I’m Free!

For a week, at least. 

I'd enjoy this time off more if I were getting paid for more than two days of it, but still, I'm free for a week!  I'm not sure what I'm going to do while I'm off, but I'm making myself a list.  Number 1:  Finish cleaning up that back corner of my yard.  Number 2:  call the surveyor.

Oh, boy.  Phone call.  Sigh...

Not sure what else I'm going to do other than stay in the air conditioning as much as possible and sleep as long as I want.  Sleep....That's what I'm looking forward to the most.  All that sleep.

Oh, here's a fun fact for you.  I found an online heat index calculator and just for funzies, I plugged in the temperature at my work station, and the relative humidity and came up with a heat index of 112.  Note that this is not outside.  It's at my work station, inside the plant.  Where I have to work all day. 

One hundred and twelve degrees. 

Another fun fact.  My air conditioner hasn't shut off since I got home.  

In other news, I've noticed the last couple of days that my mint plants hadn't been doing so well, so this afternoon, I moved the sweet mint into the raised bed.  

The peppermint seems to be doing a little better, but then it is in a bigger pot.  My lemon balm is doing great, 

As is my pineapple sage. 

Now, I just need to figure out what to do with them.  I'm thinking about going ahead and drying some of the leaves to put back and make my own tea blends this winter.  I'll have plenty of time for all that though.  

A few hours later, I went and checked on my sweet mint, and it's perked up considerably.  I think it'll be OK.

The only other thing I've done is to put the dogs' old water dish out by the fence and fill it up for the wild critters.  

If I can manage to get myself moving tomorrow, I might run in to Tractor Supply and see if they have a 5 gallon size.  I'm sure the deer will appreciate it.  

Insomnia

What do normal people do when they are beset by insomnia?

They read, or browse Facebook, or listen to music, or watch videos, or play games.

What do I do?

I research Henry V and the Battle of Agincourt.

What can I say?  Dorks gotta dork— even in the middle of the night.

Ok moving right along…Group Leader Shark came back from vacation yesterday.  She and her husband had gone on a cruise, and she brought us souvenirs.  

That was pretty cool, because I'm sure it cost her quite a bit to get us all something.  It says Cozumel, if you can't read it.  

And finally...

Hello Sahara, my old friend

Not nice to have you back again

I work all day and feel you stick to me

Because of this dadgum humidity!

And when I breathe, 

You clog my alveoli and fill up my lungs

With the sand of the desert.

Admit it, you sang it didn't you?  

Did you? 

Don't ask.  Even I don't know.  I've long since given up trying to find an explanation for such things.  

OK, I'll go sit down now...

'Bye.  

Red Wings

The blog will be observing a day of silence to remember those brave men who lost their lives June 28, 2005 during Operation Red Wings.

Never forget them.

LT Michael P. Murphy

ST2 Matthew Axelson

GM2 Danny Dietz

FTC Jacques J. Fontan

RMCS Daniel R. Healy

LCDR Erik S. Kristensen

ET1 Jeffery A. Lucas

LT Michael M. McGreevy, Jr.

QM2 James E. Suh

HM1 Jeffrey S. Taylor

MM2 Shane E. Patton

SSG Shamus O. Goare

CWO3 Corey J. Goodnature

SGT Kip A. Jacoby

SFC Marcus V. Muralles

MSG James W. Ponder III

MAJ Stephen C. Reich

SFC Michael L. Russell

CWO4 Chris J. Scherkenbach

Tell it to your children, and let your children tell it to the next generation, and their children to the next generation.  --Joel 1 : 3

So that we may never forget. 

OK, So…

I know I said I was going to take a break from blogging, but I had to tell you one more thing.

Yesterday, right before quitting time, we were all cleaning up and getting ready to go home, when the first aid lady walked through the department.

I don’t know what she was doing, or why she was even out on the shop floor with it being this hot. That’s one silver lining — the front office people tend to stay up in the front office in their air conditioning and leave us alone. 

Most of the time anyway. Heh, they even had a fan installed in that corner where they have their morning meetings.  I guess they can’t handle ten minutes in the kind of heat we work in for hours every day. 

