To catch up a bit:
On Thursday, I did, indeed, take a little nap. By then it was past raining, exactly, but continued to sprinkle the rest of the daylight hours till nearly Sunset Celebration. I did go out to stock up on pop, but I was still so full from lunch that I didn't have dinner. Instead, I got some ice cream at the homemade place on Duval, where the chick there slipped me a foreign coin with my change (which I didn't notice, of course, until later). I also did a little geocaching, since there were several new ones placed since my last visit, and a couple of them were nearby.
Then I went to Sunset Celebration, which was a little less interesting than I had found it in the past, maybe because the rain/not rain kept some of the coo-coos away. The guy with the trained cats was there, though. And he announced that his old cat, almost 20, had "rejoined the universe six months ago....so many stars to visit!". I thought that was a very sweet way to put it. Later, after it was full dark, I went down to take a night swim. The pool area is not illuninated but the pool is, and I had the whole place to myself for an entire hour! It was so nice floating back and forth, with palm trees and the building surrounding me. Heaven!
On Friday, I awoke to a grey sky. Really? AGAIN? I putzed around the hotel a bit, then went down to check out, but leave my bag until it was closer to time to go back to the ferry. I was kind of stuck with my sun hat, since I couldn't check that with my bag, and I felt a little stupid with it, since it was clearly not sunny. It was, however, really good for the constant sprinkle that lasted most of the day. I first walked down to get a couple of geocaches by the Coast Guard ship that is permanently docked there. I didn't tour it because I didn't want to spend the necessary $10. The ship was the USCGC Ingham, which took part in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam, and was the most decorated vessel of its time (received 35 awards and has the only confirmed kill, for a Coast Guard ship, of a U-boat in WWII). It was also part of the Mariel Boatlift which helped hundreds of Cubans to reach the US in 1980.
I used my foreign coin as swag for one of the caches, so that worked out OK. I then walked down to one near the cemetery, called Flying Pigs (really cute). It is at the cache owner's home, so I was prepared to meet him, but I guess he wasn't around. Very interesting place, though, with lots of statuary and artwork around. Then I walked around to the gate of the cemetery for another cache, and to go inside to look around. They actually have maps available to the graves of prominent KW citizens, so I walked around there for probably an hour. The Jewish cemetery corner was interesting, since it had no flowers, only small stones on the gravesites. These are left in remembrance when someone visits, and it was cool to see, though I wondered if anyone left stones on the ones whom no one visited just so that they didn't look left out. As a whole, the cemetery was fascinating. So many styles of grave markers and coverings. One was covered in pots of cactus. Another had coreopsis growing in the enclosure. Some had shelters built over them, some were above ground, and others below. Really, I could have stayed there a lot longer, looking at everything. It was so, so hot, though, in spite of the sprinkling, and I wasn't sure if I was just wet from walking around all day, or from being completely sweat-soaked.
But it was getting toward midafternoon, it was semi-sunny and hot, and I had had nothing to eat, so I headed back toward the hotel. Sort of by accident, I ended up down at El Meson de Pepe's, the Cuban place I liked so much last time. I had a Ropa Vieja sandwich and fries, which was enough to keep me full through dinnertime again. I was debating between two sandwiches and asked the server which one was less food. She looked at me skeptically and said, "In Cuba, there is no such thing as less food". So, ropa vieja it was, served with two different sauces. The red one was especially good. Going to have to find out more about that.
Then I picked up a couple of drinks and snacks for the boat, picked up my bag, and went back to the ferry terminal. It seems that Friday was the beginning of bike week, an annual poker run from KW to Miami. The taxi driver told me that by Sunday, KW would be back to normal, but on Friday and Sat, Duval St was full of booths of all sorts of biker stuff, jewelry, clothes, souvenir stuff, and bikers - lots and lots of bikers, None of them seemed to be staying at the Westin, though. :)
The trip back was fine, though it rained a good bit of the time, and was still sprinkling when we reached Ft Myers. And it rained steadily all the way to Bradenton, though Cathy said it didn't rain here yesterday at all. (Of course not.)
Today, I spent most of the afternoon with Cathy, and Mark's granddaughter Hailey. We went to see Cathy and Mark's "vacation home" and went swimming there. Really great pool, and I had a good time. It has been awhile since I have swum laps in an outdoor pool and it was really nice. We also worked on getting Hailey to swim underwater. She's a smart little cookie, and she caught on fast.
Now I am recombobulating the condo, packing up, and getting ready to head north tomorrow. Not sure if I will be able to meet up with HJ or not, but I will try. I need to check the rest area map and see if there is anywhere near Atlanta that I can leave the travel bug I am carrying that wants to go back there. I would hate to get all the way back home with it. I didn't want to leave it in KW, since it wants to go to Atlanta.
It's been an imperfect trip with lots of aggravations, but I managed to salvage quite a few good times from it after all. I hope the drive back will be smooth. I need to stay on my timeline and get back before midnight because I have to be at work at 7:00 on Monday morning. But I think this might be my last week with Skeeterette, so there's that.
