Merry Christmas to Me

Interesting. Had a coworker who trained me on the night audit duties arrive to inform me I'm no longer doing the night audit cause I made too many mistakes. The accountant, front desk supervisor, and the night auditor held a meeting behind my back to discuss the new arrangement. Apparently I was expected to master in 4 weeks what took my coworker 3 months to master, then had my support taken away when the general manager didn't want to pay for 2 night auditors in the same evening because hotel guest numbers were declining. What mistakes was I making, I have no idea but apparently I po'ed the accountant enough to conduct a meeting behind my back to remove me from my duties without telling me how to do my job correctly. I see how things work around here. Guess I better look for another job cause I can't afford my paychecks being slashed. Merry Christmas to Me.

Happy Festivus

December was all preparing for Christmas. Put up my Mom's decorations and then my own. Her decorations take a few hours, mine took 15 hours. Then began the baking of cookies, cakes. pies, fudge, toffee, and almond bark pretzels. Need the whole month to complete those. Delivered treats to my chiropractor, vet, mechanic, postal carrier, and Mom's retirement apartment receptionists. Brother and wife had a small dinner in their house with our siblings plus Mom's cousin. Aunt from Omaha is coming over for Christmas Day at Mom's place. With Mom's brain capacity diminished, aunt is doing all the dinner planning. I get Xmas Eve and Day off so will finish my French Silk pie on Eve to spend Day with my sister's family. aunt, and Mom. Sister's cat Sammie died last week from kidney failure so still mourning that loss.

Post later.

Christmas Story

Twas the night before Christmas and I could hardly bare it

Not a creature was stirring not even a ferret

The stockings were hung on the bookcase with care

In hopes that St. Nicholas would bring toys to share

The ferrets were nestled all snug in their bedspreads

While visions of red balls and feathers danced in their heads

I Bilbo was curled up on Mama’s pillow

With Misty on her feet like a fluffy marshmellow

When out on the lawn I heard a dog bark

I sprang from the bed after viewing a bright spark

Away to the window we pounced in a flurry

The ferrets jumped out of the sheets in a hurry

The moon on the breast of the new fallen snow

Covered up the leaves where raccoons like to go

When what to my wandering cat eyes should appear

But a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer

With a little old driver so bright red and quick

I so badly wanted to give that toy a lick

More rapid than ferret bites his coursers they came

And he whistled and shouted and called them by name

Now Sparkle, Now Snowball, Now Ivy and Holly

On Mittens, On Tinsel, On Jingles and Jolly

To the top of the porch, to the top of the wall

Now dash away, dash away, dash away all

As dry leaves that before the snowy hurricane whirl

We kitties danced and the ferrets twirled

The Santa trap had sprung when Misty drank the milk

And the ferrets licked the cookies in a shady bilk

Then, in a twinkling we heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof

As I drew in my head and jumped over a ball

St. Nicholas tripped over the light cord to fall

He crashed to release out a loud yell

And the decorations shook on the wall like a bell

I took the opportunity to explore his sack

And Santa got up to see Misty getting him an untouched snack

His eyes twinkled as Eowyn got more milk in a wag

Luthien gave him a napkin, then Boromir pulled me out of the bag

His droll little mouth shouted Ho, Ho, Ho

And the hair on his chin was as white as the snow

The stump of his pipe he held in his teeth like a charm

And the smoke encircled up to set off the smoke alarm

Away to remove the battery he swiftly rushed

Then looked at us and rightly blushed

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf

And I squeaked when he petted me in spite of myself

We rubbed our fur on his boots with a purr

Then we heard Mama beginning to stir

He finished his milk and cookies

Then filled all the stockings next to the ferret dookies

Then laying a finger on the side of his nose

And giving a nod, out the door he rose

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a holler

And away they all flew as we furbabies got taller

But I heard exclaim as he drove out of sight

Happy Christmas to all and to all a good night

Christmas Letter 2021

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all my family and friends.

Worked the overnight shift at my hotel job New Year's Eve. I worked on snack shop inventory so at my midnight I was either counting the Cheetos bags in the snack shop or in the storage closet. New Year's Day I slept at the hotel for 8 hours and then worked the afternoon shift. The day before New Year’s Eve we had 9.6 inches of snow delivered by Mother Nature and snowplows were still moving it out of the way on New Year’s Day. Then the next day I got called into work because a coworker got into a car accident. I explained that I had spent the past 24 hours at the hotel and completely exhausted. Poor manager had to work a double shift (overnight and morning shifts). Later, I realized I didn't even have clean uniforms to wear if I had said yes. Happy New Year to Me.

Worked the tax office again to the dismay of my hotel manager who needed me to work due to a 2nd coworker getting into a car wreck. I got to pick up the slack and tell the tax office I couldn’t come in on multiple occasions until injured coworkers quit and new people were hired. Drove through a snowstorm to get to work though the news was saying to stay home. I had to go to work, or my lone able-bodied coworker would have to work 16 hours. We endured a polar vortex so cold the animals refused to go outside, and ants entered the kitchen. Plus, the hotel's furnace broke so I brought a space heater from home to keep warm. I ordered a heart shaped pizza for Mom to be delivered on Valentine's Day. That day I worked the overnight shift and then went to bed when got home. After waking up, I went to my brother's house to help celebrate my sister's birthday (which is two days later). Celebrated ferret Boromir's 4th Birthday, then Luthien’s 5th Birthday with cupcakes. Lost male Beta fish Ares.

My hotel job began serving their hot breakfast again. Hotel guests were happy until the cinnamon rolls stopped being delivered by the manufacturer, then our guest satisfaction scores took a hit. Mom got her Covid vaccine so her senior living place released some restrictions. She was happy to start exercising and playing cards with the others again. She was finally allowed to grocery shop with my sister instead of her bags being dropped off at the front desk. Worked the overnight shift during Daylight Savings Time. It was fun watching the clock on the computer announce 1:57, 1:58, 1:59, then poof, it's 3:00. Didn't have a St. Patrick's Day parade in my city again cause of Covid. Oh well, had to work anyway. Visited with family during Easter at my brother’s house. Had the last day at the tax office and considered stopping doing taxes period. When I first started doing taxes, I was working retail and needed the money since got fewer hours after Christmas sales ended until Easter when sales picked up again. It kept me afloat between jobs and going back to college years. But now, I’m working full-time again and not likely to be abruptly unemployed anytime soon (I’ve been vaccinated). I believe it is time to move onto other things.

Misty cat chased her first baby rabbit (relax, bunny escaped into the neighbors' yard). Nephew got a job at a fast-food place so left to do my own yard mowing. Planted some flower seeds and got a few flowers to bloom. Unsure if it’s the soil or my work-exhausted, lack of care that prevents more flowers from spouting up. I often worked 6 days a week thanks to the labor shortage. Then the hotel manager quit to go work at a dry cleaner’s shop. You know it’s bad at work when the top manager quits to work for a dry cleaner. We had revolving managers until a new manager was hired. Missed out on Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Memorial Day, and my sister’s family adventures at an amusement park because I was always working. Did manage to attend my brother’s birthday party and visit some family during a reunion celebrating my aunt’s birthday.

