A Prairie View

Getting On Schedule

Its been a long day - but I’m sure will continue to be a long week as well. Just as last week was. We have soooo much paperwork that needs to be caught up. Ethan was at camp last week, so we worked until 6 & 7:00 each evening. PLUS, I worked all day Saturday. We had a birthday part to attend yesterday, so we didn’t work then; but today I stayed until 6:00. We are chipping away — since David worked with me Saturday, he was able to get the driver’s paperwork checked then instead of today … or Tuesday, like he has been doing lately. So, I was able to start on the billing as soon as I got out there, instead of late afternoon or the next day.

I’m actually on schedule for a change, which I hope makes a difference come the end of the week. Those weeks that he didn’t get the billing checked until late afternoon or Tuesday, it would be Thursday before I could make any kind of deposit and do the cash receipting, and then Friday work on the IFTA report, or check expenses. But the IFTA report (at least my part of it) is done for the quarter, and I have a full quarter to get caught up and stay caught up before the next one is due. We have had some really good weeks, with extra loads and such, so its been a hectic time. I’m hoping it will slow down just a bit, plus working these extra hours will make a difference.

Wrong Mom

I can be such a duffus sometimes.  This morning was a classic example.  I don’t even know my own son.  How bad is that???   It went something like this …

Every Monday morning, our minister, our youth director, and I meet at 8:00 to go over our calendars, share concerns that we might have, and then a short devotional.  The phone rings, and we joke that it is probably David or Ethan.  The minister tells him that his mom has flown north — that she went to Alaska.  We all laughed, and then I got up and answered the distressed child’s call. 

Child: “Mom…can you go home and get my binder?”

Me: “Right now?  I’m in a meeting”

Child: “Well, as soon as you can.  I’m in class”.

Me: “*sigh. Ok.  Where is it?” 

Child:  “The kitchen counter, I think”.

Me:  “Ok, I’ll get it, but AFTER the meeting.  I’m not leaving now”.

Child: “Ok”.

Now granted … I remember thinking he sounded a little different, but I justified it in my head that he is just getting over a bronchitis and laryngitis.   But the real clue should have been “binder” …. “kitchen counter”.   Binder would imply that he actually brought the binder in and maybe actually did homework.    But, again, I justified it in my head that maybe he needed to get some papers out of it, and thats why he brought it in. 

Ok.  So I go back to the meeting.  We finish up.  The Youth Director leaves to go to “other job”, and the minister and I talk a little bit … and then I get up and tell him I’ll be back.  I have to go get a binder and take it to the school.

I get home.  I go to the kitchen.  No.  Binder.    I walk the house.  Still no. binder.

I call the school.   I refuse to leave a message.  I want to talk to Ethan.  And I wait for him to get on the phone.

Me:  “What am I suppose to get for you?”

Ethan:  “What?”

Me:  “Binder.  Remember?  You called me.  I. Need.  My.  Binder.”

Ethan: “Mom?  I didn’t call you”

By now, the lights are going off …  I hadn’t been talking to my child.  And now I’m worried, because some kid out there thinks his mom is going to be bringing up his binder, and the mom is going to be clueless, when he gets mad at her for not doing it. 

On the way back up to the church, I call David, just to give him the laugh for the day.  Being the brilliant man he is (I never claimed to be the brightest crayon in the box) — he put 2 and 2 together.  The child I probably talked to was the Youth Director’s son.  He’s in middle school, his voice has already changed to that bass sounding man voice, like Ethan’s.  And…when he called, he probably just asked for “Mom” … and our minister is so used to Ethan calling and asking for “Mom”.  I don’t feel quite so bad though — if our minister thought it was Ethan as well, then it wasn’t just totally me being a duffus.

By the time I had gotten back to the church, the Youth Director was on the phone with the minister — she had called to stop me from having to go home (too late) — her kid called and wanted to know when she was going to bring his binder.  I can only imagine the conversation there …  “you did not call me”.  “Yes, I did.  You were in a meeting with Gordon”.  The things he said, finally clicked that it was HIM who called and I talked to — and he thought he was talking to HIS mom.

What a hoot.  We aren’t going to forget this for some time to come.  I’m going to have to give Alex a hard time when I see him.

