My Weblog

So here I am........

comfortable at home, in front of the computer. I have a very boring day planned. I'm not going ANYWHERE! 

I've been working away at accumulating my income and expenses for my 2015 tax return which is due in a little over two weeks. I'm tired of thinking about it and the only way for me to stop thinking about it is to get it done. So, that will happen today, God willing and the creek don't rise.

During the last few days I actually created some papers for a new kit and I'm getting those all properly renamed and saved. Then it will be on to some elements while also working on re-vamping another archived file.

I figure I have 4-5 tax returns to get done. Those have to be the priority til they are finished. 

I am sore this morning. Mostly across my upper back and on the right side. I think this is residual soreness from my squeegie workout yesterday. It's not too bad and I haven't taken anything for it. I figure my body can use a rest from foreign substances for a day or so. 

I still have that gas grill I've been wanting in my Amazon shopping cart. I double checked prices at the store. The Amazon grill and cover is much more in my price list than anything there, even taking into account my discount. I checked covers. The cheapest the store has run around $50. If I order the grill & cover together, the cover will cost me about $10. That's a heckuva deal, you must admit..........

Anyway, I'm getting back to culling through my financial records to pull together numbers for my tax return. YOU be BLESSED today!

oy!

I was offered the opportunity to leave work 10 minutes early today and I took it! By then, I was a ball of pain. The day didn't start out too badly. I actually got the clock set properly and got up when the alarm sounded. I got to work just on time. I was immediately sent to Lawn and Garden to "open". I had no idea what that meant, but got clued in by one of the L&G employees that all that I really needed to do was open the doors to the outside entrance. These doors had already been unlocked by the Assistant Store Manager. 

I ended up spending 4 hours out there. It was pleasant enough. I even volunteered to help one of the garden employees squeegie up some water that was on the concrete out there. I know that the store is paranoid about spills, apparently with good cause if one can believe rumors. Rumor has it that someone wearing flip flops tripped over a caution barricade and ended up suing another store in the chain. As I heard it, they won a substantial claim against the store. So, the plants can only be watered at certain times and everything possible has to be done to get rid of any standing water. Hence, the squeegie. I worked at it between customers, mostly just to have something to do and to make myself useful. I quit when I realized that BOTH hips were threatening big time muscle spasms. I figured at least I gave my arms a good workout and I suppose I must have worked those muscles across my hips or they wouldn't be protesting.

I had one customer who came through L&G with two of those big flat carts filled with trees. All of them had been marked down to half price or less. She had at least 25 trees on those carts, trees of every description. She pulled one trick that had our "garden expert" more than a little exasperated. She found some dead plants that had been thrown away. She loaded those up in yet another cart. She wanted them "for the dirt". As a person who has attempted a garden this year with very little money, I kind of understood. However, the employee is required to either sell an item, even if at a reduced cost, or write it off out of inventory. The customer did not want to pay anything since she'd found them in the trash. I could see both sides..........

By the time i went home, yes, the back was hurting, but that was nothing compared to the ankles and the legs. Wow! I really hurt. So, I was thrilled to be able to get off my feet, if only 10 minutes early.

I was inside on a register just about a total of 40 minutes. In that time frame, 3 prior customers found me and chose to come through my line. And that was just 3 that I recognized. There might have been more. I try to get a good look at each customer. First, I think it's helpful to establish eye contact. It's like acknowledging they are there and they are "special". So, when a customer reappears in my line later, I recognize them which is a good thing, I think. And I let them know I remember them. With one of the 3 customers, I even remembered the details of what they'd previously purchased. They liked that. The lady promised to bring me photos of her project when it's finished.........

I came home and went straight to bed. I had other things I should have done but I felt so bad, I didn't do any of them. Just went to bed. I'm doing better tonight, though I'm feeling the squeegie "exercise" in my arms and back, LOL. Well, that's partly why I did it so I guess that's okay. So, now I am headed back to bed. I've had enough for one day. Thankfully, I have 3 days off now. And also thankfully, Friday is payday! I've spent the evening pulling numbers together for my tax return, finally! See ya tomorrow.

