Saying Goodbye to April

Hi, everyone!

First of all, let me say I'm sorry I didn't get around to visit everyone who commented on my Saturday 9 post. I only did it because I thought I'd have time...I'll get to that story. This weekend has just been crazy busy.

Saturday dawned gray and damp, but warm. I was out the door by 9:30 to make the hour-long drive to pick up the client I was taking to the Very Special Prom. We were the first to arrive by a few minutes even though the drive back was just as long since the prom venue is just half a mile from my house. We checked in and waited patiently for the doors to open, visiting with others. Guests entered the prom in the order they arrived because each special guest got introduced as they entered and walked the red carpet to applause from the "paparazzi."

The red carpet and some of the waiting "paparazzi."

Once inside the female guests found volunteer hairstylists and make-up artists waiting to work their magic.

My client looked beautiful already but enjoyed the pampering.

After getting the royal treatment guests were free to enjoy the food, visit with friends, dance to the music provided by our awesome DJ, Barnacle Benny, and have portraits taken in front of the green screen (sea life added by computer). The decorations were amazing. As Donna, the woman from my church in charge of them, said..."I've had this planned for four years so there was plenty of time to tweak it." This was to have been the 2020 prom, but we all know how that year went.

Here are some of the faces I know and love from work (it's okay...the photos will be up on Facebook and the video on YouTube soon from those in charge of the event).

All went well and I got my client home safe and sound and was home a little after 4:00 to enjoy going for pizza with Tim and our grandson.

At 6:00 I received a phone call from one of the organizers who was in a panic. A man who is a client (not of mine, but I know him) showed up without a caregiver (an absolute written-in-stone MUST) because he wanted to be with his girlfriend. He had paid someone to drive him there and drop him off. He lives in senior housing and is mostly independent so it's hard to get him to play by the rules. He is a nice enough guy and not dangerous or anything, but the organizers couldn't be responsible for him and they were afraid they wouldn't be able to get him to leave when the prom was over (did I mention there are always two proms, an early and a late one?). Since I knew him I agreed to go back to the prom and deal with him. It was tough to convince him to call for his ride but he finally did and he left right on time. Whew! 

Today I went to church where the theme was about everyone being fearfully and wonderfully made and they showed a quickly thrown together video from the prom (not the one that will make YouTube). There were also two separate missionaries speaking before Pastor's message about everyone having worth. Thank goodness we have a system in the nursery that allows us to listen in because I was taking my turn in there today and the twin girls who were there are firmly in the stage of wanting only their mom. They cried so hard and never stopped until they fell asleep. After that it was just a matter of my teenage assistant and I rocking them until Mom came back.

I got home from church in time to go with Tim to meet up with his sister and her husband for lunch at our favorite Mexican restaurant. It was good to see them. She is the sister that is my age and we haven't seen her face to face since her cancer diagnosis. We have been staying away lest we take any germs to her...with the kiddos here all the time you never know. She is doing very well and they have cut her chemo dose in half and she was feeling strong enough to take the chance. After dinner with them we did a bit of grocery shopping before coming home. We weren't home long before our daughter and the grands knocked on the door and stayed to visit us for a while.

So, yeah, it's been busy. I didn't even get laundry done or the kitchen cleaned up. I need a vacation to catch up on my chores!

That's all that's happening around here. I hope you all have a wonderful and blessed week.

And remember: 

Everyone is special so make someone feel special today!

Saturday 9: Promises, Promises

Saturday 9: Promises, Promises (1983)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this week's song, Naked Eyes lead singer Pete Byrne admits he believed his girl's promises, right from the start, but now he knows he should have been more careful with his heart. Do you consider yourself more trusting or skeptical?  If you've never given me a reason to doubt you I will always give you the benefit of the doubt, but betray me and regaining my trust will be a hard road.

 

2) He looks back on when he and his girl laughed like kids. When did you recently literally laugh out loud (opposed to keystroking LOL)?  Today (Friday) at work. We have a LOT of fun where I work. I laugh every day.