Poor Eowyn ferret had one of eyes begin swelling outward. Received ointment and antibiotics to give her in hope that it was just an eye ulcer. Eowyn did not get better and had surgery to remove her eyeball along with a brain tumor pushing her eye out. Vet said she has lymphoma that probably had spread to other parts of the body. No ferret expert in Iowa for radiation treatments, plus she is old lady, so thought it best to make her comfortable her last months of life. She resembles a pirate with one eye. Managed to finish my latest novel “Southern Belle”. Check it out at https://southernbellenovel.blogspot.com. Enjoyed a 4th of July parade on Saturday night before working so missed the fireworks, but got a good show at home from my neighbors’ yards. Niece was happy to see me since haven’t seen me all summer. Celebrated Mom's birthday, then nephew’s birthday at restaurants. I found a new job at a different hotel. Same job title, more money. I have to go where the money is. Between hotel jobs, I celebrated my birthday with my family eating pizza and cake at my sister's house. I fed their dog pieces of sausage. Yes, I am one of THOSE people. Started my new job after my birthday weekend, which was Labor Day. The shuttle drivers kept getting surprised I kept showing up to work. Um, is this new hotel that awful to work for that nobody in their right mind would WANT to be here? I’ve worked 16 years in customer service, so it takes a lot to shake me up to quit. I quit the old hotel from exhaustion. I realized I never went swimming or enjoyed my charcoal grill all summer. I even got scheduled to work 12 days in a row and after Day 9, my brain turned into mush. I broke under the strain like my top manager did before me. In fact, new hotel has less responsibilities for me (no laundry, no pool room/exercise room cleaning, no lobby cleaning, and no kitchen duties) though added bistro and banquet room rentals added to the night audit paperwork. Can’t complain. Celebrated Eowyn’s 6th birthday and will probably be her last. She’s eating and walking around so not on death’s doorstep just yet. Hopefully she will be here through Christmas.

Found an orange striped ribbon snake in my yard and grabbed my ferret Boromir before he became lunch (they can grow up to 30 inches). Lost my Beta female Andromeda and then Beta male Poseidon right after purchasing a new female I named Pandora for him to watch. Then Pandora died a week later. I think I will give up on fish for a while. Had deer eating my grass and bushes in my front yard at night. Scared my cats right off my lap. During Beggar's Night, had several groups of kids come by and then a homeless man knocked on my door for candy. Celebrated my sister-in-law's birthday with cake and ice cream at their home. Celebrated niece's 18th birthday at a restaurant with cake and ice cream at their home. Celebrated cats Bilbo and Misty's 3rd Birthday with some catnip (and cake for me with ferrets licking some of the frosting). Had to rake my own yard again cause nephew still works at the fast-food place. I worked on my yard until too sore to move. Will just have to finish next spring. Spent Thanksgiving at sister's house and took nephew to the newly released ”House of Gucci” movie. Took sister, niece and nephew Black Friday Shopping at the malls. Viewed the lunar eclipse at work and thought it was so pretty I had my coworker go outside to observe it. My brother will host the extended family gathering before Christmas and Mom with my aunt will hostess Christmas Day. Most likely be working New Year’s Eve again. Have to kiss the pets when I get home New Year’s Day.

Love Always,

Jordan

Bilbo, Misty (cats)

Eowyn, Luthien, Boromir (ferrets)

Preparing for Christmas

Sent a card for great-niece's 6th Birthday. I told the clerk to place $15 on her gift card. Well, clerk typed in $50 so wrote a note my niece can use the rest of the amount to buy her daughters Christmas presents. Got all the Christmas decorations up in 15 hours over 2 days. Had my exercise for the month. Put up my Mom's decorations too, Checked on my weight loss prgress and 5 pounds lighter on scale. Can't complain. Started watching holiday movies. Don't have cable or satellite so my 25 Days of Christmas movies are on DVD. Been doing the night audit mostly by myself, but still have the babysitter to train on new things that come up. Got my Christmas cards done so have to prepare the letter to add to the package. My borher will host the extended family gathering and Mom will hostess Christmas Day. Went shopping for ingredients for my goodies and will get started on them soon. Well better start my Christmas letter now.

Happy Thanksgiving

November started with getting my phone and internet fixed. Got out the heavy winter sweaters from storage while I waited. Celebrated my sister-in-law's birthday with cake and ice cream. The hotel head housekeeper quit and maids began leaving the guest rooms they cleaned wide open with lights on so wondered if it was a protest. Until a new head housekeeper was hired, the maids didn't want to do their jobs. Celebrated niece's birthday at an Italian restaurant with cake and ice cream at their home. Celebrated cats Bilbo and Misty's 3rd Birthday with some catnip. Had to rake my own yard cause nephew was still working at a fast food place and can't come. I worked on my yard until too sore to move. Will just have to finish next spring. Made some goodies for the front desk staff to enjoy on Thanksgiving to find out on arriving to work on Black Friday that they didn't eat any of it. Spent Thanksgiving at sister's house and then took niece and nephew Black Friday Shopping at the mall. Sa the new Gucci movie with nephew (loved it). Discovering common interests with a coworker, but we can't be friends cause they are a supervisor and thus, have some authority over me like the schedules (not a manager so probaly couldn't fire me without general manager approval). It's getting to be a pleasure and torture to work with them.

Viewed the lunar eclipse and thought so pretty I had my coworker go outide to observe it. Another shift, had a birthday party in a hotel room escalate into violence where a party guest in the room had to be taken to the hospital. Blood trail in view of guests were coming down for breakfast. My supervisor left their phone behind so couldn't call them for assistance on procedures when kicking a guest out of the hotel. First was noise complaints, then poor security guy had to break up a fist fight in front of the airline flight crew in the lobby preparing to leave for the airport. Supervisor arrived wondering why there were a bunch of cop cars out front and the birthday guest complained the cops ordered them to leave the hotel to request a refund (even though they were there all night long). Supervisor explained no refunds when cops force people to leave.

Happy Halloween

Started my new job at the new hotel after my birthdy weekend. No holiday pay for Labor Day at this hotel either. Drat. Had to do online trainign for nearly 2 weeks before reaching the front desk first day. I work with great people and a few handsome guys so no complaints here. (And please control your excitement of marrying every guy I meet cause I'm not their type). One gal got married and I met the other bride who checked into the hotel (employees can't stay at the hotel unless there is a great snowstorm that prevents us from driving home). I discovered my main purpose was to get the accountant off the front desk since they were developing a backlog in the accounting department. The shuttle drivers keep getting surprised I keep coming back to work. Um, is this new hotel that awful to work for that nobody in their right mind would WANT to be here? Heard they had to furlough 95% of the staff due to Covid and then discovered during the Black Lives Matter downtown riots, the hotel windows were smashed in. The pool was closed for a month cleaning up glass, replacing the windows, and refilling the pool water. The people I work with have been here 5-28 years so I guess I'm with good company who know what they are doing.

