Valentine's Day

Or, how lots of my Facebook friends have been writing it: VD.

Which I know is just laziness, however, my mind just keeps turning to Venereal Disease because, that's what VD is in my  mind.

Jon did not buy me roses. Instead, he knows my favorites are tulips. So he came home last night with a boquet of them.  He also bought me Crown Royal whiskey and whiskey sour mix...ah, he does love me!

It has been a tough time lately as he was injured at work.  And  needed an MRI.  Lots of stress.

His foreman is still being a jerk.  At least the owner of the company isn't.

I am not big on Have-To Holidays.  I love Halloween. (Hence the light up skeletons that are a permanent fixture in my home and were a gift from one of Jon's friend's mothers who is quite possibly the sweetest woman who ever lived.  But I do appreciate that Jon wanted to gift me some tulips. A lot.

Today, I bleached my roots. I have a hard time keeping up with them as the colder the weather, the faster my hair seems to grow.  But, it turned out nicely, and here I am, my bangs not all the way grown out, but grown out enough that they no longer annoy me, and wearing makeup, which rarely happens.

T

Snow is the Bane of my Existance

The following happened this week:

     I caught my boss' cold because he can't stay off my phone or computer and apparently doesn't wash his hands when he blows his nose.  To this day, I cannot figure out why a billion dollar company doesn't believe it is necessary for the store manager to have his own computer in his own office...but, they don't, so the receiving desk, which is MINE currently, is the closest available computer...and therefore when he's sick, I get sick.  So I have spent this week coughing so hard it hurts and I accidentally pee a little. NOT fun at all.

    Jon discovered his rotator cuff  issue needs an MRI to determine actual damage and whether or not he needs surgery. Sucks working for companies who only look out for themselves at the expense of their workers. I am only glad worker's comp is a thing.  I can't even imagine the bill for his three physical therapy seesions a week, his several appointments, and the cost of the MRI. I really hope surgery ISN'T necessary.  In the mean time, he is severely  restricted to no use of his left arm at all. I know he complains about therapy, but at least they are trying to keep it pliable.

    I have been a worthless git because I haven't done a dish in over a week, the carpet needs swept, the bathroom needs cleaned, the kitty litter needs changed, as does the bunny litter, and I have done SOME laundry, but basically wore the exact same outfit, barring underwear and socks the entire week because I didn't feel well and didn't want to do too much laundry.  I should probably get on that. But, Jon is still asleep and I was woken up by my own coughing...as I have been every night since Sunday...and then couldn't get back to sleep.  I wake up  about six times or more a night; coughing. It it not a lot of fun.  Sometimes, I feel like I'm coughing so hard I will puke. Yeah. Fun times. 

     The big snow from last week has turned into massive brown snow piles along every intersection and driveway on the main roads. It is very, very ugly, and reminds me how dirty the city is and makes for dangerous conditions as it is impossible for anyone to pull out into traffic except on a wing and a prayer. Basically line of sight is impossible. You have to pull so far forward to see traffic, that you are ALREADY in traffic.  And it doesn't matter if you are in my little car or an SUV.  The piles are THAT high.

   My hi lo gets stuck in one inch of snow. No shit.  Unloading trucks in it is a crap shoot when the snow removal company NEVER shows up when the store is OPEN so that sidelot hasn't seen a plow.  My manager has been running a snow thrower through it this winter so we can get a PATH to drive in. Really. Ridiculous!

      The salesman from Blue dog food came to our store.  He brought bribes of a full mean of Panera Bread for everyone, we just had to listen to his spiel.  And, yeah, I was bad.  I ate the yummy ham, bacon, lettuce, tomato on yummy bread sandwich, the bread, and the super yummy broccoli cheese soup that tastes exactl y like the one my mom makes and the small bit of baguette that was in my bag of food. Yeah. I have lots of gas this morning and I was foggy minded for a while yesterday, but oh, YUM!  At least it was yummy enough for me to regret it later.  I really need to learn how to make that soup. I know all I really need to do is to replace the flour with rice flour and figure out a good cheese substitute for Velveeta...cause my mom's recipe uses Velveeta which is not a food, really, and I highly suspect the same for the Panera bread recipe.  And, I need to add MORE broccoli. I love broccoli.

