Oh Well,

Oh well, I gave it the "old college try," but I guess it wasn't good enough. Seems I'm not qualified enough to answer phones, take messages, and interact with other people in the local high school. Yeah, but I'm qualified to do it every day in my regular job as domestic engineer!!! Their loss, I guess! While I am sad that I didn't get and, yes, a little angry too, maybe this is a blessing in disguise as well. Just started thinking about how am I going to get to the job because there isn't a fourth car in my driveway! The car seat is in my car, which is used by the youngest child and her son. She works at a daycare and the little boy goes with her and come the end of August, she will start student teaching and will need a reliable car. And grandpa bowls 3 days a week, so I would be infringing on his car.

So, I guess I wallow in a little self-pity for a bit, go eat some ice cream, and then maybe take a nap to make me feel a little better. The little boy is on his way to visit his other family for the weekend and won't be back until Sunday and the rest of the clan is up in NJ and are heading out to Rhode Island tomorrow, so it will be very quiet around this house once again!

Until the next time I write, Oh well!!!!!

jg

Changing Directions

On Thursday, I went for a job interview. I think it went well, but won't know for another 1-1/2 weeks. Another step out of my comfort zone. I have worked from my house now since September 1997. Thirteen years. Comfort zone. No special work clothes, no extra gas getting to work, no calling out sick. I was able to wear what I wanted, which most of the time was shorts in the summer, sweatpants in the winter, t-shirts, sweatshirts, slippers, or no shoes at all (but didn't like the latter . . . don't like the feel of my bare foot on the foot pedal). So, when I figured it out that there would not be a whole lot of transcription work for me this summer due to the lack of somebody not being able to tell me to my face that she doesn't need my services, I did something out of the ordinary. I checked the the local school district's want-ads. I qualified for 2 of the jobs posted. Well, this is definitely out of my comfort zone now because if I do get the job, I will be dealing with more people in person and on the phone than I have ever done before in my life.

But, I think i can do it. No, I know I can do it. Just a little confidence in myself.

Now trying to justify this is the fact that I do need the money. You see my money paid for the cars (my little gifts to me and the DH) and for other little things that I wanted such as my photography equipment. Not having the extra money this summer has brought some changes in my way of thinking. I don't go out on a whim just to go to the store and buy something. I do give it more than a passing thought!

At the end of August, I will mark my 53rd birthday and since I am now at this fork in the road, I am not going to turn around and hide, but rather embrace this new challenge and learn something new. Changing directions from transcription to school secretary, now that is a big change, one which, if the job does become mine, will be done with the same enthusiasm I put into 34 years of transcription!!!!

jg

RIP Boots

Today, June 7, 2010, turned out to be a sad one . . . .after 12-1/2 years keeping my dad company, after the death of my mother, old Boots had to be put to sleep. It turned out that even with such great care by a man who was faithful to his companion (both human and 4-legged) you can't stop cancer. Turns out that Boots had a cancerous tumor most likely from his kidney with involvement of his liver that was bleeding into his belly.

For all the times that dog barked and didn't listen and the many "I hate that dog" remarks, there is a sadness in my heart for my dad . . . his companion for 12-1/2 years, a present from my kids to their grandfather to keep him company when they knew the end was near for my mother, a dog that was catered to hand and foot (or should I say, hand and paw), and an ever present being that seemed to know how to wrap his little paw around his master's finger. Eating cheerios out of his owner's hand was not an odd thing to see. He even ordered egg-drop soup for him last night, because he knew that his Boots loved it.

RIP in old dog . . . no more suffering. Tis a season for everything; a season to be born and a season to die . . . may you roam and bark happily in your new home!

Welcoming Some New Lillees to the World

The beginning of this week, June 1, 2010, to be exact, with camera in tow (which now is an extra appendage most of the time), I went outside to take some pictures. First, I took pictures of another gorgeous sunset here in southwest Virginia, but then spotted that the first lily of the season had bloomed . . . I turned to take some pictures not only for me, but for my granddaughter, Micaela, who loves flowers! After about 3 takes, I finished off my evening picture taking with another couple pictures of the sky and then returned back into the refreshing coolness of the air conditioned house and set forth to download my pictures. Of course, the download had to wait until the littlest grandchildren were all in bed and almost sleeping soundly! Twin A and Twin B have decided that sleeping in cribs (or pack and plays here at Meema's house) is for babies and not for them at all . . . what fun, but I did manage to get them to sleep in them anyway! Ha ha, Meema has been around a lot longer than those two cute little escape artists!

So, back to my story, I finally downloaded the pictures early the morning of June 2, 2010, and decided that I could go about editing some of the pictures. As I was looking over all of the pictures taken the night before, one stood out and it happened to have one beautiful lily which seemed to be flanked by the Welcome sign in the background. . . How appropriate to welcome my first lily of the season.

Shortly thereafter the editing began, but I also had learned that my friend, Sandy, was at the hospital waiting for the arrival of her second grandchild, Lillee. Not long after that, Lillee was welcomed into the world at 5:28 a.m. on June 2, 2010.

As I finished up editing my special lily, I had an "aha" moment and thought how sweet it would be to send a Lily to Lillee . . . and thus the following picture took shape and after it was finished, tagged for Sandy, so that she could have it to share with her beautiful new granddaughter, Lillee; a special little angel sent from above into loving arms of a mother, father, sister, grandmother(s), grandfather(s), aunts, uncles, and many, many more people!

So, Miss Lillee, I hope that you enjoy the beauty of your name and know that you are a very special lily!

Another Day, Another Thought

Today was a pretty quiet day on all fronts . . . but the quiet will be broken when somebody finds out that I forgot to pick up the medicine I ordered yesterday! Yes, I plumb forgot about it . . . I am human after all!

Another thought came to mind today to try and figure out why I am so tired . . . yes, tired all the time . . . wish I knew why . . . maybe it has something to do with the lack of proper nutrition that my body has to be craving and the lack of sleep that I am depriving it of. The former could also be a craving for getting back to my spiritual nutrition . . . yes, I believe in God and yes, I believe I am a Christian, but I have not been feeding my soul lately and when the body and soul are not nourished together, things don't work properly! The latter is not being done on purpose . . . no, it is because when I pick a picture that I have taken and go to edit it, I can spend hours and hours playing around with different techniques, etc. I love editing the pictures as much as I love taking the pictures.

I did have another thought today too. Why not see if anybody wants to take Father's Day pictures for that special dad, daddy, grandpa, or even great grandpa in their lives. We'll see if anybody takes the bait . . . I hope so and I hope it isn't so hard to reel them in.

I am learning and trying to see things with a different eye through the camera lens and hoping that what I find incredible, such as the southwest Virginia sunsets, other people will find just as incredible.

So, another day, another thought, and maybe the start to a new career and a happier me!!!!

j9