I Didn’t Make It

It sounded like bacon sizzling outside. It was sleeting, and was just not a good deal outside. But, I ventured on into the church, and got my mission accomplished, for the most part. I have 50 directories run and bound, and ready for distribution. I will do the other 25 tomorrow. I need to find a way to be nice to my boss. He shoveled and salted the sidewalk for me, plus started my Explorer and scrapped the windshield and windows. I can’t tell you how much I appreciated him doing that!

Then I ventured out to the trucking company. David was still in Topeka, but I have plenty to do out there, and a key to get in if he’s not there. Normally, I can park in the carport, and all is good. But. There was already a car there, and our boss was parked behind them. So, that meant having to park in the driveway, which has a bit of a sloop. Not bad, but nonetheless, a bit of a sloop. I put one foot out, and when I couldn’t get any traction — it just kept sliding, I decided I wasn’t going to chance it. Put my foot back in the Explorer, and went home.

I called David later to see if he had made it back — which he had — and I asked him if I was over reacting by coming home. And he actually agreed with me, that it was slick, and it probably was best that I didn’t attempt to try to make it into the office. Esp. since he wasn’t there.

So there went one day of not working on the IFTA stuff. I had had it at home; but since I knew I would be working on it at the office, I took it back. If it had still be at home, I would have worked on it there. Oh. well. Such is life. I am such a chicken these days when it comes to ice. Me going down on ice, would NOT be a good deal, nor a purty sight.

D-Day Has Arrived

Tomorrow is D-Day.   Directory Day.  Whooo Hooo!   My boss said to let ‘em run.  We have read and proof-read, we have made changes, and made phone calls to track down information.   The church directory is ready to run and distribute.  That is my project for tomorrow.  And its only Thursday, so at the trucking company, I would like to make a big dent in the IFTA report paperwork I have let pile up.  I said this quarter I was going to stay on top of it, and get it done, week by week.  But somewhere along the line, I let a week go by; and then last week, I didn’t even work out there Thursday or Friday, so there goes another week.  But.  I have 2 days — which is 8 hours of time, to devote to it, and thats what I am going to do.  I would really like to go into this weekend, “major project” free — and carry that feeling into the home, and hit some major projects here.  Good Feeling!

No Pressures, No Deadlines

It goes without saying that I am always happy when the weekend rolls around. But this week more than normal. There were just lots of extra things going on, things with deadlines, and anxious moments of “am I going to get it done on time?”. I did, and can breathe a huge sigh of relief that those things are done and I can move on to other projects. I still have a few things to do that aren’t on the normal agenda of things to do, but I am confident that I can make it all work, and this coming week will be a good week as well. Just gotta get through tomorrow first. Scout Sunday. Ethan’s a Boy Scout, so he and the other boys will be doing a few things in our worship service. They were supposed to do special music, but the other boys didn’t want to, so Ethan opted out as well. After his last song near-disaster (the CD that he burned wouldn’t play on the sound system at the church. Fortunately, one of the ladies of the church over heard the problem, and knew what song he was singing, and was able to go home and get her store bought CD, and he used that.) — he doesn’t want to sing with anything that isn’t store bought. And we haven’t been to Topeka lately to get any. So, I didn’t push him to sing. It’ll be fine.

For now, I just want to sit back, and enjoy my weekend, with no pressures or deadlines!

Sick Man In The House

W ords that I have never heard in the 24 years of marriage, came out of my husband’s mouth this morning. “I’m not going to work”. He has never ever said that. He’s been sick before, but he has always gone, regardless. He’s been running a fever for the last 3 or 4 days. He has some cold symptoms, but not a really bad cold, like he has had in the past. Mostly its just the fever. But its about to whip him. I told him he WAS going to the doctor, and he agreed without a whimper. Not going to work? going to the doctor? the man definately IS sick.

He did go to the doctor, and he has the flu. Which sounds strange to me, but I’m not disagreeing with the doctor. I’ve always connected throwing up with the flu. And he’s not been ill in that respect at all. But, he wrote him to presciptions… some cough syrup with codiene, and Tamaflu. $100 worth of meds. And the cough syrup was only $6.

