What a Day

This morning began as a rather OK day. I was attending a seminar which dealt with a part of the assessing system here in Michigan that had changed completely while I was off being retired. I knew that I was going to have to become knowledgeable regarding land banks and the tax reversion process before the year was out. This would take care of it and all would be well.

Shortly into the class I began to fear that these properties had not been properly handled and that I was going to have a big mess to straighten out. Arriving back at work this afternoon, I began pulling files and going through them one at a time. By the time I had reviewed all the folders I had 5 separate stacks on my desk. Every stack had a problem and they were all different in how serious resolving the issue would be.

I called our support guru to just try to get it all sorted out. He began talking to me about the software program we use and how things should be coded for the system to work right. I began hearing a sound like pebbles were being thrown against my window. I looked up and said "It's hailing!" And it was. Hailing. It was storming! That's why it was hailing.

I tried to pay attention to my support dude, although I was a bit distracted, when the power went out. The computer screen went black and my phone connection was broken. The storm kept going. I decided I would not turn my computer back on during the storm. Instead I'd go upstairs where I could see better and look outside to see how bad this storm really was.

I got into the elevator and pushed the button. The door closed and then NOTHING! The elevator just sat there. I pushed the button again. NOTHING. I pushed the door open button. NOTHING. The elevator had not moved. I stood there for a few minutes. I waited. NOTHING. I realized I was STUCK IN THE ELEVATOR! I pushed the alarm button.

NOTHING. I waited. Someone would come. NOTHING. I waited some more. I pushed the alarm button again. For a long time. I just kept pushing it. I yelled a little bit. I beat on the door some. NOTHING. I pushed the alarm button again. for a long time. No one came. So, I decided I'd call on the phone. I picked it up and it was immediately answered by one of our public safety officers. He said they'd get me out. I hung up the phone.

In about 30 seconds the door opened. Wow! Those public safety officers are great. I stepped out and there stood John, a basement co-worker, grinning from ear to ear. "Was that you pushing the alarm button?"

"Why yes, I was stuck. Did you open the door for me?"

"No, I was just coming to see why the alarm kept sounding!"

Well, thank you very much John. I walked into my office and my assistant said "Were you stuck in the elevator? Was that you?"

"Yes!" yes, it was me!"

The lesson I've learned from this and am passing on to you... 1. don't ride elevators during storms. 2. if you get stuck in an elevator, don't push the alarm button, everyone will ignore you. 3. use the phone and call for help. Yes, call.
4. Yelling and beating on the door doesn't do any good. None at all.

And that's all I have to say about that.

Now, I'm going home and I hope this evening will be better.

I'm going on vacation next week. So there, everything wrong. You can just stay wrong for a while.

Good Night.

When can I?

Spring has arrived and I am way beyond spring fever. I have luxuriated in the blossoming flowers and the canopy of leaves expanding over my head. I love this time of year.

I love drives in the country the the farmer's tracks across the tilled fields. The even lined fresh dirt awaiting seeds. The solid green earth mounds where winter wheat thrusts upwards looking like fresh manicured lawns. I love the flowering trees giving a hint of the fruit to follow. I love spring. I love the new life. So I am on a natural high.

But each morning (and Michigan is still jacket weather in the mornings)when I arrive at work, unlock the doors, switch on the lights, put down my purse and coffee and look at my window, I wonder how long, how long, before I can rip off the ugly black garbage bags duct taped down over my window.

That window houses the air conditioner. A necessary item at least a few months of the year. But more months of the year it is just an eyesore and in the winter the air comes around it with its icy fingers and turns my office into a refrigerator. I finally decided I'd had enough of chattering teeth and trying to type with my scarf wropped around my freezing fingers. Thus the cretive window scene developed and although my office was a bit on the chilly side, I could type without getting frostbite.


Those black garbage bags did a really good job. I appreciated them. But now, I just want them gone. Yet the heating system in the building is turned off until next fall and the morning temps here are still just a few degrees above freezing. With a brisk breeze my office can still make you think the space has turned into some type large commercial cooler.

I can stand it. The sunshine still pours through my windows and leaves its friendly glare over my monitor screen. I can stand it a few more weeks, but I shall be happy when it's gone.

Inspecting the Troops

My Mom loves her flowers and each spring begins calculating what flowers she will get and what annuals to intermingle with her perenials to fill in all the blank spots along her fence row. My mom's yard is beautiful and enjoyable to sit and admire the hard work she puts into it.

Her hanging baskets are also a part of her plan in "landscaping" her 2 porches. We always buy a basket for her and so does my sister. She will usually pick up a couple additional baskets to hang with the ones we buy and my brothers will have baskets sent. Mom has room for 3 baskets to hang from her front porch. The color of the flowers are very important to her and she especially likes the cascading red geraniums. It is also VERY important that all the baskets hanging on her front porch be planted in the same color basket.

Mom will also create baskets from last year's gifts. She will buy impatients and "tunies" (uh, thats petunias) and mix them up in various colors to hang on her back porch. This porch is really a roofed patio. She has room here for at least 3 or 4 more baskets.

She has a window box planter under her kitchen window. This is always filled with petunias. They multiply and are quickly blooming and filling up the basket. She will just pick our a colorful mix.

