The Loading is Done...For This Week

No more loading for me this week...I'm done. I only had to move one table, four chairs and one swivel chair today and was grateful. I work again there on Saturday but  have a stock guy on weekends to move and load all the furniture. It's amazing what you can move with dollies!  I've moved entire sectionals by myself using them. I don't get paid commission until it's out the door so trust me, I can load some furniture.

A dear friend of mine from the Western Sizzler I got fired from came by to visit me today at work. Actually she is the one who told me to start a blog. Big shout out and  thanks to Lisa! While she was there I sold a table with four chairs and a leather swivel chair to a woman who wasn't in the store fifteen minutes...my kind of sale! She's having it delivered tomorrow so I only had to roll it all out to the pick up area. I was telling my friend how I only made commission once products left the store therefore try to make them take it with them if it will fit.

(I've told this story before but I'm  a repeater by nature so bear  with me.) I told my friend about a woman who came in when I first started working alone. Number one, who goes to buy a queen size mattress driving a Camry?  Well  this woman did. Massey happened to come by as I was finishing the sale. I asked the woman if she wanted to take it with her? In broken English she asked how and I  told her we'd just tie it to the roof of her car. Massey helped me load the mattress and roll it out, hoist it onto her tiny vehicle and I went back inside for some twine. We had the woman roll down her windows and that was the last time she helped us. She just stood off  to the side.  No problem. I wanted that commission and where there is a will there is a way. I didn't tell her I had never tied a mattress down before but with Massey on one side and me on the other we got all busy with the twine and had that sucker strapped down in no time.  Then Massey asked how the woman was going to get back in her car? We had wound the twine through the open windows and over the roof with the doors shut. I shushed Massey and we unwound it, opened the doors and rewound it.

"There you  go!" I proudly announced to my  customer. I told her to drive off kinda of fast to make sure the mattress didn't fly up from the front. She looked at me kind of funny but got in her car and took off. The mattress didn't move so I gave her  two thumbs up and yelled "Drive slow!"

Never heard back from her so  assume we did a pretty good job.

I managed to shove a writing desk and chair into the back of a Dodge Durango yesterday and once even loaded a king size bed, mattress and box springs into and on top of a Suburban.

I've goofed up a bit along the way, made some mistakes but have all in all done okay with this new job. (I think)  I like it, it's hard sometimes but I've never been one to shy  away from a challenge. Other times it's slow and have some "Me Time"  something I've missed greatly. I get  all my work caught up and when no one is in the store  pick out a comfy chair and read.

Tomorrow I pick up a serving tray again. It's like I'm living a double life...but at least I'm living!

On another note, Ziggy's "Birth mom" had pups again and my friend finally posted a video of the pups. OMG...if I had enough land I would take all of them! Ziggy is the best  worst dog we've ever had and  love the little guy. He's the happiest dog I've ever met and even when he does something wrong, he's awfully proud of his handiwork and with tail waging has a huge smile on his face that is simply hard to resist.

He was happy and proud when he took down our Christmas tree last year while we were out, pulling all the lights and ornaments off. He was extremely proud of the carpet he chewed up, down to the sub floor in Massey's old bedroom when we left him locked in while gone to Tim's parent's house for a few hours. He is simply the best worst dog!

He loves his Frisbee, even when it looks like this. Believe it or not, it will still sail through the air in this condition. I went to Wal Mart after work tonight and picked him up a new one when I got some groceries.

So here's a recap of my week. Got my dryer vent cleared.  Got my new/used dryer installed.  Sold furniture like a boss. Brought home eight loads of free sod and covered all bare spots in my front yard. Actually have the house pretty clean, cooked dinner twice and don't have to be at work til five on Friday.

Hopefully it won't rain tomorrow and can ride ole Johnny Boy up to the front of the subdivision  and cut it before work to make another sixty bucks.

I'm turning in early and waking up early. You never know how much time, how many minutes or even seconds you have left.

Strike while the iron is hot!

As a side note, if any one knows of a job in logistics, freight or trucking please let me know. My husband Tim is a great worker, been in the business for  over twenty years and  looking for  a job.
Just thought I'd throw it out there, they say it's all about networking and I have had over 72,000 hits on my blog. Never hurts to ask!