He did end up going to work. The doctor he sees is in a little town about 15 miles from here. After seeing him, he went on to the office. Our Explorer is still messing up, so at noon, he brought it back to town and took it to our local garage to have them look at it again, and I picked him up from there. We got his medicine and dinner, and went back out to the office. At 4:00, I looked at him and he was sleeping at his desk. I told him we were going home, and he was going to bed. Again, he agreed without a whimper. We came home, he gave me some load #s, and told me which drivers would be calling and what I needed to tell them. And he went to bed. 5:00. This is not a good deal. I have never seen him this sick. Yes, bad bad colds. Throwing up. We have all been through that. But on the surface, he doesn’t really appear to be sick. Except he’s red faced. And hot.

I don’t mean to be selfish here — but I really hope he keeps it to himself. I hope he doesn’t pass it on to me. I won’t be as tough as he has been. And I really don’t want to miss any work at this point. I’m doing good. I’m on top of things, and now working on “damage control” of things I got behind on last quarter. There IS light at the end of the tunnel. I can’t get sick. I don’t wanna get sick right now. Don’t have time.

Clearing The Cobwebs

I am so pleased with today. Makes me think that the meds that Dr. B put me on just might actually be kicking in. I puttered along at the church, addressing the cards the board members signed last night (this is kinda like my little ministry. I buy “Thinking of you” cards every month, put the name of everyone on our prayer list on each card, and then the guys, at their monthly board meeting, split the cards up between them, and write a note to who’s ever card they get — letting that person know that they, as a person, and we, as a church are thinking of them, and praying for them. After all the cards are done, they have a moment of prayer for those people. Then the next day, I finish addressing them, and mail them out. So, I worked on that, and worked on the shepherding list that I need to have done before the elder’s meeting (not this next Monday, but the following Monday).

Everything that got accomplished at the trucking company this afternoon, though, is what impresses me. Even David said he was impressed. I pulled all the 2007 stuff and got them put NEATLY into a couple of tote boxes. As I said yesterday, the billing for this week is done. I worked up a deposit, and cash receipted them on the computer. Entered all the bills that have come in the mail. Filed away all the ones we paid the other day. Worked on IFTA stuff. I’m basically down to 2 major projects. The quarterly IFTA report, and the checkbook. And its only Tuesday. If I work my normal 4 hours these next 3 days (12 hours total), I think by this Friday, the IFTA report can me complete done (well, at least my part). And then next week, I can start on updating the paper checkbook. Since everything we do is on the computer (writing checks, etc), we make very very sure that the computer checkbook register is the right total. Because I couldn’t “do everything”, I kinda let the paper checkbook slide. But, what I think I’m going to do, since it is something that seems to still need to be done, is take the reconciled total for January 1, and use that as a beginning number, and then try to keep it up every day from that point on. And THEN, as time allows, go back and catch up the last 6 months. *sigh. I know thats not the right way to do it, but the computer total is right. David has balanced it with the bank every step of the way, so I have faith that that number is right. But, we’ve always kept the 2 checkbooks, so I guess I had better try to get it back up to date (even though I think its repetative….. but its not my company). The good part about it is though, it just feels good to be half way on top of things again. Even the filing!

It hasn’t been a “lightning bolt moment”, where one day, its total darkness for me, and the next day, its daylight. Its been a gradual process, but I really think what Dr. B prescribed a couple weeks ago is kicking in and starting to remove the cobwebs and that gray “I don’t want to do anything” mood is being lifted. I still have issues and concerns with other things, things that aren’t going to go away overnight either. But. One step at a time, and each step forward that I make encourages to take one more step, and then one more and one more. Thats what its all about. It doesn’t take diamond pendants to make me happy. Just a clean filing cabinet, and shiny clean refrigerator — and I can say I did it, and no one helped. That. Makes me very happy.

Being A Sandwich

It pays to be a sandwich. The weather guy just said that to the east of us, they are having thunderstorms and tornado warnings and watches. To the west of us, snow. But us? We have had 50-60 degree weather today, and its not supposed to get down to freezing tonight, so thats a good thing. We have lucked out several times this winter. Just being on the fringe of things, or a black spot in the middle of a big mass of blue on the weather map. Works for me. I hate winter weather, and am so looking forward to spring.

