Update

Our 18-year old DGS asked to borrow my digital camera and these are some of the images I found on it when it was returned.

I asked him about them and he said it was "art." Hmmmm. Seems art, like beauty, is in the eye of the beholder.


Crisis averted. DD went on an interview last Thursday for a job driving a bus in another county. They hired her on the spot and she started her new job yesterday. The down-side is that it's further from home so it's unlikely she will be able to go home on her split-shift days and apparently they will all be split-shift days; she's also taken a pay cut. For the up-side she once again has a paycheck, medical coverage for the family, is contributing to the same retirement plan and has a job she enjoys. She has learned a lot through this whole experience and so have we.

Before she lost her job she purchased a car from a private party that literally died as she was pulling out of the driveway. She wanted her money back, the other party said they'd have their mechanic fix the car instead. Bottom line - she didn't get the car and has gotten some but not all of her money back. So she and DGS shared his car. Until it died. Our son then told her about a friend selling a car and she bought it and that's what she and DGS are now sharing. We've helped out where and when we could so it's been a busy time for all of us.

Now a little personal stuff: DD has been remarkable through all this. I can't begin to say how absolutely crushed she was at losing her job and then the one "good" car they had gave up the ghost. I wondered how she would handle all the stress she was given and she did just fine. Amazing. It wasn't that long ago when her life was an unbelievable mess - I won't go into details because it doesn't matter and she isn't that person anymore - but she was at the very bottom in every way imaginable. When she checked herself into a place where they taught her how to live a "normal" life they helped give her her life back. All of the little speed-bumps in life that threw her such a curve are now just that - little speed bumps. There were times when all of us chafed at the rules and regulations she had to follow but we told ourselves, they must know what they're doing. And they did. She has learned how to parent, budget, maintain a home and her sobriety. And we're learning how to relax and trust things will work out.

Thank you all for your prayers, good thoughts and well wishes. Love does make the world go round.

That Was The Week That Was!

What a week this has been. After learning on Monday that she no longer had a job, DD was told to pick up her final check Tuesday. She was distraught so I said I would take Tuesday off to drive her there and suggested she ask for a letter of recommendation and also if they would consider rehiring her at some point. I knew they thought well of her and had spent a lot of time and money training her - if the accident had happened after her probation period it wouldn't have been a problem. I also thought that giving her a "talking point" would keep her steady.

Tuesday morning I picked her up, her eyes swollen from crying but chin up and ready to face the music. A friend spent most of Monday evening with her because she said she had been in "code red." She realized she had come too far to slip but it did cross her mind.

At the yard I waited in the car while she went inside. After about 30 minutes she came out and said we needed to go back to her place for the badge and uniform. She then told me what had gone on inside. Bottom line, they didn't want to lose her but had no choice. Her supervisor had wanted to extend her probation a month instead of letting her go but rules are rules. He said that they had reviewed the tape after the accident and watched every rider on the bus give her a hug as they got off. Undercover riders had been on her bus many times and had all written glowing reports on how she handled the bus and passengers. She was then told she was the type of employee they wanted and asked her to reapply in about seven months and they would rehire her. Her supervisor had already made a call to a possible new employer for her and asked DD to go there and pick up an application.

When we went back to the bus yard with her badge and uniform, she brought her supervisor out to meet me. Awkward but nice. He said he wants her back and I stumbled through something. The rest of the day was spent running errands - she needed a DMV printout, we went to the bank to deposit her final check, she picked up an application, did some grocery shopping and we ended the day by having a late lunch. It was a long day and I was exhausted.

Today is the first day we haven't been over to see her. She still feels sad about what happened but is keeping herself busy looking for a new job. Knowing how much they wanted to keep her I wish they could have but......what's that expression? If wishes were horses, beggars would ride. DD is resilient and will get through this but I'm a little slower and haven't even been able to turn the computer on until now. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your good thoughts, prayers and well wishes for DD.

An Ending

I can't help but wonder - was she too happy? Did I bring her bad luck by calling her a bus driver extraordinaire? There is a Norwegian philosophy about things going so well that something bad is bound to happen. And it has. Our DD lost her job as a bus driver because she scraped a sheriff's car with the bus late Saturday afternoon while making a right hand turn. The car was at an angle into the street while handling a traffic stop or something and she thought she had enough room but didn't. I don't have all the details but then again they don't matter at this point. She feels she's let everyone down, is embarrassed and very sad. She loved the job and tried so hard. I guess it wasn't meant to be but it's hard right now for her to hear that. Logistically speaking she now needs to get a new job - quickly - and we will help make sure she doesn't lose her place. I think I'm going to take a blogging vacation for a bit. It's time to circle the wagons.

