I wish I had a picture . . . of Dick

Okay, I am almost really nuts with this second shift. I have to repeat certain things to myself to stay the course sometimes. This week, actually this day was "4 of 5" and tomorrow it will be "5 of 5"---and over thank goodness. It is like perpetual jet lag. And Saturday morning I have a pedicure at 9AM so Big Daddy will be getting me up and there and maybe duck taping me upright in the pedicure chair. I hope he picks a good polish.

I bought new pillowcases for my bed, silk. I read some blog that advocated a silky type pillow case but it was polyester and not cheap. So I went on a search for a silk pillow case and found one I liked that was actually less and I took a chance. They seem nice to a sleep deprived zombie woman and maybe it was a fluke but I did not have to do anything to my hair this morning. And I am the Queen of the morning scary hair.

I had some bad news yesterday, the Mophie that I was so proud of is not compatible with Android tablets. This is bad because I lost money on this deal-but it is worse because I have been religiously using it and never noticed it did not work. Until yesterday when my new tablet died. WTF. So now I have Big Daddy's Sony unit and who are you guys gonna tell how stupid I am. This new technology is
not cheap and does not come with great instructions so I am feeling my way along. I am better equipped than some of my peers, which is important in my age group. Which brings me to Dick.

There is this engineer (from my company) that I work with that seems to have a problem with me. I am pretty sure it is a woman thing, he is from a segment of society that does not like working with women, or maybe he is just an asshole to everyone. Everyday that I see him he asks if I have reworked the parts. Everyday I tell him no, because I have never been trained to rework the parts. This rework is very important to him, especially the part about me doing it as he is a lazy ass. He is also too lazy to train me to rework the parts. And the guy that is supposed to train me just does not do it, mention it, nothing. So from now on we will call the rework drama queen, Dick.

Dick also asked me if I would go out and get him food as he never ate the entire day. Not even breakfast, he was too busy. There is a fast food joint a mile from the plant so I did not feel real sorry for him. One more time and I am gonna tell him to get his lazy ass in gear.

I gotta stay awake for 1 more hour.

Why engineers make me crazy

Daffodils on Monday.

Okay I am counting off the days of this week like a little kid waiting for Christmas.

Did I ever happen to mention that Detroit has few to no street lights, just in case you don't follow this horrid story in the news? So you are driving the freeways in the fucking dark at 80 miles an hour because you are trying to get away from the semis on your rear bumper, or more properly-your rear fascia. And I have noticed, dodging pot holes in the dark is quite a bit more of a competitive sport. It is only a matter of time I break a wheel and it is going to be ugly. Because it is fucking freezing again.

Okay, so the junior engineer is trying to explain all the reworks to me-he and I are the two lone company reps on this second shift nightmare. I was aghast but understood the cutting off of a part of the molded detail. But when he told me they were removing one millimeter of the surface in this area he kinda showed me with a scale, well all I could say was, "Just how the hell are you doing that"?  They are taking a Dremel and skinning down the surface. One millimeter. That is not only impossible, it is ludicrous. Then they are marking everything reworked in purple, which is really hot pink.

I had to get a new tablet as the Nexus just was not up to the job. Now I have a Samsung and can do all the work so far necessary on the tablet---so I do not have to crate up the laptop and carry it around. And I am using the new wheeled back pack, and without the laptop and cords and bullshit--it is all doable. If I could find a smaller roller back pack I would give this one to Big Daddy. It is a bit more than I really need.

Upside down

The Trader Joe's daffodils that come dry and you put them in water. This is from Saturday.

I am trying to convince myself to go back to bed at 8:23 AM, and I am hoping this works better than the trying to stay up late last night. Because this week I am on second shift. They are building the pilots on second and as my job is to follow the cars, well there ya go. I have only worked second shift once before when I was very young and now I remember why I hate it. You cannot do anything during the week. You get up and go to work and when you get home nothing is open and you go back to sleep at dawn. Yuck. It is only for a week.

Personal Beauty Care

The long awaited manicure and hand care post. With a bonus.

The jar on the left is a jam jar. A jam jar that matches my 1950's bathroom. The object on the right is a crystal and silver powder shaker.

This is the crystal and silver plate jam jar that sits in the kitchen. I got them all from eBay for under 10 dollars apiece. The current "manicure in a minute" type stuff I got from Sephora was made by Loccitane and was close to 20 bucks for a small jar. And it was the only one I could find. Then I heard about making your own. So I bought the jam jars, some fine salt, fine sugar and Vitamin E oil from Trader Joe's and made my own. You can use either salt or sugar, and any oil. I might try grape seed oil next. You can add drops of fragrance oils, I did not. So here is how you do it. Pour about half the container full of either the salt or the sugar. Add oil and stir-you are looking for a consistency of thick but all wet. When you get there continue adding oil until you get loose oatmeal. Now you are good to go.

