legs4daze's Xanga

Thursday, December 26, 2002

Thu, 26 Dec 2002 22:52:28 GMT

The Greatest Gift

My husband has quite an extended family. 9 or 10 aunts and uncles and all kinds of cousins running around. Many of the cousins have children and it would be almost impossible for me to try and count them all. I have no aunts and uncles, thus no cousins. Both my mother and my father were only children. So, visiting his family on the holidays is always enjoyable for me, if somewhat overwhelming. But this year, a member of his family gave me a priceless gift.

My husband's aunt and uncle are wonderful people. They live in Georgia where his uncle is a preacher and I have met them four or five times. His Aunt Margaret is such a loving person, you can just see the goodness ooze out of her. She is someone that just makes you smile. Uncle Gary is a very nice man. You meet these people and it makes your heart feel good. Aunt Margaret and Uncle Gary have an 11 year old daughter named Anna. Anna has Down's Syndrome. She can walk but not talk. She does know some sign language. She can say 'I love you" and does that regularly. I only see Anna once or twice a year and I always feel drawn to her. I don't know why, I just am. Last year we spent the afternoon showing her the horses and letting her pet Peaches, the baby. This year...

Last night when we pulled into the grandparents driveway, I was very happy to see the vehicle with Georgia plates there. It meant my favorite people were inside. When we went into the living room and Anna saw me, she ran over and kept hugging me and giving me the signs for "I love you". After only seeing me a few times, she remembered me!! For more than an hour she hugged me and patted the couch for me to sit next to her. We signed the 'I love you's' back and forth. And I cried. It touched me so much that she remembered me. I stood in the kitchen like while 15 people wondered what was wrong with me and I just couldn't explain it. She knew who I was. She even brought her mother her socks to put on, meaning she wanted to go outside. And she kept making cow noises, which for her meant the horses.

What a gift. Thank you, Anna.

Wednesday, December 18, 2002

Wed, 18 Dec 2002 11:25:29 GMT

The Redneck Queen's top 10 tips for safe holiday shopping.....(safe meaning that if you follow these tips, the employees of the store may let you live...)

1. When you decide, while unloading your buggy, that don't want to purchase any of these items, please hand them to the cashier and do not try to stuff them on top of the candy in front of the register like no one is watching.

2. When a register is opened up and the employee calls out that she will help the next customer in line, please do not come running from the food aisle and jump ahead of people that have been waiting patiently.

3. Please do not let your small child open those M&M's and scatter them all over the floor. Please refrain from stepping on these M&M's after they have been scattered all over the floor.

4. Please be aware of your surroundings. In a store that has gazillions of signs stating that everything in the store is $1, please do not ask how much a particular item is. Especially do not ask us to scan the item to find out the price.

5. There are times when we must stock the shelves while the store is open for business. Please do not run over us with your buggy or push us off the ladder. I am 5'11"- I KNOW you can see me.

6. Please do not let your toddler stand up in the buggy behind you while paying for your purchase. I have watched in horror 3 times just this week as children jumping up and down in the buggy have tipped it over. One child came within inches of smacking her head on the candy shelf.

7. This one is important so pay attention: Do not, under any circumstances, reach into your bra and withdraw your money. I am sorry, but your armpits are not something I want to come into contact with. I have been known to wrap my hand in a plastic bag while handling this sweaty money. If you cannot put your money in a purse, pocket or wallet, please stay home.

8. While on the subject of money, please do not throw your money at me. How would you like for me to throw your change back at you?

9. We have thousands of boxes in the stockroom. Yes, there might be some more of 'those' back there, but it would take me all day to find it.

10. Be happy. This is supposed to be a joyous time of year. Smile.

This is dedicated to all the folks in retail this time of the year!!!

Monday, December 16, 2002

Mon, 16 Dec 2002 14:36:24 GMT

It's been awhile. Wonder if anyone remembers me?

I have been busy enjoying my life. My stress level has gone way down while my happiness/gratefulness has shot straight up.

I really love it here. I love the feeling of not being in the middle of the city. Yet, I am only 10 minutes away from Wal-Mart. I love making this our home. I really enjoy being able to spend so much more time with my family than I was able to before the move. I love driving the back roads to work, especially early in the morning and seeing all sorts of beautiful sights. Or the way the stars seem so bright in the sky at night.

I am enjoying working 40 hours a week with 2 days off. The manager of this store does alot of things that are totally against company policy, like taking 4 days off and falsifying her time sheets. But, I am trying to just do what I can do and let it all go. It is hard, but I am trying. The one thing I refuse to do is cover her ass. She seems to think that since I was a manager I would be very willing to do her job for her. Uh huh. Nope.

Our new dog, Charli, has settled into our family like she has been here her whole life. She has such a personality. The longer we have had her, the more it comes out. She loves to sit in the chair with me and watch 'Animal Cops'. LOL She sleeps in the bed, usually right up on the pillow. She will even cover herself up if she is cold. She sings, too. Not sure if it is because she likes my singing or if she wants me to hush! I love her so much. I am so grateful to my mom for not taking her to the shelter because they would have put her to sleep due to the heart worms. She goes next week to the vet to make sure those nasty worms are all gone.

