Saturday, Jaunary, 30 2011

This is a really sad morning for me.  We got the news last night that Norma Jean Morgan died from complications from heart surgery.  She and her gentleman friend, Bobby Curl, have been long-time friends.  She was a hard-working woman, and a loyal friend.

I've not been posting much lately, because of all the problems with my computer.  Some day, I may just vanish off the internet.  I wonder how much internet interuption for me would bother the Obama Administration.  They seem to have their boxers in a bind over the internet problems in Egypt.

Steve came home right on schedule.  I could have used some more time to get some clearing and cleaning done, but I just couldn't get everything done that I'd have liked to.

We went to the flea market near Dandridge yesterday to see about the idea of me getting a booth to sell off some of my huge inventory of collected furniture and household items.

I hate to pay all that money for a place to sell my things, but the things I'm going to get rid of are nice, and people wouldn't come here for a rummage sale.

The owner of the flea market is a really nice Christian lady.

We then came back down by the Goodwill in Jefferson City.  I talked with Annette, the manager, about hiring Jeri, Elaine's daughter.  She told me that Jeri showed up for her interview wearing denim peddle-pushers and flip-flops.  That just wouldn't be proper attire for a Goodwill employee.  We're always shuffling boxes and dishes, and if one dropped on toes, it would be real trouble.  Kids now-a-days just don't know a proper work appearance or ethic.

We came home, and I unloaded some of the stuff we'd bought from the truck.

Steve needed to lay down a while, so I went to the Goodwill in Rutledge.  I had seen a cabinet there that I want to use for nests, after I put roofing shingles on it.  Renae was just leaving when I got there, and, after I talked with Carzel a while, she was gone, and Kelly didn't want to put a price on the cabinet.  I told her I would come back for it today.

I then went by to see Joan a bit, and helped put some inventory on the shelves.

We're supposed to go look about the laminate floor we've bought this afternoon.  We're getting a great deal on it, and Joan is really excited.

I am, too.  I love a bargain.

I had talked to Bobby Curl last night about 8:00, and he needed someone to take him to the hospital today to see Norma, and I gladly offered.  I suppose that issue is moot now.

I'm worried about what he will do without Norma around to keep him in line.

He sure won't get as much free labor out of anyone else.

I slept fairly well last night, because I was really tired and took a whole Ambien.

I got up about 5:30 this morning, and the house was cold.  We had a gas leak, and the gas company had come to check it out yesterday, and all the pilot lights were out.  I had re-lit them, but had forgotten to turn the heat up afterwards.

We soon had the gas logs going strong.

My legs hurt something awful this morning.

.........but the sun is so bright!

Wednesday, January 26, 2011 AM

Yesterday was pretty hectic.
I did things at home in the morning, and it was pretty outside.  I picked up some things around the yard, though it was kinda muddy, and unloaded some things from the white truck.
Ronnie came and put the new water pump and serpentine belt on the red truck, and then found that the belt breaking had punched a hole in the radiator.  He took it to a radiator shop I know of in Morristown, got it fixed in just a few minutes, and brought it back and installed it.  That's service!
I had gone to eat at the Down Home, and then a quick trip to the Goodwill.  I didn't buy much there.  Barbara joined me at the Goodwill, and we went to the bank to get her some cash.  Then to the Co-op for me some corn for the birds.
I dropped Barbara off at her apartment, then I went by the Family Dollar to help Joan get ready for the inventory.  They were supposed to start it at 5:00 this morning. 
Fern came in to work, but was sick with streph throat and an inner ear infection, and was throwing up, so Joan sent her home.
Elaine and her two daughters stayed until 4:00, which is two hours past when she was supposed to be off the clock.  Joan then had to make her leave, because they can't go into overtime.
Beth had came in at 2:00, and Steven had left at 2:00, so that left Joan, Beth, and myself there to finish the stocking and counting for inventory preps.
I am always dismayed at the number of half-empty packages and the broken-open blister packs.  Theft is so common in retailing. 
We worked like fighting fire all evening, and the customers we had must have thought we were running a mad house.  I might have thought so, too.
We barely had time to gulp down a hamburger from Hardee's that Beth went to get for us.
Cherokee (one of our volunteers at the Goodwill) came by to see me, and told me that her son had got to come home from the hospital.  I'm amazed at his speedy recovery.  It didn't look good for him at first.  He's the young man who rolled his car 11 times, mentioned in an earlier post.
We were all really tired at quitting time.  Beth needed to get home to fix supper for her kids and husband, so I told her I would stay with Joan until she got to her truck.  I just don't like to leave the ladies to get out safely alone.
Joan counted the money and got the money bags ready for the safe, and I kept cleaning and putting things in their proper places until she was ready to leave.
I didn't get home until 10:00, and I was whipped.
I did as little as I could, and got ready for bed.
I didn't get to sleep right away, because I was having pin pains.  I took half a Lortab, and that helped me get to sleep.
It's raining this morning, and they're calling for three inches of snow.  Grainger County Schools have already sent the students home.  It's not snowing yet, and it's a little after noon.
Ronnie came to put out a bale of hay for the cows.
My modem on my computer crashed again this morning, and it had crashed last night.  I'm about to crash something, myself.