So anyway, the first aid lady walked through and said, “You doing all right?” To which I replied, “Yep, I’m doing OK.” Then she asked, “Not too hot?”

I didn’t say a word. I just pointed to my thermometer.

Which said 92°.

First aid lady walked on mighty quickly.  But they did hand out Gatorade two days in a row.  So there is that…

Just so this post won't be a total waste of your time, here are my lantanas-- the ones I thought I'd lost in that hard freeze last winter. 

 And here is hat progress. 

 That's all for now. 

G'night folks. 

That Was Exciting

Well, that was exciting. 

Yep, we had some storms roll though last night, and they kind of caught me by surprise.  

Oh, I'd seen the weather warnings and all, but the last few times we were under thunderstorm warnings, they went all around us, and we didn't get anything.  But that's what weather does to you.  It lulls you into a false sense of security, then

WHAM!!

It hits you like a ton of bricks. 

We didn't get much rain, but a lot of thunder and wind.  Even so, I was on my way to work this morning, looking around as I drove, and thinking there didn't seem to be that much damage.  

I turned onto Riverdale Road, still not seeing too much damage or anything, when up ahead I saw some debris in the road.

"Oh, there are some twigs and branches down....Whoa!  That's a whole tree!"  

I slammed on the brakes just in time to avoid hitting it.  Fortunately, it wasn't all the way across the road and I was able to ease my way around it and go on to work, but let's just say I didn't need my morning coffee to get myself awake after that. 

Also, there were foxes.  

For real.  Foxes.  I'd seen them last week darting across the road, but wasn't sure if they were foxes or cats.  This morning, I saw one in my headlights and it was definitely a red fox. 

Which, of course, brings to mind Le Petit Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry.  Which is the whole reason I'm trying to learn French -- so I can read it in the original language.  

But I digress...

I spent all day long at work thinking I would need to come home and go find my trash can...not sure why, but there it is.  And when I got home, there my garbage can was, right where it was supposed to be.  

And me, I'm all ready for the next storm. 

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go practice my French. 

Laters

Ghosted Again

Well, I had a really nice post all planned out for you yesterday. It would have made you laugh. It would have made you cry. It would have moved you, Bob.

Alas, it was not to be.  And I'll tell you why. 

I'd gotten into one of my moods here lately...my oh poor pitiful me moods.  I won't bore you with my whining, but I'm sure you know what I mean.  When Friday, I came out of Walmart, and found that someone had left a little New Testament on my car. 

"Cool!"  I said.  Now I have a car Bible.  But when I opened it up, my land of Goshen, that print was tiny!  My thumb included for scale. 

Luckily, the kind people who left it had also tucked in a little magnifier inside.  

It's actually a pretty cool little Bible, with significant verses already highlighted.  

Then, when I got home and checked the mail, I found a someone had sent me a little devotional book.

"I think somebody might be trying to tell me something," I said.  Turns out it was a free sample from someone trying to get me to buy his series of books, but still. 

But wait, there's more!  As I was carrying my groceries into the house, the man mowing the yard next door beckoned me over and asked if I needed my yard cut.  We agreed on a price, and he said he'd come back Saturday morning and cut it.  

And that's where my illusions fell apart.  Yep, he was a no-show.  I'd been ghosted again.  

By 4:30 PM, I figured he wasn't coming, so I got out and cut my grass myself.  Eh, it was OK, because it was just going to be a one time thing anyway.  I don't like other people mowing my yard, because they tend to cut things I don't want cut.  One guy weedeated down my entire front flower bed.  And it was full of store-bought plants, too!  I remember thinking that I should probably tell him not to, but figured he'd have sense enough to see plants planted in rows inside a border are there on purpose, but I guess not.  

Still, after that, I was tired and discouraged once again, and I just didn't feel like blogging.  Speaking of, don't be alarmed if blogging becomes scarce over the next couple of months. When it starts feeling like a chore, it's time to take a break.  

So, yesterday while I was waiting for the lawn guy, I finally finished this unwholesome word headband.  

