Feeling like a tired cranky child

I feel like stamping my feet and whining this morning...

" I don't WAAANNNNTTTT to go to work today....
CAAAANNNNNN'TTTT I just stay HOMMMMMEEEEE?!"

Oh well it's ONLY a 9 hour day and only 4.5 hours of that will be customer service oriented so perhaps we will get the rest of the store into shape. Tim didn't make it down to my store Friday but has said he will be down Tuesday... I was going to take Tuesday off but will now go in and work on paper work and such in the office until he makes his visit. I'm trying to nail him down on a time that he will be there so that I don't have to spend ALL of my day off at work again.

Next week is Scott's surgery and I will be taking Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday off to be with him and care for him while he recovers. I'm hoping everything goes smoothly and he is better afterwards. I feel so bad for him when his stomach hurts from the slightest strain. Poor guy! While I am home with him I plan to sew and straighten up my hobby room... hopefully I will get some things sewn together so that I can post pictures on here.

Breakfast is sounding good to me so I guess I better go get some made. Here's to a FABULOUS day!

Dreary Saturday Morning!

I got home from work "just in time last night"... a very LOUD storm moved through and dumped some much needed rain on us. The lawn is greener this morning and most definitely needs mowing again. Scott is THE MOST WONDERFUL HUSBAND! He had a wonderful pork chop dinner prepared when I walked through the door last night. I need to return the favor and make a nice breakfast this morning. I'm thinking French toast will be part of it as the bread we have is getting a bit on the "firm" side. We have GOT to go grocery shopping and I have got to pay the rest of this months bills. I remember when I was home all the time how the bills were promptly taken care of every Friday morning and groceries were bought before the crowds of full-time workers shopped. And my house was CLEAN! OH well! Maybe again one day I will have that again. I keep thinking about how life is getting away from us and we are missing out on so much travel and fun. But then I get to thinking about how rewarded I feel at the end of the day from my job and the people I work with and for and there is something to be said about that as well. Finding a happy balance is what I need to aim for now. It can't be all work and no play even if the work is fun! I have so many wonderful people in my family and I need to be sure to make time for them in my life. Time is something one can never get back.

Making Miracles Happen

I've got to make some miraculous events happen when I get into work. I don't believe we are 100% on white glove but it's not like we haven't tried. There is just SO MUCH that needs doing we are all feeling pulled in 100 different directions everyday and the amount of built up dirt and tape in that store continues to amaze and frustrate me daily. I'm prepared to take whatever today's inspection brings but I'm not sure I will like all of what I will have to listen to... oh well THAT IS LIFE!

Life is always changing

It's a good thing that I have the knowledge and understanding that life is always changing and people come and go in our lives. I have always wondered why some people have such a hard time moving on with their lives when a change occurs. Hanging onto a loss and not being open to change only leads to depression and stress and no one needs that to hold them back. Everyday we are alive should be a time to embrace change and the opportunity it brings to learn and grow as an individual. Sometimes we are blessed with an extraordinary person that we get to know and learn from; sometimes it's a place or just a circumstance. When we get hung up on the fact that something has to change we loose out on the opportunity to learn. Take time to LEARN and GROW!

Me in Asheville

We went to MAST General Store in Asheville and then walked a round a bit right before a storm moved into the area. I think I was finally starting to look relaxed.

Scott resting a bit!

Top picture is on our way back from TN... yes we got going the wrong way on I-26 and ended up crossing the border into TN... but it sure was beautiful up there too.

The bottom picture is Scott resting near the bottom of the Needle's Eye stair case. We were definitely BEAT!

Our trip to the Asheville area

We got back home last night and we had a BLAST! We were tired but thats to be expected when we are both 50+ pounds over weight and hiked to the top of Chimney Rock and back down! We took a LOT of pictures while there. Talk about sore legs. We didn't miss out on a couple silly pictures taken at arm reach of the two of us either.

Chimney Rock/Lake Lure!

