Oh YES!

Six more long hard work days have rolled by again and now comes my wonderful day off!!

Yesterday I went to bed totally exhausted but at least tumbled into bed before eleven and slept til ten. Of course I woke up at six thirty, my mental alarm still obviously working but felt even better when realized I didn't have to be at work until one thirty. I rolled over and conked out again until nine. I reversed sides and slept another hour.

I usually leave the house at noon for a one thirty shift but had errands to run so got up at ten and left the house around eleven.

My still borrowed truck doesn't have A/C and my uniform is hotter than a winter coat this time of year so decided to wear capris, a tank and flip flops for errands and the drive to the airport. I packed my work shoes and uniform in a small duffel bag of Massey's I found in her closet and headed off.

Hopefully , and mean really hopefully my own car will be ready at the beginning of next week. After over two years of paying the car , cost of a new transmission plus labor off bit by bit (a hundred here, fifty there) found out after the transmission was installed it needed a new engine too.

We've agreed to pay for the engine  but has really drained not only my bank account but Tim's too.

Just when I was getting used to seeing money sitting in my account it's now depleted once again but I HAVE to have a vehicle...and after all this money we've spent, better be a smooth running ride!

For now I'm still using the truck. Every morning when I go over to climb in and sponge my way to the airport am just grateful my next door husband hasn't locked me out of it or moved it completely from his property.

Felt wonderful being in short pants and flip flops as I ran errands. Had to shift money from my bank account to Massey's savings account for her tuition due this week at her credit union and deposit her paycheck into her checking account.

I stopped and filled my next door husband's truck with gas and thought about getting some grub from a drive thru before heading into work, I had thirty minutes to spare and a really empty belly.

I cut through the Tractor Supply parking lot to go to Wendy's , when just like a momma (even a dog momma) thought about what Zach had told me this morning when getting ready for work.

I crashed before he got home from work last night and put our younger boxer, Ziggy (aka Houdini) out in the back yard on his thirty foot cable run. I hate having to put him on a run but the little devil is determined to get out of that back yard the minute your back is turned or sometimes even when you are looking but knows you are too far away to stop him. We have a lot of woods, a creek and all types of wildlife behind our house and Ziggy is mesmerized by every bit of it beyond the hog wire we have staked up at the back of our property to keep the dogs out of the creek.

Ziggy always comes back, after roaming every inch of the creek and woods but am terrified of him wandering out of the woods onto the busy road by our subdivision and getting hit by a car.

 I'm not worried about someone stealing him, he's a horrible dog and although WE love him, after about a day with them the thieves would be digging through their trash can to find his collar with our address and phone number on it to bring him back.

Zach said last night he was sitting out in our garage with a buddy around two in the morning after getting off work late when Ziggy came walking into the garage acting all happy but tired, like he had just gotten back from a wonderful adventure, dragging about ten feet of the broken cable behind  him, panting like the adventure had been all uphill.

I had told Zach to just crate Ziggy in the spare room upstairs before going to work later because didn't think I had time to buy another cable before work.

I saw Wendy's in front of Tractor Supply and thought about a single and some fries before work. It sounded pretty good. Then I thought about Ziggy having to sit in a crate in the spare bedroom for seven hours instead of being out back with at least thirty feet to romp around with food and water.

I turned into Tractor Supply and bought another cable.

I headed back to the house and called Zach on his cell. I told him I had a new cable so he could leave Houdini out back when he left for work later but was now running short on time and to meet me at the mail box, and bring me three clementines out of the refrigerator to eat at work.

Both problems solved and was off to the airport with exactly enough time to get there.

A nice TSA lady flagged me down as I perused the lot looking for a close space to the entrance at MARTA to let me know she was pulling out and backed my next door husband's little borrowed truck in as she pulled out.

Hustled to the station in my flops with my little tote bag and caught the train less than five minutes later. Another two minutes later  walked up to the Sardine Shuttle stand when the woman, seeing me in street clothes with a duffel bag asked if I was headed to the international terminal? I nodded and she instructed me to "Please climb aboard!"