Since she is no longer able to do all the work required to take care of her flowers she does not plant as many as she used to. She relies on Jamelah to help her get flowers planted. We always make a "Mother's Day" project of buying the hanging baskets and extra flowers to plant and spend time with Mom filling the extra baskets and Jamelah plants her window box.

Mom also has a circular flower bed in her front yard. This is a bare spot that was left by a tree which became a problem and had to be cut down. There are perentials that come up every year. A few tulips, daffodils, crocus and purple grape hiacinths. She also adds a few other flowers into the mix to fill in the spots when these spring flowers stop blooming.

With the early warmth you could tell Mom was already eager to begin planting. As we drove by the place wher ewe often bought our plants she noted that they were getting ready to stock their outdoor space with all the nursery plants that would be coming in. It will be fun. Spring is here. Its time to plant flowers.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh Spring, Finally!

We finally got to spring. In fact we had so much spring it turned into summer. For 10 whole days the temperatures were averaging 20 degrees above normal for this time of year which means we were up into the 70s and almost to 80. Gosh! It felt so good. I think it has to have made up a bit for all the crappy weather we had all winter. On days it didn't snow the sky was so gray you wished it would. But now, the grasss is green and needs mowing. The flowers have bloomed.

So what if we are back to normal temperatures for this time of year. Well, actully a little below normal temperatures. Yes, it is COLD outside. Ok, so we did have frost last night, but it's OK. I didn't have to scrape ice off my windshield before I could drive into work. So, I had to wear a coat. I have one and by lunch time I probably won't even need it. Today the sun is shining. Yeah, the air seeping in around my windows is chilling, but hey! I have sunshine. I can deal with it.


I just want to celebrate that this is SPRING! I feel like dancing. I feel like dancing a little jig of joy! ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, finally. Spring.

Lovin' My Job

Phone Rings...

I pick it up and the following conversation takes place

ME: Good afternoon. Assessing. This is Anne. May I help you?

SHE: Can you tell me which office this is?

ME: Assessing

SHE: Oh, Recessing. OK, then. I wondered if you could help me?

ME: I don't know. What did you need.

SHE: I want to know how I go about getting out of a contract.

ME: What kind of a contract?

SHE: A housing contract.

ME: I'm not sure I know the answer.

SHE: Can I just go down there and tell them to take my name off it?

ME: I don't know exactly the type contract you are talking about.

SHE: Do you think I have to get a lawyer?

ME: (flash of inspiration) Yes, I think that would probably be a wise choice.

SHE: So, you can't tell me?

ME: No, I'm afraid I don't have expertise in the area where you need advice. I don't think I am qualified to properly answer your question.

SHE: Then I should talk to a lawyer?

ME: Yes, that would be a good idea.

SHE: Uh, Ok then, goodbye.

hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I love my job. Why did I think I would ever like to retirement.

Grandma's Quilt

Christmas was inviting us to a quiet, noneventful day. My nephew, Marty, and his wife Deb were driving north to spend Christmas with her family. It has been a while since they have spent Christmas away from home. Our Christmases are usually small anyway. Marty and Deb, Wendell (his brother), Mom, Jamelah and me. But we always have a lot of fun and laughter even if the group around the table is small. With two gone, that meant there would only be four of us for dinner.

We decided not to have the spiral sliced ham and opted for a nice roast, mashed potatoes, green beans, salad, fresh rolls and cherry pie. More than enough for four. And yes, we had plenty.

Mom had been telling me she hadn't bought me anything for Christmas. Which really didn't matter. Christmas long ago stopped being about the gift business. We had decided that even though our situation had greatly changed financially, we weren't going to go crazy this Christmas. I had bought Mom a new speaker phone, (she was having trouble using the phone in her living room since she had gotten her hearing aids). I bought one just like the one she has in her bedroom, so she wouldn't have to learn to use a "different" type phone than what she was used to.

Jamelah made her peanut butter fudge and we cooked the dinner. Roast beast and all except the mashed potatoes and cole slaw which Mom was making. I baked the cherry pies that morning and took the last one out of the oven just before we left the house. Nothing quite so good as warm pie, which it was; so warm in fact it burned our tongues and we all couldn't stop eating it. In no time we had put away an entire pie.

Then the gift exchange. Mom had been telling me that she was "regifting" this year or just giving away things that she had laying around the house. The first thing she handed me was a large brown mailing envelope. Inside was a zippered case for keeping documents in. I smiled and said "nice, thanks. I can always use something to keep things in", Looked at Jamelah, shrugged, grinned and whispered something just "laying around the house".

Jamleah opened her present and found the bracelets she had loved when she was a little girl. They had belonged Mom's Mom and Grannie had given them to her on her last visit with her. Jamelah always played with them as a little girl and always wanted to "keep" them. Now she can.

Then I discovered I had something else to open from Mom and found inside the package some of her jewelry. A coat pin that had been my Grandmother's and also a necklace that my father had given to my mom. I was touched and immediately hung the jeweled cross on a gold chain around my neck. It hasn't come off since.

Then, Mom brough out a large gift bag and handed it to me. Oh, dear, I wondered, what can this be: a centerpiece, something to hang on the wall. I looked inside and was immediately choked up. Folded there was my Grandmother's quilt. Like the jewelry she had given it to Mom on her last visit.

