"Sittin' round the Pot Belly Stove!"

[coriolis]

Yay Steelers!

I can't get too excited because I didn't follow football all season. I'm not going to be a jump-on-the-bandwagon-at-the-last-minute type of fan.

LOL @ Pojo: wheels on the bus.

What is your favorite sport pastime, Ed?

I get wound up watching Penn State Football. I did note two ex Penn Stater's playing for Seattle: Bobby Engram, and Joe Jurevicius.
As far as participatory sports- cycling.

How bout you, Eric?

[Skywatch_NC]

Yay Steelers!

I can't get too excited because I didn't follow football all season. I'm not going to be a jump-on-the-bandwagon-at-the-last-minute type of fan.

LOL @ Pojo: wheels on the bus.

What is your favorite sport pastime, Ed?

I get wound up watching Penn State Football. I did note two ex Penn Stater's playing for Seattle: Bobby Engram, and Joe Jurevicius.
As far as participatory sports- cycling.

How bout you, Eric?

Cincinnati Bengals and Reds (I grew up in Cincy), Indianapolis Colts (was born in Indiana and both parents born and raised there), Atlanta Braves and Carolina Panthers (I live in the Southeast). For college: U. of Cincy Bearcats (Dad graduated from U.C.) ...and Duke Blue Devils (both colleges for their basketball and football).

Eric

[Miss Mary]

Eric better say the Reds and Bengals!!!! LOL

Hey all....thought I'd share that I'm receiving steady substitute cafeteria work now in our local school district. Before Christmas I had only worked 23 hours in roughly 8 weeks. Not nearly enough to justify not looking elsewhere. I began looking for another type of job but our middle school needed subs. Now they have 2 regular employees out on medical leave. Both will not return and their jobs will be posted soon. Not saying I will be offered one, someone will more seniority will likely take these jobs but in the long run, their jobs will open up. You start out working 3 to 4 hours a day, working your way up to 6. They all vie for the 6 hour jobs, of course. Hey, I'm just glad to be working 3 hours a day. I was told I'll be at this middle school indefinitely now. Which is great, b/c I like the crew there - very friendly and welcoming. I even bought a lottery ticket with them and they all meet for drinks on Fridays. I was invited last week but couldn't attend. I will this Friday.

I think I now have a job. Which will really help our budget (college tuition). I also applied for a teachers aide job, roughly 33 hours a week. Big difference from 15, what I'm putting in now. But my family wants me to at least try that nearly full time schedule, if it's offered to me. All I know is we'd need a family meeting and chores delegated out - oh yeah. And oh yeah, I'd need new clothes!!!!

So that's what's what on my end. Just hoping for one decent snowfall before winter's over and happy to be working.

What's new in your neck of the woods?

Mary

[Skywatch_NC]

Mary,

When my family and I lived in Hamilton, OH...my Mom worked as a teacher's aide in a church pre-school and later at 2 elementary schools and really enjoyed it!

She made a special friend with one teacher named Alice who is or at least used to be a "snowbird" in FL...but last I knew she's back to full-time residence again in her native Punxsutawney, PA. They exchange Christmas cards every year.

The VERY best to you in your pursuits, Wxbuddy!

Eric

[coriolis]

Punxsy? My roommate in college was from there. Actually a little town outside of there called Glen Campbell. I can't repeat their unofficial school fight song here.

Congrats Mary. I must have missed it: are all your kids out of high school? What you're doing is great if you still have kids in school.....Just wondering......

Well, Eric, I do like a certain baseball team that has been very disappointing for about the last 50 years, it seems. I've liked the Pirates since I was knee high to a grasshopper. I remember the glory days of Roberto Clemente, but there hasn't been much to cheer about for a looooooonnnnnngggggggg time. I hope that they take all Barry Bonds homers away from him.

[Skywatch_NC]

Punxsy? My roommate in college was from there. Actually a little town outside of there called Glen Campbell. I can't repeat their unofficial school fight song here.

Congrats Mary. I must have missed it: are all your kids out of high school? What you're doing is great if you still have kids in school.....Just wondering......