In a Quandry

I have been holding my breath for a deal on a gas grill all season. Grills are on sale at the store, but Amazon has one on sale right now that is pretty much "made for me". I don't need much. Just a place to throw a chicken leg or two or a hamburger patty on the grill to cook. I MIGHT use a burner at some point. Most of what the store handles is what I would consider to be "upscale" grills, stuff with 4-6 burners. Now what would I use that for???? After all, it's just me. It's just that on hot nights I'd love to be able to cook without heating up the kitchen. Truthfully, there have been days this year when it's so hot in the kitchen BEFORE I turn on a burner that it's just prohibitive. And, hot nights or not, I DO enjoy the taste of grilled food and I'm pretty good at grilling. So, about the only thing at the store that I can use is a portable grill. I don't want that. I'd have to have something to sit it on or tie up the only tabletop I have out there. I really want one that is free standing. And I don't want to mess with charcoal. If I decide to cook outside, I want to be able to do it, not wait 45 minutes for the coals to be right. 

So, this deal at Amazon is the best I've seen all year, and believe me, I've been watching carefully. IF I do it, I'll have to come out of savings to do it. And, of course, with all the extra expenses for the plumbing fiasco in December and March, my savings is substantially reduced. So, I'm trying to decide what to do. 

Oh, and here's another part to the deal. I can get the super duper priced grill WITH a cover. Since I have a pergola effect over my patio, not a true patio cover, I would need a cover. Covers, too, are substantially more at the store, even with my discount. 

Here I sit, thinking do I or should I skip it or do I or should I skip it or do I or........... Well you get the idea. I know I won't see a deal like this for another year, or, at least, it's highly unlikely. I hate the thought of not being able to grill again next year. But, I haven't been able to do that for quite a few years now, probably 6 or 7. I suppose I could hang on for one more year. 

Don't be surprised if I come back here and tell you my grill has arrived. And, don't be surprised if I come back here and tell you I decided I needed to be more sensible and forego buying the grill. I am REALLY on the fence............

I don't remember any cutesy stories from work today. I spent a couple of hours out in Outside Lawn and Garden today. It was a gorgeous day and I ran across someone I suspect strongly is a "believer". This lady has a pretty neat job. She works as a "vendor" for us, meaning she is actually an employee of another company but does her work at our store. Her job? She turns all the pots so the prices of the plants are exposed. And she has a little broom and dust bin and she goes around sweeping up fallen leaves or petals from the floors of our display area. That doesn't sound like a bad job to me! 

I have worn my new shoes 3 days now. I have concluded that any "miracle" cure for my feet and ankles is going to have to come from God. I bought these shoes half a size larger. This enabled me to put an extra pair of insoles, gel insoles, into the shoes without cramping my toes. And I thought that the shock absorption in new shoes PLUS the extra insoles would make a difference. I wish I could tell you it did, but I can't honestly say that. It may be a bit better, or it may get better over time, but for right now, I think my feet and ankles are hurting just as much in the new shoes as they were in the old shoes. Drat!

I have been driving around for 2 days now with big, long pieces of wood in the van. This stuff is 10 feet long so it stretches from the back window to the dash. Fortunately, it is wedged between two headrests so it doesn't move around if I take a corner quickly. This is the wood to fix the rotted out piece on the SE corner of the house. Next I am supposed to buy two hose bibs to fix the leaky ones that are currently in place. Then I'll call Mr. Fixit and get him over here again.............. Once that wood is in place, I'm going to have to look at paint and all the extra stuff painting will entail--brushes, rollers, paint pans, sanding pads, etc. I am not looking forward to this one bit! It will also be "expensive" based on my budget. Somehow, though, I think I have to manage it. 

Perhaps I'd better skip the grill and save the money for paint and tools............ Have you priced paint lately? It's SO pricey. And, the prep work, when done correctly is very time consuming and pretty darned physical as well. But, Lord knows, I don't have the $$$ to have it done and wood exposed to the desert heat, etc., does not do well. It has to be done by somebody and, unfortunately, I think I'm the somebody. I shall try to convince myself it is just another form of "workout". 

Well, that's it for now. I have about an hour and a half til I need to be in bed. I work early again tomorrow. This morning my alarm didn't go off. I'm sure with divine help, I woke up in time to get myself out the door, make the commute, and end up in the store on time. God is so good........ 

