I have nothing to talk about. I’m at loose ends. I’m doing laundry, cooking for the week, vacuuming. Nothing you’d want to read about. Husband is off working on his brother’s garage, so I have the house to myself. Perhaps I will go sit on the deck and hope the carpet cleans itself.
Katie is voting for an adventure, but unless she learns how to make beds or dust she’s not going to earn one. We’ll see. I remember what that used to mean when my Mom said it to me.
We’ll see.
A spur of the moment decision found me flying south for the weekend. South to where my family is. South to where the lonely little house on the lake waited. It was anxious to be filled again with the sound of laughter and talk, the lights glowing again late into the night, smells of dinner and especially dessert filling the air. The little house on the lake where memories of yesterday mingle with today’s events. South.
It was a short visit but long enough to connect again with family and friends.
To get a little swimming and skiing in between the raindrops.
A little hiking up the mountain.
And lots of good eating.
Sweet weekend. Short weekend.
Missing the little house, friends and family already.
Last night I worked at a job fair my company was sponsoring. We’re so busy that we’re desperate for more employees. And, as I remember from going to job fairs during my year of unemployment, there are plenty of people that are desperate for work. Especially full time permanent work. Paying a decent wage and providing benefits.
As I sat at my table watching a steady stream of people coming in, clutching their resumes with hope in their eyes, I remembered the job fair I attended last summer. It was for people over 50 and there were hundreds of us waiting in line before it opened. Last night my eyes gravitated to those people my age, over 50, those hoping against hope that they had the skills we needed. Those with years of experience but trying to look youthful, technical, engaged and relevant.
As I interviewed people, I was looking for specific skills because we’re too busy to spend much time training. We need people that can jump right in and produce. Sadly what I heard too often was vague descriptions of generic skill sets. These were people that certainly could learn the job, but didn’t know it right now. Or worked in the industry long ago before times changed.
Which made me realize, totally realize right down to my toes, how lucky I am that the bank welcomed me back. Because once upon a time, not so long ago, I was that over 50 person who worked in the industry a long time ago before times changed. They were willing to give me the benefit of the doubt, and I’m doing my best every day to give them back everything they expected. And more.
Last night? I found two people that might fit into our group. One was older, one was younger. We’ll see how it all turns out.
I hope the rest of them find their permanent jobs soon. I wish I could have adopted them all.
Katie here. Mom says I can talk today on her blog, cause she’s too tired. I’ve been keeping her busy today and I think she needs a nap. It’s her own darn fault anyway.
I’ve been waiting and waiting for Mom and Daddy to pay attention to me. First they’re all busy with work, then we get company, then Daddy goes off to work on some project and Mom works late every night at work and I have to spend all day every day alone. This is not what I signed up for when I adopted them.
So when they do come home I’m all about me. Me me me me me. And I want to play with my rabbit and my froggy and my lambie and my squirrel and my ball and…well you know. But they don’t want to play so much. They say things like ‘Go lie down’ and ‘Katie! Stop biting my feet!’ and ‘NO BARK!’ and other nonsense. I just want to play. Gee. What’s a doggie to do.
Well I guess this weekend I made my Mom feel bad, so Friday night she set up the tent and we got to go camping! I love to camp in our back yard. Last night I was such a good girl and didn’t bark at anything. Not even the funny noises and smells. I was just so good and let Mom sleep all the way until 5:30 this morning!
Then she had to go to work. I was sad. But she came home in the middle of the afternoon and guess what? WE GOT TO GO TO MY PARK! I would have been happy just to stay there, but nooooo. Mom wanted to go to HER favorite park which is almost a half hour away! Since when is it all about HER?
But I humored her and we sat by the lake and watched the geese and she read a book. I was a good girl and sat by her feet while I watched kids fish and that goose swim around out there. I didn’t bark at anything! I was just glad to be out near a lake with my Mom.
So that’s the story so far this weekend. I think we’re going to camp out again tonight! I can’t wait. As soon as it gets dark I’m going to go over to the back door and whine like I did last night. It works. She’ll go to bed early just to make me happy. You wait and see.
I’ve got my Mom figured out.
Karma has issued her August photo challenge. This time it is all about color. In fact our assignment was to find all the colors of the rainbow represented in summer fun.
We have lots of summer color around here, so I’m taking you on three different photo tours. It’s difficult to choose just one photo for each color, so I’m splurging on three categories!
First is the county fair. I went to the fair specifically to find the colors of the rainbow. Some of you have seen many of my fair photos; I posted them shortly after I was there. But I saved the photos here just for this challenge.
Second is our own garden. After I read the challenge I realized that all the colors of the rainbow were right here at home.
Third is an annual event that occurs here every August called the Woodward Dream Cruise. People from all over the country converge on our county and drive their antique and muscle cars up and down miles and miles of Woodward Ave, just like teenagers used to cruise Woodward in the 50’s. It’s a huge event and there are beautiful cars on display for miles. I’ll show you just a few. I found that I was more interested in the art of pieces of vehicles than the whole car or truck. So mostly you’ll see pieces of them here.
Red
Orange
Yellow
Green
Blue
Purple
And as a special bonus, a picture of ME doing something summery.
Katie’s Uncle Jeff just left for the airport. Her house is settling back into a normal routine. At least it will when her Dad gets back from dropping Uncle Jeff off.
“It was fun to have company, Mom.” says Katie. “But now you can get back to your real job which is all about me!”
This beautiful evening, the sky filled with huge puffy clouds, I traveled through small towns and farmlands to attend the 21st birthday party for a young woman named Janelle. Her best friend from high school put together the celebration held at a restaurant in a small town owned by her father called “Janelle’s Family Restaurant.”
Her mother, father and her grandmother were there, along with other relatives and many of her friends. There were balloons, a buffet, a cake. But the guest of honor was not there, though her portrait hung above the fireplace. Janelle was killed five years ago when the family car, stopped in a traffic jam caused by a semi driver up ahead, was hit from behind by another semi. Janelle was in the back seat. She was sixteen and an only child.
Tonight her school friends showed her parents that they have not forgotten Janelle. Though they have moved on with their lives, some have married, had children, are in college or working, they still hold Janelle and her family in their hearts. I found that so mature for people that would have been just children themselves when Janelle died.
Tonight there were balloons and cake. There were hugs and stories. And there were smiles, but the smiles were restrained. Because Janelle wasn’t there. I never met Janelle, don’t know what she might have done with her life if she had been allowed to live it. But I can tell you that she has awesome friends. And that tells me she was pretty awesome herself.
So Janelle. If you were floating up there with those beautiful clouds tonight I hope you know what joy your friends have brought to your folks tonight and over the years. And how much they all miss and love you. I hope, too, that you understand when I say I wish I never met them. It’s not because they aren’t all pretty wonderful. It’s because I wish with all my heart that you could have been at your 21st birthday tonight.
Happy Birthday Janelle. And hugs to your parents.
Every year lovers of antique cars and trucks show up here and cruise Woodward Avenue, reminiscent of the teenagers who used to cruise up and down that road back in the 50’s. It’s a huge event; people bring their cars from all over the country.
I wish you all could have been there.
I’m not a car crazed person, even though I live in Michigan. And though this event has been going on and growing bigger and bigger for years, I’ve never attended.
I went this year and wandered around on one mile of a several mile extravaganza.
The cars were beautiful.
The noise of hotrods on the street was overwhelming.
It was a blast.
Change Is Hard 