Thursday -- 10-24-13

Its chilly here too.  Thermostat in the car said 48° on the way to work this morning.  There's a freeze warning from 2am-10am tomorrow morning.  

The job stuff made the paper, so I guess its public knowledge now www.therecordherald.com/.../131029939

Fingers crossed for you and DH, Steph, so that you aren't part of the cutbacks. Ugh.

It's chilly here, but the sun is out, so not bad.

Callie, from yesterday, I could never live in Florida. I'm very popular with men in the 70 and above crowd; I just know I'd never be able to leave my house without a bunch of geezer groupies. 

Not to mention what a hazard you'd be on I-4 -- I mean none of us would be safe!! You'd soon starve to death tho -- there would be no safe time at all for you to go to Publix for groceries.

Sorry -- that is sad.  Such a self-less person, Tina.  (*looking around for my shovel* it could get fragrant in here by noon)  

Why do these companies always seem to screw people over around the holidays ?

@sharismom

I'm very popular with men in the 70 and above crowd

I believe that makes you a geezer pleaser, Tina.

Deb W.

@iluvjamison

Why do these companies always seem to screw people over around the holidays ?

Fiscal year end -- they have to report their cost-cutting efforts to shareholders I'm sure.  Not that it excuses it -- but it's likely the "why" of it. 

@iluvjamison

@sharismom

I'm very popular with men in the 70 and above crowd

I believe that makes you a geezer pleaser, Tina.

Bwahahahaha!

That's disturbing.

Steph - I'm still hoping that things will work out with your company and jobs will stay here. I didn't realize you worked for Johnson Controls. DH applied for a job with them many years ago but nothing ever came of it. Looked like a great company though.

We're in the mid 80s again today but then start dropping and our high will be in the mid 60s next week. It's been an unusually warm month for us and I've tried to enjoy every minute of it. I was just sitting on my deck last night enjoying a glass of wine and thinking how much I'll miss that when the weather gets yucky.

Tracy - to your question yesterday about whether DH will have to take the written test again - yes. I'd think it'll be easier next time but he'll still need to study hard. The practical is the biggest hurdle though. He did well on the 1st two segments, including the driving. It was the 3rd (of 5) segments that he got the critical fail. It was the pre-trip and he'd gone through all the steps one time. You have to verbalize everything to the proctor. Something was off though (brake reading?) and so he had to stop to address that and when he started again, he skipped a step. When he was describing it, I wanted to cry. I'd have never made it as far as he did and now I know why so few pass. I completely understand the need for them to be thorough with the testing but I'm not sure the end result is necessarily the best candidate. I'm probably a little biased though. I know he'd be an excellent engineer.

Went out to the garden last evening after work to gather anything that was left (Peppers and tomatoes, a bit of basil)  I said goodbye to everyone and told them I would see them in the spring.   I know...that does sound nuts but I do it every year.  When you put in the work it's sad to see it all  go away :(

Anyhoo...we are getting a freeze tonight.  Temps down to 26 I think they said. 

Busy day here training for a new software program that  my computer didnt like so it's gotta be upgraded before I can move forward...darn I was actually kinda excited about it.  

Have a good evening all and specially safe travels for the resident geezer pleazer :)

ETA: ((Steph and Family))

ETA Again:  for my bad spelling

@iluvjamison

Why do these companies always seem to screw people over around the holidays ?

It does seem that way, doesn't it?  My bosses laid off my only coworker 2 weeks before Christmas last year.  Needless to say, it wasn't a happy holiday season for her.  On a good note, she started a new job a couple weeks ago and loves it so far.  She had to move an hour away, but she was ready for a change.  After she told me the incredible benefits they give to staff (beyond typical insurance & retirement stuff  -- I'm talking free gym memberships, regular social activities, full ergonomic assessment and support for office furniture set-up, excellent on-site cafeteria, etc.), I told her I might have to apply there myself!

Ginger, I understand saying a sad goodbye to the garden for the season.  I was just telling Ruby the other day as we enjoyed some sun in the yard, "We may have to say goodbye to the sun soon!"

Cathy, that's a bummer that your husband would have to take that written portion all over again!  The way you described the technical/practical portion reminds me of what my friend had to do to get her PT license -- doing a patient assessment/treatment in front of people while describing it all, etc.  I hope he stays encouraged about trying again next time.

I'm ready for a good night's sleep.  DH has a cold, so his snoring is much worse than normal.  I've been getting short intervals of sleep all week.  Ugh.

Gosh -- the most interesting sunset tonight -- not individual clouds - it looked like someone had taken quilt baqtting and *stre-e-e-t-t-t-ched it across the sky (so some holes but a defintie continuous horizontal texture.  But all of it **ALL** of it was this light neon apricot color ... over the dark blue sky.  Amazing.  never seen anything like it.

Got home -- looking for hummingbirds in my unkempt hedge.  Really about 10 minutes too late for them ... but there was ONE straggler.  Gin I could never call you weird -- I talk and talk to the humming birds and they seem to like it.  

I'm easily amused - give me an interesting sky and one lonely hummingbird and I'm good! LOL

Tracy -- didn't see yours.  Sorry your husband is under the weather ... and Cathy's going thru changes ... dark days of fall are setting in.  

My folks wound up with 2" of snow that has **stayed** (very western part of NY State) -- they are not happy but esigned.  Ginger -- my Mom **lives** to be in her garden.  

Hmmmm.  Well, my post disappeared.  2/3's of the way through it.  Crud.

Had to come home mid afternoon with a migraine and now I just feel like someone unplugged me.  No packing will be done tonight.  Since the delightful folks at UHaul suddenly decided that someone else needed the truck I reserved 3 weeks ago, and that if I needed a truck I could drive 30 miles to get one, 30 miles to return it AND pay a buck a mile for their annoyance, we'll just use the weekend to get the kitchen and bathrooms set up, and do a ton of little stuff that's always so darned annoying and get the truck on Monday.  I really feel totally unprepared for a Saturday move, so this will make my life easier.

Haven't had a second to read, so hope everyone is doing well.

Grr I really hate all of that China and Mexico outsourcing garbage.

I need to pull out all of my winter gear for this weekends sar camp. I'm feeling very unprepared for it this year. And it is so cold already!

I had a pretty exciting conversation today at work that might result in me going to Colorado for a few weeks in December. It would be to help with all the emergency relief they have going on from the floods in Boulder. I hope it works out. It would be an awesome opportunity. Plus I would get to scope out the living/working situation there to see if it is some place I would really like to be in the future. Colorado or California are in my list of possible ideal places to live :) fingers crossed!

Good luck with the job, Steph. I just hate hearing about jobs going overseas.

Our garden was pretty much a bust this year but it's always sad to see the growing season end. I don't like having to buy my veggies in a grocery store - I loved going to the CSA farm all summer for fresh, organic veggies. I never realized how much better the carrots tasted until I bought a bag of baby carrots last week. :(

I talk to my birds and hummingbirds, too. Well, actually the hummingbirds give ME a talking to... when the feeders are empty! They hover outside my office window and stare at me. I don't understand hummingbird language completely but I'm pretty sure they're saying something like, "Hey human lady! I'm hungry, and the feeders are empty. Hello?! HELLO?!"

Good luck Julie - Colorado is awesome. Cost of living in Boulder is pretty high, though. Lots of rich hippies there. lol