How Dare They Mess With My Color

               For the last couple of years I have been purchasing Merry Mash-up Holiday Mountain Dew.  I think it is my favorite of all the Mountain Dews that I have tried.  Last year there was a bunch of infiltrators mixed in almost side by side.  Watermelon Zero.  What was the Pepsi company thinking with that one?  (But then perhaps there are just as many questioning the Mash-up cranberry/pomegranate blend). 

 

Last year I had accidently grabbed a Watermelon Zero along side the Holiday and grossed out at the disgusting taste of watermelon?  Really?  It was 2020.  The flavor will always remind me of COVID.  I have learned long ago that if the word “zero” is part of the soda name it means zero sugar, zero calories, and for a while had believed zero taste.  But “zero” means horrible taste.  You might as well be sucking on shoe polish.  Yuch!!!!

This year Mashup does not seem available – at Dollar General (where I was first introduced to it) at least. And yet there is this overgrowing supply of Watermelon zero – like the company knew they had made a mistake introducing the horrendous flavor to begin with.  I think they are hoping people will do what I did last year and grab it on an impulse of getting the holiday Mountain Dew.  I mean why would the company offer watermelon in the off watermelon season?

 

 I think they are just stuck with this million of COVID creations that need to be gotten rid of to an unsuspecting public.  I want my Merry Mashup.  Please bring it back and throw that watermelon crap away.

Lead By Example – Follow Up to the last post

 I meant to have this posted on Friday but was unable to process all of my thoughts until now:

              I think it was in August when Roland applied for the management position at the jewelry store.  They were down to two candidates but had decided to go with the one who was more familiar with the product.  Not a great call in my opinion – but I am just getting the information second hand.  I’ve never actually met the woman – but this is an illustration of what makes a leadership vs. management that I had mentioned in this post.

        Not her real name, but I shall call her Karen – the name that seemed to get a bad rap during 2020.  She knows product.  Roland knows people.  I do like a salesman that can tell me the pros and cons of certain products – electronics for example.  It is important – but I think knowing people is more important.  Not just customers (guests, consumers, or whatever they are called) but employees, co-workers, peers – neither of which Karen had experience with. 

        She would teach the other three workers about the product and Roland would teach the others how to sell, how to act, and what to do in various situations – like being robbed for example.  Cocky Karen said they would never be robbed.  Technically it was a burglary but Roland’s 911 went into effect. 

        Karen would abuse her manager position and give herself every Sunday off though Richard and at least one other employee were told they would only work every other Sunday.  Karen didn’t always pay attention to what she had scheduled.  One day she had called to find out why Roland wasn’t at work.  He said he was scheduled to close and not open but evidently she had wanted him to do both? 

        Roland continued to train the other two.  For one thing it has been majorly slow and the staff has nothing better to do.  But also he leads people – whether he is technically in charge or not.  It’s just part of his charm.  People will ask him things as though he is the designated leader – except for Karen who seems to have trust issues and has asked others to keep an eye on him – not realizing the other two would much rather have Roland as their manage rather than Karen and will confide in Roland whereas they would never dream up any conversing with Karen.  She doesn’t know how to lead.  She doesn’t know how to manage.

        Roland drove to the location on Thursday morning after the store opened.  Karen was scheduled to be there.  Her rule was that there always had to be two people in the store, but the other employee was there by herself.  Thus we went shopping and returned to the store.  Karen still was not there, but the owners were.  Roland turned in his key to them and then called human services to tell him that he had quit and tried to give the key to Karen as a courteously but she was not there.  We both wondered if she would still have a job by the end of the day or if she would take her frustrations out on the other two.

        We both feel good about his leaving and he has no desire to return.  He has heard from one of his former co-workers praising him for his abrupt decision to leave.  Our youngest son also had said that he had made the right choice.

 

        

Wasted Time . . . Hope and Prayers

             Marketing is horrible in Douglas County.  I noticed that shortly after we moved here from Salt Lake.  Marketing in Salt Lake was ALWAYS in everyone’s face ALL of the time.  It was quite refreshing not having advertisements and commercialism thrown at us every single minute – but I slowly understood the need.  Surely there has got to be a happy medium.

Roland and I had both applied for several positions in August.  Nothing seemed to pan out.  Perhaps that is why Roland went with this hidden jewelry store which others had evidently heard of.  I never have.  The location is NOT a prime location.  It’s set back behind several food places. 

For the first two months of being hired the Roseburg location wasn’t even open – though the building was there. The pandemic had slowed down its reopening.  And then when they did reopen they didn’t have any heat. 

The employees there really like Roland and wish he was the manager.  He was enthusiastic for the first six weeks or so but is no longer happy with it. 

        I haven’t been very supportive about Roland’s job situation.  I feel bad that I haven’t been as the cloud above his head has burst.  I am certain that I have contributed to that – but not totally.  It has just taken him longer to understand my complaints – well some of them anyway.

        Initially he had said that if he didn’t get hired in the manager position that he would not take the job.  He was not offered the manager position but he did take the job.  It is at less than what he was making through the school.  