Tales from the store..........

I waited on a customer today. Nice lady. She left the register and I looked down to find her credit card lying on the counter! I immediately headed to the exit but I couldn't see her outside. I wouldn't have been able to follow her, if I'd seen her, but I thought maybe I could holler at her. No such luck. I looked up and she was over at customer service. I handed her her credit card and she thanked me. For me, it was no biggie, just part of the job. She showed back up at my register a few minutes later and presented me with a potted plant! She had taken the trouble to go to Outside Lawn and Garden to buy me a plant! Her thanks for getting her credit card back to her..........

I had a customer in line today who wanted to use a gift card to pay for his order. The problem was it didn't work. I must have run it through my machine at least 3 times. Then I tried it on the machine that is accessible to the customer. Still didn't work. Finally, I tried hand keying in the gift card #. Still didn't work. Then, from behind the customer, came a voice. "Marci, you sure are going the extra mile on this one!" I looked up and it was a customer I'd served a few weeks back. At the time I thought I recognized him but I couldn't place him. Turns out he was the anchor locally for CBS news for years. Now he's a honcho at the local ABC affiliate. He remembered me and complimented me as I worked to try to give the customer ahead of him what he wanted..........

Yesterday, I was prepared to go to work at 4PM as I thought my schedule called for. I did not sleep well the night before and so woke up about 9:30. Several hours later, I returned to the bedroom, picked up my cell phone and discovered a message on it. The Assistant Store Manager (the ASM over my area) had called me from the store, asking me to call him. Oh holy #$%#!!!!!!!!!!! I went into a panic. Sure enough I was looking at last week's schedule, not this week's schedule. I was actually due at the store at 8AM! I only learned that, though, after searching high and low for the correct version of my schedule. I called him. I KNOW he had to know from my voice that I was beyond stressed. Everything about me was shaking including my voice. I apologized and said "I would NEVER do this intentionally." He replied "I know that. That's why I called you". He arranged for me to work the 4-10 shift so I still got my hours. Of course, I apologized profusely again. Today, I was due in at 8AM again. And, I was there. I didn't have much sleep, but I was in the store about 7:50. He was the one who opened the doors for me, because when I arrived, the store was still locked. He said nothing but "Good morning". And I replied with the same. 

However, about 9:30, he was walking past my station. He stopped, doubled back, called my name and said "Nice to see you here this morning, Marci." I'm thinking now it was kind of funny, but at the time I didn't know what to make of it. It was not said in any kind of a harsh or rebuking way, more like he was letting his sense of humor come out to play. 

I'm so grateful for the "favor" and "grace" I was shown. Everyday on the way to work, I pray for "favor" (Psalms 5:12). I pray for God's favor, first of all. Then I pray for favor with my customers, favor with my coworkers, favor with the head cashier, favor with the capo di capo, favor with the Assistant Store Managers, and, finally, favor with the Store Manager. I feel like those prayers REALLY paid off yesterday!

Last night I ended up spending the evening in Lumber. Let me tell you, there is NOTHING happening in Lumber on a Saturday night. NOTHING! When I'm down there, I have access to a computer. I went in and checked my schedule for next week and I am scheduled. Here's what is so neat about that: As of September 30, I am no longer a seasonal employee. So, the fact that I am on the schedule for the first week of October means THEY ARE KEEPING ME! How's that for grace and favor? In spite of my foul up yesterday morning............

A young man came through my line this morning. He was buying a HEAVY pick axe. I commented "You must have some heavy work planned." He proceeded to tell me he'd been walking through the store with the pick axe, doing his best to imitate a "zombie" looking for someone to kill. He proceeded to demonstrate...... To me, it looked like a decent imitation of Jack Nicholson in that movie where he and his wife are marooned in an empty Colorado hotel, saying "redrum, redrum" over and over. We got a good laugh and he went on his way. He came back a second time. I can't remember what he bought the second time. Then he came back a third time. He was buying irrigation parts. He said, "I just finished telling my kid how we had to be careful with that pick not to hit the irrigation lines........" 

Yeah, and this is why I go to work. It's a hoot! And they pay me for entertainment like this, LOL.

