Jenna's journal

11:36am: VERIZON PAGE THREE
It was a dark and windy.. Oh wait,  wrong story...SIGH.. See prior entry to be up to speed.

Danny comes out on to the pourch  to settle in for what he assumes will be a 3 hr call to Verizon.

US; Hello Verizon I  recived a  notice in the mail about my old account saying that I still owe. can you shed any light on this?
VERIZON; Hold one moment while I pull  up your records.(information  given for second time) Ah  well let me see  ok then  this was sent  in error let me just  update this . I'm so sorry for the inconvenience this may have caused. Is ther any thing eles I can do to assist  you this morning ?
US; Umm   no    but thank you.(hmm  this  was  painless and resovled in a very few moments.)
Still  sitting on pourch Danny's phone rings.....
US : hello ?
VERIZON ; hello Mr. H.? I will  be at your  location  within the next thirty minuntes to do  your  install will some one be home?
US; oh hell  yes there  will  be some one here.
As we sit on the front purch and puzzle over this.
This was the second order put in since the one on the 31st had been  lost. This one had been lost per VERIZON  and  yet another order had been lost  due to the extencion of the 31st order to the 6th. The order for the 6th had beeen lost out of the system and reset up for the 11th.
Verizon then turnned up on that satuday. did   we  complain  nope we  just let the man do  his  thing.
Upon turning on the system  we found that the cable channels had been improperly imputted and we  had all  the  channels we didn't want  and none of the we did want. SIGH
 US; Hello VERIZION you just turrned on  our  services  and the cable package is wrong..................................
VERIZON; I'm sorry  for any inconvenince this  has caused you..................... 

 I think I will stick with  reading on the front pouch..............................

2:45pm: VERIZON PAGE TWO
Yesterday we recived written conformation over the order that was orgiginaly placed last month stop service then start new service on the 31. see piror entry.
 This morning I recived a call telling me that a service person would be at the house tomarrow to set up service. When I went on line it shows they will not be out untill the11th.
US Hi verizon I recived a call  this morning that some one will be out tomarrow to set up service but when I logged on line to  confirm  it said that the install  was set for the 11th. What happend to the install we  had det up for the sixth ?
Verizon: do you have the conformation  number?
US : hahahahahaha  sure  do but we think its pointless but  here you  go..abc123.
VERIZON ; I don't show that in the system
US; hahahahaha why are we not suprise this will now  make the 4th time we   have been over this.  We  have  been trying to  have our service turnnedon since the 31st. But ya'lls system keeps kicking the order out every time we do this. Forceing us to reorder and have another weeks wait time. Can you fix this ?
VERIZON ; hold on while i check on this.
US ; still  holding...now how did that  song go?  I beleave..something something...
Verizon ; I'm sorry we can't find your order one must have cancilled out the other  or is this a payment issue?
US ; Ah  no  it  has nothing to  do with payment. (see prior entry)
VERIZON; Your will  hhave to reorder and he instalation date will be this date (another week)
US; How can this be? we  have gone over this many times  now and  you keep losing the information ? Why is it we are being targetted for extream incompatence?
VERIZON ; I'm sorry  for the inconveniance but this is all that Ican do.
US; would there  be  any point in insisting that we speak with some one that  has the ability to fix this issue ?
VERIZON : Well I  can  try and get one on the line.
US: ahh never mind we did want to thank you  for the ineptitude errors and the just flat  out incompatence in which you have handled our issues.
VERIZON: CLICK
US: Hello Verizon I was wonder if you  have a  bunch of time I will go  over this once again with you
VERIZON: Sure go ahead.
US; Well last month on the 25th we called  you.................................see prior entry.
VERIZON : Realy?
US: I am now dreaming of verizon operators saying their sorry. We really   don't care that you are sorry  we  would just like some one to give us the equipment and start the service.
VERIZON:unfortunatly .He didn"t authorize any one to be on his account  so I can"t tell you any thing.
US; why am I not suprised....lol
VERIZON; Well we  could get him on he line and he can authorize you
US; sure his number is abc123
VERIZON; I'm sorry it went to voice mail
US: ahh ok  he is directing traffic right now lets do this at 3pm.
VERIZON ; ok

AND the moral of the story is ?

11:19pm: VERIZON system failure? or Nit wits are us?
It was a cold and windy....Oh wait wrong story......This story starts out. I am Moving and would like to cancel my account on this date.(pause for effect). I am moving in and would like to start my account on the this date. Seems simple yes ? The orgianl  request was made for the 31st. with both parties there  and  both parties in agreement  confirmed by VERIZON. The 31st rolls around No verizon person turns up. Let the true saga begin..........
 PROBLEM: STOP SERVICE /START SERVICE on same day
SOLUTION: make apointment get conformation number
PROBLEM: SYSTEM kicks out install SYSTEM can not see stop service order
SOULTION: feel  free to put in your own thoughts