Saturday, September 20, 2014
Thursday, September 18, 2014
Welcome to "Sunny" Florida!
Well, the a/c guy came at 7:30, but since it was past closing time he couldn't check to see if they had the part he needed in stock. IF they did, they might be able to get it fixed on Wednesday. If not, a neighbor was arranged to come down and let him in while I was in Key West. He offered to hook up a temporary fan motor for the night, at the low, low cost of $150 (!!!), but I said no. So I passed a restless, hot night with no a/c.
The next morning I discovered that there was no water in the master bath shower. Hmm. I found that the hot water had been shut off at the water heater, and once I turned that on, I had hot water in the kitchen and in the bathroom sink (and in the other bathroom)....but nothing in the master bath shower, not even cold water. <sigh> Just an inconvenience for me, since the other shower works, but it's a pain for Mom and Dad, since they are already facing the a/c repair, and they will be replacing the fridge when they come down.
Cathy arrived mid-morning, just as I was talking to the a/c people to see when they might wander back with the part. They had it in stock, and I was next on the list, thanks to rain that canceled some outdoor jobs. (Yes, it was pouring rain.) Since it was going to be a bit before they got back to me, we decided to run down to see their "vacation home" just 20 minutes or so down the road. We had barely gotten two miles away, though, when they called and said they would be there in 30 min. So we turned around and went back to wait.
The guy finally got there an hour or so later, and we sat and talked while he was working, then we went out to lunch. After a long lunch, she dropped me back off at the condo, and we will get back together on Saturday, when we will go to the vacation place for a swim.
I ran down to Books-a-Million and picked up some clearance audiobooks, then went back and loaded one onto my iPod for the ferry trip. I was so involved with that that I never actually ended up having dinner, just snacked on things I had in the kitchen (OK, it was Root Beer Float Oreos). I tried to get to bed early, knowing I had to be up at 4:00 to leave for the ferry at 5:00, but I just couldn't get to sleep. I managed maybe, maybe four hours.
This morning, I got Ft Myers with time to spare, even though it rained just a bit on the way. I stopped to get gas so I wouldn't have to deal with it later. I went in to use the restroom, and a big guy walked ahead and turned to open the door for me. The door was foggy with humidity, and when he pulled it open, he pulled with it a small man who was coming out at the same time. They both looked startled - neither one had seen the other coming.It was sunny and hot when I boarded the boat, but before we could leave it was....you guessed it!....raining. It didn't last long, but stayed overcast the whole way. We took longer than usual getting here because they drove around some storms on the way down.
Because it was too early to check in, I stopped at Sloppy Joe's for lunch before going over to the Westin. The room was ready, though, so I am now checked in. My room overlooks the courtyard where the pool is. I would think about going down there for a dip but...... it's raining. Doesn't look like it will last, so in a bit I will go out for some drinks for the room (there is a fridge). The Westin thoughtfully provides umbrellas, but right now I think I might try out this yummy bed for a little nap. Maybe by the time I get up it won't be raining anymore.
Oh, for anyone wondering if my absentminded tourism also happens on domestic trips, the answer is "yes". I left my cellphone in the car at the dock (but fortunately remembered it in time to fetch it before we left), and then I left my hat in the restroom of the arrival dock here in Key West (and remembered it just as I got downstairs from the boat - it was still there when I went back).
The next morning I discovered that there was no water in the master bath shower. Hmm. I found that the hot water had been shut off at the water heater, and once I turned that on, I had hot water in the kitchen and in the bathroom sink (and in the other bathroom)....but nothing in the master bath shower, not even cold water. <sigh> Just an inconvenience for me, since the other shower works, but it's a pain for Mom and Dad, since they are already facing the a/c repair, and they will be replacing the fridge when they come down.
Cathy arrived mid-morning, just as I was talking to the a/c people to see when they might wander back with the part. They had it in stock, and I was next on the list, thanks to rain that canceled some outdoor jobs. (Yes, it was pouring rain.) Since it was going to be a bit before they got back to me, we decided to run down to see their "vacation home" just 20 minutes or so down the road. We had barely gotten two miles away, though, when they called and said they would be there in 30 min. So we turned around and went back to wait.
The guy finally got there an hour or so later, and we sat and talked while he was working, then we went out to lunch. After a long lunch, she dropped me back off at the condo, and we will get back together on Saturday, when we will go to the vacation place for a swim.
I ran down to Books-a-Million and picked up some clearance audiobooks, then went back and loaded one onto my iPod for the ferry trip. I was so involved with that that I never actually ended up having dinner, just snacked on things I had in the kitchen (OK, it was Root Beer Float Oreos). I tried to get to bed early, knowing I had to be up at 4:00 to leave for the ferry at 5:00, but I just couldn't get to sleep. I managed maybe, maybe four hours.