 

3) He accuses her of not being able to finish what she starts. How about you? Do you finish what you start, or can you think of projects that you're unlikely to ever complete?  I have a whole closet full of unfinished crafts and projects. Sigh.

 

4) Naked Eyes was a British New Wave band who had four Top 40 singles, including "Promises, Promises." They never toured 40 years ago because it was difficult to recreate their synthesizer-driven sound onstage. Is there a band or singer you would have liked to have seen perform live, but never did?  John Denver. His music has always spoken to my childhood experience. When I hear his songs it instantly takes me back to the 70's and the years my family lived in a wildlife preserve.

 

5) While "Promises, Promises" is about an untrustworthy lover, Peter Byrne says he and bandmate/cowriter Rob Fisher worked well together because they knew they could trust one another professionally. By sharing honest assessments of creative ideas, they knew Naked Eyes would never put out "rubbish." If you want an honest opinion on something important, where do you turn?  Probably my daughter. She tends to be bluntly honest so there's no chance of her glossing over something. 

6) Madonna was a Naked Eyes fan. Are you a Madonna fan?  I was a fan when her first album came out, but not so much with each successive album and not at all now.

7) In 1983, when this song was on the radio, the Lotus 1-2-3 program made it easier for PC users to build spreadsheets. Are you answering these questions on a PC or a Mac? Laptop or desktop? Android or iPhone?  Laptop

 

8) Also in 1983, America West Airlines took off for the first time, taking passengers from Las Vegas to Phoenix. Where did you go on your first flight? What about your most recent flight?  My first flight was a sightseeing trip in a small single engine plane with a friend of my parents who was a pilot. My most "recent" flight was in 2002 when I flew to New Mexico on a missions trip.

9) Random question -- Finish this statement: If I knew then what I know now, I would have ______________.  Gone back to college and completed my degree. I was trying for a different position with my current employer and was told today that I'm no longer being considered because my college transcripts were 5 credit hours short. I'm not heartbroken or anything as I wasn't even sure I really wanted the job, but....yeah, I wish I had my degree.

Thanks to Crazy Sam for the music and questions.

Play along here.

A Quick (for me) Thankful Thursday

This week is cram-packed with things to do so I don't have a ton of time to make my thankful list, but I sure don't want to skip it. Please excuse the quick bullet points.

This week I am thankful for...

• Beautiful sunny afternoons to enjoy time with the grands.
• My pretty new nails (my first set of fakes ever) for the Very Special Prom.
• I haven't messed up any of my new nails or popped one off.
• Tim cooking dinner on his new wood pellet grill.
• Manageable foot pain this week.
• Life being so busy and full.
• A letter from my father...and the news that his wife is home and making  progress after having a stroke last month.
• Co-workers who make me laugh.
• An unexpected tax refund.
• It's my favorite night of TV. (Swamp People and Serpent Invasion)
• College transcripts that arrive before next week's interview.
• Figuring out today that my daughter works with the daughter of the woman I drive home from work every day...and she isn't one of the people my daughter has had problems with.
• An invitation to dinner on Sunday with Tim's sister and her husband. She's the one with cancer. We haven't seen her face to face in months.
• All of you sweet readers and friends!

Currently

I am...

Reading: The True Love Bookshop, Somerset Lake #3 by Annie Rains

Listening to: Mariachi music in preparation for next week's "big" Cinco de Mayo/New Mexico day at work.

Loving: the cute new tie-dye tunic I ordered from Amazon 

Thinking: about the letter I received from my biologic father...his urging to attend his family reunion this summer...his sudden sense of not having a lot of years left

Feeling: blessed

Celebrating: all the generous support for A Very Special Prom, the prom for those with special needs this coming weekend...I will be going as a caregiver for someone from my work...excited to be a part of it for the first time

Grateful for: my husband

Enjoying:  everything about life right now

Weather:  cloudy and 40 degrees

A quote I want to share: 

Saturday 9: I Won't Be the One to Let Go

Saturday 9: I Won't Be the One to Let Go (2002)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) Barbra Streisand begins by singing about dreams and wishes. What are you wishing for this morning?  I'm doing this Friday evening, but what I'm wishing for is that the all-day rains predicted for tomorrow don't happen.