Dang, I'll have to wear street clothes more often!

When the Sardine Shuttle people see that uniform or airport badge, they get all puffed up with their limited authority and sometimes make employees feel like we're bumming rides from them in their own vehicles without offering to chip in for gas.

Made it through security with time to change in the restroom and still clocked in one minute early for work.

Did my opening duties in the back while eating all three clementines and got lucky when a cook brought back some fried goat cheese for me to munch on.

Had a nice little pop of business once I went on the floor and around six slowed down between flight departures.

I clocked out and took my break. I ate at The Varsity. Not the healthiest food in the world but pretty stinking good when you're starved. With my break slip I got two hot dogs, an order of fries, large Coke and a large FO for dessert. It cost me thirty four cents.

I like me some perks! Especially ones that help me gain weight.

I always sit in the food court facing the restaurant to eat so  can see if they are starting to get busy without me.

I went through the back entrance to the restaurant after eating and stowed my FO behind a counter for later.

I walked back up to the host stand to tell them I was back from break as a party of six asked for a table.

BINGO!

Belly full, hidden frozen delight and got back just in time for a big table.

It wasn't an overly busy night but walked out the door before ten making two Franklins and an extra fifty in cash to take with me.

I was like a kid in a candy store. I had the next day off,  had made the deposit I needed for Massey's college tuition, gassed up my rental vehicle, fixed the Ziggy situation, gotten a belly full of food and walked out of the restaurant at the precise time every employee on concourse F riding MARTA wants to. Twenty two minutes before the next train.

I fast walked to the elevator, got off downstairs as the Plane Train was leaving but knew it ran every minute or so. It gave me time to walk all the way to the first train which would spit me out at the bottom of the escalators taking everyone up to ground transportation.

This may sound trivial but isn't, especially when  you work at the airport, way out on concourse F.

It was the first time since the end of May when I started this job, that I stood on the escalator without huffing and puffing my way up the already moving stairs and simply let the escalator "Do it's thing."

I strolled through the MARTA gate and slow walked up the steps instead of taking them two at a time.

I reached the platform as the train rolled to a stop, taking me home for my thirty six hour staycation.

It's the little things in life that make you happy, it's the big things that worry you.

Have my list of things to do tomorrow (now today) but look forward to not having to run for a train or take a flight of stairs two at a time.

It'll just be me and my Johnny Dear, cutting grass. What an excellent way to spend a day!

Once again, a truly blessed and really happy COTTON

Welcome To My New World

Here's my new home away from home away from home. It was a hard decision to make, starting a new job in my mid fifties. Old dogs don't learn new tricks easily.

I was way out of my league with this restaurant and knew it but stepped out of the box and did it anyway. I had to forget about MY fears and worry about what was best for MY family.

It's been a tough road, thought at times I'd never make it through training but somehow did and after working out all the maneuvers of navigating, working in the world's busy airport and learning the ropes of using public transportation and every shortcut imaginable have fallen into the groove of things.

In other words, "Now I'm groovy!"

I still feel tremendous gratitude to my Mama Lucia's family and always will. Without them, we wouldn't have survived these past four hard years.

I came across this job almost by accident but at the exact precise time. It was a blessing from God and the answer to my non stop prayers.

My husband was out of work and was simply spinning wheels and tumbling deeper into debt. As the mortgage company threatened foreclosure I simply took a deep breath and huge leap of faith.

It's now almost mid August and have had only five days off since the end of May.

On the upside of my exhaustion, since going on the floor at this new place have caught up not only our mortgage but every other bill we were behind on...and several were REALLY behind.

I'm staying on at my old place too out of respect, love and gratitude. They are short staffed now and wouldn't be right to leave them high and dry. I worked seven days a week for the first couple of months. Five at the airport and two at Mama's.  Once the mortgage was caught up and threat of foreclosure was gone simply had to tell my old bosses I needed to cut back to one day a week. They of course complied.


