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)
No comments:
Post a Comment