Retired

Many years ago, I was invited to a Renaissance feast. It was explained to me that I needed to bring my own tableware. I knew nothing of accuracy, so I went to World Market and bought a pretty plate with a dragonfly motif, a bowl and a set of flatware. It ended up being a lot of fun, and I became slightly obsessed with collecting period-appropriate feast gear.

I started looking for things at thrift stores, and found so much stuff that would pass that I started selling it online. I even put together a little booklet that I sent free with orders. Of course, all the choicest stuff went into my basket!



After attending a total of maybe four feasts in roughly 6-7 years, and nothing since before the wedding, I have retired my feast gear basket. There are stories connected with many of the pieces; some I received as gifts, others were obtained when wait staff nudged something toward me with a wink after I asked about buying one. Most were either purchased or tracked down at thrift stores. Either way, I love them all, but keeping them in a basket makes no sense. Many items went into my kitchen window (above), a couple went into the cupboard. The now-empty basket went on top of the cabinets in case we go on a picnic.

This stack, I'm not so sure about. I'm hoping to set up some kind of bookshelf on the kitchen side of the divider between the kitchen and entry-that-is-supposed-to-be-a-dining-room. This is the kind of thing I'd put there.

These, on the other hand, were not in my basket, and will be sold at the next opportunity. I found them when I packed up the kitchen; they must have been purchased in one of my thrift store tours when I was focusing on feast gear. (Three-tine forks aren't "period," but are less modern than the four-tine version, and people usually want forks. There's a limit to how historically accurate people want to be. Two-tine forks would be period, although not for lower classes.)

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Okay, I'm all decorated for Christmas

Maybe not. If we can get the boxes out of the attic at the old house, I would sincerely like to put up at least a small tree. If that plan fails, I have at least put up some decoration, more than I've done for many years. (Sometimes I hang stockings... that's it.)

A Christmas Story was my dad's favorite Christmas movie (it was his era), and probably one of his favorites overall, so for several years, I got him themed gifts. One year was a Red Ryder BB gun (which, sadly, disappeared from his house) and another year, I found this desk lamp. I couldn't afford the full-size version, but he got a big kick out of it just the same. (After Christmas, it will go on my computer table.)

Here's a small image of it from the outside. (Click to see bigger.) It's not my all-time favorite Christmas movie, but I usually watch it once a year. It makes me feel close to Dad, for one thing, but I get a kick out of it regardless. Watching this movie has also helped me vow to never become "that aunt," the one that doesn't know what age her niece & nephew are, who sends wildly inappropriate/stupid gifts.

I like that they enjoy hand-made gifts, but I'm watching for the time when it just won't do. Actually, this year, my niece is getting a stack of used books (Trixie Belden, most of which are out of print in any form) and a scarf. My nephew, J, is getting one of the toys or games he wants and a snowman nightlight - nothing hand-made. The boy loves snowmen and he loves Christmas. Someday, he might want this lamp. And I'll consider giving it to him (no promises).

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Home, again

It doesn't feel right, having a post about the move without pictures, but what can you do? It didn't cross my mind once to get out the camera during the process. Saturday night, after everyone was gone and everything was dark, John called me back to the living room and bade me sit on the couch and look out the window. We could see all the stars! That was the first time I thought about a camera, but was too tired and sore to go get it.

How about a recap, of sorts?
Things went as smoothly as they could for a Michigan day with snow showers and low temps (in the 20s, not counting the wind chill factor). Several people came to help, which was great. They all couldn't make it for the unloading portion of the day, so that half was a little tougher, but we persevered. John and I were still sick. We filled U-haul’s biggest truck, front-to-back and top-to-bottom, plus a few carloads and had to leave a lot of stuff behind. It’s about a 90-minute drive each way, so we won’t be making daily trips to get the rest of the stuff, but maybe a couple a week. (We have a lot of books and DVDs!)