 A call is placed to Verizon at 6pm.
  US:    We where just wondering if the techniciion is going to be here tonight  any time we have been waiting for him/her
    THEM : We show no install order for this date or location.
  US: Oh hmm well let me get you that conformation number (number given)
    THEM : I'M SORRY FOR THIS INCONVENIENCE You will  have to repalce the order.
 US: Ah ok  then, all information is then given. well  things  happen.  ok  then,  are we on the   same  page  now?. 
can you  just  smell the  the plot thickening
 At 8:30 pm the same night all the VERIZON services go off nessatating a a second call to VERIZON.
 US: Hi there  all  our  services  have gone off   can  you tell  us  why?(after giving  information)
THEM: We show a cancilation order for this day.
US: oh, you  have  made an error  and you need to restore the service. Let me explain what  happened We called earlier today  checking on the install order and found that it had been canciled during that conversation we canciled the cancil order and reset up the apointment to have services extended to this date 4/5 which was the earliset they could come and do the install. can you restore the service tonight?
THEM : let me transfer you to the tech. department.
starting to grow old listening to really bad annoying music.
US : Hi there an  error has been   made ( give all above information)
THEM: We are   so sorry for the inconvience lets see  what  we can do  for  you.
Time passing  in slow agony
THEM: keep  holding
US: ok look  the  problem is  simple you need to restore srevice that  you incorrectly turned off
THEM: We  show pending service to this account.
US: look at your  notes (see above explanation)
THEM: WE can"t do anything for you tonight everyone in that dept. has gone home.
US: Hmm well thanks for  all the not  help  you  have  given  us  in  fixing your error.(click)
So there  we  sit  no internet, no TV, forced to read books  or  find other amusments. not really  an  issue  just an  inconveniance.
The next  day .
Two people call VERIZON (see above explanation)
US: can you restore service?
THEM: We have a cut off order.
US: (see above explanation) We don't unserstand why it  is so hard for you to turn the service back on that you mistakenly turrned off  and then extend the service untill this date (4/5) Let me talk to a supervisor.
THEM : what  is the issue?
US:(See above explanation) We need  you to restore service.
transfer, transfer, transfer, hold, hold, hold.
many many hours  later four or five calls  later (see above explanation)
The phone service is restored.
Oh I know lets call VERZION
US: hi we called yesterday this is our problem (see above explanation) You have restored phone srevice the least desired thing. we want you to restore the internet and the cable.
THEM: we are so sorry for the inconvenice.
US: please don't say that we no longer care that your sorry, How hard can it be to restore service that you turnd off incorrectly?
THEM:well  lets get past this  I understand  your fustration.
US: not really  but  we'll  go along with it.
THEM: now what  seems to be the issue?
 US: (see above explanation) can you fix this today?
THEM: there is a pending order for this address.
US: yes we know stop looking at that, It has nothing to do with restoreing service and extending untill this date (4/5) You need to do what ever you do and restore the service!
THEM: let me transfer you to the fios dept.
US: Oh GOD not again, yet more really  bad  music. temper riseing BP headded  upwards. can feel head getting ready to pop off neck and spinn madly about the room crimson streams shooting out of what  was left of neck.
THEM: How can we help you   
US: (see above explanation!) after a very long chatt moving right on up to suporvisor. Can you restore service ?
THEM: There is a pending order ....
US: ok then you have moved in to just plain stupid. (see above explanation) click
 Tatic change: after much disscusion amongst ourselves
US: Hi Verizon please read the notes attached to this  file.
THEM: I'm so sorry for the inconvinece. lets  get this  fixed.
US: ok
THEM: SOme one put in the wrong code here this  should  have  never happened. We will get this expidited for  your right away .
US: ok thank you.
WE went right to suporvisor gave all the information required and several hours later that day  internet and cable restored.
After going over everything in great detail We where once again given conformation numbers for the stop service and the start service dates 4/5
US: Hi VERIZON we where wondering if the tech. is going to come today you did say between 8am and 12 noon its now past that time.
THEM: do  you have an order number?
US: Yes its abc 123
THEM: that order was canciled.
US: You have got to be kidding ! WHY WAS IT CANCILED?!
THEM: you can't have service going into this location and have another order to install befor there is a cancilation order.
US: (see above explanation) very bad word now. Incompatent nit wits! We set up the cancilation to run concurant with the install so there would be a smooth transition what is the (instert very very bad words) problem?

After approximatly 8 and 1/2 hours of phone calls speaking with suporvisors and other depts. resolution is,  are you ready ?

 We now are forced to go with out internet and cable for 4 days forget the phone !

We had several thoughts on what to do.most of which would probobly be illegal
we did  look at changing service to another however that provedto be more expensive with less net service (slower mps)


good thing We are  good friends with our neighbors some of us can piggy back on their signal.  We have air TV. As well as DVD player.
As for my self well  lets  just  say I can read a book.

7:51pm: memorial day rant
While I am not a rabid Americanist . As I left my house today I looked  up and  down my street and as   far  as  I  could see in ether direction no flags. Only one on my house  kinda old  and  tattered (I have had it since  the war started). As I drove to work I kept looking around glanceing  at the  houses  and  things along  the  way, still  no  flags. I began  to  wonder  My grandfather  served in the Navy  starting in 1938 and retired some time in the 60's. My father, oldest brother and nephew inlaw served in the Army.My uncle was USMC. My other brother  and I served in the Navy. While no one was an"ultimate" sacrifice we all sacrificed some thing. 
 I turnned on  the  tv when I  got to work looking  for  some  channel  that  would show diffrent services/celebrations going on around the country not just in Washington DC. My roommate John had mentioned his brother who is a member of the national Army band was going to be playing today so I started looking for some  mention of that. All  that I found on  some 60 plus channels  was a very brief blerb on the news channel of the Washington DC service. Nothing on  any other channel. Tobe some what honest I am some what saddened by this lack of display. 

I don't think that you have to be  for or against the war or the president or any of the myraid of other things that devide people.
I think people should be  proud  that they have  the CHOICE to be for  or against and the CHANCE to remember how they got it.

Is it to much for a few more houses  to  fly a flag  3 days out of the year  to remeber those that have and will sacrifice. To be proud of  being American or be proud  that  they live in America where EVERYONE enjoys the freedom that  our flag repesents? 

