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.