A Photo Book for 2011

Click here to view this photo book larger

Create your own personalized photo books at Shutterfly.com.

High Hopes

I had such high hopes for today. I called yesterday my "trip recovery day", and basically accomplished very little. I DID go speak to my former boss at O'Reilly's... and he spoke to HIS boss. They agree that I have a 99.9% chance of being rehired.... but not until after the annual budget meeting. The budget meeting is next Thursday.
So I have at least another week off work!
Now it is almost 2:00 pm. So far I have had a cup of hot tea, and a hamburger patty (naked and unadorned) .(The hamburger patty, not me. I was fully clothed at the time.... sheesh!)
I got one load of clothes on to wash. Oops... I just realized I left them soaking. OK.
 NOW I have gotten a load of clothes on to wash.
But that is about it. I was distracted by a coupon from Shutterfly. I got $20 off of any one order. So I made myself a photo book. I considered giving the book to someone else... but then selfishly decided to keep it for ME. (Sorry Mom/ Dad/ Becky/ Kathie/ Chris/ Ben and Paula).
Dad has a birthday coming up. If I had had more time, as well as pictures of Paula growing up, I would of put together a book for them. But since today was the last day my coupon was good... I made the book for myself. So there!
I intended to unpack some boxes today. I even brought one in and dug out a birthday card for my BIL Bob, whose birthday is Monday. I filled out the card... then missed the postman. So I can't even list mailing cards out as an accomplishment for today.
Tomorrow, the guy is supposed to FINALLY come and fix our oven. Hooray for being able to bake things!
I suppose if I just got up from in front of the computer and got started, I could get something accomplished today.
May your day be blessed with both large and small accomplishments, as well as a full measure of joy!

I got back from my whirlwind Tour of Texas last night....

I did just over 1900 miles in just under a week.. I saw all seven of my kids during this time, and just over half of my grandkids.
One of my boys got engaged while I was in Texas. (Gosh, "engaged" sure looks weird when I spell it out....)
So, for those of you who have not yet heard....

 We are pleased to announce the engagement of Benjamin Paul Coder to Paula Jo Schroeder. They plan to wed on April 28th, 2012.

Yes, YIKES... that is just over 12 weeks from now.

Oh, you say Shrader... not ShrOHder... so she won't be Paula Shroder Coder. Just saying.
Anyways... they will have a busy few weeks deciding things and Getting Stuff Done. Save the date, if you want to come. Also... send me your address if you would like an invitation.

They are considering outfits for the bridesmaids and groomsmen. If they go with a theme wedding as we briefly discussed... I LOVE this dress.

I would certainly consider it, as mom O' the groom.

I wore a westerny tiered skirt to Becky's wedding. but the same shade of royal blue to both Chris' (first) wedding, as well as Bill and Glynna's.

I have a whole slew of trip pictures up at http://moocrew3.shutterfly.com/pictures .



The Best of Plans....

Sometimes have to be changed.
My whirlwind tour of Texas was supposed to be starting this morning. Instead, I am at home staying VERY close to the porcelain throne.
The stomach bug that hit over a week ago has been come and go, come and go. Last night before bed, the "other" GO was added.
So, my trip plans are delayed. I am hoping by tomorrow to pick them up again, with the only change being one night instead of two at my Mom's house in Ft.Worth.
Meanwhile, pass the Kaopectate.

Late dec 2011 Jan 12

Click here to view these pictures larger

The new year is on its way...

I have been informed that we have preparations to make. The kids need a bag of marshmallows for their annual see in the new year campfire. They stay up/ out all night, drinking Cowboy Coffee, making S'mores, and roasting hotdogs. Sometimes they even charcoal potatoes. (The intent is actually to bake the potatoes in the coals, but they usually end up with smoldering lumps of charcoal wrapped in foil.)
I also need want to get some more of the cheese curls I discovered at Save-A-Lot last week. They are Herr's brand Honey Cheese Curls. Sweet, and savory. I was addicted instantly... and none of the guys like them at all. So a bag will be ALL MINE.

