Decision: How'd You Like to Start Your New Hours Tomorrow....and that's no JOKE!

So, I will get my wish.....after reviewing what needed to be changed (voice recording, send out a message to the whole Company-wide world, change the ROBOT ALERT hours to the OnCall phone) it was decided I start my new hours on Wednesday, April 1st........ and that's no joke!

Decision: Why Don't You Come in to Work a Little Early....said the spider to the fly.....

Well, at least he learned to call (and call the correct number) if he actually wants me there at a specific time!
My boss called me to come in early today; that was a lump in throat moment....especially when the meeting was with both bosses. It was all good though....changed my hours back to 1pm to 10pm, which ironically enough, is something Mom and I had discussed this weekend in connection with getting to her place on Friday night instead of me trying to get there early on Saturday. I noted that the weekend is too short and I don't get anything done (meaning I don't get pictures and negatives scanned like I want to).
So, starting next week (I tried to get them to start this Friday) Molly, you will have to figure out again when is the best time to reach me! Ahhh, the sacrifices we have to make....giggles!

Decision: Road to the FINAL FOUR........are we there yet?

It's March, it's Sunday, Michigan State is playing, and I'm at Mom's....what else would I be doing!....(giggles)

Actually, as you can see by the picture, I baked some cookies. (Just baked, not created a cookie cutter and mixed them up from scratch...though I did dip them in a cinnamon mixture (that was actually left over from a sweet potato casserole.....we don't waste anything around here!).....giggles). Let's see now, where was I (scratching head); oh ya, Basketball --- I managed to wait until the game started to get hungry, so Mom said she wouldn't be able to come to the kitchen to help. No matter, I am just going to fix burgers, fresh asparagus, and tossed salad greens. I got it ready and we ate while watching the game. Then I decided we needed something sweet and there are things in the freezer that need to be used up....perfect!

While I am in the kitchen, Mom comes out on the phone....she is talking to Sherry Lynn about a picture they both have a copy of. Between them they are trying to put names with faces and determine the relationship of each person in the picture to each other. Soon they have that done, say their 'good byes' and I have my first sheet of cookies out of the oven. Actually, there are two sheets, each containing 20 cookies. After the 'resting' period, I start to put them on the cooling rack. As I get down to the last four, I have to do some rearranging to squeeze them all on. This is where Mom 'shines' in her ability to size up the situation and offer the best possible solution: "Since you are having such a problem managing that space (for the cookies), don't you think I should eat some of them"......talk about rolling on the floor laughing.....this is really good stuff! It's one of those times you don't have to be hit in the head with a 2X4 to understand a 'subtle hint'. As I removed the last cookie from the sheet I placed it on her hand and file the memory away to recall again and again! What fun!

So, what does this have to do with the road to the final four? MICHIGAN STATE WON....they are going to be there to play......look out Detroit - Spartans coming your way!

Decision: Say 'Cheese' Please

Here are a couple photos from negatives that I think were taken in 1964. I tried to figure it out by counting the candles on my cake....I come up with 16....anybody get a different number? Also, the one on the right would have been taken on August 2 and the one on the left on September 14 (that was back when we actually celebrated ones' birthday ON the date, with a cake, with a present (whether it was wrapped or not) no matter what else in the world was going on. Convenience was not a factor....at least that's how I remember it.)

I know, I know......in these economic times, who should be buying 'toys'? Not me, I am sure. But, Mom, and many of the rest of us, has boxes of old photos and negatives that I think we need to preserve in a form easier for sharing....maybe even get them organize, so I bought a scanner. It scans photos, negatives, positives (which are slides), and can print them too. For right now I am just concentrating on getting everything scanned.

Decision: She's Growing Up and Away

I spent the day with Angelica again today....but from somewhat of a distance.

Her choir was involved in a contest in Okemos and she asked me to be a chaperon. Last time, we sat together; this time we did not. This picture shows how far away she was on the bus (she's next to the window back there in almost the last seat; I am at the front three seats behind the driver). Despite the distance, I had a great day as many Heimerdinger relatives were present also, which is always totally fun!