4:24pm: Fence again......
Yet another gate has been made today and another post or two dug and put into place.  I put this gate in  down by the garage today  because I am  far to  lazy to walk up to the existing gate and use it. Two of  the  grandkids where running  about as well. Lucas  the  youngest  just turned two  yesterday  or the  day  before.  Torri  is  5  or  six  now.
 The  other thing that  happened  was  the  new  daughter in  law  graduated from  LPN  school (Nursing) I  think  it  was a nice  graduation  cerimony.  Don't you  know I  muissed  it  due  to  work....  can't  complaine  have  a nice  steady   JOB.  what  irked  me  was  getting  lost  on the  way to the  restauant. So  I  missed the  dinner  as well.  I  did  how  ever  get  some take  away  brought home for  me. That   was nice  of them.  The grandkids slept over  along  with the daughter(Dawn). all  in  all  it  was  a plesent evening.  My 44  mi. round trip  to  sr 54  was not  pleasent. Thats  the  part w here I whine  about  being lost. It was  cold,dark,and  unfamilar roads.  People  just  wizzed  by  me  which  wasn't  so bad. The  evil  part  was the  sand  that  hit  me in the face at 40+ mph.  that  was  stingy  as all  get  out.  I didn't  have my  gloves  on. ( it  was only  a  9 mi.  ride) My  hands  where  like  ice  it  was so  cold  on  them. 
  Any one  have the  cheese  yet?

The  other  grumble  of the  day  is  about  Here I  live in  the "richest" country in the  world...Yet every  day  on  my  way to  work I see  panhandlers on  the  street corners.  whats  up  with that?. I vary  my  route from time to  time  yet  no  matter  what route I take there  are people  standing on the  cornner  begging.  The  busy street  they  have  the bright neon  yellow  vests.  making  think at  first they are the  newspaper guys that  now are at  every intersection. Not that I  have issue  with that. They  are  making a sort of  living doing that. I also  have  no  issue w ith  the  cherities  that are  out here from  time to time. Who  hasen't seen  the  fire fighters out there with boots once a year  doing their annual boot  drive. I was even  ok  with the  guy  that  had the sign that  said " why lie  I  want  money  for  beer." I only  saw  that  guy the one time  and  it  looked like he was  cleaning up.  I was even familuar  with the  guy that  was bumming  money  with  a  story  attached. (ran out of gas gas can in hand) Now I see  the  people out ther  that  have the  disable vet carboard sign  please  help.  Homeless  carboard sign  please  help.  haven't  seen the  will  work  for food  one for  awhile. 
It erks  me  when I see this.  When  is a  city  or  town  so  big  that  people  fall  thru the  cracks and resort  to begging.  Why  is a  veteran  begging in the  streets?  Did this  person  not  sustain  his injury  in the  line  of  duty?  There  is some thing  very  wrong  about that.  There  is just some thing very  wrong  when  any  citizen  of this  counrty  is  hungery  or  has  no  roof  over  thier  head.  Do  I  have  a  solution?  probly not. It  makes  me  wonder  tho  what  could  a  trillion  dollars  do  to  ensure  no  one  went  hungrey  and had a place to call  home

           Cheese  anyone......

6:13pm: Lets play catch up
Here it is  the middle  of march  and I  have sadley  been  so  busy fixing repairing and just  doing  stuff.
 The  fence  line  needed tobe moved about 6 inches. So  that  ment  putting  up a string  line  and ensureing that  it  ran true  and correct.  then one at a time taking  down  the 6x8 fence pannel redigging the  hole  for the post  and putting the  fence  pannel up.  do this  for about 30  ft  and feel the  burn. Prior  to that  had to  take the boat  down  and  get  it  serviced  becouse  I couldn't  get the  end cap off to  fix the seals  on the trim  tilt.  It  realy  makes  me  crazy to  know what the  problem is, to  know what the correct  procedure  to  fix  it.  Have the  parts yet be unable to  fix the issue.  The  end result on that issue  was  We needed  a  "welding" tourch  to  heat  up the  parts  to  get them  to  free  up. That  was  a  mere  75.00.  The  next  ugly thing  down  the  pike  was 241  reasons  why to  keep  the  "speed" control on  while  travling  down an  empty road.  and  not  tell  the  cop  he  had to be  F>ING kidding  on the ticket.  for some reason they tend to  under apreciate you  saying they are  F ING  GREEDY  bastards  and  few  other  choice things. Another thing  they  fail  to  like  is  you  getting  grumpy  with them  when  you  have  pulled  over  then  moved at thier  request.  and  are  hunting for the  crap they  want  and they  keep saying  crap  to  you.  and the  you  snap  at them.  They  don't  seem  to  like that  much. I did  how ever  wait untill  the last possible  moment  to  give them  any money. Which  brings  to  mind that I tryed to pay up on  line  but the STUPID state  county  what ever  coulodn't  find it  then  when I  mailed it  in  the  shits sent  it  back  so I endded  up  waisting about 2 hrs  down  town  and 241.00  Then I   had  to go  over to the hospital  and  spen  another 150  on  dang  perscrptions. then  ride claer across  town  and  truly  wasit  4 hrs  standing in  one  line  to get  a  number to  hang out  for another hour or so  to  get to the  correct  spot  not 10  feet  away  from  where i started  so  many  hours  ago  to  have  a  guy  stamp a  paper  that i bought several  hours ago down  town  and  in  less than 5 min.  tell  me the  system  had been  updated  and I was no longer in danger of driving with a suspended  lic. Was  that a waisted  day thatI will  never  get  back  ....YES.. Did I bring it on myself...Yes... Will I repeat  that  mistake again....hmm  maybe. Will I  bother  and  keep  a  sfae  driver  on  my  DL.?  oh  hell  no  not  worth  it.  didn't  do  me a  lick  of  good so  if  it  doe's  nothing  for  me  then  screww it  why  bother.  