I think I posted about the local community college calling finally calling back (from August – just getting around to it September/October) and had one interview but was not called back.  Now he has an opportunity to interview through the VA – also applied to in August.  We are now praying that this one will pan out. I think that even if it does not Roland will be giving his two weeks notice pretty soon.  NO ONE is happy there.  Wasted time.

Holiday in St. George

         Roland got off at 5:00 on Tuesday and we met him in the driveway.  Jenna had a carry-on and boarding pass in hand.  We arrived at the airport in just over an hour and Jenna walked through the gate by herself.  I should have taken some pictures but did not even think about it until now.  Thus this is the only picture we have of us in Medford.

 

        The next picture she took was after she arrived in Las Vegas. 

 

I’m guessing that she must have gone out to the curb to meet Randy as she was not aware that Devan was with him until later on the ride toward St. George.  Randy took this picture of Jenna under the Arizona sign as there is a piece of road from Nevada to Utah that goes through the state of Arizona.  I think it is kind of funny as there is no access from Arizona and so if there is an accident on that road even though that part may be in Arizona, the emergency vehicles need to come from Nevada or Utah.  I think for the most part Utah picks up the flack.  But I don’t know for certain.  All three are desert states. 

The next day Randy took her on a tour of Dixie State University where she has also been accepted.  Randy said the campus is ten minutes from where they live.  There seem to be more pictures taken at DSU than SOU but I think she’s leaning toward SOU – having no sales tax to pay in this state is something that excites her. 

This is a view of St. George

    It had been quite a simple Thanksgiving for Randy and Jenna as it had been for Roland and me.  

These are the pictures that Jenna took on the  return home.

 

 

 

 

Our Time in Ashland

         Jenna had been accepted to Southern Oregon University which we toured on the 19^th. We had invited Jenna’s friend Kylee to go with us. We had to have proof of vaccination or else a negative result on a “last 24 hour” test.  I thought Kylee would have had that already but was not able to get either in time for our tour and so ended up not going with us which is really too bad.  I think she would have enjoyed it.

        We arrived in Ashland very early in the morning.  The elements were dark but there were buildings lit up with Christmas décor.  It was as though Ashland embraced us with welcoming arms.  It was so beautiful and inviting.

We had arrived early and thus able to get a decent parking spot in front of the admissions building which is where the event started.  Those in charge admitted us into the building so that we would not freeze as it has been cold outside.  I’m pretty certain that we were the first registered for the orientation/tour package.

        A breakfast bar had been set up for all of the participants.  We enjoyed scrambled eggs, biscuits and gravy and fruit before the morning orientation, separating the students from family members and going on tour.     There was a scavenger photo contest presented for whatever students had desire to participate – which of course Jenna did.  Here are some of the photographs that she took: 

        The theatre didn’t seem to offer a separate course as some of the other departments and so we ended up with the digital cinema.  I enjoyed seeing the work of some of the students as they presented footage and talked about some of the challenges that they had. 

        We ate lunch.  There were a variety of options.  I selected a “build it” sandwich as there was no line.  Jenna selected pizza which looked good but was the worse tasting pizza either one of us have had.  I enjoyed the sandwich though. 

        After that we toured the housing area.  Jenna seemed comfortable with being able to live there – which she may end up doing.  We had gone to the library as she had a question for the admissions with the theatre department but the library only offered the basic admission and had set up computers for that.  On our return to the Stevenson  Union building we met a senior majoring in theatre.  She and Jenna swapped information to keep in touch.  I thought that was cool.  Very impressed with how friendly everyone was.  Jenna will fit in well.

        Our last stop was at the financial sources and then return back home.  It is only about an hour and a half from where we live.  I like that she will still be close enough to visit.  And she does already have at least two friends who attend.  Guess we will have a better idea where she will be going within the next four months.

Perhaps Not Perfect, But Close

             I had asked a friend if she would drive me to the airport yesterday.  I had changed the time of her flight and would have been able to drive myself but my friend was still willing – in fact looking forward to it – perhaps more than I.  Before the pandemic she had received a gift card to Red Lobster but has not used it in all of this time.  So after we went to the airport and picked up Jenna, our friend drove us to Red Lobster and used her gift card on overpriced food that really didn’t seem worth what we would have paid.  Jenna and I do love the cheese rolls – which she enjoyed more than I.  It probably isn’t the fault of Red Lobster but rather my taste buds (or lack thereof) that are to blame. 

Currently Jenna is in Cottage Grove attending the high school football game – not that she knows anything about football or any other sport.  She has school spirit as many of those from the class of 2022.  They have always been so supportive of one another – unlike the class of 2023 who had somewhat of a mischievous reputation.  I don’t know how much of that has changed since the pandemic.  I know 2022 continues to be strong.  They are definitely an awesome bunch of kids.

 

On Monday I took her to the high school for parent teacher conference.  Though she currently has eight classes, she has only five instructors.  Seeing them all took only 15-20 minutes plus a few minutes of visits with those who are not her instructors.  Everybody loves Jenna and the feedback is always positive.  I knew that already. 

