Maybe Dad SHOULD of named me Grace....

Instead of "I didn't name you Grace, for a good reason!"

The way my returns are prepared at work: I do battery cores first. Today I happened to have 18 cores (dead batteries) to return. With that many, I give them their own pallet. Using 2 pallets really restricts my working space. So, I got the 18 battery cores bagged, labeled, and put onto the pallet. Then I began to add the warranty returned batteries. "Cores" do not have to match specific batteries or label numbers. "Warranty" batteries MUST match a specific battery with a specific label number. I was missing one specific warranty battery. I go searching among the cores that have already been bagged and palleted. Sure enough, there was my specific battery- and the person who warrantied it failed to label it properly. So I have to wriggle it free from the others on the pallet in order to put the specific label on it, and replace a core battery in the labeled core bag.

Remember me mentioning tight quarters with two pallets?  I had the battery worked free... got my foot tangled beneath the pallet, slipped on the disheveled bags from searching for the specific battery! I did a 180* twist with my body, and fell over the pallet of batteries- not quite completing a 360* forward flip... to land splat on my back- having slung the battery in my hand halfway across the room.

To give my co-workers credit, they rushed to my aid instead of applauding. I had to lay there for a moment and finish my litany of unkind remarks against the person who failed to label the battery in the first place. Nothing is broken, sprained or bleeding. But I am twisted, bruise, scraped and sore. I can only imagine what morning will feel like! I was helped to my feet and finished the Returns.

Today wasn't as bad as I had expected, after not receiving freight Saturday-Tuesday. I was off by 1:15... that was almost a 7 hour day.

A beautiful black and yellow butterfly met me as I got home, and came and lit on the screen door as I was preparing to enter the house!

Little things...

For those of you who have asked, the steaks at The Wooden Spoon were AWESOME. We had a nice evening out. I came home and promptly fell asleep.

Yesterday, Dale Teel and Matthew came out to do some target shooting. Matthew has grown SO much since we kept him. He is almost ready for third grade... after his summer, of course! This was the first time we have spent much time with Matthew since we quit babysitting him the summer before he started school. He still is very energetic.

We grilled cheese stuffed hamburgers, and I tried a recipe for scalloped potatoes in the slow cooker. The lettuce and spinach for the burgers was fresh from the garden.

**************

This morning I REALLY slept in. It was 20 til 9 when I stumbled out of bed in search of magical elixir of wakefulness- a.k.a. coffee. Since I am usually up by 5:15 on workdays, that was quite a sleep! After having some coffee and a breakfast of leftover scalloped potatoes sprinkled with leftover chopped turkey breast, I went out to water my flowers. Mr C was adding a new string to the top of the peas trellis. I went over to help 'train' the peas onto the strings, gently untangling their seeker tendrils and guiding them to the strings.

I felt a bug land on my calf! Yes, I jumped and looked! It was a butterfly... (or a moth?) My jump startled it as much as it had startled me. It flew off a couple off feet, then came right back and landed on my shoe. I offered it my finger, and it obligingly climbed right onto my hand. I walked from the garden up to the house with it, expecting it to take flight any moment. It just stood lit, tasting my hand. I called for Dan to bring out the camera and take pictures... then I gently encouraged it to climb onto my rosebushes. It climbed onto the roses, and flew... right back over to land on my hand again!

So, three times this butterfly chose to land on me. On Memorial Day.

After a few more minutes, I took it to the hummingbird feeder and showed it sugar water... and left it tasting that instead of my sweaty skin!

Time's fun when you are having flies...

At least that is what Kermit the Frog always said!
Just a month left until two three big events! The twins 17th birthday is June 17th. Father's day is the 16th. And Ben and Paula's baby is due the 18th. Meanwhile, Ben and Paula are having a baby shower hosted (hostessed?) by Becky on the 1st of June.
I just ordered a couple of gifts for the boys. For Father's day, we  are thinking of a smoker grill. I sent a firefighter's baby outfit to Ben and Paula... still hoping to make the party!
Ben passed his most recent firefighter's testing and ranks # 12 on the list! (As compared to 40-something last year!) He and Paula live in their new home, though have not 'settled' yet. They are working first on the apartment on the property, which they can rent out as an income-property. THEN they will work on their new home's kitchen. Amazing how much of life is centered on one's kitchen!

For mother's day, I also got a gift certificate to The Wooden Spoon, where Daniel and Sam work. We are supposed to have supper there tonite!
This week, I worked on my sitting area bench:

 I painted the bench! (Same colors, but more-so!)

And Look how the garden has grown in the last couple of weeks! The snow May 3 & 4 took out a few tomato plant, but the rest really bounced back

 

And as far as the recent tornadoes... we got some wind. (meh.) and a weeeee bit of hail.  There was wind damage to neighboring places, but we escaped unharmed.

Prayers to the Moore victims!

