Season What?

Each morning that I drive home I see more of the trees getting their Autumn hues. Not to mention deer with Fall coats and full antlers. It's a bit disconcerting considering it's still August! Although, I think for the deer it might be good because they'll be antler-less for hunting season and therefore less likely to be hunted.

This got me to thinking about an article I recently read by a local naturalist. The gist of the article is that for the past 10 years or so the seasons have been changing about 3 weeks early. That's not a shock to those of us that experienced the "Great Snows of October 09". The past 12 months have exemplified what the naturalist was writing about. To put it in a short term perspective, May had the nice weather normally associated with June. July had the typical August heat and August has already been hinting as Septembers trademarks.

But don't fret about global warming or end of the world crap, according to the naturalist this is all part of a greater cycle that happens every so many decades. Comforting thought as I dig out my snow shoes... just in case.

From the Little Red Truck That Could to the Silver Bullet

I guess I understand now how you can go to a car dealership, and end up getting a new vehicle......even when you don't plan it. Although I'll admit I did foresee this outcome. After getting some good years out of my '01 Toyota Tacoma, the little red truck was on its last legs. Lots of things needed to be fixed on her, she had racked up almost 180,000 miles, and unfortuanely I didn't have much need for a truck anymore. So, after finding out about the recall on my truck for some frame issues and scheduling an appointment to bring it in, I sort of knew it was time for a change.

Arriving at the dealership, I had known about 2 vehicles I was interested in. The Corolla and the Rav-4. I test drove the Corolla first, and was automatically impressed. Smooth riding, great gas mileage, and a lot of little touches I needed. Then I checked out the Rav-4. Not bad either, 4-wheel drive for the winters, a little more "umph" than my truck. So in the end, it came down to the numbers. The clear choice was the Corolla.

The salesman we dealt with at the dealership was a real help. He and the finance guy there got as much as we could get out of my old Tacoma as a trade-in, and got the number for the monthly payments down to something we could manage. In the end, I left with a silver '09 Corolla with less than 18,000 miles on it. This girl I've dubbed the "Silver Bullet" (no relation to Coors Light) should last me for a long while.

I admit I miss the Tacoma though. Garbage and recycling runs will be more often, I can't help my friends haul anything they need help with, and the winters will be a little rougher on me. But I'll live. I'm happy with the new vehicle, it was definitely needed.

It's Raining Mansions

This summer I've been on a quest to find local activities for us to do. Joe's school and work schedule has not allowed for us to take a vacation this summer. Oh and the fact that we're broke might have something to do with it as well.

At the start of the summer, I was asking him if he would be interested in going to Grey Towers. It took about 2 months before we actually got there, though. The skies were overcast and it was slated to rain that day, but we went for it. We walked around the grounds a little bit before we began a tour of the mansion. Of course, once inside the grand facade, the skies opened up and the rest of the outdoor tour was scrapped. We got to view the upper 2 levels of the mansion though, which were very pretty. We do plan on going back since we lost that day there. There is a halloween tour of the old cemetarty that we've already managed to get a few friends to agree to do with us. In September is the ice cream social, which Mom and Sean will probably go to with us. I wish I could report more about it, but I can't. Check back for the next trip there.

After that it was a brief lunch at the Tom Quick Inn. The food was great and the service was prompt. The biggest pitfall was the 200 person poker tournament going on over near the bar. That was incredibly loud and annoying becuase the restraunt portion was too close to the bar. Joe made the suggestion that if we go back there, it will have to be on a weekday. I agree.

New Cat, New Confusion

Last week the little long haired orange kitty was poking through the yard while I was out feeding the momma deer with triplets. The deer must have felt threatened by the cat that was all the way on the other side of the yard, on the boulders. Just as she charged to stomp him, I diverted her by spraying the hose near her.

Little kitty was so happy and was tentatively coming to me as I called her "Blondie". Once the kitty was close enough, Blondie became "Dagwood". Fully emaciated & touting an eye wound after a fight with something, he has been by my side. He is outside until I can get him some medical care for his eye, but I do believe he's gained a pound or so in a week. Oh yes, I will fatten him up.

I have posted "found" fliers, just in case. Though doubtful I will find his original owners, I am positive that I will find him a new home once he is cleaned up. Amazingly loving and friendly, he will make someone very happy.

Joe has agreed to be foster parents to Dagwood. I know I make him want to implode at times, but I love that he allows me the time to rescue (and find homes for) as many kitties as I have. Not to mention the small doggy rescue of 2008. I know Joe sees a farm in our future because of me, with rescue animals of all kinds. Joe loves our zoo and he loves me. What more could I ask for?