This is not to clean your hands, so start with relatively clean dry hands. Put a scoop from the spoon in your palm and rub in just like you are washing your hands. Pay attention to the cuticles. Rub at least one minute. Rinse well in warm water and now you will feel all slithery and oily and will be cursing me for this stupid idea. Dry your hands well with a fluffy terry cloth towel-paying special attention to between the fingers. When you are done you will have the softest and nicest hands you have felt since your last paraffin treatment. And it is so cheap you can do it a couple times a day if you need to. I wash my hands with industrial soap all day and it is really drying, and I cannot use hand cream at work.

The bonus, the powder shaker is full of baking soda. This is what I use to exfoliate my face a few times a week. It is cheap, now looks luxe and does the job.

Okay done with the girly stuff, but I will tell you Big Daddy uses the hand stuff and loves it. But he also used the olive oil in the bathrooms in Italy. He is that guy.

Went to Car City today and I think it will be okay if I can find more bathrooms. Engineers are the same as ever, disorganized and kinda strange. This launch has a bunch of parts and some are not so good.

So tonight it is once again cold and a predicted 3 to 6 inches. Hurray.

Valentine's Day and all that nonsense

This was the worst idea ever. I had this heart shaped spring-form cake pan that had not been used, ever. We have had it for about 15 years and just never used the damn thing. Big Daddy makes this wonderful hot milk sponge cake with a coconut-walnut broiled topping. So I suggested he make it in the heart pan for Valentine's Day. Bad idea. Cake came out too dense and too weird. But it was a great idea. Should probably give the pan to the thrift shop.

Something I have harped on for years has come to pass. GM is recalling cars because the ignition switch cannot take the load of 4 million keys, discount cards and rabbit's feet. Just when did it become fashion to put every key that one might use in one's lifetime on one key ring, that is ludicrous. And then hang it from your car ignition and think that all is fine.

I called my nail gal for a quick manicure on Friday. I was not able to get an appointment  so I went to AJ Nails for an Asian quickie. It was all I remembered from China, the worst of the worst and no massage or care technique but much cheaper for a slam and bam job. I hate it when they all chatter in another language while we all sit there wondering if they are talking about us.

Monday is my new location day and I do not have my new lime green vest. I am rather upset. Life can be a bitch.

Snow Monsters

This morning when I was backing down the driveway this caught my eye. Oh my, I thought, that looks like a snow angel on the side of the Slav's house.

This afternoon when I returned home it had turned into the snow monster-getting ready to creep over to our house and eat us all up.

Just Tuesday

My first tulips of the year. 

I think it is quite funny that the 2 supervisors are fighting over me. Now I have to stay where I am until Monday, unless they build out on Thursday. In which case I can . . . . these guys are giving me a headache. 

Trader Joe's marinated chicken in the slow cooker for tonight. And it is still freezing. 

New adventures

Sammy Dog trying to convince us an empty bowl is a problem. He sits and softly grrs for attention, the he starts flipping and pushing the bowl all over the house. Then he gets the food, he takes a look and goes and snuggles in for a nap.  The orange safety vest is something I wear every day in the plants, isn't it attractive?

I received a text Saturday night asking me if I was prepared to transition to Car City this Tuesday. Will see how this is gonna work Monday and how current boss handles this change. It will be nice to say ta-ta to people that I like and have grown to appreciate.

Big Daddy printed off 2 different map routes for my trip, just in case there are backups and construction. It will be a longer drive-but as it is all freeway it won't take that much longer than what I am driving now on surface streets.

We are making chili for dinner, I finally finished and sent the recipe to Badger, and we are still fighting over how to make it. I taught Big Daddy how to cook the basics and then he soared as a fabulous cook. But I am still protective of my few recipes and how things taste. It is funny how this all worked out, and how Punkin Head takes after his dad in cooking. Good thing as it is not good to starve like I do when left alone.

Oh, it snowed again today and the crew came to clean the driveway again today.

Friday tidbits

Can you guess what it is? I am starting to like this category. I have been berating myself for not taking more pictures and this could solve my problem. Here is a hint-it is inside my car. Yes that is a crappy assembly plant parking lot that has been plowed over one hundred times. No, I don't think the people who take care of the lots are union.