I went to Trader Joe's.......

It was exciting, at least getting there. The TJ's in my area is a small store with a small parking lot. There IS a shared parking lot nearby, very nearby, but folks don't seem to want to use it. I think it's as stupid as the fact that walking into the store from there delivers you to the exit door, not an entrance door. So, you have to walk around a corner and perhaps another 10 feet to gain entrance. Anyway, I was driving through the little strip mall. I drive slowly in strip malls. I honestly believe that driving through parking lots like this is one of the most dangerous things you can do on wheels. Not necessarily dangerous for your life, but dangerous for your vehicle. 

Anyway, I'm on my way down the aisle, moving slowly, looking for a parking place when a woman almost takes out the right side of my van. Notice I said "van". Hey, I'm visible. But she pulls out of a parking place (notice I said "pulls" not "backs") and comes within a foot of hitting me. I almost changed the color of my undies. And she looks at me and makes nasty-looking mouth movements and throws up her hands as if it's my fault.......... In that I was driving down one of the main driving lanes, in a high visibility van, and she didn't have the excuse of limited visibility because she wasn't backing up, HOW did it get to be my fault?

My original intent was to go there, buy bread, milk, and half 'n' half and leave. However, I thought about that and decided I should try to do something that might help my body nutritionally. With the advent of the job, my eating habits are abominable. I'm concerned my body won't recognize a vegetable when it gets one..........Same with fruit. So........

I decided, much as I hate how difficult it is to get the blender clean afterwards, to go back to making some fruit smoothies. I didn't buy fresh fruit, but I do have a stash of frozen fruit. So, I bought greek yogurt and some spinach to slip into a smoothie. I did buy 2 frozen entrees, hoping these would encourage me to eat something when I get home from work, something that doesn't come from Jack in the Box. So, today I will have a cherry/banana smoothie.

I bought some pita chips (with great sadness, I skipped the ones with garlic for the plain ones--I don't want to knock my customers over with the smell of garlic) and some hummus. I have to be careful with the hummus as for some reason it seems to bring on digestive problems if I eat too much. But I figured I could put a little in a plastic container and have it with the pita chips on my breaks. I bought some dark chocolate covered raisins. I got the urge for some chocolate the other night, searched the whole house, and realized there is NO chocolate in this house! I also bought 2 Lara bars to munch on during breaks at work. So, there's some nutritional stuff for the ole bod........Not a great showing, but better than I've been doing......

I also got some bagels.......

So, I managed to get out of there for under $40. Less would have been nice, but at least it wasn't horrific. Of course, I didn't get any of the "stock up stuff" that was on my list......

My new shoes arrived. I haven't tried them on yet, but I think they'll be okay--They're the same brand I always buy, just a half size larger. I'll "initiate" them tonight. I figure I'll toss the old shoes into the van just in case the new ones are a problem for some reason. 

Also, Parker's new collar just arrived. I found an old one that I'd bought and never put on him because I knew Punkin would chew it off his neck if I did. It is a real cheapie with really stiff fabric. It is also VERY wide. It happens to be adjustable and he scratches at it and moments later he has somehow made it bigger--big enough to work it off his neck--with the scratching. I'm hoping the new collar will work out better. It's a sort of combination of fabric collar with a choke chain. I have to be very careful with the collar I put on this dog because he is a runner. If he gets an opportunity, he'll take off and he'll end up 30 miles away--AGAIN.

I had 3 days off. I made a "to do" list centered on those 3 days. I only got through about half the list, but I will continue on with it, doing the "leftovers", during the mornings today and these next 3 days. But, meanwhile, I have to go get my newest kit in the store. YOU be BLESSED today. 

 

Worse than tax law...........

I just got off the phone with the local water district. I called them this past Monday and they were supposed to call me back. Well, today was finally my "lucky" day. And here, in the words of Clint Eastwood: "Do you feel lucky? Do ya, punk?" Well, not exactly.

Don't get me wrong. I am grateful that the water district's customer service is pretty darned professional and that they are "kind". In other words, they don't beat you up verbally to collect like some loan shark collector. However, the limited relief for a person who experiences a water leak is a pain. 

