They Walk Among Us

Spousal Unit emailed these to me yesterday after "singing Happy Birthday to me. Can you sing in an email"?

Scary stuff if true.

They Walk Among Us and Many Work Retail.

I was at the checkout of a K-Mart. The clerk rang up $46.64 charge. I gave her a fifty dollar bill. She gave me back $46.64. I gave the money back to her and told her that she had made a mistake in MY favor. She became indignant and informed me she was educated and knew what she was doing,and returned the money again. I gave her the money back. same scenario! I departed the store with the $46.64.

They Walk Among Us and Many Work Retail.

I walked into a Starbucks with a buy-one-get-one-free coupon for a Grande Latte. I handed it to the girl and she looked over at a little chalkboardthat said 'buy one-get one free.' They're already buy-one-get-one-free,' she said, 'so I guess they're both free.' She handed me my free Lattes and I walked out the door.

They Walk Among Us!

One day I was walking down the beach with some friends when one of them shouted, 'Look at that dead bird!' Someone looked up at the sky and said, 'Where'?

They Walk Among Us!

While looking at a house, my brother asked the real estate agent which direction was north because, he explained, he didn't want the sun waking him up every morning. She asked, 'Does the sun rise in the north?' When my brother explained that the sun rises in the East, and has for some time, she shook her head and said, 'Oh I don't keep up with all that stuff.'

They Walk Among Us!!

I used to work in technical support for a 24/7 call center. One day I got a call from an individual who asked what hours the call center was open. I told him, 'The number you dialed is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.' He responded, 'Is that Eastern or Pacific time?' Wanting to end the call quickly, I said, 'Uh, Pacific.'

They Walk Among Us!

My sister has a lifesaving tool in her car designed to cut through a seat belt if she gets trapped. She keeps it in the trunk.

They Walk Among Us!

My friends and I were on a beer run and noticed that the cases were discounted 10%. Since it was a big party, we bought 2 cases. The cashier multiplied 2 times 10% and gave us a 20% discount.

They Walk Among Us!

I couldn't find my luggage at the airport baggage area, so I went to the lost luggage office and told the woman there that my bags never showed up. She smiled and told me not to worry because she was a trained professional and I was in good hands. 'Now,' she asked me, 'has your plane arrived yet?'

They Walk Among Us!

While working at a pizza parlor I observed a man ordering a small pizza to go. He appeared to be alone and the cook asked him if he would like it cut into 4 pieces or 6. He thought about it for some time before responding. 'Just cut it into 4 pieces; I don't think I'm hungry enough to eat 6 pieces.

They Walk Among Us, and they reproduce, and Worst of all THEY VOTE.

And a Wake Up

I am officially unemployed today.

I went to work as usual to do all the Stuff I didn't get to do yesterday. I collected up all my belongings and stuffed them into the Big Red Truck and left base to go to the main office in town to do my out briefing.

I worked in the main office for five years, so I had yet another round of goodbyes to say.

The out processing took much less time than anticipated, so I was left with an hour to kill before going to my luncheon.

I went and paid for the storage unit and stopped by the ATM at the credit union. Son #2 would be in attendance so I needed money for his lunch.

More people showed up than I anticipated. Work is a training task that had all the trainers out on the road until last evening. Today is also a Family Day so most people have the day off. I was honored and pleased that they all made the effort to attend.

Several people spoke about me in ways that now lead me to believe that I really must walk on water without getting my feet wet. But, all this attention is embarrassing for me. I like to fly under the radar, so to speak. I am not one that wants any of the limelight.

Even so the luncheon was lovely. We laughed, we hugged goodbye, we even did a little crying. I will miss each and everyone of you. Till later. Love you more.

Today Was Supposed To Be My Last Day

Today was supposed to be my last day. OMG, my big boss just got back into town last night and this morning quote, unquote he said. "I'm getting all the blood out of this turnip." The turnip was me.

I can kinda' understand this sentiment because I am the most knowledgeable person in the office with MS Office.

I worked my A$$ off getting the document put together, knowing that it will not be accepted in its current format.

On the other hand.....

I didn't get to do any of the out-briefing duties that needed to be done. I didn't get to clean out the dorm fridge I keep in the office.

I didn't get to clean out my inbox. I didn't get to clean out all the personal stuff that I stored on my hard drive.

I didn't get to copy all my pictures to the thumb drive to store on my personal laptop.

What I did do was change up my blog last week to include the view from my soon to be new backyard to keep me focused on what I need to do to get me there.

I don't think that they realize that I am really leaving. The team Mom has left the building and I won't be taking care of them anymore.

My New Home in Germany Will Be Much the Same. But Different.

Staying with Waki Jaki and Jim, I get to see a lot of corn. In fact, once you look past the barn and pasture, that is all you can see. Taking care of the corn requires equipment. So I see lots of tractors too.