Now, the quilt is nothing extravagant, in fact, it wasn't made by my grandmother. She bought it at a church bazaar where they were selling quilts to raise monies for some project. Grannie had a big stack of quilts. She had tried to give me one when I had visited her at Christmas. I had felt uncomfortable taking a quilt from the stack. But, when Mom visited she insisted, so Mom picked out a quilt and took it home with her.

Mom had begun quizing me about what she had that I wanted as a remembrance. All I could think of, was I'd like to have the quilt that Grannie had given her. Now, on Christmas she has passed that quilt to me. I don't guess it is a family heirloom. But,it still meant so much to me. I couldn't help but tear up and feel overwhelmed. Mom said, "I don't see why you should wait until I'm dead to enjoy it." It now lays across the foot of my bed. At some point, I want to get a quilt rack and display it there. Someplace where it can be appreciated.

Mom made a quilt and gave it to my daughter for Christmas a couple years ago. Jamelah immediately brought it home and put it on her bed. It went away to school with her this summer. I thought her foolish to "use" this precious item, but I realized it was a special way to be "hugged" by her grandmother and she wraps up in it and feels its warmth. I learned from her that these gifts are to be appreciated and "used" not stored away as precious treasures but rather to be appreciated every day for the love they represent.

Now, I have a quilt given to my Mom by her Mom and someday my daughter will have that same quilt given to her by her Mom. I guess this is the way items become family heirlooms. So, I guess the quilt is one afterall. We have just begun a new tradition.

Ten Things I dislike strongly

1. This winter

2. Emails with 5 paragraph forwarding instructions on the bottom, just in case I don't know in my address book who would be interested in this forward, or that I must send to 5 (10 better) or my eyes would go blind, may hair fall out, and I would be miserable. Wait! maybe there is something to that 2nd one.

3. Drivers talking on cell phones. I don't need to expand on this, seriously, do I? These people are always terrible drivers and should be ticketed for endangering the lives of others on the highway. However, is they run off the road and into a tree, well, I guess that would be OK.

4. People on cell phones in the grocery store asking what to buy and wheeling their cart around, blocking the isle, yeah, like the bad driver on a cell!

5. People with cell phones in the movie theatre. Honestly that tiny blue screen lights up the entire theatre. I don't know how. I've just seen it happen.

6. Well, maybe I just hate all people on cell phones in public, chatting away, for no good reason. That is, good reason, as defined by me. Reasons to use phone in public. (a)Letting someone know exactly where you are so you can meet or they can find the table in a busy restaurant. (b) an emergency And that's it! There are no other good reasons.

7. Gas prices that jump right while I am pumping gas and the price on the sign is WRONG. Yes, this has happened to me. I realize that gas prices jump up and down. So, when I go into the station I have accepted the price I will have to pay on the sign. When it turns out it is going to be more than that... well, I don't like that.

8. Being called on the phone during my lunch hour because they did not want to "bother" me at work. Come on! I have 30 minutes to eat this sandwich and get back to work. Don't call me now!

9. Having to do laundry. I don't hate washing clothes. It's an easy task. I just hate that I "have" to do it right now because I am currently out of something. You know, like jeans... or other stuff.

10. Did I mention this winter. Cause I really do hate it. The most. The very most.

The Weather's Wot Did The Old Gurl In!

This is what people will say after my demise this season! But, the winter from hell, is what I nonaffectionately call it. I swear, this is one of the worst winters of my life. First off, we're told due to global warming its going to be milder. That's great! Milder I can handle. We have been having "milder" winters. So, I was expecting something along the lines of the last few winters.

Yeah! That is exactly what is NOT happening. Since the beginning of December we have had (brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr)winter(brrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr). Cold the weathermen describes as "arctic blasts" which is well said. Along with the "arctic blast" comes a foot of snow. Followed by 2 days of "mild" weather with rain and a couple thunder storms. Goodbye foot of snow. This "mild" weather is then followed by another "arctic blast" accompanied by another foot of snow; "and the beat goes on" but not in that soft, jazzy vocal voice, but in something a bit more AC/DC.

So, it isn't like we din't get a January thaw this year (this is a warm trend which lasts a week or 10 days and gets rid of all the ugly snow that has accumulated). It's like we got 4 January thaws and they only lasted 2 days each.

We were promised things would get better and we were looking forward to 4 days of uneventful, calm days. They took that all away with another "arctic blast" and 6 inches of snow; we were to get up into the low 30's yesterday. It never made it past 28. My office temp climbs all the way up to about 50. I come in freezing, I go home freezing.

All I'm saying is, I want spring.
I do not want to hear how you are suffering where you are because the temperature may drop down to 40, or that you will have to put on a sweater when you go out today because your high will only be in the mid 50s. Don't even tell me about it. If you talk to me, I suggest the subject topic of weather not even come up. Yes, that would be a good idea.

Now, I have to go build a fire in the corner of my office, because I'm freakin freezing in here.

Nice Pants!

So, I have been having trouble with my knee and have begun injections which could help, maybe, I hope so, anyway. So, I began the shots last Monday and get another one once a week for 5 weeks. So, I'm 2 down.