HerdingMoving Cats
I got some confirmation from Steph that my original plan was pretty good, and used a couple of her suggestions as well. JDub had offered to transport all the cats, so when it was time to start packing the bedroom (where most of them were hiding (it would have been better to trap them all in one room, but that wasn't possible)), we grabbed carriers and, eventually, found the six regular residents. We already knew that getting Lily, aka Basement Cat, was going to have to be done separately.

We set up the master bath as the cat room, with litter boxes, water, food, baskets, blankets and cat nip, then let them out to wander while we unpacked the truck. A couple of them were traumatized by both the capture and the 90-minute trip and didn’t want to get out of the carriers for awhile, but I didn't rush them. After everyone was gone, I made the bed and tossed a couple of our blankets over it (the ones the kitties sleep on a lot), shut the bedroom door and opened the bathroom door so they had two rooms to explore.

None of the cats like traveling, but Sheldon, who is the oldest, has had more experience. When he first came to live with me (about sixteen years ago), we visited my parents' house pretty frequently; plus he's moved once and gone on a couple of road trips. He was rarin’ to go, wanting to explore, immediately, but we were resolute (plus, there were some complications that required the bedroom door to stay closed -- more on that later). On Sunday morning, after we caught up on some sleep, we opened the door and let them explore the main floor (none of them are getting into the basement until it's been swept clean).

Each at their own pace, they've been roaming and exploring, and, in some cases, ripping up and down the entire length of the house. (Our old house was much smaller.) Neo, who has been with John since she was a couple of days old, isn’t exploring, but she’s ecstatic because she gets to sleep with him again.

One little hitch (of course there's a hitch)
The furnace wouldn’t stay on, so it didn’t get above 60F degrees all of Saturday. At first, we thought it was because the door was constantly open. Finally, around midnight, we got dressed and took the long drive to Meijer to get a space heater. (Why the bedroom door had to stay closed.)

Thankfully, due to a couple of issues, our real estate agent had purchased a home warranty for us (we would have done it if he hadn’t), so there was a repair truck in the driveway by late Sunday afternoon. Took him five minutes to fix it! (We couldn’t have done it, and it turns out the previous owner, who thought he knew what he was doing, had been repeatedly replacing the wrong part! (Condensation line was clogged.))

Basement Cat
John went back to the old house Saturday night after he returned the truck, and Lily wasn’t in the trap we'd set for her (humane trap, of course). We went last night, and it was still empty, so we went on a little hunt. We cornered her twice, and almost had her, but she got away. The third time, I got a sheet over her and got her wrapped up quickly. Not before she bit me, but she didn’t break the skin (she got the nail, so it felt like I’d jammed my finger in a drawer).

She’s set up in the guest bath, now that we have the master bath back. She’ll have to stay there for several days so they all get used to each others’ scent, and she calms down. We’re going to try to keep the basement blocked off, hoping she’ll consider staying up with the family. (The two youngest cats are hers - we couldn’t find a home for her, and didn’t want to put her back on the street after living with us for a few months, so she became the basement cat.)

Technicalities
Our stove won’t work in this house*, so we’re stuck with microwave, Foreman grill and crock pot until we can buy a new one (already ordered, due Wednesday). I have my first ever crock pot meal going right now, and SIL C. is providing recipes for future use. We couldn't bring our washer/dryer with us, and can't quite afford new ones right now, so I'll be going to a laundromat for the first time in my life (not counting the machines in the dorm at college). Should be interesting.

Next
I have to make curtains and continue unpacking. Kitchen first! I love my kitchen. Even without a stove.


*Silly me. I knew there was a gas outlet, so I assumed we could have either gas or electric (this is only my second move - I’m not “up” on appliances). We couldn’t afford new appliances right away, so we brought our old PoS appliances with us, including our electric stove. There isn’t an adequate outlet for the stove. Oops.

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Offline for a Few Days

We're moving today, and won't be online until Monday at the earliest. Have a great weekend!

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Slow Cook Thursday

There is so much to do today, and I'm really sick, but I couldn't stay away from the computer to check out Mrs. G's Slow Cook Thursday, which is about me today! Go check it out (unless you just came from there), and then keep reading, because it's one of my very favorite blogs!

