Wellllllll

My busyness continues. I agreed to work one extra week at O's, as the management change doesn't actually happen until the 8th. I have already put in more than 40 hours this week- tomorrow ending the work week- and tomorrow will be as long as I can stand. I discovered in trying to complete the tool aisle planogram... it involved TWO sections more than I realized. I haven't even FINISHED the ones I knew about, which were due today. Freight has been crazy heavy all week. Small mistakes in ordering fixtures cost time here and there. (A 3' bar was ordered when a 4' was needed. Ran out of 15" deep shelves...)
So, while I agreed to work next week, it is also to my benefit, as I am grandfathered into holiday pay as a part-timer. (New part timers do not get 1.5 holiday pay.) There is no freight scheduled for Tuesday, as the drivers have Monday off. If I am not caught up tomorrow... and there is no realistic way I can be, I can CHOOSE a day to come in and just work planograms. If I choose Monday... guess what? It is time and a half scale! I already have prior approval of both the exiting manager and the acting manager to work any of those days I chose. The new manager coming in.. (Tim) was there today. He didn't veto my working the holiday. :)

Here at home... the local apple trees have been dispersing their fruits. Two days ago (or was it three) I had noticed plum trees with ripening fruits along my drive home. I asked Sam (who was off until 1:00 the next day) if he would mind picking me enough plums for one batch of plum jelly. These plums are different than the ones we had in Marlow. Those plums ripened in late May to early June, these plums are just NOW coming ripe. In the 10 years we have lived here, I have never noticed them before!
So... Coming home from work, I saw the plum trees were just as laden as they had been the day before. I figured Sam had been called in to work, or else forgotten my request. So I stopped and picked enough for a batch of wild plum jelly.

Dan passed me picking plums on his way home from the Wooden Spoon. We waved. I got home and started my plum jelly. The phone rang. It was Sam, asking that Daniel bring their backpacks and come get apples, which had been a canning goal of ours for weeks. Dan picked up one backpack, to learn it was FULL of wild plums. Sam had not forgotten at all. My first batch of wild plum jelly yielded 10, half pints.
The boys brought in apples. And more apples. AND MORE APPLES. They stopped at just over 2 bushels that day. So after the plum jelly, I got a pot of applesauce going, as well as a slow cooker batch of apple butter.
The next day, I had to can the apple butter. Tasting it, it was sour! I added some blackstrap molasses. Sam was leery... he said blackstrap has such a strong taste I probably ruined my batch of apple butter. Tasting it, his eyes lit up. He says it tastes like liquid gingerbread!
While he was at work, he mentioned the abundance of apples... and managed to borrow an antique (over 100 years old) cider press! So last night, I did another batch of applesauce, another batch of apple butter, a double batch of wild plum jelly... and the boys have thus far done about 5 gallons of hand pressed apple cider. (I have 30 jars of wild plum jelly (half pint), twelve pints of applesauce, two pints and six half pints of apple butter... and nearly a bushel of already harvested apples to go.)
I declared tonight a night of rest... NOT dealing with fruits.
Of course, it is now suppertime. I'm so tired, I have NO CLUE what I am making for supper... but the kitchen is cleaned, the sticky apple residue washed from the floors, and laundry and the dishwasher running.
Have a blessed night!
Keep praying about a good job for me!
~Tammy~

Staying BUSY

This is my last week at O'Reilly. I have been working extra hours, and even extra DAYS to try to complete this major planogram due by the 29th. I have two full sections to go; though today I had time to set the basic structure of one of those. Tuesdays continue to be major freight days by simple fact we don't have trucks on Sunday and Monday.
I ended today with 17 hours under my belt for this new pay period... normally I would have about five at this point in my week.


I am NOT getting hired at the local restaurant where the twins work. They filled their three openings with church members and friends... which is totally OK by me. I was a bit concerned about them having three of us working there, as it would make taking family time off very difficult. But it does mean I need to dust off my resume and hit the virtual streets, putting in applications. Pretty much ALL  jobs these days require online applications. I am thinking: local staffing agencies, Lowes, hotels in their maid/ laundry sections (even desk clerk), and perhaps the local casino.
There are chicken hatcheries that I saw *now hiring* signs outside, and there is McKee (Little Debbie).