This morning, I got Ft Myers with time to spare, even though it rained just a bit on the way. I stopped to get gas so I wouldn't have to deal with it later. I went in to use the restroom, and a big guy walked ahead and turned to open the door for me. The door was foggy with humidity, and when he pulled it open, he pulled with it a small man who was coming out at the same time. They both looked startled - neither one had seen the other coming.It was sunny and hot when I boarded the boat, but before we could leave it was....you guessed it!....raining. It didn't last long, but stayed overcast the whole way. We took longer than usual getting here because they drove around some storms on the way down.
Because it was too early to check in, I stopped at Sloppy Joe's for lunch before going over to the Westin. The room was ready, though, so I am now checked in. My room overlooks the courtyard where the pool is. I would think about going down there for a dip but...... it's raining. Doesn't look like it will last, so in a bit I will go out for some drinks for the room (there is a fridge). The Westin thoughtfully provides umbrellas, but right now I think I might try out this yummy bed for a little nap. Maybe by the time I get up it won't be raining anymore.
Oh, for anyone wondering if my absentminded tourism also happens on domestic trips, the answer is "yes". I left my cellphone in the car at the dock (but fortunately remembered it in time to fetch it before we left), and then I left my hat in the restroom of the arrival dock here in Key West (and remembered it just as I got downstairs from the boat - it was still there when I went back).
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Headed South....Slowly
I am now in Bradenton, as of 12:30 this afternoon, but it's been a slow road getting here.
Actually, part of it was planned. The early part of the trip was flawless. I was on the road by about 5:15 AM. The car performed perfectly, I had lots of entertainment, and I made good time. It clouded up at Whitehaven, the KY welcome center, where I had stopped to eat my sandwich (and also found a geocache). It stayed cloudy, but never did rain, with the exception of a very few little sprinkles. I stopped for gas three times (Paducah, KY, Morrow, GA, and Alachua, FL (I was at a half tank that last stop, but it gave me enough to get the rest of the way here).
I had planned to stop in Atlanta to see two friends, Mike G and HJ, both of whom I met at Vaughantown in 2012. At the last minute, HJ had car problems that prevented him coming up, so that was a little disappointing. I found Mike's restaurant, Doc Greens, without a whole lot of trouble, though I think Mr TomTom was playing with me toward the end. On the map, it looked like a simple exit and a right turn. TomTom took me in a big circle for some reason, and I came up on the little strip from the other side, so I almost missed it (I had looked it up on Google Earth so it would look familiar). Mike and I had a nice dinner at his restaurant and a fun conversation - I think we sat there close to two hours.
I got through Atlanta before the rain started, but before Macon it started to really pour. I hate hard rain more than I hate hard snow, and since it was after dark by then, it was even worse. I decided to stop at Tifton, GA to sleep in the Walmart parking lot, since my drive time was messed up by both the stop and the slower speeds required in the rain. By the time I got to Tifton the rain had stopped, but it was killer humid. I got the car really cold, then got in the back to try to sleep, but it was no use. Opening the windows made it worse, (plus it was not as safe), and my new backseat has somewhat of a contour, so I couldn't get comfortable. I decided to just bite the bullet and get a motel.
I drove on to Adel, just down the road, and found a really great Days Inn. She asked if I had AAA, AARP, or was a senior (yes, yes, and uh, not even close), and I got a discount! She never asked to see either of my cards, though. The room was actually quite nice. It was on the main floor and my car was right outside the window. There was a fridge, a microwave, and coffee-making facilities, too! By then it was almost midnight, and I didn't take anything into the room except my purse. I just went in, took off my clothes, cranked the a/c up to high, and fell deeply asleep. I intended to get up and continue at 5:00 AM, but when I woke up it was full-on thunderstorming, so I went back to sleep until 6:00 AM. Same story, so back to sleep I went, until 7:00 AM, when it was no longer raining.
I justified the long stopover by figuring that if I had pushed through and come on down here, it was going to be close to 3:00 AM before I got here, then I would need to sleep, so I wouldn't be available to do anything until about noon, anyway. Plus, it was safer not to be driving in the hard rain and lightning, right? It rained a little during the morning, but it was never really bad. And when I got here, I discovered that there was one more reason that it was good that I had stopped - the a/c isn't working here (the fan won't run). It's currently 87 degrees in here, and I have now been waiting for the guy for three hours. I did run quickly to the grocery store, but can't really go anywhere else for fear that they will show up while I'm gone.
One little benefit of being stuck here is that I figured out how to use the mobile hotspot on my phone, but I'm sure it's eating data, so I won't spend the evening on the computer. Still, it's nice to have wifi here at the moment.
