Getting Better Every day

Through trial and error have learned a new shortcut every day. It's a must to have my uniform clean, ironed and ready to go. If it's a week day I have to add fifteen minutes for the fight for a spot to park at MARTA. If it's a weekend, spaces are wide open without business commuters. On the other hand, during the week the MARTA train runs every five minutes or so...weekends and after eight only every twenty which is a long time to wait with time constraints heading into work and seem even longer when you're tired and ready to leave AFTER work.

I've learned a short cut to the Plane Train heading back to the domestic terminal from the restaurant when I leave after my shift and also learned an excellent way to save time once I get off the Plane Train and have to fight the masses exiting to go up the three escalators to the terminal where I catch the MARTA train. I go to the far left side and wait for the Plane Train, getting on the first car. When the Plane Train finally stops at ground transportation and get off, am exiting the one nearest the escalators and can scurry up first like a skinny rat. I've learned to watch the time and if it's a weekend or after eight PM know that if I can hit the MARTA station on the hour, twenty after of forty after can make the next train back to the parking lot without having to wait an extra twenty minutes.

BAM! Looks like I'm quickly learning the ropes of navigating public transportation as well as the ropes of being a brain surgeon.

I'm also feeling more comfortable about talking with tables, suggesting items (including wine, beer and cocktails) and beginning to feel familiar enough to even suggestively upsell.

It's completely different from working in a street side restaurant. No mad rush at lunch or dinner time. Everything depends on flights, departure times and possible delays.

It's also fascinating to me when ask where they are headed to or coming back from?

Case in point:

Just today I waited on a family going on a Mediterranean cruise, another going to Paris, a couple headed to Amsterdam, a family taking their young twin daughters to Japan for their birthday and an older couple headed to Greece to meet up with their son, daughter in law and children before flying to the island of Crete for a month. I also waited on a mother and young son heading back home to London but refrained from my usual comment of "Tell the Queen we said Howdy!"

I'm on day number "Can't even tell you" in a row of working but actually feel pretty good. My husband's been great, knows my horrible eating habits and makes me breakfast every morning before I leave for work. I shove a banana into my clear plastic purse to eat as a snack and have even grown from a size Zero to a size One in pants.

"Baby Steps" but at least gaining a bit of much needed weight.



Funny story about my plastic clear purse.

When you work for a huge corporation running  stores and restaurants at the airport most require (and give you) a clear bag to keep personal items in. It's mostly for theft protection and totally get it but is the ugliest thing I've ever owned, besides our bulldog, Charlie.

So am sitting on the International shuttle the other day to go to work. Lucky for me was a quiet day and made it on. Passengers get first dibs and if you're an employee sometimes get kicked off and have to wait for the next shuttle

I was riding with two women  headed to Europe for vacation. My phone buzzed in my hideously looking clear bag and took it out to answer a text.

One of the women said "Now THAT'S a cute clever purse!" The other woman nodded and said  "You don't even have to scrounge around to find where things are...you can just SEE them!"

I told her thought that was most probably the point when my employers gave it to me, so THEY could see what I WAS carrying.

One of them finally said "Oh my goodness."

"DUH!!"

The rest of the ride was  in silence.

I'm getting closer though. Every shift I leave making at LEAST two Franklin's and finally not simply spinning wheels but moving forward.

With this total blessing of of my new job and comfort of knowing I still have my other job to pad the kitty, can say without doubt...

"I'm going to make it after all."

Til next time...COTTON

Luckiest of the Unlucky, That's Me!

So a dear friend of mine, actually the person who talked me into starting my blog contacted me after my sister came and painted my kitchen. She wanted to do some decorating and add a few finishing touches. At first I declined her offer. Number one, I'm easy to please and was thrilled with just the paint job. Number two, once I told my sister about the offer, big sis told me that in fact I DID need some finishing touches and to accept her offer!

This morning she came over a little before ten to get started. Tim was in the kitchen making us some breakfast and I bounced out the door to the garage to she if she needed help with anything.

I brought her into our kitchen, letting her go in the door first. She immediately turned around and asked if I wanted her to wait outside for Tim to put pants on or to just come on in?

Oops...my bad.

At least Tim had on a pair of his nicer boxer briefs. He went upstairs, shaking his head and we didn't see him again.