The day started VERY early, 6:15 AM. (I got to bed at 2 AM so sleeping on the bus turned out to be my way of getting through the day!) Anyway, I picked Angelica up at 8 and we caught the bus at the Middle School.

The experience of watching a choir contest was new to me. I have participated in band contests but the whole thing seems very different when your 'instrument' is your voice and ultimately your whole body. The judges were fantastic....they were full of praise and positive instructions for the students. They even presented ' shortcomings' in a fun, positive way. I am in awe all over again as it think through the day's activities. I don't understand the way ratings are determined but from the cheering that went up when their director made the announcement, it was all good. Now there is talk of going to State.....cool!

We stopped in Jackson on the way back at Old Country Buffet and had their 'all-you-can-eat'. Angelica and I sat together, and that was the best way to end the day!

I got here at Mom's late and Ethan has been wearing her out so I had better get to him now. He's wanting to watch a movie.

Decision: Regardless of What the Calendar Says, I Won't Be 'Springing' Anywhere Today...Not Forward or in Any Direction! I Just Don't Have the Energy

Grrrrrr, I hate time change! My body takes longer and longer with each change to adjust...doesn't seem to matter which direction the clocks are moved.
Of course, it doesn't help either that this weekend is Pre-GoLive! AND I'm OnCall. I got woke up at 6:15 AM, which was really 5:15 AM 'body time' and the guy on the phone said it was 7:15 AM in Texas, but that can't be right because they are an hour behind us....OH, DOES ANYBODY REALLY KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS? (good place to burst into familiar song, don't you think). Suffice to say, it was too early (especially when I didn't get to bed until 1 AM 'old time'). But, enough about that!
Molly did call me yesterday, only missed her time slot (remember 2:18 PM) by about 6 hours....no matter, I'd say hearing from all three kids on the same non-birthday, non-holiday, ordinary sort of day is a pretty special day indeed! Thanks kids! I really, really, really love you!

Decision: Just a 'Quick Call'...That's All......

I'm sure that is what Denise thought before she rang me up. I know she mentioned it when she said she didn't have time to answer my email so she thought she would call. Forty-five minutes later we were getting off the phone. It was all good AND she did answer my email question. That was 12:20 PM.

I'm sure Aaron thought the same thing when he called at 1:19 PM (although I think he was expecting to talk to his kids.) It didn't work out that I had them, me being at work and all, so we are going to try again tomorrow. Aaron talked about 44 minutes.....giggles. He brought me up to speed on the job the guys are doing and how they are doing such a good job that they are getting more and more of the job and well, the job is taking longer than originally anticipated. He said at this rate they could be there until September......prone to exaggeration? We will see. Of course, he will be coming home from time to time. Sounds like the whole thing snowballed....literally. They had a foot of snow before the storm last week ended, but it's all gone now.....67 degrees today.

So, if the next call follows the pattern of the first two, Molly should be giving me a 'quick call' about 2:18 PM today. Time will tell!

Decision: GoLive! ....Go Away!

Monday, March 9, 2009 is yet another GoLive for the MascoBCG. This is a very good thing for our Company's future....unless you are the one OnCall this weekend. You see, Saturday, March 7 (that'd be today) is the Saturday before the Monday GoLive and many of the people who will be using the new system come Monday just got there Production login on Friday and now they are locked out of their computer. Seems, somewhere in the excitement, the fact that creating a new password for the new system changes the password you have been using to log in to your computer for the last 6 months didn't translate. Something always falls through the cracks.

(O M Gosh! I just went to pour my drink into my glass and almost poured it on the OnCall cell phone....is that Freudian or what!)

Anyway, I am at the office fielding phone calls and waiting for Nick to get here to train me how to build computers. And, if I didn't have such a huge workload of other things that need to be done around here, I'd be complaining......come to think of it?.......(giggles)!

Decision: Release Those B-Day Gifts

Ethan's sixth birthday was February 6, 2009. He was out of town with his Daddy and sister, Angelica, up North snowmobiling so I didn't get to see him and his gifts just kept piling up at Great Grandma's. Aunt Molly and Uncle Bob had sent gifts and Great Aunt Sherry and Great Uncle Kim had sent a fun card via email.
So, today was the day. Here are pictures of him opening them...he sure had a wonderful time!