Maybe I CAN Do This!

A little after midnight, just walked in the door. I helped close tonight and learned about how to do a check out at the end of a shift.

I got to work today making excellent time, finding a parking space my first time through the lot. It wasn't really close but didn't want to waste time tooling around the lot in first gear. As I made my way uphill to the station spotted several closer spots but with a MARTA lot you just never know and being new to this job always go with "Better safe than sorry" when parking at the train station. I even got there early enough to sit in the atrium and go over my notes, which consist of a full binder, a small spiral notebook, a hundred index cards held together by a rubber band and a small notepad I also carry in my pocket.

I've been freaking out over having to take the food and wine tests, which I have copies of in my binder but been furiously making small cheat sheets just in case I freeze up...I'm not a good test taker, never have been.

Last night when I got to work they were busy as heck and guarantee the last thing on the manager's mind was giving me a test.

Instead I starting doing what I do best, clocking in and immediately getting to work. I helped bus and reset tables, refilled waters, cleaned up and helped polish silverware. They needed more butter ramekins so I found some clean ones in the back and filled them. I polished glasses and helped run food. These things I didn't need to be told how to do so I did them.

A few hours later when things calmed down the manager told me to get my binder and follow him out to the atrium. He went over a few things in my training binder and told me to continue taking the tests all located in the back of the binder on my own. (HUGE sigh of relief)

He made the comment to take them without looking up all the answers first because that wouldn't help me learn much, which was the goal. Instead fill them out best I could then go back and look up what I didn't know or missed.

Then said he appreciated me clocking in and immediately pitching in to help like I did without being asked and said "It was like you'd been working here for a year."

That's when I started to get it.

It didn't make me feel much more relaxed but let me know they have noticed I am a hard worker.

I don't have many attributes in my favor, I'm a newbie who is well over half a century old and not cute like some of the younger girls , don't know an awful lot about wines but have been taking voracious notes and asking tons of questions and  certainly don't mind jumping in to help without being asked or told to.

Today I helped fold linens and studied my note cards while doing so. I have my white wines down pretty well and my red wines are coming along too.

I worked by the service bar for a while, the manager wanted me behind the bar with the bartenders but felt I was in the way so hovered by the service area where servers pick up drinks and filled out about ten more index cards on specialty drinks and beers I've never heard of as the bartender (who could be a freakin' model) explained them to me.

Then I followed a server for a while, lucky for me it was the girl who recommended me for the job and she let me put in her orders on the computer as she watched.

Then she took me to a computer and let me look through the system on the manager's screen and bounce around to see all the options, modifiers and special instructions.

Yes, I'm an old woman.

As she showed me how to open a table on the screen to put in an order I said "Wait a minute, let me get out a new index card to write on."

This is how completely by the book I learn or either how slow I am to catch on.

I wrote:

#1 swipe card

#2 hit Begin table

#3 hit table number

#4 hit enter

#5 hit number of guests

#6 hit enter

At least I now had yet another index card to lead me as to how to open a table for service. I continued taking notes as we put in orders.

Massey had given me about hundred index cards to take notes on when I started training and am already down to about ten blank ones.

My friend got cut and left and was assigned to follow another server who was closing. He's a pretty cool dude who I really like and is very helpful. Everyone there is nice but some more helpful than others. That's the way it is in every restaurant and am used to that.

The biggest thing working in my favor is I am a server who is willing to help any and everyone and management noticed.

I left after eleven tonight, a little apprehensive because it's the first time I was leaving the airport late taking MARTA  back to my (next door husband's borrowed) vehicle.

Here's the thing. I get on the train and less than one minute later am getting off, followed by at least thirty other airport employees or travelers. We all walk to the same lot in the same direction and even though I was parked at the far end still had three or four people going in the same general direction.

Yes the MARTA lot can be dangerous late at night but so can the WalMart parking lot or even Kroger parking lot in the town where I live. 

Heck, if you watch the news obviously know no where is safe anymore. Not MARTA, not Newnan, and certainly not where our men and women are serving overseas or even college campuses.

So here's the real deal.

They know I need to learn a lot more about fine wine and the fancy smanschy European cuisine they serve but have also realized, have hired someone who works hard and is driven.

I think I'll be okay now.