I have not sat down and verified the $$$ extent of the catastrophe. My memory tells me the total water bills associated with the leak(s) is around $1400. This is in addition to more than $2100 I paid to have the leak(s) fixed. Based on an estimate I received from their employee today, the total "relief" they can grant me will most likely be around $250. Now, obviously, $250 is nothing to sneeze at. But it feels like a drop in the bucket for something I certainly didn't "cause".

I guess first, I should rehearse what happened. I received a high bill in December. A shockingly high bill. I honestly thought it was an error. I called them and I distinctly remember telling them that this is a single family residence, not a hotel or casino. I do not have a pool. I do not have a hot tub. Their response was "we'll send someone out". Yes, they did. That person's sole contribution to the mess was to leave me a door hanger saying, "Yes, you do have a leak". Well, either the bill was erroneous or I HAD to have a leak. There is no other way this property could have used that much water. I consider that particular communication from the water district to be ridiculous.

I hired a "leak detector" who spent several hours checking pipes throughout the house and then worked his way outside. Finally the leak was "detected". It was in the main water line, close to where it connects to the house. However, if I recall correctly, the leak detector did his thing around the 22nd of December, and, because it was the Christmas season, the plumber I engaged said he would not work on the problem til after Christmas.

I went to the local hardware and bought a "key" so that I could turn the water on and off at the curb and lived, mostly without water, for a week. I would run out, turn the water on, run the dishwasher, take a shower, wash clothes, etc., and run back out and turn the water off. So, for a week, I had water usage for about an hour a day. I ended up, then, on 12/28 going into the hospital with pneumonia. When I arrived back home on the 29th, they were not finished with the repair but finished it up the following morning. Okay.......... 

I had the original high bill in December. Then, there was another high bill in January for the subsequent period during which I was having the water district tell me there was a leak, the leak detector do his thing, and, finally, the plumber do the "fix". 

Then, sometime in late March, I believe, my neighbor hailed me to tell me "you have a leak". I checked and, sure enough, water was running downhill from my property to his in pretty much the exact same place as in December. I called the plumber and raised enough of a ruckus to get him out here to fix this "new" leak for free. You can assume neither the plumber nor I was convinced that this was a second leak, but rather not fixed from December, or new damage that occurred in December during the "fix". So, again, I had a huge bill for the period from February 1-March 1, with continuation of water billing problems into sometime in March when the leak was finally repaired. So, the bill I received in April was also astronomical.........

Anyway, the water district says they will give me a credit of 50% of 3 months of high usage, the most current high usage. That would be starting in February. And, that's it. And that, they are estimating, will be about $250. 

While I am grateful there IS a credit, and I am grateful they are working with me to get the balance paid, and for their excellent attitudes. I still feel "screwed". I was certainly not in any position to pay out the kind of money required to fix the leak and pay the resulting bill for water usage. I am in only a slightly better position to be saddled with paying $1150 than I was to be saddled with the full $1400........... It's not much help.

When I originally spoke with them, I thought I agreed to pay them $100 a month. No, according to them. They say I was supposed to be paying them $100 a month PLUS current usage. Now, they are going to spread the remaining balance over 18 months. That sounds good until you realize that that will result in my paying them about $100 a month. It doesn't seem like I gained much from two lengthy conversations...........

Other than that, I am having a quiet day at home. One last day at home, and then I work the next 4 days. Well, that will mean a slightly healthier paycheck, so I praise God for that. I have worked today, so far, mostly on design stuff. Now I have to dig in and do some other things.

I had planned to try to do a grocery store run today, a REAL grocery store run. However, I looked at my bank balance and I looked at my fridge, freezer, and pantry and decided I'll wait til next week for that. Tonight, however, I will run to Trader Joe's and grab some milk, half 'n' half, and bread. That's it for the next few days.......... I just checked and the last time I did a REAL grocery shopping trip was 7/3! I'm at more than 2 months without buying more than absolute bottom line necessities.........

Whew!

I actually ended up taking two naps today. It was as much about getting the back muscles to relax as it was anything. Tonight, my back is at about 85% which is a darn sight better than it was this morning. I hate that I lost hours to it and that, even when I was vertical, it somewhat limited what I could accomplish. But, knowing that it is better tonight, maybe it was worth it.