It's not like they are fun. They have to spay the injection site about 5 minutes (or so it seems) with this stuff that freezes the area. Why? So, they can put a 3inch long needle in it to numb it (this is novacaine, like when you get your teeth pulled). Then they have to wait a minute and they take the real needle and find a spot between the bones in your knee and force this gelateneous goo into your leg (they get the goo from a rooster's comb. I call it chicken fat). So anyway, that is how you get chicken fat injected into your knee.

I have had this treatment 2 times before. Both on my right knee. It worked beautifully and put off the need for replacement surgery for a while. I'm hoping the results are that good this time.

However, I have diverged from my story. Sort of. I thought you needed to know why I was going to the doctor's office.

To make thinks faster, they advise you to wear shorts when you visit their offices. Well, I'm just stubborn enough that I don't wear shorts. I simply always wear attire that makes getting to my knee easy. But today, I was at work when I realized I needed to be able to pull my pants up above my knee or I would have to take them off. I tried, but alas, it would only pull up to about midcalf. That's when I knew I had to change pants before heading for the doctor.

This is what I wore to work. Black dress pants, black turtleneck and a rose/pink tweedy looking cardigan. I began thinking at work about what pants I could put on that would let me pull then up above my knee so I would not have to change everything I was wearing. Then I remembered these black knit pants I have that are rather stretchy, and I knew they were exactly the right thing to solve my problem. So I ran home switched pants and headed off to the doctor.

Arrived, lucky me, no wait, quickly got my shot and was on my way. I was feeling no pain, basically, so decided I'd go back to work instead of going home to rest. I pulled into my parking space, exited my car. Looked down at my feet and realized, OMG! Nice pants, Anne. Yeah, I usually sleep in these pants. Uh-huh. They are my pajama pants. I thought just a minute, then realized that absolutely nobody would notice. So I went right into City Hall. Pushed the elevator button and headed to my office.

This may be the most comfortable I have ever been dressed while at work.

From our town to yours

Happy? Thanksgivings

Well, Thursday came and went as did Black Friday.

Last year our entire family decided getting something close to the plague would be a good idea for the holiday. Mom even wound up in the hospital before it was all over. This year we thought it would be a good idea to not repeat that. However, Phyllis came down with pneumonia and I wound up with a severe cold. So we both stayed away from the family so as not to contaminate them.

Today, I am feeling a bit more human, and actually got up this morning and put the turkey breast I had bought for the feast on to cook. With the small bunch of diners at Mom's on Thursday, I got out of cooking it on then. They were quite content to dine on the ham that Deb brought. And I got the treatment because a big plate was brought home for me to eat. Not feeling good, but still holiday food is great, no matter the circumstances.

Phyllis and James both stayed home and Jamelah also took them goodies.

Jamelah had made her pumpkin cheesecake and bourbon sweet potatoes, so no one suffered from a lack of great food.

Hope you had a great holiday. Today, I'm thinking the worse is over and should be able to get back into the swing by the time work comes around on Monday. I had planned to work yesterday, but, ho hum, thought it wise to stay in. Yeah, sometimes you have to get sick to just stop for a bit.

So, here we are just aroud the corner from Christmas.

I'm not sure how it got here so fast, and I'm not sure how I feel about that yet.

No matter. Happy Holiday Season. Hope it is the best ever.

It Was a Happy Birthday!

Well, yesterday I arrived at my 66th birthday. I think I was a little surprised. I celebrated by taking back a job with the Assessing Department at the City (currently part-time) while still retaining (for now) my part time job as a church secretary!

WHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!

I couldn't help but smile at myself since I am "retired" yet, between the 2 jobs now working full time again. I guess I'm off my nut or something. I was really surprised to be happily headed back to my old office and desk (I retired 2 years ago) and although I seemed to be blundering through a fog at first, I soon found myself feeling at ease and recalling which keys to push to get the necessary results from the assessing software. I should feel at home with that stuff, I certainly used it long enough.

My daughter took me out for supper and we had a great time hanging out and enjoying the ambience of the steak house. It was great fun. We got back home a little after 9pm and after a few routine tasks I hit my recliner and turned on the TV. I woke up with a start at 10, realizing I was worn out. I did the bed time stuff and trundled off to bed. Altoether pleased with myself and feeling like a kid again, back to working full time. Is not that weird.

Anyway, Go Me! And Happy Birthday and all that jazz!

Happy Labor Day!

Well here it is, Labor Day again. I'm not sure where the time went, but wherever it chose to vacation, it has definitely flown.

Jamelah finished here summer course in Arabic at U of M with high marks. She has since found a program that begins there next June. After completion (1 yr) she will have her masters and a elementary teacher's certification. With 3 more hours of class (which she can do next summer) she will also have her certification to teach English as a 2nd language. She is excited. Now the job hunt begins.

She decided that since she would be hanging out around the house with not much to do, she'd paint her room. So we bought paint and she got busy. There was plenty of grief along the way but the room is mostly finished with just a few touch-ups needed. Her Grannie offered to purchase new carpet for her freshly painted room, so before she could move back in, we had to get carpet laid. This meant she got to sleep some more on her mattress lying on the living room floor.

