Labor of Love

I have been trying to get someone to help me clear out our hidden corner (lovingly dubbed "the jungle") for years and years now - well, today my son singlehandedly tackled and subdued it! It is now a spot where I can plant a garden! I plan to fill it with several different kinds of squash and pumpkins - Yay!
...I'm so excited, I've even already bought the seeds!
I wish I had taken a "before" photo, because without it, you can't possibly understand what he was up against.
Our neighbor has a cherry tree that has been dropping pits over the fence for years, and there was a veritable orchard in there - plus knee-high weeds, rusted overgrown bicicles, and other various discarded items....a bit of an archeological dig!
(He even found some of my 29 year old's toys from days gone by!)
He also discovered a pretty little Maple tree that has come up from seed - I'm going to try to re-locate it to another spot in the yard.



Here's the evidence of the debris that has been pulled out of my corner...

Brad had to work a swing shift on Mother's Day, and wasn't able to be here for the festivities, so he said this is my gift from him - he'll never know just how much I appreciate it!
(I'm planting some zuchini for his wife!)
Thanks Brad!

Almost ready for Summer...

Hubby and the boys have been busy working on the yard over the last few weeks - the transformation has been amazing! We had our first outdoor barbeque for mother's day, I think we're really going to enjoy this!

Our boys built the pond - I think they did a great job!



We've always joked about having a crystal chandelier out here - but this year we did it!


We had to get a different pool this year because of damage to the old one - we're still waiting for the water to get warm enough to stick a toe in!

It's Over

The fat lady has sung, it's over - fini. Today was my last day at work.

For some reason, I woke up with vertigo today. So bad that I fought with nausea, and struggled to even walk a straight line - yuck! I hate that feeling! I had stopped on the way to buy dougnuts to treat everyone, and I was so sick all day I couldn't even join them.
We had plenty of work to keep us busy, but as 4:00 came around, people started trickling down the stairs - with boxes filled with thier personal effects.
I don't leave until 5, so I was the last one to go (other than my 2 supervisors), so I had to watch every last one of them walk out the door - forever.

Ouch.

We all exchanged email addresses, and they say we are planning to have a "girls night out" in a couple of weeks to find out where everyone has gone. I sure hope it works out - I really want to keep in touch with these people!

The photos below are from our "Farewell / Retirement" party last week. (The company's founders officially retired.)
The party was so nice - they served us a yummy lunch, and surprised us with a fun video of all of us (being silly). Then Liz gave us all necklaces. Each necklace has a little heart charm next to the clasp that was engraved with "Thank You" on one side, and the name of the store on the other.
Pretty nice gesture, I thought. Most places would just give you a pink slip and say "don't let the door hit you on your way out."

I haven't done much about finding a new job. I'm going on a little weekend vacation (for my anniversary,)this Friday, and I've been looking forward to it for so long, that I don't want anything to interfere with it.
Boy do I need it!
Hopefully it will give me some time to figure out what I want to do next, then I'll be digging out the ol' resume, and hitting the streets.

Farewell, dear friends!

My crew.

Available and Currently Seeking Employment...

I'm still in denial about losing my job. Each day that brings that final day closer makes my heart feel a little heavier.
Every day, the conversation topic centers around where everyone is going and what they'll be doing.
This white-board has told the story of our numbered days ever since we were told the news. (the photo was taken 5/9/07 - I added the "will scrap 4 food" sign.)



For some of the younger girls, the situation is a springboard for new and exciting adventures - one is for sure headed to Boston, and to graduate school, one is see-sawing between moving to Arizona or California (and a job at Disneyland).
For us older gals with families, it's more - who's hiring in the area. The emotional ups and downs are so wearing on the mind & body. I come home and go right to bed at night (not like me at all) just because I'm so worn out by it all.
As I've been listening to the young girls dream up their futures, I've been thinking about what I would want to do if I were young and had no restrictions - here's a few things I came up with:

1) Travel Companion.
Seeking rich individual who loves to travel, but doesn't want to go alone.
I am currently available to visit all the exotic places in the world with you. Must insist on separtate private room, but am willing to engage in occasional light chit chat. Will also take photographs for a nominal fee.

2) Mattress Tester.
Need someone to try out newest models in mattresses? Then I am your girl! Must be allowed a full 8 hrs. to give proper analysis. Will not test in display window.

3) Bowling Alley Polisher.
Need your alley polished? I can make it shine! Will provide my own "Swifer" slippers. After-hours access to music a must - disco ball optional.