I have two kits open in Photoshop. I'm done with one and the other needs alphas. I'm pleased with the progress. I still need to do the detail work--previews, tou, etc.

I waded through some things here on the desk. It's looking better.

I got all the trash cans emptied. I still have some other things that are going to make their way to the curb.

I even screwed up my courage and carried a water bottle in from the van.

I've loaded the dishwasher and cleaned the sink.

I washed 3 loads of laundry including the bedding. All the clothing is now clean and drying on the indoor rack.

Last time I had 3 days off, I cleaned all the glass in the living room except the French Doors between there and my office and one mirror. I started on the French Doors today but I didn't get them finished. I also worked on a hot spot on the sofa table. And I sorted through bits and pieces that were hanging out on the dining room table. I also got the chest of drawers cleaned up in the Master Bedroom.

I have something of a grocery list pulled together. I guess I will try to make a grocery run tomorrow. I decided I'll not be going to the "new" grocery store I discovered that is supposed to be a "bargain" place. I'm headed back to Smart & Final. Much of what is on my grocery list I know to be priced well at S&F. 

I spent a little extra money. I still want to get another dog to keep Parker company. He is depressed and lonely and I hurt just watching it. However, whatever rescue organization I go to, looking for an adoptable dog, I really need to take Parker with me. If I pick out a dog and that dog and Parker immediately dislike each other, I'll know before I bring the "new" dog home. BUT, to do that, to take him with me, he has to have a collar. I gave up on him wearing a collar long ago. Punkin used to either chew them off (in the case of fabric ones) or pull them off in the case of a choke chain. I managed to get a fairly accurate measurement of his fat neck. I ordered one from Amazon at much less than I would have paid at Petco or Petsmart. It'll be here Friday. 

I've more or less decided to put off the adoption thing til my first 3-day weekend in October. I have great faith that this job I've been working is MY job. I really pretty much love everything about it. Even the downsides have silver linings. For example, the marathons result in bigger paychecks and I can certainly use the money. I am also getting physically stronger as a result of the work. So, yes, this is MY job. I believe it is God's blessing in my life. However, wisdom seems to dictate that I not bring in another mouth to feed til they tell me it is my job. Maybe that's a lack of faith--I don't know. So, we'll muddle through for a couple more weeks. 

One thing that concerns me is that Parker has been SO needy. He is constantly looking for attention. What happens with another dog in the house? Will the other dog do enough to alleviate his loneliness that I can then divide my attention between the two without jealousy on his part? I guess we'll see. I think I'd better pray about my choice of dog before I make one!

Someone asked if I'd had the pneumonia shots. I had the "13" shot in April 2015. Then I had the "23" shot in January 2016. It's just sad that those shots only cover viral pneumonia and leave one exposed in the case of bacterial pneumonia. I am keeping hand cleaner in the car now so that I can use that on my hands the minute I'm out of the store.........Not much I can do about it when I'm chained to a register.........

Well, that's it for now. I'm getting ready to call it a night. 

I spent a few bucks..........

on something that's going to sound weird. I bought a set of brushes for dry body brushing. Essentially the idea here is to remove dry skin cells from the skin's surface while drawing additional blood flow to the area which nourishes the skin.

You all know by now that ever since I was given Levaquin, I've had a terrific battle with super dry skin, itching, and flaking. Believe me, it's beyond anything you can imagine. I talked to the doc about it a while back and his advice was "put cream on it". Yeah, well........... Then the dead skin cells just come off in mini-sheets. Either way, it's disgusting and the itching is a crazy-maker.

One thing that has really been a problem is my back. Obviously I can't scratch it when it itches, and there's no one else around to do that for me. Now, I have a long handled brush that does an outstanding job of it. So, I feel like this was a good investment. I remember years ago I was dating a guy who had an itching problem on his back. I watched the guy literally pull a long sharp knife out of his utility drawer and use it to scratch his back. For heaven's sake, I would have done it for him! And it scared me just to watch. But, I completely understand the urge to do SOMETHING!

I am still hurting this morning. I have taken ibuprofen to reduce swelling and inflammation in my back muscles. I hope that will help. One good thing: I hadn't gotten out of bed yet when something in my back gave quite a "thunk" and popped back into place. Hallelujah. I'll celebrate whatever I can get!