Til next time...COTTON

It's A Dog's Life

I've realized quite a few things with this latest puppy addition.

I am over fifty two years old, my youngest is a senior in high school . My oldest did wonderful after finally being not so gently nudged from  the nest and my younger son is looking to get a place of his own. "Looks Like I've Almost Made It!"
   (Not)

 While on my hands and knees tonight after work, spraying so much Resolve carpet cleaner on dog spots that the problem SHOULD have been resolved by the time I got through spraying if the label's bragging rights are correct ; thought about how ridiculous it was to think I was almost there.

Now I'm left raising a seven year old, six year old and four month old. At least there won't be anymore teacher conferences or recitals and if one of them gets locked up, good luck with THAT one phone call!

So what they don't know how to use a door mat? Neither do my kids. My kids gripe when they are hungry. When my pups are hungry,  they just wait for me to remember. They love me when I am in a good mood or bad mood, and when I am in a bad mood they seem to love me more.

They never gripe about anything  but they don't have to.  I can read their always slobbering faces. It's a bond you make with pups. They only want to be loved and all three of mine know without a doggy doubt they are.

Cleaning up doggy poop is a breeze compared to raising three teens.

If I can survive raising three teens I can survive raising twelve more paws.

Til next  time...Crazy COTTON

Vertical Fetch...No One Said They Were Smart

My two male dogs are more entertaining than circus clowns. There is a tree at the back of the fenced in portion of our yard with a limb that TJ and Zach have broken off but is still attached. The MINUTE my husband starts to walk to the back of the yard...the two males beat him there and sit waiting for him to pull the broken branch down so they can try to finish the job Zach and TJ started.

The bulldog gives it his best shot but obviously has lead pipe inside of him... "Literally." He probably found one in the yard and decided it looked good enough to eat. Remember, this is the dog that ate insulation that fell out of the attic when I brought down Christmas decorations. I saw a piece on the carpet and tried to get to it but his mind was saying "If SHE wants it first it must be good" and scrambled over and snorted it down.

The boxer seems to be made of springs and can easily jump over six feet without trying too hard. They will continue this vertical fetch game for thirty minutes at a time and only stop when they are panting so hard they absolutely HAVE to take a rest. The female boxer barks at them the whole time in "dog speak" seemingly telling them they are both idiots and have no sense of depth perception. I'll have to hand it to Ham (the boxer) he gets pretty close...Charlie (the bulldog) just gets an "A" for effort.

Just thought you might like to see "Dumb and Dumber" in action!

Had another great day...I could get used to this and hope I do!

Stayed up way too late blogging after picking Massey up from Prom and doing laundry ... woke up 30 minutes before work this morning. Thank the Lord for my easy hairdo and the fact that I always get a bath at night. I got to work exactly on time and worked the brunch shift. Now THAT'S some good eating... French Toast, Strawberry pancakes, Eggs Benedict, Spinach Frittata, every kind of Omelet you can imagine and homemade biscuits with gravy, grits and home fried potatoes. It wasn't too busy and I was almost glad after last night's barn burner shift. I got off by 2 and had to be back at 5:30.

I came home and put on some shorts and a bathing suit top...Mr.(slow) Lee's favorite outfit and washed my car and cleaned all the windows. My brake light has been out for months and I decided to attempt replacing it myself. Whadda know??? I'm a mechanic too! One of my driving lights was out too but once I open the hood of a car I tend to get nervous. At least I can open a hood...Tim is a lot of wonderful things but mechanical he is NOT. Remember this is the man that pushed my mower to the neighbor's years ago before I got my riding mower because it wouldn't start and my neighbor told him it was out of gas.

I pulled my car one driveway over ...not Mr. (slow) Lee's way but the other side to ask my next door husband (see previous post) to help me. He fixed me right up (after I went back to Auto Zone and got the right bulb)... I have GOT to stop asking Tim to go to Auto Zone for me. While I was there exchanging the bulb I told the man "For future reference, never listen to my husband when he comes in...I'll just send a hand written note with what I REALLY need."