Well, Eric, I do like a certain baseball team that has been very disappointing for about the last 50 years, it seems. I've liked the Pirates since I was knee high to a grasshopper. I remember the glory days of Roberto Clemente, but there hasn't been much to cheer about for a looooooonnnnnngggggggg time. I hope that they take all Barry Bonds homers away from him.

Ed,

I still remember that one particular World Series with then Pirates Willie Stargell, Tim Foley, Kent Tekulve, etc., and after they won it...the song "Celebration" or "Celebration Time" that was playing!

Eric

[Dee Bee]

Terrific news about your job, Mary! Gee, if it turns out that you're offered BOTH the 6 hr./day food service job AND the teacher aide job, which one will you choose?? I'm keeping you in my positive thoughts for the best!

[Miss Mary]

Well, my family would love for me to choose the teachers aide job. Mainly b/c I'd make more money but secretly I think it's also b/c it's not as embarrassing to say your mom is a lunch lady. The difference in hours would be about 13 a week, 20 vs 33. Right now I'm working 15 but hope to be offered a 20 hour a week job. Roughly 4 hours per school day.

I'd love to remain in the cafeteria but in the end, sigh, I'll probably take the more lucrative one. And stock up on vitamins, coffee, etc.! And cut down my time here (that will be hard!).

I'll keep you all posted. For now I'm a lunch lady, on a steady sub basis ("indefinitely" was the word I was told, which is great, b/c in the end I still get that paycheck and any amount helps!).

Thanks for asking!

Mary

[Pburgh]

Mary, as I told you I had a friend who was a lunch lady for about 30 years and loved every minute of it. You're the type that will make friends and find something good in whatever you decide. ((HUGS))

Ed and Eric, I remember those Pirate days too. They were great!! I wish we had half that team now. The Pirates and the Penguins are both pretty crappy.

Well, I just thought I'd drop in for a minute. My work here at the office is so backed up. Sometimes it just doesn't pay to take 2 days off.

I'll stoke the fire and brew a pot of Earl Grey.
Have a great day everyone.
Karan

[Miss Mary]

Karan - I am happy in this cafeteria. The pace is unbelieveably fast though - something that did surprise me. Students only have about 17 minutes to eat lunch - isn't that awful? I've never agreed with that state law. They should have 30, IMHO. But most of these cafeteria ladies want to hurry the kids thru so they can get to eat. All I know is a 3 hour, extremely fast paced environment like that does wear me out. Later I have keep reminding myself, it's only 3 hours.....LOL But hey I'm no longer a spring chicken.....LOL At age 50, 3 hours of fast paced physical labor = 6 maybe? he he And oh yeah, 3 isn't 3 I'm learning. 3 is more like 3.5 or 4. You just can't get your work done in 3 hours (cleanup). And yeah I know, I'm not getting paid for 4 but I also want to make a good impression. And be hired on permanently. Just trying my best here!

I'm just trying to justify my exhaustion! I will get a handle on all of this. My downtime is drastically cut now b/c when I'm off work, I have a high schooler with clubs, term paper rough draft due (this week's project), homework, piano lessons, etc. I am now running from 9 until about 7 each day.

Maybe I need to take Geritol again....straight from the bottle!!!! LOL

Have a good weekend everyone....

Mary

[Pburgh]

17 MINUTES TO EAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Are you kidding me?? I am one of the slowest eater in the world. I'd never make it there.

I will send you some of my Geritol if you want. Actually, I just started taking a few vitamins myself. I figure I'll be 61 in a few months and it wouldn't hurt this body to have a little extra vim and vigor!!!lol After all, if I'm going to live to be 100, I want to look my best.

I'll brew a pot of Earl Grey and Mary and I will just sit in our rockers and rest a while. jk Mary, I feel your exhaustion and understand completely. It is very difficult.

((HUGS))
Karan

[vbhoutex]

MAJOR DISTRESSING NEWS!!!! KK is pulling out of Houston!!

[Skywatch_NC]

So very sorry, David! (((((HUGS))))) Wonder why Houston KK couldn't make it any further?

