Spring is in the air?....

If it is in the air, it's going to drift down to rest on top of the ice and such here.
Thankfully, most of the bad weather missed us. We did get ice enough to skate right off the porch, if one were not careful. And maybe we DO need some sturdier trimmers, since my nippers can't prune the thick, thorny rose bush that has encroached on the porch railing. In reaching out to catch ones self from coasting off the steps, one might get a handful of thorns instead. (Sorry Mr C!)

The roads were driveable, and I went to work. Where spring became more apparent.
The annual influx of lawnmower batteries arrived. 160 lawnmower batteries of various weights and strengths, stacked forty to the layer on the pallet. The batteries have to be checked in.... removed from the pallet to the trolley I use to transport them to their shelves. Once reaching the shelves, the older batteries have to be taken down so that these new batteries can go behind them. (FIFO/ First In, First Out).  Each battery is handled at least twice during receiving... once to put it on the trolley, once to put it on the shelf. I handled close to 400 batteries yesterday. "I'm an old lady" became apparent before the morning was over... my lower back was screaming! (I do use a back support brace at work!) In fairness, I bet many a teen boy would of felt the workout himself!

This past weekend, my Dad's cousin's wife passed away. I always called her my Aunt Thelma, though we would of been something like second cousins, or first cousins once removed, or some such. I had intended to go to her funeral today, but the weather was much worse going across the state. I really couldn't make the four hour drive (in good conditions) there and four back on a day/ night where I  have to be at work the next morning. It would of easily been after 10 before I got home tonite.

Please lift the Knoles family in prayers.
Thank you for reading!

And So It Goes...

Today was my third day back at O'Reilly's. It had the potential to be my LAST day even before it began. See, I got into it with a customer yesterday. The manager was out of town, but three people, including the assistant manager and the shop accounts manager, told me to self-report the incident to the boss when he got in today.
Without naming customer names, I told him of my run in. I even told him a few choice words of my opinion about this customer... which I did NOT actually use upon said customer. I am normally unfailingly polite to the customers, and I really did manage to hold on to that politeness during our conversation.... up to the point where I hung up on him.
So my boss was thinking about how he should handle my run in... when my co-worker came in and asked if I had told the boss about *******? 
Upon hearing the name of the customer... the entire situation changed. O's has had SO MUCH trouble with guy, my run in may of just been the final straw.
I said, "well, you know, it's just *******, that's just how ******* IS."
Boss said ******* has hidden behind that excuse too long- no one needs to put up with guy and his attitude and foul mouth.
Today I did manage to get done (YAY!) in my allotted five hours. The basics of the job are coming back to me, I am comfortable in it. Just have to pick back up on the speed, and get the accumulated problems all dealt with.
Tomorrow is OIL DAY! Oil Day is when we get our supply of motor oils and filters and other petroleum products to replace stock sold and stock up for sales. Typical weekdays, I get 1 to 1 1/2 pallets of freight. Oil day usually has four, or even more, pallets. So even more lifting than I've done so far. I'll pretty much need a soak in a hot bath tomorrow for sure.

That's about all for now. The Individuals' co-worker, Jodi, is recovering nicely from having a brain tumor removed. We have seen prayers really work.
Have a blessed day!

Cello-less.... for now.

Sam purchased new strings for his new cello. High grade strings, on sale for half price at "only" $48.95 One of these strings broke within three days. It was rubbong against the inside of the scroll... as did the original strings. We felt something was wrong... and saw a 3:4 sized cello at a music store. Its 'nut' was shaped somewhat differently than the one on Sam's cello.
Today we drove down to Fayetteville to the physical store chain location. Turned out they had NO cellos on the property, and not one person who knew anything about them.
The first clerk we spoke to suggested we could probably have it repaired at a reputable shop he could tell us about. That did not sit well with me at all. I told him, We purchased this through your store, brand new... and you are telling me to take it elsewhere for REPAIR, at my expense? He decided to call management over. Management was much more helpful. Apparently, the Guitar Store has only recently begun selling orchestral instruments, and only online. He and Sam discussed things for awhile... one of his suggestions was to take the cello for evaluation at a rival music store that dealt primarily in orchestral instruments... and then if it was a lemon, he would swap it or refund. Or he would gladly refund us on the spot. We took the refund, and then drove to the other music store.
Sam looked at two other cellos. Neither of them had the oddly formed 'nut'. Both had pronounced string guide grooves instead of the mere hints of  guide grooves on the returned cello.
Sam also looked at violas and at violins. He is taking a few days to decide just what he wants to do. A decent used cello is another $300 above what he has already invested. A viola about the amount he already has refunded, and a violin slightly less.
He also mentioned maybe he should investigate bagpipes....

Last night he gave me a laugh. He said, "Everyone wants to hear bagpipes. Once. Briefly."

So... that's all for the moment. Driving (RIDING) to Fayetteville with noob drivers/ drivers in training has left me with a sore knee and a headache. (The sore knee is from the pressure of standing hard on my invisible brake on the passenger side of the car.)

Prayer request of the day: Christianne, daughter of my good friend Angie, has been diagnosed with cervical cancer. Pray for her healing and against depression in relation to the diagnosis. (Christianne is six months older than my Chris. Angie and I have been friends since Christianne was four.)

Skreeee skwwwaaaaa skwuuuuuuuhhhh

The cello arrived Friday after the boys had both gone to work. Sam spent time after they got home setting it up, and tried quietly to produce some wonderful sounds from it early Saturday morning. Trouble is, Cellos are NOT quiet. Even played softly, they resonate throughout the house.

Sam has been practicing some 6+ hours a day. He is beginning to get some sounds out of it that I can actually recognise as notes, as he does the scales. He is anxious to get lessons set up.

Dan was inspired by Sam's owning his very own cello, to go ahead and order a guitar over the weekend. I expect delivery tomorrow. Dan has been practicing for several months on Mr C's guitar, and actually sounds pretty good.

I did finally hear from O'Reilly's this morning. I go in this afternoon to complete paperwork, and in a few days should begin retraining. Looks like I'm (almost) officially back to work. At the moment, we are at the library. The boys may have to put volunteering on hold, for at least awhile, until we get a look at my schedule. On the other hand, they DO drive. So far they just haven't driven to the bigger town of Bentonville, without me along. Dan did drive to the grocery store while we were in Ft Worth last month... so they should do fine if they do come to B'ville without me.

Please be praying for a member of our family. It is Toby Silvers. Toby is married to my mom's cousin Barbara. The kids and I know Toby from the Taylor family reunions. He was diagnosed with a cancer recently, and has elected not to go through the drastic treatments. I understand they would only prolong his life a short time. Toby took right up with the twins  individuals the first time we went to one of the Taylor reunions. This last year, Tyrel took right up with Toby.
Another prayer request, from my Dad's side of the family: Kathie's cousin Judy had a heart transplant a few days ago. Please pray for her body to accept the heart, and please pray for the donor's family to be comforted in their loss.

The Parker children (Joshua and Bethany) continue to hold their own, with gradual declines in their overall health. Kate sends Thanks for all the prayers for them. Wesley Morrow is improving, Thank you for praying for him as well.

Have a blessed day! Thank you for reading!