If you have come here via Derfwad Manor, Welcome!!!

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On Thrifting

(We're closing on the house "today," so I've prepared something in advance. I'll probably be back at least once before the move, then off for several days.)

Welcome to visitors via Derfwad Manor! I think I'm up for Slow-cook Thursday.

Back in the day when I made a little bit of mad-money selling feast gear (for SCA & Rennies*), I used to go to thrift stores frequently. I had a whole route that I traveled, looking for wood and (new, food-grade) pewter tableware. (Pictured here: sorting buttons on my miraculous acorn plate, a total random find, which I adore.) That hobby is long over, although I still collect wood and pewter. I still like visiting stores, although I haven't lately (with the move coming up, the more stuff I buy = the more stuff I have to move). When we are all settled, I'm hoping to find some stores to hit on a regular basis.

I used to look at thrift stores with a mixture of dread and horror. Once I finally figured out how cool they can be, I gave them a chance. There are some things I won't buy (socks, underwear, hats), and there are things that I don't bother with (clothes, usually, because of the sizing). However, they can be great sources for things like sweaters to felt and/or unravel, some kitchen ware, etc. One thing I started noticing, though, is how crazy-high some prices are! Even when thrifting, one has to be an alert consumer, because sometimes the prices are better at the regular retail stores.

I really don't get the justification for the high prices I see so often. The product is free. The facilities and utilities are not, nor is some of the staff. But still, I see things that still have the dollar store sticker on them priced at a thrift store for $2-$3. I don't think they understand that if they priced things more reasonably, they'd sell more of the stuff they didn't pay for in the first place: moving more product = higher profit. (It doesn't stop me from trying, but I frequently walk away, shaking my head.)

I'm looking forward to seeking out a new set of thrift stores once we move, and see how my luck fares a couple counties away.

Completely unrelated
I'd love some tips for moving cats!

*SCA = Society for Creative Anachronism; Rennies = Rennaissance Faire folks. SCA more than the other has regular "feasts" where participants have to take their own table setting, and many like to get as close to authentic as possible.

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Where do you knit?

Disclaimer: I'm a knitter, so that's where my focus goes naturally. Feel free to replace "knit" wherever it appears with "crochet." (Photo #1 is a couple of years old -- me knitting at the Michigan Renaissance Festival (I don't have many pictures of me knitting, as evidenced by photo #2, me in costume/makeup for a student zombie film).)

It seems like a fight breaks out an any knitting forum/community every time someone asks a question about when and where it's okay (or not) to knit. Some people totally freak out at the thought of someone knitting at the movies. Others think nothing of pulling out their knitting at the symphony.

I've found that, over time, my opinion has changed in some areas; in others, it's the same as it ever was. Most of the time it depends on how formal the environment is and how the knitting might be received by people around me. For the latter, it totally depends on the people. I've heard/read horror stories about controlling spouses insisting that no knitting be done in their presence, parents who suddenly decide that knitting isn't allowed on Sundays, and people who are humiliated because their friend is knitting at a bar. That's not what I'm talking about. There are bigger issues at stake in those cases. coughcontrolfreakscough

At my old job, I was on the business side of things -- giving requirements -- and I took my knitting to all manner of informal meetings. I left it behind for anything where someone higher level than me would be in attendance. Still, I had my knitting at most of my meetings, and it saved my sanity during long conference calls. In my current job, I'm on the IT side -- frequently gathering requirements. Plus, the overall feel of this place is more formal. Since I don't think knitting at work is a right, it stays under my desk until lunch, unless I'm on a boring conference call (and am not officiating).

I absolutely knit at movies. My needles don't click-clack, and I take simple, mindless projects like washcloths and can knit in the dark (if it's simple and mindless). Someone that has a problem with that is just going to have to deal.

I don't always get it out of my bag, but I almost always have some knitting with me when we do go out to eat, in case the service is slow. This would be at mom & pop establishments and chain restaurants; we don't eat at fancy restaurants very often. When we do, or if it's a business function, the knitting stays at home or in the car.