I was just excited to get things started! Then she told me I had to leave. She had everything planned, with her and wanted it all to be a surprise when she finished.

I had plenty of errands to run so left her in charge. Around noon I came back home and she met me in the driveway.

Needless to say I was thrilled with the additions!

She had even bought a quart of the paint my sister used so it all matched . We now have a chalkboard mounted on old shutters with a hook at the top and nifty basket attached to the bottom by bent spoons, she even brought us some chalk! The other wall decorations were wonderful too and now have a matching lampshade for my lamp! I have a cool Lazy Susan on my table with a silver pepper grinder.

She made new curtains to replace my seventeen year old ones and even mounted them with a cute black rod.

She had found a huge clothespin and added a magnet to the back to hang on our refrigerator for To Go menus!

She mounted a collection of plates, some china some silver and arranged them on the wall.

The kitchen looks fabulous and the more I looked the more I liked it!

Yep, we got us a big ole "C" over the nuclear wave too. And notice the cute statue she painted black to match!

So now my kitchen is absolutely awesome! I tried to give my friend some money for all she did but refused. It's a good thing since I was down to chump change.

When she first told me I had to leave so she could work her magic I told her I had plenty of errands to run and lotto tickets a customer (another dear friend) had left me to cash in. I told her it was a new game. They give you twelve numbers...if you hit them all you win $250,000. or if none of your numbers hit, you win!

I told her we were all about not hitting the numbers right so thought we had a pretty good chance! As I walked out the door she shouted "Come back a millionaire!"

I didn't come back a millionaire but came home to a pretty awesome kitchen and still have a pocket full of lotto tickets to cash in. So my first ticket didn't hit, no worries.

I seem to being having a great run of luck and can't wait to see what the other tickets may do. My friend/ customer also gave me free scratch offs, so wish me luck!

When my friend left today she hugged my neck and said she prays for Tim every day to find a job. Extra prayers are always good.

So we've been through a lot here but on the other hand have been blessed every step of our unfortunate way.

I'm thinking our time is coming...and just think how great my house will look when we throw a big party for Tim's new job!!

I am truly the luckiest unlucky person EVER!

Til next time...COTTON

Money Can't Buy You Love

It's been an excellent weekend. I've have all three of my kids here for the first time in over a year.

I'm really not sure where the time has gone...seems like just last week they looked like this.

We all sat around together last night talking and laughing after work and it warmed my heart to see them all together again.

We're packed in like sardines and overflowing to couches to sleep but just feels nice to be a whole family again.

Massey and I spent the day together before work,  running errands and picking her up a few things for school. It's nice to have an eighteen year old daughter who still wants to hang around momma. She's turned out to be a really terrific young lady. Yes she has her faults, who doesn't? All my kids have their faults as do I but have many more great qualities that make the faults easy to over look.

Massey and I went by one of my favorite stores, Yankee Candle to get some more tarts for my burners. We walked in and one of the sales ladies asked me what kind of scent I was interested in? I said "One that doesn't smell like three dogs." The lady behind the counter started laughing. (If she only knew)

You'd think if I had three dogs they'd be miniature Yorkies or Poodles. Nope! I have two boxers and a bulldog totaling over two hundred pounds of slobber . I love the brats and the brats love me. Tim will even call me momma when he's talking to them. I'll get home from work and Tim will say "Your momma's home, boys!" They all surround me and sniff the food from the restaurant and lick my shoes. They follow me up the steps and they follow me down the steps. They follow me into to bathroom and they follow me into the kitchen. It's nice to have three kids (pups) who never have homework due or want something I can't afford. Give them a couple of bowls of water and a bowl of food every day and they are happy as clams. And by the way, why are clams supposed to be so happy? Go figure.

It's been a tough few years here at the Cotton Compound financially and one thing I've learned is money can't buy you love but love can buy you happiness.

We are SO The Clampetts. We're simple and hard scrabble. We didn't find black gold or Texas tea. We didn't get to move into a mansion but live in a house we own. We have family and friends who love us and are blessed far and beyond belief.

This is why I have been able to hold on. As bad as things have gotten, I wouldn't change it . It's made me a better person. It's made me realize who my friends are. It's made me realize how lucky I am to come from such a great family. It's made me appreciate being loved.