2) Barry Manilow sings that "anytime you need me, you'll know where I am." If a friend needs you, what's the best way to reach you (text, phone call, email, knock on the front door ...)?  All of those are probably pretty much equal. The only one that wouldn't get a quick response is an email.

 

3) Both of this week's artists are from Brooklyn. In addition to Barry and Barbra, Brooklyn is home to Coney Island, where America's first roller coaster debuted in 1884. Do you enjoy amusement park rides? If yes, do you have a favorite?  I used to love amusement park rides and was up for nearly anything. I'm not quite the fan I used to be because the whipping and jerking around hurts more than thrills. 

As a kid, my favorite ride was The Ultimate Ride at Conneaut Lake Park. They took a Mad Scrambler and put it in a room that was only a foot or two wider than the ride and had low ceilings. The room (walls, floor and ceiling) was painted black then had mirrors and designs painted on in black-light paint. It was air-conditioned and when the ride started the lights went out except for black lights, strobes, and other disco type lights. Then they went and played the best rock music of the day. LOUD. The line was always long, but the ride lasted nearly 10 minutes. It was awesome!

4) Barbra and her husband, actor James Brolin, have lived in the same Malibu home for more than 25 years. How long have you been in your current residence? Do you think you'll be moving anytime soon?  On July 4th we will have lived here for 29 years. No plans to move.

5) Barry Manilow once lived in luxurious Bel Air. His neighbors were former President and Mrs. Reagan. At first he thought it would be great to have the Reagans nearby but quickly changed his mind because he disliked the Secret Service helicopters flying overhead. Tell us about one of your neighbors. (No pressure; we don't expect to hear about historic figures.)  I live in the same neighborhood I grew up in. My daughter lives on side of us. My mom lives behind us. My best friend from school lives two houses away. All of the immediate neighbors beyond that have lived here all my life. As a kid I knew them too well to call them Mr. and Mrs. and called them Aunt or Uncle (insert their first name). Most are either Hungarian or Polish and good working class folks. It makes me sad that probably within the next 5 years or so most of them (with the exception of my mom, daughter and bestie) will probably be gone.

 

6) As a teenager, Barbra worked as a switchboard operator. Her job consisted of connecting calls by inserting phone plugs into the appropriate jacks. As telephoning became automated, these jobs were phased out and by 1983, the switchboard operator was obsolete. Can you think of another occupation that used to be common but doesn't exist anymore?  Elevator operators and milkmen.

7) Loyal Fanilows can subscribe to ManilowTV. For $9.95/month, fans can watch exclusive content, like interviews and concert performances. Do you more often watch live broadcast TV or streamed content?  Probably an equal mix. We have Hulu Live for regular broadcast TV but also stream Netflix, Disney+, Prime, Paramount+, Discovery+, HBO, and lots of the freebies like Tubi and Plex.

8) In 2002, the year this recording was released, the Sears Wish Book offered seven different collectible Barbies. According to Mattel, the doll's manufacturer, there are more than 100,000 Barbie collectors all over the world. Do you collect anything?  Books, Christmas brooches, Navajo pottery, and dog figurines.

9) Random question: Are you exclusively an online/ATM bank customer, or do you often go into the branch and interact with a teller?  I am a mix of online/ATM and the drive-thru window. I can't really say going to the drive-thru is terribly interactive. The tellers barely say hello when they begin the transaction or "Have a nice day" at the end.

Thanks, as always, to Crazy Sam for the music and questions! If you'd like to play along, click here.

An Update

Just a quick pop in to let you know...I have an interview for the other position at work on Monday, May 1. Keep it in prayer, please?

Thankful Thursday

I'm sitting here at the end of the day enjoying a bit of television before bed and just feeling quite content. There is so much to be thankful for this week. Here are just a few of those things.