It's been tough joining the big leagues but something I had to do. It had nothing at all to do with Mama Lucia's but had everything to do with saving our family. We have a daughter beginning her sophomore year of college and a home less than five years away from being paid off and ours outright.

I have almost tripled my salary working five shifts a week at the airport. I don't mean to sound like my old restaurant was lame because they aren't. They are a wonderful family owned place with the best food and ambiance in Newnan.

Now I am working for a huge corporation in a really exclusive place, the new international terminal at the busiest airport in the world. It's a no brainer when you are as broke as we were.

Yes getting to and from is a hassle, considering I've been borrowing a vehicle the entire time and is twenty five miles from home, but being able to pay all our bills feels wonderful after well over five years of struggle.

So let me show you my new place.

As my mother in law would say "It's swanky".

I've had to tone myself and ways down quite a bit but has been well worth it.

It's a beautiful place and hands down the only legit restaurant in the airport. I quickly learned if you have enough money to fly to Amsterdam, Paris or Italy you probably have enough money to eat in a fine dining establishment.

 They have a nice Gelato stand on one end of the place facing the atrium where passengers can buy a cup without even coming in. They make their own and flavors vary from day to day. Nutella, chocolate chip mint, peanut butter, pistachio, tiramisu, butter pecan, vanilla bean, black chocolateand also limoncello or mango sorbet.

The fried goat cheese balls, tempura style battered and lightly fried are drizzled with clover honey and topped off with cracked black pepper. They will melt in your mouth!

They have a new Vidalia onion tart with Ossau  Iraty cheese, served with an arugula-stone fruit salad. Onion and peaches both local from Georgia.

So I'm in a swanky new place and finally starting to feel it, for real!

I only had to fake wine knowledge but have quickly picked that up too. Now that I'm not so nervous feel more comfortable making suggestions and actually have even impressed myself!

The executive chef kinda likes me because I'm old school and every time  hear him ask for a food runner always go by the window to help. The manager seems to like me because he seems to like everybody but is an awesome guy to work for.

Me... I'll always be Granny Clampett, skinny with my gray hair, wrinkles and glasses perched on my nose so can see.

My family will always be Clampetts too, still searching for that Black Gold, Texas Tea.

I don't need or want to be a millionaire, neither did they.

I simply just want to be as happy (already there) and not afraid to answer the phone or door. (almost there)

 Til next time...COTTON

Not Bragging But I "Am" Pretty Funny

I consider myself the Phyllis Diller of the new millennium. I liked her because she always made fun of not only others but herself.

Yep, I'd be the one with a lamp shade on her head at a party and not care if someone took my picture.

Actually the above photo is my profile picture on Facebook and don't think I'll ever need to change it. It's me, down to the knobby knees and eclectic outfit.

Case in point:

I was at work (the airport job) the other day and had a big bag of Skittles in my clear plastic purse.  I'd go a get me a handful and eat them in the back when I had a spare minute. My buddy, Akil (aka my sidekick) from the host stand walked by me  as I was munching on some. I held my hand out with the candy in it and said to him nonchalantly "Skittle my Nittle?"

Our new manager was sitting at his desk doing some work on the computer but leaned back in his chair to look over at me, shook his head slowly, grinning and said "Now THAT'S a pretty good one."  (And yes, our new manager happens to be black)

Back at the host stand about thirty minutes later about three of us were talking when a young girl from the Hilfiger store downstairs wandered up and started chatting. I had never met her before but asked if they ever had good sales on their merchandise? She said they had a 50% off sale going on right now. With my thirty percent employee discount that would mean I could buy something for 80% off. Not that I've ever BOUGHT anything at a Hilfiger store but was nice to know. She said they had all flip flops and quite a few shirts marked half price.

Another server came walking up and joined our conversation. The girl didn't have on anything saying she was a Hilfiger employee, probably took her badge off since she was on break. She answered someone else's question about some type of apparel they were interested in  when the server who had wandered up asked if she had any button downs? She said in fact they did, to which he replied "But are they authentic?"

I shook my head and and said "Dude, she's not selling stuff out the trunk of her car by Turner Field."