So - day #2 has been pretty much wasted. I would like to get to Capalbo's (Fire & Stone) for dinner, but I'm not sure that will be possible. When I talked to them an hour ago, they thought it might be another two hours before he got here. Cathy is having a cold tomorrow, so we are going to run around - not sure what we will be doing. I'm sure the Illinois tomatoes I have for her will make her feel much, much better. :)
Actually, part of it was planned. The early part of the trip was flawless. I was on the road by about 5:15 AM. The car performed perfectly, I had lots of entertainment, and I made good time. It clouded up at Whitehaven, the KY welcome center, where I had stopped to eat my sandwich (and also found a geocache). It stayed cloudy, but never did rain, with the exception of a very few little sprinkles. I stopped for gas three times (Paducah, KY, Morrow, GA, and Alachua, FL (I was at a half tank that last stop, but it gave me enough to get the rest of the way here).
I had planned to stop in Atlanta to see two friends, Mike G and HJ, both of whom I met at Vaughantown in 2012. At the last minute, HJ had car problems that prevented him coming up, so that was a little disappointing. I found Mike's restaurant, Doc Greens, without a whole lot of trouble, though I think Mr TomTom was playing with me toward the end. On the map, it looked like a simple exit and a right turn. TomTom took me in a big circle for some reason, and I came up on the little strip from the other side, so I almost missed it (I had looked it up on Google Earth so it would look familiar). Mike and I had a nice dinner at his restaurant and a fun conversation - I think we sat there close to two hours.
I got through Atlanta before the rain started, but before Macon it started to really pour. I hate hard rain more than I hate hard snow, and since it was after dark by then, it was even worse. I decided to stop at Tifton, GA to sleep in the Walmart parking lot, since my drive time was messed up by both the stop and the slower speeds required in the rain. By the time I got to Tifton the rain had stopped, but it was killer humid. I got the car really cold, then got in the back to try to sleep, but it was no use. Opening the windows made it worse, (plus it was not as safe), and my new backseat has somewhat of a contour, so I couldn't get comfortable. I decided to just bite the bullet and get a motel.
I drove on to Adel, just down the road, and found a really great Days Inn. She asked if I had AAA, AARP, or was a senior (yes, yes, and uh, not even close), and I got a discount! She never asked to see either of my cards, though. The room was actually quite nice. It was on the main floor and my car was right outside the window. There was a fridge, a microwave, and coffee-making facilities, too! By then it was almost midnight, and I didn't take anything into the room except my purse. I just went in, took off my clothes, cranked the a/c up to high, and fell deeply asleep. I intended to get up and continue at 5:00 AM, but when I woke up it was full-on thunderstorming, so I went back to sleep until 6:00 AM. Same story, so back to sleep I went, until 7:00 AM, when it was no longer raining.
I justified the long stopover by figuring that if I had pushed through and come on down here, it was going to be close to 3:00 AM before I got here, then I would need to sleep, so I wouldn't be available to do anything until about noon, anyway. Plus, it was safer not to be driving in the hard rain and lightning, right? It rained a little during the morning, but it was never really bad. And when I got here, I discovered that there was one more reason that it was good that I had stopped - the a/c isn't working here (the fan won't run). It's currently 87 degrees in here, and I have now been waiting for the guy for three hours. I did run quickly to the grocery store, but can't really go anywhere else for fear that they will show up while I'm gone.
One little benefit of being stuck here is that I figured out how to use the mobile hotspot on my phone, but I'm sure it's eating data, so I won't spend the evening on the computer. Still, it's nice to have wifi here at the moment.
So - day #2 has been pretty much wasted. I would like to get to Capalbo's (Fire & Stone) for dinner, but I'm not sure that will be possible. When I talked to them an hour ago, they thought it might be another two hours before he got here. Cathy is having a cold tomorrow, so we are going to run around - not sure what we will be doing. I'm sure the Illinois tomatoes I have for her will make her feel much, much better. :)
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
Broken "Bird"
A few weeks ago, I had a dream that I had broken my left "bird" finger. Of course, it was only a dream. I even mentioned it to Mom and Dad, saying that if I need to have trigger finger surgery again, I bet it will be my left "bird" finger.
Last night, I dreamed again that I had broken that finger. And when I woke up, that finger was bent over and locked. I got it straightened and it locked a little as I bent it a few more times. I took Advil then, and I haven't had any further problems with it today. The knuckle is a little sore now, but it's been good all day.
So we will see what happens tonight.
Last night, I dreamed again that I had broken that finger. And when I woke up, that finger was bent over and locked. I got it straightened and it locked a little as I bent it a few more times. I took Advil then, and I haven't had any further problems with it today. The knuckle is a little sore now, but it's been good all day.
So we will see what happens tonight.
