Monday minutiae

We have not had any Sammy reporting for awhile now. Sammy's new thing-when he gets out of the prison bathroom he goes outside and takes care of business. When he is done he barks and I go let him in. He grabs his toy and runs to his bed in the family room as if the devil himself is chasing him. This is his family room bed, his prison bed is much smaller and not as cushy.

I went to the dermatologist for the huge red thing that appears, fades, reappears and wouldn't you know it faded away and on the day of my appointment my skin looked better than it had in years. WTF. She gave me Metrogel and a coupon.

We had Faux Veteran's Day on Friday, really the start of firearm hunting here in Michigan, so everything is fairly quiet at the plants. Wonder how the hunters fared in the terrible winds we had. I saw 2 horrible accidents on the way home. Don't know why they happened but both were nasty. I think I need flares for my car, never had them before. Don't think I have my shovel anymore either.

I cannot find boots and I hate how all the shoes are differently sized now. Used to be a 7 was a 7, not anymore. Kinda ticks me off.

We are taking the seasonal payment for snow removal this year. Last year we paid by the push and got whacked on the costs. They were in the street waiting to plow before the sun could melt the snow. This year we figure if there is no snow it is a small price to pay.

I went with Big Daddy to Trader Joes on Saturday. First I had to get a dress hemmed, needed over a foot taken off then on to the grocery store. Bugger was not there so I was disappointed and we spent a fortune. But we stocked up and have dinner for the week plus backup food and wine. I got some Candy Cane Green Tea not realizing it is extremely minty. Punkin Head said it is horrible so I am not looking forward to trying it. I also got chocolate chip scones, I know they are not on the diet, and he said they were horrible-and he was right.

Blech.

I just snapped

Friday I was just so antsy I could barely stand myself. And my supervisor was in a foul mood and made me want to smack him. Then he got snappish that my badge has not been turned on at one of the plants. Well, sorry that is his job and obviously he failed. And after I have told you a few times I am not going to harp on it every day. Oh yea, I forgot, he is also Mr. Cut and Paste and send your emails to other people. Nuh uh dude, now very little gets put in writing. Be careful what you wish for.

So I finished up early and called Big Daddy and demanded the exact location of TJMaxx. Retail therapy of the sort were you could touch and see the goods. It was like a dream. I had so much fun and finally got the loaf pan of my dreams for 5.99. What a deal. And BD got new socks. There is something strange about BD's body chemistry and he eats through most metals and socks. Don't know why but it is true.

 I got a couple sweaters to wear to work, thin merino wool. I am thinking to wear these over cotton tee type shirts. Nice tee type shirts. You see, I must carry my outerwear with me wherever I go. So I am lugging my coat and a backpack every step I take. I am thinking I can wear the sweater under a non bulky jacket and be warm enough to get in the building on most days. I will just keep the down coat in the car for emergencies. I also got heavy duty North Face gloves as I have Reynauds and the fingers freezing is not fun.

Next I need to figure out what to wear for our trip to St. Augustine, the temps are in the high 60's and low 70's and should stay that way. I need footwear. I just found out there is a Marshalls around the corner from TJMaxx, how delightful. And they have a fabulous shoe department. That and DSW shoe warehouse should finish me off. It is so nice to go shopping here after my experiences in Shanghai. My next goal is a consignment shop for my wedding attire and I think I am dumping the wool cape from China. We will see.

No Smoking update plus mundane minutiae

This is just kinda about the no smoking, I am still not smoking-almost a year and 7 months now. This is more about the weight gain situation.

I have lost all the lazy, fat, depression weight. Now I am losing the smoking weight gain. Next will be the China fat gain, and the last will be the not working and not working out weight. I find it easier to work on one block at a time.

My angel DIL sent me some lovely Loccitane products and a fabulous candle.

Life is good, Bestest friend had her breast cancer surgery today and so far so good.

The best pick up line ever

Yes my nails are quite short here, but look at the ring. This is a picture of a defective part I sent to my company. I was looking at the ring and cracked up laughing. I do not wear good jewelry to work and this is a QVC special for 29.99 U.S. dollars I bought because it was cute and I wear it to work to ward off the worst of the worst whore dogs.

So the other day I am walking down the aisle in a rather un-populated area of the plant, eating a bag of Better Maid BBQ chips-made here in Detroit, by the way-when I am stopped by an old black man on a bicycle. Yes, they ride bicycles in the plants-they are efficient. This guys stops right in front of me and starts talking about the movie. He asked me where the movie was. Now, I am pretty sure I am dealing with the weirdo of all time and there is no one to witness whatever mayhem might follow. He kept asking about the movie and then he looked at my slyly and said, "Well, you should know where the movie is because you are a movie star, right?" Come on, a really old black guy took the time to make me laugh and feel like a queen for a few minutes. That guy is a King in my book.

And I guess the ring does not work.

Happy BIrthday to me.