4) Chocolate Quality Control.
I know chocolate! Will give critique on any brand. Must insist on free enrollment to Weight Watchers.

5) Lighthouse Keeper.
Seeking employment as live-in lighthouse keeper in remote beach location. All that is required is a private room, small kitchenette, and well stocked library!

If you know of openings in any of these feilds, please let me know ASAP!

Strange things happen....

...When I'm not home.
When I came home from work today, it appeared that my furniture was partying while I was out:







...all this can only mean one thing - Bradley is home! :)

(My newlywed son has moved in for a few weeks, strange things always happen when he's around!)

Cheerful banter of the doomed...

Today's been kind of an odd day. For a crew who is soon to be disolved, everyone seemed to be farily cheerful today. It seems that everyone has been on edge for so long, knowing that something was off, but afraid to say anything. Now that it's all out in the open, it's kind of a relief in a strange sort of way. I kept thinking of that scene in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" when the magazine staff is having thier meeting to discuss ideas, and one of the ladies chimes up and tells about the horrific disfiguring cosmetic surgery story, and how it is still "strangely....upbeat."

Our supervisor will be attending the "Prom" for the release of the new vampire book "Eclipse," soon, so she borrowed some dresses from a co-worker to wear to it. She took them home to try them on yesterday. One of the girls asked her which one she liked, and she said that only one of them fit well enough, but it made her uncomfortable because it had a slit that went clear up her thigh - one of the ladies piped up and said "just wear a garter - wear a garter that says "bite me!"
We've all read these vampire books (thanks to the prom-goer) and let me tell you - we all got a pretty good chuckle out of that!

4 of the ladies are leaving for Disneyland this week one just returned from there on Monday, - one is going to Washington to see a new grandaughter who was just born today! (as we all listened on her cell phone) and one is headed for the "prom" in Ariz. I think I'm going to be working all alone on Friday!

It felt like the last few days of school - remember those? When everyone is sad to leave thier friends for the summer, and yet excited for the coming vacations they have planned. The only really sad comment someone made was "usually when you leave a job - at least it is still there, and you can go and visit." There will be no place for us to come back to once we are all gone.

My hubby came home and told me that he has arranged a new job for me already!
One of the departments at his work has an opening, and is willing to take me right in. Hmmm....not exactly what I was thinking, but it will work - it's only 20 hrs. a week, but it pays a little more per hour, so I should come out about the same - and I can car-pool with either hubby or my daughter (she works there too) so it will save us money on gas. So, as usual, it sounds like he already has my life planned!
I was praying pretty hard last night, but I didn't expect such an immediate answer!

Stupid Criminals

As I drove past the Credit Union on my way home yesterday, I was reminded of an incident that took place there recently, and I just had to shake my head....
About a month ago, and 18 year old kid tried to rob it - in broad daylight, right after school - one of the busiest times of the day on that street. He wore no disguise (they said on the news that the pictures that the security cameras got of him were the clearest photos on record)....and he was from here!
Why oh why, please tell me, would you rob a bank in the town you were from? Especially in a town this small where everybody knows everybody! As I remember, he was in a stolen truck, but on his way out several people saw him who knew who he was...and where he lived, his uncle jack with the 3 legged dog, (ok - I embellished on that last part, but I'm just trying to make a point) The kid didn't make it to the next town.

Then, a few months before that, the truck stop where my son works was robbed - by a couple of high school kids - from here - at 4 in the afternoon - when the place was swarming with truckers - with a BB gun!!!
There were truckers in line behind him waiting to pay when he pulled out his "weapon" and demanded money. The trucker in line behind him said "not today sonny" and threw his hot coffee in his face, while two other truckers wrestled him to the ground and held him there until the police came. His girlfreind who was waiting in the car saw what happened, and peeled out and tried to get away, but two police cars blocked her off before she even got out of the parking lot!

Kids - stay in school - PLEASE!!!!

Happy Easter!

We had a really pleasant Easter weekend. The weather was actually nice for a change!
My mother in law hosted an egg hunt. She has a huge yard, so it's a fun place to go for family activities. She is rapidly losing her eyesight, but she still managed to make a large paper-maiche egg for each and every child, filled with goodies!
We had a picnic lunch on the lawn, and relaxed a bit (I caught my son & 2 daughters playing a game of basketball - I don't think this has ever happened before!), while the little girlies drove the mini-Hummer around the yard.
I got a fun group shot of my kids and grandkids all in a pile (one son is missing - he worked graveyard and was sleeping it off)
Then we drove up in the hills to roll eggs.
After Eastering, hubby and I went looking for a new dishwasher. Our old one is so bad, that when you open it up, you can't tell if it's been run or not without close inspection - not healthy I'm thinking!
So Sunday, while I was trying to prepare my Easter feast - hubby was on the floor under me, trying to install it.
But dinner was fabulous in spite of it all! (if I do say so myself!)
Church services were pretty low-key this year - almost left me wishing for a little more, but here's a little reminder of why we celebrate in the first place:

Happy & Blessed Easter greetings to all!