My darned computer rebooted this morning. Not only that, but it installed a Microsoft 10 update. I kid you not (yes, I watched the clock). It took more than an hour to install the update. I am not amused. I had things I wanted to get to first thing this morning that are still not done! And, of course, I lost some work I was doing on the design side. 

Also, I had shuffled through pretty much every pair of women's New Balance running/walking/training shoes on Amazon, looking for something in an appropriate size and at a price I could afford. I didn't push the button, but I left the page open so I could do that today, after evaluating the bank balance and the outstanding bills. Now I face doing that all again too! I had almost decided to let that purchase ride til after next Friday (payday again), but my legs and ankles are SO stiff and sore today. I am thinking maybe I'd better use good sense and get those babies ordered............

So, we are not off to a rip-roaring start this morning, between pain, lost design stuff, and online searches that will have to be done again...........

I've got a long list of things I want to get done over this 3-day period during which I do not have to go to the job. I am SO grateful for the job, but I do need some downtime every now and then and that has been really hard to come by.

I was a little torqued at work last night, though I didn't let on. The other day I was detailed to Lumber and a NASTY customer came in and wanted a refund on something he'd purchased. Well, I've never been trained to do that sort of thing, so I couldn't help him and that made him even nastier. I brought that up with my favorite head cashier last week who said we'd get that taken care of this week. Well, yesterday was my last day of work this week and it was decided that because "corporate" was coming into the store today, I would have to wait. Yet, I arrived at work to see a person who can't have been on board a month working the "returns" desk. Now, how come she's been trained and I haven't?????? 

I want to confess something. I've been so happy that I have had very few mean/nasty customers. Somehow, in my own little pea brain, I've thought that had something to do with my ability to "charm" the customers. I DO relate well to them, I really do. I rarely encounter a meanie. HOWEVER, every day before I walk into that store, I pray and ask the Lord for "favor" (Psalm 5:12) not just HIS favor, which, of course, is the most important, but also favor with everyone I encounter in that place--customers, co workers, head cashiers, capo di capo, Assistant Store Managers, and the Store Manager. So, I've prayed for "favor" but I have not recognized the Source of it. Even if my ability to "charm" customers comes into it somewhere, who gives me that ability? God, of course. So, while I've been grateful, I don't think I've properly recognized a daily answer to prayer. I'm sorry, Lord.......... Lesson learned......... It's not me, it's YOU.

I'm going to get to lopping things off this to do list. YOU be BLESSED today!

I made it...........

Day 7 of the 7-day marathon is behind me. And now, 3 days off. I need it. I struggled today with pain in my back. I found some old Soma (from a trip to Mexico more than 5 years ago). I broke it in half and took one half before I went to work and one half later in the evening while I was at work. That way, I didn't get whacko from the meds. I'm sure a whole one would have been more effective, but it would also possibly have left me fit only for bed. 

Things were kinda stressed at work today. Seems "corporate" is coming tomorrow. So, folks were cleaning and organizing and doing their best to make sure everything was in tip top shape before the bigwigs get here. 

For the first little while, I was so busy that I couldn't even seem to get time to take a swig of water. However, when things slowed down, I tried to do my part by checking for things customers had dumped here, there, and everywhere around the registers. I also did some "zoning", fronting merchandise and making sure everything looked nice. I hope my small contribution helped. I felt bad that I couldn't do more, but I AM tethered to that register and not free to roam around. I did what I could...........

I am dehydrated again. I discovered it on the way to work. I looked at the pads of my fingers and they were all shrively again. So, I worked very hard to down the entire contents of my water bottle. I also had some prescription strength potassium here so I've just taken one of those. I'll be pushing water for the next little while! My fingers look better, but they're not back to "normal" yet............

I met a couple tonight who are moving from here to Nashville. I wish I could tag along, at least for a few days. I'd love to be able to walk the University campus again........... And, this time of year, there's plenty of fall color in that area. I LOVE fall color............. All my customers were sweet and kind and polite tonight. I was truly blessed.

So, I don't plan to be up for long. I need to lie down and let the back work on getting better. 