I have a full week ahead of me at work — both places. But, if I keep my nose to the grindstone, I may be able to get back on top of things and actually be in a good place. I have shepherding lists I need to make up for the elders. I need to make corrections in the directory — I’m still waiting on the serving list for the guys for the year. Once I have that, I can get it published and behind me. Its such a major project and I am so close to having it done in the respect of distribution. I’ll be glad when its done.

At the trucking company, I got the billing all done, checks wrote for bills and ready for the mail. What I really need to work on tomorrow is getting some tote boxes and start boxing up all of 2007 stuff. I have 2008 stuff that needs to be filled, and I would like to stay on top of it. Since I’m ahead of the game this week, I am hoping to make a dent in some of those things I got behind on last year. The quarterly report is due again, and I don’t have everything checked. But, since the billing is done and out of the way a day early, that gives me that window of time that I need to make some progress on it. And don’t foresee any reasons to have to leave early or not be there. I really really do hope I can get all those little things that have been getting done actually done this week. I do see light at the end of the tunnel for a change.

Ethan doesn’t have to work Saturday — he worked a 4 hour shift for someone on Sunday, and then another 2 hours for her today because she is still sick. She is taking his shift for Saturday. So. Maybe. Just Maybe. We can make some headway here at home as well. I’m still having these “wanting to nap” episode; but before I get to that point, I do see to be coping a little bit better, and making some progress. Don’t know if its the cobwebs clearing though, or just the timing of things, and the mentality that its a new year, with a new slate, and I’m grabbing ahead of that and forging ahead. Whatever it is though, I’m not letting go, and I will continue to forge ahead.

TGIF

It just seemed to be one of THOSE days. Not terribly bad, but just little annoyance things. Starting with my Explorer not starting this morning. And normally, this would have been a huge hassle; but earlier this week, we ended up playing “musical vehicles” again. My middle son has been looking for a different vehicle, and he’s been driving our Ford Ranger. David’s boss decided this week to sell his little Ford Ranger. So… Matt bought our Ford Ranger, and we bought Wayde’s. David’s Ranger is a stick shift, so I couldn’t ever drive it. The one we just bought from Wayde is an automatic. So, that right there, is worth the trade. For days like today.

And then after school, Ethan went out to his car to go to work… and he had a flat tire. So, I had leave work early, go pick him up, and take him to work. He called when he got off work, and David and him went and aired the tire up, and Ethan drove it home. Tomorrow, Ethan needs to take it to our local gas station, and get it fixed. This isn’t the first time its happened, and its getting old. We should have made him walk; but he was already late for work, and out of respect to his job, I did come in and get him to work. I also brought a deposit from the trucking company, so it wasn’t “all” about Ethan — me leaving work early. I am going to have a short paycheck all the way around this week, which will be fine. But I need to hit the hours next week and work a full week.

I’m just glad its the weekend. Yes, its been a short week. But. I’m ALWAYS ready for a weekend.

(4/365)

On Account Of Rain

We were very fortunate today. We went to bed last night, expecting the worst. We expected to wake up to winter wonderland kind of world — roads and trees covered with ice, no power …. and for people to the north and east of us, thats exactly what they experienced. But, we were right on the fringe of it, and continue to get rain throughout the day. The superintendent is going to have a hard time living this one down. This school district is known for not closing school very often, even on days everyone else really thought school should have been dismissed or canceled. But. He canceled school last night for today, based on what was predicted. Only, it missed us. So, he canceled school. On account of rain.

I was just getting to write that I’m sure he will be waiting until tomorrow morning to make a decision for tomorrow…. but we just turned the 10:00 news on, and our school is included in the cancelations. Ethan will be happy. Even though he didn’t have school, when we were at the grocery store last night, he did go talk to the manager to let them know that since there was no school today, that he was available to work today. He knows there are people who work there that live out in the country or out of town, and could possibly call in that they couldn’t make it in. While he was waiting to talk to the manager, one of the owners of the store stopped and asked what he needed. She was very happy to hear he was willing to work, and took him to the office to give him a schedule time. He worked from 8:30 this morning until 5:30….actually, until 6:30. He was scheduled to get off work at 5:30; but they asked him if he could work another hour, to get them through the 5:00 rush, which he did. He is already scheduled to work tomorrow, so even though he doesn’t have school, he can stay home until his scheduled time. Unless they call him. I would say if they call him, he need to go in; but he doesn’t need to volunteer to work extra hours tomorrow.

