Good to come home

Applied to be the secretary for the Sales Department and got rejected. Either I wanted too much money or they couldn't give me up as night auditor. Have to look elsewhere for a new job. Had a great at the hoetown Christmas craft show. Met people from school and sold more here than any day at the farmer's market. Go figure. Soon after I got sick with a fever for a couple days.

Happy Thanksgiving

Skunk tried to get into the hotel revolvig door that has been closed for over a year. Luckily it gave up and wandered away.Worked on ornaments for the Christmas craft show in December in my hometown. Celebrated cats 4th birthday (they are littermates). Participated in a Cyber Sale and received 0 orders. Hotel hired a new front desk manager. Hopefully they are better than the last one. Celebrated niece's 19th Birthday. I gave her a gift card for my candle shop. She loves my candles. Took Luthien ferret to the vet with swollen 3rd eye. Possible lymphoma so given steroids. Will see how long she lasts. Worked Thanksgiving so spent a few hours at sister's house talking to the family.

Happy Halloween

Mom got sick at my birthday celebration and rushed to the ER. Had to take my 1st Covid test cause Mom tested positive. My test was negative. Had to wear a mask to work for 10 days as a precaution. Had my last farmer's market days and sold 1 box of tapers. Not doing this farmer's market again next year. Had 2 dogs follow a coworker inside and got them corraled into an office to wait for animal control. They were friendly, but no tags to call an owner. Lost my ferret Eowyn. She had lymphoma for over a year so it was amazing she lived with it for so long. I buried next to her buddy ferret Faramir in the backyard. She died in my arms.

Got fall scent candles and wax melts made for a loval fall festival. Packed the car up the night before. Watched the news and they predicted a rainstorm in the morning so had to cancel. Festival people understood. Bummer. Had niece come over to take photos for ads for my fall scent candles. She loves dressing up in costumes. Applied for another fall vendor sale and was rejected. Our new front desk manager decided not to show up for 3 days in a row so got terminated. I got to work my day off. My supervisor had to work 16 hour shift cause they didn't show up and nobody would answer their phoen to ask to come in. Good riddens to her. Oh, I got 16 hours of overtime that week because the manager decided to quit without telling anybody.

Finally finished my candle catalog. I move at a glacier pace since I have little spare time to get things done. Got my driver's license renewed. Hotel had a Halloween carnival and I won the costume contest. I create a carnival game tossing balls into witch hats kids loved. Scared the cats when I returned home in my costume. They had to sniff my hand before lettign me touch them. Had a good Beggar's Night with about 30 kids. Usually I get 9 kids so this was a happy evening.

Happy Birthday to Me

Got the day off to celebrate my borthday with my family at my hotel restaurant. Family liked my fancy hotel, though menu was a little short with only a few items listed. Have to get a new driver's license to discover Covid rules are still in effect and made permanent. Have to make an appointment to renew my license. Earliest appointment was in October. Sigh. At least I had a good birthday party.

Summer fun

Taking bets every day a certain coworker who is always late will show up. If they are less than 2 hours late, then I am happy. Human Resources is fuming I am still there when they come in to work when I should have left by then, but what can I do? More farmer's markets to sell my candles and wax melts. Had someone tell me that my display candles smelled so good. My display candles are unscented. For some reason people keep asking if I'm selling soap. OK. Celebrated Mom's birthday by making a wreath for her. I took her to a fabric store that was changing locations so got a good deal. She loved her wreath. Had a school supplies drive at work. Began driving the hotel shuttle van cause drivers can't be bothered to show up for work. I'll take the tips. Had a driver quit 3 times. WHy they kept rehiring them, I don't know.

Quit my job in the middle of the night after receiving an email from the unreliable manager who left my cash drawer empty of $5 bills that they want to discuss my negative emails after our meeting today with a supervisor. Excuse me. I am driving the shuttle van repeatedly cause drivers don't come in and don't call. I am practically the only one restocking the gift shop. I am burned out working 10 days in a row. I am staying 2 extra hours longer when my coworker is late. I'm left without $5 bills in a cash drawer with no way to find more at 11 PM. And when I complain about I am told my email is unprofessional and disrespectful to my coworkers. I had enough of this crap. I spent the night restocking everything and got a call early in the morning asking me not to quit. No apology, just don't quit. Well, my quitting cancelled the meeting. Supervisor arrived to work from lack sleep cause my quitting cause people to call them to try to talk me out of quitting. He didn't say anything, just stared at me. I didn't have it in me to tell him off (he's not the problem) so I said I would stay. If I had a new job in line, I would be leaving.

