You Gotta Have Money To Get That

Today's breaking news...MJ was a pothead. No big surprise there. Police found several bags of it lying around his house. Comments were made about how in California you can have pot for medicinal reasons. I'm sure that's why he had it, right? But then again superstars can get just about anything they want.
Why do people worship weirdos? How do seedy characters become Superstars? Superstars can completely disobey any laws and walk away a few dollars shorter , a jail term cut down and a slap on the hand. Do a few community service things and make a commercial or two and you're done. Michael Vick for example. The country goes nuts when he's found guilty of his dog thing. He received a standing ovation in the Eagles game last night. The crowd went wild. He's back on top again.
Not let's get to the Mayor beater pleading not guilty on all counts. What irked me on this entire issue was his mother and brother getting on TV saying that if it wasn't the Mayor he would walk away with a slap on the hand. "The Mayor should not have stepped in, it wasn't his business" are the words that came out of his brothers mouth. What???. Yes we all say stupid things sometimes, but come on. This idiot is going at his child and child's grandmother. Defenseless people. He's in a rage. The Mayor did something that not to many people would do. He came to the defense of this woman and he attempted to subdue this guy. He's left with the scars of aiding someone. The guy is claiming to be bi-polar and was off his medication. He is now going for medical evaluation. "It's not him that beat the Mayor. He wouldn't do something like that. " Well buddy, the police have a record on you that's a mile long dating back to the late 90's when you were a teen. Is this another case of "he slipped through the cracks as a teen". No one wants to see another child's Daddy going to jail, but personal responsibility needs to be taken for what was done. Mayor or not, he beat someone and shouldn't have.
Superstar?? Who cares. MJ was wrong for a long time. A Good Father?? A good father doesn't leave pot laying around the house and have access to the drugs that killed him. So the doctor's probably going to spend some time in jail. Good. He's just as guilty. He let money do the talking. Once again , time to take responsibility for your actions.

Whoops There It Goes

Ever drive to work and then wonder how you got there? Actually when I missed my exit is when I came back to reality. I just wonder how far I would have gone or where I was going? Somewhere north which is not really my dream destination.
The past few days, at my normal exit, I've seen a sheriff sitting on the exit ramp. Not sure if he's napping or hanging out waiting for ramp speeders. Today I saw one on my not normal exit. I drive past (at the speed limit of course) and then notice he puts on his lights and starts to take off. As I did nothing wrong I wasn't nervous. He then pulled around me and pulled the car in front of me over. This person wasn't speeding either. I'm just a little stumped as to why the exit ramp. Maybe a speed trap that's radioed ahead, or maybe a seat belt violation?
At any rate, I'm fully awake now and ready for another fun filled day!.

Those Are Some Fighting Words

I'm making history! Never has a QA person worked out on the lines before. They would come out for samples and maybe take over for a few minutes while someone ran to the bathroom or moved a pallet, but they've never actually worked the line for any amount of time. Yesterday started an argument between my boss and an Engineer/Production Manager. Two lines were scheuled to run this week. In the past when this has been done, one line would shut down for break and lunch. This really does a number on production numbers and scrap. Yesterday I was aksed to help out during breaks. I took a look at my work load and decided I could help. It's only two people and breaks are 10 minutes. Not a problem. So I thought. The two ten minute breaks turned into me being on the line for 40 minutes. In the mean time the other line is paging me for a sample check. This doesn't shut a line down, but if there is a problem there could be a ton of scrap. When this was over and I was caught up I explained to the PM that I could not be away from my job for that long. He agreed.

Two hours later I get a page asking for help during lunch. I talked to my boss and we decided that he could cover for me. Both of us assumed that this was a one day thing. Once again the 40 minutes I should have been out there turned into 1 1/2 hours. I guess their breaks are no longer being monitored. Once again caught up I took my lunch at 1:30.

I have just come from the morning meeting where the PM announced that I'd be breaking people out again. Huh? He must have seen the confused look on my face and asked me if I had talked to my boss. Sure I did, and my boss said "They will have to learn to get along without you. They have had approval for an additional person since you came to QA. They're not hiring anyone because with you helping them out it makes their numbers look good". He went on to say that he'd come out and help out this week as needed, but this was it! He's becoming a little bit assertive which is a good thing. I will do what I can to stay out of the manager's war. The good part was the PM (unaware of my boss's presence) says to me "What does your boss do all day? I always see him just sitting at his desk. Maybe he should come out and help". His face was a little red upon seeing the presence of my boss. I walked away because this was no longer my fight.

On a lighter note, I have a walking partner again! My daugher has taken up residence in our home (for the time being) and used to be my walking partner prior to her moving out. It sure makes the time go by and the walk not be so boring when you're with someone else.

Welfare Cornpie

I discovered this weekend that I now have a hippie grand-daughter. Or at least a wanna be. It seems her father purchased her a headband and upon putting it on declared that she is now a hippie. We had a little fun with her when she announced her hippie name was Marigold Moonflower (I think). We were warned however that this hippie had a "dark side".