I worked at the church, but didn’t go out to the trucking company. Because I was already at the church, and not working the hours I should at the trucking company, I went ahead and worked until 4:00 this afternoon. I worked on getting the newsletter ready — it needs to be mailed out by Thursday of this week. By doing that, if the road conditions are less than favorable tomorrow, I can stay home without worrying what needs to get done at the church. And, if the roads are good, and I can go to work there, then I may go ahead and get the newsletters out a day early. Won’t hurt anything to do that. And since alot of the details of things in the newsletter are for this weekend’s activities, the sooner they get out, the better.

No Icy Roads For Us

We got lucky. There was cold and icy conditions in the forecast. We were to wake up to a not so good morning. Granted, it hasn’t been a good day weather wise. Wind advisors, and rain. But the temps have stayed up in the 40 and 50’s, so we aren’t fighting ice. But I’m sure that is just right around the corner. I think north of us, they might have gotten the colder conditions, but at least we escaped it, and for that, I’m grateful.

Its been a quiet day. David has been working on his driver’s trucks all day. And Ethan had a split shift. He worked his shift this morning — 8:00 until noon. And then he had another shift from 2:30 until 7:30. Someone wanted to trade shifts with him — he didn’t work last Sunday when he was scheduled, in exchange for working the 2:30 - 7:30 shift. He’s had pretty light hours this week, and he did get tomorrow off like he requested, so he didn’t mind working the extra shift. He is part of the Special Music tomorrow at church, and then we have a birthday party to attend at 4:00, so he pretty much needed the whole day off. If its not around a holiday, they are pretty good about working in the requests. And again, for that, I’m grateful.

Tracking Down Information

I have my work cut out for me these next couple of weeks. As I look through the newsletters of the past few years, I see lots of things that we did during the month of December and January, that we don’t have on the calendar this year. I could be stubborn and pig headed and take the attitude that if not one gives me the information, I won’t promote it. *sigh. But. I won’t. Monday I am going to make a list of these activities and figure out what Ministry team was in charge of it, and then start making phone calls or sending emails to them and see what is actually being planned. I know in January, we usually do a “Souper Bowl” event“. No, we don’t put up Superbowl tickets for raffle. But rather, we encourage everyone to bring canned goods that will be donated, and we usually do this on Superbowl Sunday. And then that evening, we usually gather at someone’s house and watch the Super Bowl game. Its a great time of food, fellowship and just spending time with Christian friends. I just need to track down information to what we are doing these next few months.

RE: Blooper

Anita & Moonshadow:  What’s REALLY bad about the whole situation is that it WAS proofread by someone other than me.  That was in my job description, that my “boss” — the minister, was to proofread everything I put out for publication.  He proofreads the bulletin,  and the meditation that we use as in insert for the bulletin every Sunday.  But with the newsletter that we do every other week, he lets his wife proofread it.  She used to proofread professionally.  And, wouldn’t you know it, we STILL have mistakes go out.  My most “proudest” moment… (yeah, right), I was promoting our Barbershop group, and said something about our own Harry Huff, Ethan Strawder, and “Dub” Cormode.  Only, I didn’t type Harry Huff.  I typed Harry Harry.   And only the readers caught it.

I realize there will always be mistakes, and we just do our best to try and catch them all.  But, what I hate. hate. hate.  is when its in the bulletin, and he has to make an announcement of correction.  I feel like I am publically humilated for messing up.  I know he doesn’t mean for it to be like that, esp. if we have to get the word out that something was published wrong, or I put the wrong song#.  But still.  I just want to slide under the chairs and leave.

I just take it with a grain of salt; and if someone brings a funny blooper to my attention, I just use the old “catch-all” excuse of “I was just testing you guys to see if anyone actually READS the newsletter”.   What frustrates me more than someone pointing out my mistakes is hearing “Oh, I didn’t know ……”  — about an event or something going on.  It was in the newsletter, people.  And chances are in the bulletin as well.  And on the website.  Do you people not read anything I do?   We have promoted and promoted and promoted the website.  And people still says “Oh, we have a website?  what is that address?”.

