So appreciative

I have a new little great nephew! Congratulations to my brother and his family.

I am so happy that some companies stand behind their products and go above and beyond to provide good customer service. It means a lot when defective components are replaced or the entire product is replaced.

After many days of consecutive working, though not acruing many hours, I have the day off today. Except for a sushi date with my son, I am reading, relaxing, taking it easy. I will take the day as it comes.

My friend is dealing with a mid-life crisis. She is still attempting to establish herself in a career. She has opted out of hapkido though she and her husband were to test for a first degree black belt in two months.

Twelve competitors head to Sault Sainte Marie Canada this week. They will compete in demo, precision kicking, breaking, self-defense, forms, weapon forms and sparring. I opted to take a year off to work on belt requirements. I also considered the expense and lack of vacation time. I regret that I am not going. Ziplining and a day at the lake are planned. My master described my hapkido class as "old fuddy duddies. as none of the class is attending the competition.

Flying By

The month of August is zipping by. As colorful and beautiful as the fall months are, I can't enjoy them because I know what follows. Yesterday my daughter got her hair cut and highlighted as she has school registration in a couple weeks. Drat! The first back to school activity.

Work was so hectic that my coworker and I glanced at the clock and said, "We've only been here two hours!" The majority of orders that I took were for sympathy arrangements. After work, I finally made it to the dentist (after two cancellations--my husband's oblation and work). I then took the big bus home.

I have not been sleeping well. I wake up, my mind begins whirring, and I'm up for the duration.

My cousins wrote a wonderful obituary for their father. It helped to put closure on his passing. I wish they had organized an informal get together.

Good Point

Yesterday at work I got a strange call. I thought the caller was asking if he could pick up a donation at the branch store. I knew I was in trouble when the company president at no recollection of that particular donation. I star-six-nined the call to try to get more information, since I hadn't asked the caller's name or phone number. I then asked the president if he could take the call and help me out. After a few minutes I went and asked him if there was anything I needed to do. He said, "YOU NEED TO LISTEN BETTER! ALL HE WANTED WAS TO KNOW IF HE COULD DROP OFF A DONATION REQUEST TO THE WEST STORE!" Well, I was relieved that he had figured out the question, and hurt that the president said this to me, but I told myself that "it would serve no worthwhile purpose" to dissolve into a bowl of mush. Truth be told, it does pay to listen at home and work. When a customer comes in and inquires about "wilted roses" she might be asking about rose petals. Today a customer called with a laundry list of complaints, 1) she was not happy with the presentation of birds of paradise in an arrangement, 2) sales associates at the store argue with her, 3) a delivery driver dropped off a bouquet and left it on the porch when the recipient was home and would have answered the door if he had called and 4)is there a solution for late afternoon deliveries when the recipient is working. I tried to listen, rephrase her concerns and communicate. I am putting a new foot forward. I will listen carefully and try to understand.

Sad news

My father told me last night that my uncle, my mother's brother had passed away. There is no memorial service so my brother, sister and I are sending a card and a money gift to be used as my cousins wish.

I stopped by my parent's house to give my mother some carnations and to introduce myself to my mother's aide. I stayed a few minutes and then my dad drove me home.

A coworker and I worked hard to make sure the branch store was copacetic. However when the branch manager came back today she complained that the flowers in the cooler were dead. The cooler looked fine in the afternoon, so it appears that the temperature in the cooler went awry. The manager is going to monitor the cooler.

Miss Overtime is talking about going home early to take care of some personal business. I worked hard today setting the flowers in the cooler in the main store. Ironic, isn't it? It looked beautiful and the glads and lilies on the floor brightened the area.

Peaceful

I worked alone at the branch store yesterday and am working a morning shift today. My soul is peaceful. I helped a woman from Massachusetts and took several orders. I kept myself busy for nine hours. Time passed swiftly. You know, I think I needed a break from the idiosyncracies of my coworkers, a time when I didn't have to go along with snack and smoke breaks. "I need a smoke break, I need the extra hours, I need to go upstairs, I need to eat, Ay! Ay! Ay!" I have some autonomy here, orders aren't dropped in my lap at a whim.

I circuit trained with my sister and then took class. On the way home I noticed a traffic light out. As I neared home, I noticed all the lights were out. We had no power for several hours. I thought my husband, a former Scout, would have prepared the flashlights. No, he spent the lit hours watching a DVD on computer, so when it was time to go to bed, we were trying to put batteries in the flashlights in total darkness. I banged into the night stand as I was moving around the bedroom, knocked the lampshade silly askew and cracked my foot. I actually thought I was heading into the bathroom. I knew the electricity was restored when the filter,air pump and lights went on to the aquarium.

My mother and father are pleased with their aide. She changed the linens, cleaned the bathroom, visited with my mother, helped with hygiene. She likes my father's dog and drives a BMW. She decided to become an aide after taking care of her husband. I will stop by to meet her tomorrow.

My rocket

My daughter gave me a Rocket as a gift. So now I can have a smoothie every day.

My favorite recipe:

1. shave 6 ice cubes in my son's slushie maker
2. put it in the rocket cup
3. add plain yogurt and 1/2 banana and 6 strawberries
4. Rocket it!

Bottoms up! Delicious!

Overdue for a PO session

I am trying to schedule a time with my friend and coworker to have lunch and vent. One day we were venting and someone said, "Do you work at ?" She was the niece of the president of the company. Sheesh! Now we have scope the site and make sure no one is around. Many thoughts are swirling around in my head. Swirl! Swirl! I stopped by to see how my parents were getting along. You can imagine the dust from the tub remodel and the disorganization after a week's vacation. It's difficult to watch my mother struggle with memory issues, immobility and other health issues. At home, my husband is worried about his tiredness after exertion. No wonder, he put up shutters, took the dogs for a nail trim, went to the grocery store and mowed the back lawn!