Not ready for this.....

Early Monday morning....oh about 2 or so....I was awakened by thunder and lightning. I snuggled back under the covers and fell back asleep and when I awoke at 6 to get ready for work, it was raining hard. It did let up for a while so I could let the dog out. And I actually was able to drive to work during the respite. But the entire day was very dark, dreary and rainy. Plus that, we had wind advisories up as it was gusting to 50 MPH. What a miserable day and it got worse as the day wore on. By the time I got out at 5, the wind was cold and I was very happy to walk into my house that night.

I put on a pot of coffee right away as it sounded really good. The wind was really whipping things around out there and we had periods of pouring rain. Later, in my jammies, as I snuggled down in my couch with a good book, my coffee and the dog cuddled next to me, I couldn't help but wonder about all the people who are homeless. I always think about them more in inclement weather. I am so fortunate to have a warm, comfortable home and I give thanks for that fact on a daily basis. My little dog lives in more comfort than the homeless.

The rain kept up all night long and I woke up to more of the same today. It got down to the 40's last night and today the high did manage to get to 55 but tonight its going into the lower 40's again. We've had periods of heavy rain on and off through-out the day and I'm grateful that today was a day off for me and I didn't have to get out in it. It just seems too soon to be this cold.

I guess what I'm trying to convey here is that no matter what....no matter how disgusted you get or how angry you may get at certain situations, you have to stop and think about your blessings. Yes, I've worked the majority of my life to obtain my things but so have a lot of people....and because of current economic conditions, they've lost what they once had. My prayers are focused on those people; to help them and to help our leaders find a solution to this horrible problem. We all know someone who is in a bad situation right now. I've never, in my life, seen things as bad as they are and never have I seen so many empty homes. I hope someone comes up with a plan.....one that will work and one that won't take more away from those of us who are barely keeping our heads above water.....and I think that's most of us right now. I certainly wish I had the solution but it isn't going to hurt to pray and to pray often about it. Remember......'there but for the grace of God, go I'. Take care and God bless, my friends.

Sleepy.......

so sleepy I can't stand it. I've been working a lot to fill in for vacations and that may be it or else its the weather change....but all I know is that I'm so sleepy lately I feel like I could fall asleep in the middle of a crowd. I've been going to bed earlier and earlier at night. I've even missed a few of my favorite TV programs that have started up this Fall because of my sleepiness. One good thing, I can watch them online through www.hulu.com if I miss them first time around. Last night I watched Medium and The New Adventures of Old Christine online since I missed the original showings. As usual, they were excellent.

On the home front, things have been quiet for the most part and that's a good thing. I'm trying to prepare for the upcoming winter in case its as bad as it was last year. The Farmer's Almanac states that its supposed to be BITTERLY cold in my area but not much snow. That does make me feel better....you don't have to shovel COLD. I'm buying frozen dinner type stuff a little at a time to put in the freezer downstairs. Frozen homemade bread dough (its really quite good) and also powdered milk....just in case the weather makes going to the store difficult.

I have to get my flu shot yet and also get my car winterized. I still don't know if I'm going to have a job next year or not. At first I heard that it wasn't going into the budget....then I heard it was. So I just have to wait and see what happens. It would be nice if I could work just one more year to get some bills paid off....but the thought of not having to get out in bitterly cold blizzards to go to work is also a nice dream. One good thing is that my work is only 6 miles one way from my house and the roads are usually well-maintained between here and there.

I've been reading The Help and its very good. Once again, fiction based on fact. My huge stack of books to be read is 29 books high as it is and then my daughter insisted I read a book she just finished by Philippa Gregory (who wrote The Other Boleyn Girl ) called The Wise Woman. Oh my Gawd.....it was a sit on the edge of your seat type book that was hard to put down. I read it in two nights. Not for the faint of heart.... there's lots of sexy passages, descriptions and acts, not to mention some witchcraft thrown in for good measure. Takes place in the 1500's, England.

So, I hope everyone is having a great start to Fall in your area. Here, the leaves are beginning to turn and that certain little nip is in the air. I do love this time of year.....just not what follows it!

Something is getting more frequent.....

....hatred. Oh, its always been around but it was kept hidden for the most part. Here lately it seems to be everywhere. I'm no goodie-two-shoes but I know I've never done anything like what I'm seeing and reading. Yep, I may have whispered to my girlfriend that so and so looks just awful in that skirt and.....what was she thinking!!!! ....but I certainly would have never publicly embarrassed her by saying it out loud. And, at the age I am now, I've learned to keep my mouth shut about things that could hurt someone. I may be thinking it but I keep it to myself. Of course, thinking it is nearly as bad I guess.....but at least it doesn't hurt the one you're thinking about.