But then… I have a few faithful.  David is part of our church board, and he said Scott kept saying  (Scott is the head  of our fellowship Ministry team)  over and over “well, the website says that day is free”…. “on the website, you can find that information”.   He brings his laptop to the meetings, and he USES the calendar I keep up to date.  Gotta love him.

Just for you FYI, if you want to check it out, the church’s website is in my sidebar, under “My sites” :)

Blooper

I still have several hours of work (work-work, not blogging-work) ahead of me, but I am bound and determined to get it finished tonight. We are running out of time (the report has to be emailed in by midnight Wednesday). But, I do have to admit, today went alot better than last Friday did. It was just one of those days where I couldn’t do anything right.

The real blooper that threw me off course was — it was just a few minutes before 12:00. I had just gathered up the bulletins to take down the hall to the sanctuary. And THAT is when I noticed it. On the front page. Under “Greeters”. I had — “Jerry and Scott Carpenter”. Wouldn’t have been so bad if Scott had a son named Jerry. He doesn’t. He has a wife by the name of Jeri. I didn’t have the heart — or nerve — to let it be. I hate making mistakes, especially blantant ones like that. And to pair “two guys” up for greeters. I knew I had to fix it. So. At the very time I should have been leaving my place of work for the morning …. I was re-running the bulletins, un-inserting the outline and attendance slip we put in each bulletin. *Sigh. So, it was after 1:30 before I was headed out to my afternoon place of employment. And with this report, I was wanting to get as much done on it Friday as I could. Getting out of there an hour late did. not. help the situation.

As it turned out, it didn’t really matter anyway. David had a couple of projects that needed my attention as well. So, as for working on the report, I didn’t get to it until 3:30-4:00 anyway. So much for well laid out plans.

Today went much better.

And yesterday went well as well…because I could walk in the sanctuary knowing my little blooper was my little secret.

Home Based Business

I know there are alot of things I wouldn’t do, but something I would like to try my hand at one of these days is a home based business. Within that realm, I know there are quite a few things I wouldn’t do; but I can think of several that I would. I would love to be able to stay at home, and still bring in an income. I have seen that happen this past year, and I wish I could turn it into a serious business, instead of a part time sideline like it is now. But, going beyond that, I can see myself doing medical transcripts, or other computer work. I tend to be a homebody most of the time, and even though I don’t hate what I do at my places of employment, there are still days, I just want to cover my head with my pillow, and announce to the world that I’m not going to work. But. Thats not who I am, and unless I’m truly sick, or my heart-out-of-rhythm thing gives me fits, I go to work…each and every day, whether I want to or not. But someday…I am going to make this happen, and bring a home based business to a reality level!

Tick, Tick, Tick

*Sigh. Its now 9:00, and he’s still working on his article for the newsletter. There’s still a chance I’ll get it done….but I’m running out of time.

Update: Its now 12:20, and the newsletters are In. The. Mail. Whoo. Hoo. I had to go outside the box with the way I do them, but it worked, and I can continue on with my day as scheduled. Need to stop at the bank, the gas station, and then I’m on my way. As long as I leave town by 1:00 or little after, I will be in good shape. Just hope I feel the same way AFTER the appointment. I have my doubts. *double sigh.

Beat The Clock

I know how I would like for today to go, but I just have my doubts.  This is newsletter day at the church.  If things are ready to go, and I can start copying by 8:30 or so, then there is a good chance I can have them done and ready to mail by noon.  MY part was done yesterday and I gave it to my boss to be proofread, but there are a few things that still need to be added.  Hopefully, he got them done, and I can get right to it.  But thats usually not the way it goes.  Its usually 2:00 or so before I leave on a typical newsletter.  Which wouldn’t be a problem, except, I need to be in Topeka at 2:30, and its an hours drive from here.  I’m going to call and see if there are any cancellations for that later time.  If not, I’ll just have to play it by ear, and see how it goes.  I HATE being under the gun like this, but I should have thought ahead.  But I didn’t want to be under the gun with billing by going to Topeka on Tuesday.  Hopefully, it’ll be a good day, and everything will go smoothly.  Thats the plan.