Skeeterette
OK, so remember my old, nasty little bosslet, Skeeter? Well, I must be working with his big sister. When the season first began, it was fun. We worked hard, as truck after truck brought so many carts of plants that we could hardly keep up with finding homes for them on shelves. In fact, lots of times we had carts all over because there was no shelf space. We all did everything, arranging, watering, putting away. Then the end of May came, and with it came a new "live nursery specialist". <sigh>
Let's just call her Skeeterette. She is slightly younger than me, and came to us from Texas (where the market was completely different, for one thing). She is loud and rude, and she apparently knows nothing - I mean nothing - about plants. She told us that she was a seasonal at a store in TX 18 months ago, but now she tells everyone she has worked for the company for two years. IN two years (2013 and 2014), maybe, but not FOR two years. Anyway, my main gripe with her is that she is so ignorant. She consistently puts sun plants in the shade and vice versa, she does not seem to grasp that certain kinds of potting material do not hold water well, and no matter how often or how much you water them, they will not stay wet for any period of time. As time has gone on, she has become increasingly hostile to me, and at this point she either ignores me or talks down to me. I can't even tell you how many times she has talked to me as though it was my first day and I was somewhat slow. Irritating as hell, especially from someone so stupid. She is a total control freak and it has gotten to a point where I am afraid to do anything, like putting things away, because I know she will come behind me and change it.
A couple of times it has really come to a head. In one instance, we were told by a manager to put small palm trees against the fence and the larger ones on a low table. We installed signage above the small ones, on the fence, and everything was approved by the manager. That night, she came in, swapped the two sizes around, tore down our sign, and threw it in among the small palms. In the morning, we put it back the way it had been. When she came in in the afternoon, she blew a gasket, demanding to know WHO kept doing this, changing what she did. When I told her that the mgr had told us to do it that way, she went stomping off to him to see if I was lying. A few minutes later, she came back, but said nothing to me. Then about 20 minutes later, she told me, in a very, condescending way, that we had to put the small palms by the fence because the big ones would get knocked over by the wind. I said I knew that, that's why we were told to do it that way in the first place.
The other day, she came in and found me checking my (company) email, and asked if I was watering. I said yes, that is what I was supposed to do. Then I went to refill my water bottle. When I came back, I told her that I had been told that I was now on weekday team, but was assigned to garden until they no longer needed waterers. She barely let me finish my sentence before she cut me off, saying her boss had told her all about it. So I asked why she asked me if I was watering. She completely ignored me, turned to another guy, and started a different conversation with him. So I asked again why she asked me if I was watering. She then turned back to me and snapped, "Nancy, I am helping Kevin right now. I was just thinking out loud, that's all, just thinking out loud!" She was still calling me by the wrong name two months after she came (we had words about that one day, too). She can't ever be wrong, or ever apologize, by the way. She just acts like it's no big deal. She called our only black employee by the wrong name repeatedly, and when she was corrected she just waved her hand, like "so what". She also bought everyone a Gatorade one day, but didn't buy him one, even though he was standing right there.
Today, it poured rain most of the morning. The other waterer ended up going home mid-morning because he was soaked and cold. I was outside working, though, and didn't know he had gone. One of the other managers came out looking for Skeeterette, but I said I had no idea she wasn't in the house plants, where I had last seen her. When she finally reappeared, she was carrying a huge coffee. I asked if she had been at lunch, and she said yes, she had gone to get coffee. I told her she might have mentioned to me that she was leaving, since I was alone in the department, but she said, quite snottily, that she had "told everyone". Funny - there were three different people looking for her - plus a truck driver waiting to unload - who didn't seem to know where she was. I guess they weren't "everyone", either.
I have complained to HR about her attitude toward me, but she told them she thought I was "out to get her" from the beginning (which, I admit, is sort of true, but for good reason). One of the other knowledgeable waterers left instead of being assigned to another area because he simply could not stand to be around her one more minute. The company wonders why we have so many write-offs and don't make sales numbers. Maybe they should take a look around at the wrongly placed plants, and watch her as she discounts stuff randomly for people, even at the checkout! They haven't asked for a discount, she just gives them one. Now she has some customers trained to ask for a discount. They aren't getting one from me. Anyway, I will only have to work with her for a few more weeks, two of which I will be gone. Then it will all be on her. Once there is no one else to cover her butt it will be very apparent that she knows nothing. I really hope she won't be out there next year, or I might have to reevaluate whether I want to do it again. It's really a shame because, even though it was tough, it was really fun in the beginning. We had a great team and we all got along. She has ruined everything. You know it's bad when even people from other areas complain about her and her attitude and her big mouth. She has only one known ally in the store, another ex-Texan in flooring. The assistant store mgr in our area tends to side with her, too.
One little funny: As I was leaving today, she was outside on the fork truck, and she hollered to me to ask the seasonal guy to come unlock the gate so she could get back in. I found the guy and told him she needed him. He said, "You know, you could walk really slowly if you want." I think he thought I had to go back out. I told him I was leaving, I had passed the message, and now it was up to him, so he meandered along, going the opposite way from the back gate, and I assume he eventually got out there (he's obviously not a fan, either). As I passed the back door, though, with her still outside the gate, I saw it start to pour rain again. Heh.