Anyone visiting my home should feel free to bring their knitting. Once we've settled down in the living room to chat or watch a movie, my knitting is going to come out -- you may as well get some rows done! Going into someone else's home, I have to gauge the situation. It depends on the hostess and the formality of the event. In addition:

• Doctor's waiting rooms, in line at the Post Office, etc.: yes
• Job interview: no
• I don't go to school anymore, but knitting in class would depend on the instructor. If s/he said no, then it would be no (and I'd have to find something else to fidget with).
• Weddings and Funerals: Totally depends. I'd err on the side of civility and leave the knitting behind. However, please feel free to bring knitting to my funeral.
• Church: Well. I have knit during certain programs where the lights are out and there's no way I could disturb anyone. I don't attend regular church services, but the ones I used to attend would probably frown on the knitting, and as much as I'd be itching to get some stitches in, I probably wouldn't, considering the environment. I have, however, heard of ministers that welcome and encourage quiet, contemplative, charity knitting during services.

The bottom line is that I don't think it's my right to knit anywhere I want, whenever I want. I used to think that people were totally out of line who said things like "if you can't put your knitting down for an evening, you've got bigger problems than not knitting," but have come to realize that my problem was more likely with how the statements were phrased.

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Sheldon Has a Thing for Yarn

Many years ago, I bought two burgundy cardigans, in two different sizes. One fit correctly and was worn with skirts and slacks. The other was too big and was worn around the house for warmth. I've never been a great housekeeper, but I was frequently confused when I came home from work to find my too-big sweater on the floor, nowhere near the chair I'd hung it on. I'd shake my head, confused, then pick it up and lay it over the back of the chair again.

Then one day, I caught a glimpse of something interesting: my cat Sheldon, who was around three years old at the time, dragging the sweater off the chair, clutching a bit of it between his teeth, and walking away. He loved on that sweater, if you catch my drift, and it immediately became Sheldon's sweater. For a couple of years, that sweater was his best friend. We brought it with us when we moved, and he continued to love that sweater. Finally, it had to be washed. And he lost all interest in it.

All this meant was that he no longer limited himself to loving the one sweater. He started adopting any garment of mine he could pull out of the hamper, and added a new trick: hollering while he dragged whatever he'd snagged throughout the house. When John came, he got a whole new wardrobe to love. If we are home, but not in the bedroom, it begins, and goes until he's hoarse. (He no longer looooves the garments; they're more like security blanket relationships now; he just carries them around, the excess material dragging behind him, yowling through the cloth in his mouth.) Once, he dragged a heavy, full-size blanket off the bed and brought it halfway down the stairs.

Well, recently, he''s decided that clothes are okay, but yarn... now yarn is where it's at. This is not okay with me, as he's dragged brand new, somewhat expensive balls of yarn out of my knitting bag/basket if I'm careless enough to leave them out in the open while I dare to use the bathroom or run downstairs to check my email. He leaves my knitting projects alone, unless they're attached to a ball of yarn. He doesn't chew on it, or damage it in any way, although there have been tangles. I learned pretty quickly that yarn could not be left out anywhere.

Finally, I gave him his own skein, some cheap acrylic that he pulled out of a basket. I took the loose piece from the outside and wrapped it several times, then tied it off, so there are no loose ends to chew on. We finally captured a picture of him doing his routine. Getting a video would be tough, because he doesn't usually let us see him (if he can see us, he's not upset).

Once we move, I plan on getting something else on video: Cass (behind Shel in this picture) likes to be spanked. It's the one of the funniest things I've ever seen!

Other news
We close in two days (Thursday) and move Saturday. We are nowhere near packed, and we are both ill (bronchitis). At least we don't have to move everything.

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Observation

Packing sucks.

Countdown begins: we're moving one week from today.