This one gave me fits, I'm telling you.  I had to rip and start over three times.  Mostly because I wasn't paying attention, but still.  As if that weren't enough, when I was caking the yarn, I found a knot in it.  I think the one on the left might have been big enough for an entire headband, but I wasn't quite sure, so I started over with a full skein.  

With the two small cakes, I cast on another hat. 

 I'm much better and hiding joins on something that has a wrong side to it.  

Now for a bit of bad news.  They announced Friday that we would be shut down the entire first week of July.  Two of those days are plant holidays, so at least we'll get paid for those.  It's still worrisome, because this is supposed to be our busy season.  We're down to five assembly lines, and there still isn't enough work to keep us going.  I'm hoping part of the reason it's slow is because they're drawing down the inventory in the warehouses, but I'm fearing I might not have a job before it's all over.  

So to cheer us all up, here is a bit of humor I found on Facebook. 

And I'm the weirdo who thought, "Good!  Now I know where he is so I can go into stealth mode and launch a counter offensive!"  

Getting There

 Slowly but surely, I'm getting this back corner cleaned up.  

It already looks so much better than it did, even though I can only work on it for a few minutes per day because of the heat.  I just can't handle it like I did when I was younger.  Both the heat and the hard work, I mean. 

Anyway, now that I'm getting the overgrowth cut back, you can see what terrible shape my fence is in. This top rail isn't even attached to anything. 

Looking at it now, it's a wonder it kept my dogs in at all. But then, I think they just knew their boundaries.  

In other news, there is no other news.  Seriously, nothing at all is going on in my life.  I get up, go to work, come home, piddle around the house, then go to bed -- just to get up and do it all over again the next day. 

If I'm lucky, I can fit some knitting and piano practice in.  All that being said, sometimes, it's hard to come up with fun and interesting topics about which to blog.  Today is one of those days, so let me just go practice my piano a bit.

Oh, and I forgot to mention, I've passed my four year anniversary of having said piano.  I feel like I should be farther along than I am, but it is what it is.  I've even stopped doing the little recitals I used to do, because I...well, I just have.  Last fall, I bought that selfie ring thingy to record myself playing, and haven't used it once.  

I don't know what the deal is.  But when I figure it out, I'll let you know.

Tattled On

I got tattled on at work yesterday.  It was pretty funny, too.

See, the department worry wart and I were both working on the same parts -- different orders, but the same parts nonetheless.  One of the adapter tubes had been made slightly out of specs, but not so much out of specs it couldn't be used.  We just had to kind of squish them into place.

Well, Worry Wart came over to me and asked me how I was making the parts fit, and I showed her.  However, the way we were doing it made the adapter tube not perfectly perpendicular to the header, but it wasn't really that bad.  If you didn't know what you were looking at, you wouldn't even see it. 

"Is that going to be OK?" WW asked.  I told her it would, and went on about my business.  I guess Worry Wart thought I was lying to her, because the next thing I know, she's over taking to Group Leader Shark, who apparently didn't appreciate Worry Wart's tattling, because I heard her yelling, "Becky is a good brazer, plus she works in the back!  She knows what she's doing.  If Becky says it'll go, then it'll go!"  

Sometime later, I walked around the corner to Group Leader Shark's desk and said, "I think I need to get babysitter's pay."  She just laughed. 

You know, sometimes I wish I worked normal human being hours. I like getting off at 2:00 and all, but this getting up in the middle of the night is the pits. I get home, work in the yard for a while, take a shower, then practice my piano and by then, it’s time for bed and I haven’t even blogged. 

Is it wrong that a tiny little part of me secretly hoped I’ll get axed in the next round of layoffs? Boy, I’d better not say that. I might just jinx myself!

Ok, then, I’m off to bed. 

Happy Solstice, y’all!

The Towel

 Well, Cody messaged me last night and told me they were throwing in the towel and checking into a hotel for the next two days.  Entergy had said it would likely be Wednesday before their power was restored, and I guess they got tired of sitting in the dark and the heat. 

Naturally, as soon as they got checked into their non-refundable room, they got a message saying their electricity was back on. Cody said they’d just have themselves a little staycation, so as to not totally waste their money. 