All in all, this was a great move. My family is happier. I am happier.

Thursday, November 07, 2002

Thu, 07 Nov 2002 23:55:04 GMT

I would really enjoy David Letterman if that bald guy wasn't on there. He just annoys me, for some reason.

Life is grand. This is my first week of working 40 hours and I feel like I am on a semi-vacation! I was off yesterday and spent the day shopping with my mom. We had a great time and found some good bargains. I am now the proud owner of a stuffed witch that will be hanging from our carport next Halloween. lol

What is the weirdest thing you have ever seen while sitting in traffic/driving? I saw a man picking his nose today. He was really digging for gold. Didn't even have tinted windows. My husband drives a truck and he has seen all sorts of strange things. I know, I have seen pictures of some of them. I bet Heavyhaul can has seen some real doozies!

I am slowly getting my home together. I still have loads of pictures to hang, but my husband has promised to help me do that this weekend. His eye is so much better than mine.

Thursday, October 31, 2002

Thu, 31 Oct 2002 10:42:17 GMT

No debi, I haven't disappeared. I didn't realize how long it had been since I blogged. I have been working my butt off the past few weeks. We opened our new store yesterday and I think I might finally have a day off tomorrow. I hope so, I am tired. But, we have a good looking store and I really enjoy the hard work that goes into setting one up. This is the second store I have helped set up and I have learned alot from these experiences. I do know that this is not something I would want to do full time!

The kids seem to be adjusting well to their new shcool, in spite of the fact that it is in the middle of a cow pasture. The hubby loves his new job. He is home often and still making decent money. The man he works for was so impressed with him that he already got a raise and a brand new truck to drive. The new dog, Charlie, stayed at the vet for 2 days having a heartworm treatment. Poor thing....someone dropped her off at my mother's house and my mom adopted her, knowing I would want her as soon as we moved here. She is a real sweetheart of a dog. They also groomed her while she was at the vet's and painted her toenails orange so that everyone knows she is a Vols fan, too. Although after the past few weeks....we won't even go there. Let's just say I am not used to rooting for a team that is not in the top 10. Hell, we are not even top 20 now. Makes me sad.

Life is still great. I go in later this afternoon and plan to use this time to clean up and arrange a few things around here. I am going to go have coffee on my deck now.

Thursday, October 17, 2002

Thu, 17 Oct 2002 02:37:45 GMT

I am very happy right now.

My home is starting to feel like home. My dogs are outside, baying at the moon. My new dog, Charlie,was allowed to sleep in the bed with me tonight. After fussing at her and putting her on the floor every time she jumped up in the bed, she jumped up on my husband's side and started to whine, lick his face and cuddle with him. Almost as if she were trying to say, if you let me stay here I will be a good girl. lol It worked! It has been over two years since I was able to have an inside dog and I am afraid I am spoiling this one to death!

I am helping out at a new store this week, but will be going to my permanent store on Sunday. The store I am at has a lot of really nasty issues, but they aren't MY issues and it feels so good to be able to work my 8 or 9 hours and go home and not have to worry about it.

Life is really good right now.

Thursday, October 10, 2002

Thu, 10 Oct 2002 21:02:38 GMT

BIG SIGH!!!!!!!!!!

We made it. We are here. I have a gigantic pile of dirty clothes in the middle of my living room, boxes covering my dining room table and my washer and dryer are still out on the trailer. But hey, we are here!

I really enjoy waking up and taking my coffee outside on the back deck and talking to my dogs in the morning. I love that I can call my mom anytime I want to as it is not long distance anymore. I put a CD in last night and turned it up way too loud, just because I could. I think this is gonna work out just fine!

For those of you that have been following the saga of the dip shit District Manager I had....I got the word last night that he is no longer a DM! WHOO-HOO! He will go back to his previous position as a store set up manager or he will be leaving the company. I am so glad. It's about time!

Saturday, October 05, 2002

Sat, 05 Oct 2002 10:06:07 GMT

Packing, cleaning....trying to get it all done.

I won't be around for a few days, so you guys behave yourselves.

I gotta go, I have an oven to clean!!

Friday, October 04, 2002

Fri, 04 Oct 2002 09:22:15 GMT

Lili is gone.

We fared very well here. I went in to work long enough to unload the truck, then got the heck out of there. The area we live in never lost power and hasn't flooded much. I spent most of yesterday afternoon napping.

We are doing the last little bit of packing and cleaning today. I have both of the bathrooms fairly clean, at least the soap scum is out of the bath tubs. I will clean the oven today and vaccum real good and be done with it. We will get up early tomorrow morning, pack the truck up and go. I am so excited.

Saturday, September 28, 2002

Sat, 28 Sep 2002 22:58:26 GMT

They moved my couch today. Where am I going to pile all of the clean socks now?