Case in point: Our hot water heater went out a few years back and after my next door husband fixed it twice he said we needed to get a new one. A good friend of ours who has a handy man type company and has helped us many times, pressure washing our house, cleaning the chimney etc. told Tim to go buy a new water heater and he would come over and install it. When he got there, Tim had hauled the new one up to the third floor ready to hoist it into the attic (what idiot builder puts a hot water heater in an attic?) When our friend got there to install it.... Tim had bought an electric water heater when in fact we had a gas one. I love him anyway and he is a great dad and husband, but couldn't fight his way out of a paper bag if all he had to use was a wrench.

Luckily Tim doesn't read my blog unless I force him to. I won't bring my blog up for a while til this one gets buried by others. I don't mean to hurt his feelings but he will be the first one to tell you the extent of his knowledge about repair work is Flathead vs. Phillips Head.

Car washed, lights fixed. Headed back to work. Had a pleasant night and feel more comfortable with each shift I work.

The owners of my new restaurant know of our situation and have me scheduled for 9 shifts this week. I have people at work asking me if I want to give up shifts but will forge on and get myself ahead while I have this opportunity.

A new job. A great job . Tim starts his new job in the morning with Pepsi/Snapple.

God, family and friends...even strangers have gotten us this far, to the other side. The place I needed and wanted to be.

Enjoy the video of my dogs...I am thinking about "YouTube" for them. I have one even better where they actually sit underneath and howl at the limb above them.

Lovin' life, and for once I will sign off as..."LUCKY LEACH"

Bulldog Determination...Lacking on the Field Today, But Living Large at Our House

We have a Bull dog that is as stupid as he is beautiful. After the "Dawgs" started losing their game on TV and as my husband cried into his beer, my bulldog began winning his own personal game.

I had just finished cutting the huge back yard we have and a tree that was growing at the back of the yard is always a pain to cut under because it scratches me to death as I pass by it on my John "Dear."

He fought the valiant fight, he sat and waited for someone to pull the branch down close enough for him to get his teeth around and pulled with all his might until it snapped back up again and then continued to jump after it

Charlie began to FIXATE on this limb hanging down and started hurling his less than buoyant body up to catch a piece of the limb. He would stand or sit as long as it took for someone to go pull the limb down so he could continue his assault on the deadly branch that was obviously driving him crazy (not a far drive.)

I am serious when I say that this lasted WELL over an hour. The kids would take turns going to the back of the yard while Charlie sat beneath the tree just WAITING for someone to pull the branch within the reach of his vise like jaws.

Needless to say, the worrisome branch that got in my way as I cut the back yard is gone...along with a couple of Charlie's pounds. He sat in the back of the yard for over two hours playing with the limb while my two boxers sat by saying in "Dogspeak"..."What a doofus."

I'll have to hand it to Charlie, he didn't give up til the limb was chewed to a nub and hung seven feet above his fat little head.

From his squashed up face to his pink balls poking out the rear, I love the little dog. I am just a dog lover to begin with, but these three dogs know who loves and takes care of them (ME) and shower me with praise, slobber and panting every time I walk into the house.

Wherever I fall asleep in the house (I stay up til after two most nights) or wherever I go ...they are all three behind me just saying in their dogspeak "Whadda ya want us to do now, mom?"

All they have to do is love me and never ask for money...if they learn to speak and ask for things , I am screwed.

The Three Stooges

Here is a glimpseinside our world of pups! We love our stooges and this may give some insight as to why. When I came home from work today my husband (who had another interview today!) was out back playing with our two boxers and the bulldog. The male boxer can jump over six feet high, the bulldog is lucky to get his hefty self off the ground and the female boxer just barks furiously and lets the two males know who is really in charge. They all three get along fine since finally learning the pecking order...Rosie is DEFINITELY the alpha bitch (small pun intended) Ham can whip the tar out of Charlie (the bulldog) without trying and Charlie has finally learned not to provoke Ham. Both the males leave Rosie alone and kow tow to her every whim. She eats first, gets the best spot on the sofa and rules her kingdom with a mighty and furry paw.

