March 19, 2004

Still waiting for my new grandchild, but expecting a call from my daughter any moment.

Still working at the second job, stocking bread at Wal*Mart. It’s not a bad job and it’s only 8 hours per week, it’s just that even only two hours on Saturday and Sunday makes it feel like I’ve lost my entire weekend. ::sigh:: (Keep telling yourself that if you stick with it long enough it’s REALLY going to make a difference SOME day!)

I got a couple of pair of new shoes to replace the ones the ‘puppy’ damaged. I’m still in the process of breaking in one pair at Wal*Mart.

They had a ‘going away’ party for my very DEAR friend, Marilyn today. She’s retiring, God love her, and she’s REALLY going to be missed around here!

The ‘puppy’ (and his co-horts) are still wreaking havoc at my friend’s house. I REALLY hope he grows out of ‘destructo mode’ soon!

The weather’s supposed to warm up tomorrow, even IF it’s supposed to rain. Yucky weather makes it easier to go in to work, though!

Some potentially yucky weather hit our area on Tuesday, March 16^th and I had the opportunity to learn one of life’s special lessons. You see, I got to ride a bus in to work to spare my car from potential harm and the bus was REALLY crowded. I got to stand on a crowded touring coach type bus from 8:00 AM until about 8:50 AM. I thought that that experience gave me a TRUE appreciation of how nice it is to be able to sit down on a bus. In the afternoon, I caught another over-crowded bus and got to stand for about thirty-five minutes, which didn’t seem NEARLY as long the fifty minutes in the morning!

I can’t honestly say that I thank the Good Lord EVERY day for everything He’s given me, but I DO try to remember to thank Him NEARLY daily and THAT day I surely did!

So many people, in the world today, seem to put so much stock in having money and power and property. So many times they think that people like me who rent and have very little in the way of material things are poor or deprived in some way. For any of you who might read this who think I’m wanting for anything in my life, please know I have the things that I consider to be MOST dear to me. I’m blessed to live on a beautiful planet, in a country still relatively free, in a time when women can pretty much do whatever they set their minds to. I have the most wonderful children, grandchildren and adopted family ANYone could want; my health – physical and mental; two jobs; a warm roof over my head; enough food to eat; reliable transportation and people who care enough about me to check in on me now and then, put up with all of my moods (and help bring me out of the not-so-pleasant ones) and ever confirm to me how truly blessed I am. Special thanks to ALL of the Angels sent to help me along my path. Do I want for anything? Mainly that all that I have right now never changes for the worse (and that I learn to accept being alone better).

I once spoke to a lady who’d lost her father. I told her about losing my son. She asked me if I thought I’d ever see the sun again. I told her yes. It doesn’t shine quite the same way and I don’t see it from quite the same angle as I used to, but behind ANY cloud, it still DOES shine!

Whoever you are, whenever you might be reading this, may it find you well and, if not, may it help to be a light in your darkness.

March 10, 2004

I took my car to the Pontiac dealer this morning for ‘recall’ work. I sat in the waiting area and worked on my embroidery. Two ladies commented about my work.

When the car was nearly ready, the Customer Service rep called me in and told me that the mechanic advised a transmission fluid change and an intake duct cleaning.

First of all, the car has a standard transmission and that means there is no dipstick to check the fluid so you have to unscrew a plug ON the transmission. Why any mechanic would check something that involved on a ‘recall’ is beyond me. Besides which, and I brought this up to the CSR, it was my understanding that 7K ago my mechanic changed the transmission fluid when he changed the clutch?

I inquired as to the estimated cost of these two items and it was between $250 and $300. I told the CSR that I didn’t have that kind of money at present and he said that he had to alert me. I said I would have it looked in to.

Now I have to try to get in touch (GOOD LUCK!) with my mechanic and confirm whether or not he changed the fluid, then I’m going to get estimates for ‘suggested work’ from a bunch of different mechanics and go from there.

I also ordered a Haynes Manual for my car. Maybe I can do those things myself, but it’s such a pain getting rid of old fluids anymore that I probably won’t change the fluid myself.

The car got a free wash that cost ME 3.25 hours of my annual vacation time!

March 10, 2004

As I was waiting for my bus, a gentleman, whom I never met, approached me and handed me a ‘gently used’ bunch of flowers and I asked him what they were for.

He told me he needed bus fare and I asked where he was going. He said Aliquippa, but would be grateful to get to Wilkinsburg, which is not even in the same direction! I didn’t say any thing, I just gave him a bus ticket and $.50 for a transfer.

He got on the same bus as I did and did NOT go to Wilkinsburg, because that is MY stop and he wasn’t on the bus when I got off.

I was trying to figure out what to do with the flowers and was provided a chance to brighten a young mother’s day.

She was on the bus with her little one and got off at the same stop as I take. When she got off of her cell phone, I handed her flowers and told her they were appreciation for being a mom. I also told her that being a mom is highly unappreciated and that she most likely would never receive the appreciation that she deserved. She smiled (and probably thought that I was a nut case!)