Mom went to the hospital for dehydration so no longer can be left alone. Great. Working 6 days workweeks indefinately and Mom gets upset I don't visit her. I'm a night auditor so sleep all day. When do I have time to visit anyone? I did get in 1 visit when she was recovering in a nursing home. Applied for a front desk job at a hotel and was rejected. Funny, I have a former coworker working there. Had to call the cops on a birthday party from noise complaints. Then security convinced me to let the registed guests stay, but everyone else leave. I think there was some fraternizing with the guests that is forbidden. Had a rainstorm hit the farmer's market and everything at my stand got soaked. Had to buy new boxes to replace those that fell apart.

Happy 4th of July

Busy doing farmer's markets and I have way too many candles to put up every day. Wish I could sell more. Had 3 interviews for bank teller jobs and every one rejected me for whatever reason. I have customer service and cash office experience so how I am not qualified because I don't have bank experience. Missed my brother's birthday party from a marathon competition blocking the streets and then had trouble gettign to work from another event blocking more streets. Sigh.

Got accused by the accountant of being a thief. Explained there are 2 security cameras at the front desk if they wish to know who the real is. Coworker thinks it's the new manager who's stealing money. But we don't have access to the cameras. Won a contest and sample fragrance oils from this company I buy fragrance oils from. Visited my Dad at the cemetery.

Come into work on the 4th of July to find 2 coworkers quit. Great.

Memorial Day Weekend

This month witnessed a lunar eclispe at work. I made my coworker go look at it since it was a beautiful red color. Doing farmer's markets the first two weeks each month. I couldn't afford to do the whole season. Got a phone interview and in person interview for a auto repair shop. They didn't hire me cause I don't love cars. Alirighty then. Went to my niece's high school graduation. We got a new front desk manager for my hotel job. She is both unreliable and full of excuses. Promised a coworker money to help move them from another city. They never got paid. Will see have long they last. Donated candles for a charity auction. Half of them sold. Hope they don't return the unsold ones.

Visited cememteries with family.

Happy Mother's Day

Had a wonderful lunch with Mom and my siblings. I gave her a necklace a friend made. Sister gave me a Mother's Day card from the cat. How sweet. Last week I did my first Farmer's Market selling my candles and newly made wax melts. Sold a few and received a lecture from some old woman how burning candles is toxic for animals. I looked it up online and it says parrafin wax or essential oils can harm pets. Mine have neither.

Happy May Day

Once I completed my Easter Sunday candles order, I totaled my candles solde between St Pat's Day and Easter to donate $1 for every candle sold that time period to a hedgehog owner in Ukraine. I donated $35 to their Patreon account. Hedghog owner is still posting photos and videos so they are still alive. Safe is a relative term being safe one moment and then have to rush to shelter when air raid sirens go off. I hope this war ends soon. Supervisor had surgery and a coworker quit, but waited until supervisor returned before leaving.

Received notice that I was accepted to a 2nd farmers market and asked for stall fees to be paid. I spent so much already for 1 farmers market and have little time to make candles for 2 farmers markets. I barely have time to do my yardwork. I had to decline. Cut 12 inches off my hair for the warmer spring that finally arrived after a tons of rain.

Had an interview that was a disaster. Owner wanted a manager to run 5 pet projects while I was applying for entry level accountant. Had a visit from a red tailed hawk I think was here last year. Pets rushed inside when it screeched and soared over a neighbr's yard. Don't want them to become lunch. Decided to make wax melts in addition to candles. Someone who sold Scentsy was interested in my wax melt selection. We will see if they actually buy some. I decided to cease applying for jobs for a while. I need to focus on my farmers market candles. Who would hire me with a side gig commitment until September? I checked the sales on my Easter book and so far, no reported sales of my ebook on the publisher site. I want to cry. I try so hard to make money and I just get more debt.

Post later.

Happy Easter

Reading my month end report of my candle web page, I noticed I didn't sell one single candle the entire month of March. I went to my social media begging people to buy a candle. I had Easter egg candles, an Easter book, and was tryign to raise money for a Ukraine pet page. Being poor sucks when you have no power to make the world a better place. You want to help someone, but can't cause I have nothing to give. I have debt, not riches. I work my butt off to barely get by let alone pay back loans and rising credit card bills due to my candle business. It costs money to make money. Nothing is free. My farmers market wanted a deposit to hold my spot. I have to buy wax, candles jars and tins, boxes, and labels. I have to supply my own stand buying a canopy, table, display, signs, and shelf labels. Several social media friends bought candles to help me out. They said they loved their candles, but won't write a product review so strangers finding my page know I am a real business who delivers their product.