I may have to go pick up another pack of index cards and download "Wine for Dummies" on my phone but will continue to ask questions and continue to take notes.

Heck, I've already run two pens out of ink just taking notes!

I still get nervous about the long trek to work each day. I have to worry about MARTA, from parking to trains which seem to take forever to arrive at the station, to lines at security and TSA who sometimes wave you through but other times pull you off to the side like you have a bomb in your shoes. Not to mention I'm still bumming vehicles from wonderful neighbors, friends and relatives.

The car I bought well over a year ago for $3000 has been paid down to under five hundred but still doesn't have the transmission installed or even purchased so still have to scramble for rides, which is humiliating at best  considering I at least have an AARP card.

Taking it all in stride.

My home restaurant isn't really happy with me about my new venture but is working with me. It's family owned, not corporate and could have fired me. Instead has allowed me to stay on four shifts a week on my two days off from the airport.

So am working seven days a week now. Five at a job I'm scrambling like a mouse to learn and two at a place where I feel comfortable but tired even by the time I get there.

I've been given a chance and am taking it.

Til next time...Comfortably COTTON

Long But Entertaining Shift

I performed two shows at work today. My morning show started at ten thirty and the matinee began at three thirty.

I'm not real crazy about being back working seven days a week but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. Hopefully it will only be for a few months.

The good news is that I worked both double shifts at Mama Lucia's with a server who I absolutely adore. Of course he's a young guy, most all the servers are young enough to be one of my children.

This guy is smart, an excellent server and just as funny as me, if not funnier! (I know, can you believe THAT?)

We work well together, get all the work done efficiently and constantly help each other out; In essence we make a great team. His name's Drew but I call him Drewfus.

I remember a while back when another co worker was goofing around when he shouldn't have and broke Drew's brand new four hundred dollar glasses. The worker said he'd replace them but that was about five months ago and I guess has conveniently forgotten about his promise. The day after it happened  Drew came into work (sans glasses) and I asked him if he could see okay without his glasses? He replied dryly "Well let me put it this way, I went to pet my dog this morning before I left the house and missed."

I still laugh about that one.

I had a party of eight in the back room today. It was a mom and dad with three kids, a couple of aunts and a grandma. They were very nice and pleasant to wait on. Drew had a table of four right next to me.

They ordered a couple of appetizers and the grandma ordered a Mozzarella Caprese, one of my favorites. When I brought the salads out she still had a couple of roasted red peppers left and a piece of Mozzarella. I asked if she wanted to keep and she said yes. I told her I didn't blame her one bit it was one of my favorite appetizers!

She agreed it was delicious, then looked at me sincerely and said "Have you ever eaten one in Italy? They are to DIE FOR!" I told her I hadn't but continued clearing dishes and refilling drinks.

I went back to the kitchen and told Drew what she had said. It went something like this:

"I can't believe she said that to me, I mean if I was young like you, maybe I'd see it. Perhaps I would be a college student and had maybe studied abroad for a year but obviously am a skinny malnourished looking waitress in my mid fifties and if I had enough money to travel to Italy and enjoy a lovely Mozzarella Caprese I sure wouldn't be slinging plates for a living at my age." He laughed and that's all it took to get the ball rolling.

Then we came up with several scenarios I could have tried.

"Why yes, actually last year when I was at the Cannes Film Festival we jetted over to Italy for a couple of days and must agree with you, they ARE to die for!"

He laughed and so did I.

The woman really didn't mean to be rude or condescending and simply making conversation, but seeing as we're almost two months late on our mortgage payment and I don't even have a car,  can't see me going to Europe much less having money to buy food if I DID get there,  hidden in a wheel well like that kid in Los Angeles who flew to Hawaii.

Then a few minutes later I came up with an even better one. We were in the back running food and told Drew, how about this one?

 I SHOULD  have said  "You know last year Carmela, the dishwasher in the back and I flew to Italy for a couple of months and had the most amazing Caprese we've ever eaten. It wasn't as good as the Escargot we had in Paris two years before but was definitely exquisite and beyond compare!"

If there's one thing Drew and I  excel at it's beating a dead horse.

I mean for Pete's sake, we're an Italian restaurant and one of the women at the table when asked what type salad dressing she would like replied "Do you have Italian?"