  Fast foward thu all that and back to fence line.....Now we are dedicated DIY  kinda people  here so  when  it  came time to  reposition the  post  we  used  rocks  to  hold the  post in place as  opossed to  cement. better  for the  wood  better for everything all around  but I'm  certian  it  will  confuse  some  poor arcyologist (SP)  trying  figure out  what  scattered  piles  of  stone where  used for  that are none  native to the  area. Bunnie  spent the better  part of a week  or  so digging  up  all the rocks that  had  been  moved  over to the garage  and  put down the  to keep code enforcement    off  my  ass  becase the  garage  needed  new wood sides  put  up  and t1011  is  very expencive so  I  hid  the  bad  wood  with  decrative  rocks and  a  few  borders. Hey it  made  code jerks  go  away.   Bunnie  dug  up  the  rocks  I  moved fence pannels  and  post  and  linned  everything  up  mostly  the  way  it  was suposed to go.
Bunnies  back went out 2 days ago at 2am.  not  recomended  for  sleeping. Won't  mention  I  said any thing about  you  need  to  not  be  doing that  your  back  is  going to go  out on  you.......
  We  did  need  several  more  fence pannels  to  finnish  up the  job.  so  the  search  be gan.  the baycity  boys  wanted 34.00  for  some  really  crummy  looking  pannels  . Home depot  and  lowes  wanted  27.00  for  some  ok  pannels.  and  then  we  found Dannelle Fencing...... 25.00  for regular  fence  26.00  for  board on  board.  27.00  for  cedar board on board.  Bunnie  finally  found  used cedar fence pannels  board on  board  for  5.00  each.  she went  right to town.  good thing I  was  just  driving the truck.......Five  fence  pannels  later  and  one  side  stop to the  pottery barn  where  upon I  took  a  nap  while Bunnie spent  and  hour  or  so raoming the  store  finding a set  of  king  sheets she  liked  well enough to  purchase.......

  I  have spent the  last  3 days  putting  those  fence  pannels  up  digging holes and  moving  stuff around.
 Had  to  drain  current  pool  the  one  down the  street  became  avalible  ours  is  currently a  16 ft  above ground  round  pool  the  one  down the  street  is a 24 foot  metal  above  ground  round  pool  and  since the  nephew  works  in  pool  store  we  get  family  discount on pool  linner  150  or  so  for  300.  pool liner ....hmmm...  The  yard  is almost  ready  for  pool.  oh  did  I  mention this  is why  all the fence  stuff statrted......I wanted the  bigger  pool  from  down the  street.....
 Oh  and  because I can  I  built  a  new  gate  for the  new  fence  in the back  yard  useing the  new  electric  saw.......

  and just  one  more thing  I'm  not  going to  spell  check...so there......

6:36pm: After the hollidays
Is it safe to look up yet? The end of the year  mad dash.... CHristmas madness combined wirth three December birthdays.. Bunnies(my beloved) and Jason my nephew both Decemeber 6th. and My own on the the 27th. This tear for me being a mile stone I turnned 50. yea for me!  Then right after that its  the new year thing...ack....Broke  for the holloidays  is  my  theam song... arg  hate that  part.  But  my  Bun  did  get  lots  of  toys  and  what  nots I'm certian that  my assorted parten  types  just  spoiled the  bee gees  out  of  her this  year...  hmmm  Does that  mean  that they  like  her  better than  they  lke  me? Is t his  how we  measure  our  self worth..  by the amount  of  stuff  people  give  us... hmm  in that  case  if that  being the  premis  then  I am so  devalued....;-) 

Now  that the dust  has settled I can  go  back  to  my usale  levels  of  stress. House  is  my  number one  stressor  after that  its  car  and then  sadly  health.  I  must  say  so  far  gettng  older  is  really starting  to  suc.  diagnosed  with  Arthritus in  my knees.  hmm  my be  I  shuld not have jummped off that  roof  so  many  times....way  way  to  much  joint  pain.  cheese  anyone  I deffiinitly  have all  the  whine  here

5:45pm: Halloween
Halloween has  now saftly passed.we where very dilligent  at my  work and  tryed to keep the nightmare to a minimum. I am very  happy with how our gate pumpkins turrned out. I would  love  to upload them  here for  everyones enjoyment and or comment  how ever it  would seam that I am not able to figure it out . Hmm does this call  for the use of naughty words prbly  but I shall refrain.........

5:17pm: Past revisited
Not to long ago  went back  to a place I had spent part of my childhood growing up on.
 It was a very small island n the  St. petersburg -Tampa bay area.  When  was a chiild t was stll mostly undeveloped and  the sea turtes used to come nest there. My brothers and I would walk to school over the bridge  and along the  shore .  I for one poking at the diffrent things  that  had washed up over night. My brothers  keeping me moving  so they would not be late.  Or fishng the pennies out of the water that I had let slip thru my fngers. 
 It was the place I learned to ride my little red  bike.  My mother being  angry  for  me  running my  had  up  and  down  the wall while I was learning to ride.
All of this was passing  thru  my  mind as  drove along followng the GPS  and  then  was  there at the  brdge  that  hadden't changed  looked  to the  left as I went  over the  brdge  and the  little  store on the cornner  was  still  there.. I  thought to  myself  "I'll be  damed it's stiill  there" It was the  store  we went to  on halloween to get  out free  drink  and candy. Then  I  turnned  down  my old street.  did a very slow roll  down the  street looking  for  anything that  I could recall. The picture in  my  mind  was  of a mail box.. me  standng by it.or of the tree across the  street. Or even the  tree in the  back  yard. My father  had  put a rope up in the  tree  abd we  would  swng out of it  onto  my fathers boat.  Even n  my  minds eye  I can  see him puttering thru the water in  this boat bringing it  home. After several  calls  to  my  mother   was able  to  find  the house. It had change  i lttle  the  car port  wasno more  it  had been  turnned into another room.  I got out of my  truck  and  walked up  to  the  house.  spoke  with the current  resident  and  explained that I  had lived there  as a  chld  and would  she  mind very much  f I looked into the  back  yard  for the  tree  we used to  climb  up.  The woman  was very noncamital  about that  so   didn't  push it.  It was  her experiance that  once  you  left a  place  you  never  went back. 
   spent about thirty minutes  just looking around and  then  went  home.  As I thought about it I became  more  and  more ajitated over it. I coulod not  put my fingeron  why I  had  become  so  agitated over going there  and  looking at that  house  that  place or pulling up  that set of memeories.
 I talked to several  of my  freinds one  respoce  was..  what  was I looking  for?....and  that  sent  me  down  another path of  questions  and  adgitation.  another friend  said  "hell  i woulda  gone  just to  go  look"
and  yet  another of my friends related a  return  to  her childhood  home  and  the  sadness it  had  brought  her. of  what  was  and  what is now.   The  basic  question  still remand why  had  I  gone.   afer  thnkng on  ths  spme  more  and causing  my self  lots  of  turmoil  I am  still  ponderng  that question but with  a  bit less inner turmoil

.