This is not the best picture, it is a sterling silver "Candy Kiss" that Big Daddy got me years ago from a jeweler at the Fisher Building in downtown Detroit. We were there to see a play at the Fisher Theater and this was in the window. The store was closed and he made a special trip to get it. I don't wear it often as it is heavy and the chain seems short, but it was my birthday and I always try to wear a BD gift on my birthday.

I had to buy donuts today as one of the plants I visit have a tradition of the birthday person supplying the treats. When I got the donuts it was rush time, lunch hour and the place was packed. I went through the drive-thru and stuffed the change in the console and when I got to the plant and put the change in my little purse I noticed I had 10 dollars extra. Shit, now I had to go back and return this money and it was not in my direction home. I must say though the people at the store were very appreciative.

The weirdest thing happened to me today and it is the second this year it has happened. And it has never happened before. I was walking down the path to visit one of my parts when a huge nut flew across an area and hit my foot and almost caused me to fall as it could have been worse for getting under my shoe. Once at the old plant a hi-lo dropped the forks really hard and something hit my thigh really hard. It just makes me wonder if the maintenance is getting lax in these plants.

My Punkin Head sent me some lovely books and called me for my birthday, he is a sweetie.

And no flowers, hmmm.

Just tidbits

This tree reminded me of the trees in Shanghai, they trimmed them back like this every year. Different bark though.

Punkin Head is travelling in high style to his first conference, Delta, the airline of dreams. He can speak French to all his comrades as he used to be fluent. Years of not speaking it may have made him a tad rusty but I am sure it will all come back to him. Oh, he is in Montreal. Not as cold as the last time I was there with him, that was Christmas. He is staying at the same hotel, the Omni and he said it has been refurbished, and it did need it.

Big Daddy recently turned down a new job that would have taken us back to Shanghai. Said it was not enough money for the grief and this time he would have had to negotiate taking Sammy Dog as we are not leaving another pet unless we are headed to the poorhouse. We still see Remy at the groomer and I am so grateful he found a good home when we were all thrown to the wolves.

I had a few lowlights put in my hair, it was too blond for me. After a tad of shopping we went to Luxe for lunch and met a whacko. He said he was a former player for the Philly's, baseball I think, and he was one crazy dude. Looking for friends in an almost empty bar on football Saturday. He tried to strike up a conversation with Big Daddy and let me tell you, BD does not know sports. Nor does he care to learn about them. He was making the bartender search for the South Carolina/Arkansas game and I told him, dude, South Carolina is playing Mississippi State, it is on the other TV. Whacko.

Michigan lost to Michigan State yesterday. Sad, sad, sad.

Is it just me . . .

Thanksgiving at the Courthouse. In Moonshine Country.

I realize tipping has changed over the years and I have learned a few things I did not know. I guess it is proper to tip the person who does your dog's hair the same as the person who does your own hair. And the lines have become fuzzy on the who, whom, and who the hell needs to be tipped. But today threw me for a loop.

My new since mid-June Ford Fusion would not start this morning. It was odd, the remote start worked and then when I tried to start it with the key the engine would not engage. Now even though I am supplying make the car go parts-I had not a clue why the bitch would not start. So the dealership sent me a flatbed and an offer to ride in with the driver if he was not too weird. That should have been my first clue.

Just how does one ascertain how weird a person is while said person is hooking your car up to a flat bed truck. All I saw was a guy in a sweatshirt flipping and flopping on the cold cement in very cold and strong winds hooking chains to my car. I said to myself, another job I would not want. Well he says hop in and off we go. Then he hit a bump I have never before seen in the road and he almost hits the roof of the cab as he is not wearing a seat belt.

Now the story begins. He tells me he is in tremendous pain and almost did not come to work today. A while back he was picking up a car on the freeway and another car struck him. He was off for a few weeks and healed up but this accident messed with his sciatic nerve. Now he is in constant pain. But the only money he makes is from commission and TIPS. And he is an engineer and he can't find a job. He is a mechanical engineer and that was his mistake because he can't use CNC machines and such as he did not study for that in his engineering classes. And he was offered a job out west making 95,000 a year plus all the bennies and a free house and they would pay to move him out there and he turned it down flat because that meant he could not see his kids. He tried to talk the mother of the kids to move out there with him and she flat out turned him down. That is because she knew he was weird. And he is an engineer like I am 20 and dating George Clooney.

I was just discovering the weirdness of this dude. I tried to escape as soon as the flatbed stopped at the dealer but he was calling me back to give me my car keys. I felt somewhat safe as there were now witnesses.

So I did not tip him because my fairly almost brand new Ford car failed to started and the dealership sent a tow and gave me a loaner. Where in this picture am I supposed to tip this dude. If it was a AAA call for a flat and he changed my tire, yea I can see that tipping would good. A broken car under warranty? I think not. But it started me thinking what is up with all this tipping?