It's all about Karma. You get what you give. You get out of life what you put in. Roll with the punches, laugh when you can (always) and strive to be your best.

Hug your loved ones and even hug the unloved ones. One hug can sometimes make a huge difference.

I have one more day with all my kiddos all together. I'm going to bed feeling old, tired, broke but happy.

"Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is always the result of a good conscience, good health, occupation, and freedom in all just pursuits." (Thomas Jefferson)

Til next time...COTTON

It's a Brutal Winter

As the days in January tick away, the temps continue to drop. I don't know how folks live above the Mason-Dixon Line. The wind was howling like crazy this morning and was still twenty seven degrees at noon. I personally don't like it when the temp falls below fifty.

I'm still sticking to keeping our thermostat set on sixty eight but had to bump it up a degree today. Three of our bedrooms are on the third floor and stays nice and toasty upstairs. I relented and let one of Zach's buddies stay with us for a while and's been assigned to Massey's room on the first floor for his short stay with us. He's a good kid, just a doofus (hence the "HE") and is already looking for a house to rent. He did vacuum the room and has it clean as a whistle. Since Massey's been gone we've just kept her door shut and have a space heater we use in the kitchen.  Our house is on a concrete slab and the first floor is always a bit chilly. The kitchen has two exposed exterior walls and a third is to the garage. If the dishwasher or oven is on it's nice but other than that, it's an igloo. I gave the man/boy a space heater to use in his temporary room at night. Massey's room is right off the kitchen and has an exposed wall as well. For Pete's sake, he's from El Salvador. I highly doubt they needed space heaters and lately the temps have been brutally cold. Of course it beat his option of having no where to live and he's been very grateful we have let him crash here.

A couple of years ago I let another one of Zach's buds live here for almost a year in a spare bedroom upstairs so he could stay enrolled in high school and graduate.

Here's my thing. We certainly don't live in a mansion, or really even a really nice house but it's ours and almost paid off. It's warm in the winter (if you're upstairs) has running water, heat, electricity and even Internet when we're current on the bill. They have a place to sleep and a place to bathe. They can wash clothes and usually fit right in with our dysfunctional little family. I feed them when I can and they in return pitch in with some money when THEY can.

We learned the hard way a few years ago what makes a family and it certainly isn't money. It's love and compassion, and we got plenty of that!

Tim has a lead on a job that would be an entry level position but a company which promotes from within. I'm doing amazingly well with my serving job, God seems to know I need the ego and economical boost. I go in every day with a positive attitude and walk out every night with a paycheck.

Today it was bitter cold before I left for work. The car we're borrowing from my sis seems to hate cold weather as much as I do. When it was six degrees a week or so ago, it flatly refused to crank for two days. I sent Zach out today thirty minutes before I had to leave to see if ole Bertha Benz would crank, so if she didn't I'd have time to call a cab. It took about five minutes but he got her crunk! (and yes I know that isn't a word)

I should have gotten off early enough to be cranking her up again before the temps dipped too low again but as luck would have it we were busy as crap (which I was thankful for) but got worried ole Bertha wouldn't crank to get me home. As soon as my last table left I went out back to give the ole girl a try. It's a painful sounding process. I have to turn the key for literally four or five minutes straight while continuously and furiously pumping the gas pedal. Two of my co workers were out back having a smoke and watched my attempt. It's like a ritual to me. I have to bop my head up and down as I turn the key and furiously pump the accelerator.  I've gotten pretty good at it and as they stood watching me... started to cheer for ole Bertha, saying "Come on, come on, we KNOW you can do it!" They were pumping their fists and yelling," DO IT! You're almost there, yeah that's it, keep it up, oh yeah..do it girl!" When ole Bertha finally roared to life they both walked over to my car and said "That almost seemed like a sexual experience. Congratulations!"

Seems I'm not the ONLY smart a** working there.

I let her idle for a good ten minutes then cut the car off and hurried back inside to finish my work. Once you get her cranked, she's usually good to go.

I clocked out less than an hour later and let her warm up again. I decided to go ahead and stop by the grocery store since she was all hot and bothered. Picked up groceries for tomorrow since I'm off Thursday and now don't have to worry about Bertha til Friday, when it's supposed to be in the upper forties when I leave for work.