8:59pm: vacation
Arrived alive from the florida keys,
 We went down  to the  keys and stayed at the sugar loaf womens vllage  which is a land trust for women. A VERY WONDERFUL PLACE I MIGHT ADD.  YOU  CAN LOOK IT up under sugarloafwomensvillage.com  think fnd out all  about the herstory of the land.
We bascly spent the week  waking  up  when  we  woke up wandering out the back door  across the lawn  stopping  to chat wth  the lades  and  the eguannas in the  road. getting into boat fireng up same  stoppng at marena getting  bait  and driving off into the  gulf of mexico  and  fishng  most all the  day. We did invite anyone that wished to come along and enjoy the day. Rita and Bonnie did take us up for several of the days  and  ms. Raven  took us  up on  one  of the  days.She and  her G/f where  down  on  bussiness so  dd  not  get to  spend as  much  time on the boat  as  one  or  both of them  had wished. All in all a  good tme  was  had  by all.  the  other thing I  am  able  to  do  for the  Sugar Loaf  ladies is to fix a movie they have called Some Ground To Stand on. It is a move about how the womans village came into being as well as the life of Blue lunden who was an actavist.
 they had a copie of a vhs tape and  it is was the only copy they  had. I took  that  "dvd" they  had  put t on my hard drive  then  by  running it  thru  several programs  and picking out the important parts of the nformation I have been able to put togeter a nice DVD that  has  menu  and chapter for them yea  for  me!
 It is realy  had to  get  back into  work  mode... sigh. should be  on  boat  tryng to  catch  enough fsh  for the fri  fsh  fry.......SIGH

7:36pm: Can I Exhale yet?
What  about the weekend  (for  me)  from hell. Or  better  the  last  two  weeks  have  beeen  just  anoyng as  all  get  out. Five minute  rule at  any  time....
 So  the  keys  to  the  castel go missng  for three days  and  no  one  shares this  with  me  for  two  days. naughty  lads.  after  having  to tell  my  work boss  and  my  employer  boss  the  castel  keys  have  gone  missng  and  then  telling the  fellow that  had  last  seen  them  he  would  have  to pay  for  rekeying  the castel.   Not  an inxepensive undertaking.   The  little " i'm  so  much  better than all  ya'll  no  colledge  people " Decides to  let  hanging in the wind Billy  know  he  has the  keys. About  an hour before the deadline  of the  keys  must be  found by time. The  story  is  "I Had them  hooked on my  back pack"   Which is  dumb  to  say  when  he  has  zero reason  to hae them on  back  pack.  better to  just  say  ah  crap. left them  in my  pockect.  which  everyone  I know  has  done  at some  time  or  another.  So  I am  thinking  hmm  fib  number  one.  Not  2 days  later  one  of the  residents  reports  "I'm  so  much  smarter  than  ya'll" asleep in the  gate  house. hmm  upon  askng  about it.  he  says  no   was  atching  TV head  n  hand.   hmmm  according  to  reports  horn  beepng  many tmes  and  groggy  contanace...  hmmm   I'm thnking  fib  number 2  here....and  then  there  is  Ray  " rambo" Ramos  but  he  is another  whole issue.  and the  capper  for the   last  week  is  moms  in  hospital.  moms  out of  hospital....Moms back in hospital  can't make up their Fing minds  what is or is not wrong.  Oh  wait  moms n  Hospital  and  ahh  you  guessed it  havng  surgery.  Again  for  the  5 or 6th time  now  for  the  same issue.  and  this  would  all  be  in  the  last 8  months.... 

 so  can  I exhale  yet?

3:58pm: Sunday Afternoon Amercan Football

  As I sit in my little box watching The Tampa Bay bucs play football  wonder to myself. Should I have told those fellows I see on an almost daily basis that I would watch the games they were playing in as long as  they kept the game intresting .  I must admit the game is a bit more intresting to me  when the people playing in it are known to me.  Having not watched this game very often over the years. But for one or  two games a year and those being play off games and the super bowl. Every thing eles just  seamed like the build up and not worth  watching.
 Another thing that I have noticed is that my frustraton level has gone up a bt more. Darn that Akeeb, he should  have knocked that ball  down. what the  devil  was that Gaines thinkng  when he  jumped off  sides.   Oh Tinard what  the  devil  are   you  doing   hmmm.   Wonder why josh  ddn't  get  to play ?
 By knowing  these diffrent  fellows my understandng of the game has increased. Akeeb is  the  guy  that  trys  to inercept the  ball and  run it  back  with out getting a penalty of pass interferance (running back?).  Gaines is one of the guys that trys and knock down the quarterback befor he can throw the ball (linesman?) Josh is one of the reserve quaterbacks.  Dexter is one of the guys that catches the ball on the kick off and  trys to run it all the way back (punt returner) and has since been cut off the  team. After chatting  with  these diffrent  young  men  they  tell  me that N F L  realy means  not  for  long.   Nice young men  they are,  still polite. Ego's not over blown.  I did meet most of their mothers as well. Ahh  The game is over  and they did not do so well. they played  against the dallas  cowboys and lost 20 some thing to 30 something. I understand the game better and enjoy it a tiny bit better, mostly I think I like chatting with the nice  young fellows that drive up  to my tiny little  box...
 And  for  those  that  don't know  it...I am in  security  and  mind a gate so please do climb  back on  the  curb  with  me. 

