the barest of food until this levels out. Overdid things on the trip to San Antonio and the hill country, but have been watching everything since we got home.
Good news of the day! Niece Ryan has learned she is pregnant! That's after two early miscarriages this year, and after being told by docs that she can't get pregnant without fertility assistance because of blocked tubes!!! Caution, caution, caution, but hopefully this one will not be a "chemical" pregnancy as the last one was, and that this one will be viable. She has one child who is 2, so it was quite a shock to be told she couldn't have children. This is exciting.
OUCH! We've received a call from Camping World regarding the "fixes" on Casten's Castle. $535.08!!! That covers the work done on the connection for city water hook up and the water issue in the kitchen area which required a new faucet and water lines. They were unable to fix the slide - told Ken it needs to be taken to an Allegro Bay dealer for that. Ken called Vogt RV and was told they can do it but we will have to leave the coach with them for 2-3 weeks because they are so far behind...we have to get it in line for repairs. We're lucky they can do it at all since coach is 14 years old. Most places won't work on a coach that old. We're probably going to have to take out a title loan on the dang thing in order to pay for the repairs. I hope not!! I'll check the tree out back to see if there's any money sprouting.
9:00 P.M. Didn't make it to Walmart...feel dizzy with this pendulum swinging glucose. Ken went instead and picked up a few food items as well as the yarn. Fortunately he did not come unglued about going by himself. He also took care of some other things I wasn't able to do today -- making some calls, taking care of some business, etc. Thankfully he also dropped off a watch for me at the repair shop. All-in-all it was a "calm" day - which was really nice, but doesn't change things -- days like this are just interludes between the insane days.
That's it -- no exciting things going on. 'bye for now
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