It's crazy the shops they have on the international concourse and all of them do a booming business. Michael Kors, Ferragamo, Coach, Hilfiger, Tumi Luggage, Gucci and others to name a few.

It amazes me that someone would be walking through an airport and stop before boarding a flight to purchase a thousand dollar purse and wallet to match but they do...and don't even have the 30% employee discount! There's some serious money floating in and out of that terminal.

To me it seems ridiculous they can get almost ten dollars for a fruit cup and yogurt parfait in containers no bigger than twelve ounces.

I look forward to a couple of years from now when we're getting back to normalcy and can do my Christmas shopping in the terminal when the big stores have really good sales.

Today was insanity at work. With the big storms in Hawaii a lot of flights were delayed and tons of people spent the entire night in the airport because all hotels were full.

Works for me!

Unfortunately those "Crucial ten seconds" worked against me as I ran down the stairs at the College Park MARTA station and watched the 8 AM train pull out of the station toward the airport, four minutes early this morning. Had I been there ten seconds earlier would have been DELIGHTED the train was running early. This morning...not so much.

It was a weekend so had to sit for another twenty minutes and wait for the next one.

Got to work fifteen minutes late but at least called the restaurant from the MARTA station to let them know I was on my way.

I like the servers I work with but most are just kids in their early twenties and have no concept of urgency.

I walked in the door and immediately got to work.  The one female server had gotten there early and most of the back set up. The one male server had obviously just gotten there as well and was setting the chairs out. The other male server called twenty minutes later to say he would be late (duh) but was stopping for doughnuts for all of us. For Pete's sake, that'll just make him even later! (although DID grab a doughnut when he finally got there)

When one of the managers finally got there and asked how I was doing  replied "Well, I like most of the servers but's kind of like working with government employees. Politicians seems nice enough but don't really feel compelled to do much."

That got another one of those "THAT'S a good one!" looks as he shook his head.

I was rocking my tables though. There was a big Tokyo flight going out and felt like I was in an old "Ultra Man" episode.

 I had a really nice young Asian man who was waiting for his fourteen hour flight and wanted a glass or two of Malbec. I suggested a bottle and remarked "Hey, it's not like you're FLYING the plane, and think how well you'll sleep on the long flight!"

BINGO!

He ordered a forty dollar bottle of wine to go with his meal and left me five extra bucks on top of his added eighteen percent.

Next crush was a huge Barcelona flight leaving.

BINGO number two!

I was bonding with the peeps today and they were LOVING me!

A couple waiting to board after being delayed overnight ordered several items to share and the husband ordered a Dewars on the rocks. I asked if he wanted a double? I continued with "You may as well, a single is $7.99 and a double only $11.99."

Yes please and thank you was his reply! They were a really nice couple and also got swamped with about seven other tables waiting to board the same flight.

The Mid shift person got there right on time (another server around my age of course) and things settled down before getting out of control.

There was one lady at the bar who was drinking and talking so loudly, Helen Keller could have heard her. Guess it's a good thing "She's not FLYING the plane!"

She reminded me of the "Fun Girls" on an old Andy Griffith Show episode. I loved the older one with the raspy voice who always said "Hey doll".

It was quite a day at the ole workplace.

All the big flights took off and the place emptied out as quickly as it had filled.

Not one to ever dawdle,  got my tables clean... side work caught up quickly and even did a bit more than my fair share and was out of there shortly after five with two Ben's on my next paycheck and over a hundred in cash in my pocket.

I really needed this shift, considering the car I've been paying on for over two years and finally had paid off that was promised to be ready this past Monday now suddenly needs a new engine too.

Don't let me even get started on THAT one...it wouldn't be very funny!

Just taking it a day at a time , staying firm in my belief of Karma and know everything will work out.

"Jed and me" have made it this far, nothing can stop us now! You can go ahead and try but it don't take no double naught spy to figure out something's shady.

Til time,  COTTON Clampett

And Just Like That, She's Gone

Believe it or not, this is the view from Massey's new bedroom window. You can see all the way to Sandy Springs.