You know, you just can't make this stuff up! I got me a life that borders on the redunkulous and never leaves me without something to laugh about.

Laughter is truly the best medicine.

I passed depression a few years back...it didn't help worth a flip. You charge ahead, you roll with the punches and you give life your best shot.

I'm just like ole Berth. May take me a while, but can get it done if I just try long and hard enough!

Til next time...COTTON





  

I Need Some Global Warming

Enough already, Mr. Winter! Sunday afternoon it was nice and almost balmy. Today started chilly, the wind picked up like crazy and now it's dropping to twenty degrees tonight.

It's a good thing I'm off today. Got all my running around done by four and was back in the house with groceries to last us a few days. Cooked a big meal and doing laundry. I don't plan on walking outside until I leave for work tomorrow afternoon.

Oh how I wish!

I've been having great success at work lately and just hope it keeps going. I've had maybe one crappy shift out of the last twelve and that's a pretty good batting average for a server.

Last night started out slow but  hit the goldmine with a party of six. They all grew up in East Point, my hometown and several even knew and went to high school with my husband. Some of them went to East Point Christian Church with me as a kid and had a blast talking about our past.

When they left I told them to be sure to ask for me next time they came in. One of them asked how often I worked and replied I usually did five shows a week. There was another server behind us cleaning her own table and started laughing when she heard me say that.

One of Zach's friends had to move out of his house because one of his room mates did something stupid and like the idiot I am,  let him roost here for a while. I'm living with way too many balls around here. At last count there were twelve, then TJ called today.

 Seems like he needs to move back home for a while but at least was gracious enough to ask first. None of my kids need  ask. This house will always be their home.

Thank goodness Massey is snug in her dorm room, we're filling up quick around here. Zach's friend is only temporary, he's already looking for another place to move.

TJ can stay as long as he needs but won't be too long either, he's already planning to move abroad for another year. Wonder how many balls I can send overseas with him?

So last week I lived in a house with two empty bedrooms. Now we're all full up and then some. Guess I need to put that "No Vacancy" sign out front. (Huge sigh)

It's kind of nice having a full house, especially when none of them have homework or projects due. Been there, done that.

At least they are all grown now and chipping in for the bills. Beats having a house full of kids who need to be driven to school every morning and sometime have projects faked by their mom at the last possible moment. Hopefully I have made my last Diorama.

Made a fabulous dinner tonight and have tons of leftovers. I'm thinking I'll head to the one spare bedroom left before TJ moves back in this weekend and read my book, have a cold one and hope nobody bothers me. Tim will be home in a couple of hours and sure he is looking forward to watching Bonanza or Gunsmoke in our bedroom. You'd think he was looking forward to a new episode. If Braveheart is on, he'll be watching that.  God forbid The Rifleman is on... he'll be in heaven. At least he is easy to please. He always loves whatever I have saved  him for dinner. It could be a bowl of tomato soup or Hamburger Helper but he'll still tell me how great it is. That's one of the many reasons I love him, he's an easy man to please. I guess that goes without saying since he married me!


So life is chugging on around here, always a good thing.

 I read on Facebook today that a woman who had twins in the Afterschool Program I worked for a few years back just died from a short and vicious battle with cancer. She lost her husband to cancer when the twins were in kindergarten and now the twins,  fifteen or sixteen  (both with Cerebral Palsy) have lost not only their dad but their mom too.

 To think sometimes I feel like complaining makes me realize how lucky I am to be around to even worry about  the small things...and my problems ARE small.

Count your blessings, deal with the bad times and hope for better times. Always realize there are so many others worse off who would trade places with you in a New York minute. Hug your kids, even when you feel like strangling them for something stupid they have done. At least I am still here, and that's a huge bonus...for them AND me.

The good thing is my friend, Karen is whole again. She's with her husband again and both pain free. They will be over those boy's shoulders every day. My heart breaks for these two boys but  have a great family network to rely on.

Whenever you feel down, think about others who have it worse....it could have just as easily be you.

Til next time...COTTON

Rain Rain Go Away

This is what we deal with when it rains...times six. We have three big dogs and have to wipe twelve paws every time they come back inside the house. We leave a beach towel by the back door for them to stand on while we wipe their paws with another one. We use beach towels more in the winter months than we do in the summer. That's just the way it is when you're dog lovers and hope to keep at least a semi clean kitchen floor.