** No snow and the frost was not too heavy during the latest cold snap. We have returned to beautiful warm weather.

** The young man at the gas station who came out to help me figure out why the gas pump was not pumping. And then stayed to fill my gas can and lift it into the trunk.

** Buying Tim's wood pellet grill on Sunday and getting a discount because the display one was the only one they had (bonus, we didn't have to put it together)...then seeing on Monday that they got several more in stock.

** The first burgers of the season grilled on the new grill. Yummy!

** Watching the grandchildren's joy as they drove their Power Wheels around and around from their house to ours and back again.

** The bathroom vanity I've been waiting 3 years to find was delivered today. Sadly, that particular project, being an indoor one, will probably have to wait until fall so that outdoor projects can be done. 

** My new Orthofeet shoes were pretty comfortable after wearing them all day yesterday. It wasn't on the factory floor, which may be a different story, but any shoe that gets me through a normal day is also a good shoe (one that will get me through my one day a week on the factory floor will be a MIRACLE). Plus, I love that the shoes are super cute even if they are orthopedic.

** No news about the other position I put in for at work, but I'm okay with that. God will open that door if it's meant to be. In the meantime I am happy where I am.

** A growing work friendship with a guy in my department. Our groups are seated together a couple days a week and having someone to talk with and get silly with sure helps the time pass quickly. He has also given me valuable insights into how to deal with things at work and he is the one who recommended me for the other position. 

No worries or warnings about being friends with a man in the workplace. He is married...to a man. That is not a concern here. And we sometimes talk of deeper things so maybe I can show him that church people are not as awful as he thinks.

** One sweet client who I've only worked with once. He is non-verbal and very limited in what he can do, but I always take the time to say hello and give him a hug when I see him. Today when I said hello he reached out and grabbed my hand to pull me close then wrapped both arms around me and just squeezed me tight. I just love moments like that, when they let you know how much you mean to them. I wish I could give them all miracles.

Some of the sweet folks I work with every day.

** All the beautiful spring colors as the trees and flowers bloom. Hard on the allergies, but sooooo pretty!

** Getting the new printer set up and installed with minimal trouble.

** All of you, of course!

 

A Simple Woman's Daybook

Today

It is Tuesday. Afternoon is turning into evening. The sun is shining. The grands are racing their Power Wheels up and down the back alley...and being that it's Tuesday, I am inside, sitting in the recliner with my feet elevated. Tuesdays on the shredding floor are wicked hard on my feet and the troublesome ankle that has evolved from the worst foot. The pain makes me walk oddly, I suppose, and that strains the ankle.

I don't mind so much today. It's cold out. Winter's giving us one last little tease. We did not get the snow flurries and showers other areas reported. However,  frost is coming overnight, but sunshine will win out and the temperature will warm up to 65 degrees tomorrow, 82 degrees on Thursday, and 75 degrees on Friday. Not bad for Pennsylvania in April. I just hope the frost does not destroy the blossoms on the fruit trees or there will be no fruit this year.

Speaking of trees, we have yet to hear from the tree service we hired to take down the big Poplar that overshadows the pool. They are cheap and good, but we are coming to learn...notoriously hard to get in touch with and then get them to the job. We keep calling. The weather is getting nice and the pool company will be coming one of these days to put the new liner in the pool. It would be best if the tree came down first.

I'd also like to see the tree gone because just recently Tim has had to fish two squirrels out of the pool. It's never happened before and all we can figure out is that either they fell in when jumping from the tree to the shed or house...or someone in the neighborhood has put D-con out and the poor things have gotten into it and then are searching for water. 

Projects

Well, none of them are happening just yet, but...

Tim brings home leftover lumber or other building materials from work nearly every evening and unloads it. We have several substantial stacks of wood out in the yard at the moment. Some of it goes toward finishing the pool deck. Some goes for the new front porch. Some goes toward the roofed patio Tim plans to put at the end of the house. Some goes toward a potting bench for me.