I did have some worries about taking 3 kid camping. I wondered how I would amuse them for 2 days but my worries were none as they did great. I was amazed at how well they behaved and that I only had to step in once to stop a short lived argument. The good thing is, they all still get along good. The sad thing is that I know this won't last forever. By next year there could be some issues with spending that much time together. Until then I will take what I can get.

The park itself was nice. Funny that less then 1 mile away was a fully stocked BP gas station, but the park itself was quite and private. The rangers are of a different breed from where we've visited before. Maybe you could classify them as "high end Rangers". They were all older then the normal rookie Rangers we see at other parks. I came to the conclusion that they place the older, ready for retirement, Rangers at the less maintenance Parks and stick the rookies at the high maintenance parks. Kind of equal to a Police Officer close to retirement that gets a desk job.
We also usually stake camp close to a bathroom, whether it be pit toilets or flushers. This time all we had to go by was a park map, so back in February we booked what we though were sites close to a bathroom. They were close if you took the path through the woods. We were slightly downhill from the bathrooms so either way you went, path or road, you ended up walking uphill on the way back. I tried the path at 4am and was a little nervous about creatures popping out at me but then realized that this area was a little less rural then we are used to. I'm sure the raccoons had little condo's set up somewhere, but we never saw evidence of them the entire weekend. All in all the trip was good.

Yesterday was also a bit of a sad day. It marked one year since the passing of brother David. I think about him a lot and miss him terribly, but yesterday the thoughts were a little different. They say the hurt eventually goes away, I say it takes more than a year for sure. We took his girls to the spot they chose to lay their dad to rest and spent some time remembering his life and had some laughs and of course a good cry. In honor of him we ordered pizza from the place he worked and I then realized how much I'd go through for a sibling. I still don't like their pizza!

Weird Dream

I had a strange one last night and as the day progressed it even kind of scared me a little. Years ago my parents were friends with this couple and our families did a lot of things together. Some where along the line they had a falling out and the friendship ended. I would run into one of the girl that was my age at school and not to long ago found that she had worked with my husband.

In my dream last night I was sitting on my back porch and looked next door and saw them moving in. They were as I remembered them as a kid. None of the kids looked older and the parents still looked the same. I was a little stunned and wondered what happened to our neighbors. I then saw that they had moved a motor home into the backyard and were staying in it while their new house was being built.

I was puzzled as to how this was happening when all of a sudden my mother appears and says " Oh my gosh it's Bill & Iris, and all the kids". Huh? My mother takes off running across the yard and gives this woman a great big hug and they're chatting away like crazy. I wondered when the little rift got cleared up. I thought about the dream several times today and it just really had me stumped for some reason.

Tonight I'm on my weekly telephone call to my parents and the discussion turns to the possibility of them moving back up here. Dad is all for it, Mom makes excuses. I think Dad may win on this one because he told her she can stay down there but he's planning on looking for a home when they come up next spring. We're chatting away and she says "Gosh, I'm going to have to make all new friends." Then out of the blue comes "I wonder what Iris & Bill are up to". Did you ever just get that jolt that goes through your body? Eeriness? I have now brushed it off as coincidental.

I Can Do Without The Drama

I love my family. I would do just about anything for them and have. There are only a few things that I ask in return. Don't lie to me, don't take advantage of me and do not take anything from my house that does not belong to you. It's most likely that if you are down and out , maybe just lost a job, maybe just had a ton of crap happen to you that I will help you. But then at least show some effort that you are attempting to get your life back on order.

Several times over the past year I've been taken advantage of. #1 was purchasing an airline ticket for someone to fly back home after visiting her ill father. I was told this person was broke. So how do you purchase a $500.00 dog and a camper within a month of you getting back home? How do you not return the cash? Done. It will never happen again.

My brother, GOD rest his soul lived here and contributed in some way. Yes I bitched about his sloppy ways, but he went to work everyday. He tried to crawl out of his hole. I want to truly say he never lied to me not took a thing from my home.

Other family members that we had stay with us were good. Chico cut our grass, cooked, cleaned and contributed. Excellent tenant if he ever comes knocking on your door.

My younger sister stayed with us for her last year of college. Excellent tenant. She didn't cook but she did organize my can cupboards and was my walking buddy. She could come back.

The other sister was here several times and each time was working and did get out. She didn't cook and was a bit messy but she's changed. I'd have to think about the return.