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Baby Shower Gift for Darwin

I took the above to a baby shower this afternoon. The card was on the inside of the package, but the mother (Hi, Mel!) recognized my particular style of wrapping. It was a lovely afternoon, with good company. Bonus: I won the first contest and was directed to the gift I needed to select; it was an acorn cookie jar! I saw them at Joann Fabrics awhile back and wanted one, badly, but didn't get one b/c of the move. So, yay!!! (I'll get a picture of it and the acorn salt & pepper shakers that were inside later.)

Then, home to pack. SIL C came over for a couple of hours and helped me pack and sort the fabric and sewing area that is currently in the dining room. Later, her dad brought over a pile of boxes. We may actually get this done!

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LP Cover Meme

Aw, this was too fun! You need some photo editing software to make the cover or you could just list your results.

Step 1
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The name of the article is the name of your band.

Step 2
http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four words of the last quote is the name of your album.

Step 3
http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days/
The third image, from left to right, is your cover art.

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I Hate Doing This

I have no choice but to sell the spinning wheel. I've never used it, am not convinced I'm coordinated enough and have an arm injury. Plus, I could use the money.

Specs as I know them:

• Ashford Traveller, made in New Zealand.


• It's a little dusty, but that's it. To the best of my knowledge, it was purchased new by the previous owner, used just a little (a couple yards' worth), then came to live with me. (All the stuff on the second bobbin is pencil roving, not spun yarn.)


• It's a single treadle -- I guess double now comes standard.


• Includes 4 bobbins, Lazy Kate and threading hook.

Sorry I can't ship it. I can meet the buyer within a reasonable distance.

Asking price: $295.00
Retails for ~$440

More pics.

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Status Report, etc.

The house thing is still on, but the move is being delayed until sometime in December. We'd tried to get the closing scheduled early, but it's not happening. I understand that they can turn around and ask us to do it early, but they'll keep on wishing. All it really means is that we have longer to pack, will possibly be moving in the snow, and won't be able to entertain for Christmas. I was kind of hoping to do that, because it appears that I'll actually be in the spirit this year. Not the end of the world, just a disappointment.

Snip snip snip
All that hair is gone! Pictures to follow.

File under WTF:


Notice that this guy is actually starting to sit down when the judge calls his name, so he stands back up. (He most certainly took his time at the beginning, for local political reasons, but was being seated when the judge flipped out.) He's in jail now, for 93 days (3 counts of contempt of court b/c the judge said "sit down" 3 times, plus 3 days for the original violation). Talk about an abuse of power.

The whole thing is over a couch that the guy's tenants had in their yard. He's kind of an abrasive ass sometimes (I've listened to his podcast), but geez. (A spectator also had his very dangerous wallet confiscated on the way in, and it was empty of a large sum of cash when he got it back. But, oh. He videotaped it all, and when that was revealed, the $3,000 was "found" a few minutes later.)

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Some Actual Knitting Content

For an upcoming baby shower: itty bitty socks, knit on size US2s with Dream in Color Smooshy (Happy Forest colorway). Just about actual size, nickel for scale.

Pattern here. They're smaller than I wanted, but I promised the mother socks out of this yarn, and this is the size socks the pattern produced with the yarn and needle combo.

This is a nice pattern, but I've now knit 3 pair (almost) with it, so it's time to find another one! (The third pair stalled when I ran out of yarn (the leftovers from my first pair of socks). I may finish them off with the teal from John's sock (below). Or frog 'em.)

After pausing to knit up the pair of itty bitty socks, above, I returned to my Christmas knitting. I hope to finish 2 pairs of socks. There are a couple other things I'd like to make, but with a move coming up hard, I'll be lucky to finish the socks, so I 'm not setting any other goals!

This is a pair of socks for John. Yes, he reads this (Hi, honey), but he already knows I'm planning them for Christmas. I'm too much of a newbie when it comes to socks to trust chance on the sizing and he's had to endure several fittings as the first sock progressed. (Can you imagine all those stitches (size 13 feet), only to find out they didn't fit?!)