Meanwhile, with frugality and the extra hours I've been getting, we should be fine for several weeks.
(Thought of setting up a booth at a local Farmer's market. Spaces are quite inexpensive. I can sell jellies and such.)


We had such a great visit with Paula and Becky and the kids! Jasher took a few independent steps, but wasn't ready to be declared "walking". Miss Grace decided she can roll over, and was QUITE pleased with herself. We went to War Eagle Mill, and the kids played in the mill stream. ALL of them had a great time, from Grace on up to Tyrel!
We went to the local Wild Wilderness Safari Park... our first time ever. It was much "more" than I expected. And about the same price as going to Tulsa Zoo, but 100 miles closer! I highly recommend going again whenever we have visitors!


I REALLY need a nap before supper, which my Sam is cooking... home made pizza!


Have a blessed night! I ask your prayers that God open the perfect job for me!

Ch-ch-ch-Changes

I was complaining to Mr C yesterday morning, about my job. I was once again passed over for the driver's job- the boss admitting I would NEVER get to be the delivery diver because I am GREAT at my current job as Merchandiser. During the time I had quit O's and gone to work in Ohio, they went through four (or five?) people as Merchandisers. The store was chaos when I returned some 18 months ago. And if I am switched to delivery driver, then either the manager or the shop specialist has to do freight... until they hire a new Merchandiser, and they aren't going to do it. So, due to my habit of doing a good job- I am penalized.
The position has really become too much for me. I ache all the time and sport bruises daily.

I got to work yesterday, and my boss, Chris, greeted me, "It's been good working with you!"
I asked if I am fired, or was he leaving? He found a job making as much to start as he can ever top out as for O's. And he can clock out, go home, and have zero responsibilities that go with being manager. I am truly happy for him.
What I was NOT happy with was that his replacement will be the old boss, Tim. I am not going to work for Tim.
With that little shove, I gave notice at O's. I applied at the restaurant where the twins are working. Not sure of a job there, but I will find something.
I spoke to the remaining driver we had at the store (The open driver slot is still not filled)... John is an older fellow, and was planning to retire in November. He suffered worse abuse from Tim than I did... and he has also put in his notice of intention to retire... our little O's store is down by half its staff in two weeks. They will need three drivers and a merchandiser, having already decided on a new manager. Most the remaining folks are great friends with Tim, willing to overlook his lack of people skills. John and I were not.

Before my two weeks are up, I will be logging pretty much full time hours. I have three or four planograms, two of which are MAJOR. So I will be exiting with one of my larger paychecks from this company. That should help the transition to the new job... whatever that job may be.

Oh, and right at this very minute... Becky and Paula are on their way up to visit, bringing GRANDBABIES! I need to find a day/ way to get them together with their more local cousins (90 miles away) at least for a day.

Have a great day, be blessed, and Thank You for praying for us!

Nothing New...

The canning has become more sporadic... only a couple of times a week as we come to the end of the tomatoes. I made my best batch of spaghetti sauce yet yesterday. Yield was 3 quarts.


The boys are ready for Trek. Their gear is assembled and sitting in the living room, in anticipation of an early start on Saturday.


Jasher has taken his first independent steps, I am told... but he doesn't WANT to walk. He is the BABY and wants to be carried! Such a cutie.


Grace has discovered she can suck her fingers and soothe herself when Mommy can't feed her THIS VERY INSTANT!
Becky and Stephen blame Cowgranny for this!


The Taylor Family reunion is coming up on the last Saturday in September, in Broken Bow. Same location as last year. I hope as much of the family that can be there will plan on attending! Lunch is at noon, meat provided, bring a dish to share and something for the auction!


Today is a gorgeous day in NW Arkansas. Sunny and mild, only 78* today. Tonight is the Perseids Meteor Shower .
I love to sit out and watch the night skies. Just wish I didn't have to be at work quite so early.


Have a blessed day, thanks for reading. Happy Stargazing tonight!