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

It looks like I've not posted in a few days, or maybe I've got the dates wrong.
I'm too old to be childish, and too young to be senile.  I guess you'd say I'm at 'That awkward age', but I forget so many things, and I get busy and feel like I don't have the time to do all I'm supposed to.
When Barbara and I were going to go out on Sunday, the power steering on the red truck didn't work, so I parked it and took the smaller white truck.  I found out yesterday that the serpentine belt had come off and got all chewed up.  It happened because the water pump had gone out.
I called Ronnie to see if he could make the necessary repairs.  He came right away.  He's really good to take care of me.
He's got a new water pump and belt, and I think he's going to put it on this morning.
Barbara and I had a good time Sunday, but she bought all the snow houses in the antique mall where we shopped, and she's supposed to know that they're all mine!
I got a really cute 'drag queen' lamp.  It's got beads hanging down all around for a shade, and it looks like it belongs in a drag queen's bedroom.  I'm going to use it outside to cast light and glittery 'gleams' all around.  It keeps the wild birds away from the area where it's at, and they don't mess there.  I just love shiny things.
I was in bed all day Saturday with a sick headache that I couldn't get rid of, so it was a useless day. 
I think I know why I had the headache, but I'll not discuss it now, because someone reads these posts whom I wish to surprise.
The trip Sunday was to get some tile from a friend who I had bought from before.  She found another box, which (I think) will cover the floor of the bedroom in my Hut, put with the other tile I'd bought from her before.  I need to get back to working regularly out there.
Yesterday I worked at home in the morning, and went to town in the early afternoon.
I had lunch at the Down Home, then went to the Goodwill.  The ladies there had not heard about 'Cherokee's' son having an accident on Saturday night.  He had been drinking and doing some drugs, and was driving high speed, when he rolled his car (single auto accident) 11 (yes, that's eleven!) times, killing his passenger and severly wounding himself.  Cherokee is one of our volunteers at the Goodwill, and she and I are good friends.  I had seen her at the Family Dollar Sunday night when I was up there helping Joan.  Joan and I both cried with her, and prayed with her.  Joan got all the information so she could call her church (Sunrise Babtist) and have his name put on the prayer list.  He was up at the Goodwill on Thursday of last week.  Neither of the men were wearing seat belts.  He's likely facing multiple charges, if he lives.
I left the Goodwill and went to help Joan at the Family Dollar.
She's all nervous and frantic about inventory, which is tomorrow morning at 5:00 AM.
We were stacking and counting merchandise all over the store, and she and Elaine were the only employees in the store.  When Joan and I were sorting and reducing the shoes, we found so many wrappings, blister packs, and boxes hidden in them, where shoplifters had unwrapped their stolen merchandise to take it out of the store.  Joan says they like to leave the packaging in shoes, because it takes the employees so long to go through all the shoes to find them.
There's so much stolen every day there.  She taught me how to use the pricing gun and the little gun which holds 'softs' together in pairs.  I feel so dumb, but she loves for me to be there to work with her.
She told me the other day that she is given a budget, and she pays herself and her employees out of it.  She can't afford to hire anyone else right now, so she really needs my volunteer efforts.
I keep everyone laughing and the mood light.  I also see things that need to be done that the employees just don't see or don't have the time to do.  I'd rather work up there than be lonely at home.  All the ladies are so good to me.
I had found Joan two pair of jeans at Goodwill, and she was delighted to get them.
When we left last night, Joan paid for my purchases from the Family Dollar, so I came out well.
She needs to have her floors stripped and waxed, but that comes out of her budget, and I don't know when she will feel that she has the money.  I offered to stay late and help her do the floors one isle at a time, but she says company policy won't let her do it that way.
Lynn (Steve's sister) wrote me a nice e-mail yesterday, commenting on my blog (this one).  I read hers all the time, and try to leave a comment or write her an e-mail about something she's said.  She's had over 10,000 viewings on her site.
I wish I knew how to put pictures on my site.  It would make it way more interesting to my faithful readers.  It would also give Barbara something else to sneer about, and I know how important that is to her.
The sun is still not much out or bright, and I think we're supposed to get some more winter weather.  The ground is soft and muddy, so I don't know if snow would lay.
I'll have to get the birds ready for more bad weather this morning.
Another day.......