So after the meal I  was boxing up the table's leftover food on an empty table next to them. Drew was right beside me boxing up his own table's food when casually commented to him  "Do you remember that time Barb freaked out over nothing on us in Switzerland when we were staying  at that chalet?"

None of the customers heard me but Drew did and had a hard time keeping a straight face.

The party I waited on was a great table and Grandma left me an over twenty percent tip. They never meant to or DID insult me, but was just a funny thing to laugh about.

I left for my ten minute break after clearing the table where my party sat.

I told Drew I was going to Prague on my break but would be back in ten minutes.

He took his break after I clocked back in and told me he was flying to The Netherlands, but would be back by five.

Around five I was hit with that ancient Chinese disease  Dragon Ass. I had two cups of coffee and somehow limped through the dinner shift. Drew came back from The Netherlands around five thirty but was scheduled to close. (poor Drew)

I got cut from the floor around eight fifteen and by nine was through with all my sidework and ready to leave.

Drew, being a closer had to sign off on my duties so asked him in front of our boss Barb, if he could hurry and check me out because my flight was leaving in just over two hours?

She looked at me like I was crazy.

When I left, Drew told me not to wait on him at security because he had to close the restaurant but would meet up with me at the gate before our flight.

It was a long hard day, double shifts are not an old woman's Forte' but much easier to take working side by side with someone you enjoy working with.

Falling into bed soon and waking up to start my new work week at the airport.

 When things look bleak and feel you can't go on, laughter is definitely the best medicine.

Thank You  Drew, for making a long exhausting day number I can't even remember how long in a row a really pleasant one.

We should go on the road together sometime, we'd completely kill it!

Til next time...

COTTON the comedienne wannabe.

Girl Time!

My camp counselor came home this weekend after training for a visit before all the kiddos arrive at camp next week. Pretty nice digs for a camp! This is the main cabin for the girl's she'll be in charge of. It has a kitchen, great room with TV, bathrooms for the campers and one for the counselors. It also has a loft. 

Here's  a picture of a frog on a log! It even has a lady bug on it's face...click on the picture to enlarge.

This was taken from the back side of the main cabin. That's Massey's cabin on the left and the girl's three cabins on the right.

The above photo is Ivy Corner, it has a spa house where they make soaps, lip gloss, bath salts, face masks and a place where they can paint their nails.

Here's Massey and her college room mate petting Misty, a pet deer known as their "Deer Dog." She was found when only two days old and raised with puppies being bottle fed, then brought to the camp to live on the 220 acre camp.

I'm excited for Massey to have this opportunity this summer, think she will have a ball and know those girls will love her being their counselor.

Canoeing in the lake, archery, swimming in the pool, arts and crafts, building shelters in the woods like the one above and much more.

I'm not sure who's luckier... Massey and her friends from college who are counselors this summer or the girls who will attend the camp?

Just glad to have her home this weekend.

My little girl has grown up and just thinking of this brings a little tear to my eye and a huge tug on my heart strings.

One summer she was just a little tot.

Seemed like the next year she was going to prom.

Then prom again.

I turned my head to look away for what seemed like just a second and suddenly she was having senior pictures made.

Then the next time I turn around she's finishing her freshman year at college and looking WAY too grown up.

This little girl who almost killed us both by demanding to be born in August instead of October weighing in at barely four pounds, fought like a giant and beat all the odds.

She's always been my garden of sunshine and will always be my best friend.

Her life is just beginning and can't wait to see how far she goes.

She loves me even though I'm a crazy person.

 She loves me with all my faults and I love her with her own.

We're like "Peas and carrots" as Forrest Gump said.

I'm proud of all my kids and love them so much it is a physical ache but the bond between mother and daughter is unique. Boys don't care for all the " Touchy Feely" stuff. Girls do.

This is me with my own mother at the age of fourteen. Little did I know,  less than three years later the hugs would end.

Every day I have with Massey is a blessing. When I was her age my own mother was gone.

I may think I'm older and wiser than her but have a feeling she will end up being the smarter one. At least I hope so.

Go gettum kid!

Til next time, a pretty proud COTTON

Day Nine of Training to Be a Brain Surgeon

I guess if Jethro Bodine thought HE could be a brain surgeon I can surely learn the ropes to this new serving job.

