What is Normal?

Well, that didn't last long. Hub got to spend three weeks on first shift and they are telling him that as of Monday he must return to second shift once again. Seems the job he signed for was only temporary as the gal who had it was off on disability. Would have been nice if they had been up-front about it and told him at the get go. He never would have signed for it and accepted it knowing it would only be a short time and he would be required to return to second shift. That stuff is hard on a body always adjusting sleep habits, timing of medications that he needs, etc.

It's hard on all of us. I must once again adjust to being a married woman who attends every single family function that is held in the evenings (except on Sunday) as a single woman. Always the fifth wheel and driving by myself. It also limits the timing for having the grandkids spend the night and or a few days with me. It's not so bad for the older ones, they are fairly quiet and can still do it. But the younger ones who tend to be loud and cry much more frequently when they don't get their own way, it becomes next to impossible because their noise in the morning has a way of disturbing hubs' sleep and wakes him up before he has had enough sleep to go to work on again for that night.

We are both unhappy about this, but we must accept it. Besides, he still has a job! Not like a lot of people in this state who are laid off, or the companies they worked for have moved to another state or just closed their doors. So I guess, even though I'm complaining about it, and I'm still not happy, I will try to make the best of it and thank the good Lord that he is still gainfully employed and bringing home a paycheck every week.

BTW, the above photo is part of the process of manufacturing office furniture which is what hubby does for a living.

A normal life...........

I think we have returned there. Hubby is now back on first shift. I am going to be going back to my normal working hours of just Tuesday instead of Monday and Fridays also beginning next week. I have been filling in while they hired and trained a new gal since one of the job sharers quit without any notice. It's been a little rough, but we made it through. Hub began first shift this Monday. It's been several years since he was able to work this shift due to cut backs and layoffs.

The weather here today is wonderful. Highs in the mid 70's with a nice breeze and lots of sunshine. A perfect summer day. Not to hot and humid and it's nice to be able to open the windows and doors and smell the lovely smells of summer flowers floating in through the open windows instead of running the air conditioning constantly. I guess I had forgotten how wonderful the smells of summer could be. The bushes right outside my kitchen window have bloomed with some small white lovely little flowers and they have a wonderful fragrance to them. My hollyhocks have bloomed for the first time in three years and I can't smell them from here, but they are beautiful to gaze at.
They bring back memories of when I was a little girl and my sisters and I used to pick them in different stages of their blooming and budding out and stick toothpicks in them to make them look like people and we would float them in a large cake pan and pretend the were a wedding party. See what memories certain sights and smells can trigger. I have been transported to another time......but I linger there too long and must return to the task at hand of preparing our dinner.

Catching up.........finally!

At last a little time to catch up on things. I have been working more hours than I was originally hired for. That's because one of the gals that I job share with decided to quit without giving any notice! So I have been working my hours plus all of her hours for the last three weeks too. But they did hire another gal for the position and she started her training at the Jenison office on Monday June 23rd and will be training there for two weeks. I am glad she felt comfortable enough to begin working this week with me at our office. Trying to cover extra hours and keep my housework up to where I'm comfortable with it has been difficult for me. Once again, let me say, I don't know how you work-outside-the-home moms do it! You all have my admiration and a new found respect for all you do!!!! KUDOS TO ALL OF YOU!

Not much happening!

Still working extra hours to fill in for the gal that quit without giving any notice. This is the second week of the extra hours and I have one more week to go next week. The gal they hired is finishing up her training at corporate headquarters this week and will complete her training next week at our office. Monday and Tuesday all day she will be working with me and Wednesday and Thursday she will be working with Katie and the 3 hour shift on Friday will be with me again. The following week, I will be able to return to my one full day (Tuesday) a week. But in August, I will have to do two weeks of all day Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday to cover for Katie while she gets married and goes on her honeymoon cruise.

This weekend is the 4Th of July and our kids and grand kids.......well, most of them, will be coming here for the parade and a cookout. We have already got the pool set up and hope the water will be warm enough for them to get wet to cool off it gets that hot! Three of the kids and their families won't be attending. Oldest son has camping reservations with his family, youngest daughter and her family were up here for the long Memorial Day weekend and can't afford another trip from Kentucky and our daughter in Texas is coming up later this month with our two grand daughters and will stay for two weeks. We are all getting excited about that. I haven't seen them since last October and the rest of the family has never met them. We adopted her after she was full grown with two girls of her own. But everyone is anxious to meet them. I'm sure we will have a great time and find plenty to keep us busy. The girls are at fun ages and we can't wait until they arrive! I'm hoping that with all the covering for the other gals at work, I am able to find someone to cover for me when they are here. I know it would only be for two Tuesday's, but I don't want to miss any time with them if I can help it, 'cause I'm not sure when I will see them again!

Harley, aka, Boo, had her surgery on her lip from a face first fall into the coffee table in her home a few months ago. They put tubes in both her ears at the same time. She was totally deaf in her right ear due to fluid buildup that had to be removed before the tubes were placed and a partial fluid buildup in her left ear. She seems to have come through it quite well and her lip really looks good and she can actually already hear out of her right ear. They found an Ear, Nose and Throat doctor that could take care of her ears and fix her lip at a much more reasonable price than the plastic surgeon they told us we would have to get to do the job. And the bonus was they could fix everything at the same time. Good thing.......she isn't very pleasant when coming out of the anesthesia. Just like her Daddy.........that apple didn't fall far from the tree! Sorry son, but I tell it as I see it! Thanks to all who kept her in their thoughts and prayers. God is awesome!