I must confess I have gained a day somewhere. I was sure today was Thursday... yet the computer says it is only Wednesday. I have sure enjoyed spending time with the grandkids. Connor and Alana came out and spent the night Friday, then Becky  and Stephen arrived with their three on Sunday afternoon. We had a great time visiting with Laurie and Andrew Wilhelm and their children yesterday. They narrowly missed meeting Mr. C (on his birthday!), due to missing a turnoff on their way over, and chores at home drawing them away before he arrived home after work.

I made the gumbo yesterday. It turned out quite well. Not exactly Seneca's gumbo, but still quite tasty. The lasagna was accomplished a couple of days ago in the crock pot. It was OK. Talk about a DEEP dish lasagna... this certainly was!

Not having an oven means I didn't get to bake Tom his carrot cake for his birthday. We went with a WalMart deli cheesecake instead. I got him some flannel Blue Jacket's Hockey sleep pants, as well as a Blue Jackets long sleeved T shirt. I also called a new coffee maker a birthday present... but we put that to use just before Becky and Stephen arrived.

I know not all of my kids read my blog... shame on them! So some may be pretty surprised when they get "birthday" presents this year... Since we show no signs of moving ANYWHERE, much less to Ohio... I have decided that I am gong to disburse my cookie jar collection among my kids/ grandkids. Then, for gift giving occasions, I will send them cookies!

So, for those of my kids who DO read the blog... better send in your "dibs" on which jar you want. PS, you cannot have Ferdinand

Waiting....

Becky and Stephen and the kids are on their way to visit. I will get to see Dakota for the first time, and see how much Tyrel and Kimber have grown.
I had lots of good eats planned for the visit... and I am having to revise drastically... NO OVEN!
 The oven on the "new" stove does work, but puts out so much soot you would think the house is burning down. And it smells awful. The parts to fix it are on order... but seriously, hopes of getting it fixed during the week between Christmas and New Years are not great.
I have stew in the slow cooker right now. I will attempt lasagne in it later this week. I have a few ingredients to get this week, and one of the revised meals will be Gumbo.
I haven't yet spoken to my old boss at O'Reilly's about getting on as a rehire. Maybe I ought to pursue a better paying job... I don't know.
Fiona, as it turned out, was already broken. ("fixed"). (If something is "fixed", doesn't that imply that it works?... and when you spay/ neuter an animal, it prevents them from procreating. Since bringing forth young is the normal function... then if that is prevented... the animal is BROKEN... not "FIXED")
Anyways, she has become friendlier by the day. She and Jaffa have had no major confrontations. While she has awakened us crying a few times during the night, I warned the guys about responding. Respond once to a cat, and they will continue to do whatever got your attention, forever. So do NOT respond to her during the night!
That's all for now. Have a blessed day. Hug someone you love and call someone who doesn't expect it!

Digging out

I've been back in NW Arkansas since the wee hours of Wednesday morning. After three and a half hours of sleep Wednesday morning, the boys and I started cleaning at the house. Cleaning "at", because it is so bad and we didn't get too far. Lack of sleep on all our parts, not knowing where to start, general malaise. We didn't get very far.
I did get Fiona taken to the vet. We discovered that she has already been spayed, has no microchips to enable a return to her former owner, and has at some point been shot... she has a BB embedded beneath the skin of her side, healed over. (So far, she and Jaffa are getting along, but at a distance. They WILL eat near one another, but it has to be at least 2 1/2 feet of separation.) She was pronounced in good health.
Yesterday, we began cleaning in earnest. We started with re-arranging several elements of the front rooms.
We were soon up to our armpits in alligators chaos. Jimmy Raynar, the goldfish was relocated. His tank was coated in so much slime I was about to gag. Like the fish in the Finding Nemo dentists office. EEEEWWW!
By the time Mr C got home, we had most things re-arranged and situated. This morning, we made it all look nice... in the front room. Kitchen, passable, but not great.
On tap for the afternoon... the bedrooms. Dan's room is where Becky and family will sleep. Sam's room is where the packed boxes have been stored for several months now. My room... it is the breeding ground for a species of giant mutant, killer dust bunnies. I'm afraid to get started in there. And my bathroom... you would think that fear of germs that keeps a man from eating in a restaurant would also drive him to clean his home bathroom at least ONCE in the three and a half months since I have been gone.
I have slept well the last two nights, so my fogged brain is beginning to work again.