I've been given so much material to study and learn, Rain Man would even be baffled by it all. I got to the international terminal thirty minutes early and sat in the atrium making even MORE notes for me to study. I think I'm getting pretty good with the menu items but had a hard time coming up with adjectives to make Beef tongue sound enticing. Lucky for me I'm selling to a lot of Europeans and quite surprised at some of the things they consider enticing and delectable. Number one they aren't as glutenous as Americans and portion sizes aren't their main concern. Not one customer has asked if something could be "Super Sized" but a man (yes, an American) asked me for a side of ranch dressing today.

I took this selfie in the atrium after studying for thirty minutes before clocking in for another training shift and think the stress is starting to get to me, what do you think?

The good news is they didn't fire me like I dreamed last night waking up sweating out a hot flash AND nightmare, and the better news is the managers were busy and let me continue to make notes and study for another hour or so while running food when they needed me.

I had to stop for gas this morning before work so of course skipped breakfast. The bigger bummer was left my ziploc baggie full of Sweet Tarts on the kitchen counter. I'm all about some fruit snacks!

By six thirty even Beef Tongue sounded good.

If you are working over a five hour shift you get a thirty minute break to go get something to eat. The bonus is they give you a voucher for up to nine dollars and can go to any other restaurant run by the company and get something to eat for free. So I sat for another thirty minutes eating and taking / making even more notes. I learn best when I write it down and by this point in training have written a small novel.

I followed a server tonight who helped me a lot with my greatest weakness, the massive wine list. She gave me a list of "Go To" wines to learn about and rely on.

By the time I clocked out, I NEEDED a "Go To" wine! The terminal always shakes and shifts with all the huge jets taking off and landing but the thunderstorm starting outside made it even worse.

Just my luck.

I had found a parking spot pretty quickly today after creeping on two guys walking out of the train station towards the parking lot. Their car was parked in the last row of the lot but at least I found one.

Tonight with the thunder pounding and lightning cracking as I left made the spot seem even further away.

Good ole MARTA was out of service when I made it back to the train station and sat for thirty minutes waiting. At least by the time it started running again the weather was down to lightning and light drizzle.

I was back to Newnan by a little before ten. I stopped and filled up my "Loaner Truck" to return to my wonderful neighbor's who should be putting up a 'For Sale' sign any day now.

No more studying tonight, gotta be back at Mama Lucia's by ten thirty to open and back on the floor at three thirty for the night shift. Open again on Saturday morning and back on the floor at three thirty again for yet another night shift.

Massey is coming home this weekend for a visit and plan on recruiting her to quiz me on the new menu I'm trying to learn while squeezing in some Momma / Daughter time. Maybe we'll do Waffle House early Saturday morning and should be off early enough to do some more quizzing Saturday night.

This is how I feel at my new job right now.

At least at Mama's I feel more like this, confident.

And this is how I feel when I'm home...

Just going to bed and hoping I wake up with more confidence because that is what's missing in my life right now.

As I sat in the MARTA station tonight waiting for the train to decide to move, looking over the literally hundreds of pages of material and notes in front of me, came up with an excellent idea...

Yes I'll eventually get it  and yes six months from now may even feel comfortable about it but giving up has never been an option for me so why start now?

I want to make my life GREAT!

Til next time...COTTON

Sheesh Life Can be Tough

This new job is a great opportunity. I feel lost, there is so much to learn but trying my best to absorb all I can from constant note taking and asking questions.

It doesn't help I'm working seven days a week again and have little if no time for things around the house or time enough to study for the new job. I study at work when I first get there before the manager asks me to do something or follow someone. I spend my thirty minute break looking over my notes and cramming more into my tiny brain. I learned tonight am only the second person ever hired on as a server without having to be a server's assistant first, working  my way up to being trained as a server.

Crap, now I feel even MORE pressure!

It's just a stress filled experience. I'm worried about financial things, I'm worried about how I'm letting things go around the house and mostly worried about when I leave the house every day for the airport.

Working at the busiest airport in the world is a logistical nightmare when you ride MARTA from the station where I park. I pulled into the MARTA parking lot over an hour before I had to clock in. Once I get on a train I'm at the airport in one minute, on a shuttle to International in two minutes and walking through security twelve minutes later. It took me thirty minutes to find a place to park.