By the time the carpet guys arrived, Jamelah I had already taken Jamelah to the doctor due to muscle spasms in her back. She was a mess. He put her on muscle relaxers and pain killers and she gave up the floor as a sleeping place and moved into my recliner. It only took a couple days of that fun and she was wishing she could just die and get it over. She began showing some improvement on Thursday. The carpet was in; her uncle came and helped het her furniture moved back into her room. She was finally able to sleep in a bed. Friday we were off to the chiropracter's office and he helped realign her which helped more. But still, the only place she could sit was in the recliner, so she moved from chair to bed and back to the chair agian with only short walks around the house between.

That put the job search on hold and everything else. We spent one week watching nearly every movie we own and renting a few more. But yesterday she was much improved and able to get around a bit more. I think she finally feels like she will not be drawn over sideways and her hips out of alignment forever.

So here we are! Ready to celebrate Labor Day. I have some laundry to do. Hopefully, Jamelah can get a bit of her "other" stuff moved from the piles it sits in about the house and we can get back to normal.

The Storm

Last night the National Weather Service interrupted our fine TV viewing and directed us to channel 11 where we were informed that we were directly in the path of a very severe thrunderstorm. They even told us the exact minute we could expect it to hit! What they didn't tell us was at that very moment, right over our heads a tiny cell had formed and in five minutes would wreak all kinds of havoc.

My first thought was "they sure were wrong about the time that thing was hitting." But, when I rechecked the weather, I found the "real" storm was still coming: what had just hit us was a very tiny red dot on the doppler radar screen and it was moving on easterly. In its short visit it split a tree limb from the giant oak in front of our neighbor's house and left it still attached and precariously dangling all the way down into the street. Drivers seem to think this limb would not fall on them and just kept going around it.

I called Public Safety and they said they would have the Street Department up to take care of it. Then the Natinal Weather Service went beserk again and, whamo! the real storm hit. Our power blinked on and off. The transformer on the pole in front of the house buzzed and hummed and made me nervous. The lights would dim and brighten. The winds were horrid. The rain hitting the street in front of the house seemed to come from one direction and then from another. The lightening and thunder were fierce. Then as quickly as it arrived it was over.

Our lights were still on. I was amazed. We have lost power twice this summer in much smaller weather disturbances. But, even so, we lost our cable. We plunked a DVD into the player and ingnored the calamaty.

We had expected the limb next door to be removed by morning, but to my surprise it was still dangling. Police tape stretched from the light pole to a tree across the street entirely closing off the end of my drive. A traffic barricade had been placed in the middle of the road. I throught by careful manipulation, I'd still be able to back out of my drive, get around the barricade and make it into work. I was right. However, I felt just a little bit like I was being naughty and should get arrested, or something.

I was surprised to see many trees down. At the post office I learned that the southern half of our town had no electricity. The business loop from 94 was also without power. No McDonalds for hungry travellers this morning. I began to wonder if the church had power (the church where I work as secretary lies just north of the I-94 exit) into town. Happily, when I arrived I found all well at the church and everything working splendidly.

A few people have dropped by the office with chatter about the storm and about what happened to them. A small group was meeting last night, but although the electirical system crackled and popped, they said they never lost any power. That was a real blessing.

Hopefully, by the time I get home this afternoon, the tree will have been removed and I will have easy access to the drive again. However the last person to drop in said they still had no power to the gas stations, grocery store and fast food franchises on the main drag. I guess this Friday night I'll have to make my own pizza.

Service Provider

Aha! Has language changed so much that in the last few years the meanings of words are totally reversed from what they used to mean. "Service Provider" you'd think would be a company providing you a service you were willing to pay for. But, since becoming a cell phone user I have learned that a "Service Provider" is actually a company you pay way too much money, who in turn provides you with a brain aneurysm every month when the bill arrives. I bet if I really wanted an aneurysm, I could manage one nicely without paying Sprint for it.

My bill came today. My brain is still muddled from the 1 hour ++++ I spent on the phone using obscenities when I was sure no one was there and adversely hoping they were taping my entire tirade so they'd be sure to know how pissed off I was and how often I repeated "I hate these people, I hate these people, I hate these people, I hate these people.

In all fairness, perhaps I went into the cell phone "contract" with a negative attitude. Anyway, I hope it is only this experience that makes me wonder if I'm not turning into a conspiracy theorist. I really don't want to find myself an aging bitter old hag who trusts no one and believes in nothing, but I having serious doubts about myself in this respect and about my future. Now, before I joined the program, I asked a few people about their service provider was and one phrase I heard more than once was "billing horror stories". It seemed that no matter which company you might choose you would wind up in war with them once you became a customer.

Now, I have had a reliable Track phone for a few years. It is prepaid and worked just fine for my usage. Every few months I'd add minutes while rolling over the unused ones. I averaged paying about $10-15 a month. Not bad. I rarely turned the thing on and only used it when it was "necessary". My daughter also had a prepaid phone account with Virgin. She, however, used her phone a lot and it had begun to wear out. She knew she needed to replace it and approached me regarding getting another phone. Well, my phone was definitely "not cool" and it didn't text message nor have a camera or cool games, you know, the stuff that made having a cell phone really "neat".

So, the weekend before Jamelah moved off to Ann Arbor we stopped in at a Sprint store (it was a Saturday and the store in our community was closed) in Jackson. The phones were neat. I got a pink metallic Katana and Jamelah picked out a blue razor. We paid the $198 to get us going and walked out of the place grinning. We had a family plan with unlimited, no roaming, fees and free nights and weekends. Plus for $20 extra we added the family plan for unlimited text messaging. We were now super cool chicks.