Based on the first two pairs I knit using the same book (Ann Budd's Getting Started Knitting Socks), which are too big, I measured John's feet then knit the next size down. Result: one perfectly fitting sock. (The toe is open because I wanted him to try on a sock before I finished it off. I need to add a row or two for a bit of clearance, but otherwise, they're perfect.)

Needles: US2.5
Yarn: Nestucca Bay Yarn Handpaint, Frothy, custom (charcoal and teal).

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New Hobby?

Just down the street from our new house is an apiary. I've been itching to try my hand at brewing something, even though I'm not a great drinker, and do believe I'm going to attempt to make some mead next year. I found Storming the Castle: Mead, which has demystified the concept somewhat. Does anyone reading this who has done so have any advice or links to share?

While looking around, I found a recipe for non-alcoholic mead, which I thought I'd pass along.

I'm actually a much bigger fan of hard cider, and may give that a try as well, but don't believe I'd be able to make the style I actually prefer to drink (sweet and a little bubbly).

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Going out on a limb...

...and announcing that we have a house! I posted some pics in this new Flickr set; these are ones that John took during a tour.

We're pretty lucky. There is not a lot that must be done immediately. A couple of small things on the inspection report and some obvious cosmetic fixes, but nothing major. So, if anyone is free the last weekend in November (right after Thanksgiving), and wants to help, let me know! (We'll be packing and making small trips all week, too.)

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Did You Ever...

...decide you wanted to watch a movie, badly, then not be able to get your hands on it? If so, then you know how frustrated I was this afternoon when I came downstairs to grab The Homecoming DVD off the shelf and it wasn't there!

When I examined my memories, I don't exactly remember ever buying it on DVD. I distinctly remember getting it on VHS, because I joined one of those stupid clubs just to get it (pre-Amazon). (I like the Waltons. So there.)

I was 6 when it came out; although I probably didn't see it immediately, I know that I was near enough Elizabeth's age to connect with the character for that reason, although I probably had much more in common, personality-wise, with Mary Ellen. I loved Mary Ellen's fit about the nest in the tree, and hated the charity lady but loved ME for having a verse at the ready for the kids. I didn't understand the whole thing about "the recipe" for the longest time. Don't ask why, but I got the biggest kick of the them acknowledging/using the toilet -- it didn't happen on TV when I was a kid. Heck, the Brady kids' (started later than the Waltons) bathroom didn't even have a toilet.

I will remedy this next payday, but I'll admit to being agitated. It's a Christmas movie, but I always associate it with Thanksgiving - I think because that's when they showed it around here during my formative years. I don't even get into Thanksgiving (painful memories associated with my mom's death), but there are some things that have to happen during the holidays, and this is usually one of them, whenever the mood strikes (I have certain Halloween movies that I watch whenever that mood strikes). I will likely be packing and moving this year when T-day rolls around. Basically, I was in the mood to watch it. No tears were shed, no tantrums thrown. John suggested a different movie (completely different: Twister), followed by my pick, Goonies. (I don't think he actually likes Twister; he must have picked it because he knows I like it.)

When Christmas gets closer, in the mood or not I have to watch: A Muppet Christmas Carol, Scrooged and Mixed Nuts. Usually, It's Christmas Charlie Brown is in the mix as well. If I'm really in the mood, A Christmas Story and Miracle on 34th Street get watched too. One movie that never gets watched in this house, for different reasons: It's a Wonderful Life. I've never seen it, and plan to keep that record.

What are your must dos/don'ts for the holidays?

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The Old Recipe Box

My old recipe box isn't this cool-looking. Actually, I used to have one like this - wood, no lid - but somewhere along the way the cards were transferred to a hideous blue plastic box, also without a lid.

In it were some treasured family recipes, only a few of which I'd managed to type up and save on my computer. I say "were," because it disappeared some time ago. This was devastating to me. I knew it had to be around somewhere, but resigned myself to losing some of the recipes forever.

A couple of weeks ago, John was cleaning off a shelf in the computer room and found the box. There was nothing missing, not really, but there were recipes I'd imagined having that I really didn't. But there were some treasured old friends there as well, and I set about typing them up on Google Docs, figuring that if something happened to the box AND I had another hard-drive crash, I wouldn't survive.