Now I know why all the cars line up in front of the station. They are all looking for someone leaving and ask them out their car window if they can have the spot they are vacating and which aisle is it on?

I'm a pretty quick learner. I went through both lots twice with no luck and almost drove to the next MARTA station when I caught on to the game.

I keep slowly circling the lot by the train entrance until I spotted a lone guy in a MARTA uniform leaving with a lunch box in his hand.

BINGO!

I said sweetly out my car window, "Hello kind sir! Would you perhaps be vacating a spot where I could possibly park?"

That's right!

 He pointed to a space not fifty feet from the train entrance and I slowly crept behind him in my once again borrowed vehicle.

So now I've got the parking problem solved but unfortunately is the least of my problems.

Now I have at least forty wines to memorize, and by that I mean know where they come from, what region of the country they come from, all the facts about body, taste and price.

Here's my new plan now that I have the parking problem solved.

I'm going to choose eight wines to memorize like the back of my vein ridden, age spotted hand. Four whites, two less expensive and two higher end wines and do the same with the reds. At least I'll have eight "Go To" wines that I know quite well and if they don't work will simply look over the customer's shoulder and cheat off the wine list in front of them.

With everything going on around here on the home front am just terrified I will go into work and them tell me I'm not quite up to their standards and let me go.

I think they like me, it's hard to tell. It's sometimes slow but sometimes total chaos and just try to keep up and help out.

I pray every night I can make the grade. It's a classy, upscale restaurant and a realm I've never worked in but want to.

It's like I told the young host I was working with at the front door tonight (who was cute as a button and shared my box of  Sweet Tarts with) ...

"If you've got enough money to fly to the south of France for a month you've got plenty of money to eat here."

I can barely afford the box of Sweet Tarts and only buy them when on sale for a dollar.

What the heck, I'll wake up again and give it another try.

The problem is this job is trying and feel totally overwhelmed but sincerely think I can do it and do it well.

I just gotta be tougher than the problem.

Til next time..COTTON

Halfway There

So today was day seven of fourteen training days for the new second job.

I feel like a lost puppy from the time I drive into the Marta parking lot until I get back to whatever car I've borrowed to get there. Not having a car certainly doesn't help my self esteem.

This past week I've been borrowing my next door husband's little spare truck. If I have to be there at eight thirty in the morning parking spaces are easy to find. When I go in at one or three it's like scraping the bottom of a barrel that's been emptied and wiped dry.

I've quickly learned to give myself at least fifteen extra minutes to find a space to maneuver the vehicle into. You also learn to follow people walking back towards the lot from the train station hoping to snag their spot. The aisles are so tight and close that you have to pull up, back up, turn in, back up again and repeat the process until you finally inch your way into the space open. I've seen several women who after trying nine or ten times simply give up their attempt and look for another space.

I feel like after these past seven days now seem to have the ability to parallel park an eighteen wheeler.

I finally got a spot when a woman gave up. She even had her son standing outside of the car telling her how much room she had as she pulled in , backed up and repeated the process at least ten times.

I guess that's why parking at the Marta lot is free, they certainly make you earn it!

I was sweating by the time I squeezed the truck into the space but patted myself on my sweaty back for doing it in just three attempts.

Here's another thing about judging how much time to give yourself. So you find a spot to squeeze into. Then you halfway jog to the station because you're eating up those spare minutes you've allowed yourself.

Now that I have my employee Marta card,  getting through the turnstile is a piece of cake since I don't have to stop and reload my card. I tap my card and go right through.

Then the next thing that can go wrong sometimes does. You sit down on a bench to wait for the next train which is supposed to stop every few minutes. I mean what are you gonna do if they don't, get up and jog across the highway to the airport?

I waited over ten minutes for a train today, watching the clock eat up more of my "allotted" time.

I finally got on a train to the airport fifty five minutes after leaving my house, less than thirty minutes away.

Don't get me wrong I appreciate parking free and only paying a dollar per ride but rapid transit leaves a lot to be desired, especially when you are headed to the busiest airport in the world.

By the time I caught the international shuttle (which also takes another fifteen minutes) was nearly out of my "allotted" time.

Riding Marta gives me a new perspective on why there are so many incidents, fights or confrontations.