We left before ten this morning. You couldn't have put one more thing in this truck and is a good thing I'm skinny. The passenger side was packed and couldn't even see out the side window. Thank goodness for side and rear view mirrors!

That is, until we rearranged one last time to fit the one rolling cart left into the front seat with me and knocked off my neighbor's rear view mirror.

Huge sigh.
We all loaded up anyway and headed out. Massey rode with my friend Lisa in her car (also packed) and told them to drive slow and would follow (blindly) behind them into the heart of downtown Atlanta.

I was a nervous wreck the entire drive. I kept trying to look in the rear view mirror (not there anymore) and couldn't see squat out the passenger side. It's the first time I've ever been grateful there was a bog down of traffic on the "Grady Curve" right by the exit for her Loft. It was a lot easier to navigate when going fifteen miles per hour versus sixty.

We parked across the street from her Loft and all got out. I commented "That was a really relaxing drive!" (not)

My dear friend who helped us move in was also decorating Massey's room for her as a present. She had brought some really industrial hand trucks which flipped into a cart and only had to make three trips to the thirteenth floor.

Really? The THIRTEENTH floor?

Only Massey. (smh)

I was blown away by the view from her new room. You could see twenty five miles north of Atlanta from her bedroom window.

We let Massey unload the kitchen things and dragged all the things Lisa had brought with her to decorate into Massey's room, shut the door and got busy. Lisa wanted it to be a surprise.

Massey had told her she wanted a "Travel" theme and "Travel Theme"she got!

The closet didn't have doors so my friend had made a cute cover for it with sewn in pockets for extra storage.

She had also bought Massey a Duvet and made pillows for her bed with the same theme.

She had a world map we hung on the wall beside her bed. Of course Massey wanted the bed lofted to have space to push her dresser under it and only took us forty five minutes to comply...but did it!

I was already sweating like a 400 pound man when noticed her air vent was closed. We opened it but were beginning to both stink. My friend went over to see if the huge window would open while I had my back to her piddling around with something when someone shot off a twelve gauge shotgun in the room.

I clutched my chest like Fred Sanford used to and turned around to see my friend looking stunned. She had just turned a lock on the top of a window when the entire top pane slid all the way down behind the bottom one. Neither one of us could believe it didn't shatter into a million pieces. We tried to pull it back up but wouldn't budge.

I cracked the door open and hollered out to Massey to call maintenance.

I loved the world map on the wall and the piece she brought for over the door.

The idea of retro suitcases for a side table was fantastic!

The place used to be a parking garage for Grady Hospital before being turned into Lofts and had lots of exposed concrete which gave it just the right touch!

She put up a black board on one of the concrete walls, added an old window frame with knobs and wire mesh on it for hanging jewelry and put a cork board beneath it.

Too cute!

I loved the arrangement of various frames, especially the old wooden one with Massey's initials in it. The top left one reads: "Be Strong and courageous , for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

 This is an old box made to dispense ribbons. We cut a hole in the side and ran a power strip cord through it  so Massey could plug in her devices to charge without having to see an ugly power strip on her desk! (Once again, Lisa's idea)

She also brought not only two rugs for Massey's room but one for their little living/dining room.

How cute is that?!

So I can glue my neighbor's rear view mirror back on when I get back home, and we didn't break the probably three thousand dollar window pane and she's all moved in to boot! We'll call this day a major success.

We all went to The Vortex for a burger after all our work and then my friend left for home. What she did for Massey was incredible. Once again shows you how wonderful it is to be loved.

I took Massey to Publix and she picked up a few groceries. We got back and the window still wasn't fixed. I put on my "momma" voice and called the front desk again saying I didn't feel comfortable leaving my daughter without her window being shut. Not ten minutes later we heard a knock at her door.

I had to help him, I bet that window weighs two hundred pounds but he got it back up and locked.

Then it was time to go.

One last selfie in front of her huge picture window overlooking the biggest city in the south and it was time to go.