Three little pig-talied cousins...

It's that time again....

Time to color eggs and go roll them down the hill (this came up too fast!...I'm not ready!) At least I don't have little ones in my house who have to be visited by the Easter Bunny.
My husband's family has the tradition of going "Eastering" on the Sat. before Easter - we have a picnic, and then all the kids roll thier eggs down the hill. Sounds like a quaint innocent tradition, right?
The adults usually wait at the bottom of the hill, and toss them back up so they can keep doing it until they are completely demolished. It usually turns into something else when the kids start pelting them at whoever is at the bottom. Trust our family to take a time honored tradition and turn it into a violent free-for-all!
Sunday we celebrate by attending church services. I still have to plan my Easter dinner. I wanted to go with the traditional ham, potato salad etc., but hubby wants to barbeque. If this means he's willing to cook - I'm leaning that way too!

My sister has been e-mailing me a lot of funnies lately - I got a kick out of this one:




Happy Easter everyone!

Guess What?

...I'm published!!!!
I submitted a layout to Cantata Books last year - I didn't know for sure if they were going to use it until I got my copy in the mail today.
How exciting!...I can die now.

Blah blah blah....

I was going to complain - it's been another one of those weekends - (hubby's been sick, and I spent the weekend in the kitchen as usual) but I decided I don't even want to go there - I just want to run off to fantasy land instead and talk about the outrageous!
So for starters - I finally got a chance to see the movie "Marie Antionette" a couple of weeks ago. Wow! ...I'm not sure I liked the story that much, it was a little weird - and I hate it when they start to lead you off in one direction, and then they totally shift gears and go another way (have you seen "The Queen"? ...that one does the same thing - very annoying!) ...but anyway - whether you like the story or not, to me it was worth seeing because THE CLOTHES! - and THE SHOES!!! Oh my goodness! they were gorgeous!
I saw that they won an Academy Award for that - it was well deserved! (Loved the scenery too!)



Thankfully, you don't have to see anyone lose thier heads in the film - that is just implied at the end as you see them ride off to thier "doom." I think the whole point of the story can be summed up in one line - when the King dies and the son (Marie Antoinette's hubby) says - "God help us - we're too young to rule" (or something like that - my memory sucks!)

Speaking about frivolous - I told my daughter tonight, that I was going to start planning her wedding (this is not an announcement - she's not even dating, but I want to - ok?)
It's going to be rich fall colors for the flowers, The cake will be part chocolate, part rice krispy treats, and her gown is going to be a mideval - Lady Guinevere type gown....with beaded satin flip-flops.
She'll have a wreath of flowers with dangly ribbons down her back. We'll have a mandolin player, and strolling madrigals - and for sure a bagpiper - maybe even a court jester.
Hmmm.... maybe I should just go to the Shakespear Festival and get this out of my system!

*I finished reading "Twilight" this week, and made the mistake of reading the teaser for the sequel - when she's at her birthday party, and gets a paper cut, and all the vampires catch a whiff of it and pile up on her - so not fair! Now I have to read book 2!

Anyway, hope everyone had a Happy April Fool's Day!
(Can't believe it's April already!)
Hey Nonny Nonny....

*** Newsbreak***

Can't believe I forgot to mention - while we were on vacation, my son announced that he's going to be a daddy again!
I'll be a granny to the 3rd degree!
(3posts in one day? - a new record for me!)

Need a Smile?

My sister sent me these funny pic's the other day, and they made me laugh out loud! - just had to share...
1) Remember my theme of "One mind"?....well, this is not what I meant!"
2) Just hangin' out...
3) Hang in there baby!
4) Gives a new meaning to the term "suck face"!
5) Peeping Tom
6) Stamping out discrimination
7) Manual dishwasher









*Quote of the day: I'm reading the book "Twilight," (it's a young adult novel about a vampire) This line cracked me up today:

"It was hard to decide what to wear. I doubted there were any etiquette books detailing how to dress when your vampire sweetheart takes you home to meet his vampire family."