Now we have the situation of her daughter, my niece. She took off 5 years ago for New York with a guy that was 15 years older than her. Toward the end of last year she bought a house. It was then that we may have gotten a small hint that she wasn't happy. She came in May for a week long visit and hooked up with a guy she's known for a while and has stayed in touch with. She returned to NY only to come back 3 weeks later for which we all though was another visit. She did not return. Over the past 3 months she has managed to not find a job, run up her credit cards, and not have a place to live. She's called several family members (including me) who have turned her down simply because she's with this guy who if someone kicked the crap out of him may come around. They got asked to leave his crack head mothers house and she went to stay with her mom. Things are strained there for many reasons. I received a call yesterday morning asking if she could come and do her laundry by me. I didn't see a problem. She calls back 5 minutes later and asks if he can also come. I sighed and told her that was fine but I didn't want him hanging out here. They show up, she has a suitcase (freaked me out) but then she begins pulling dirty clothes out of a duffel bag. Not one stitch of the clothes were hers. They sat here for 4 hours while she did his laundry. I tried to busy myself and not listen to their conversations but I heard a lot of excuses for why he isn't working. Dumb, flat-out lazy ass excuses. He tried to include me in the conversation by making the comment that it's so hard to find a good $10.00 or more an hour job. The older and somewhat wiser and been there came out in me. I told them both that you have to start somewhere. $30.00 a day in your pocket is better than nothing.
The story goes on.......

My sister came to pick her up and his Grandma came to pick him up. I hugged my sister for not running either of them over. Off they went. My relief was short lived.
At 4:30 am my husband nudges me and hands me the phone. My sister is raving mad and proceeds to apologize up and down . Niece started a fight with her younger sister and was asked to leave. My sister goes out to her car this morning to go to work and finds niece in her car. They argue. My sister explains that she cannot sit in her car all day while she's at work. She explains that she cannot go back in the house as sister's boyfriend (who rents the apartment) is done with her. To make a really long story short.....
At 5am she was delivered to my doorstep by the police. I chat with them for a few minutes and ask them not to draw opinions when they remark that they could not believe my sister would not get her a hotel room. They leave.
I find niece out on my porch brooding. I sit and talk with her for 2 hours. I spill my pent up guts about the situation. I probe as to how she has not been able to find a job in 3 months. I mention that when I told her about a place that was hiring the day before she said "It's the weekend. I need to distress". She asks me if she could stay here. I mention that fact that she lied to me the day before and prior to that. I don't trust her in my house all day. My husband will divorce me if he comes home from work and finds the two of them lounging in my house. After two hours and a lot of talking I go back to bed.
At 10 am her knight in tarnished armor shows up (driven by grandma) and picks her up. My sister is worried about her but has washed her hands for right now. She has drained her financially and emotionally. This drama is not over...

Universal Sign is Understood

On my way home from work today I stopped to feed my nasty habit. There's a "Discount Cigarette" store close to my home. When I walked up to the store I noticed a sign that said "Under New Ownership". Would that mean that the turban man who ran it before was no longer there. He really did have discount cigarettes. I also noticed the door was locked. I started to walk away when a man opened the door and yelled that they were open. I've seen him in there before so I though he must not be the new owner.
I'm standing at the counter and he goes into a broken English speech about being the new owner and prices have gone down. I tell him the brand I want and hand him a coupon. $76.00 was the total. "What?" I say as I pull back my coupon. I then glance behind the counter at other brands of cigarettes and notice that they are all higher than normal. He mentions that taxes went up. I then nicely say "That's okay, that's way to expensive". I go on to mention that just the other day I bought a pack at Pick & Save for $5.45 and I had noticed their cartons were about $25.00 cheaper. This buffoon then rattles off something in his language and then says "No they're not cheaper". You can't come in here and say that so I sell them to you cheaper". I could feel my blood start to heat. First of all speak to me in English. Second of all do not call me a liar. I told him I'd got to Pick & Save and bring back the receipt (in English). He rattles something again in his language to another man behind the counter and I could totally tell he was talking about me and that did it.
I'm not real proud of this but in the famous words of the jailed "Chicago" women "He had it coming". I started to walk toward the door and he spewed out something else. At which point I proudly raised my middle finger and said "I bet we both understand what that means ass wipe".
Best part of this whole thing is that two customers walked out right behind me.
I hate that these people think they can mooch into our country and wiggle through the red tape of owning gas stations, doughnut shops and discount stores but then mark things up 50% more. New ownership my ass buddy. You just transferred it over to a family members name. I saw turban man in the back of the store when I left. Apparently he didn't have a clue of what was going on as he waved to me.
Hey, the moral of the story is simple. Quit smoking.
Ass wipe came up on my spell check.

Sometims You Just Have To....

This is the trophy presentation. The not so formal one. I couldn't get a clear shot of the more formal 2nd place. They played hard, and the best part was that the coach's all made them feel like winners. Good bunch of kids, good coaches and I was provided with awesome entertainment from May through August. Dylan hit a couple triples this season but last night he hit a solo home run that I think even shocked him. I saw him smile a little when he came up to bat again and the opposing coaches were waving everyone in the outfield to move back.

What to do now...well, it's on to football. I am so blessed to have a grandchild who is involved in the two sports I love. I thank GOD every time I'm sitting at a game that none of them play soccer.