Two weeks later I received my first bill. Uh-huh! I hadn't had the phone long enough to recharge it and I had my first bill which was exactly $50 more than it was supposed to be. I had my first long distance, "on hold" forever experience. We finally got everything straightened out, I thought, and the guy was just taking care of the final details when the phone went dead. I thought it was no biggie, until yesterday when I got my second bill.

This time the bill was exactly$130 more than the amount I was guaranteed would be my monthly total. Seriously, $75.00 charged for overages. I could not figure that out. We had 500 minutes to use between the 2 of us and at the end of the month still had time left over. What was this overage business? Furthermore, the adjustments they were going to make, weren't adjusted and they had added an additional fee for activating my phone. What... I had already paid for the activation of the service.

Well, I was justifiably angry. You bet. So the ordeal began. I won't go into all the nitty-gritty. I actually don't want to do a blow-by-blow account. I'd probably curl up into a ball again and start babbling and crying in frustration. I tried really hard to remain calm while on the phone, keep a quiet voice and not call anyone names. Now it was easy not to call the young lady on the phone bad names. She was actually a sweetheart. I think, no matter how much she is being paid, it isn't enough. I wouldn't take her job on a bet.

We eventually reached an understanding. A few adjustments were made to my bill (I hope), some costs erased (or so she said, but I'll wait for the next one to arrive) and see just exactly what charges are made. Needless to say, I have decided that cell phone companies are simply the latest "conn" game going with their programs that their employees can't wade through, their salespeople can't stay on top of and the poor customer can't survive without going into shock regularly. I empathize with the employees while wondering why with the speed of technology they are unable to keep up with their own stuff and make the customer feel valued instead of used and abused.

Whatever, what I really want right now, is my track phone back with its prepaid minutes, handy in my purse for me to pull out and use at my convenience. That is what a cell phone is for. This other stuff, might be good for the kiddies but I really think it may cause people my age's brain to explode.


AN ADDENDUM: After 3 phone calls, many tears and much persuasion, I happfily announce that I have finally made peace with Sprint. My last bill was exactly what I had calculated it to be and there were no new surprises and no new hidden charges. I'm not sure why this is so difficult and why it had to be such a hassle. I'm just glad that for now the war has ended. Now, excuse me. I have a lot of talking to do on my cell phone. I have all kinds of minutes to use up!

Identifying with the boweavil

That's right, the boweevil.

You know the one, don't you?

The one from the song... remember

"looking for a home
trying to find a home"

Yeah, that one!

No, not me. At least not right now. I'm not looking for a home, but I'm looking for a temporary home for my Mom.

She's doing great, although this whole experience has not been a fun event for her. She has been in the hospital over a week and still not allowed to eat. I mean really eat. And for most of the days the only thing she has been allowed to put in her mouth is ice chips. Drat. Can you imagine. Mom has always been tiny, but we may have to start hunting for her among the blankets.

Things were going good for a while and they had introduced her to a liquid diet at the end of last week, but things seemed not to be going through. So they took away her jello and broth and put her back on the ice chips, just as a precaution, in case they would have to take some type action. After 2 days of tests they have given her the jello back again, so hopefully, that means they will not have to take do intrusive treatment.

That means we are back on schedule. They have been expecting to release her from the hospital tomorrow or Friday. I'm guessing later since she will have to be eating solids and handling them before they send her out. But, she will not be able to go home. So we have been looking for a respit care facility for her to stay for a couple weeks until she can get her legs back under her and get around a bit. ...then home to where we can take care of her.

I've made a few calls and the Social Services employee at the hospital has been working on finding a care facility for Mom. We have a couple spots available and now she just has to choose one. The one is here in Albion, although she has always been adamant that she would never go there. Ownership and care in this facility has changed a lot over the years and she may actually opt to spend a couple weeks here. The other place open is in Jackson which would be a bit of a commute and difficult for her friends to visit. In the meantime they will keep her on a list for a place in Marshall, which was her first choice.

We will see how it all works out.

In the meantime, I just can't get that humming sound out of my head..............


uhhhmmmmmmmmmm.... looking for a home, trying to find a home.....uhhhhmmmmmmmmmmmm

come on, hum with me.


addendum

well, all that humming paid off. Social Services just called to let us know that a spot became available at Tendercare in Marshall. This was the place she had wanted to go but they did not have any space. So, looks like we've found a home. Last word is Mom will be released tomorrow or Friday. Please continue to keep her in your prayers.

Painting a bleak picture

Mom fell. My daughter found her when she dropped by to take her to the clinic for her weekly blood work. Mom said her "legs just gave out". She was calling Jamelah when she fell but the call was incompleted. The phone remained on the counter and she could not reach it.

Mom has a medic alert bracelet and she pushed the button. We don't know if the distress signal was not completed because her phone was off the hook, but she tried repeatedly to get up, reach a phone and was left completely helpless until Jamelah arrived. She had been lying there about 30 minutes.

Once Jamelah was there she hung up the phone and tried to call 911 but the medic alert system had Mom's phone blocked. Luckily she had her cell phone with her and was able to get help. About that time the medic alert system kicked in and the asked if help was needed.

