Silver Bells

The great city of Ripley has donned its holiday finery in preparation for the Christmas season. Had their annual parade last night. Too cold for the kid to attend. There'll be a write-up in the paper. Don't think I missed a thing.

The regional personnel associates had their quarterly meeting on Thursday, with a holiday lunch and gift exchange, in Covington. Wow! A chance to wear something other than blue, brown, and tennis shoes. Of course, my best friend didn't mention that or anything else of consequence, other than there would be a $5 contribution towards the director's gift. No biggie. I got what I needed to know from another associate.

Baked my world-famous cheesecake on Wednesday, washed the hair, pulled together an outfit. You know that I haven't had an opportunity to play dress-up in months. Laughed with the other associate that I hadn't been in heels in so long until I would probably wobble like I did when I got my first pair of heels. Well, boys and girls, after a last minute wardrobe change (the women know how it is), I was off, casually stylish as they say. Had to stop by the store to clock in. Let me tell you, those 1/2 inch heels gave me hell as I tipped my way to the back of the store. The Dyersburg associates were waiting for me when I came out and I trailed them to the meeting place. And who was lounging in the foyer? My best friend. "Alice told me that you had just left the store." "I figured she would call you." Alice had beat a path from where she was standing in the front to check out what I had on. Sooo transparent.

We didn't sit together. Bad form, I know. However, it's all good. She whined and complained to anyone who listened that she felt so bad, yada yada. Okay, girlfriend, you're coming down with a cold or something and you're here with your chest out? Give me a break. The only one in the room. The spotlight queen.

The meeting exposed my extreme lack of knowledge and TRAINING. Haven't I been saying this? I didn't have a clue as to what they were talking about most of the time and every Training Coordinator in the room routinely performed the tasks as a matter of course. Hmmm. Interesting. The director is spending the day in our store, today, so I'll have a list of questions ready when I go in. And, in case you're wondering, he made a blanket statement at the meeting that he'll step in where there are serious issues going on between personnel, management, etc., but has no time for petty bs. Now I know what backup to expect.

By the time I got back to the store to clock out, I could barely walk. The feet weren't used to confinement in heels. They had swelled and the strap was rubbing against the back of my ankle. I was doing a serious tip by this time. My mama always said that tennis shoes were bad for your feet. Boy, howdy!

So home to get a disturbing phone call from the electrician. He had come by and found several young men congregated at the side of the house who, of course, ran when he came up. There goes the sense of security that I'd accumulated over the past year. It took many, many months to get there. My neighbor has been gone for a few weeks; there is no one on the other side. Drats! Prayed for the Lord to put his shield around me and the house.

Still no Cindy. Went to the shelter on Wednesday. They don't have her. A coworker and I think that perhaps one of the workmen on the square picked her up, thinking that she was homeless. And, she's so friendly until she'll go with anybody. Hope she's happy.

I'm off to Wally World. Talk to you later.