I've moved!

YES!  I did!  I have moved and I hope you'll visit.  Please click here to go to my new blog home, and please don't forget to update your link or reader as I will not be posting here anymore.
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Maxine Monday

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So this is what it's come to!

At work today sitting across the desk from my new boss we heard rain starting to hit the windows.  We were startled because it's been in the hundreds here, and rain has come in very short but violent bursts.  Rain wasn't expected today, at least not by us.


We both looked out the window and then simultaneously reached for our phones to check the weather.


*blink, blink*


I mean - if it rains but your phone doesn't show it - is it really raining?


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Happy day!

There's certainly a lot to be said for living in the U.S.A.!  Have a wonderful and safe holiday!

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Maxine *I start my new job today* Monday

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This annoys me every time I see it.

Don't you think they should have to give it back!?!

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I'll miss my boys!

There are many reasons I just left my job, but my co-workers were not one of them.  For the last few years I worked on a corporate regional team with 4 other people and I was the only female.  Originally there had been another gal but she left about a year ago and I kinda liked being the only girl.  2 of the guys are in Cincinnati and the other 2 - St. Louis.  None of us have ever met face to face but we were a team and always had each other's backs.  We talked every day and instant messaged each other if we didn't.  We forged good working relationships and friendships in the process.  I called them my boys.  Still call them my boys.  


Today I received a package from them, signed that way too - from "your boys".  *sniff*  *sniff*


Shows just how much they know me, it's all about tea!  


Love you guys!  I will miss you every day!

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Who sleeps on your computer when you try to use it?

Guess who?

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Oh it just figures!

I was puppy sitting for my daughter and her husband one afternoon and as children and pets often do - Rue led me to meeting one set of neighbors.  They are young, very nice (thank the good Lord) and knew some things about my house that I didn't.  Apparently the people who lived here before me were .. wait for it ... HOARDERS!  Which is why, apparently, they gutted the house and did a big do-over on the inside before I bought the house.

Not my house. (at least I don't think it is!)

My neighbors said they felt bad about how - they saw the elderly gentleman sitting on the deck in the evenings, but they had no idea what was going on inside.  As if they should have!  I mean really.  They moved in next door to an older couple who had lived here forever.  The woman died not too long after they moved in (I think) and then it was the old man.  Different generations, different lives.  


It was when he passed away that there was an estate sale, so-to-speak, and they saw inside.  They didn't give me a lot of details, I will definitely ask more questions when I know them better, but I guess it was bad.  They also saw the difference when the workers were done rehabbing the house and they were amazed at what had been done.  


I love hearing the history, I guess it's a kind of gossip - but this is MY house now and I want to know all about it.  Hoarders.  I mean really, it figures.  


I think I need to get rid of some more stuff.  Just sayin'.

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Maxine Monday

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Strange days

This is a very strange time for me.  When you work for the same company from your 20's all the way into your 50's, chances are you aren't the type to pick up and go somewhere else.  And really?  I never thought I would.  Sometimes there comes a time when it is more difficult to stay than to leave, although that doesn't stop it from being a very sad occasion for me.  Work has been a home of sorts for me for many years.  My kids were toddlers when I started there!  And I really wish I didn't need to go.  


I'm a good worker, I've always considered myself a "worker bee".  Someone who has never been interested in climbing some ladder and who would wear garlic around my neck to guard against going into management.  NOT interested.  I wanted to learn my job, to grow and to move up within that framework, and be the best that I could be at it.  As long as I could support myself and be comfortable, life would be good.  But sometimes a company cannot leave well enough alone.  It makes me incredibly sad. 


Next week for 5 days I will not be working at my current or my new job.  It will be the first time in 25 years that I will not - technically - be working.  How weird is that?  Very, to me.


Oh and by the way?  Don't think I'm not terrified.  Yep.  Scared to death.


At this point it is all about putting one foot in front of the other and moving forward.  I'm putting on my big girl panties people, it's really about time.


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Maxine Monday

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To die for!

Just sayin'.

Yummy!

***not a paid advertisement - I just had some is all!

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WHAT??

So?  What do you feed your animals??!

Don't judge until you've had a cat with an overactive thyroid!

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SEND is such a dangerous button

Have you ever written an email not meaning to send it right then and then clicked on SEND anyway?  Is it Freudian, meant to be, is it because you're an idiot?  Pretty sure it's that last one for me.  


Had a major face palm today when I sent an email to dozens of people I work with, accidentally.  See, I wrote a few emails at home last night and forwarded them to work to send out today.  But I wasn't going to send them out until late in the day and this particular email?  Well, let's say I needed to do something else BEFORE I sent this one out.


Argh.


You know that feeling in the pit of your stomach which you realize something has slipped beyond your grasp and there is no pulling it back?  Well actually, in Outlook there is the recall feature but in my case, only about half of the dozens of people I sent it to actually did not get to read that email.  Which, conversely, means the other half did read it.


It was one of those moments when I literally smacked myself in the head and said "I. AM. AN. IDIOT."  And then,  "Well - I guess I can't change my mind now!"

I had sent out the email to all my co-workers telling them I was leaving the company after 25 years, BEFORE I sent my resignation to my boss.


See?  I AM an idiot.  Holy cow.  Of all the times I've clicked when I shouldn't have, this was a doozy!  I mean really, who DOES that???!!!!