7:38pm: After Labor day
So here it is after Labor day  and  my ponder  of  from  whence  did  labor day spring. 
 I had  so  much  fun  finding  out this  information  I thought  I would pass it along. I created  the Waterchase Trivial pursute game making  up  five questions. in what  year was it first celebrated.. see prior post with three choices.. who thought it  up.. three choices  to include Jerry migure. Not even the children missed  that  one..... What state reconized it as a holiiday,  
almost no one got that one(Oregon) What labor  union /group proposed the idea for labor day (knights of labor)  Last but not least in what year was  it  made a federal holiday (1894) Most every one thought ths came about in 1944.  Only one person  got  angry with me and called me names...that  had  more to do  wth  him waiting in line afew extra moments  than  the  questions.  All in all  a  good  time  was  had  by all. 

9:46am: American Labor day

 Today is Labor day. It got me to wondering from whence it came so I looked it up. The web is a wonderful thing..
The first labor day was celebrated on Tuesday sept. 5 1882 in New york city put on by The Central Labor union and again the next year also sept 5th. Then in 1884 the first Monday in Sept. was selected as the holiday in accordance  with  the original proposal. The Central Labor union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a "workingman's Holiday", so in 1885 Labor day was celebrated in many of the industrial centers of the country.

All of this was cranked  up by one of two guys..Peter J. McGuire of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners
and Co-founder of the American Federation of Labor  OR Matthew Maguier, a machinist secretary of local 344 of the International Association of Machinist in Paterson N.J.
The proposal for  labor day came from the Knights of Labor they planed a demonstration and picnic all back in 1882 then in 1884  they passed a resolution to hold all future parades on the frst monday in Sept.
eventualuy the states  got on board with it around  1885-1886 The first state to pass the legistion was  Oregon then the rest jumped on board over the years until 1894 congress passed an act makeing the first monday in sept. a legal holday.

 Now knowing the history of the holiday I pondered what it has evolved into. In my life time I have never seen a workers rally for improved conditions  nor one for better pay. I have seen assorted unions involved a number of scandals (retirement funds gone missing)  have wondered where Jimmy Hoffa A) got dumped or B) living in splendor on some remote tropical island.  What I have seen is  Huge bedding sales, Car sales, federal holiday  ie; no trash pick up, no mail delivery, banks closed, state and federal workers get a three day week end. I'm guessing that the government is run by skeleton crew, some one has to be on call.
 Perhaps I am in the wrong industry to get a three day weekend. The service industry seldom gets to have a holiday, Labor Day or other wise. Which brings to mind another question... if the service industry seldom gets  to have a holiday  does this mean that the service industry is essential to the running of the country and if so  why does  the pay  really suc? unless of course you are  middle mgt. or above......

 Just a thing to ponder on this Labor Day weekend as I get dressed to....  sigh .... go and Labor......

  

10:03am: Writer's Block: Home Remedies
Better living thru chemacals ,chicken soup,and sleep sleep sleep.

10:55am: 192 weeks hmm how lazy
How lazy can one  be not have made any entrys in 192 weeks...
 Summery: from Dec of last year..Broke some Rib( came  off  horse) Got Fired, got Hired all in the  same day.
Got promoted within a month. acheved goal of becoming invisiible to  head offce.. and keeping  client very happy.
 Took up several carpentry esk projects.  The latest being a kitchen island . the sanding portion now beng compleat. oddles and tons of crappy medical stuff.. went from no pill takeing grl to  ten pill taking gril currently whittled down to three. (yea for me) Next  wood working project is eather sail boat  from the 50's called a hobby kat or a pantry also fot the kitchen  while rebuilding the out side of the garage as the wood  only lasted some 25 years....Oh and lots of fishing(mostly catch and release)  we are now on our fourth boat and second  boat motor.
several trips to the keys. Bun got two tattoos for  her 50th birthday ..dolphins on each ankle. Quit smoking ciggeis...sigh  still missing thos....
 Pulled all the carpets  from the house and are redong the floors, all hard wood first built in the 20's
remodeled the bath room. rebuilt a wall one of the  kids melted...Let his a/c run down my wall for several years.
We used the 20's method of old lath and plaster. re framed the wall put the wood lath boards up used stucco and the plasterd the wall and finaly textured so it match the rest of the wall.I t is  now our (my) game room where I continue to get really good at gutar hero......huum not so much summery  more like rambaling about a
year and such ........ my hap  wiill do better for the rest of the year......