I found a bathroom vanity I liked on Home Depot's website last week. It was drastically reduced because there was only one color left of the original 5 that it came in. The one color happened to be the one I've been looking for so I snapped it up. I had it shipped directly to the house. It arrives tomorrow. Unless we have a new delivery person, it will most likely be sitting in the middle of the driveway or on the sidewalk when I get home. The last time he brought something large he dropped it right in the opening for the step onto the deck. We couldn't get in or out till we moved it. 

Work

It took me until 9:00 last night to set up the new printer and then get a new resume written and printed out. I turned the resume in this morning. I am still hoping to get the Program Supervisor job at work. I guess. The woman who is leaving the job (health reasons) has really been pushing me and the powers that be at work. She wants me to get it. I am not overly hopeful. I do not have the educational requirements they want. 

There is one other person from work who has applied. She has a degree, though not in social work. She has, however, raised a special needs child so she has me beat when it comes to experience. I've heard the big boss would rather not hire in-house because that would leave us down one direct care worker when we are already short staffed and there have been no applications for those jobs. Rumor has it that he is trying now to convince the receptionist/personnel trainer to take the job. We will see. They have to make some decision soon. The woman's last day is next Friday and the new person will have to be trained.

I am good whatever happens. If I don't get it, I will still have my current position that I love and that's good enough for me.

Oh, and I am in the process of getting everything in order to be able to do some companion work. At the moment I am doing it specifically to be able to take one of the consumers to the special needs prom on the 29th of the month, but you never know. It's possible that I may take on more clients from time to time.

In the kitchen

As has become the habit on Tuesdays to give me a break, we'll be having take-out. Sometimes we call for delivery or Tim will pick up and order I call in. Sometimes, like tonight, we settle for fast food. We were in an Arby's mood tonight. I will have a beef and cheddar sandwich and he will probably have a Reuben. It's a nice respite from the last of the ham leftovers/remakes. I think there is one (maybe two) bowls of ham and beans left and then it's all officially gone.

Wednesday

Unfortunately, I wasn't able to finish my post yesterday. I am, however, up way before the alarm this morning so here we are. I have done everything I needed to do to be ready for work and even got online and printed out our new insurance cards.

Outside my window

It's still dark. Sunrise is about an hour away. Still, the birds are creating quite a ruckus with their singing. They are excited about a new day and the beautiful weather and warmer temperatures to come, I guess.

Shoes

In the never ending quest for comfortable shoes, I am trying a new pair today. Slip-ons from Orthofeet. They are really rather stylish and look a lot like Hey Dudes. I tried Hey Dudes a couple of months ago because my daughter (and everyone else who is on their feet all day) swore they were the most comfortable shoe ever. They were comfy, but not if you are on your feet and already have bad feet. Wearing them is what I think caused the tendonitis I now have in my ankle.

Anyway, the Orthofeet shoes seem to have a much better insole and good arch support (more like my Vionics but at a lower price) so I am hopeful. I will let you know how they work out.

Time to be on my way

I have to go make sure our son-in-law is awake to get the kiddos off to school this morning because our daughter is working today. Then it's off to work. It's going to be a good day. I hope your day is a blessed and happy one!

Saturday 9: Danny's Song

Saturday 9: Danny's Song (1972)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) In this song, Anne Murray sings that she thinks she's going to have a son. Is anyone in your life expecting a baby?  Yes. We just learned one of our nieces is due in June.

2) Back in the 1970s, when this song was popular, parents had to wait until their baby was born to know the gender. Today moms and dads can learn within the first few months whether they're expecting a son or daughter. Do you prefer it this way? Or would you rather not know in advance if you are welcoming a boy or girl into your family?  After thinking about it, I guess it really doesn't matter to me. I chose not to know the sex of my own kids, but it doesn't bother me if people want to know ahead of time.

 

3) Anne is so popular in her native Canada that her face graced commemorative postage stamps. What's the last piece of mail you affixed a stamp to and mailed?  I mailed out some Easter cards to shut-ins from my church last week.

4) She began taking voice lessons at 15. She was so serious about it she took a 50-minute bus ride each way to her classes. What extracurricular activities captured your attention when you were in high school?  The school newspaper, basketball, softball, and Civil Air Patrol.