But wait, there’s more!  When they went back to their house to pick up a few things, the lights were off again.  I guess it all worked out in the end.

This morning, I got up to the news that several tornadoes had touched down last night, but none near them — or me, either. 

Moss Point seems to have gotten hit the worst, though nothing like Rolling Fork. 

And that’s not all— I’m starting to feel like one of those infomercial announcers.  

Now, we have Bret.

I think I’m going to unplug for a while and go knit. 

Laters

Catching Up

 Yeah...

I'd meant to blog Friday, but I got out and mowed instead.  Once I was done with that, I didn't feel like blogging, so I meant to blog Saturday, but time just got away from me and I didn't.  Before I catch you up on what all has been going on with me in my dull, little life, I have some exciting news.

My sister messaged me Saturday and told me my oldest nephew is getting married in August, and the best part is the wedding is in Missouri!  What's so exciting about that, you may ask?  Well, I'll tell you.  It's not in Alaska!  I'm going to be able to go!  My sister said that neither of my brothers will be able to come, which is a bummer.  

Cody and Brennan are thinking about coming, too, but they're looking at flying, provided plane tickets aren't too expensive.  I'm going to drive, me.  It's only 7 1/2 hours, which is less than from here to Texas, and I won't have to rent a car once I get there, either.  I've already booked a hotel, so now the only issue is getting my supervisor to approve  my vacation day.  I may just skip that headache and call in for the day.  

See, this supervisor doesn't like to approve our vacation days.  Oh, he doesn't deny them.  He just lets them sit until the day is filled up -- because all the other supervisors approve their people's vacation days -- then tells us he can't give us the day because there are already too many people going to be off. 

That is a blatant violation of company policy, which is that vacation time is first come/first served.  I -- along with several other employees -- have explained to him numerous times why he needs to approve our days right away, and how it's not fair to me if I put in a day six months in advance but don't get it because he didn't approve it in time.  I've even talked to my production manager about it, but nothing has changed. 

He's always giving the same excuses;

I don't look that far ahead (well, you should)
I don't have access to a computer (which is a bald faced lie)
I was looking at the wrong calendar.

He even told one of my friends that he wasn't going to approve her day for a doctor appointment, because he thought she needed to use her FMLA instead.  But she wants to use her vacation so she'll get paid, so why should she have to use FMLA?  It should be her choice. 

This has gotten to the point that I honestly believe he is doing it on purpose, just so we won't be able to use our vacation time.  I have it on good authority that he has, or will very soon be, reported to the company's ethics hotline.  Of course, I couldn't tell you who reported him -- or soon will -- for fear that employee will be retaliated against -- which is also an ethics violation but happens all the time.  No matter how, the problem is going to be solved, one way or another. 

In brighter news, look what I have coming up in my front flower bed! 

It's one of my lantanas.  I thought that hard freeze had killed them all, but it looks like four of them survived.  Woo hoo!  

According to the Seek app, this is supposed to be fireweed, but I don't know for sure.  

I mowed most of them down, but left a couple just to see what they would do.  I know my sister makes fireweed jelly, and it's delicious, so if this is indeed fireweed, I may have use for those jelly jars after all.  I also mowed down my plantain patch, because the deer had eaten most of them anyway, and the clover patches, because they'd become overrun with weeds.  I'm not worried, they'll grow back. 

In less bright news, Cody and Brennan have been without electricity since Friday morning when those storms knocked it out.  I told them they were welcome to come up here any time they needed to, but they're sticking it out. We're all hoping it gets restored soon, because it's hot down here in the summer.  I'm glad when mine was out for 4 days that time, at least it was in the wintertime and I had plenty of firewood.  Plus, I could go to work, but Cody works from home, so he doesn't have anywhere to escape to.  They've just been driving around, window shopping for the most part. 

Speaking of weather, I got a letter from my Australian pen pal, and the Rolling Fork tornado made the news all the way over there.  I'm not quite sure how to feel about that.  It's kind of cool, but at the same time, but at the same time, not so cool that a weather event was so bad it made news halfway around the world. 