The Bus Driver

Last month I promised DD a new hairdo to celebrate her first-year anniversary. It had been three years since her last haircut and she wanted a new "do." As badly as she wanted one, she was nervous about going. Finally she reached the point where she didn't care what was done to her hair - she just wanted a change. Ta-Da! Her hair was cut yesterday and this is The Change. She is so happy with her new look! Bus driver extraordinaire.

According to Fortune magazine, these are actual resume blunders:

"I demand a salary commiserate with my extensive experience."
"I have lurnt WordPerfect 6.0 computor and spreadsheat programs."
"Received a plague for Salesperson of the Year."
"Reason for leaving last job: Maturity leave."
"Wholly responsible for two (2) failed institutions."
"Failed bar exam with relatively high grades."
"It's best for employers that I not work with people."
"Let's meet, so you can 'ooh' and 'aah' over my experience."

Bada bing!

It's not easy being green.......

We have green and red peppers. Are these green peppers or green going to be red peppers? Roma tomatoes, I think.

None of the tomatoes are ripe yet and my nightmare is that they will all ripen at once.

DD was driving her bus when she noticed one of the tires was flat. She called dispatch and they came out with another bus for her passengers. It was all done quickly and she finished her route just a few minutes off schedule. She said she was worried that her superiors would think the flat was her fault but they quickly assured her she hadn't done anything wrong - equipment breaks down.

Driving a city bus is hard work and she has developed callouses on her hands from gripping the wheel. She's been reluctant to wear gloves but now realizes she must. Two days a week she has a split shift with a 3-hour break. It makes the day much longer but she doesn't mind because it gives her a break from the physical demand of driving eight hours straight. Wednesday and Thursday are her days off. When her probation period is over (July 17th) she can work all the overtime she wants and plans on working 6 days a week.

We haven't seen her drive yet but may catch a ride with her one of these weekends - I'll bring my camera when we do. She still finds time to attend meetings and has a great support group. It hasn't always been easy but she's hanging in there and doing a good job.

More

Patio Tomatoes Swiss ChardDH is now growing patio tomatoes, two different types of roma tomatoes, two different types of beefsteak tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, green peppers, red peppers, swiss chard, rhubarb, Thompson grapes, Red Flame grapes and a dozen different herbs. He wasn't able to do much gardening last year and is more than making up for it now. It seems like a lot of work to me but is a form of relaxation for him.

The boys came over for dinner this evening. We enjoy their company and it is one way we can help out when DD is working late. DH loves to barbecue for an appreciate audience and teenagers can put food away better than anyone!

One more item re the Moving Wall and Vietnam: We have a friend who was a captain in VN and he and another buddy were the only ones who survived in his platoon. They came under intense fire and he and his buddy went to higher ground to radio for air cover. The troops fought hard but were overrun and by the time air cover arrived it was too late – even their medic was killed. Their names are on the Wall.

Holy Smokes!

Our geraniums bloom all year long.Today DD told us she has finally made the decision to stop smoking. Good news! DH was especially concerned about her smoking since his surgeon told him his own cancer was "100% caused by smoking." He talked to DD and told her he didn’t want her to go through the same thing - bladder cancer is not exclusively a male problem. She listened politely but always said she wasn’t ready to quit. Today she is ready. And the source of her epiphany? She was lighting her cigarette with what she termed “one of those cheapie lighters” when a huge flame shot out of it, singed her hair and scorched her forehead. She said she doesn’t need to get the message again – that was a sign. Aunt Lena always said there isn’t anything so bad that something good doesn’t come out of it. Yep.

More Stuff...

Andy

Though the boys no longer live with us, they are here almost every day to visit and share what’s going on in their lives. And we really enjoy their visits – it’s wonderful to be back in the role of grandparents.

After DH’s bladder removal surgery last year we both had some adjusting to do. Mechanically speaking we had to deal with an external bladder and all that that entails and it wasn’t always easy. However, we’ve managed and for some time now we’ve wanted to give back – help others deal with some of the problems and adjustments that we faced. Today DH took a step closer to making that happen by attending a volunteer’s meeting for the American Cancer Society. There is some training involved but I know he will be an asset - he is such a positive person.