Took cats to the vet for their annual shots. Bilbo is fat at 22 lbs. and Misty is 15 lbs. Have to cut down on the food. Once I got my Easter book on my website for sale, I discovered my ebooks was available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Google Play. I'm an author, in a bookstore. Hope I sell lots of ebooks to pay off my debts. Sold one print copy to a coworker for their granddaughter and even signed it for them. Having difficulty seeing small print the past couple years, I got my eyes checked. The eye doctor said, "Congratulations, you need bifocals". So got new glasses and bifocals aren;t that bad. I just to hold my paper a certain way to read it. "Received great news. After 3 years waiting for the Elton John concert, I got an email tellign it was on in a few days. Told my nephew who had to change shifts with someone to go. We had a great time close to the stage. I parked in my hotel's parking garage and took the shuttle back and forth. Who's a good aunt?

My hotel got so desperate for workers they held a hiring event in the ballroom. No new front desk people, but hired a new shuttle driver who lasted 1 day. Got to work on Easter cakes for my family and coworkers, which means I had to take a break from making candles. Had a good Easter eating lunch with my family since I have the weekend off. Even better, it started snowing. Nautrally had to take photos and videos. Then I receive an email alert how I have a new candle order that wasn't there the day before.

This year's Easter Bunny Trap story is:

Scuffle in the darkness: Umph, get off me naughty animals!

Luthien: Hurry Eowyn before he gets loose.

Eowyn: Oh no, I hear ferretmom's footsteps.

Ferretmom: What is going on here?

Untie Easter Bunny who hops out the door.

Ferrets and Cats trying to act innocent: Happy Easter.

Happy St. Patrick's Day

Celebrated sister's birthday at home. Wrote a children's books about the ferrets teaching the cats how to trap the Easter Bunny and self-published it. I chose the Ebook distribution option so other bookstores can sell it in their shops. I hope someboy picks it up. Won't receive author royalties immediately cause the bookstore has to report the sales to the publisher first, which they do monthly or quarterly. Sigh. Donated some candles for a charity auction comign in the spring. Hopefully I can get my business name out there. People don't buy when they don't know you exist.

Hotel manager came up a way to increase customer satisfaction sorces: A game room for the athletes arriving for the wrestling tournament. This led to a trashed room, broken chandliers, and torn open ping pong balls. If manager wanted to help customer satisfaction scores, they could have spent the money they did on the game room fixing the heat customers keep complaining about, or fixing the housekeeping who leave guets room doors open and don't clean them properly (dirty carpet, trash in waste basket, dirty vents, missing tolietries, unmade beds). Engineers replaced thermostats on one floor, but not other floors.

Working hard to complete my candle collection to be considered for a farmers market. I applied for 3 in local area so hope someone accepts me. I have to get my business name out. Started a funraiser to help a pet page I follow based in Ukraine. I pledged $1 for every candle I sell between now and Easter. I got cartons to do 6 Easter Egg candles. I hope people want Easter egg candles. Celebrated Luthien's 5th birthday with cupcakes. Cats got some catnip. Wet to the local production of a 1920's version of "The Magic Flute" by Mozart. It was in German with English subtitles. I enjoyed myself.

We got a thunderstorm in early March complete with tornado that killed 7 people in the next county. The next day we had snow. Mother Nature must be on drugs. Coworker told me I could take my yard pinecones and make fire starters to sell. I never heard of a fire starter pine cone. Had to look that up to do those this summer. Received my acceptance letter to sell at a local farmers market. Now have to make candles to sell, but how many do I make? Got my 5 copies of my Easter book in the mail to post them on my web page. Hopefully somebody wants a print copy of my book and not just the Ebook avaialble at book stores. Happy St. Patrick's Day. May you find a McD's with a working Shamrock Shake machine.

Letter to the Newspaper Editor

I was told my whole life to work hard and good things will come. Yeah, that's a lie. I graduated college with a Bachelor's Degree in History to find managers more concerned that I fit into their work environment than if I was qualified to do the job. Studying in school, I never realized I had to win a personality contest to obtain a job. Then lacking actual experience in the world, I find entry level positions wanting 2-3 years experience. Even better, you have to be pretty to be offered a position by a male manager. Let's just say most of my managers have been female. I worked retail and a car rental to be regarded as uneducated and stupid by many customers. Had a customer ask if I wished I would have gotten an education to work a better paying job now. I answered back that I have a Bachelor's Degree and have nice day. I was even told by another customer I would never succeed in life because they didn't like my store's return policy. Whatever.