Well, it's been a month today since I cut my internet off, and I'm still alive.  I've switched to streaming exclusively from my phone, so Friday, I bought a little phone stand to put on my side table. 

There isn't anything on the screen right now, because I have it connected via HDMI cable to my TV, but a lot of times, I just don't feel like fooling with all that mess.  This way, I can prop it up and watch right there.  Oh, I've found the new Star Trek series Strange New Worlds on Prime for a limited time, so I've been binge watching it all weekend.  So far, it's pretty good. 

While I was doing all that TV watching, I finished a hat, 

and a headband. 

I've cast on another headband and hat, but this afternoon, I spent some time sewing the buttons on the headbands I've already completed, only I didn't take another photo.  I mean, they look just the same, except with buttons. 

I guess that's about all I have for today.  Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got strange new worlds to explore and knitting to ...um, knit while I do so. 

Dear Coworker

 Sure it may “feel good out here” to you in our 93° workspace

But you’re still musty.  Put some deodorant on your stanking self.

Thank you.

That is all.

Horrible Histories

 One bad thing — or good thing depending on your perspective— about cutting off my internet is it makes it a lot harder to multitask. 

That is why you didn’t get a blog post last night. I got so caught up watching Horrible Histories videos on my phone, which means I couldn't compose a post because the photos I wanted to use were also on the aforementioned phone, and before I even knew it, it was time for bed and your post hadn't been written.  I decided instead of throwing together a half finished slap-dash post, I'd just wait and write a slightly longer one today. 

And, of course, in listening to those Horrible Histories songs, I ended up with a new earworm...and me being me, of course, I couldn't remember any of the words, so I just walked around at work all day randomly shouting, 

Magna Carta!

We had a bit of excitement today when along about lunch time, a severe thunderstorm rolled through, complete with heavy rain, thunder & lightning, and ...yes, hail.  A couple of my coworkers who eat outside came back in and told me it had hailed, and I said, "What????  Man, I miss all the fun!"  So I poked out my bottom lip and pouted the rest of the afternoon...except for those times when I was randomly shouting 

Magna Carta!

I think I'm starting to understand why I can't find a man...

By the way, I think there might be some sort of little bug going around the plant.  This morning, one of the parts stagers left early, saying she didn't feel good. Truth is, I'd been feeling puny the last couple of days, too.  I didn't have any symptoms other than just dragging and a runny nose.  I'm feeling better today, but my friend told me she'd been feeling the same way.  

At first, I thought I'd been overdoing it with clearing the fence, but now I don't know.  Either way, I didn't do anything after work today.  Yesterday, I got out and cleared these two trees --a privet and a tallow -- out of the Southwest corner of my fence. 

  They'd begun pushing the fence over, so they had to go.  It looks much better now, and it's not damaging the fence any further.  

With that, I'm just about done with fence clearing.  I do have one box elder tree that I'm probably going to have to hire someone to cut down for me.  I could have done it when it was little, but let it go too long.  Now it's just a bit too big for me to feel comfortable cutting it down by myself.  

In other news, I'd been hearing all day yesterday that they were going to shut down second shift tubing and sub brazing departments, and day shift will be responsible for carrying both shifts.  It shouldn't be all that hard to do, since it is only five lines -- three on day shift and two on second.  The reason they gave is that our production manager was trying not to send any day shift people back to second, only to have them quit.  And I know several of them had told me that they would quit before they went back to second.  At least someone out there has a miniscule iota of sense.  It may be the size of a grain of sand, but that's better than nothing. 

This morning Group Leader Shark told me they'd started this last night.  What we were all wondering is, what job did they send the High And Holy Almighty Sainted Demi-God of Sub Brazing Coley "Don't-You-Know-Who-My-Daddy-Is?" Brooks to do?  

Oh, how the mighty have fallen.  

Whatever it is, we're all glad they didn't bring him to day shift.  Nobody wants to put up with his arrogance and attitude.  

And finally, this little turd opened my dresser drawer and helped herself to one of my undergarments.    

Not sure what she thought she'd do with it, but there it is.