Once the shuttle drops me off at the international terminal it's finally a piece of cake. They drop me right off at the door and less than five minutes later am not only through security but riding the escalator up to the front door of the restaurant, albeit sweating like Mel Gibson in a synagogue.

Then I clock into a job I have no earthly idea how I am going to learn to do in the next seven days with any remote feeling of confidence.

Yep, sounds like this is right up my alley!

Everyone has been extremely nice and am actually learning quite a bit. Hard to believe after being a server for over thirty years there is still something I need to learn. Guess being a server is a REAL job after all!

I had to take two menu tests today. I'm a terrible test taker, freeze up and feel like I've forgotten everything. I only cheated twice, asking a passing server for an ingredient I was missing on a description.

I'm used to working four or five hour shifts but this place is totally different and most shifts are at least eight hours. (another thing to get used to)

When I first got the job thought I was totally out of my league. Now I know I just simply have to step up my game and JOIN the big leagues!

This has been a draining experience but at least am old and wise enough to know "What doesn't kill you makes you stronger."


I'm gonna be the freakin' "Bionic Woman" by the time this training period is over!


Collapsing into bed and waking up even earlier so I can have time to run a few errands before I head back to the airport and give myself enough time to stop sweating before I clock in.

Til next time...COTTON

Easy Peasy?

I only hit the snooze once this morning but had set it fifteen minutes early so I could. I'm learning tips every day (huge pun). Take a shower at night, have your clothes ironed and ready and load up your Marta card when you leave the airport so you don't have to in the morning rush to work.

Made it in record time, even though I had to wait a few minutes for the shuttle to concourse F, or as I call it "The ends of the earth."

Walked into the atrium of the international terminal after breezing through security thirty minutes before I had to clock in.

Dang, this was a first! I sat at a small table, ate a fruit cup, had a bottle of OJ and still had twenty minutes to spare.

I was the first server there and really didn't know what to do besides clock in so I hit the clock and looked around. I saw the soda machine was still taken apart from last night's close and after over three decades of serving certainly know how to put one together so did. The ice bin had been emptied to clean  so I found the bucket and filled it up. I saw the tea machine and turned the heater on to warm up so we could brew tea.

The only manager there was the executive chef and training new servers how to open probably isn't one of his favorite things to do so just left him alone to do his own thing with the other chefs.

Another server showed up shortly and apologized for running late. Didn't blame her one bit, she worked a long double shift yesterday and had another one today.

She began to show me how to do things in the back kitchen to open. One of the chefs was prepping and pulled an octopus out to prepare for cooking. OH yeah, I took a picture!

It brought back memories of the movie Alien when that thing jumped on that dude's face and it slap kilt 'em!

The last two days have been following this server and has helped me out tremendously. I guess she appreciates senior citizens who can still work!

The management wants me to take a thirty minute break after five hours because they are paying me training wages but keep forgetting to so have adjusted my times to show I took a thirty minute break.


Today I finally remembered to take a thirty minute break at one thirty, must have been the breakfast I ate! I have terrible eating habits and been so worried about learning everything at this new gig I simply forget about time.

I also forgot that when on break can eat free for up to $9.50 at any of the other restaurants operated by the corporation that employs me. So only having thirty minutes had to eat close by. I could eat at The Varsity, The Original El Taco or the Bistro next door to us. I saw one of the cooks from our restaurant meandering around and asked where I should eat? He said he usually just ate at the Bistro so took his advice. I asked him what he ordered and he replied  "Chicken fingers with fries are always a safe bet."

I stepped up to the counter once again unsure of what I was doing because have never used my meal privileges before.

A very young, pretty Asian girl was working the register. She asked what I wanted and told her chicken fingers and fries. Shes asked if I wanted the kid's meal or snack meal?

Heck! I didn't have a clue.

She looked at my tag, letting her know I was using my meal voucher and said "You new? I no see you before! If you get snack there no drink, you go over and have to pay money. You get kid meal you get drink too."

I said give me the kid meal please and handed her my employee card. She pointed to a basket of bananas and said "You want banana too? Get one and you still not pay!"

Heck yeah I said!

I had two pretty nice sized chicken fingers, waffle fries, a drink and a banana to boot for free.

After my deliciously free lunch and clocking back in asked my general manager about picking up my Marta card?

