Catching Up

Where shall I start? Thanksgiving was quiet. How was yours? Had string bean casserole for the 1st time in my life a few months ago and thought I'd try it. Confirmed my thought that I do NOT care for string bean casserole. Will not make that again. Sticking to beans with fat meat, maybe with some potatoes thrown in.

The day after Thanksgiving, aka "Black Friday," found me driving to Brownsville at 2:30 a.m., under duress I might add, and not all happy with the situation. Had tried to convince Alpha Male that I would be of more use on Thursday because he just knew that some cashier would call in and I would gladly work. I even cravenly admitted that I was scared to come up 19 at that hour, much less out of my house. Inquired if the little red truck was going to swing through Ripley? He got a good chuckle out of it but I still had to be to work at 3 a.m. Did 80 all the way up the highway--things were scurrying across the highway--wasn't stopping for a damned thing. If you just happened to be in Abby's way.... As I got into the city, here are two youngsters (everyone is young at this stage) walking up the street. The only people moving except me. Where are you coming from? Where are you going? Please don't step in front of the car!

The company revised its safety plans and had solid ones in place for the event. Kudos to Alpha Male and his team for religious drills and meetings. Ours went smooth as silk but understand that wasn't the case at other locales. Came home and died until the next day.

Lust is not always good for you. Nope, not talking Tiger Woods at the moment. Guess he's found that out, as well. Talking about my love for the many trees that I am privileged to enjoy. Or I did until I got out and started raking the leaves. I've resorted to everything at my disposal--bags, stopped that action real quick; blower--the many sticks tangle them up into huge piles resembling tumbleweeds and then they just won't move; wheelbarrow--using the rake and a shovel, load it up and dump. Lawd, I'm so tired. There is one third of the yard to go. The good town of Ripley is surely hating me 'cause there is a huge pile of leaves deposited at the side of the street. In the front.

This week I came in and was asked if I would work at the Ripley store. Are you kidding me? Let me drive 30 miles to tell me to turn around and go back the same 30 thirty? You know that they had to hear the lip. It only saved me for an hour, long enough to run their reports and then off I went. It was good to see friendly faces and get the news. So many people have left and strange faces are in their place. The Ripley store is a few hundred square feet smaller than ours and has a larger management team. So WHY was the store a wreck? Hadn't seen it look like that since I came on board. Good grief!

Had our quarterly personnel meeting--Ripley was the host site. Nemesis has a training coordinator but he didn't help with the set-up, etc., I did. Showed up on time for the meeting, however. Got a panicked call from Nemesis on Monday night letting me know that the person hired to do the lunch had canceled. She didn't feel good. Excuse me? How do you know how you will be feeling by Wednesday? Anyway, it was nothing but good old-fashioned payback. The woman had been hired to do the Thanksgiving meal for that store and they had to cancel because corporate cut back the cash. Not Nemesis' fault. Anyway, she was able to find someone who did an excellent job. (When Alpha Male asked me to find out who did their Thanksgiving meal, I quickly told him that we would NOT be using her. Didn't matter 'cause the woman who pitched in at the last moment, turned me down. Not enough cash to make it worth her while.) At the end of the meeting, I let my good friend know that since I'd helped on the front end; the back end was his. Had on heels for the first time since this time last year. Lawd, lawd, did my feet hurt or what? Folks wanted to come visit when they found out that I was a block away from the building. N-O-T!

We walked over to see the festival of trees after lunch and Ripley did itself proud. Different organizations decorated trees and you voted on your favorite with the almighty dollar. Really creative ideas were put on display. Since they were in the former bank building, they made use of the glass windows by recreating Christmas scenes etc., much like they used to do in the windows of the downtown stores in D.C. I got some lovely decorating ideas but don't think they'll be replicated this year. Take a moment and look at the Square in all of its finery. Ripley Cam You need to check it at night--it is beautiful.

I think that's it. I've torn up the living room to do the floor. Too many paint splatters for the kid. Folks will have to overlook them.

Happy Birthday to all my November babies. Be blessed.