I've managed to upload 27 files, only two of which have multiple recipes. I have recipes for my paternal grandmother's pumpkin bread, potato dumplings & potato pancakes. I have some of my mom's recipes: "six-week raisin bran muffins," taco salad, and Millionaire Pie. I even have what I believe is my maternal grandmother's biscuit recipe. There is no name on the card, but there is a space for one which has been cut away. Sounds like something I'd do.

This is good timing, since we had an offer on a house accepted. A house with a large kitchen! I haven't baked in years, and I can't wait! The inspection is Monday, and we expect it to pass without any surprises, since it had already gone through all that with another potential buyer whose financing fell through. If all goes well, we'll be moving around Thanksgiving. I'm not quite sure how we're going to manage that, but we'll figure it out.

The house is newish (less than 10 years old), biggish (~1900 square feet = big for us), and awfully rectangular. However, it has fabulous windows, a fireplace, a media room, two full bathrooms and a steel-reinforced basement. Ah. The basement. That was interesting. We finally figured out what it was used for, but our imaginations ran wild when we saw the black walls, sound-proofed ceiling and light rails/brackets everywhere. What we missed was the faux brick wall and the satellite uplink on the roof. Wayne's World, anyone?

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A Funny...and a Work Update

I have so many things to blog about, but can't organize my thoughts at the moment, so here's a sort of funny thing I witnessed tonight: I went to this little taco stand (quasi-authentic, Americanized Mexican food, not Taco Bell) and ordered our supper. While I was waiting, a woman came in and placed an order (I think -- I'm not sure she came back for the food).

Customer: How much for 1 taco?
Owner: $1.75
Customer: Okay.
Owner: You want one? (some back & forth) Hard or soft shell? And beef? So a hard shell taco with beef.
Customer: What comes on it?
Owner: lettuce, cheese, beef and tomatoes.
Customer: What about (s-sound), ss- ss- chives?
Owner: No, we don't have chives.
Customer: I didn't think so. Most places don't. What about sauce? Do you have sauce? (She tries to describe something. It doesn't sound like she's describing salsa. There is a large display case/cooler right in front of her full of salsa, so the owner figured she was looking for taco sauce.)
Owner: No taco sauce, just the hot and mild here, or enchilada sauce.
Customer: Let me see the enchilada sauce. (Owner brings out a pan.) No, that's not it. You know, I'm looking for this sauce, it has tomatoes in it...
Owner: (points at the display case) Salsa?
Customer: Yeah, that's it. I'll be back in a bit.

After she left, I said to the owner: I think she was trying to say "sour cream" back there, not chives. He got a kind of "ah-ha" look on his face. The thing is, I'm not convinced she ever actually ordered the taco.

What else? Oh yeah, the work thing
Last time I blogged, I was pretty confused about what was going on at work. I ended up talking to the usurping contract house and also asking around about them. (I had to at least get to the place where they could make an offer, so I could turn it down.) I decided that my first loyalty had to be to me, followed by the company that actually had my best interests at heart. So, I met with my boss and explained that I loved working with him and very much enjoyed my job, but my choices were between my current, good company and this other company that didn't have a great rep, and I was going to have to stick with my current employer.

The day just got weirder. I called the guy from the other co. and thanked him for his efforts, informing him that I was going to pass. It was like a sales call! I finally had to cut him off and hang up. In an earlier call, he expressed doubt/concern because I didn't have an offer letter from my current employer. "I don't need a letter. I already work for them. Nothing will change except where I go in the morning and what I'll be doing." Well, he says, I'd give you an offer letter. "And I'd expect one from you, since I don't know you or your company." I guess the offer my co. made is so rare that no one believes it's real.