I mean talk about a place with a view!

We hugged and kissed, she thanked me for everything and suddenly it hit me.

She's gone!

She may come home for holidays or a visit but has tasted the real world, knows what possibilities are out there if you get a good education and is determined to do just that.

Good for her!

I am thrilled for her, but as she turned that lock after shutting the door as I left realized that was no little girl I just left but a smart, driven young woman who was chomping at the bit to take life by the horns and go as far as life could take her.

Good thing I was alone in the elevator because I cried the entire thirteen floors back to the lobby.

That's her bedroom on the second floor from the top, far right.

As I walked by the desk in the lobby on the way out simply said "Take care of my girl."

Out of all the things I've done in my life, some good and some not too good... my three kids are absolutely my greatest accomplishment.

They have worn me out at times but wouldn't take anything back or change anything which has happened.

They will be my legacy long after I'm gone.

The world should send me a Thank You note.

I've raised three incredible kids and know all will make a huge impact in whatever path they choose to follow.

Til next time...COTTON

Sophomore Year, Here She Comes!

Had a pretty good day. A guy let me take a parking space at MARTA even though he was waiting for one too, made it to the platform as the train pulled to a stop and the doors opened, got on the Sardine Shuttle before all the suit cases showed up and breezed into work ten minutes early. Got all my opening duties done and was still slow so took my break and scarfed down some free food in the food court.

Wasn't overly busy, but still made $150 and was done before nine thirty. Made the ten o'clock MARTA train and was home in time to help Massey load my next door husband's still borrowed truck for her move back to college tomorrow morning.

Got home and she had everything moved out to the garage for loading. Yikes! It's just a little Ford Ranger.

We got everything loaded except one little rolling cart which will hopefully fit into my friend's car who is graciously going along to help move and decorate the Loft for the girls.

She also decorated my newly painted kitchen for me and did a fabulous job. This is her gift to Massey and is quite simply "An awesome thing of her to do." Not to mention she's helping us lug everything up to the thirteenth floor  where Massey will reside.

And I thought last year's fifth floor move in was brutal!

This is the view from Massey's new bedroom we will be moving her into. Sure beats the cinder block room I lived in at Georgia Southern!

They will have a full kitchen with a refrigerator, stove and dishwasher. I liked seeing the fire extinguisher!

 Thank goodness they are electric burners!

I'm thrilled Massey has this opportunity and even more so we are in a much better place to be able to help her this year.

Last year we were broke as jokes and wondered how we'd even get her through her first year. Lucky for Massey she has an excellent room mate from a wonderful family and they provided every amenity the girls could possibly want or need in their Freshman dorm room... rerigerator, microwave, flat screen TV and WiFi router for their laptops.

Tim and I brought a tunnel fan.

Here's the thing. Massey's room mate's parents went on and on about how neat it was for the girls to have a tunnel fan! How nice was that?

You would have thought we brought them a maid and butler to wait on the girls hand and foot. Their family isn't filthy rich but doing well and have never once made us feel awkward or beneath them. Massey knows how to pick a room mate!

Well this year it's gonna be different.

We have struggled and climbed. We've been knocked  down again and again but finally found the door God opened.

Tim has a good steady job with a great company and plenty of room to move up. I found the Golden ticket and have the best job I've ever had in my over three decades of serving.

I finally feel human again.

I've tripled my salary and we have not only caught our mortgage up but have all bills paid. I've drained my bank account getting Massey ready for school this past week and getting my own new/used car fixed but pay day from the airport is this Thursday and will be able to tackle the next round.

 Headed for the couch to watch some Parks and Recreation on Zach's Netflix account and wake up to another glorious day.

It hasn't been easy at times but have always tried to remain positive and think have done pretty well in the integrity department.

I've decided after these last five long years there are three things you need to remember to be a success:

The Golden Rule. "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Karma. "What goes around comes around."

Pay it forward. No explanation needed, "You get what you give and extend that giving to others."

Going to bed a happy, blessed woman.

Til next time...COTTON