I had to be at work by three thirty so sent Zach out to crank up the older car my sister and bro in law are loaning us. It runs great but have to let it warm up for about ten minutes on the first crank of the day. It's a small price to pay for someone loaning you a free car for months when you asked to borrow it for two weeks. It has a small radiator leak but  always carry a gallon jug of water in the back seat. Today I came out and water was pouring out of the front of the car. No Bueno!

I cut the car off and popped the hood like I knew what I was doing. (NOT) I immediately did what you aren't supposed to do and opened the radiator cap. Thank goodness I'm a quick "Jump Backer." The radiator spewed all contents left and pretty rapidly. It was like a vehicular Tsunami. Zach was off in Massey's car going to a job interview and luckily answered my call. He came back and carted me to work, fifteen minutes late. Luckily they love me and know what horrible luck we have with vehicles and besides that it happened to be slow at the restaurant. (Finally some good luck)

It was a rainy chilly night, therefore all peeps hunkered down in their houses like it was a big deal. I've said it before and will say it again, JawJun's are scared of ANY inclement weather.

I got lucky and walked with over eighty bucks before eight thirty.

One of the other servers gave me a ride home. She's my buddy, a sweet girl who I call Lou Anne Poovy. (Remember her from the Gomer Pyle show?)  She's been wanting to meet our Bull Dog, Charlie and  can't much blame her, he's one ugly but cute pup!

I'm off tomorrow so at least have twenty four hours to figure out more car arrangements. When I walked into work really late I told the owner, "Us Cotton's got a lot of luck, it's just all bad." His reply was "Welcome to the real world."

I'm not sweating it, why should I?  It doesn't help anything but more gray hair and I have PLENTY of that.

It may sound crazy but I still consider us lucky. It gives me plenty to think about and plenty to be grateful for.

We're a dysfunctional down on our luck family unit who never give up and never will. I may be skinny, I may be broke but got so much positive MoJo going on around me that it inspires me to keep on keeping on. Wealth is over rated and love is underestimated.

I got more love than all the hippies at Woodstock thought they were experiencing. The difference is MINE is the real deal.

We are THIS close!

Til next time...COTTON

BOO to You!

This is my favorite Halloween cartoon.

So it's Halloween week once again. It was always such a fun holiday when I was a kid. By the time you were six or seven you could go out trick or treating alone with your friends and your parents stayed at home...it was that safe and no one even had a cell phone. If they wanted you home they simply stood on the front porch and hollered your name. Boy have times changed.

By the time we moved to Newnan,  TJ maybe went trick or treating once, throwing a sheet over his head with two eye holes cut out and dragging around a pillow case for his candy bag but Massey and Zach were at the perfect age and enjoyed it immensely. I still have this picture framed and on my kitchen wall.

Not to be left out, I've had a few costumes of my own.

There was the year I was working at Western Sizzler  (as I now call it) and went to Waffle House and borrowed a complete uniform from a waitress who worked there. I thought the blacked out front tooth and hair net was a nice addition. I would greet every table with a loud "Good Morning!" The next year they banned us from wearing costumes.

The restaurant I work for now encourages us to dress up...gotta love a family owned business!

Made this costume myself for five bucks! I wore it two years in a row but this year I'll be Peter Pan at the Mattress store where I also work so I'm getting three years out of my five dollar investment! I guess I need  to  check and make sure it's alright but  can't see  them telling me no unless I was dressing as Miley Cyrus in her Twerking outfit.

My new funny Halloween fave is a video I saw on the Ellen show.

I laughed so hard I cried. I bet I have watched it ten times and still laugh every time! 

It's nice to be able to laugh again. I mean I always tried to keep my sense of humor but for a while there it was pretty tough going and not much to laugh about, although I had the crying part down pretty good for a short time.

Somehow, someway and with  prayers and help from many have reached the point where I truly think we can move forward from now on.

Sure we still have a few kinks to work out, like Massey's next three years in college or my dog's eye surgery or Tim landing a full time job but God is good and He will open the door when He is ready and holler for us to step through,  just like my parents used to holler for us to come home from our open front door when we were kids. I have no doubt about it!

Everyone have a Happy Halloween. Til next time...COTTON