Have you ever had frog-eye salad? A friend formerly from Utah says it’s served at every potluck there. She brought some over yesterday and yummm – it’s delicious! I’ve checked and there are many recipes for it online – it calls for a small pasta that tastes somewhat like tapioca, a cooked dressing, pineapple, mandarin oranges, coconut and whipped cream. Isn’t it funny how certain areas and groups have their potluck specialties? For our family it was always a Jello dish. No gathering was complete without it.

DD is working crazy hours. Some days she starts at 8:30am – has a 2-1/2 hour layover – and ends her shift at 7:30pm. She is able to go home during her layover period when she drives in Riverside. Tired but happy – those checks have started coming with some regularity now. :-)

Birthdays, brownies, and bears - oh, my!

Ms Anne Bear - you don't get too old for teddy bears, right? What a fun day. My niece, her dad and two daughters came for a visit; partly to celebrate her oldest daughter's birthday this Sunday and partly for her dad to look at a VW. Jessica wanted to go to the Rainforest Cafe for her birthday celebration but we had no idea the place would be packed with (are you ready for this?) 265 red-hat members. Red hats of every size and hue decorated the place. We were told there would be a wait for our lunch unless we ate in the all-age bar - which we did. DH came with us so we were a party of six. The birthday girl was given a glass full of maraschino cherries because she told the server how much she loved them - quite the charmer. Later they sang a birthday song and presented her with a "birthday volcano" - a huge mass of chocolate brownie slabs and vanilla ice-cream topped with chocolate sauce. She shared that with everyone and there were leftovers. The lunch was good but the best part was being together, sharing memories and making new ones.

After lunch DH and BIL left to look at the car and we girls got to spend time shopping. The girls wanted to get some clothes and accessories for their bears and while at Build-A-Bear it happened - I caught Bear Fever. I resisted for awhile but ended up with a bear of my own which the birthday girl named Anne, aka Annie. We made another stop at the mall before heading back to our place for a quick dip in the spa - the girls are small enough to think it's a pool. A nice way to cool off before heading home. A perfect day over too quickly.

DD had a graduation lunch today at which time she was presented with her RTA uniform. We haven't seen it yet but hope to before the weekend is over.

Celebration Time!

Bouganvillea - one of my favorites but glad I don't have to prune them.DD now has her Class B license! She passed the driving test today with flying colors, including parallel parking the bus which she aced on her first try. She said it was hard to get to sleep last night because she was so nervous. She will sleep well tonight. Guaranteed.

Her first solo will be this Sunday but she won't know what route she gets until Saturday. The buses run seven days a week and until she has some seniority she can be assigned to any RTA shift and route. She knew this going in and is okay with it - for her the benefits far outweigh the inconveniences.

The coyotes are already howling tonight and it's not even dark. They definitely get Andy's attention but Sam sleeps through everything - ah, the life of a cat.

Yada, yada, yada........

Our new computer arrived Friday, I put it together Saturday and turned it on for a few minutes to make sure everything was okay – it was. Today DH had his first lesson. Before retiring he worked for a privately owned company, efficiently run and very productive. It was a good target for a much, much larger corporation that bought this well-run, productive, and-did-I-say-profitable company and changed just about everything. One of the first things they did was bring in lots of guys in three-piece suits and computers for everyone. DH learned a few computer basics but work just wasn’t as much fun for these corporate types and he was glad to retire when he did.

Bad news: DD’s car is gasping its last breath. Good news: There is a buyer for the car, breathing or not since he’s a VW fan who has eyed this car ever since it belonged to DGS. I asked DD if she could take the bus to work but she didn’t think that was very funny. Tomorrow she starts work at 4:00am and will be driving in Hemet three days this week. They bid on these bus routes by seniority and she knows it will be a couple of years before she gets a good schedule. She enjoys it though and the benefits are worth hanging in for.

DH and I are starting to get some things done around the house that had been postponed while the boys were here. This weekend I removed the wallpaper in DGS’s room and we will paint it next weekend. I’d like to add wainscoting in the computer room, and in the kitchen – well, the cabinets need to be refinished. And now that I’m thinking about it, our bedroom could use a new fresh coat of paint.

Want to major in bagpipes? Last fall UC Riverside began a degree program in bagpipes and Scottish drums. The chairman of the music department is convinced that once word is out as to the who their pipe and drum directors are, people will flock to the program. And what do they consider a flock? Ten students in the program three years from now! Apparently music tastes and numbers constituting a flock are subjective.