Let's just call her Skeeterette. She is slightly younger than me, and came to us from Texas (where the market was completely different, for one thing). She is loud and rude, and she apparently knows nothing - I mean nothing - about plants. She told us that she was a seasonal at a store in TX 18 months ago, but now she tells everyone she has worked for the company for two years. IN two years (2013 and 2014), maybe, but not FOR two years. Anyway, my main gripe with her is that she is so ignorant. She consistently puts sun plants in the shade and vice versa, she does not seem to grasp that certain kinds of potting material do not hold water well, and no matter how often or how much you water them, they will not stay wet for any period of time. As time has gone on, she has become increasingly hostile to me, and at this point she either ignores me or talks down to me. I can't even tell you how many times she has talked to me as though it was my first day and I was somewhat slow. Irritating as hell, especially from someone so stupid. She is a total control freak and it has gotten to a point where I am afraid to do anything, like putting things away, because I know she will come behind me and change it.
A couple of times it has really come to a head. In one instance, we were told by a manager to put small palm trees against the fence and the larger ones on a low table. We installed signage above the small ones, on the fence, and everything was approved by the manager. That night, she came in, swapped the two sizes around, tore down our sign, and threw it in among the small palms. In the morning, we put it back the way it had been. When she came in in the afternoon, she blew a gasket, demanding to know WHO kept doing this, changing what she did. When I told her that the mgr had told us to do it that way, she went stomping off to him to see if I was lying. A few minutes later, she came back, but said nothing to me. Then about 20 minutes later, she told me, in a very, condescending way, that we had to put the small palms by the fence because the big ones would get knocked over by the wind. I said I knew that, that's why we were told to do it that way in the first place.
The other day, she came in and found me checking my (company) email, and asked if I was watering. I said yes, that is what I was supposed to do. Then I went to refill my water bottle. When I came back, I told her that I had been told that I was now on weekday team, but was assigned to garden until they no longer needed waterers. She barely let me finish my sentence before she cut me off, saying her boss had told her all about it. So I asked why she asked me if I was watering. She completely ignored me, turned to another guy, and started a different conversation with him. So I asked again why she asked me if I was watering. She then turned back to me and snapped, "Nancy, I am helping Kevin right now. I was just thinking out loud, that's all, just thinking out loud!" She was still calling me by the wrong name two months after she came (we had words about that one day, too). She can't ever be wrong, or ever apologize, by the way. She just acts like it's no big deal. She called our only black employee by the wrong name repeatedly, and when she was corrected she just waved her hand, like "so what". She also bought everyone a Gatorade one day, but didn't buy him one, even though he was standing right there.
Today, it poured rain most of the morning. The other waterer ended up going home mid-morning because he was soaked and cold. I was outside working, though, and didn't know he had gone. One of the other managers came out looking for Skeeterette, but I said I had no idea she wasn't in the house plants, where I had last seen her. When she finally reappeared, she was carrying a huge coffee. I asked if she had been at lunch, and she said yes, she had gone to get coffee. I told her she might have mentioned to me that she was leaving, since I was alone in the department, but she said, quite snottily, that she had "told everyone". Funny - there were three different people looking for her - plus a truck driver waiting to unload - who didn't seem to know where she was. I guess they weren't "everyone", either.
I have complained to HR about her attitude toward me, but she told them she thought I was "out to get her" from the beginning (which, I admit, is sort of true, but for good reason). One of the other knowledgeable waterers left instead of being assigned to another area because he simply could not stand to be around her one more minute. The company wonders why we have so many write-offs and don't make sales numbers. Maybe they should take a look around at the wrongly placed plants, and watch her as she discounts stuff randomly for people, even at the checkout! They haven't asked for a discount, she just gives them one. Now she has some customers trained to ask for a discount. They aren't getting one from me. Anyway, I will only have to work with her for a few more weeks, two of which I will be gone. Then it will all be on her. Once there is no one else to cover her butt it will be very apparent that she knows nothing. I really hope she won't be out there next year, or I might have to reevaluate whether I want to do it again. It's really a shame because, even though it was tough, it was really fun in the beginning. We had a great team and we all got along. She has ruined everything. You know it's bad when even people from other areas complain about her and her attitude and her big mouth. She has only one known ally in the store, another ex-Texan in flooring. The assistant store mgr in our area tends to side with her, too.
One little funny: As I was leaving today, she was outside on the fork truck, and she hollered to me to ask the seasonal guy to come unlock the gate so she could get back in. I found the guy and told him she needed him. He said, "You know, you could walk really slowly if you want." I think he thought I had to go back out. I told him I was leaving, I had passed the message, and now it was up to him, so he meandered along, going the opposite way from the back gate, and I assume he eventually got out there (he's obviously not a fan, either). As I passed the back door, though, with her still outside the gate, I saw it start to pour rain again. Heh.
Plans in Place
Woohoo! Lynda got me a hotel room at the Westin in Key West for next Thursday. At first she couldn't get a room for that day, so I said Wednesday would be OK. But the following day, there was a room available. Yay!! So I called Key West Express and booked my ferry ticket. Parking is now $9.00/day, which is ridiculous but there is nothing to do be done about it. At least the ticket is covered by the holiday voucher I had (which was set to expire this December).