Saturday, January 22, 2011

I'm really late today.
I've felt badly all day, and had to lay down most of the day.  It was a really pretty day, too, and I'd have loved to be outside.
It was pretty yesterday, but it was pretty cold, too, and windy.
Barbara and I had lunch together at Down Home, and then I went to the Habitat Store in Dandridge.  They were just closed when I got there, so I came back to the Goodwill in Jefferson City and shopped a little while.
The manager, Annette, told me she wanted a part-time employee, and I came back to Rutledge to tell Elaine about the position.  Her daughter is supposed to go over today and talk to Annette about it.
I stayed and mopped the floors for them at the Family Dollar last night, as some customer had dripped something sticky all over about four or five aisles.  That floor is filthy.
I don't want things to look badly for Joan.
Joan is too tired to do much anymore.  I think she's just exhausted.
Elaine sent to Pizza Plus and got everyone pizzas.  It is so fun to share a bite with friends.
I came home and got a bath and went to bed.  I slept alright, but didn't feel good this morning.
I've stayed in all day.

Friday, January 21, 2011 AM

Yesterday was a better day, only because there was a little sun in the middle of the day.
It started off pretty cold, but the sun came out, and it became warmer.  By 4:00, we were getting winter storm warnings, and we heard on the radio at Goodwill that they had closed Davidson County Schools (Nashville) two hours early.  It started to sleet here about 7:30 last night, and it continued until I went to bed.  Very little accumulation this morning.
I was not going to go to the Goodwill yesterday, because I felt like Angie might be having a hissy fit over the condition of the stock room. 
I went to Down Home to eat, and Barbara called while I was there.  She joined me for tea.
She had been to Knoxville with Darla Daniel for the day.  Darla is such an angel.  She does so much for others.
I went to the Goodwill, anyway, after lunch.  Carzel and Cherokee were sitting on the porch when I got there.  Angie was not there.  She's having some family trouble.  Some older male is terminal, and Angie wants to go to Nashville (?) to be there for her family.  She doesn't have paid days to go, and I'd say she can't afford the trip.  Renae had told me all this.  She's really involved with her employees and volunteers.
She's trying to get moved into her new trailer.
I left Goodwill and went to Family Dollar.  We got slammed.  Everyone was buying everything.  They're afraid of snow now.
Elaine and Steven were the only employees in the store, and Elaine really needed all the help I could give her.  We were putting out stock and replacing mis-placed things all evening.
Right before closing time, Debby Cain and her son, Nickolis (sp?) came in.  He is the very image of Bobby Crumply, his father.  They live on my road.  I hadn't seen Nick in several years to speak of.  I had sent him a afghan when he was born, but he didn't know about it until I told him last night.  He came over to ask me to not shoot his dog if I saw it on  my property.
Elaine thought that was so funny.
He's so tall, like Bobby, and he's going to be quite handsome, also like Bobby.
He used to come and sit in my yard and talk with me a lot, but he was stopped from that by his parents.  I liked his company and that he had time for an old lady.
The sun has came out over on Clinch Mountain, and it's so beautiful.  I'm pretty tired of cold, wet weather.  It's still pretty cold outside, and there's a very cold, strong wind.
Leona Burden's obit was in the News Sentinel this morning.  She was a sweet lady, with a real Christian witness.  I sent a copy of it to Martha Workman.  I plan to go to the funeral.
A good name (left behind) is better than great riches.

Thursday, January 20, 2011 AM

Yesterday was  a fairly good day.
I did some 'home things' early, then called Barbara and asked if she's like to go to the Mexican restaurant up in Bean Station for lunch.  I've never known her to turn down food, but she was really excited to get to go up there to eat.  The food is really good, and it's squeeky clean.
Brad Reynolds came in while we were there, but he went into another part of the restaurant, and we didn't go over to speak to him.  He was meeting someone there for lunch.
There is a new re-sale shop in Bean Station, where the old furniture store was in an old Victorian house.  We stopped there, and Barbara found a Kirby vacuum cleaner for $20.00!
They are such good machines.
I bought a lovely swan lapel pin for myself, being the lover of swans that I am.
I also got some large storage containers.
I took Barbara home, then went to the Rutledge Goodwill.  I volunteered for several hours, and got some good buys on a few items, then left there for the Family Dollar.  Joan and Steven were the only ones there, and I hate for Joan to be there without too much help.
Pepper Spradlin, our local lady lawyer, came in while I was there, and we had a good talk.  She's the nicest lady, and we are good friends.
Elaine and Beth both came in while I was there.  I don't know how they can stand to be there on their days off, they have to spend so much time there while working.  We're just one big happy family there.  Joan is off today.
It began to turn cold again last evening.  They're calling for snow.
Several folks came in to get things that they were accumulating in case of another snow storm.  The UPS man came in, and said he was so tired of battling snow while on his route.
I think a lot of people are tired of snow.
I had terrible pin pains last night, and couldn't get to sleep, so I took half a Lortab, and that did it.  I slept until about 9:00 this morning.  It's overcast, with very little sun barely shinning through.
Barbara called me yesterday to tell me that I had forgotten to post that I took her down to inspect her house.  The men were there working, and we got to see all around.
They're not doing as good a job as I would.  I looked up through her attic, and you can see the sky around her chimney.  That's where rain comes from.  There are several holes in her floor, and the contractors just shrugged and said that the carpet would cover them.  I wish I had the time to go down there and seal all those holes with caulk and some filler.  She's got a new heat system, but she will still have high bills with all those holes everywhere.  There's also a crack under her kitchen door that's about 1/2 inch high and all across the doorway.  You can see lots of daylight.
I just hope she will keep the house cleaner this time.  They were going to put her carpet down yesterday.  She doesn't know what type or color.  I would have to know.
She's getting a new vanity in her bath.
She's got new windows in the basement, the dining room, and the living room.  They're really nice.  She's got a new front door, also.  She had sealed off the old one because it leaked air so badly.  She's getting her mom's refrigerator and kitchen range.  Elizabeth is selling her house.
Life sure makes for some dramatic changes.