Ok, I'm weird - it just hit me funny!

I Love My Job....

...No, I really do! Compared to what I was doing before, I just feel like I have room to breathe, and even a life! If I get sick - I can actually take the day off! ...And I never work weekends or holidays anymore! I can't tell you how much this means to me! It's fun work too - I get to shop for other folks half the day, then box it up and ship it out the second part of the day, in a friendly uplifting environment.
On days like today though, I get very nervous. It has been really slow all this week. Don't get me wrong, it's always nice to have a relaxing day once in a while (even the music on the radio was mellow), but if there are too many days like this in a row - I won't have a job anymore - and I will have to go to some other retail establishment, (because that's all I can do - I could be a poster child for "Stay in School or this could happen to you" week)...and back to being a slave to the industry - weekends, nights holidays, etc.
That would not be good - no, not good at all...

Home again, home again, jiggety jig...

Don't you hate coming home from vacation? It's always such a culture shock! After exploring, shopping, lounging, eating out - to come home to the house that the kids have been "looking after" while we were away (not touching the diswasher or anything else for that matter) and chewing me out that I wasn't here to cook for them and they had to fend for themselves.....please! Pardon me while I prick my finger so I can work up a tear!
We did have a wonderful time though, and here are a few photos to prove it:












We spent a day hiking in the desert (I was amazed how well the little ones kept up!...and us old ones too! Ha ha!) We took a picnic lunch, and then played in the sand dunes, the gram & gramps took the little ones home while they kids went cave hunting.
The next day we went museum hopping, we went to a dinosaur quarry, and a wild animal museum (they were all stuffed)
Saturday was shop till you drop day (not as fun as it sounds - two single young girls at an outlet mall - need I say more?)
So, sadly - it's back to reality. On the upside, the book I ordered last week came while we were away, (EVERYONE at work is reading this book, and I'm the only one who hasn't read it - so, I succumed. Peer pressure is a compelling force, even to middle aged granny's)...so I've been reading that all this evening...I'm already halfway through it...can't put it down!
That's my week in a nutshell - tommorrow it's back to work!....*Sigh* :(

Shameless Plug...

Since I've been sharing plugs for local bands this week, I may as well plug my son's band as well - LOL! (That's their logo above)
They call themselves "Charging Fredrick."

...and if you go here you can here samples of thier music:

If you look at their photo gallery, my son is the one hugging the mac & cheese box.
Yup - he's cute - but sorry, he's married!

Happy Birthday Arilie!

My grandaughter Arilie is 5 years old! We had a little family party for her tonight - Pizza and cupcakes - what could be better? She's been celebrating since last weekend (they went to visit the "far-away" grandparents and had a party there.) Then a party at school, and presents daily - she must feel so special! ....Little sister on the other hand, has had it! We gave Arilie a little pet shop board game, and she set it all up to play with me, and Millie came over and knocked the movers out of place with her toe. I said "now Millie, be nice" - she shot me a look like "I'm done being nice!" and whacked the rest of the pieces off the board! (I figured she'd be at this point today, so I got her a little gift too.)









Flash back 5 years ago, Jennie went into the hospital to give birth Feb. 28. It was about a month too soon, but she had been having some problems - enough that the doctor was pretty concerned about her health, so he decided to go ahead and start her early. My husband had left that morning for a conference in Nevada. When we called him to give him the news, he had made it as far as Wendover, and had to turn around and come back. We got to the hospital around 2pm. Her doctor knew that she would probably be having a C-section, but of course, with the first one, they have to at least try to go natural first, so we waited....and waited...and waited.
I was recovering from surgery myself, but I had to be there for the occasion. We sat in those chairs all the rest of that day, through the night - and finally just before 4am she arrived. She had a major "cone head" from sitting in the birth canal for so long, but she was still a cute little doll - only weighing 4 lbs. 14 oz. Bingo! I was a grandma!

Happy President's Day (?)

After having two full weeks of spring like weather (which melted away all the old snow) this was the scene out my front door this morning! The boy scouts woke me when they planted the flag on the front lawn at 5 am, when I looked out then, it was just starting to snow. By the time I got up to go to work (7:30) it was already almost white-out. (One of the joys of living in Southern Utah County - it's called "Lake effect" - we always get dumped on here!)
I tried to go to work, but only got around the corner, and halfway up the hill, when I got stopped (several cars in front of me were stuck) then I got stuck too. A policeman came to try to help, but he couldn't get up the hill either! It took 2 men to push me over to where the snow had been plowed - so I finally got out - I made a u-turn and went back home! If I can choose the day I die, it will not be today! (ha ha!) The whole family is home today, so we will all be snowbound together....should be interesting!
(I've taken photos about every 2 hours from the same spot - there's at least a foot out there now!)




