 

5) She studied physical education at the University of New Brunswick and upon graduation taught PE for a year. Did you enjoy gym class?  Yes. I loved sports when I was younger and was very competitive.

6) Every spring and summer, Anne's fans travel to Nova Scotia and The Anne Murray Centre. There they can see exhibits and memorabilia from her long career, including her Grammy Awards and gold records. If we were to display memorabilia reflecting the highlights of your life, what items should we include?  Things from my high school and college days, wedding items, family things, memories about my years in youth ministry, the first school bus I drove, and I don't even know what to commemorate my years in memory care and with those who have intellectual disabilities.

 

7) In 1972, the year this record was popular, Popeyes opened their first chicken restaurant. Today there are more than 3700 locations in 30 countries. Is chicken on the menu at your house this week?  We are at the end of this week and it's not on Saturday's menu. Maybe it will make the cut next week.

8) Also in 1972, latch hook rug kits were all the rage. With pre-cut yarn, a latch hook, and a printed pattern, "hookers" could make wall hangings, pillow covers, and throw rugs. Are you into arts and crafts?  Not so much. I do have several latch hook kits around that need to be done. I've also become the crafts person at work which is really surprising even to me.

9) Random question: If you were offered the position of mayor of your town, would you take it?  Absolutely not!

Thanks to Crazy Sam for the music and questions!

Join in the fun here.

Currently...

The Weather

It's 9:00 p.m. and the temperature is still 72 degrees. It was sunny all day and tomorrow promises to be more of the same. Rain is coming and cooling us down just a bit on Saturday.

Reading

Book Lovers, the third Emily Henry book I've read. It's probably my least favorite of them all, but it's still funny with really witty dialogue.

Watching

It's Thursday evening so I'm glued to my favorite reality shows...Swamp People followed by Serpent Invasion.

Listening

The AC is humming away and I can just make out the sound of the spring peepers.

Thinking

Tim saw the doctor this afternoon. He got a bunch of bloodwork done and the doctor used his cell phone to do some type of sonogram on his side. He says Tim's gallbladder looks like it's enlarged so he has to go for a "real" sonogram. His blood pressure is up, as well. They gave him something for pain, told him to check his BP at home, and he has to go back in a month.

Loving

The new living room arrangement. We had to move things around when Tim put the AC unit in the window last night so nothing would be blocking the air flow. I didn't think I liked it, but in actually living in the space I'm finding it works very well for us.

Feeling

I am in moderate pain.  This past Tuesday was a really rough day at work and I was in a lot of pain at the end of it. I barely slept that night because my feet and hips were hurting so that I couldn't get comfortable. It has eased some, but I just don't seem to be bouncing back this week. I have decided I need to break out the exercises they gave me a couple of years ago when I went to physical therapy. They helped then so I hope they will now. I'm also trying to keep those carbs down so as not to aggravate any inflammation.

Celebrating

Our son-in-law's birthday was Tuesday. I know it was a rough one for him. He marked the one year anniversary of his brother's death just the day before. Everyone tried to make it a happy time for him.

Grateful

Our daughter mowed our grass yesterday. That was such a big help as I am just not up to it right now.

Enjoying

The lengthening hours of daylight. It's now 8:00 before it gets dark and we are getting a few things done after work now instead of hibernating.

Giggling

One of the folks I work with (she is such a funny person) told us this joke at work today.

Q: How many wives can a man have?

A: 16...4 better, 4 worse, 4 richer, 4 poorer!

A thought

Thankful Thursday

I never know what's going to happen from one day to the next so tonight while I have time, I'm going ahead with my Thankful Thursday post. I don't want to take a chance on missing it again. So, here on a Wednesday evening, is my list of things I'm thankful for this week.

A WONDERFUL EASTER WITH FAMILY. We celebrated on Saturday because our daughter worked midnight shift Saturday night. It was Tim and I, my mom and stepdad, and our daughter and her family. We had ham, pasta salad, potato salad, corn spoonbread, pickled eggs and beets, deviled eggs, cheddar-garlic biscuits, and for dessert we had nut, poppy seed, and apricot rolls, cupcakes, and pineapple fluff. The kiddos got baskets, of course, and after dinner we had an Easter egg hunt in the yard.