Just Stuff

Green Thompson seedless grapes - in progress. Our Red Flames are a little slower but it looks like we are going to have a bumper crop of both this year. We (DH) is also growing tomatoes, green and red peppers, and swiss chard which we're already enjoying. The avocado trees aren't doing well but the small meyer and eureka lemon trees keep us and our neighbors in lemons.

As I was driving home today, my phone rang; it was DD. "Did you see me? Did you see the RTA bus? That was me." She was going into Orange Co as I was heading out and had recognized me on the freeway. Unfortunately the traffic was extra heavy through the canyon and I never noticed her bus - too busy watching the fenders in front of me.

The Weekend That Was

RiversideDD and family are now settled in their new home and DH and I are beginning to relax and recover from the move. We started Thursday afternoon and finished up today. Last night DH said just about every muscle he had ached from all the lifting and tugging. But now it’s done and we’re enjoying our new-found solitude. Really enjoying!

We went to see "Leatherheads" Friday and DH was so tired he dozed off intermittently during the movie; I never bother him as long as he doesn’t start snoring. The movie was entertaining but DH expected more football and I expected more romance in this romantic comedy.

“Dodge”, George Clooney’s character wants to save his struggling 1920’s football team and makes an offer to Carter, (John Krasinski) a star college player and war hero that he and his manager (Jonathan Pryce, wonderfully unctuous as CC) can’t refuse. However, a fellow who served with Carter tells a newspaper editor that Carter isn’t the hero everyone thinks he is. The editor then sends Lexie (Renee Zellweger) to get the goods on Carter and promises her the assistant editor’s desk if she’s successful.

The movie then runs on two tracks – one showing the evolution of football from an anything-goes sport to one with rules and a commissioner; the other, the unmasking of a hero. One line in the movie, "The country needed a hero, so we gave 'em one" reminded me of the Jessica Lynch story – a distraction for me.

The movie was enjoyable, lots of good music (Randy Newman, a personal favorite) and beautifully photographed. There was plenty of snappy dialogue between Dodge and Lexie and Carter was the sweet guy from The Office. The fight scenes (there were plenty) were over the top but in a Keystone Cops kind of way. Not enough football for DH, not enough romance for me but all-in-all it was an entertaining couple of hours. We both agreed on that.

Celebration Time!

Who-hoo! Daughter has a new place to live! Her number one goal was to reunite with her two boys and as of today - well, can I say "mission accomplished?" She will start moving in tomorrow and everything should be done by this weekend. Naturally we've been drafted (or did we volunteer?) to help but this is a pure labor of love. I'm so proud of her and all she's accomplished in such a short time. Now we can go back to being grandparents and our stand-in-as-parents role is over. A chapter finished, a new one begins.

DD had a good driving day today. One of her fares brought her a huge loaf of bread from a local bakery. Bread? Hmmm. Does bread trump flowers? Rain is predicted for Wednesday and she's a little nervous about that since she hasn't driven in wet weather yet.

You say potato.....

Yesterday it was lunch and shopping with my niece and her two young daughters, today it was shopping with a very patient husband and tomorrow it will be shopping with my 14-year old grandson who quickly grows out of shoes and pretty much everything else.

Our daughter may have found a new place to live! She will need a refrigerator and as luck would have it we won’t mind getting rid of the second one we have in the garage. She’s accruing and we’re divesting so things should work out just fine. I recently read, “Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat,” because the review said it was full of tips on how to organize a kitchen. It suggests getting rid of all the specialized items you use only once or twice a year and while that makes sense, when you need a nutmeg grater you need a nutmeg grater. However, if I can get rid of some stuff by giving it to DD who can occasionally loan it back to me – well, that’s a win-win, right? Love how these things work out.

Re refrigerators: DH grew up in Montana and to him a refrigerator is an ice-box because that's what he had as a child - an ice-box. I'd never heard anyone refer to refrigerators as an ice-box before but that's what he calls them to this day. Let's see - what's that about not being able to teach old dogs new tricks?

Friday

Yummm, potstickers!The best way to spend a Friday afternoon? With my beautiful niece and her two beautiful daughters. It was the youngest daughter's birthday (5th) and we went to PF Chang's China Bistro for lunch. Since it was a birthday, the girls each had a dessert - the birthday girl chose a banana split shooter primarily because there were four maraschino cherries on top (served with one candle for her to make a wish on and blow out) and the older chose a s'more shooter with lots of ooey-gooey marshmallow. After lunch we went to the mall and did girl bonding while shopping. The afternoon passed too quickly but we're looking forward to next month when the older girl has her birthday.