I play on a free online game site. I've played the games there for years. I usually go there once a day and give my brain a little workout. I don't stay very long at any one time but its something I used to look forward to. There is a chat section for each game and I rarely contribute, but I do read it. I have noticed a trend lately. People are getting more and more hateful; they say hurting things or else they take someone's comment and turn it around, blow it out of proportion and the insults start flying. It seems like a lot of people have huge chips on their shoulders now. I have to admit I've gone into certain game rooms and have been so engrossed in reading the chat section because of a 'fight' that is going on that I completely neglect the game. At first it was intriguing....almost like eavesdropping, but now its disgusting to me. I am unable to understand why people cannot get along well enough that they can't come together in an innocent, open to all ages, game room without getting ruffled feathers and flinging insults.

So now that I've seen this happen enough I've also noticed that a lot of the same people are involved. Now I check to see if they are playing the same game I am and if so, I often leave the room and go to another one. There ARE sections that are friendly and polite. What's wrong with these people that they are so quick to start something? Is this a learned trait or is it just the frustrations of their lives coming out and the only way they can find relief in their own misery is to strike out at others? I'm seeing more and more of this behavior and, frankly, I'm embarrassed that people act in such a way. There is a lot of hate being distributed in demonstrations, on TV, radio and in articles, not to mention web-sites and music. When is this going to stop? I don't think a day goes by that we don't hear of something hateful and UNNECESSARY that's been done or said. The anonymity of the Internet makes it all the easier for hate to be nourished and distributed.

I just wish people would stop and take a good look at themselves and stop and think just for a half a minute before spewing out some words that can't be retracted. Remember what our old Sunday School teachers taught us? If you're going to say something and you're in doubt....answer three questions before you say it. Is it true.....Is it kind.....Is it necessary. If you can answer yes to all three, then go ahead and say it. That's sage advice we should all adhere to.

I have no answers to solve this problem and I desperately wish I did. What is so distressing is the fact that the "haters" pass this disturbing behavior on to future generations and therefore its kept alive......and growing.

Well, 'nuff said. Have a Blessed day everyone.

Well, this is just plain creepy.....

To add an update to the previous post.....the dead squirrel. The next morning, after my coffee, I went outside armed with a plastic garbage bag to dispose of said squirrel. It was a task that I was not looking forward to, but it had to be done.

I went to the base of the pole where the squirrel had been and it was........(gasp)....gone!

This is the second time this has happened now during the night. ( *a few weeks ago I found a dead squirrel by the AC unit outside. When I went to get it to dispose of it the next morning....it was gone! I think this is squirrel mating season, they are fighting with each other like crazy right now. He was most likely the loser. I doubt his family came and got the body to give him a decent burial, even though I'd rather think of it in those terms.)

Which reminds me of something. One day I was watching an ant carrying another ant, that was dead. He trudged across my driveway, carrying his load, which had to weigh as much as he did. I thought to myself....isn't that special. He's taking his fallen comrade back home. Wow. I watched as he took him to an anthill and down the hole. It was a couple days later, talking with someone else who apparently has a lot more intelligence than I, that I learned that ants are cannibals and he was taking him home all right....he was SUPPER!

Ok, back to the original storyline here...........

There is something creepy out there roaming around my yard looking for something dead for.......food.

Either that or the hawk has been helping himself as soon as its daylight. But this squirrel was in a heavily leafed area....mostly hidden from a sky view.

I've got to quit watching so many spooky movies....my imagination is getting the best of me in thinking of scenarios.

Shudder........this just makes me very uncomfortable although I do appreciate the disposal help. I've got my own National Geographic series going on in my own back yard. Nature's clean-up.

Speaking of that.....I really miss Meerkat Manor. Any of you ever look at that? It was the cutest show that I became quite addicted to. I suppose they ran out of story lines....there's only so much a Meerkat family can do. Hope your day is a good one.

And it continues.....

Sunday was a nice day. The neighbors to one side of me were having a family BBQ, the neighbors behind me were relaxing on their screened-in porch; the other neighbors in this immediate area were gone. I was enjoying a 3-day weekend by doing mostly nothing. I had been on the computer, then read for a while and finally decided that I would take a nice little afternoon nap.

I was jarred awake by the distinct sound that I've come to know so well. Yep, the transformer blew again and it was a sure bet who was responsible. After shutting down my computer safely (its on a battery back-up system), I trudged outside to see where the body or bodies were this time. My neighbors were kidding me about having squirrel BBQ for dinner. The neighbor behind me who had been sitting on her porch said it was the first time she had actually witnessed it....she said a huge ball of bluish white light came off of that pole and it was indeed frightening. I confirmed the body count of one laying at the foot of the pole. I sure wish they would land in another yard for a change but 98% of the time they land in mine, which makes me responsible for disposing of the body. Yuck! I'll admit there's been many times I've been tempted to toss them over the fence (where a MAN lives) and the only things stopping me is that I'm afraid someone will see me doing it and if I'm going to touch it to do that, I might as well go ahead and get rid of the body (logic takes over).

A call was placed to the power company by myself and I'm sure many other neighbors called too. The recording on the phone stated that our problem should be fixed by 10 tomorrow morning. Oh goodie! That's a good 15 hours away. It was just dark enough in my living room that attempting to read a book was difficult. I talked on the phone for a bit then noticed the power company truck. Wow...I was impressed....only two hours from when the call was made! The guy walked into my back yard and located the culprit's body at the base of the pole. It is now completely dark outside.