So, I will leave Monday morning at about 5:00 AM, meeting up with Mike in Atlanta at dinner time. I will spend the night near Atlanta, see my other friend, HJ, then go on to Bradenton. Then I will have the rest of Tuesday and all of Wednesday in Bradenton. I'll take the ferry to KW on Thursday, getting there about noon, and I will have the rest of that day and all of Friday (till 5:00) in KW, then take the ferry back, and be back in Bradenton by midnight. Then I will have Saturday in Bradenton, and leave VERY early Sunday morning to come home. It's a whirlwind trip, but it will be nice to be away for a few days.
Now it's time to make the lists - things to get done before I go, things to take, food I want to get to take with me on the road, CDs I want to take, etc. I'm looking forward to seeing how the car does on the highway. I know from the short drives I have done so far (Springfield, Decatur) that it's very quiet on the road, but I want to see how the mileage is on the highway. Off to list-make!
So, I will leave Monday morning at about 5:00 AM, meeting up with Mike in Atlanta at dinner time. I will spend the night near Atlanta, see my other friend, HJ, then go on to Bradenton. Then I will have the rest of Tuesday and all of Wednesday in Bradenton. I'll take the ferry to KW on Thursday, getting there about noon, and I will have the rest of that day and all of Friday (till 5:00) in KW, then take the ferry back, and be back in Bradenton by midnight. Then I will have Saturday in Bradenton, and leave VERY early Sunday morning to come home. It's a whirlwind trip, but it will be nice to be away for a few days.
Now it's time to make the lists - things to get done before I go, things to take, food I want to get to take with me on the road, CDs I want to take, etc. I'm looking forward to seeing how the car does on the highway. I know from the short drives I have done so far (Springfield, Decatur) that it's very quiet on the road, but I want to see how the mileage is on the highway. Off to list-make!
Monday, September 8, 2014
Knees News
Whenever Kym begins a conversation with, "OK....." I know it's not going to be a good conversation. So, OK. I have to have some knee surgery. It's actually an arthroscopy on my replaced knee, in hopes of relieving lingering pain when going up and down stairs and tightness when bending it. "Scar tissue impingement", they call it. So, surgery is schedule for Oct. 6, a Monday. I will have a followup appointment that Friday with the PA, John, who will release me back to work. On the following Monday I have to go to therapy to remove the stitches and evaluate whether I am in need of any actual therapy beyond that. Years ago, when I had the arthroscopy that started the gradual downhill slide that became the replaced knee, I was on crutches for three days, so I need to make arrangements for some new crutches (I think I can rent some from Schnucks). I have approval from work to be off that week, but beyond that I just don't know. I hope I won't have to be off any longer than that.
I'll be gone next week to Florida, and then I'll be back to work for two weeks, the first of which is inventory week (and I have been promised extra hours). Then I will be off for the surgery. So I think, if I got my timing correct, I am looking at one more "regular" check, then two one-week checks, which isn't great.
When I went to the doctor last week, I also asked him about my left knee. It clicks and pops and locks so much sometimes that it's almost nauseating, but it rarely hurts. In my mind, there must be something they can do - short of a knee replacement - to stop the catching and clicking. But he said he doesn't even want to talk about that one until we get the other one fixed. I agree with that, but what he actually said was he didn't want to talk about replacing the other until the first was fixed. Uh, I wasn't planning on going that far.....
But now that I have had time to think about it, maybe it makes sense to think about getting it replaced (after the right one is fixed). I definitely don't want to do it if the right one stays this way. I don't want to limit myself to the condition of my right knee on both sides, you know? Even if the left one is creepy and clicky, I can still kneel on it and bend it all the way. I have committed to walking part of the Camino in 2016, probably October. But let's say my left knee stops being clicky and starts being clicky and painful - that's a problem. So I have kind of been thinking about this timing:
1. Fix the right knee now.
2. Work tax season at the tax place and summer at the garden place.
3. September-ish, get left knee replaced.
4. Work tax season at the tax place and summer at the garden place, then go to Spain in October.
In order to make that happen I am going to have to really bank money during this tax season. Luckily, I am starting from a position of relative financial comfort, but I need to be diligent about building up some savings. And, of course, that means I can't consider Spain next year, which I kind of wanted to do. But right now, I just have to get past the Oct. 6 surgery and see what happens.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
NSC+DMV=LUV
If you were to google "people who love the DMV", this might be the only entry you would find, but I think I can say today that I do. Since the new car, I have been noticing how really awful my license plates have gotten. They are from 1995, my first new car on my own (Escort wagon). The front one was slightly crinkled in an accident in the PT Cruiser when it was about six months old. A kid ran a stop sign and though I tried to miss him, I hit his back bumper. No damage to him (of course) but my car needed a new bumper. The plate is scuffed and faded, but readable.