7:35am: work and other rambilings
Work .. I was taught by my parents and by my social up bringing to work.
You accept a job you work by the rules of that job. You keep company "secrets" go to work when you are supposed to, do the job you are being paid to do. sounds fare enough. What are you the worker supposed to get in return? Pay check, a certain amount of job security.
At my job in the security industry there is always a demand for good employees. In my position as entry level management the job requires constant attention.
My job was to go to all the different sites at different times to check the officer on site and to ensure that there were no problems. make sure they had the tools they need to do the job.(paper work}. One of my other functions was to make sure that all the site had an officer at them if none could be found to go there then, it was on me to fill the site.
My average work week was 70+ hrs one week it was 116 hrs. There is supposed tobe 2 of us to fill this job. but alas there has been no one but myself for 5 mo. hence the 70 + hrs every week. There is a myriad of details to attend to as well. finale after 2 1/2 months of no days off and being on call 24/7 new manager is hired. I get to train the fellow for 4 days. and send him out into the world. so looking forward to having a day or 2 off. He gets snatched up to go cover a site. so its back to 24/7 for me. New ops mgr. comes to town. Guess who gets reduced to regular officer......New fellow hired off the street to fill my position. Never worked in this industry. knows nothing of the sites nor any thing of the people. So not my problem now.
Looking for new Job now have very little faith in the current management at this Co.
Put out many applications over the net. went on interview for same type of position with different co. came away with promise of a job.we shall see....
Moving on now to home break in(s)
As some of you may remember 2 years ago we were home invaded by a crack head. After a year or so it went to trial and the man was sent to prison for three life terms. Not for only what he did to us but for what he had done to several other people. After checking I found that this guy had three pages of very nasty crimes he had already been convicted of.Hmm wonder what happen to career criminal law three strikes your out thing?
That was in march of last year. Several months go by. We come home and find that the air conditioner has been ripped out of the window and some rotten scum bag has ripped us off. so much for the think pad that we had. All of Buns good jewlley gone. But the one nice thing the rotten bugger did was leave Buns mothers obituary on the dresser before taking the box it was in. Never caught any one on that one.
This year no break ins till last week. I came home and found the rotten little snot coming out of my dining room window. Had the little shit been slower or had I been faster, We would have been supporting his butt for the rest of his life due to injuries suffered when the bullet went thru his spine.
Amazingly enough the k-9 tracked the little snot right to his house out front when the scent disappered when mixed with the five other dogs they keep. No action taken by local PD. can't prove the little thug lived there nor can you prove that he went in there. Hmmm..
Finally remembered home owners insurance. We also figured out the little thug had made several trips into the house and when I had come home it was his second or third trip in.
This year so far is not ending well. My eldest brother turned fifty couldn't attend party due to you guessed it work. My father turned 70 and my grand mother turned 94 couldn't attend any of the parties you guessed it again due to work.
I'm thinking I will be very happy when I no longer have house payment to make then I will feel much safer telling my employer to get stuffed not working today due to family. Instead of telling my family I can't attend due to work.

12:55am: pool cont.
Oh joy ,Oh rapture,
While every one else in the state is getting ready for the hurricane season we put up the new pool. In between rain bands we went out side and tinkered with the pool. Making sure that the ground was as level as we get those things. Also made sure that we didn't have dips or craters,nor big chunks -o-rock twigs etc. Rolled out this monster and waited for the next rain band. After awhile it finlay came and started filling the pool. Nothing like fresh rain water to partially fill your pool. When the rain stopped we finnished filling it up with the hose . That took half of yesterday and several hours today. Spent an hour putting together the new ladder. I really didn't think I was that incompetent. But it took me an hour to figure out the dang directions. Even with Mz. Bunnies very able assistance.
Pool filled ladder assembled pump hooked up and primed.Power source located and connected. Switches thrown. Pool a very cold 75 degrees
and in I go. Mz. Bun came in broke out in goose bumps and climbed right back out. So now its Oh Joy Oh rapture back in the water again. I think I might be getting gills.......
In other news of the moment. Dennis missed us just gave us a few rain bands and a tiny bit of wind. Went off to terrorize other sections of the state. Bubba the cat was in kitty heaven as he gets to come inside when the weather is nasty out side. He even got a new kitty toy. Just try and take it away from him when he is loving on it.

8:10am: pool
Well there you have it. After the pool burst on the 4th we thought we would have to go pool less,couldn't do it. Went out that very day and bought another pool. A tiny 8ft get wet pool. Took down fence panel and took out the jacuzzi that was sitting there collecting bugs and fungus. Had to put the boy to work that day. Cleaned off the deck and up went the new hot pool. What is the hot pool you may ask? We had wanted a spa for a very long time but we figured ha who can afford a hot tub they are very expensive. So Bunnie and I thought hmmm... What if we get a little get wet pool and set it out in the yard. Then we thought if we get pool pump and rig it up with some pvc pipe and hose then we won't have to try and change out the water all the time. Off we went to the store keeping in mind what we wanted to do. Our first stop was to lumber store to get some 2x4's and ply wood. {We decided to put it on deck} then off to the local wally world. We went to the pool section and looked around the 6x10x22 pools on sale for 30 dollars next ilse over were the pool pumps at 60 dollars. We then took our goodies home. The big problem then hit,how are we going to heat this puppy up in the winter. We thought of assorted different things, lets hook up a small water heater and have a closed "circuit" heater not a bad idea you think? It would have been very costly to hook up the heater.Then we thought, fish tank heaters...ahhh there ya go ..NOT fish don't get fryed because they aren't grounded.We thought about regular spa heater. That also was costly. Then it hit me! water bed heaters! They are designed to go under water beds they are insulated against water, they aren't very expensive to run. Shazam! heaters! Off we went picked up 2 heaters on sail for 40 dollars. So now for the paulty sum of about 180 we have a hot pool. This then left us with a get wet pool which is a nice make do pool But with the constant heat we endure we really wanted a bigger pool that would stay cooler during the summer. Our friend delia suggested we take the burst pool back and see if we could get it replaced. Not being savers of receipts we thought they will never take it back. Bunnie gives them a call and explained the problem. They said no worries bring it back. We loaded it up and off we went to the store. We arrive with 15x 42 pool stuffed in shopping cart
Tell our tail of woe. They look it up and after a little futzing around find it. No surprise is they don't have that size pool in stock. Bunnie and I consult our pockets and decide yes we can add 80 dollars to the price. We now have an 18x48 round pool. We now have another building project on our plates. Our pool was 15x40 we have to widen the space for the new pool. which means moving the fence back several feet and widening the one side and back to recenter the pool.{we have fire pit}. Yesterday was spent taking down fence panels and digging out the dirt to make it level. Today will be more of the same. Bunnie and I have found the we are level and strait line impaired. Can't cut a strait line nor make a dang thing level. We even use those wonderous tools designed for the level impaired.