When I sit and type on the computer they all three lay in the floor surrounding me on three sides. My husband said last night passing through the room while I was blogging that they all three are just waiting for me to get up and do something. He's right. I can go up and down the steps in the house thirty times and they will all tromp up and back down with me every time. If I go the restroom and shut the door, when I open it they are all three waiting right outside it for me.

When my daughter came home from color guard practice and I showed her the video, she was highly amused until Rosie started humping on Charlie. She made the comment "EWW...totally repulsive" and walked out of the room. That made me and my husband laugh even more at the video.

You know what's funnier? Charlie just lets Rosie...he knows he's low man on the totem pole and just seems happy that she acknowledges him in any way!

My dogs bring me great happiness...they love me totally and unconditionally. They never gripe or complain about the way their life is going and are all three standing RIGHT by the kitchen door waiting for me before I ever even get out of my car in the garage when I come home. My husband says they hear me pull in before he does...actually it's them that let all the family know I am home.

As I am typing this, all three have gathered once again around my feet. Maybe they all know I am writing about them!

DOGS...this woman's best friend (of the four legged variety.)

I think I'll go give each of them a dog biscuit now!!

Til next time, "WOOF WOOF" Cotton

"Hamming" it Up For the Camera

This is just a small glimpse of Ham's talents. My husband is over six foot two and Ham can jump up to his head if he wants to. He is (thankfully) a gentle giant of a dog, and it drives my female boxer crazy to have him out do her in any fashion. My two pups are an enormous comfort to me...they don't get bad grades and NEVER back talk me, just nuzzle up whenever they get the chance.

For Pete's Sake, I am Tired

Just got home from work...but I am HOOKED on my blog. I just wanted to give my latest update on my life, feelings and situation.

My daughter is sill away with friends... If I knew how to create one of those little frowning faces with my keyboard I would. (:):) >... Who discovered how to use colons, hyphens and semi colons to create "MOODS"?... And how much spare time did THEY have?

I am left with my dogs..my sons aren't much for the "HUGGY" type. But when I come in from work... my three pooches are all hovered by the door...waiting for "MOMMA".

I go upstairs and they are beating me by at least a step. I go back downstairs and they are flying in front of me..oomffing down every step. I go out back to read my book (currently "Angels And Demons"...don't even get me started on THAT book) and they are scratching at the door.

I come back inside to switch the laundry and they are all three laying by my feet in a pile. I go to the restroom..and all three tumble in right behind me...like they are seeing which of them can get closest to me.

I guess that they all know I am in "Massey" withdrawals.

It is extremely sweet of them to notice...and I appreciate their effort..but after working a ten hour shift... For Pete's Sake!! just give me a minute!!

But they don't..and I have to remember that they are JUST dogs... although in my house, that isn't a bad thing to be.

As I type this post all three are gathered at my feet....snoring away...just happy that "MOMMA" is home....and waiting for me to get up and put another load of clothes in the dryer, so that they can all three get up and follow me to the laundry room , just to make sure that I make it there okay.

My husband says they hear me when I pull into the subdivision and I don't much doubt that.

But they are keeping me company while my girl is away, and will lick her face silly when she comes back.

People that do not have dogs, just do not know what kind of companionship, dedication and loyalty they are missing...(and they don't even have to go to Teacher conferences, or look at disappointing progress reports).

All you do is love them, treat them to food, fresh water and a huge back yard to explore. They require nothing else, expect nothing else and want nothing else.

DANG....Why can't kids be that easy?

I wouldn't trade my kids for anything thing in the world...but I would have a hard time trading my pups as well.

It is all relevant... In my house..FAMILY is FAMILY. Yes I love my kids the most by any sense of the word "MOST"... but my pups are pretty important to me as well. They may come in second to my kids..but they are a close second...albeit they are definitely second...my kids would be devastated without these three dogs that are currently curled around my feet..snoring and farting and making me feel secure.

My two boys are out somewhere together...my daughter is 300 miles away. But my pups are at my feet...loving me now. Somehow they JUST know that I need them, while my "youngins" are away. And they don't even mind when the kids come back.

They actually act happier than me when the boys come back. And to me..that only means we have raised our pets right...or maybe We have just been blessed with the greatest dogs on Earth that know how to realize when they themselves have been blessed...and they just want to THANK US.

Till next Time...Cotton