My daughter in law digging out her car to go for provisions - and my welcome bear - a little under the weather.

Happy Groundhog Day!

It's that time again - the time of year when we put all of our hopes for escaping the winter dulldroms onto a common garden vermin. (Did someone say that we are the intelligent species?) Will he see his shadow - or not? In my neck of the woods, it doesn't really matter - I know we're in for at least 6 more weeks of winter either way!

I have a sister who is 4-ish years younger than I am, so we were never in the same school together growing up, but years later, we had the opportunity of going to "college" together for one semester. It was a really fun memory for me.
We were both living at home and commuting, not working - not a dime to our names. Some days we'd walk around campus and pick up lost coins on the sidewalk - and if it was a good day, we would take it to the local doughnut shop, and buy a treat.
One time, we had a windfall, and we went to JB's for an actual meal! It just happened to be Groundhog Day. When we were finished eating, we scraped around for some change to leave for a tip - not finding any, we left a stick of gum for the waitress with a note wishing her a Happy Groundhog day!

Ever since then, we have exchanged Groundhog Day greetings - just a silly little reminder of those happy-go-lucky days.
I wanted to make a Groundhog day cake this year to post here - but you'd be amazed how few decorations there are out there for this holiday!....However, I found this picture on the internet at www.familyfun.go.com : How clever is this?
They just used an Almond Joy bar, and some jelly beans - wish I'd thought of that!



Happy Groundhog day, and may the bleak winter be shorter where you are!

(*I found the top photo on a site called the "Triple Tri Blog")

Blog "Friendship" Challenge

Someone posted this quote on one of the forums I frequent, and it reminded me again of the layout I did last year for an "Effer Dare."
One of the biggest regrets I've had as an adult is that I didn't keep in touch with all the great friends I've had over the years....sure wish I knew where they all were now!

"A young wife sat on a sofa on a hot humid day, drinking iced tea and
visiting with her Mother.

As they talked about life, about marriage, about the
responsibilities of life and the obligations of adulthood, the
mother clinked the ice cubes in her glass thoughtfully and turned a
clear, sober glance upon her daughter.

"Don't forget your Sisters," she advised, swirling the tea leaves
to the bottom of her glass.

"They'll be more important as you get older. No matter how much you
love your husband, no matter how much you love the children you may
have, you are still going to need Sisters. Remember to go places
with them now and then; do things with them. "Remember that 'Sisters'
means ALL the women... your girlfriends, your daughters, and all your
other women relatives too. "You'll need other women. Women always
do."

What a funny piece of advice!' the young woman thought. Haven't I
just gotten married? Haven't I just joined the couple-world? I'm now a
married woman, for goodness sake! A grownup! Surely my husband and
the family we may start will be all I need to make my life worthwhile!'

But she listened to her Mother.
She kept contact with her Sisters and made more women friends each
year. As the years tumbled by, one after another, she gradually came
to understand that her Mom really knew what she was talking about.

As time and nature work their changes and their mysteries upon a
woman, Sisters are the mainstays of her life.

After more than 50 years of living in this world, here is what I've
learned:

THIS SAYS IT ALL:
Time passes.
Life happens.
Distance separates.
Children grow up.
Jobs come and go.
Love waxes and wanes.
Men don't always do what they're supposed to do.
Hearts break.
Parents die.
Colleagues forget favors.
Careers end.
BUT.........
Sisters are there, no matter how much time and how many miles are
between you. A girl friend is never farther away than needing her
can reach. When you have to walk that lonesome valley and you have
to walk it by yourself, the women in your life will be on the
valley's rim, cheering you on, praying for you, pulling for you,
intervening on your behalf, and waiting with open arms at the
valley's end.

Sometimes, they will even break the rules and walk beside you...Or
come in and carry you out. Girlfriends, daughters, granddaughters,
daughters-in-law, sisters, sisters-in-law, Mothers, Grandmothers,
aunties, nieces, cousins, and extended family, all bless our life!

The world wouldn't be the same without women, and neither would I.

When we began this adventure called womanhood, we had no idea of the
incredible joys or sorrows that lay ahead. Nor did we know how much
we would need each other.

Every day, we need each other still."

So true - so true!