Mom and John came down on Easter for leftovers and spent the afternoon with us.

FOR THE TRUTH AND BLESSING OF A RISEN SAVIOR. The bunny and the candy are fun and it's great to gather with family, but the best part of Easter is remembering and celebrating that Jesus Christ died to redeem all who will believe and that He is alive. Those who follow Him serve a LIVING KING!

TURNING ON THE AIR CONDITIONING TONIGHT. I'm thankful because it means we are having incredible weather for this time of year. By Friday we should see the temperature reach 85 degrees! I will be leaving it on for the next couple of days to keep Daisy comfortable while we are at work.

A DAY OF SURPRISES AT WORK. One of the consumers I have grown close to asked me today if I would fill the role of companion for her. She only has 2 hours a month so I agreed to do it. Before I can, however, I have to go through more training at work (formality...it's all stuff I already know).

Then as we were walking consumers out to their vans to go home at the end of the day, one of our program directors asked me if I had a college degree. I told her I didn't, but had two years toward a journalism degree. Her response was, "So you have some college? That's enough." Enough for what?? It turns out she is leaving at the end of the month and has been telling our employer for months that they need to find a replacement. So far they have done nothing. As of now she has 9 days to train her replacement. She has her eye on me. Me!?!? 

I agreed to talk with her next week about the job and if I say I'm interested I guess she'll put it to the powers that be for consideration. It would mean a pay raise and I'd have an office and best of all....I'd spend at least a little less time on my feet in the shredding department. I'm not sure what all it entails (it's more along the lines of social work) but say a prayer that if I decide I would like to do it they at least give me serious consideration.

Oh, and for my coworker, who I never know if he's joking, serious, or really playing me...for suggesting me to the program director and singing my praises. Awesome of him to do that...and it cleared up my thoughts on him a bit.

TIM SEES THE DOCTOR TOMORROW. He's been feeling a bit worse than usual. I don't really know what is wrong...he's so close-mouthed about any problems or pain he deals with. He really isn't even totally forthcoming with the doctors. That said, he had an episode last week where he got up in the night, felt dizzy and disoriented and ended up on the floor. It must have rattled him a bit (even though he's continued to work as usual) because he voluntarily called the doctor for an appointment and goes tomorrow afternoon.

BIRTHDAYS. Yesterday was our son-in-law's birthday. We didn't celebrate with him but were able to bless him with a nice gift. Next week is my stepdad's birthday. He will be 81...when Covid came along he was really worried he wouldn't make it to 80. Guess he showed Covid! 

Mom and John's anniversary is also next week. Is it horrible that I'm not totally sure, but I think it's their 20th.

ALL OF YOU. That you stick by me and still come to visit even though my posting has become sporadic at best means a lot. I love all of your comments and your friendship.

And now this girl has to say "goodnight" and head off to bed. I hope you're having a blessed and happy week!

Sunday Stealing: I've Come to Realize...

Thanks to our hostess, Bev, for the questions. I'm playing on Saturday evening, but you can join in any time. Just click here.

1. I've come to realize that my chest-size ... doesn't matter in the least at my age.

2. I've come to realize that my job(s) ... is important and that there aren't a lot of people who would want to do it.

3. I've come to realize that when I'm driving ... I'm a bit more aggressive than I used to be. I will jump into traffic when I used to wait forever for the chance to ease in.

4. I've come to realize that I need ... more sleep than I seem to be able to get. 

5. I've come to realize that I have lost ... most of my interest in social media.

6. I've come to realize that I hate it when ... family traditions die out.

7. I've come to realize that if I'm drunk ... somebody spiked the punch. I drink some wine, but never to excess. These days I wake up feeling bad enough without having a hangover.