Well, we waited and we waited and still no power. I couldn't figure it out, since they located the problem right away and its happened so many times before, they certainly have it down pat as to what to do. I began to have scenarios run through my mind as to why it was taking so long.
1. Since its a holiday weekend, they had to call in more crews because they are short-handed.
2. Since its a holiday weekend, they only have an inexperienced crew working and have to call in the experienced guys if something big happens and all the experienced guys are three states away having a last summer vacation.
3.This call interrupted a BBQ and after locating the problem, they went back to finish their dinners first.
4. The truck appearing was nothing more than a facade to get people to quit calling. The "real" crew will show up early tomorrow morning when its light.
5. This was a particularly violent blow-out which fried 1,900 miles of wires and they all have to be replaced.

I got disgusted and went back to bed at 11. I left my bedroom light on so I would know if and when my power came back on. At approximately 1:30 in the morning, I had power.

Now, if you remember it wasn't that long ago that I had back-to-back outages during a weekend due to squirrels. I reported it to a "person of importance" at the power company that time and he said he would definitely look into putting up a squirrel guard which is what we've been asking for in the 37 years I've lived here.....and have yet to receive. Obviously, they still have not put one up even though I was visited by an inspector who stood at the base of the pole and stared skyward at it for more than a few minutes. In all their infinite wisdom, I figure that the power company has decided that it is more beneficial for them to not put up a squirrel guard which would take perhaps an hour or so. Instead they:
1. pay out overtime for their crews to respond on a holiday
2. pay out overtime for their crews to respond during the night or on a weekend
3. lose a substantial amount of money due to the fact that there are hundreds of meters not running during this outage.

So, weigh out the fact of losing much money on one hand.....to paying out a tiny amount for a squirrel guard on the other hand and I can fully understand why they would chose to not put up the guard. These people, after all, have to prove job security and what better way than this.....as if all the storms we get isn't enough. Besides that, if us old folks didn't have stuff like this to complain about, then we might just as well curl up our toes and check out. Half the fun of getting old is the part where you can moan and groan and complain and get away with it. We have earned that right, dad gummit. Hope your holiday weekend was a good one....its winding down now and, like everything else in my life, it went by amazingly fast.

Mixed emotions.....

about a lot of things. I was told Monday that my part time position was not going to be put into next year's budget. Part of me felt bad that I wasn't considered important enough to be kept....but I realize that these are strange times and so many jobs are being cut. Although I can't begin to imagine that the small amount my job takes out of a budget would make that much difference....I suppose every little bit helps. Since my daughter should be getting her disability starting this month, I am hoping that she will be taken care of that way and my financial help will no longer be needed. If I take care of a couple bills, I can make it on my income if I don't have to help her. I have four months and I think I can pay those bills down so that I can manage....at least that's the plan. I haven't really been able to enjoy my retirement. As soon as I retired my knee went out and I was in a lot of pain....then surgery and by the time that was over I had gone back to work part-time to help my daughter as she had lost her job. So I guess its time that I stopped and enjoyed the roses, so to speak.

My co-worker is going to fight to keep me.....she likes having me there. I've been in this building since 1974 in a different capacity. I am learning more and more about this job and she knows I can be trusted....so we'll see what happens. If I can stay, it will help me pay off some nagging debts....but if I have to leave, I can still make it unless they raise the interest rates even more or raise groceries even more....then its going to be super tight. The important thing I have to remember is that this job came through for me right at the time that my daughter desperately needed help. The timing was right and I know Who I have to thank for that and have thanked a million times. I have faith that things will continue to work out.

I think Fall is upon us. We have had some nights in the low 40's. Today, although nice and sunny, is only 72, yesterday was 70. The leaves are beginning to turn. I'm not ready for this, although I do love Fall....its WINTER that I cannot tolerate any longer. The Farmer's Almanac has predicted that our area is in for bitterly cold temps this winter but not that much snow. I guess I can take the cold....its the snow that just about did me in last year....it just kept coming and coming. So, I'm off to do some earth shattering important things.....like laundry and all the side-chores that go along with doing laundry.

Oh, and you won't believe this one. My great little workhorse computer died. This is the old one that I've had for so many years and recently replaced. My computer guy stopped by to make an adjustment on it so it could send things to the printer in my office and he couldn't get it to come on.....the hard drive wasn't even coming on. This is a VERY bad sign. I panicked at first then realized that I still have the backup of that machine on my external hard drive and so now have been transferring the important stuff onto my new system, like photos and all my word documents. Please....if you haven't made a backup of your machine, DO IT....before its too late. What a nightmare this would have been if I didn't have it. So computer guy took my trusty old machine to see if he could salvage anything. Its been a good worker for me for many years and I feel sad that it has died. Sorry, I'm in just a pitiful mood today....I get like this once in a while....but thankfully it never lasts long. I need to go look at a funny movie, I think. Have a great day.....tomorrow is humpday already!