Wednesday, January 19, 2011 AM

Yesterday was a lot more exciting than the last week's dismal days.
Holston gas came early to install the propane tank for my Hut.
It was some man who used to have this route with the propane truck, so he knew where we are.  They put the tank precisly where I wanted it, but I didn't have it filled.  They could not hook it to the Hut's gas lines if there was any propane in it, so I had it left empty.  Steve will have to terminate the lines before we can put gas in the tank and turn it on.  I don't know when that will happen...probably in July or August.
After Holston left, I did a quick run-through for the birds.  It is still cold.  I have three nests of my beloved Frillbacks setting.  I'm extatic.
I came in and called Barbara to see if she wanted to have lunch, and we met at the Down Home for lunch.  They had that awful ribs and kraut dish, so I got a sandwich and tater tots.
She wanted a ride home, but I wanted to go to the Goodwill.  I mis-understood her, so we went to the Goodwill.  When I parked, she just walked home.  You can see her apartment from the front of the Goodwill.
Renae wanted me to stay and work, so I stayed until closing time.  We went through a lot of boxes of stuff, and I found a copy of one of my favorite childhood books...The Pokey Little Puppy.  I can still clearly remember momma holding me on her lap and reading that book to me.
I also picked up the left-over Christmas trees for my aviaries, which Renae let me have for $10.00.  I think there were about 4 or 5 of them.
I got Jo some silverware for her restaurant.
Joan, from Family Dollar, dropped by to see me a minute on her way home from work.
After I left Goodwill, I went by the Family Dollar to tease the girls about Joan sending me to check up on them.  They were both hungry (Beth and Fern were the only ones there), so Beth went next door to Hardee's and got us all a hamburger.  We had supper together, and it was pleasant to have freinds to eat supper with.  The store looked like they had got a bomb scare.  There were almost no customers all evening.  Fern gave me the sad news that Angie Green had to go out of business.  She had operated a little fast-food place over on 92.
A little later, about 8:30, this woman came in wearing ragged clothes, walking on the hems of her pants.  She went to the clothing racks, but I thought it a little strange that she was shopping for clothing at 8:30 on a cold, rainy night, when she didn't look like a fashion diva.
I watched her for a minute, mostly out of curiosity, and presumed that she was on a shoplifting expedition.  I was talking to Fern, who was at the cash register, so I 'cut my eyes' toward her to alert Fern that the woman might be stealing.  We all three took turns being in the area where she was shopping, and she was filling her buggy with the strangest things.
When she came to the cash register, 5 minutes before closing, she didn't have any money to pay for most of her things.  Fern had already 'rung up' her selections, so she had to void the sale.
After the woman left the store, Fern turned to me and said, "She knew she didn't have any money, and she was going to steal that merchandise".  I'm glad I caught on to her, and saved the store losing their property.  I think theft will get worse before this economy trouble is past.
I also think drugs contribute to the problems with stealing and child abuse that seems so prevalent.
I paid for my things, including the Coke I had drunk with my hamburger, and came home.  It was raining a cold rain.  I set the humane trap on the back porch, and got into the house.
I put away some things, and did a load of laundry.  Laundry detergent is one of the things I had bought at the Family Dollar.
I talked to Steve, got a bath, and went to bed.  I slept fairly well last night, and woke refreshed this morning pretty early.
I got the news last night of the death of Leona Burden, a sweet professing lady formerly from the Claxton area, who had moved to live with her daughter, Shirly, some years ago.  The funeral is Saturday, and I plan to attend.  Betty Pike e-mailed to tell me.  She's so faithful to keep me informed.
It's a dismal, overcast, rainy day.  My legs and feet hurt like I've run a marathon.
I'm still 'Running the Race'.