 

Oh... the garden has caused mucho spinachio salada. So much so as my bowels erupt in greenery. Too much information, right?

Good Mother's day

I had a good mother's day. It started out with sleeping in... til 20 past 7! (Yes, that really IS sleeping in these days!) Then as Mr C and I prepared to go to get groceries, my eldest son called. It is a nice thing to get a call from him once in awhile.
After arriving back from the store, where we got a couple of racks of ribs to grill, Dan and Sam set up a sitting area for me

 in the back yard, overlooking the garden.


Then, two of the grandkids showed up.....

 With flowers! These are added to the bouquet Tommy sent me... so I got two big bouquets this year.

I got calls from all of my children (except the Individuals, who were here with me!)

Tom and I called our Mom's and wished them happy Mom's Day.

Connor suffered a fractured arm when a cousin slammed a door on it. His first broken bone.

The cookout was delicious. We had spinach salad fresh from the garden along with the ribs, scalloped potatoes and grilled portabella mushrooms.

I hope your day was as blessed as mine was.

More work...

I have worked 8 hours a day for the last two days. Exhausted, but Oh Well. Boss is increasing my hours. We had a person come in and quit without notice this week, so everyone is stressed. I won't get to go with Tom and the Individuals to Texas to meet new baby Coder. All the vacation for June is delegated to others. I am hoping to get to take a weekend down there once baby arrives. And maybe another weekend or so as well!

Yesterday, I worked on prettying up the front of the store. Today I was in The Back Room. (Cue ominous music). I re-arranged Gates (brand) belts and hoses. I still need to do the less expensive brand, MasterPro. Boss and co-workers are pleased with my work today. Less than pleased with the original work done in The Back Room (ominous music)... don't know if I will be correcting that or not. It is done, and not too bad, if you read in Chinese. (The numerical order starts at the bottom, then goes across, then up and across...)

Thursday evening, I am going to watch little Bryan- the child I babysat back in November and December. His Daddy is taking his Mommy out to dinner for her birthday. Mr. C has really missed Bryan, so we should have a good evening.

Mother's day is upon me again. I haven't given it enough thought this year. Cards were mailed today. No gifts done, planned, thought up. Bad daughter, bad. bad. No hints dropped to children.... Sam was going to get me a blender or a really nice camera.... but was hoping to hear from siblings on that. So far as I know... he's behind the power curve as well.

That's all for today. I need a nap, even if it's brief!

Apologies to the affected

Apparently I have committed a major faux pas. Without even thinking, I posted pictures on the family share site from the recent birthday party we attended. I have been reprimanded- I should only share pictures of the immediate family. Some of the pictures were deemed "unflattering".

As a queen of unflattering photos, I just didn't THINK. Some said they were upset with their photos "being broadcast far and wide, with no say so in the matter". I apologized. I know how I dislike having no say in matters.

For myself, I look how I look. Overweight. Round face and bulging clothes. No make up. That's me- you get what you get. I'm beating myself up for not thinking of those photographed- I was thinking of those who couldn't attend for whatever reason. I thought they might feel more 'included' by seeing pictures of the event. My bad.

Sometimes I DO think of how I look. I think of going on a diet- trying to look great and "impress" the very family members that do judge me. Then food comes by and I say Oh well... I yam what I yam. The offending album is going to be deleted... perhaps I can repost a few of the pictures that are not offensive.

Hug someone you love... and remember that YOU are loved, even if you don't like how you look in a photograph.

You call this MAY?

Today is beautiful and warm... almost HOT at 82*. Tonight, it drops down into the 30's. Tomorrow's high may reach 51. Snow showers possible Friday, with a high in the lower 40's. We are in the SOUTH. and it is MAY.
The garden totally froze to death while we were in Ohio this past week.

The trip was fine. We stayed in an old cottage on a small lake behind Tom's brother's house. In all the years we have been going to Ohio, I knew there were rental cabins behind Bob's house, but never been up to see them. It had many amenities, but we could tell it was an older house because the staircase to the second floor had deep (tall) steps- a good 12" tread up. The bed Mr C and I slept in was probably original to the house. Old enough to have developed the center crater which I struggled not to roll into all night.

MIL's party was nice. It was a good meal, your choice of roasted chicken leg quarters or brisket, au gratin potatoes, roasted veggies, salad, and fresh fruit salad. There was a good turnout, some 40+ people, counting babies.

I did miss calling Ben and Paula for their anniversary. And we drove back on Bill's birthday, so I shed some tears along the route.

I'm back to work, and Boss is wanting to increase my hours. Sam drove home with Becky and is flying back today. Speaking of which, I believe I hear his plane overhead. We are in the landing pattern part of the year, and experience led us to learn that when we see the plane go over, it is perfect timing to get to the pick up point by the time the passengers get there. So, Thanks for reading! Have a great day! I'm off to get that Sam, I am.