    The sky is still ugly and grey.  I cannot wait until the skies are blue, the sun is out and it is above 30 degrees. No kidding. I get so cold doing my job that my skin chaps and turns dry, red, and angry. Especially my ass. Apparently, cold weather chaps my ass.

Ground Hog Day

Yeah, I'd say six more weeks of winter in Michigan. Not that I have any idea if there was a ground hog who was hardy enough to come out in the 16 inches of snow Wayne County, Michigan received overnight.  I do know my boss was bummed that I couldn't make it in today. I guess no one else could either, go figure. 

Here are some photos:

                                     BEECH DALY ROAD NEAR FIVE MILE ROAD

     Don't be deceived. The above photo is actually a four lane road with nearly a foot of snow still getting cars trapped when they attempt to turn left blanketing the turn lane. It was still like this at dark. Nothing had changed. The road crews are swamped.

                                           WHAT REDFORD SIDE STREETS LOOK LIKE

     My street still looks like that. And, my boss wonders why my little car was down for the count.  The plows were getting closer. I'm hoping they make it here tomorrow by time to leave for work.  That would certainly make it easier. Not sure what kind of humor my boss will be in if I can't make it in again.

                                                            

                                                            MY BACK YARD

     Pretty dull and boring. And yes, those are the limbs of the tree that are still lying there from the incident where the tree hit my house since I don't have a chainsaw.  All that "fog" is actually tiny snow flakes about the size of fine sugar.

                                                            SCAMPERING DOGGIES

                                                        EMMA DOES ZOOMIES

  Okay, okay there IS a cooler in my backyard. I don't even know why anymore. Probably because its gross. Who knows? There WAS a reason, but now, I don't know. Too much has happened this year.

                                                  DOGGLES IS NOT AMUSED

    He's my little Napoleon. He hates inclement  weather and snow up to his belly is pretty much considered inclement in his book.

                                                  THERE WAS MUCH PRANCING

                                         JON'S MOSTLY BROKEN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE

  It did get us out. But, note the snow on the headlamps and in the wheels. It was a process even for it.

   Today is my friend Ruth's  birthday. She lives much too far away to go and eat pizza with tonight. I'm sad. I wanted to.

    Instead, I spent today pushing people out of our street when they go stuck and clearing away snow, and being hopelessly bored, actually. Snow is boring, people.  It's not like I could go anywhere and do anything.

Uninspired recap of my too short vacation

I made it home for Christmas last week, finally. 

Had a lot of fun, nothing too exciting as the weather was pretty awful.  Snow, below zero temperatures, and a lot of wind hampered our activities list.  But I got to see my parents, my brother and his family, and the new house my brother is renting which is a huge improvement over their last rental.


The dogs had a LOT of fun with the Sock Thing that my dad found in his basement. My grandma made it I don't even know how many years ago, when she was babysitting my brother and I.  So, a LONG time ago.

 The pricked ears of Doggles indicate that someone was in the kitchen.  He's always alert to whether or not someone is in a kitchen.

  

 Going back to work was rough so this post is certainly very uninspired.  Hopefully the next one will be more entertaining.

After Holiday Blog

So, having been absent for most of the holidays, I'm back to tell you all, whomever you may be, how it went.

At work it went like this:

         Random Customer:  I need a pair of insulated Carhartt bibs size 34X34.
         Me:  Okay. Well, the selection on the rack is what is available as Carhartt goes into production in the spring and we are all out of that size. I can possibly check another store for you, however, that is a popular size and the odds are low. It is also too late to order them from Carhartt directly; so even if they ARE in stock and available, they will not get here by Christmas.  And if I DO find them at another store it is too late for them to ship UPS so that you could get them by Christmas so if I find a pair you will have to drive there yourself.
         Random Customer (sounding hopeful): Okay, let's check another store. I don't care what color. I just NEED that size.
         Me: Okay. (Checking other store's inventories on the computer, calling several stores.)  Sadly, no one has that size.  I'm sorry to disappoint, but that's just the way it is.  (Thinking to myself, ESPECIALLY when you WAIT  until the week BEFORE Christmas.) 
         Random Customer (now, clearly disappointed and even crestfallen):  Shit. (Customer then goes to rack, picks up clearly INCORRECT size, walks to cash register and asks:  If these are the wrong size, can they be exchanged?