New hotel leaves leftover breakfast items for the staff to eat in the breakroom. In fact, any event leftover is placed in the breakroom. They cook good food here. They only serve dinner in the bistro cause of staff shortages. In fact, they got staff shortages in the maid department that they got the restaurant manager stripping beds to help housekeeping. No room service and no lunch service due to staffing shortages.

Overheard the event say to a potential they were unsure if the Head Chef was skilled in decoarting cakes. I blurted out after they hung up that I can do cakes so made a jack o'lanteran cake to show off my skills. I said no more treats until Christmas. It costs money I'm not getting back and working overnights 5 days a week doesn't leave me with much time to do much for free. Everybody loved my cakes and cookies I presented in the break room. Made my first ermine/whipped frosting for Eowyn's birthday red velvet cupcakes.

Found a orange striped ribbon snake in my yard and grabbed my ferret Boromir before he became lunch. New hotel in the downtown area has an issue of homeless people trying to sleep in the lobby and eating the free breakfast. We have security people who keep kicking them out. One said they caught someone sleeping on the restroom floor once. Hotel guests don't really like them hanging around, but can only order them to leave the hotel. Got an interview offer from another hotel that is further away from my current hotel that I applied for 3 months ago. Sorry, I'm taken.

After finishing up my front desk traiing, I was placed in the AM shift to work by myself. Celebrated ferret Eowyn's 6th Birthday. She has lymphoma so probably be her last birthday. Will see if she makes it to Christmas. He good eye has turned bad and unusre if I want to pay another $300 for eye removal making her completely blind when she sick with cancer. She has been avoiding me since her last eye removal surgery.

Lost my Beta male Posidian right after purchasing a new female I named Pandora for him to watch. Then Pandora died a week later. I think I will give up on fish for a while. Covered a shift for a sick coworker and then I believe I caught their bug. I haven't earned PTO yet so can't afford not to work. Lost my electricity for a day and internet access along with no landline phone service for nearly a month. When was fixed, I still didn't have internet/phone so had to wait to get that fixed. Turned out some cables in the downtown area were to blame. After a month of no phone, a relative text messaged my cell explaining my phone didn't work. Yeah, I knew that. Had someone at the hotel try to get me to give them to garage code. They actually came by 3 times in one hour. Sorry guests of the hotel who pay the fee get the code. Days later some truck hit the guard rail to the parking garage. I wondered if it was the same person I refused to give the code to.

Had my last day as the AM person since we hired new people and I told my supervisor I was on the edge of a nervous breakdown. Nonstop phone calls and limited access in the system didn't help my stress. I barely know what I am doing and get little help from upper management supposed to help me. Began learning the night audit process that is more complicated that the old hotel hotel with events and bistro figures added.

Had deer eating my grass and bushes in my front yard at night. Scared my cat right off my lap. During Beggar's Night, had several groups of kids come by and then a homeless man knocked on my door for candy.

Remembering September 11

The 20th Anniversary of the Terror Attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, plus a plane crash in Pennsylvania is soon here. I remember that day as if it were yesterday much like people remember Pearl Harbor or the JFK Assassination.

On September 11, 2001, I was 26 years old and lived in a studio apartment. I worked at Payless ShoeSource at Southridge Mall (no longer there)and National Car Rental at the airport. I just started the car rental job the month before so I was still in training with the manager. No pets yet.

I woke up exhausted from working 2 jobs at the same time. I didn't turn on the TV and just ate my breakfast to take off for work. On my way to work, none of the radio stations were playing music. All the stations were talking about some plane crash in Pennsylvania. I arrived at work and asked my manager what the heck was going on. She replied I missed the excitement that morning of every plane in the country landing at once and hundreds of people wanting cars cause they couldn't wait for the buses to be provided. She then said to go watch the TV in the airport bar. I go and see the twin towers on fire, the Pentagon was damaged, and the plane crash in Pennsylvania was from the passengers rebelling against the hijackers so they crashed the plane. Nobody ever figured out the destination of that plane. While I was watching TV, the first tower collapsed and I went back to my manager to tell her the one tower had fallen. She went to the bar and came back later announcing the 2nd tower had fallen. The only connection to the terror attack victims/survivors was the car rental gal next door (I think her name was Lolly) had a son who worked at the World Trade Center and she was worried all day if he were alive or dead. We heard the next day that he had called her that evening cause it took him all day to get home. He was at his desk when the first plane hit the other tower. He thought, That's it I'm outta here. It turned out the 2nd plane hit his floor so his desk was incenerated.

So I spent most of September 11 sitting in a corner of the car rental while my manager explained to people we had no cars to rent out. I got home to watch the news. The news people said that the terrorists committed this attack over Israel. I sat in shock. OK, let me wrap my mind around this: Over 2000 people died today over freaking Israel? What does Israel have to do with us? Unless a bomb goes off and people are killed, the news people never mention Israel. I watch the news on TV, read newspapers and magazines, I watch movies and TV shows, Israel isn't there. I know politicians will "Stand With Israel" and give foreign aid (which they apparently give a lot of countries). Don't ask me why cause I couldn't even tell you where Tel Aviv is located that keeps getting hit with suicide bombers. In fact, I couldn't tell you the name of any of their Presidents, or Prime Ministers, or whatever their leaders are called. Beyond being the holy land of 3 religions, Israel doesn't mean much to Americans. To most Americans, Israel is just a foreign country on the other side of the world. If devout people have access to holy sites, they don't really care where Jews, Christians, and Muslims live in Israel or who gets elected to office. What the heck did Israel do to justify this mass murder of these innocent people going about their lives?

As the days went on, security at the airport got more strict. At the shoe store, we collected donations for the American Red Cross. American flags suddenly popped up everywhere, even on jewelry and clothing. I got a set of flag pins at a retail store. 1 I still have and wear on September 11. I heard of tourists visiting at the time were surprised at all these American flags appearing from nowhere. That didn't suprise me at all. Americans are very patriotic on Independence Day. Soon Halloween came a month later and the most popular costumes were first responders. Horror movies were also popular and articles were written to explain this popularity of horror movies after witnessing a real life horrific event. The conclusion was horror in movies is fake and people walk away unscarred. Many people joined the military after the terror attacks. Then the War of Terror began in Iraq and Afghanistan. I know a few people from school I found on social media who went to Afghanistan. Every time a terror attack occured in the world, the airport made all the employees get new badges and criminal background checks. The cops at the airport were always tense after an atttack somewhere in the world. They got real upset when people parked their cars in front of the airport. A year later I went to England with my family with extra security policies. These were the days before digital cameras and I prayed my disposable film cameras I was forced to put through X-Ray machines didn't ruin my photos of my trip.

