Uneventful Week

So, it has been a quiet week. So quiet, that on Tuesday I went to work at 6:00AM and it was 11:30 before anyone knew I was there. I picked up the phone to call someone and my QA Manager noticed my phone line lit up. He came back to my office (which is in the back of the department) unlocked the door and said, You are here...how long have you been here? When I told him he accused me of hiding....ah, yyeeaahh! I left about 12:30 and turned in an application for the VISN office. Then I drove to the North side of Dallas to have dinner with Darrell. I wanted to take him to a really nice place on that end of town but they didn't open until 5PM and Darrell wanted to get back in the road. Instead, we had dinner at Olive Garden.

Yesterday I went to a card class and made some more beautiful cards. I was with Nancy and some of her friends. Afterwards I went to an open house for one of my employees. She is a poster child for changing her life. A few years ago she was on the streets. Today she has a decent job, is a hard worker and bought her first house through Habitat for Humanity. She has every right to be proud! Today I went to the grocery store and came home to clean the apartment...very boring but a nice quite day.

So hope you all have a great week.

How the WEST Was Won

We had a great time in Michigan City, IN over the 4th of July. Darrell and I babysat while Brent, Amanda, Chris and Lara went to the fireworks. It was a rather cool night so they returned earlier than expected shivering. We went to the beach which was interesting...it looked much like Venice Beach without all the ocean shells, seaweed and other trash. There were small waves, the sand was a bit different and the weather was quite a bit cooler. We were there for about an hour which was about perfect for all of us. The only missing link(s)- Thom, Heidi and Matthew. Maybe next year...of course it is difficult to plan around Uncle Sam! :( Family discussion has been possibly going to PA next year and taking a side trip to Watkins Glen NY. We shall see....

Well, it has been a very interesting week at work. I think some of my employees are starting to fall apart from all of the stress that has been building for weeks of being overworked and understaffed. They were almost at the stage of fist fighting. It seems that the numbers never change...I'm STILL 22 people short. About the time I hire, I loose a couple. As a matter of fact, one of the guys I hired about a month ago.....lost him to drugs almost immediately. He hasn't shown up for work in more than a week and I hear his probation officer is looking for him too. Yes, I said, probation officer. I have quite a few guys who work for me on probation. And there are a good many women who also have or have had problems with the law in the past. It is a tough neighborhood, that is for sure! So, next weekend I'm planning a Team Building get together for the Item Managers. We are going to make greeting cards and place some small games to help bring them together.

My weekend has been uneventful. I helped my friend Patty move some of her belongings out of her house. And I spent a good amount of time working on some crafting projects I've wanted to do. I'm still looking for the ideal project to work on for Christmas this year. I have 64 employees now (doesn't look like I will ever be full staff) and I need something crafty, easy and quick. So all ideas are welcomed!!

We had a great time in Michigan City over the 4th of July. The only missing link - Thom, Heidi and Matthew. The weekend would have been perfect if they could have joined us. Maybe next year! We are discussing ideas for the next family trip and I think most would like to go to PA to the farm house with a couple of side trips into New York. Thom/Heidi, what do you think? Of course, it is difficult to plan around the Marine Corps! :(

Well, need to finish laundry and get my bed re-made. Hope you all have a great week!

I'm Baaaaccck!

It's been a while since I've posted. Frankly, I have been so busy with work and moving, I haven't had time to do anything.

I moved into a new apartment. It's brand new and very nice. The bathroom is bigger than my bathroom in Murfreesboro but doesn't have both a shower and tub. Who needs both??? I'm on the first floor which has it benefits but I get a lot of noise from above. Apparently there is a small child overhead running back and forth and back and forth. It hasn't been too bad yet though. The other problem that is the pool outside my bedroom window. Although there has not been a lot of late night activity yet, most of the buildings are still vacant. It is a beautiful view if not for the noise.

The apartment has two bathrooms and 2 bedrooms, which will be good because I will have a room-mate for a few months. Patty was the HR Manager for the Dallas VA but has taken a job in the VISN office which is just north of Mansfield. Patty is having a new house built and needs a place to live since she sold her old home.

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July. Remember all of our soldiers serving home and abroad!