Besides me, of course.  Sigh-h-h-h.




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Oh my!

Really, there is so much going on right now - when my phone rang on the way home from work this evening I answered it, even though I didn't recognize the number.  Very unlike me.


Me - Hello?
Him - Hi, is this BetteJo?
Me - Yes it is ...
Him - Oh hi, this is Chris and I am calling from 'whatever the name of it is' your lawncare company.  I wanted to let you know that it's time for your grub application and I was wondering whether or not you were interested in that or not.
Me - Well, I'm pretty sure I don't have grubs. Sounds like a personal question to me, anyway.
Him - Oh - uh .. 


I'm tired.  Too much going on.  You mean that wasn't a personal question?  Maybe I should stick to answering calls from people I know.  Yikes!




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Maxine I'm sorry I've got a lot going on Monday!

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Maxine Monday

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Utilities?

While Jakie was cleaning her toes on one end of the couch, I sat on the other end perusing apps on my phone.  In categories I randomly chose 'utilities' and scrolled through.  Expecting to see things that were probably located in 'productivity' and realizing I was in the wrong category I was still surprised to see THIS:

Bwa-ha-ha-ha!!  Okay, so it made me giggle. The idea that someone had the idea to create an app for this made me snicker.  But hearing my son's words "Mom, c'mon.  There's an app for EVERY. THING" I did a small search and only saved some of the many.

So apparently more than one person had the thought ...

.. and had the skills to create an app like this ..

.. and had the follow through to create it and manage to get it out there for the world to .. uh .. enjoy!

What do you think?  I'll bet these are the apps you never knew you wanted!  :)

*Oh, and how much do you want to bet it's 99% guys who download these??*

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It's one of those days

When I come home from work and see this -

I have to ask myself, WHAT WAS I THINKING??!?!!

Maxine Monday

Say a prayer for a soldier today and if you happen to meet one - please - say thank you.

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Maxine Monday

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This guy?

Sleeps like the dead.  Unless his stomach is growling he doesn't wake up when someone comes in the room or makes normal household noises. 

Unless of course, it is about 3:00 am.  Then he gets up and wanders the house - yowling.  I've read that it's not unusual for elderly cats to wander at night, to seem confused and to vocalize.  My crabby ol' man cat qualifies as elderly and he's certainly doing those things.  It has been suggested that I open the door and allow him to make the choice.  But how can I punish him if he has kitty-Alzheimer's?


Sigh-h-h.


He's lucky I love him.  Oh well, I've played the caretaker role before ...


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Creepy sailor boys, frogs and broken mice

Why do people save the things they do?  I received 2 boxes today that my brother packed up and sent to me, with items belonging to my mom that I guess he thought I might want.  Not sure why exactly .. !  Can you say .. things that make you go HHMM-M-M ... ?


These things were not the heirloom pieces you might expect.  There were some cups.  Okay, she liked these I guess.

But did you know they were still doing The World's Fair in 1982?  And for some reason it was important to her.

Okay, the magazine from when JFK was killed.  I understand that.

But what importance did she put on this tiny frog, that she wrapped him in newspaper and packed him carefully away?

There are some really old books that are kind of cool ..

I think this one belonged to my grandmother.

1896
And then there is this ancient teddy bear .. I don't know who it belonged to.  Logic would say it was my mom's when she was a kid but for some reason I'm wondering if it belonged to her brother who died before he became a teenager.  But, who knows?

And what does anyone make of this creepy old bisque sailor boy?  I'm tempted to toss him right away because he's just .. icky .. but sometimes old things are worth something, icky or not.  But him?  Eew.

There are several magazine covers from Women's Day, most marked 5 cents, this one was 7.  I tend to think these were pictures she liked, nothing more.  There are also pictures from calendars and cut out from other magazines.

Okay, this thing is a flute of some sort.  I'm a bit afraid of it.  I mean - I had my tubes done years ago but this guy smacks of fertility to me.  Just sayin'.  I certainly wouldn't have lovingly packed him away.  Where did he come from?  Who gave him to Mom?  Or did she like it enough to buy it herself as a souvenir perhaps?

Can you imagine your teenager reading a book entitled Home and School Entertainments?  Uh huh.  Bet there are some nifty hi jinks in there!

And oh my gosh look!  It was profusely illustrated!!!  What does that mean, exactly?

And then there is this sad little mouse.  I mean, he's cute and all.  But his ear is glued.  Badly, I might add.  Where did he come from and why did she care enough to glue that ear and pack him away?  Sort of amazing how little I know by looking at this stuff.  

Guess that proves that stuff is only stuff, and it's not the stuff that matters.  But it still makes me go hmm-m-m-m ....

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Maxine Monday

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Ever get a gift ..

..that just makes you smile ..

and maybe giggle a bit ..

..and keep smiling ...

... and smile some more ..

.. say aw-w-w ...

.. and Happy Mother's Day (early) to me!!

Still smiling.

Maxine Monday

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It's tough being me!

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I have to get up really early when the natives get restless!

Hafta make room for the neighbors ..

Need to hang stuff ..

Make sure everybody is comfy!

.. and everyone is fed, Jake loves pasta!

And unpack, unpack, unpack.  It seems to never end.

Apparently this is the ever-lasting move.  (S'cuse the cell phone picks but you guessed it - haven't unpacked the good camera yet.)


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