Scott and I are planning a little get-a-way to Chimney Rock and Lake Lure. It sure will be nice to get away for a couple days and do something FUN! Lake Lure has a Dinner and a cruise package that we are hoping to take advantage of tomorrow night. We've got to learn to take more little holidays as it doesn't seem like we ever have time to be away for an entire week; besides Scott doesn't do well on long vacations... he gets too antsy!

Monday I am taking the day off and have hopes of sewing together my jacket. Yesterday I bought some more corduroy to make another skirt for myself. I'm excited about sewing again. I may even start on my jacket this morning as I don't have to be to work until later on this afternoon.

Jacket cut out!

I ran out of day yesterday but I did manage to get the jacket cut out and ready to sew . I will get off work at 4 today so that will leave a little time to sew this evening. Even 15 to 20 minutes a day sewing would be GREAT!

OOPS!

OOPS! Almost forgot to pre-wash the fabric! Got it in the washer right now. I have the pattern pieces all cut out so I'll be ready to go once the fabric comes out the dryer. I may not get it all together today but I should be able to get the jacket well under way. I think I'm going to take a quick nap until dinner is ready - homemade BBQ on buns, corn-on -the- cob, coleslaw and cucumber, onion and tomato vinaigrette. Yummy~

SUNDAY SUNDAY!

YEAH! I'm off from work today! The coffee is hot and fresh and it's blissfully quiet this morning. Once I surf the Net a bit I will be clearing the dining room table so that I can get that jacket cut out and ready to be sewn together. I'm so excited about making something again. Of course I have a bunch of other projects to start and finish but I've decided to just grab one and work on it until it is completed and keep doing that until I have a new ward robe of clothes in colors and fabrics that I like.

The cats are very communicative this morning with lots of little "hmm's" and "purts" and hisses. Tara apparently woke up on the wrong side of the bushes this morning as her language has been particularly nasty.

I need to call Adele and ask her if Tater wears bandana's like Bob did as I got in some of the cutest dog fabric on this truck and I thought that a pack of bandana's would make a nice Christmas gift.

Time to go "play"!

SURVIVED AND BETTER!

I survived my trip to Cary and feel so much better emotionally. It was good to be in a VERY positive and fun store for a couple days and with any luck we will get our enthusiasm and up-beat'ness back at my store as well. While I was away the girls were able to get all of this weeks plan-o-grams done and stocked for the most part. We have a LOT to do this next week but I am hoping I have planned and scheduled appropriately for it. I am not going to even worry myself with it until Monday as I've done up planners and am hoping that they will just follow it tomorrow. I've got to trust that the task WILL be accomplished without me when I am not there.

Tomorrow will be a "play" day for me and I have plans to make a skirt and a jacket. Not to wear together though as the skirt will be of black corduroy with a lovely embroidered edging and the jacket will be made to wear with jeans. The jacket will be lined with a beautiful blue calico. I will post pictures when I get them done.

I bought Lenora a cute frog that ribbits and I got some froggy flannel to make her some PJ bottoms. She has been such an immense help to me this month and I want to do a little something extra for her to let her know that I do appreciate her a lot.

To Cary it is then!

I'm off to Cary NC again this morning for their ribbon cutting ceremony. I'll be glad to be away from my own store but I am hoping to find some enthusiasm before I arrive up there this morning as right now I'm just trying to fight the urge to take my own store keys with me and giving them to my boss or another manager. It's been HORRIBLE this whole week between the stupid bathroom issues, grouchy customers and work overload. I'm feeling very overworked, exhausted and put upon. Being broke is sounding good these days and I keep wishing I could just up and quit. I need time off from work to recharge and find some of "me" again! I have a continual ache in my chest but the dr says my heart sounds fine. It's all STRESS! Better hit the road.

NO GOOD>>> REALLY BAD DAY!

Today was a total disaster from the start and then it got worse from there.

Cary, NC... here I come AGAIN!