I drive to the Marta station directly across from the airport, park for free and am in the airport in less than three minutes. Parking at the airport is I believe sixteen or seventeen dollars a day, Marta is free parking and five bucks round trip.

The corporation I work for offers unlimited Marta usage for ninety bucks a month and pay half the cost. I've been paying twenty five dollars a week. I signed up for it during orientation. They deduct your part once a month on the first from your paycheck and was scheduled to pick up my card today from HR.

He told me to go get my card and I headed back domestic side. For Pete's sake it's a long way back to domestic but saving forty five bucks a month made it well worth it. My glasses fell out of my pocket going up the escalator and broke in two.

Great! Now I was blind with a full belly of food.

After trying the door we used for training was alerted by a code that I didn't have access and had to go back downstairs and walk five more gates down to take another elevator up to Human Resources.


Over an hour later, had my new Marta card and headed back to the edge of the earth on concourse F.

Lucky for me they let me leave shortly afterward.

I left the airport a little after four and got home around five or so. I stripped out of work clothes and put on my shorts and tank top. I cranked up Johnny Dear and putted up to the front of our subdivision to cut the entrance insuring I would get paid tomorrow for the cut.  That will be sixty more bucks and help pay the Verizon giants who seemingly always be short of my cash to pay their own bills.

I got back to the house after eight and cut our side yard. The rest can wait. My last day off was May 24th and my next day off will most certainly be several months from now.

I don't like change. I don't like having to take a new job but after the past few days of adjusting my timing and having lots of help from new co workers decided it has been a wise decision for not only me but my entire family.

Thank The Lord I don't have to be in tomorrow until one thirty.  I'm crashing on the couch after wiping off all the grass clippings from my legs and face and ruffling them out of my hair.

I have a few more days of training and nervous about every one of them but comfortably feel confident enough to actually say "I THINK I got this!"

Old dogs don't like learning new tricks but if know there's a reward will learn it.

Let's hope it's Easy Peasy!

Who am I kidding? It's gonna be tough but as my daughter always tells me "You got this Momma!"

I talked with her briefly tonight. She's at the camp where she is working this summer. Lucky for me she said she's coming home this weekend. I need my Massey fix.

This is me holding her the day after she was born.

This is her holding me almost eighteen years later.

I love my husband and love my boys too but NOTHING feels better than having some extra estrogen pumped into this house of balls I live in.

Three more days of chaos at the airport and training for a job I feel freaked about. Then two more days of double shifts at the old digs where I feel comfortable.

Then Massey goes back to camp and I move forward.

Easy Peasy? We'll see...

Til next time...COTTON

Time For Another Hat Switch

Worked from eleven yesterday morning until nine last night at my home restaurant. Went back in at ten thirty this morning and got off a little after ten tonight, not sure if my feet will ever quit throbbing. Have to be up before six in the morning to leave the house by six thirty for the airport.

It's a good thing I'm already crazy because if I wasn't, would be soon. I only have to do this a few short months and all should be good...small price to pay in my book.

The lunch shift was pretty good. I had a one hour break and screamed home for thirty minutes. Great timing, Tim was just pulling burgers off the grill. I sat with Massey and scarfed down a burger while we chatted about her leaving for camp this afternoon.

She's going to be a counselor at Girl Scout Camp this summer and be gone all of June and July. I hugged and kissed her this morning before leaving for work in case I couldn't swing by the house to see her off this afternoon. At least I had thirty minutes with her to make sure she had everything she needed and give her a bit more cash to take with her for mad money until she got her first paycheck.

Got back to work in record time and the bottom dropped out. By four thirty I had at least five tables going and more piling in the door. There's a new girl training, most probably helping fill the gap I'll leave in the schedule when I go from six shifts a week to four. I worked with her over thirteen years ago at the restaurant I still call "Western Sizzler" so she's a pretty competent server, just needs to learn the massive menu and how to work along side the crazy Italians we work for. Since I was the only one on the floor she followed me and  let her ring in all my orders to learn the computer system. She was a tremendous help to me and couldn't have handled all the tables they sat me without her help.

When I cashed out with Barb in the office around ten I left my trainee a twenty for helping. I should have left more but times are tough and considering she wasn't expecting anything should be pretty happy when she comes in next and Barb gives it to her.