My other Gal Pal, Tammy, called a couple of days ago and asked me to come back into town for the Homecoming parade and picnic. Its a tradition that we have kept up for 16 years. Every year we meet at the same corner have a beer or two and watch the parade. This would be the last time to attend for a few years so, ever the traditionalist, I went.

Last year we all commented that it seems that the crowds and the parade itself seems to be shrinking. Usually the parade takes an hour and a half from start to finish. This year it was only 45 minutes.

I also seemed to be transported back to the farm with Waki Jaki and Jim.

A red tractor.
A green tractor.
An orange tractor. Nice sun shade.

I had a grey tractor picture and ended up losing it while trying to add a comment on the blog and couldn't re-insert it. This type of stuff happens to me all the time. Murphy's law kicking in.

Anyway, I seem destined for the farming life, if only to observe it. My new home in Germany will be much the same. But different.

Ciao. Call Me

Yo, How ya doin'? (That's Jersey speak for "Hello, it is very nice to meet you.")

Back at ya, still looking good. ("The pleasure is all mine. Such lovely weather we are experiencing. Don't you agree.")

Nah, you weren't paying enough attention to me. ("Oh, do please excuse me. I must say hello to the Ambassador before he leaves.")

I won't even go there. ("Let's do get together for lunch sometime. Ciao. Call me.")

New Kids on the Block

Waki Jaki and Jim got some new kids on the block. There are five new babies in the barn.


Some of them are former bulls that are now steers. I got to learn lots of stuff out here. If you want to learn about the difference between bulls and steers please Google it for the answer.

They are still babies and just separated from their mommas and not too sure about what is going on in their short lives.

Fuzzy picture. My bad. These little bad boys have just come from auction.

He is just too cute. I could just eat him. Thank God I am moving soon, cause otherwise, I just might.

I Never Thought I Would Be This Way

I really never thought I would be this way, but I am feeling really short. As my Waki Jaki says I have 4 days and a wake up. Four more days of work and the wake up to out process and say "Yes I really enjoyed working for the company and I really want to come back in four years to finish out my career before retiring."


Those words are all true. Its just that I am really feeling short right now.

The time is coming to an end for me to be away from the Spousal Unit. I really miss him. I miss talking over our day each evening. Fixing dinner together. Watching a show on TV just before getting ready for bed.


Snuggling down, listening to his breathing pattern going from tired awake to sleeping.


I still have some adventures to experience prior to going to Germany.

Its just that I am getting closer to going to Germany. And I miss him.

M.I.A. PAPER PLANES official video

After the disaster of the college slum lord we had to do a same day turn around and come home. Son was driving and Mikie was in the back seat trying to sleep.

Between listening to this song for two hours straight and taking pictures of the sleeping Mikie. He didn't get much sleep.

I love this song.

Its Cherry

Still living with my Waki Jaki, I continue my education of farm life. This is a huge piece of machinery out in the barn. I had no clue as to what/how it was used.

It is a pretty red and yellow and looked like it was a hopper of some sort. It is a hopper. For holding the corn for grinding, to feed to the cattle.
This is a rather obvious piece of equipment for me. Its a wagon. I love that Jim pulls it with a 4 wheeler.
This one I thought I knew and I was right. Its a manure spreader.

Jim likes to buy equipment at auctions and restore them. He purchased this tractor and put it back together. Its a Farmall M. I don't have a clue as to what that is other than Jaki just told me that that is the model. It looks brand new. I think its sweet, its cherry. Cherry red.

I am Still Having Intermitant Internet Issues

If I don't post on a night it is because I am having issues. Yes, I have many issues. But, not posting is because I can't get on the Internet.

Normally the only night I take off is Saturday.

Thank you for reading, my 3.2 readers.

Love ya more.

She Who

Follow on Threads

The boy went back to college. He didn't have any pain meds yesterday, one of the conditions of driving back and so was chomping at the bit to get back with his friends.

The housing situation is still in limbo. The Slum Lord landlord has cashed my check and he isn't fixing a whole bunch of stuff.

I passed the baton to one of the roommate's mothers to take care of the boys, because I just don't have the time to continue this cause. I can only hope that she isn't too busy to take care of them.

I took the younger son shopping to get him some new clothes. I have been after him to get him new clothes for several years. He looked like a bag lady, well a bag man. Now he looks studly.

I took both boys to the grocery store. Several dollars later they have food, so they don't have to eat fast food every night. Hopefully they will start shopping rather than the fast food route.

I only have six more days at work. I am finally feeling like a one digit midget. Military term for someone that is a short timer in a position, transiting into a new life.

That's me I am transitioning to a new life soon.

More adventures to come.

The Boys Going To College-WTF

I was all " get the boy ready for going back to college. I was up for an adventure." I have not calmed down about the experience yet and am still fuming.