Time went on and people began to move on from September 11. Child were born who only viewed September 11 in the history books and documentaries. But for a time, we learned to tell people we love them and cherish our time on earth.

Now American troops have left Iraq and Afghanistan. Iraq next battled ISIS or ISIL and Afghanistan was retaken by the Taliban with a rival ISIS-K group waiting to overthrow them. Who knows what will happen in the future cause it has not been written yet.

I'm sure many Americans wondered why other countries hate us so much. Is it our freedom they don't have? We are the polar opposite of a absolute power dictatorship. Is it our prosperity and influence over the world as a superpower? I know they love our technology such as weapons, computers, internet, TV, and cell phones. I can tell them how to get prosperity like us. Prosperity needs a stable economy where businesses can assume they will be in business next year. A stable economy needs a stable political system where leaders change without bloodsheed (Revolution, Military Coup d'etat, or Civil War). A stable political system needs a strong army (I say strong army instead strong military cause bombs are nice but you need ground troops to occupy the land) that can withstand invasion from the outside and rebellion from the inside. A strong army/military needs cultural unity. America is a unified culture where we all call ourselves Americans. Of the victims of September 11, Americans don't care what race they were, what religion they followed, who they voted for in the last election, or how much money they had. We know they were Americans who didn't deserve this fate and therefore, we mourn them even if we never met them.

Are these people we give democracy to on a silver platter unifed cultures? Democracy won't survive places where people are shooting their neighbors. I think sometimes politicians forget that.

We Americans cherish our freedom and democracy so much because we fought for it. Well, not me personally but my ancestors did. General George Washington fought an 8-year war to secure our independence from Great Britain, with French help. Then when the 1st government under the Articles of Confederation wasn't working out so good, the miliary planned a military coup d'etat and intended to crown George Washington as king, or emperor cause he could have had his choice. General Washington was invited to speak at a meeting plannning to overthrow the fledgling government. He joked how he was old and needed his spectacles (glasses) to read his speech. He explained (I'm summarizing here) that his soldiers did not fight and die to overthrow a king to replace him with another, there will be no King of America, not him and not anyone else. So instead of King George we got President George under the US Constitution. Then, after 8 years, 2 terms, he left office to pass the torch to someone else. Which is why after President Roosevelt was elected to 3 terms that the Constitution was changed to prevent anyone from holding office indefinately. Americans will not tolerate a absolute monarchy. George Washington fought for the idea that all men are created equal, not to crown himself king. Americans don't fight for power, they fight for equality (generally speaking).

I read how foreignors stated that if Americans lost their freedom, they have nowhere to go. I can say with absolute certainty, if that day came, Americans would fight to take their freedom back. Nobody handed our freedom, our rights, or our privledges on a silver platter. Americans past and present fought marching down the street, fought in the courts, and fought lobbying politicians. We have unions, voting rights, end to segregation, and sexual harassment laws because they were fought for. People died fighting our rights. People were thrown in jail and beaten fighting for our rights. It wasn't fun and it wasn't easy fighting for the rights we have today. I think politicans forget that. What are the people in other countries we give democracy to fighting for? Are they going to fight to keep the democracy they just received? Do they fight for equality or do they fight for power? Only time will tell.

Happy Birthday to Me

It's the one day a year I admit my true age. Funny how that happens when hitting 46 (according to teenagers I'm ancient). I celebrated with my family eating pizza at my sister's house. I fed the dog pieces of sausage. I opened my Mom's gift which was cat socks she thought were cute. The problems with owning a cat is that every cat object people see they must buy for me. I have ferrets too.

Got a foot bath for my aching feet and enjoyed it immensely. Pets were curious of the blowing bubbles. Gave myself a pedicure complete with pumice stone rub. I needed pretty feet and fingers to go on 2 interviews in one week. Then got another interview after accepting a job offer. Didn't get the job I wanted (sit at a desk and not talk to any customers), but work the same job at a different hotel for more money. Can't complain. Naturally old boss desired me to stay with them. I would only stay to be an accountant at their hotel. That job will never happen so out I go (Manager does the bookkeeping at small hotels).

I told my new coworkers about my old hotel: I'm tired of working 6 days a week cause management can't get new people hired and the ones they have don't want to work. Yeah, I understand you hate your job, but I don't appreciate doing my job plus everyone else's jobs too. I'm tired of missing every famiy gathering and holiday dinners cause I'm always working. I'm tired of a broken marketplace freezer so guests don't know all summer we have ice cream in the kitchen because someobody didn't like the sign I made explaining this to them (it's been broken for months). I'm tired of doing laundry cause a coworker can't grab the pool towels and we don't have enough laundry workers so the backroom is a huge mess. I'm tired of being the only one who helps with breakfast (guests complain the cook needs help, but when I go help her they complain nobody is at the front desk). A coworker is tired stripping beds to help housekeeping cause temp agency maids won't show up. I'm tired of complaints how my hotel stopped servign cinnamon rolls for breakfast so our guest satisfaction scores are going down (when the manufacuter sends us more rolls, we will put them out). I'm tired of opening boxes of moldy oranges cause I'm the only one who scrubs them under hot water and places them into another container when they arrive. My new hotel coworkers are stuck with me.

Started a new diet program and took a before picture. The new HIIT exercises makde my muscles ache for a week and migraines hit me to make me stop exercising until they stop (sometimes they last a week) so increase in exercising doesn't always happen. Trying the Keto diet with less carbs and more protein. That is very hard diet to follow. Meat prices skyrocketed over the summer and I'm not crazy over protein nuts so eating more carb than protein that is the only food available. Got some protein bars to eat at work. Program meals are ridiculousL Seriously they expect me to eat 1 cup of food for a meal? Do you have any idea how hungry that will make my body? Though I fail to see why they suggest rice over bread. Do they realize rice has more calories? I understand the whole wheat bread suggestion since white bread doesn't have the fiber content to make one feel fuller even if the two breads have the same starchy calories. Program also suggested a lot of salads (people cannot live on lettuce alone).

Took my sister's dog out for a walk while they were at the amusement park. Pup was terrified of me and we didn't go very far. The 2nd walk we never made it past the driveway. Brother-in-law said the pup pooped a lot when he took them for a walk when they returned home.

Had the adventure of a house finch in my house. Little bird flew in the open door when taking my cats outside. It tried so hard to escape out the window and fell like a rock to the floor. I scooped it up and took it outside by the lilies for cover so it could rest while. It fluttered off my hand so it is okay. Refilled the bird feeders and came back inside.

Old hotel hired a new night auditor and I was eager to train them, but they never showed up for their first day so management has to train the next hired one, whichever actually shows up. Oh well. I know old management will miss me every night they cover my shift.