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Thirty Thirty

Ok. I turned the big 3-0 this month. I'm having a hard time with it. Yes, I know you read that every year, but it's true. I'm a woman that can't handle the aging process.

I'm not fully where I thought I would be at this age and sometimes that thought really gets me depressed. I could probably have more money, a nicer house or nicer cars if I worked harder. But as I told a friend, more successful people often have more sacrifices and at the end of the day. I would rather sacrifice time at work than time with friends and family. I would rather have less money and more memories because money can be gone in the blink of an eye (or the fall of a stock market), but memories are something you can take with you.

Wow, occasionally something really meaningful does pop of my head.

Daytona Days

We arrived at Turtle Inn Beach Club at around 4:30pm on our first day. Not much got accomplished. Showers to wash off 2 days of "traveling in the car skeeve", followed by the need to fulfill my mom's desire to eat at a Golden Corral that was in the opposite direction from the condo. Then it was back to the condo to plop into bed for the night.

My wonderful slumber was destroyed by the senile old bat on Day 2, as she poked me to wake up so we could have a morning stroll on the beach. 90 minutes later my leg muscles were still twitching and I was wondering if I put Shady Pines on speed dial before I left. A giant bowl of Captin Crunch passified me for the remainder of the morning. With food in my tummy it was time to go to DeBary Hall. It's an old citrus plantation that I kept sending texts of to Joe with the caption, "buy for me now, please". It was so pretty, but I was not allowed to take photos inside the house.

Day 3 was a trip to Ponce Inlet Light House, which I didn't climb to the top of. I'm waiting to come with Joe next year so that he can carry me. That was followed up by a late lunch that mom spent watching the races at North Turn Grill.

Day 4 kicked off my lounging around the pool and working on my tan. Such a difficult life! Then we took a trip to the Marine Science Center. There I was able to watch a rescued juvenile sea turtle recive life saving medication and other treatments. There was also a nice tour of the facility that showed off the aquatic life of Florida as well as rescued birds from the area. After that we went on a Manatee Scenic Tour. That was excititng, even though we didnt see any manatee. Go figure! According to the guide the winter had been so cold, that the manatee were taking longer than usual to come back to the area. But we did see several small pods of dolphins, including a set of parents with a baby. That was too cute. The tour took us along the inlet where we also got to look at some multi-million dollar homes. I guess there is no accounting for taste... The tour was followed up by dinner at Boondocks. I think Joe will love it there. It's picnic table dining on a dock! I think I would expect that in the deep South. Florida doesn't count as deep South, it's New York South.

Day 5 I had to call in sick to work. I guess they forgot that I requested the day off. I had called to verify that I was off, but surprise, my favorite scheduler screwed up again. It will look great that I called in sick and come back with a tan, huh? Today was the adventure highlight of the trip. We took a drive north to St. Augustine. What a beautiful old city! It reminded me of Charleston, and not just because of the old fort. At the suggestion of friends, we took a trolly ride around the city after touring the fort. We walked around the plaza, stopped for lunch and some amazing ice cream. The neatest thing we saw has to have been the small handful of homes that were original to the city. People back then were my size, because I fit in everything! Must go back next year with Joe.

Day 6, our last day. I sat chilling by the pool with my Mike's Hard Cranberry Lemonade and tanning, which I occasionally interrupted with a dip into the pool. Around dinner time we packed it up and started the long journey home. Trapped in a car with mom for another 20 something hours. HELP

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Staff Support

When you come into a job with a long established group of employees, life can be tough. It can be tougher still when the average turn over of new staff is 90-120 days. No matter how much or how little experience you have in that job or field, you will be viewed as a threat to someone. I think it's very sad, really. It can make for a very tough place to work, which often leads to an even higher turn over rate.

I bring this up for several reasons. In October 2009 I interviewed with a very upscale dermatology office. It was, what I thought, my dream job. I did 2 successful interviews before the leading physician told me I was "far to intelligent and ambitious to work here." I was devastated. Now, I just smile because every 90 days he has an advertisement in the paper for the same position that I was too smart for. I now know that this is not the place I would want to work for, just by how often that ad come up. It speaks volume to what they must be like to work for and work with.

I face the dilemma at my current job that I'm highly over qualified and over educated for my position. Some lesser trained people with bigger titles see me as a threat. Others still, just wonder what I'm doing working here. It huts me that no one asks me things or says things to me directly. Instead, college educated, middle aged women hop on facebook (while on duty) and gossip about me like a bunch of teenagers. I'm the type confront people with my issues or concerns. It's the mature thing to do. Yet they deny it. I have not befriended any of these people on facebook, but I do have a mole that prints up their comments for me. Even confronted with their own printed words they deny.

How are employees like these taken seriously?