Been through the unemployment office four times when my business owner sold their company, my company needed to slash expenses, and my seasonal job reached the end of the season. I don't have a kid, own a car, and own a retirement account (and now own a house) so I cannot receive any public assistance when the unemployment benefits run out. Being unemployed I'm told I'm lazy because I refuse to get a job at McDonald's or as a waitress. I have torn tendons in my ankle and cannot stand up for eight hours. And food service jobs don't pay my rent let alone my groceries. Tried my hand at tax preparing to earn extra money, but seasonal work is not much of a career builder. Returned to collage at age 39 to receive an Associate degree in accounting at age 41, complete with honors. Found an office job to lose it when company needs to slash expenses. 44 and dismissed yet again, I'm told I'm unemployable because I was dismissed so I must be damaged goods, I want too much money, and too old to work even though I cannot withdraw social security for another twenty years. Ended up taking a hotel front desk job because due to Covid, the manager was desperate to hire anyone who showed up for their shift.

In my quest to pay off debt accumulated by returning to college and paying bills without income, I recently began a side gig selling homemade candles. I even been approved to sell my wares at a farmer's market. Who's laughing now remembering being told they are lazy, stupid, and unemployable? Now I dare dream of running my own gift shop someday.

Employers are creating their own worker shortage with their snobbery, unemployment bias, ageism, hair bias, algorithms, and making candidates jump through hoops with never-ending tests and interviews. They would reject an industrious, creative, smart, and persistent candidate and now maybe they will buy candles at a farmer's market from her. Employers, you never know what you might find looking behind the resume sitting in a chair across from you. I am in charge of my destiny so I will make my own money because I'm not going to get it from an employer. I hope this piece inspires others.

Happy Valentine's Day

My hotel announced they were to restart serving lunch and room service again. That will make a lot of hotel guests happy. Human Resources keeps advertising through our email the referral bounus if one of our friends works here for over a month. Yeah, I'm sorry but the people I could refer have better paying careers. Put away Christmas decorations to get Valentine's day stuff. Then got to work researching a candle making supplies and upcoming craft shows/farmers markets this summer to make my brand be known. Got sample candles done and put up on a craft website to apply for farmers markets who made their decisions in March. Wish me luck. Got a Paypal account connected to my new farret page I made promoting my ferret adventures and market my new merchandise. Got several jars, tins, and tea lights to launch my candle business with a Valanetine theme on January 15th. I figured what heart stuff I don't sell for Valentine's Day, I can sell for summer weddings. Discovered farmers markets require not only a sales tax permit, but also liability insurance so had to get both.

Got my Covid booster for maximum protection (for a while anyway). Skipped do taxes for the tax preparation site this year. Last year my manager got upset from me working there cause I have coworkers who can't show up and I was needed. Plus, I had to keep calling in to the tax place from not being able to work from the other job needing me. I will focus on selling candles for extra money. This hotel has a skeleton force so often work 6 days a week when someone calls in sick.

Had an axiety attack at work after reading one of the many "you made an error" emails from the accountant. Accountant demanded I must do the night audit absolutely correct every time for their figures balance correctly. I explained in an email to my supervisor and HR that I am ready to start looking for another job cause way too much is expected from someone barely trained. I am not a genius and need time to learn to do everything correctly every time I do it. HR talked to me the next morning and calmed me down. They will speak to the accountant to lower the emails to one email a day with all my errors. I explained it would help if it was explained how to do it correctly. Some things the accountant complains about, I have not been trained on or haven't done often enough to know what to do.

Had a snowstorm with 14.3 inches of snow. Got stuck turning into my driveway (car didn't like turning in 14.3 inches of snow) with my front wheel drive SUV while navigating my unplowed residential streets. Eventually I made it to the garage and went straight to bed. Ferrets loved digging snow tunnels and swimming in the snow. Ferrets love snow. Cats hate it. Due to the snowfall, my food scale to measure candle wax arrived late. Researched candle label laws (yes, they exist). I have to label my candles in ounces and grams, what wax was used, and have a fire warning label. Made my first sample candles following directions on the wax melting pot. Directions said to cool wax faster by placing in freezer or fridge. Yeah, later I read online that freezer will make glass candle jars break and refrigerator fast cool gets cracks in the wax. Must cool candles at room temperature and soy wax needs cooled overnight. Beeswax in molds must be taken out after 2-3 hours or they get stuck (learned the hard way) and silicone molds are easier to remove candles. Also fragrance oil needs a certain temperature to bind to the wax. Great, now need a wax thermometer. Live and learn.

Got my first customer to make candles for, my Mom's cousin. Took some photos for my web sales page. Created a new logo and ordered labels. Set some jars aside to make sample jars so people can smell the scented wax before purchasing in case I a farmers market or presentation to a potential gift shop buyer.