End of Summer Approaches

We had a hail storm that woke me up from my after work slumber. Sounded like someone hammering on the roof and someone throwing rocks at the windows. Look outside to find the hail coming down. Tried to record it, but my smartphone took a minute to turn on. I got the tail end of the hail falling, but missed the heavy downpour that woke me up. It resembled snow falling. Such as life. Missed the family reunion at my brother's house sleeping at home most of the day. I arrived after most people had left. Aunt was celebrating her 80 Birthday. My niece recorded my great-nieces playing in the backyard and shared it with me to see how big they are getting. Had 2 online interviews with prospective employers. Both rejected me later. Had a phone interview with a 3rd company and received another rejection notice. Celebrated my Mom's birthday with siblings at a restaurant. Siblings wanted to go to a fancy restaurant they always wanted to experience. I replied that our mother grew up on a farm and would not enjoy the lobster or calimari they crave. We settled on Ruby Tuesday's and I enjoyed pulled pork and tator tots. We lost a maid and gained a front desk clerk. Front desk clerk worked here before and didn't like the old manager very much to quit as I was hired. Owners decided to give raises to the staff hoping to keep people and get more hired. Took them long enough. Boromir ferret made the Great Escape through the fence into the neighbor's yard, then went through their fence to end up in next neghbor's yard who didn't have a fence so I quickly grabbed him. There was a rabbit bigger than him that hopped away. Another day he made the great escape to take a tour of the front yard and ended up in the neighbor's yard where I coxed him back into our yard before grabbing him. Got 2 schedules that had me working 12 days in a row. After Day 8, I was backing out of my parking space when a coworker decided to park in the spot next to mine. Since I was looking behind me, I failed to view their car in front of me so our fenders bumped into each other. Naturally it was it was all my fault though it could have been both our fault, coworker didn't want to file a police report cause they don't speak English very well, and was told my coworker didn't have insurance. Had to write a claim and take photos for my insurance company on my smartphone while ready to collapse from exhaustion. After 9th work day my mental capacity diminished to the point I couldn't remember my coworkers' names. 10th day was babysitting a coworker doing their first night audit so that was a half day. Felt better after getting some sleep. When I left the 12th day, I told the manager to please don't ever do that again. I got one day off and went back to work again. I pray for another job, but no job ever appears. Then a week after my fender bender, I receive a phone call from my coworker's insurance company which was a surprise for me when they said they had none. I explained my insurance was fixing my car which made the insurance agent happy. It is taking a long time (2 weeks so far) to fix my car and driving the rental car that barely fits into my garage (it's a minivan). Opened the trunk lid and it hit the garage door. Watched the Olympics on TV. My guilty pleasure is the gymnastics. Discovered mosquito larvae in the bird bath. Water was tossed out and replaced so the larvae became lawn fertilizer. Glass storm door got stuck and after kicking the door to unstuck it, the whole glass door shattered. Had a ton of glass to sweep up and brother helped put up the new door I ordered. Celebrated my nephew's birthday at a restaurant and had ice cream cake at my sister's house. I paid for my brother's lunch for helping me with my door. Later, Nephew had to leave for his fast food job. He does the fries and chicken nuggets. He said all the grease in the air is making his acne worse. I offered a housekeeping job at my hotel that would be cleaner environment, and maids get tips. We got a new hotel manager assigned to us. A traveling manager who lives in town thought we were great work team and applied for permanent residency. She was accepted and I hardly ever see her working the overnight shift. Hope she gets to freezer in the marketplace section fixed or replaced so we can sell our ice cream. People seem to not like the idea of us grabbing ice cream from the kitchen for them.

What Part of I'm Broke did you not Understand?

Funny how people have trouble understanding what "I'm broke" really means. It means: I have debt not savings. I work 2 jobs, 6 days a week and barely have enough to pay my living expenses. I'm not lazy, I'm exhausted. I don't have money to spare to pay for repairs, vacations, TiVo, Disney+, Netflix, fast food, or hobbies. I won't be remodeling anything in the near future. I seriously don't care what Martha Stewart would have to say about my boring meals with foods that are all the same color or my lack of themes or color schemes in my decorating. In fact, I seriously don't care what a man would think of my dirty house covered in pet hair cause no man will see it. I can't afford a luxury apartment or posh mansion you wished I lived in so you can swim in a pool for free. I am not buying movies for you to borrow for free. I can't afford a housekeeper to keep my house perfectly clean to your satisfaction. And my yard will never resemble a manicured golf course.

I hate customer service jobs

I hate customer service jobs. Get someone who makes a reservation in the middle of night and demands their room at 2:30 AM. I am sold out tonight. The res they just made for today is good at 3PM, not 3AM when my guests are still sleeping (I am not yanking guests out of bed to give someone a room). Well had 2 reservations from the day before arriving and I checked them in. Now I am racist cause he's black and this is going on social media. I explained those people had reservations from the night before and I have to honor them past midnight. If their reservation was for yesterday, I would have gladly honored it at 2 AM. But it wasn't, it was made for today and the check in time is 3 PM. They explain they are from New York and unfamiliar with such things. Yeah, I'm sure hotels in New York have check in times too. They scream at me how heartless I am cause they have a little girl and I am throwing them out in the street (not exactly, I let them sleep in the lobby and let them use the public restroom I also let a homeless guy use while they're screaming at me). They were welcome to eat from continental breakfast when they were still waiting for the manager at 6 AM. I texted the manager to come early cause they were still here and not leaving until they spoke to a manager. I began doing my work from the back room to avoid them. The cook came in for breakfast and kept screaming my name at the front desk to tell me things. I explianed I am working from the backroom. Manager came in 15 minutes earlier than usual and I explained the situation. People were much calmer by then and asked for the uber number. Manager even made copies of their cancelations to prove they weren't being charged for them.

Short Staffed and Dollar Short

Always fun to get yelled at by guests comparing my hotel to other hotels in the chain. Can't tell them the maids are working 9-10 hours in a day preparing rooms for arriving guests so they don't have time to service the stay over guests with fresh towels and sheets every day. Manager is even blocking new reservations from being made so the maids can keep up. Can't tell them manager forgot to order sugar packets so we ran out yesterday. I did find a few in the break room and then they refused take them, but will gladly whine how we don't have coffee cause we are out of sugar. Equal is just not good enough. Can't tell them the cook works alone and too overwhelmed to open breakfast an hour early for a sports team. Their extra help is at the front desk, which makes guests complain there is nobody at the front desk when I go help her. Can't tell them since our top manager quit the maintenance guy cannot seem to get the ice machine fixed or anything else fixed, but they have plenty of time to hang around the maids all day. How's your day going.

