Good day all,

The past few weeks have flown by, where did the time go?  Middlings were all busy and full of energy.  Trying to prepare them for a test right before they left was a challenge... but to put it off would be foolish, so I persisted.  I have the tests with me but haven't started grading them yet.  My usual 3-5 hours a week at the store ballooned to 30.  Foolish on my part perhaps, but I am alone and took shifts for those with family.  Folks provided that kindness for me back in the day, so it is only fair I pay my due.  And besides most of the seasonal folks are lost, no time to train them properly.  Our stock room was in shambles and we had the BIG sale starting after Christmas.  So the old lady climbed stools and went through consolidating, organizing and labeling.  I cleared a third of the shelves for staging the sale.  Management problems persist, we lost another very competent lead because of them... makes me sad, I really enjoyed the time I spent with her and our paths are unlikely to cross again.  Good stuff comin' @ ya Sara Cinnamon.  Manager in charge of the sale really appreciated my work and the primary co-manager gave me the strangest compliment.  She told everyone at she didn't worry about me.  She knew I was working and to just leave me alone unless they needed me on the floor.  The ultimate trust in a store where that is NOT the norm.  I feel some what guilty because I won't be there for the sale floor set or the sale, but it's not like I've kept that a secret.  Everyone knows I go back to Oregon (where I am now) every chance I get... but I still harbor a smiggin of regret for not being there to help.

So I'm home. Flights were OK, no major problems.  I picked up my rental car just as it started to snow!  This is definitely not Florida!  And to make matters worse I have one devil of a cold!  I had Christmas breakfast with my son's girlfriend's family, a delightful group of people.  I especially like her mom, though I can't recall her name at the moment.  Gal started a resale business 27 years ago and is a major mover and shaker in the local community. She is Ms Small Business Owner!  Politically save', business smarts and a love for her community... wish there were more like her.  We, son and his girl friend and I, dog sitting for one of his co-workers.  Wally is a 10 month old husky and is easily bored.  Our job was to keep him entertained... I now have a new definition for "baby proofing" the house!  I also learned that the going rate for doggy day-care is $20 a day and you provide your own food.  Who knew!

I managed the 2 hour drive to my daughter's where the fever spiked just after I got here.  She dosed me with sudafed and tylenol and put me to bed... I spent yesterday moving v-e-r-y slowly and napping.  Stupid cold has settled in my ears and my balance, which is not the greatest to begin with, is... a cause for amusement.  We did go out to roller derby practice last night.  I met most of the "fresh meat" (newbies) girls and one of the other coaches.  I have a new handle.  I'm MommaToy.  Joy would love to have me involved on a regular basis, but I imagine this phase of her life will end before I get back to Oregon permanently.  When she and her brother were young and competing, I learned everything I could.  I took tests and became a ref and a tabulator and even started up the judging ladder.  I also have considerable experience with fund raising.  It would be a hoot!    

We're off to see Jennifer today.  My cold has eased, no fever spikes in 12 hours, and she thinks I'm past the contagion phase.   I found the coolest necklace for Jen.  Piece is silver; a Goddess holding a pentacle, with a moon stone at the center, over her head with wing-like filigree on each side and three moon stone dangles from the bottom tip of each "wing" and her feet.  I spent too much, but the piece just screamed "Jen".  She wears a simple pentacle on a regular basis.  I suspect she will wear this on special occasions with one of her "look at me, look at me" tops.  She has learned to dress to keep the focus on the upper part of her body, rather than on the challenge CP has made of her lower extremities.  Still don't have anything for my granddaughter.  But we will have a girls shopping trip to remedy that situation.  I don't know  what size she wears or what toys she has... and besides why would one want to bring stuff all the way across country to one of the few states that has no sales tax?  Yes, I said "No sales tax."  But you should see the income and property taxes in Oregon!  Plus registration and certification fees for just about everything imaginable.  Gotta pay for those services one way or another!

I've written a book!  Will work at catching up with everyone over the next few days.  Know that I thought about you often... my CS family has become an integral part of my life and I speak of you often.  Your lives have illuminated and enriched my own.  

be well