Discovered a politician was visiting my hotel for a conference there to make a sppech. And it was my day off. Bummer. There are rules against fraternizing with guests and no photos/autographs of celebrities if you want to keep your job so wouldn't be able to talk to them anyway beyond "Have a good day". Eowyn ferret went missing for a couple days. Got her to come out with a bag of Cheetos in the basement. Took her upstairs and gave food and water. Poor dear was in downstairs basement without food or water for 2 days and she was hungry and thristy. Viewed an ad for a credit card reader to take credit card payments. I signed up for a free one to use at potential farmers markets/craft shows. I connected to the new credit card reader website to my ferret page so fans can buy candles through the webpage. tried to do my expenses and sales on spreadsheets to get overwhelmed to get a subscription to accounting software. This candle business set up in a pain in the tushy.

Watched the Olympics on TV. Figure Skating and Snowboarding are my favorites. Celebrated Boromir ferret's 4th birthday with cupcakes. Ferrets love frosting. Spent Valentine's Day visiting Mom to deliver a candle gift and setting up my new candle mold smaples up on my business website. I made a heart cake of popular Pink Moscato flavor for my coworkers. Have a great Valentine's Day.

Dear Mr. President

As the anniversary of the Jan 6 protest/insurrection refusing the results of the Presidential Election Congress was set to certify approaches tomorrow, I'm sure many politicians and TV show personalities will make speeches or comments about it. It was a day we almost lost our American democracy. Many countries across the world have lost their democracies to small groups of militants claiming to be saviors setting up dictatorships to end up murdering their own people to maintain control. Many ask why democracy is collapsing so easily when it is such a strong political system. I beg to differ. It is the American people who make our democracy strong.

Dear Mr. President,

The violence on January 6, 2021 at the Washington D.C. capitol building proved to the world that Democracy is Fragile. It would be very easy for that group of people to take over the government like the Russian Revolution or French Revolution. But we have a united military who drove out the protesters from the capitol building and protected the politicians who hid in the basement as they certified the election results in peace. My Republican governor who endorsed former President Trump sent national guard troops to help preserve the peace in Washington DC. We cherish our democracy because the Americans in the past fought for it. America continues to have a democracy because the American people demand it. We choose peaceful ways to make change: We vote, We petition our legislators, We sue in court, and We protest. Yes, protests can turn violent and the violence quickly ends when the national guard gets deployed to help the overwhelmed police. Heaven forbid if our military took over the government, I have no doubt the American people would be protesting in the streets demanding our democracy back. We were educated to believe "All men are created equal" as it says in the Declaration of Independence and "We the People of the United States of America" as it says in the US Constitution determine our own destiny. Will the American people as a whole accept a charismatic dictator. Certainly not, we are not only a nation of immigrants, but also a nation of rebels. We delcared our independence in 1776 and fought a 7 year long war to secure that freedom won 1783. You seriously believe the American people would tolerate giving up their freedom and control over their destiny without a fight. If you believe we Americans would tolerate someone crowning themselves King of America or President for Life, you don't know the American people at all. Our ancestors fought for freedom and democracy and Americans will fight again to keep it that way.

Thank you for reading this.

Happy New Year

After a delightful day with family during Christmas Day, I had a nightmare Christmas Evening of Eowyn taking a trip to heaven. For days I was consumed with anxiety to the point I felt like vomiting. I pinpoined my fear: Not being there when poor sick Eowyn with lymphome dies. I don't wish her to die alone, I want her to be surrounded by her loving family. More days go by and she is still with us. I don't know why I had that nightmare if it wasn't coming true soon. Such a cliffhanger in the Story of Life.

Launched a social media page for my ferrets so people can read our ferret stories without having to apply to our friend. In 2 days we gained 20 followers. I plan to start selling scented candles, Easter children's book on the feret Bunny Trap stories, and at the end of the year sell calendars. Busy buying candle making supplies and writing the Easter Bunny Trap story. Hopefully I can make more money cause I need it to pay off debt. Perhaps I can get some time off to attend farmer's markets or trade shows once this Covid business evaporates to a seasonal thing like the common flu.

Had our first winter snowfall 4 days after Christmas and the pets refused to go outside. Worked New Year's Eve with a coworker. At midnight I was either tallking on the phone with hotel guests wanting the shuttle that ran until 1 AM or was reading online stories about other countries celebrating New Year's before us. New Year's Day I put the Christmas decorations away to leave out the angels and winter decorations.

I pray for a better year. Candle making should be arriving any day now.

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.