8. I've come to realize that money ... is power in this world, whether we like it or not.

9. I've come to realize that certain people ... will never be happy no matter what.

10. I've come to realize that I'll always ... be a bit of a nerd.

11. I've come to realize that my sibling ... will never really be a big part of my life. (They are half siblings that I only met 3 years ago.)

12. I've come to realize that my mom ... is only human and did the best she could.

13. I've come to realize that my cell phone ... is more of a pain in the you-know-what than it's anything else.

14. I've come to realize that when I woke up this morning ... I didn't need to fret as much as I did about certain things for our Easter celebration today. They were things that nobody noticed or cared about.

15. I've come to realize that last night before I went to sleep ... I should have switched pillows since I woke up with a crick in my neck and a headache.

HAPPY EASTER!!

Saturday 9: Easter Parade

Saturday 9: Easter Parade

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

1) This song is best known from the 1948 movie of the same name, but it was originally written for a 1933 Broadway play called As Thousands Cheer. In the play, a young man reads about the parade in a New York  newspaper and decides to go and show his lady love off to parade goers. What's the most recent parade you attended?  I don't even know. It's been a long time since I've been to a parade...and that makes me sad. My dad LOVED parades and we went to every one that we could. I learned to love them, too. I tried to keep it going after he was gone, but my kids (and my husband) just don't have the interest.

2) On Broadway, the song was performed by Clifton Webb. He'd had a busy stage career, appearing in musicals as well as plays by Oscar Wilde and Noel Coward, but when he was in his mid-50s, he was considered too old to be a leading man. Broadway offers stopped coming. He was unexpectedly cast by Otto Preminger for the film noir Laura and a new career was born. He worked steadily in Hollywood for 20 years and earned three Oscar nominations. Tell us about a time you were grateful your life took an unanticipated turn.  I'd have to say it was when I stopped driving a school bus and went to work at a nursing home. I ended up working in the memory care unit...a place I'd never, ever have thought I'd end up working or that I would enjoy it so much. It put me on the path to being ready for the job I have now working with adults with intellectual disabilities and I love it! If I hadn't seen that ad for the nursing home and applied on a whim...

3) Today he's fondly remembered by the students at UCLA who have benefited from The Clifton Webb Scholarship of the Arts. If you could give an endowment to a school or charity, what would you like it to be used for?  I would give it to my employer, the county blind association. I would hope it would be used to add more programs and opportunities for the consumers. 

4) According to Forbes magazine, the average American household will spend upwards of $150 on Easter dinner, candy, and decorations this weekend. Do holidays strain your budget?  Easter doesn't, but Christmas does at times.

5) The biggest chocolate Easter egg was made in Italy, measured 34 feet tall and weighed a staggering 15,000 lbs. Do you think it's possible to have too much chocolate?  As disappointing as it is, yes, you can have too much chocolate.
  

6) After chocolate, the top-selling Easter candy is Peeps Marshmallow Chicks. They're so popular that they were once the subject of a Jeopardy clue. Do you often watch Jeopardy?  No. I usually only see it if we are at my mom's for supper. Jeopardy is always the after dinner show of choice at her house. I also don't eat Peeps. Ick.

7) Jelly beans are also popular this time of year. In a 2020 poll, jelly bean fans responded that cinnamon is their favorite flavor. Do you have a favorite?  I love Jelly Belly's pear flavor.

8) We've been talking a lot about sweets this morning. The only holiday that generates more candy sales is Halloween. When do you eat more candy: Easter or Halloween?  It's probably about even. I don't eat a lot of candy during either holiday except for my one downfall...Lindt truffles. Have you seen the blueberry cream ones they have just for Easter? Or the Neopolitan ones? 

 9) Easter is considered the season of rebirth. What makes you feel refreshed or rejuvenated?  Time spent studying the Bible and in prayer, going to church, beautiful summer mornings, a nice hot shower, listening to my favorite music.

Thanks to Sam for the music and questions.

You can play along here.

We are celebrating Easter with our family dinner today due to our daughter's work schedule so it will be later before I can get around to visit everyone. Till then I wish you all a very happy and blessed Easter!