Introducing: Fiona

This past week, as I prepared to depart from Ohio, my MIL had another kitty come to her house. She tried to ignore the kitty. No petting, no feeding. But plenty of fretting. She called neighbors, asked around, checked the lost and found boards in town. All she found were several "FOUND" kitty ads... apparently some samaritan was blessing random homes with cats.
 She has three cats, which she takes VERY good care of. She didn't need another cat. She suggested I bring the kitty back to Arkansas with me. I suggested taking the kitty to town and seeing if it could find a loving home there. Then Mr C said I could keep the kitty. Sam and Daniel decided that Fiona was a nice name for a cat.
Sam and I started out with Fiona in a carrier. She was not pleased with this arrangement. Eventually, we let her out in the confines of the car. She checked out the surroundings, then slept most of the way home.





Fiona looks exactly like our old cat Al E Cat... which we had for almost 19 years.

Fiona and Jaffa are still deciding if they want to be friends.

Sigh

Here I am back in Arkansas.
Mr C's transfer request didn't come through in a timely manner, and I had overstayed the comforts of my MIL's guest apartment. None of her other children felt comfortable coming with me there. So after my 90 days... in lieu of the promotion that was in the works, I offered resignation.
Sam had stayed in Ohio last week after Tom came up to get most of my belongings I had transported up since July. He and I drove back yesterday.
We took a very scenic route. Nothing like missing a turn onto an expressway and taking literal backroads... in rain, fog, night and mountains. Not that the expressways were all that fast once we reached them. traffic on I-40 was at a standstill. Not slow... but NOT MOVING. we finally began creeping forward, merged, and then made between 5 and 20 miles an hour for the next 45 minutes.
Did I mention I had been trying to make good time, and also had consumed several highly caffeinated drinks to stay awake... planning to make a pit stop soon. The stopped traffic led to my decision to exit the quagmire of stalled traffic, despairing of ever re-entering the pack, at a rest area... because I reallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreallyreally REALLY had to go.
The rest area was closed. At less than 5 MPH, the next six miles to the nearest exit took an abominably long amount of time.
I was sorely afraid I wasn't going to make it.
I made it... but barely. My apologies to anyone who may of been lurking near the convenience store rest room waiting for it to be free. You weren't in line at the door when it opened. Had you been there... it would of been too late for me. (When I came out there WAS a line!)
Oh, we also gained a kitty our last day in Ohio. She/it (can't tell by the plumbing, I assume it is a girl.) showed up at my MIL's house about a week ago. MIL has three cats and was fretting over what to do about this one. It was well fed, and looks exactly like our old Al E cat. Al passed away about 2 years ago. We had had her for nearly 19 years.
Our scenic drive back was accompanied by Fiona. She traveled well, despite a couple of indiscretions. After my close call, I can totally understand. There was no litter box. We were in the car for 21 hours. She is now making friends with Jaffa. (I hope.)
The house looks like a bachelor pad. With Becky and crew coming Sunday... and all the stuff we packed back in July, (in order to move to Ohio) still in boxes, I have a lot to do this week. I just don't know where to begin.
Yeah. I'm back.

Updates from the Ohioan

Today is one of my rare trips to the library... Work has slowed just enough that Sundays are now voluntary... and I am not volunteering! I am still working 6 days a week, 10 hour days M-F, and 8 on Saturdays.
It has left little (read NO) time for house hunting. Mr C is supposed to be looking online for me, finding places I can say either "yes, we want to see this place", or "cross it off the list". I can't stay in my MIL's basement much longer, she has other family members who want to visit, but feel as if I am displacing them in my residential use of her guest room.
Time for something to happen!
So, I ask prayers of all my family and friends... Tom's transfer to happen, or time for me to give notice... throw in the towel, and head back to Arkansas.