The ambulance was soon on the scene and checked Mom out carefully. Thankfully no broken bones, indication of a stroke nor a heart attack. She was very weak and unable to move on her own so they transported her to the hospital and we met her there.

It turned into a very long night. The ER was packed out and the staff was rushing about trying to help everyone. For Mom, the testing began. She had bloodwork done, an xray, ekg, cscan.. and I don't know what all. They were concerned she had pneumonia but because she complained of a sore stomach and was very sensitive when touched they checked her gall bladder. Bingo! She had a severe infection and they admitted her to the hospital.

The next day the doctors began their visits. It was determined that she would need surgery as quickly as possible. That takes place today. Last night we met with the doctor and he very carefully explained all the obstacles Mom faces as she goes into surgery. He seemed to tick them off on his fingers beginning by saying

"...at your mother's age she is very delicate anyway..." then added she has a bad heart (pacemaker implanted last year) breathing problems, low platelet count and it seemed his list of defects was endless. He wound up saying that with all the complications there was a possibility that Mom might not make it through surgery, (a possibility) and a probability that she would have a very difficult time in recovery after surgery. His expectation was that she would be admitted to ICU from the recovery room.

He around at us waiting for our reaction. We just looked back. Then he again wanted to stress the seriousness of the situation.

"Well," I said, "we believe. There are a lot of churches and people praying for Mom. So, we will believe. She is in God's hands." He just smiled.

and Mom said, I've got at least 3 churches praying for me now. Since then the number has grown to... oh, I don't know, about 7. Four people have emailed me today to let me know they are putting Mom on their church prayer list. What more could we want. We have a great hospital a good doctor and all this faith surrounding her.

No matter how bleak the picture the doctor had to paint to just prepare us... she is in God's hands and we will believe.

The Beginning

Many years ago I was looking for something fun to do with my daughter for her birthday. By now, I don't remember what year that was. A co-worker recommended I take her to Ann Arbor to a very special delicatessen for lunch and spend some time hanging out at Kerrytown Mall (not the typical, but a very special place all housed in one old style building). So, we did.

Ann Arbor, despite it's size and the fact that it houses a campus community of many thousand students right in the middle of it, has a unique small town ambiance about it. It is a fun place to hang out with lots of interesting shops to wander around in. It was the beginning of something we'd do once in a while just for the fun of it and because sometimes you just need to go to Zingermans.

My daughter loved Ann Arbor. It was a town where she always wanted to live. Well, finally, she has rented a spot in Ann Arbor and next Friday, June 1, her lease begins and she will be moving in. She is excited and scared to death all at the same time.

Jamelah has signed up to take a 10 week course in Arabic (1 year of the language crammed into 10 short weeks). When she began considering that she might take the class we had a really good feel about it. This seemed to be a good direction for her to take her life. So, she applied, got accepted and began figuring out a budget that would get fees paid and expenses for the period she would be there. Once the plan began to take shape she resigned her job. This made it really final, but there was no need to hang onto a position, that only provided a small income, but did not provide any hope for the future. Sometimes it was a bit intimidating, but always we felt an assurance that this was a step that God wanted her to take and that He would provide for her as she walked out in faith.

I will be babysitting Sweet Pea since she couldn't find a sublet where she could take her "baby" with her. Ann Arbor is a short 45 minute drive from home and I'm sure she will be coming home to see us and do fun stuff like laundry.

It seems strange to think that "my baby" will be leaving home. Her only time away was the semester she spent in Venice. Somehow, I think this is the beginning of her life adventure. Looking for that something she can pour herself into. I am praying and hoping for doors and opportunities to open for her. It is the beginning. Or maybe, the beginning was that Saturday years ago when we spent the day hanging out in Ann Arbor and eating at Zingermans.

Those Little New Hope Critters

I have mentioned that I work part time as a church secretary. I rather like the job, but some weeks, Pastor will be attending a conference or whatever and it gets really "quiet" around here.

I was having one of THOSE quiet weeks, when I started getting a creepy sensation along my neck. You know the feeling, the hairs stand up and you have cold chills. I knew I wasn't alone anymore. Now, I'm not psychic or anything. I had proof I wasn't alone. That proof was the constant patter of tiny feet in the ceiling tiles just over my head.

"Oh Crap!' I thought. It must be a mouse up there. Our church is located in a rural setting (just outside city limits) and mice peering out around things is not uncommon. They don't usually come into my office, though, unless we're beginning to be over run by them. One gentleman in our church is an exterminator and a couple years ago he began providing the church with his services after a winter where the church was over run with mice. I haven't seen one since that winter nor any tell tale signs that they are lurking about.

So... anyway, there is a mouse running around in the ceiling tiles over my head. I backed my chair up and peered at the ceiling over my desk trying to see where a weak point might be, just in case, the critter should drop through and fall on top of my head. After a thorough inspection of the ceiling I decide that the mouse is not going o fall on top of me and decide to get back to work. I'm quite successful at it for a while, but every once in a while that pitter/patter sound still gave me the creeps.

Then the sounds went from "pitter/patter" to "What the heck." Now and then there would be a loud kerplunk, followed by a thunk/thunk sound, then skittering noises and then...

and then...