The trip up was uneventful enough. Getting used to driving the moving van and using side mirrors were the major concerns for me. We passed a really bad accident involving a tractor trailer that had traffic backed up for miles.

We arrived at the rental company just after noon and paid the rent and chatted for a few minutes with the rental manager.

After that, off we went. The boys were excited about getting into the duplex and setting up their rooms. They are both Juniors and have lots of friends on campus.

The boys went into the duplex while I was parking the truck. They were right back out saying, "Mom that place is really disgusting." I finished parking and went in.

They were right. I'll bet that you can imagine my anger and chagrin on entering the unit. We found a total, nasty, filthy disaster.

The place is really disgusting. I turns out that the cleaning people had been in the place several days before but hadn't finished the cleaning and repairs of the place. They wanted us to accept it in it's current condition.


Wires hanging of the walls in several areas.


Doors busted, door jams broken.

This is the floor in the laundry room. The washer actually worked. I was really surprised. The dryer has no lint catcher cover and no knob for starting it.

I called the management company. I asked them to move the boys into another unit. They claim that that was not possible, since the owner, think SLUM LORD, doesn't have another unit to move the boys into.

I said that wasn't my problem.

He then claimed that I was just being too picky and that I shouldn't view the unit with my standards, but with male college student standards. Can you say that by now I am really, really pissed off? I asked Son #1 to go into town and get me a notebook 'cause the Momma is going to do a real move-in inspection. I needed the extra paper 'cause the form the management company gave me wasn't going to be enough. I also grabbed my camera.

Son #1's on again off again girlfriend showed up with water, pen and paper. She is adorable and I really like her and I chatted for a moment and asked her to go visit with the boys. I couldn't do an inspection and chat at the same time.

Have I ever mentioned that as a part time job I'm a realtor???? I have followed behind lots of whole house inspectors.

Hmm. When was this complex built?? Is that possibly lead based paint flaking?

Oh! That's a lovely layer of grease on the stove hood.

The closet door is stuck in this position, can't move it.

To top everything else off, the last "tenants" had several dogs they kept in the unit. The aroma in the air was less than delightful.

We are now up in the air on how to proceed. The management company has moved the boys temporarily into another unit. We'll see how it proceeds.

Taking the Boys Back to College

Picked up the truck the other day. The plan was to load the truck on Thursday and then take it up early Friday, the first day they could move in.

Hmm. Something is very familiar about this scenario. Oh yeah, I just did this a couple of months ago. Except, that move was much more extensive.

Don'tcha love the logo on the side of the truck? I hate snakes. Why couldn't I have something cute and cuddly like a kitten or puppy?

That's Mikey back there. One of my "adopted" boys. He and Son #1 have been friends for years. They are also going to be roomies.

At the Momma's direction, they start loading the truck. Smaller stuff up in the loft area. "Yo son #1 PULL YOUR PANTS UP"!

It's really starting to fill up. We had to do a shuffle, shuffle. This is the first moving van move the boys have done and they didn't understand, at first, that we needed to do a tight pack to keep the "Stuff" from shifting on the drive up to college.

We still had these pieces to fit in. And we did't have any of Mikey's stuff loaded.
I have done so many moves in my life, we pulled it off.

Piece of cake.

Jeff Dunham and Peanut

The Munchkins that I am staying with turned me on to this guy. Silly, silly, funny. I may need to check more of his stuff out.

Yo, Who You Lookin' At???

When I first moved out here with my Waki Jaki I didn't get too close to these bad boys. There may be a girl thrown in, but for all intents and purposes I consider them to be the bad boys. They are not full grown yet, and I don't know if they will make it to full grown. My Waki raises the cattle for beef. Being the farmerette, that I am I don't know the first thing about raising cattle and am not really interested in learning. Living near them is OK. Just not too close. Well, the Waki's husband, being the true farmer he is decided that it was time to backfill the livestock. I think that means that the bad boys won't be around a whole bunch longer. Inviting me over to see the new babies he brought home, I got to look at the bad boys up close.

That's close.

That's close.

That's a little too close.

This one is just screaming at me. "Yo, Who You Lookin' At???"

An Ode to the Olympics - GO USA

I have watched some of the Olympics recently. Not as much as I probably could, but some. I am not a true fan of TV and seldom watch any shows.

This move is kicking my butt and I just don't have the time to sit and vegetate.

Last night I looked up and saw this cloud formation. I imagined that it was Phelps swimming to the edge of the pool on his last lap. Can you see it too?

Can you see it?

My New Love Affair

I stayed with Gal Pal, Tammie, this past weekend. She called me Friday night and wanted me to come stay. I hadn't seen her for several weeks, so I was up for it. We did a catch up on kids and events and life in general.