2:18pm: 4th of July
Another hmm comes up on my list of Hmm's
Yesterday was the 4th of July here in the land of free and the home of the brave. I watched all over my neighbor hood yesterday as the fire works filled the sky and the children as well as the adults ooed and awwed over them. Later on as I drove around working I saw even more fire works fill the night sky. What I didn't see except on a very few houses where Flags. Not even tiny little flower pot sized ones. On my block there is one flag flying in one yard and this yard has a small flag as well. That yard is my yard. Not one of my neighbors has one little flag out for the fourth. which just makes me go hmmm wonder way that is. My neighbor on the left has son in the military. No flag but plenty of fire works. my neighbor across the street lots and lots of fire works, brother in the military no flag. Next to him is mister neighbor hood watch and fashion police. No flag. Is it just me but is the fourth an excuse to not go to work, to hang out and drink,set off lots of fire works and miss the whole point of INDEPENDENCE DAY. Is it a celebration of the signing of the declaration of independence. Is it a celebration of not having to go to work. The powers that be tell me that it is a celebration and salute to those who gave their lives so that we may live free. From my little perch in the world watching things go on around me I think for the vast majority its an excuse not to go to work and set off fire works. For a few its remembering what the cost is for living in this country. For me its remembering that allot of people payed a huge price so I could sit here and type this rambling hmmm. Fly the flag and set off fire works.
Oh and my pool burst yesterday as well. It was amazing to watch 3300 gallons of water fill my back yard and wash everything around. What was even more fascinating to me as the wave subsided was that my yard bubbled.

2:19pm: mp3's and free music
After the fall of napster where oh where to find really free down loadable mp3's
here ya go....
nowhereradio.com
this is a web site for emerging artists so there is lots of different venues to choose from including the dreaded hip-hop group. so if any one chooses to go there and peruse whats there please stop by toker's spot and check his music out its heavy metal and pop-rock fading dreams is a nice song easy on the ears

10:06am: live8 concert
Hmmmm I wonder will it really make a difference this concert? all around the world music to help the extream poverty children. This problem coulda shoulda woulda been addressed if it was important to world leaders already.
In our ever changing world there exists the ability to fix what ever the current problem maybe. why have they not been fixed already you may ask...the simplistic answer would MONEY, can't make any if you help your neighbor, POWER can't have that if you educate and enable every one and I think just simply, don't give a rats ass about it. Is the biggest reason why there are 30 thousand people dyeing every day from starvation and other nasty things.
Am I being cynical about it? yeppers you betcha! After having watched our so called leaders in action for most of my life I see the preservation of power being the most sot after thing in any governments policy{s} Not what is good for ALL the people.
I would like to believe that this concert will truly fix the issue. The planet could be such an eden IF........

9:34am: boats
hi all,
Bubba lives on....
not being much of a writer on line any way...I haven't updated very often {my bad} But then we have just returned from a nice famdamly reunion {Buns} in the mountains of Georgia. It was interesting for me as I am a flat lander. The only mountains I climb would be Mt. Dora and thats really a few hills in Florida. But I digress ...
A friend { Teresa } and I often look at boat plans and think about building some of them. really day dream about it for me. while looking at some boat plans on line I found a link to simplecityboats.com and on that page I found another page called boats out of the 30"s40"s and 50"s when I looked at that page I found plans for an inner-tube boat called Corky. After much futzing around I managed to down load the plans. I printed them up to show Mz. Bunnie and she thought it was to funny and that we should build it. Normally I am not supposed to build any thing as I am terrible bad about starting stuff and then getting drawn into another project and not finishing the first one. The plans sat around my very cluttered desk for about a week or so as I tried to find some place that sells inner tubes for cars. You can not believe the hassle of finding a regular car inner tube. Off we went to Georgia for the famdamnly reunion {Buns} Needing to find some thing that would keep me out from the family microscope and busy but available I went Hmmmmm. off to the only hardware store in the blue ridge area I went, gathered up my supplies at the meager sum of about 60 dollars. Borrowed Buns dads jig saw and drill. Spent the next 2days safely out of harms way. I am happy to say I only nicked myself one time with the jig saw and drilled my pointer finger just one tiny time with the drill. Not have any clamps or tables to hold any of the wood I was cutting was a challenge in itself. I used a stump as a table part of the time and a stone wall as my lay out space part of the time. Ahh the trials and tribulations of "boat" building in the mountains of Georgia. After 2days and many Noah remarks by passing family members little corky was done. That very day was the planned excursion to the captive river aka the lake. Off we go spent an hour or so cruising the lake while other family members went to the picnic area on the far side of the lake. We finally get there off load Corky and I make a temporary sail out of a table cloth not having access to a sewing machine. Attach all the pieces parts and look around for a willing participant.
Buns daughter Dawn was the first to say pick me pick me....She gets all set to go sail away when her son Marcus decides he can't live with out her next to him so while I'm towing Dawn out from shore Marcus is following along behind us screaming his head off {he's only 2} so ended Dawns voyage. Next on the pick me list was Buns nephew
little Dave..... He gets in and I tow him out from shore into waist deep water and we wait for a breeze...
spent about 15 mins pushing him around waiting for a breeze. Finally a breeze comes along and Corky sails. YEA!
I tried to go sailing in Corky but not having any balance all I did was fall out the other side. Boo!
Now that we have returned home I get to rebuild Corky using a wider plank for the base to give it a bit more stability and try try again.

4:32pm: Work
Currently that is my very boreing life,
That and yard work. My sweety bought a new pressure washer and is just going to town with it.
I'm not allowed to play with it yet...sigh.
We are planning to wash the house down and paint it all up in grey and drak blue trim.

3:26pm: a Name i've never beeen clled....
went off to work yesterday that in it self being a normal thing it only got interresting when a very unhappy person took offence at not being able to park ..So ther i was summond to the front by the new guy. whom had only been there for one whole day. This person was giveing him frief about parking. yesterday being the 4th and all. i arrive with nice smile passted on face. when this jerk looks me up and down and tells me .. AHH i see that your basck ground in security has been tobe a Prison Matron. Now is that anway to win freinds and influnce people. it certanly mad me want to go out of my and assit him in find parking.