Happy 4th of July

Working at a car rental I once wished a customer a Happy 4th and they asked the importance of the day. I explained to the Italian tourist that it is our Independence Day. I suggested attending our fireworks display at the Capitol Building that also has the Des Moines Symphony playing music. Days later he returned his car to thank me for the advice cause he enjoyed the concert and fireworks. Took Eowyn ferret to get her stitches removed from her eye removal surgery. I say she is now a pirate. She doesn't like being approached by her eyeless side and turns her to see through her other eye. I wonder if she is going blind cause she follows walls plus crashing into furniture. She poops everywhere so has trouble finding the corners where I place newspapers for the ferrets. Now that she is healed I have to give her a steroid pill crushed and mixed in salomon oil. At first she objected (shook her head), but still licked the salmon oil that tasted weird. After a while, she refused to lick the salmon oil period so had to give up. The water company had asked the public to conserve water due to the current drought and don't shoot of fireworks to prevent grass fires. Funny, I recently viewed mushrooms in my yard. I took my pets outside in the early morning hours when it is cool and they get wet fur from the dew. Had some rain fall enough to make my grass turn green again so I had to get out and mow it. Such as life. Hotel manager quit to go work for a dry cleaner. She was so tired from constantly covering shifts, gettign called at home, doing bookkeeping, going through resumes and interviewing people to have them not show up for their first day (or quit after a week), and had no time to plan her wedding next year (she got engaged on her birthday this year), and she had no time to ride her bike to practice for the upcoming RABRAI ride across the state. The owners sent us a traveling manager to fill in until they assign a new manager. Until they shpw up the Assistant Manager was acting manager. I felt so sorry for her and tried my best to do a good job so she had less to worry about. And now she is gone. I looked her up on social media and apparently she does not want to keep in touch. Alrighty then. Her last day, I had a job interview and had to change my resume to remove the work number of her reference to just list her home phone. Didn't get the job. In fact, I never heard a peep from them at all. With the manager gone, got to start working 6 days a week again. Lots of overtime for me. Good thing 4th of July is on a Sunday. That means parades are on Saturday. I got to view a parade in West Des Moines with my brother and niece at 6 PM before I had to arrive at work at 11 PM. Other parades were at 10 AM when I was sound asleep in bed. Got to sleep all day during the 4th after working the overnight, then stayed home watching TV. Once darkness came, the outside sounded like a war zone and I understood my pets' view when I would normally be out watching fireworks. They jumped and hid under furniture like during thunderstorms, then purred when I petted them. A few neighbors set off fireworks in their yards so I go to see those from my window. Then went to work once the fireworks were done. The streets weren't too busy with cars going home. Post later.

Finished the latest novel

I finsihed my latest novel so go chekc it out. https://southernbellenovel.blogspot.com/?fbclid=IwAR13Bpls3Cpsw3xcxm4Susjwd2HOTAWW0Yi82S-psyfaGC5L6j0GqgBckYI

Happy Father's Day

Had 2 maids quit and a laundry person left. Finally got my extra refund from IRS from the change in unemployment being taxed. As it so happened, the state return also changed due to the unemployment change so got extra refund from the state too. It all went to pay down the credit cards. Poor Eowyn ferret with the swollen eye had to have her eye removed. Vet said there was a tumor pushing her eye out. He got what he could. He sent the tumor for testing and poor Eowyn has lymphona. I could pay a fortune I don't have to take her out of state for chemotherapy cause vet was certain her cancer would have spread throughout her body. Given he age, she could be dead in a year or two from natural causes so I questioned if it would be worth it. Plus, I work 6 days of week so I don't have time to take her out of state. I elected to make her comfortable, give lots of treats, take her out for freash air, and prepare to let her go. She eats well so she is good so far, just getting accustomed to being blind without her eye and turns her head to see from her other eye still in her head. Vet gave me a steroid to improve her quality of life. A few times she took it mixed with her salmon oil supplement, then outright refused to take it. I finally gave up The city began experiencing a drought and asked the public to conserve water. Hotel apparently refused to shut the sprinklers off at night. Coworker arrived severly late for work stoking a fight in the back room and coworker walked out. New front desk person had their first night alone and it did not go well. They mixed up the rooms and I spent 2 hours rearranging them in the system. You have to kick out the original room assignment before putting someone else in that room. Manager said when they work with the new person, they do well but the second they are alone they can't figure out what to do. Attended a birthday party for my brother and family was happy to see me. Working on Father's Day so can't visit Dad at the cemetery this year. Have a great Father's Day.

Have a Good Memorial Day Weekend

Hire a new maid. The elevator broke down and guests were trapped inside for a couple hours until the fire department rescued them. Had to deliver towels to hotel guests walking the staris cause they didn't want to come down. Poor Eowyn ferret got a swollen eye and had I to go to work so couldn't deal with it right away. Requested a vet appointment sooner than the 2 weeks that were avaiable online. Sent a photo of her eye and got an appointment the next day. Received ointment and antibiotics to give her in hope that it is just an eye ulcer. Eowyn did not like the medication. One day she climbed my shirt and plopped on the floor to remain motionless. Once I tried to give her antibiotic and ointment, she pooped so I know that part works. She gave me a good scare and then I had to leave for work so left her in a pet bed. When I got home she was walking around like normal so glad she was okay. Returned to the vet a week later and her eye ulcer was healed, but the swelling failed to decrease so given a steroid to decrease the inflammation. Worst case scanario, I have to pay for eye surgery to remove her eye. Got my Covid shots completed and experienced no symptons. Hotel manager hired a new night auditor and they took another job. I was so happy to start working 5 days a week again. I am so tired working 6 days of week for the past several months. I miss holidays, can't spend time with my family. My niece and nephew are sad they never get to see me. Working all Memoiral Day weekend. Can't take Mom to cemetries and my sisters have to do it. My hotel doesn't give holiday pay for Memorial Day so it is just another day at work. Have a good three day weekend.

Happy Mother's Day

Boromir has been determined to dig in the flower pot grave of my first ferret Faramir. After 3 years, I'm sure he is all bones now. It was quite emotional viewing Faramir's red burial shroud peeking out of the dirt. I don't know what Boromir smells, but he was scratching the towel I buried Faramir with determination. Also discovered Boromir doesn't like the wind chimes hanging from the gutters. He has visited the neighbor's yard enough tmes to be fearful of his dogs. Good. Hotel manager had to resort to hiring maids through temp agencies to get rooms cleaned. We gained a maid and lost a maid. Crossing fingers for my more staff. I missed Mother's Day caused I had to work and slept most of the day. Heard from my siblings they had a good one taking my Mom out for dinner and a good chat. Post later.