I decided, WAIT! This can't be a mouse. It's making too much noise. It must be a squirrel. Another scenario with which I am familiar since my home at one time was frequently invaded by squirrels. However, they seldom got beyond the attic part of the house, so although I heard them, I never saw them. We had a huge walnut tree that shadowed the rear of the house and our back porch. In the fall you'd swear the squirrels were using those walnuts for bowling balls as you could hear the nuts rolling down over the roof. Finally, 2 years ago we cut that tree down. I love trees. But that one really made a mess and one year a fallen walnut even broke my daughter's windshield. So, I haven't missed that tree. But, it did give me experience w/the sound squirrels make, but I digress. Back to the church!

So, OK, then. Not a mouse. Probably a squirrel. It is spring. Nesting time for all God's creatures and I decided the louder noises were just the little buggers moving the furniture into a more comfortable arrangement. Not happy about that, but figured as long as they don't come through the ceiling it will wait until the next day when Pastor will be back.

My 4 hrs up... I went home leaving the nesting squirrels to their own devices until the next day. I decided to email pastor and let him know we had been invaded just in case he dropped by the church before morning. I tried to be cute and told him that the sounds over my head sounded like they were dragging around dead bodies, so just in case I didn't show up the next day, he'd want to investigate the tiles over the office of the church and see if you could find me tied up there.

Next morning I got to work on time, peeking carefully around my door, wondering if anything is going to run at me. Nothing did. So I entered, dropped my stuff on the desk, rounded it and bent over to turn on my computer. "Swoosh" over my head. I stood up thinking, OH. MY. GOD. THAT. HAS. TO. BE. A. BAT.

I'm not going to get all carried away here, but bats give me the heebee-jeebies. I stood up and found myself eye level with a lovely little sparrow which had lit on the top shelf of my work station. Swoosh! Off it flew. Into pastor's office.

I followed in into Pastor's office and it was clearly distraught, flying at the windows trying to get out. I tried to open the outside door to his office but it has a deadbolt lock and there wasn't a key around. So, then I tried opening the windows. I finally got them open, then ran for the door between our offices and slammed it. I was hoping the bird would find its way out. I stood listening as the poor creature flew around in there bumping into things.

I went back to my office and email pastor (since he enters his office through the outside door) to watch out for something flying at his head. Then I decided I'd better try to get some work done. That's when I noticed the noise in his office had stopped.

I carefully opened the door and peeped in, then walked and looked everywhere but couldn't see the bird. I listened and heard the familiar chirping sound but it was not coming from just outside the opened window. I quickly shut windows so the little guy couldn't get back in and breathed a heavy sigh of relief.

A few minutes later Pastor arrived ready to do whatever needed to be done to get the bird out of our office. I told him all was well and the creature had left.

Then I asked him why the creatures only showed up when he was out of town. "Well," he said, "You know what they say; when the boss is away the creatures play!"

Uh-huh, uh-huh. That's right!

Wait! Does My Job Description Cover This?

A wintry mess, mistakenly called "wintry mix" by the weatherman dropped sleet which quickly turned the roads to ice then nicely turned into a white wonderland of snow on top of the slick. I was sure I'd not get into work that morning, but luckily I was able to extract the car from the 4in of snow over ice and make it in.

As I turned into the church drive, I saw our youth pastor's car had slid off the side of the drive and was just sitting there. Poor kid, I thought. It's not like that hasn't happened to me a time or two. It just goes with driving a car in the winter in Michigan.

I crept around the circular drive and parked, hearing my name being called, as I opened the car door. I looked around for the source of my name. I'm old enough now to know it wasn't God hailing me from the heavens. Pastor and James (our youth pastor) were coming towards me with a plan.

"Drive your car back up to where James's car is and park off to the side" pastor instructed me. "Then you steer his car and James and I are going to push it out."

I'm game, I thought. So, I crawled back in and crept my car back up the slicky drive and parked "out of the way". Just so you know. The "wintry mix" is still coming down. And it is more ice than snow and more rain than ice... and it is awful. I crawl out of my car, now totally soaked through, which is OK, because I've just got hit by a laughing fit. Pastor and James are standing in knee deep snow in front of James's car patiently waiting for me, and I'm doubled over... laughing my head off.

"As soon as I get back to the office, I'm checking my job description to see if this is covered in it!" I gasp out through laughter, not sure if the wet on my cheeks is tears from laughing so hard or the freezing rain. Pastor informs me that it is covered and actually, I should be pushing and he should be steering, but he's not going to make me do that on this particular morning.

So, I gather my wits and get on with the job at hand. I start up the car,
the guys push...
and we go through the routine twice.
No luck.
The tires are just over the blacktopped surface and keep digging themselves deeper into the soft earth.

Pastor stretches face first down on the wet drive so he can get a better look under the car. I look at my spiritual leader and understand why I am willing to follow this man. God bless him. He rises to his feet and announces that the business is futile. We will have to call a tow truck. So, we all head back inside. I offer the guys a ride in my car to get them out of the weather but they both refuse. What would be the point at this time.

I head for the lady's room and have a look at my drowned head and wonder why I don't keep a comb. With paper towels I get myself as dry as possible and try to arrange my hair the best I can. It turns into some type spiked hairdo... and I decide that it's cool that way. I wish I had the courage to wear it like that all the time. What fun.

And what a fun way to start a day's work. The rest of the day was pretty ordinary from there on out.