The back plate numbers have become puffy with rust under the paint, and, though I have tried to remove them, there are several years' stickers under the current one. My sticker expires in December, and quite often it is beyond cold when I have to apply the new one. (Even though the PT was bought in June and the Outlander in August, I am stuck with my December sticker because I have transferred the plates from car to car.) I have had problems several years trying to get the new sticker to stick, since I have no warm place to put it on. One year it even fell off after I applied it in the bank parking lot, becoming unusable in the process, and I had to go straight back in to the bank for a different one (which I then took home and put on in my garage - sheltered, but still not warm). And I can't tell you the number of times there has been panic when I remembered on Dec. 31 or Jan. 1 or 2, that I forgot to get a sticker. Another $100 expense is not something I generally need at Christmas time, either, especially one I forgot about. Never buy a car in December!
So, I needed new plates.Who wants to go to the DMV for me? Anyone??
I decided to look online to see if they could be ordered that way, and of course, the form that I needed was not available online. <sigh> So, it was off to the DMV on the day after a three-day weekend, when I figured they would probably be busier than all get-out. Imagine my surprise when there were parking spots right in front of the door - regular ones, not the ones marked for people taking driving tests! When I walked in, instead of standing in line to take a number to stand in another line, I walked right up to the counter! My number was 22, which is my favorite number - and they were currently serving number 20! And the best parts were yet to come.
I had seen online that a replacement set of plates was $9, with a replacement sticker at $20. The new plates will automatically come with a new sticker; there was no avoiding that. I had thought maybe I could just hold the new plates until renewal time, but no. Oh well. I asked if there was any way to change the expiration of the sticker, and she gave me wonderful news. When I come in to get a new December sticker, I can instead apply for an extension of up to four months! It costs $8/month, but it gets me to an April expiration date - way better, both weather- and money-wise. For a mere $32 I will never again have to stand in the subzero wind chill, trying to scrape off old, frozen stickers and get the new sticker to stick and stay stuck. Score #1!
The new plates can take up to 90 days to arrive because I want to keep my same number. I wonder what they do for the expired sticker to get you from December to April to avoid being stopped? Anyway, I stood there, waiting for her to tell me how much it was going to be, and she told me that because they were "defective" plates, not lost or stolen, there was no charge! Score #2!
Total time from walking in to walking out with the knowledge that I have spanky-new plates and an anticipated April expiration date on the way, 15 minutes. 15 minutes!! It took longer than that to drive over there. Hmm, what will I do with the rest of my morning now? :)
The back plate numbers have become puffy with rust under the paint, and, though I have tried to remove them, there are several years' stickers under the current one. My sticker expires in December, and quite often it is beyond cold when I have to apply the new one. (Even though the PT was bought in June and the Outlander in August, I am stuck with my December sticker because I have transferred the plates from car to car.) I have had problems several years trying to get the new sticker to stick, since I have no warm place to put it on. One year it even fell off after I applied it in the bank parking lot, becoming unusable in the process, and I had to go straight back in to the bank for a different one (which I then took home and put on in my garage - sheltered, but still not warm). And I can't tell you the number of times there has been panic when I remembered on Dec. 31 or Jan. 1 or 2, that I forgot to get a sticker. Another $100 expense is not something I generally need at Christmas time, either, especially one I forgot about. Never buy a car in December!
So, I needed new plates.Who wants to go to the DMV for me? Anyone??
I decided to look online to see if they could be ordered that way, and of course, the form that I needed was not available online. <sigh> So, it was off to the DMV on the day after a three-day weekend, when I figured they would probably be busier than all get-out. Imagine my surprise when there were parking spots right in front of the door - regular ones, not the ones marked for people taking driving tests! When I walked in, instead of standing in line to take a number to stand in another line, I walked right up to the counter! My number was 22, which is my favorite number - and they were currently serving number 20! And the best parts were yet to come.
I had seen online that a replacement set of plates was $9, with a replacement sticker at $20. The new plates will automatically come with a new sticker; there was no avoiding that. I had thought maybe I could just hold the new plates until renewal time, but no. Oh well. I asked if there was any way to change the expiration of the sticker, and she gave me wonderful news. When I come in to get a new December sticker, I can instead apply for an extension of up to four months! It costs $8/month, but it gets me to an April expiration date - way better, both weather- and money-wise. For a mere $32 I will never again have to stand in the subzero wind chill, trying to scrape off old, frozen stickers and get the new sticker to stick and stay stuck. Score #1!
The new plates can take up to 90 days to arrive because I want to keep my same number. I wonder what they do for the expired sticker to get you from December to April to avoid being stopped? Anyway, I stood there, waiting for her to tell me how much it was going to be, and she told me that because they were "defective" plates, not lost or stolen, there was no charge! Score #2!
Total time from walking in to walking out with the knowledge that I have spanky-new plates and an anticipated April expiration date on the way, 15 minutes. 15 minutes!! It took longer than that to drive over there. Hmm, what will I do with the rest of my morning now? :)
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