Happy May Day

Had my last day at the tax office. Sink was clogged and printer was out of paper. Apparently the manager was not in any hurry to fix the issues. Oh well, not my problem anymore. Brushed the cats and had enough hair from the brush to make a new kitten. Rescued Eowyn ferret with a ponytail holder around her neck like a collar. Reminded me of the day she was scampering around with a toilet paper tube on her head. Ferret mom to the rescue. Had my heart attack for the day. Got home from work, open the garage door (the hard way by lifting it up), and rustling noise was heard by the garbage cans. All of a sudden, a fluffy brown rabbit with with powder puff white tail jumped out from behind the garbage cans to make a mad dash down the driveway and into the neighbor's yard. I guess I woke Mr. Bunny from his nap. Misty chased her first baby rabbit (relax, bunny escaped into the neighbors' yard). Luthien ferret discovered the dirt under the gate had been scratched away to create a hole she can fit under (I grabbed her tushy and pulled her back through the hole. Nephew got a new job at a fast food place and no longer available to mow my lawn. Have to do it myself. Learned to take my inhaler before going out to mow so don't have asthma attacks during my mowing. Had flurries on the April day I was going to plant seeds in my yard. Had wait to plant them. Had to look up the frost date for my area for some of the seed packets. Lost a hotel maid. Apparently they quit right after they started. Management is getting desperate for workers that they are begging us for referrals. They will pay us $25 if our referral gets hired and $100 if they work 90 days. Sorry, most people I know work in offices or construction sites. I got called into work on my 2 days off cause somebody can't show up for their damn job, again. At least manager was covering one night so I got one night off. My poor manager, a maid and the head housekeeper decided not to show up for work so 1 maid was cleaning 60 rooms. Coworkers are dropping like flies. Sent a text message to the manager asking to have the night auditor job cause I was getting tired of covering the current night auditor's butt, I've done it for months. Manager agreed so I got promoted to night auditor with a raise and stable schedule. It was very hard on my body bouncing from day to overnight hours. Now old night auditor was knocked down to 2 days a week and decided to stop coming to work. Their sob story was their baby mama got arrested for drug possession while their kid was her car so he had to go pick up his daughter. Then human services checked on the kid and he lost his daughter to foster care. He said he was working hard to get his daughter back and suddenly stopped coming to work. No idea what happened to him. Sheriff stopped by the hotel looking for him and I told the officier when he next worked. Then he didn't come to work that night and I had to go fill in on my night off. Don't think he will get his daughter back from foster care anytime soon. Hotel manager started purchasing new teas for our tea station next to the coffee station. We have mint tea, lemon black tea, greeen tea, Earl Grey tea, Chamomille Tea, black Tea, and orange pekoe Tea. I prefer the mint and green teas, don't need sugar. Black teas are a little harsh and need 2 packets of sugar to drink it.

Easter Bunny Trap Story 2021

Me Arriving Home From Work at 7:20 AM: Aaaa!!Thump!! Eowyn: Happy Easter Mom. You will never believe what happened with the Easter Bunnny last night. Me: I can't wait to hear why there is a cat pole string around my shoe. Luthien: Wait, I want to tell the Bunny Trap story. Boromir: Oh, hello Mom. I just enjoying the chocolate eggs we stole from The 🐰 Bunny. Mom: Go on Luthien. Luthien: Well, last night we couldn't find any carrots in the fridge so we used your carrot cake as bait. The plate was too big for a box or carrier so we placed the feather pole string on floor to ensnare The Bunny. Eowyn thought we should offer a napkin. Then The Bunny came inside and ate the cake. Boromir pulled the string to hold The Bunny while Eowyn and I hid chocolate eggs from his basket in the pantry. Next Bilbo and Misty got excited the pink feather was flying around and well, long story short: The Bunny escaped the string and left behind his basket. We got toys, chocolate eggs, and jelly beans. Mom: Very good story Luthien.

Happy Easter

Got my stimulus check from the IRS. It will go straight to pay off my creidt cards. A car that constantly breaks down and losing my good job a couple years ago really hurt my ceredit cards. Sure I worked my tax place last year, but was employed most of the year until I started my hotel job last September. Bills don't go away when unemployed. Sure the extra unemployment was nice and helped pay the credit cards down. IRS declared an extension to file taxes. Yeah, the tax place is not staying open longing and will shut down as usual and any late comers will have to use our year around locations. Got the news a new tax law removed some unemployment from being taxed. Great, I already got my refund. Had to wait to see if I needed to do an Amended Tax Return to claim my extra refund. Congress, please try to finish your tax laws in December! At least I don't have to do an Amended Return, but have to wait until after the extended tax season to get over with before I receive my extra refund. Took the cats for their annual shots. Bilbo is 20 lbs. and Misty is 13 lbs. If I ever got a chihuahua or yorkie, the cats would be bigger than the dog. Made 2 Easter cakes. One was an egg shaped carrot cake that I took to work and manager got the first piece. Good thing she did cause it was all gone the next day I visited the break room. The other vanilla cake was baked in a bread loaf pan and made into a bunny cake for the family to eat. I got off work at 7 AM so arrived at brother's house in the afternoon. Happy Easter Everyone!

Happy St. Patrick's Day

This month I met a new coworker for the tax office. I left when they arrived since we use the same computer (and I'm working 6 days a week due to my other job). Oh, they just worked 8 hours at their other job and working another 4 hours here to close the office. I would hate working 12 hour shifts so to each their own. Apparently someone quit last week without telling the manager and help was needed here. They usually work at another office. My hotel job began serving the hot breakfast again. Head honcho said Covid was over and everything was going back to normal. Ok, whatever you say. The unvaccinated lying in hospital beds would beg to differ that Covid is over. This is my first hotel job and only experienced their prepackaged Covid breakfast so this will be an experience. We even got a new pancake machine (I prefer waffles). My Verdict on My Hotel Hot Breakfast. It's food. Pancakes were a wee flat and hard to cut with side of my plastic fork. Cook said the new pancake machine wasn't making them very big (batter is in a plastic bag placed in the machine). Biscuits tasted like KFC Biscuits and explained to cook my "Summer of Hell" working for KFC between colleges. Eggs are that carton stuff of egg whites without yolks dyed yellow. It felt like eating hard boiled eggs without the yolks. Not restaurant quality, but it's a hot breakfast. Eventually, cook figured out how to do the pancakes so they are fluffy and gotten bigger. Their turkey patty is quite spicy and had to place it in a biscuit to cut some of the spice. Had a basketball team staying at our hotel, which usually means noise complaints from other guests after midnight. Sometimes I do wonder who is worse behaved, the students or the adults. Often the adults are drinking beer in the lobby being loud and obnoxious while teens run up and down the halls. Once a coworker found empty beer bottles floating in the pool. Seriously, who wants to swim in that. A few schools had pizza parties in the pool room where we don't allow food or drinks because we don't want garbage in the pool. Had to be the bad guy. Had several drunk people call in the middle of the night wanting to swim in our pool. Yeah, I prefer not to have to call 911 when your drunk buddy drowns, so no. They even asked if I would call the police if they snuck in the pool room. I replied that was a possibility. I hate drunk people. My Mom got her Covid vaccine shots so her senior living place was opening back up again. Her health has greatly deteriorated watching TV from her couch every day for months. She even developed the beginning of bed sores. She was happy to start exercising and playing cards with the others again. She finally allowed to grocery shop with my sister instead of dropping off her bags. During Covid, I asked family to call my Mom so she had someone to talk to. Some family think her mental state declined as well from not interacting with people. Had our first night of being sold out of the hotel. I don't think tht had happened for a while. Most people are those who are traveling by car cause can't fly on airplanes. They need a place to stop and rest. Worked the overnight shift during Daylight Savings Time. It was fun watching the clock on the computer tonight. 1:57, 1:58, 1:59, then poof, it's 3:00. Got another coworker at the tax place cause they were getting busy. Good thing my hotle coworker came back from his car wreck recovery. His leg was in a brace from being broken, but he was walking. Hotel had to demand a lot of my time away from the tax place, especially after a laundry person quit. Didn't have a St. Patrick's Day parade for my city again. Oh well, had to work anyway. Happy St. Patrick's Day Everybody!