DD had a great day today - no mistakes while driving and a paycheck! Next week she loses her trainer and drives with another driver along as an observer. Her hours will change from 8:30am-4:30pm to 4:30am-12:30pm. She can't leave her 14-year old alone where she lives so he will spend the nights with us and leave for school from our house. This will change once she gets her own place and is able to have both boys live with her.

On a personal note: I've never been as turned off about politics as I am this year. I'm tired of all the lies, promises, attacks. A pox on all their houses.

1946 - A Very Good Year

My sister drying off after her bath, July 1946.I love how serene she looks in this picture.

Hey, this is Minnesota - land of 10,000 lakes - we can take a bath anywhere! Is that a bow in her hair?

Aunt Mae and my sister.Uncle Quentin and my sister. My sister lived with our aunt and uncle for about six months and during that time they came to love her like a daughter. They never had any children of their own and always had a special spot in their hearts for my sister. My mother told me that because she was a single mom with three children to support, she knew her sister and brother-in-law hoped they would be able to adopt my sister but mother never would have agreed to that.

DD had a difficult day today - while driving the bus, she missed stopping for a handicapped passenger. The trainer had her go around the block and make the stop a second time. I asked if the trainer had pointed out the handicapped passenger the first time around and she said no, she was supposed to be aware of everyone at the stop and somehow overlooked her. Tomorrow is her first payday and that should help her morale!

Reminiscing and Reading

My sister and Uncle Quentin, 1946. My Aunt and Uncle brought my sister from Florida to Minneapolis by way of Chicago. She stayed with them while our pregnant Mother and I went to Los Angeles. We were reunited after our brother was born, about six months later. My sister at Aunt and Uncle's home - bathing alfresco.
This is my sister's (on the right) second birthday party. I’ve just finished reading Predictably Irrational, subtitled The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions. It was a little disappointing in that I really didn’t learn too much from it; perhaps my expectations were too high.

One part I did enjoy was reading the author’s take on why CEO pay is so high. In 1993 federal securities regulators forced companies to make known the pay and perks their top executives received. The thinking was that once this became public, boards would be reluctant to give outrageous salaries and bonuses. In 1976 the average CEO was paid 36 times what the average worker received and by 1993 the pay was 131 times as much. But here’s what happened: Once this was public, the media started ranking CEO’s by pay, CEO’s compared their pay to others and the end result is that now the average CEO makes about 369 times as much as the average worker – about three times the salary before the compensation went public. So much for good intentions!

Today DD learned how to parallel park the bus! This isn’t anything a driver will ever have to do but the powers-that-be want to make sure they know how. I’m not the least bit mechanical and am in awe of all she’s learned so far.

And we while away the hours....

These horses were not involved.There are commutes and then there are commutes. Yesterday around 3:30am, horses from a ranch on Green River in the Santa Ana Canyon managed to get loose and wandered onto the 91 freeway over five lanes of traffic. Drivers were suddenly faced with horses in front of them and swerved and crashed into other cars in order to avoid them. There were numerous accidents, three people were hospitalized and at least one horse was killed. CHP and ranch workers were eventually able to round up the horses and lead them off the freeway. This happened on the east-bound side, I'm west-bound in the morning but naturally it tied up traffic in both directions for hours! And hours! As bad as it was though, it could have been so much worse.

Whoops! Today while DD was driving the bus, she hit the curb while making a right turn. All the others training with her had already done it but she was hoping it wouldn’t happen to her. The trainer told her it was a good thing there were no pedestrians on the sidewalk! Tomorrow she starts going over the routes with other drivers, something she needs to learn before her training is complete.

Under Pressure!

Pressure starts early, doesn't it? DD started actually driving the RTA city bus today. She drove the 40' bus for about 30 minutes, in traffic! The turn signals are on the floor and operated with your left foot so you don't have to take your hands off the steering wheel. Quite a change from her personal car, an old VW.

She is having so much fun telling us all the stuff she's learning - from how to evacuate the bus in an emergency to handling drunks. Want to bring your snake on board? Allowed if it's in a proper cage. Stiff the driver on the fare? Not worth making a big deal out of it but let them know they have to have the proper fare the next time they ride the bus.

The bus has to be completely inspected before they can take it out of the yard - tires inflated properly, brakes working, etc. In just a few weeks they (she is in a class of five) will have a driver with them and actual passengers on board. Shortly after that they're on their own. The trainer says they will all be ready by then but for right now there's so much to learn and they're feeling the pressure!