I got at least one more voicemail that day, plus an email saying "how much money do you want? You are apparently crucial to this organization." (Hey, that was nice, but I wasn't doing it for the money. I guess if they doubled my salary, paid half of it up front and guaranteed an income even if this project fell through... I might consider it.) Turns out I'd forgotten to log back in on my phone (we have the same phones as they do on The Office -- you can log in at any phone), so I missed the call that went like this (all quotes are paraphrased): "Based on the information we've received, this is your last day. You no longer work at X. Friday, October 31 is your last day. Click."

I knew that my boss was going to continue to try and work something out, but I didn't count on it. I left work Friday, my laptop locked up and my badge and key hidden in a drawer. My boss hadn't been able to reach anyone to work out a way for me to stay, and my contract house had work for me, so just in case, I left everything (of theirs) behind. On my way home, I got at least 3 calls about the situation, with the result being that I reported back to work yesterday, on a day-to-day basis, while they tried to figure something out.

I've never believed it would work out, but I'm glad we got a chance to transition a bit instead of having things end suddenly. I've been trying to document all the processes for my obscure tasks and finish up a few scattered projects. When I tried to catch him up on things yesterday, boss actually said "la la la, I can't hear you."

Tonight, boss called and said that it was a no go. There are still some details to figure out, but essentially, I'm in this position until they find a replacement or my firm finds an assignment for me. I think boss intends to demand a LOT out of a replacement to push things as far as he can. Anyway, I'm there through the end of the week at least. I swear, I have NEVER in my life had two different sets of people going to the mat for me. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!

The weird thing about this is how shady it all feels. Not what's happening to me personally, but the whole consolidation thing. It was done through HR, not purchasing or finance, and some kind of deal was struck so this other company could, essentially, breach the contracts that smaller firms have with X. It was just thrown at people with no notice and no finesse. It's why my third loyalty was to boss and not X, and why I wasn't interested at all in working for usurper co.

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Dazed and Confused

This has to be a quickie, mostly because I just don't have much info. Tomorrow is looking to be a very interesting day. Or, better still, Monday, because as of right now I don't know where I'll be going to work that day. I still have a job...I just don't know where. I'm in IT, consultant for a company in the automotive industry (not one of the Big Three or Four). So, yeah, business is bad. And they're letting people go right and left. For now, my team is safe, because we're needed to do a lot of work that very few people can do (now). And, other than the commute -- which I hate -- I like my job. I like my boss. He's never threatened me, or even yelled at me once. He's also just genuinely nice and supportive. I also really like my consulting firm. It's on one of those "Top 100 places to work" lists (there are many of them, but it's the first place I've worked that was on ANY list), and I honestly get the impression that they care about their employees. It's been a win-win situation so far.

Except that the company I'm assigned to just decided to "consolidate" many of the consulting jobs. On Monday, I got an email telling me that my position was now "owned" by another company and I had a choice: I could transition to them (at whatever they offered) or I could leave. This happens, and I've not seen it happen well, although I have few details yet. (I feel like a football player that just got traded.) I do know that the new co. is not on any list, offers fewer vacation days out of the gate, and fewer paid holidays. All week long, it's been very strange, trying to figure out what was happening.

Today, I got a call saying that my firm has pulled me from my assignment, and that I'm to report to corporate on Monday to work directly for them. No loss in pay, benefits, vacation, etc. I'll work there while they try to find me another assignment. My boss didn't know anything about it, and insists that they're still trying to work things out. (What this means: they like me. They all like me. I guess I do good work.)

It's not a dilemma -- I'm not likely to have much of a choice if I want to keep my paycheck coming -- but it is still very confusing! There are people there that make me crazy sometimes, but I like my job. However, there is no guarantee that just because my team is safe that it will continue to be, and no guarantee that if I successfully negotiate a livable deal with this other co., that they won't wait a couple of months and slash it. In the end, my loyalty is to me; however, this has all come as a surprise.

I'm still going to work tomorrow and continuing as if nothing has happened. (I already packed my desk up and cleaned up my computer when the email came on Monday because I didn't know what it meant.) Think positive thoughts for me, please. It's hardly the end of the world -- people I met with on Monday are out of work now -- I'm just a little dazed (and confused).

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