Yeah, that is exactly how it went.

At home it went like this:

         Jon:  It's Christmas Eve. My aunt is having a family party.  Do you want to go?
         Me:  I'm really tired. I just worked all day with unreasonable  customers. I'm grouchy and I don't think I'd be very good company; so why don't you go and I'll stay here?

          Hours later--
          Jon: Can you come and get me? I'm too drunk to drive.
          Me: I'd be glad to except your aunt moved in the spring and I don't know where she lives now.
          Jon: Oh, that's not good (drunkenly)  I'll call my dad. (Hangs up phone before he thinks to tell me cross streets because he IS SOOOOOO wasted.

          Twenty or so minutes later--
          Door opens. I am on the toilet.
          Jon staggers into the bathroom:  Hey. I had a good time.
          Me: Uh, yeah, could you go away?  I for some reason have an upset stomach and would like to use the toilet in peace.
          Jon:  I saw people I haven't seen in years.
          Me: I'm POOPING GO AWAY!!!!!
          Jon: Oh, Okay.  (staggers out of the bathroom and into the living room, falls to floor, falls sound asleep in seconds)
          I finish my bathroom visit, come out, realize he's NOT wearing a shirt anymore. Oh, hell, this is going to be bad.  Ask where his shirt is, he doesn't know. Ask where his keys are, has no clue. Ask where his Jeep is, he says its at the end of the street. Ummm???? Oh, hells, he REALLY DIDN'T drive did he?  No.  I ask again. End of his AUNT'S STREET.
            I chuck a blanket at him and leave him for dead.
        
            Christmas Day--
           I wake up, realize Jon has since migrated from the floor to the bed. Go sit on the couch, play on the interwebs, bitch to my best friend about him, because I KNOW today is ruined.  Ruined!    Jon becomes conscious at 9 am; is STILL drunk, STAGGERS to the bathroom and vomits. And vomits. Annnnddd....vomits. 
              For hours.
              Eventually, I express my extreme displeasure over this behavior because someone who is almost 30 got this drunk and ruined our plans to go eat Christmas dinner at the Indian resturant we frequent.  And, eventually, we go pick up his Jeep. Jon learns he was lying outside his aunt's house on the porch shirtless puking because he was super drunk.  And that she told his cousins to pull him inside. They did. He continued to lie near the door so he could puke OUT it.  And that his dad had to pick him UP and throw his ass in the van. A feat I didn't think his father was capable of. But apparently is. Jon is a BIG GUY.   Jon goes and gets take out Indian for me in way of an apology, and all is well. 

           New Years Eve--
           Nothing remarkable happens. Jon has caught a bad cold or flu because the super drunk has ruined his immune system  We both fall asleep before midnight.  I wake up at the sound of the neighborhood exploding as idiots everywhere light off fireworks in a neighborhood...Jon snores. The dog, shaking from the noise, comes to cuddle in bed.  I go back to sleep.

And that, is that.







       

6 December Photo Blog

 Our small blue spruce.  Potted,  and wearing only lights and Krang.  Krang is the traditional tree topper at our house.

I got a new camera, so hopefully this will lead to more photo blogs as I am much happier with the photos this camera takes than the camera I have had for fourteen years. It had stopped functioning properly a few years ago and I just wondered why I was having so much difficulty taking a decent photo.

                                                 The stem of a heritage pumpkin.

                                                       Jon and Emma having a cuddle.
                                             

                                Doggles looking, as usual, photogenic and ready for a snuggle.

 Emma, in her Super Dog pose.

 

Moose, my old friend.

                                                     Playing with the black and white settings.

                                                                    My pretty orchid.

5 December

There are things I wonder.

Such as why is it okay for my husband to comment on an annoying child screeching like a Ring Wraith at the next table, but not for me to comment on some woman's superficial and ridiculous comments to a woman she clearly could care less about but felt for some reason compelled to speak to in passing.

 Guess there is a difference?  I don't see it.

Guess my husband has a bug up his ass again. And "This is why I don't want to take you places."

Gee. Thanks.

And sometimes I wonder why I stick around.  The difference here is I don't throw it in his face.  I don't threaten.  But, sometimes, I wonder. And, maybe, someday, I won't be here.