I think I found one of the Slav's enterprises. There used to be a fabulous Italian restaurant in the Woods, Bucce-it is now a sad caricature of it's former self. And most of the people working there now seem to be Slavs. And the "horror of a server" at the Kitchen Counter spent most of her time (when she was not telling patrons they were stupid) trying to do the Chef right there in front of most of us. And she had really badly dyed trying to be 90's red hair. One less place to spend my money. And it was really expensive to be screwed over that badly.

By the way, I did dress up for our first night out since Christmas and it was enlightening to remember how cold it is wearing a dress, how hard it is trying to find a place to get out of the car without boots, how careful one must be not to fall on one's ass walking to the restaurant. This is the Grosse Pointes for all that is holy, we cannot afford a smidge of salt?

Last Friday I called my old boss and inquired if they had any plans for me after Valentines Day. That is when my hours would revert to 15 hours a week. I explained as that was not acceptable I would need to be seriously considering the "opportunities available in this short period of time".  Yesterday I got a call from my current boss, very curt by the way, asking what I knew about Car City. I played dumb, but it looks to me like I may be going to Car City and current boss may start having to work a full time job again.

Sammy Dog and I are so tired of this snow. There is no more room for the snow. I cannot make a left turn out of my lane without saying a prayer as you can no longer see if you are gonna get T-boned or not. And the tire spinning on trying to get going is hilarious. And we are supposed to get more snow tomorrow. Yippee.

Oh, speaking of Sammy the Spanky Dog, I bought him a new sweater on Amazon. It seemed a bit large but he was okay with it. Big Daddy came in a bit later and remarked on the strange attire Sammy was wearing. He had somehow squiggled the sweater down and now the turtleneck collar was under his front legs and his hind legs were in the front arm holes. Almost a strapless gown, but with pants.  And he seemed quite a bit happier.

Nah, Joanne does not win, even though she did play

It is an ABS module sitting on the grate because it is dripping brake fluid. The cone is just so dumb ass people don't fall on it. Trust me, there is plenty of room here so that no one should ever fall.

Today was a trifle warmer and the walk into the plant was icy and slip slidey. But I am back to my second warmest coat and no extra hat. And I got all the crap off my rear wheel wells, which is a big accomplishment.

The pot holes are becoming huger than huge and now we have a new game to play. There are road work trucks and equipment everywhere to supposedly fill up the pot holes with the crappy cold pack asphalt shit---and there are no workers slapping that crap into the holes. All the trucks and stuff are there, just no road worker peeps. Gotta love it.

Standing Rib Roast 4 ways

I am joking

Bet ya can't guess what that is.

Well, I am treating the blister on the back of my heel from the Uggs.

We have lots more snow and I cannot believe I never had proper clothes for this weather. We never had weather like this for a very long time.

Big Daddy is off to get Sammy the Spanky dog from the dog Salon and Spa. This morning when he got Sammy's coat from the closet I thought the pup would pass out from excitement. Little did he know he was just going for a bath and a hair cut. And he whined the whole damn ride.

I called my old boss and very tactfully asked if I was out of a job after February 14 and if I should be pursuing the few new opportunities available. He is leading me to believe life is grand and I am not buying into all the bullshit quite yet. Plans have changed though and my next assignment might be quite a drive.

Seriously though, we are having a standing rib roast with Yorkshire pudding and brussel sprouts and a chopped salad for dinner. And leftovers will be hash for later in the week and frozen.

Continued: We did get some snow, it is either not that much or no one cares anymore. Big Daddy is making a New Orleans dinner, TBA. I did not get my neck thingie from Amazon but the seller already filled out my response stating he is a 5 star seller. And I never got a pearl bracelet from my horrid eBay experience, and that was the only damn thing I wanted. Life is good.

Pork 4 ways

This is how it all begins ,
a pork butt roast-bone in-rubbed with a favorite rub that Punkin Head gave Big Daddy. This is a four pound pork roast. You need 4 portions out of this roast to serve 2 people at a time.

The first night was sliced, roasted pork with roasted root veggies, acorn squash, and  brussel sprouts with a chopped salad. Delicious.

The second night was pork stir fry. It missed the mark. Could have been the recipe and I am not a stir fry fan so I am not searching out a better one. Big Daddy said next time he would do pork hash.

The third night was pork tacos and they were fantastic. I cannot eat tacos unless there is shredded lettuce and diced tomato. We used to get this from the authentic Mexican restaurants along the migrant farmer routes.

The fourth night was pork and navy bean soup and was quite good.

As I said before, I would freeze and serve one portion a week as that is too much of the same damn thing every night. But it did give us some new foods to think about and some new tastes.

I hope this helps someone in a rut and I hope someone can share their food in a rut climb-out.