I've been working on updating a kit. It's coming along very nicely. I have another kit open in Photoshop and I'm doing Word Art for that one. Progress.........

Well, I'm outta here. See ya tomorrow.

Day 6, Day 7

Yesterday was day 6 of the current 7-day marathon. I walked into the store and was immediately sent to Outside Lawn and Garden. I did not mind. Someone actually put a box of tissues under the register! I made good use of the tissues with my teary eyes and my runny nose, LOL. They had the fans and misters on yesterday for the first time in a LONG time. It was actually kind of an odd day for it because it was honestly quite humid already. But, the cool mist and the breeze created by the fans was alright by me. I was a little soggy by the end of 3 hours out there. We won't even talk about my hair, LOL. I DID go to work with a hairstyle but you'd never have known it 30 minutes later!

After 3 hours outside, I got paroled back to my usual register. And there I worked for the rest of the night.

I had one very cranky customer while I was outside. Nothing was right in his world. He did not like where the screen was placed (the screen that allows the customer to see the items and amounts as they are scanned). He was not happy about the way our system processes cards and was downright snotty, accusing me of not being nice to him when I repeated what the machine was telling him, to remove his card and slide it for a debit. Anyway, he made his purchases and stomped off............. As long as customers come looking for me on their repeat trips, I am not going to allow one cranky old man to rain on my parade.

People sure do come in all shapes and sizes. I saw a customer last night that had the longest, thinnest legs I've ever seen. Now, that's going some because when I was in college, I sat next to a kid that had had mono and lost weight and was about 7'1". His feet were longer than my forearm and, of course, he had very long legs which were very thin as a result of his weight loss. I had a couple go through my line. He was not tall, and more of what I would call a "solid" build. However, he was also a weight lifter and obviously serious about it. He had very broad shoulders and bulging biceps. So, he appeared to be "large" when he really wasn't. She, on the other hand, had the look of a person who never worked out. She was VERY "bottom" heavy. They seemed to be of Eastern European origin. I would have thought that, being together, the habits of one would have rubbed off on the other, even if just a little bit. Apparently that was not the case.

I also find it interesting the different things I "learn". Several days ago, when I was again detailed to outside Lawn and Garden, I had a lady telling me how she grows bougainvilla and has them in yellow, pink, blue and hot pink/magenta. She claimed they were VERY easy to grow. Last night I had a lady buying a rather large plant of the same variety on sale and she was telling me how they are difficult to keep healthy. So, now, I don't know what to think, LOL. 

I struggle to be more organized every day. It doesn't often work, but I try. I had a lady come through my checkstand late last night, just before closing. She could not find the credit card she wanted to use. She literally unloaded her purse on the counter and such a mess you've never seen. Old receipts from various purchases, a fistful of credit cards, used Kleenex, and Lord knows what else. She was obviously very stressed out. She confided that she was headed to the hospital to visit a friend who was in ICU and about to fly off to New York where she would deliver her recently deceased mother's ashes. She was pretty shaky and I just stood there patiently, waiting. She was wearing some impressive diamond rings and well dressed. After searching through everything twice, I pointed out to her that the discount was only $1.60 if she used the card she was looking for (thinking that might end the search. No......), she told me her husband was "so cheap" and he would be angry she had not used the proper card. I couldn't quite reconcile her well-heeled appearance with her husband being "cheap" because I had the impression she was not the type to be working and earning her own money.

I spent money before I left the store last night. I am out of laundry detergent so I bought a container of Oxiclean. And the battery in my Fitbit was going out. Bought a battery for that as well.

Tonight I work again and then it's 3 glorious days in a row off from work. It has been weeks since I've had 3 days in a row off from work. I'm probably stretching it here, but I think a person SHOULD get 3 days in a row off after a "marathon" of days and days in a row with no time off. But that is not the way it works, it seems. 

My back is hurting today. I could use some prayer for that!

I did some design work yesterday and have one kit that is almost ready to go except for word art and some resizing. I also went through my older kits, looking for those I really love that can be released again with a little sprucing up. I found quite a few!

So, that's it for now. I have things to do, many things to do. Please DO pray for my back and YOU be BLESSED today!