I'll be traveling to Cary, NC again Thursday for their grand re-opening celebration. Should be fun and/or LOTS of work. I tried to get out of going but it seems it's required so we will get by somehow. SO much still needs to get done at my own store that I feel like I'm letting my own team down, but each of these trips has been a learning experience for me. And I think I've brought a lot back to my own store from these trips. So it can't all be in vain. It just means I have a LOT to do between now and Thursday morning.

Reunion Time again!

Greene Central High School
THE TROJANS!

Has it REALLY been 25 years!

I can hardly believe that this much time has passed!
It will be so nice to see old friends again!

Another Sunday Morning!

It's Sunday morning and I am enjoying the quiet with just some harp music playing in the back ground. I'm not sure when Greg finally dragged himself in this morning... was I really that bad at that age... PROBABLY! If he can just survive to 25 maybe he will mature... keep a job and find someone to love for the rest of his life.

FALL has arrived at the store. The customers are saying, "It's TOO early!" Ha Ha! The new merchandise is GORGEOUS! I'm not sure who they have in charge of purchasing but the quality has definitely gone up! THANK GOODNESS!

I've made reservations for Scott and I in Vestal NY for the Labor Day weekend. Everything in Greene was all ready booked up. I still need to pay for our Banquet tickets but I am waiting on the most up to date info on that so I will be sending the money to the right person. I'm looking forward to this trip and seeing old friends once again. LOTS of pictures will need to be taken - hopefully Scott will be up to the task. We will do our best to get around to see all my family as well.

Amelia Dog

Thursday I finally got around to mowing our lawn and it looks GREAT but the most important part is that Amelia is a much happier dog as she doesn't have to go through 2 foot high grass anymore. Poor puppy! Between Scott's allergies and me never home the house and yard are getting horribly neglected.

I'm trying harder to find time to do things for us and not spending as much time at the store but so far my store obligations are still winning. I keep hoping that the pressure to get things done will lighten up but then something else comes along that puts even more pressure on. I know the Company is trying to change a lot to improve the appearance of the stores and to make us all improve our standards and expectations over all but it is exhausting.

I'm working on laundry this morning and the bathrooms need to be cleaned again. Thankfully I don't have to be in to work until 1. I want to get a jacket cut out this morning as well. It will be perfect to wear with jeans this fall. I need new clothes but hate what is in the stores; I guess I AM getting older. I'm just glad that I know how to sew and crochet.

Sewing

I simply must find time to sew again. I have so much fabric now that I really need to get some things made. Time to start on Christmas gifts anyway if I'm to get anything done. I need some new clothes and I hate what is available in the stores anymore as they are all sized for size 10 and below anyway; which I am not and never have been.

I'm supposed to be off today but will be going in to help with the new jewelry plan-o-gram as it is due by the end of today and it has not even gotten started. UGH! Yesterday we were all a bunch of slugs; no one had much energy and we all wanted to be home with our families. I wish we had the 4th off like most everyone else; oh well thats retail for ya'.

No sign of the skink but the exterminator put down sticky traps to try and catch him. I'm just hoping that I find him before he dies stuck to one of those things and I'll release him in my yard.

I may work awhile and then come home and then go back over in the evening to help Lenora with freight. I don't think I can pull a full 13 hours today as my head is killing me.

A critter in my store!

We have a resident 5 lined skink living in our store. Amanda found him today while reworking the greenery plan-o-gram. We are having the exterminator out to kill bugs (the poison won't affect the skink). I'm hoping he will make his way back outdoors if we remove his food source. He is about 8 inches long and quite a lovely creature.

even more pictures

more pictures

pictures from celebration

David and Debbie!

We attended my brother-in-law David's marriage celebration last night and it was nice. They had really gone all out to celebrate their marriage. The had the ceremony on May 28th in Myrtle Beach and chose to open their home to celebrate last night with family and friends. Debbie's family really surprised her by arriving; some had even sent flowers saying they were sorry they couldn't make it. That was quite special and made the day even more memorable for her. Scott took a few pictures and I will post some once he gets up for the day and shows me how to upload them from his new camera.