Even my Dad gets an hour lunch break!! And I had an hour lunch break at the last job I had when I lived in Roanoke Rapids, NC! Good grief you would think the school students were volunteer firefighters before the alarm call goes on! Sure isn't good for the digestive system!

Eric

[Miss Mary]

Karan - 17, you read that right. The hot food lines are very long and by the time those kids sit down, they have about 5 minutes to inhale their food. My daughters rarely bought lunch. First off, I shouldn't say this, but the food is okay, nothing to rave about. Your basic food service type foods. Second, they barely had time to eat! So for years they've packed. When I took this job they both said - you'd better smile Mom (that was their first request) and serve kids quickly. I do both! There are some crabby cafeteria ladies, none I work with but years ago Laura was absoulutely petrified to buy a hot lunch. The lunch lady at their school terrified kids with her mean looks - picture the Trunchabul in that kids movie. So long story short, I do serve kids very fast. You have to! But my gosh, it's a 3 hour period that is exhausting. I've been assigned to the snack line - 50+ items, 300 individual cookie sales (biggest seller), they take in $600 a day at this counter. I just assist though - Thank God! I'd be stressing out in a major way if I had to run that register.

But hey it's a job and the hours are just perfect for our schedule. Laura says it's as if I'm not even working - at all. Because my hours do not conflict with her schedule, at all! LOL Gone are my putzing around the computer, running errands during the day, it's all on Saturday or evenings. I want to hibernate right now. So I tell you, not much is getting done right now!

But I'l manage. Teachers really work their tails off. I see it everyday. They'd probably like to work this snack line for a week.

Mary

[Pburgh]

David!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How will you make it? I'm sure the cyber KK's I bring will not sustain you. I'll have to send the real ones down by UPS. I feel sad for you.
SORRY
Karan

[Dee Bee]

David, I share your pain. Our local KK closed with the power outages the week after Hurricane Wilma -- but then never reopened! A half-block from the I-95 southbound entrance ramp at Boynton Beach Blvd., the building now stands there, empty and sad.

[vbhoutex]

Actually the franchissee is crosswise with KK and has killed the deal. KK says they will open company stores here. We shall see.

17 minutes to eat!!!!! Talk about wrecking a digestive system!!!!!

Update on th eMIL. She is being moved to a nursing home(skilled nursing facility)on Tuesday after almost a month in the hospital. She appears to be starting to improve now, so hopefully she is on the road to recovery. We still want your prayers though as we all adjust to this and the extra stress it puts on the family.

[coriolis]

Hmm, Mary. Cookie stand. So I guess that means you couldn't slip me an extra piece of meatloaf. (They stuck together!!)

Uh oh, David, what are you going to do?

[Miss Mary]

Cookies? It's funny, but I bought 5 a few days this past week, total of 15. 5 of the most popular types and near the end of this cookie stash, my hubby asks - were they free or did you have to pay for them? LOL

I laughed and said of course they weren't free.....

And of course he wanted to know how much they cost! Cheapskate.....

I never would have thought frozen cookie dough, baked and sold in a school cafeteria would taste so good.

Ya wanna know how they sell 300 a day? They bought a small toaster sized oven that is below the counter, it can bake a dozen a time. You should see the kids eyes bug out when the lady I work with pulls a tray out. They all want them hot from the oven.

If their parents only knew, they are eating cookies for lunch! Well, some of them....we also sell fresh fruit, raisins (can't even give these away!), PB & J sandwhiches, bagels, milk, etc. among other foods that are not so healthy.

That the skinny on the middle school snack line I work out these days. It's a busy-busy counter! But it gets me out the house and a workout (lifting those icee jugs).

Have a nice rest of the weekend everyone.

Mary

[Pburgh]

Good Morning all,

I thought I'd stop by and throw some of Dennis' alligator logs on the fire. I brought him some Starbucks Carmel Machiato in case he drops in to rest.

Dennis, Granny's afgan is always here. It always brings comfort to those in need.

((HUGS)) to all
Karan