We decided to do a major shop at the mall the next day and spent several hours putting together an outfit for her for her son's wedding this coming January.

I needed a new purse and found the perfect one as soon as we entered the store. I looked at the price, fainted, picked myself off the floor and looked at the purse again. With this next look, I merely swooned. I put purse back on the shelf.

We continued elsewhere in the store and did the "Tammie" shopping.

Much later we were in the purse area again and the purse was still there. Taunting me, beckoning me towards it. It was the only one of its kind. Normally when I see something that I like, but think better of, I walk away. As I did to the purse.

I made the mistake of going back.

I saw it still on the shelf and took it as a sign. We needed to be together. I was lusting after the purse. I knew true love would follow, but for now, I was still in the lusting stage.

Throwing all caution to the winds, I bought it. Later that night I was about to remove the tags and thought better of it. Know that it was much too expensive.

The next morning I switched purses and put everything into my new love. Everything fit perfectly. It molded to my body. The strap didn't hurt my shoulder like the other yucky purse. The leather is buttery soft. We were meant to be together.

Later that afternoon, Son # 2 called and asked if I could take him clothes shopping. He has a new position and needs some clothes. He is also newly broke because of the international call incident. I'm his Mother. What could I say? I'll take him shopping.

I thought about the purse and our new relationship. The purse would have to be returned. I hadn't used it, yet just loaded it to see if everything fit inside. The tags were still on it.

I went to bed, crying myself to sleep. Purse and I would have to part. The end of a beautiful love affair.

The next morning, I said "NO D@m!t. I am not giving you up. I'll eat mayonnaise sandwiches for the next six months if I have to. I love you."

And I'm worth it.

Corn

We picked some more corn. Not as much as the other night but a goodly amount.

Tanner was a big help and brought the bags of corn over to us so we could shuck the ears with out getting up to grab another bag. We had a regular production line going on.

Oops. There are the "She Who" toes again. I was totally covered in corn silks. It was a hot night and the silks started to get really sticky, itchy.

We're making some progress. That's my Waki Jaki, sitting on the front porch shucking corn.

That's the last of the of the shucks. We had the kids take them out to the cows for them to munch. Now everybody is happy.

It doesn't get much better than this.

I Am a Small Town Gal

I am a small town gal, living, staying in the country right now and I am so........frustrated.

I have lots and lots of pictures that I CAN NOT UPLOAD TO THE SITE. Can you feel my frustration?

Cute shots of kittens, little boys, workings of a farm, calves, and Oh yeah, corn. Did I mention the corn?

This experience is unique for me and I want to share it with you.

Grrrrrrr.

The Little Pigs... Not Really, They're Calves

We had storms last night again. I love storms, for the most part.

A lot of surrounding areas were more affected then we were. The lightning was totally awesome. Better than some fireworks shows on the 4th.

Good sleeping weather with the cool air coming in. The thunder in the the evening did wake me, but did not keep me awake.

Living out in the country now, I woke to seeing the coral totally flooded and the horses wading, walking through all the water.


The beef cows/steer were out at the feeder just fattening themselves. The little pigs... not really they're calves. They didn't care about the water either. They were all lined up for a picture.

Me, I didn't have my camera at 6:00 in the morning and so I lost out. Bad me.

I Am Like... Singing From The Mountain Tops

I was able to speak to the Spousal Unit this morning. He called me on the local phone number. It was so awesome. Clear as a bell and we got to keep the local number.

After we got off the phone, a little later I remembered something on my list of updates, that I forgot to have in front of me (DUH), that I forget to mention to him.

I was at work, so I had to dial the 99 to get an outside line. Not knowing just how to dial the phone for a connection, I just dialed the local number to see if it would work. It did.

How awesome is that? (Awesome is still a favorite word) Spousal Unit picked up on the first ring and we got all the STUFF discussed.

I am like... singing from the mountain tops. Not that I can, at the moment, cause I can't see over all the corn that surrounds me.

I may have to talk about the beans later.

We Have Corn

My Gal Pal, Waki Jaki is a country girl. She is also one of the sweetest, nicest people I know. She is very proud of her country heritage and originally hails from a little hamlet in Wyoming. Being the country girl she is she is also very close to her family. She is leaving me.

She and the boys are leaving next week to go visit family for a week. She scored really great deals on Priceline for airfare tickets and a rental car. She is going to have a really great time seeing all of her family and the boys will get reacquainted with their cousins.

She is leaving me here with the corn.

And more corn.

And more corn.

I will be picking more corn and freezing it in the evenings while they are gone. Don'tcha love the country?

Yea haw, living on a farm

The Internet is still intermittent. Sorry, gotta take what I can.

I helped pick an acre of corn and then shucked the corn.

Tomorrow, I will assist blanching the corn to freeze.

Yea haw, living on a farm.