 I know all about training for a new job , it's hard when you aren't walking out with tip money every night...trust me! I'm currently doing it now and last week made it through  with five bucks to my name to spare when I got on the Marta train to go home.

Luckily I get paid at the end of the month for cutting the subdivision entrance and that money will get me though til Tuesday when it's payday at my home restaurant. That paycheck will get me through until Friday when I go back to my home restaurant after training all week again at the airport and wait tables all day Friday and Saturday.

I am really good at pulling a rabbit out of a hat and flying by the seat of my pants. If times get too tough my boys will always do help us out.

If I can just learn all this crap for the new gig we'll be set in a week or so. I'm fixing to fill out three tests I have to take with me tomorrow morning when I return to the airport gig.

Holy crap, I just get dizzy thinking about it!

Here's the thing about me...

Over the past few years we've learned when times are tough sometimes you have to scramble, rearrange, prearrange, prioritize, always pray and never be ashamed to accept help. Be sincere, always work hard and good things will eventually come your way. Call it Karma or the Golden Rule but if you give it your best, you'll be okay. Maybe not immediately but eventually.



When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
Let it be, let it be.
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.

And when the broken hearted people
Living in the world agree,
There will be an answer, let it be.
For though they may be parted there is
Still a chance that they will see
There will be an answer, let it be.
Let it be, let it be. Yeah
There will be an answer, let it be.

And when the night is cloudy,
There is still a light that shines on me,
Shine on until tomorrow, let it be.
I wake up to the sound of music
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
Let it be, let it be.
There will be an answer, let it be.
Let it be, let it be,
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be.



I'm simply going to "Let it Be".

My life IS what it is. No one can change it but me. I have to listen for words of wisdom and there WILL be an answer!

Til next time... COTTON

There's No Place Like Home

Through with training at the airport until Sunday. I had to work a double at my home restaurant today and was relaxing to back.

Yes they are extremely  crazy but so am I.

Barb has been extremely gracious which is totally out of her "Boss Lady" character  but knows I'm only taking this second job to help my family.

Barb's got my back, always has... maybe it's just a "Girl thing" but my biggest regret is I've lost my "Bestie".

I love them both dearly but Len and I have always been close, especially when Barb is out of earshot.

He's a crusty old Italian with a temper like an atom bomb times ten but if you're a hard worker basically never have problems with him. Oh yeah, every once in a while he'll explode at you but ten minutes later has forgotten all about it.

I don't think he wanted to keep me around once Barb told him I was taking a second job, especially for another restaurant but once again, Barb had my back.

Unbelievably, he changed his mind and let me remain, dropping from five or six shifts a week to four.

This man who is almost ten years older than me works a minimum of  ninety hours, seven days a week. How he does it is a mystery to me but explains his sometime massive explosions.

These two  people took me in when at my all time low. Barb has floated me loan after loan and although I always paid her back, she never had to loan me money...but always  did.

I love crazy Len. I know his feelings are hurt and hurts me to hurt his.

I have to constantly tell myself  this isn't ABOUT them, it's about MY family.

I'll have to give Len kudos for being a pretty gracious guy. He doesn't joke around with me anymore like he used to but hasn't harped on or totally ignored me either. I feel like the chick who dumped her date after the prom.

If my husband and I were still making six figures a year  would be happy as a clam working only at Mama's, eight minutes away from my house but we're not making six figures and sinking fast.

This opportunity came seemingly out of nowhere and would be a complete idiot to not take advantage of it.

So I'm still at my home restaurant four shifts a week and grateful to be there. I totally understand Len's being upset with me. Not to brag but am one of the better servers and hands down one of Len's "Besties".

I miss Len talking and joking with me but is a small price to pay at this point.

No matter what happens from this point forward will always be grateful for the love and support this totally dysfunctional but amazingly wonderful family has given me.

On a more comical note, when I first started for Mama's, I thought Len looked like Dr. Evil.

Then his son told me his dad reminded him more of this guy...

Yep, Len's blind as a bat  like me without his peepers and totally get the Mr.Magoo reference but that's okay, I'm totally Phyllis Diller , and that's alright with me too. It beats being compared to one of the "Real Housewives of any city."

Til next time...a conflicted but hopeful COTTON