It is December already, a fact that pretty much everyone is already aware. It has really crept up on me. I have almost a dozen birthdays to think of this month... and have in fact only dealt with four of them as of today. Becky's birthday is the next one I really have to THINK about. I was limited in options for Chris', so he was relatively easy to shop for.
I really like my job... and would hate to give it up. I am at the threshold of it becoming a career step. I am the unofficial trainer for my department. And word was given at a meeting last week that the company is looking among the rank and file for new lead people and managers, as our growth has already far outstripped even their most generous initial estimates of manpower. (Over 200 people have been hired in the last couple of weeks.)
That said, if things don't fall into place in the next week... I will be giving up this job and back in the job market of NW AR. That's just how things happen sometimes. I gave it a shot, and can say "I live in OHIO!"... or, "I lived in Ohio!" . Cross one thing off the old "Bucket List".
So, May each of you be blessed today. Hug someone you love, and pass some encouragement on to a person who needs it.
Thanks for reading!

Yes, I am Alive...

I have been working 7 days a week since the day before Halloween, and was working 6 days a week before that. Putting in 10 hour days most days, and not near a computer to be able to even check email or Facebook in so long I can't recall when I last did!
The job is not HARD but it is tedious, and grueling with pressure. Since it is a "start up" company, we are figuring out the best way to do things as we go along. Some things have been disastrous failures, while other things we are trying to do to speed up receiving may work out eventually.
I really like my co-workers. There is such a huge blend of cultures and people working here. I am making friends... or at least work acquaintances.
So far, Mr C's transfer has not come through. He is not pushing me to quit, yet.
Big news since I was least here... Becky gave birth to Dakota Rose on 11/11/11 at 1:20 in the afternoon. Dakota weighed 8lbs. 5.5 oz. and looks just like her siblings. If you look on the sidebar to my blog, there are pictures of her up at "Mom's Adventure".
As I am on borrowed library time and still have so much I need to do, I am closing for now.
 May you be richly blessed. (Truth /JoAnne, if you read this PLEASE send my love to the wonderful folks at TOK!)
~Tammy~

Work!

The actual work part of my new job took off this week. I have learned the new systems, and can get the product received into stock. The goal is to keep the product always moving, going out as fast as it comes in. So anyway, I am getting the hang of it. looks like "just in time" too... they expect the receivers to be working Saturdays for the next five or six weeks.
I have made plenty of suggestions at work, as well as spoken up to the "big boss" when he questioned WHy we were unable to do what we were hired to do earlier this week. I gave him a real rundown of the problems we were having... mostly being lack of equipment. It is hard for four receivers and five managers to share two computers, and get done all the computer based work... especially when of the nine people, only two had access to even get IN the necessary programs. That was remedied quickly, after the little meeting. Big boss has a nickname for me already... "Troublemaker".
I also brought myself to the attention of pretty much the whole department yesterday. I tripped over a pallet and fell sprawling-splat at the feet of the supervisor and a couple of co-workers. I wasn't hurt. (And thankfully, no one clapped!) I got up, dusted off, retrieved my glasses, which had glided on across the floor another 10 feet. Later, I was told to report to the safety administrator. They HAD to file an accident report! And I had to have a mandatory drug test. (My second in three weeks, thank you!)  But then, the big boss came around to personally check on me and find out what had happened and if I was really OK. What a change from American Eagle... where I shredded open my hand on a tape gun, and my supervisor told me to put a band-aid on it and get back to work, that it didn't warrant an accident report andwhen it kept bleeding, she suggested direct pressure... but hold something on it tightly with tape, because I had work to do... (I have a SCAR from that!)

The trees here are so beautiful... all the fall colors are just popping up all around. A week ago, on top of the Ridge road, I could look across the valleys and I saw ONE red dressed tree atop a faraway hill. Yesterday, I slowed to look for that tree. It was hard to find amid all the other red, orange and yellows that are dressing the hills and valleys.
Sitting out on the deck and looking into the woods, there seems to be at least one leaf falling at any given moment, often many at a time. It seems as if there is some signal given that I can't hear, and dozens of leaves come cascading down. In the quiet, you really can hear ONE leaf falling, gently clicking and ticking against other leaves and branches as it drifts slowly down. When there is a breeze in the treetops, the leaves just rain down.

That's about all  have time for today. Hope you have a blessed and wonderful day.