Almost Spring

Had a battle with the tax office toilet and couldn't unclog it with the plunger no matter how hard I tried. Didn't want to get poopy water on my suede boots. Complained to the manager and they put in a ticket to have it checked. Two weeks later, brown sludge is still in the toilet. Complained to manager again (I have complained 2 different weeks about this) and they said parts have arrived to fix the toilet. They said they closed the office and I could go home for the rest of the day. I told friends on social media I'm ready to quit this job if this toilet problem never gets fixed.

Mom wrote a check for my new car. Family keeps saying I'm borrowing so much I won't inherit anything when Mom dies. What can I do? Employers who pay well refuse to interview me and jobs I can get don't pay the bills. What do people want me to do, start robbing banks? Stand on a street corner begging for change (I'll probably would make more money and not pay income tax on it cause it's charity). I'm doign the best I can here. Miracles don't happen to me.

Male Beta fish Ares died. Proably cause I'm so damned tired to clean the fish tank properly the water goes bad. I need to clean fish tanks again and too drained to do it. My poor fish. Celebrated ferret Luthien's 5th Birthday with cupcakes. Tried to earn a gift card by playing video games. That lasted an hour. Boring and so competitive they draiend the fun out. Then games get so hard I can't get past a certain level without spending money or joining some group of players. Gift card app will just have to keep their $5 gift card. I have better things to do than waste my time to get nothing.

Happy Valentine's Day

Had my first day at the tax office. Nobody was there so had to contact manager who told me to get a key at another location. Got inside and was told to finish tax classes to start preparing taxes for clients. Can't get into the programs on the computer. I need username and passwords. Manager can't seem to understand this and simply tells me the password to unlock the computer. Client who made a reservation in the parking lot (sign on door state Appointments Only). Manager told me there was coworker coming at 4:00 and they live a hour away. Explain to client I can't get into the computer (didn't mention I also need to finsih tax classes to do their forms and someone was coming any minute. No coworker arrives and get ahold of the manager who explains the coworker is new and working at another location. I hate it when managers flat out lie to me. Client walks out the door upset there is nobody who can service them. Mentioned this on social media and a hour later manager shows up at the location aware we just lost a client and can't understand why I can't get into the computer to complete the training to complete tax forms for clients. Finally after 5 hours of twiddling my fingers, manager resets my username and passowrds. Finish the training so I can service clients. By closing time, I am ready to service clients.

Heater went out in my car and then the car started overheating to the point I was scared it was going to break down while going home and freeze to death before help could arrive. My antifreeze container has a crack in it and a hose that overheated needed replaced. More money down the drain to fix this piece of junk.

Next big adventure was dealign with a noisy furnace so loud I couldn't sleep. Had it serviced. 10 days later it goes out and not running at all. House temperature is dropping and worrying about frozen pipes flodding the basement. Call company who serviced it and they blow me off. Called another company and they change the motor. More money spent and had to ask my Mom for money to pay my mortgage. I hate askign for more money, but it's either that or be homeless.

Won $50 in a game I played on the internet. Have to wait 3-5 weeks to receive in the mail. Coworker got into a car wreck that required surgery. I get to pick up the slack and work my tax office. Which I gladly do because I need money. Trained a coworker how to do the night audit. Not really heard, just time consuming. Drove through a snowstom to get to work. News was saying to stay home. Can't do that, I have to work or coworker works 16 hours. One work day I realized I forgot to put the clothes in the dryer so wore a moist work shirt to work. Coworker suggested puttign it in the hotel dryer. Did that and after 15 minutes got a dry shirt. Had a polar vortex so cold the animals refused to go outside. Plus the hotel's furance broke down so I brought a space heater form home to keep warm. And only during polar vortexes do ants come into my kitchen.

Made a cartoon figure of myself on social media. Never realized I ugly I looked until I saw myself as a cartoon. My dimpled chin wasn't even an option. I ordered a heart shaped pizza for my Mom to be delivered on Valentine's Day. Car refused to start again so had it towed. The mechanic reprogrammed it saying the ignition was the problem, not a dead battery becasue of the cold. My mechanic (whom I am paying to fix my car) informs me my manifolds are leaking, which will max out my credit cards and I'm better off getting a new car. I can't afford to get a new car. I have plenty of debt that I cannot handle a car loan on top of what I have. Celebrated ferret Boromir's 4th Birthday with cupcakes. For Valentine's Day, I worked the overnight shift and then went to bed when got home. After waking up, I went to my brother's house to help celebrate my sister's birthday (which is two days later). Had cake and orange juice. My family accepted me borrowing money to purchase a new car. Sent my brother to find a good deal. Will see what happens.

Happy New Year

Got a snowstorm right before New Year's Eve with 9.6 inches of snow. I came to work and got stuck in a snow drift at the entrance. I walked to the hotel and told my manager to call the snow plow people cause I won't be the last one getting stuck at the entrance (and 2 more cars did before they came). I got myself out of the snow drift thanks to the shovel in my trunk, drove down the street, and turned around to ram through the snow drift with a fury to make it through. Even though my ferrets love snow, they refused to go outside. I think one made it 20 seconds playing in the snow coming back inside. Baby it's cold outside. Stayed at my hotel until the streets were cleared along with 2 coworkers. Our beds are very comfortable and I enjoyed our hot bedtime chamomille tea. New Year's Eve I drive home from the overnight shift and stop at the grocery store. Leave grocery store to find my car has a flat tire. Drive slowly to the mechanic down the street and get a new tire. I swear I'm cursed. Worked the overnight shift New Year's Eve. I turned on the lobby TV to watch the Ball drop at Times Square (an hour ahead of my time zone midnight). I worked on inventory of our snack shop so at midnight I was either counting the Cheetos bags in the snack shop or in the storage closet. New Year's Day I slept at the hotel for 8 hours and then worked another shift. Then the next day I got called into work because a coworker got into a car accident. I explained that I had spent the past 24 hours at the hotel, I'm exhausted, and politely turned down the extra hours. Poor manager had to work a double shift. Later, I realized I didn't even have clean uniforms to wear if I had said yes. Happy New Year Everybody