She needs only two classes to graduate but has decided to take six electives to contribute making her senior year a wonderful experience – though the two required classes are a Lot of work.  She is and always has been a great student academically as she is supportive of her peers.  She’s a gem.

Bonnie in my Bedroom

 Bonnie will whine when

we are in the other room but

will gladly follow me to

 my room and lay down

and stop whining. 

 

My room has carpet and

so does the office. 

Often she will hang

out there waiting for

Roland’s return.

 

Perhaps she enjoys the

rough carpet under her belly.

I don’t think she is particularly

fond of the flooring we

chose for the main part of

the house as

she is always slipping.

 

She does have her own bed which

seems to me should be

more comfortable than

the carpeted floor. 

But I am not a dog. 

What do I know?

 

She’s quite an insecure dog.

She has waited in the office alone but

rarely stays in the bedroom by herself. 

I don’t know why she doesn’t

hang out in Jenna’s room. 

Jenna absolutely adores Bonnie.

She really is a sweet dog.

She currently seems

 to be missing Jenna.

So Much Post Info . . . So Little Time . . .

           I thought I would be able to create at least one post today, but Roland just informed me that he has the day off.  I suspect that can change as his boss is a flake. We took Jenna to the airport last night and will be returning for her on Friday.  Tomorrow’s Thanksgiving.  That makes for more wait until I am able to sort my thoughts and post something.

          On Friday, the 19^th, we spent the majority of the day in Ashland.  We toured the campus at Southern Oregon University.  I wore myself out.  Jenna ran into one of her friends and made friends with another also majoring in theatre.  Layne will be gone by the time Jenna arrives – unless she chooses to go elsewhere.  Today she will be touring the Dixie State campus only ten minutes away from her brother’s house.

          Parent/Teacher conference had been scheduled for Monday and Tuesday.  We’d gone early on Monday and spent less than 20 minutes to see all five teachers.  She is an amazing student and no one has anything bad to say about her.

          Yesterday I was at the church for a few hours trying to organize our ministering routes.  I had left the house at 9:30 but did not return home until 1:30. Jenna and I took Bonnie for a walk and watched some shorts before we went outside to get in the car after Roland pulled up.  She didn’t get into Utah until after 3:00 am.  I was in bed before nine, I think. 

          Don’t know what the plans are for today or tomorrow.  Roland had suggested that we find a restaurant to eat for our Thanksgiving meal. Perhaps we will do that today instead.  Jenna will be spending it with at least one brother.  I don’t know if she will even be able to visit the other two. 

          Thus if any of these topics might interest you, be sure to tune in.  Hopefully, I will have elaborated more on each paragraph and posted by December 1^st.  Happy Holidays, everyone!

Only One Pickle per Tree

           I vaguely remember having a “Christmas Pickles” on our tree.  At least I think I do. I don’t even know where it came from or why it was there.  We obviously didn’t know its tradition as it was never hidden.  Tradition says the pickle is “hidden” to bring good luck to the finder.  We never hid the pickle.  

         I don’t remember hiding any ornaments intentionally.  Many times the fuller trees seemed to swallow up ornaments that had been pushed into the tree which is why I prefer Charlie Brown trees.  Every ornament can be seen on a Charlie Brown tree and none get lost.

          There is speculation about the Christmas pickle – or legends. Lost truths.  Invented stories perhaps.  It’s kind of a fun idea.  A little bizarre.  I mean a pickle? Not an item I have associated with Christmas.  But I am all for welcoming other cultures and traditions to cross my path.  I enjoy the diversity.

Perhaps It Has Symbolic Meaning

           I don’t recall if it was last year or the year before when I received this Snoopy ornament. 

 

I didn’t have it on the tree for very long as it was underneath the tree or in my stocking.  I decided to hang it over my computer and have looked at it throughout the year.  I think it’s cute. 

          Roland and I used to hang our keys on the fireplace where the stockings would go but have gotten rid of the fireplace this year and thus do not have the hangers anymore.  He started hanging his keys with the coats and I put mine behind the Snoopy – which seemed to work out well until the other day.  When I grabbed my keys I had also grabbed my Snoopy.  When I set the keys down Snoopy fell and the words broke.  I was going to try and super glue them back and still may – but right now it seems to be a poetic justice type thing.  Instead of “Happy” my Snoopy is saying “HA” – like a mean trick because he had to share the spotlight with the keys.

Closing Our Economy

 

              Jenna used to return home from school by 3:15.  That seems eons ago as she often doesn’t get picked up from high school until 3:15 or later.  There has always been a shortage of drivers – but especially this year. The few bus drivers are given multiple routes now. Short staffed employment is common all across the nation.  Diners and other companies go out of business. Contractors are behind on their jobs as truck drivers are behind on delivering products that so often seem to not even exist anymore.

          Hospitals will never go out of business but they are short staffed also.  Schools are hurting for instructors.  It makes me wonder where our economy has gone.  It isn’t solely COVID that’s to blame.  I am so grateful for those that have sustained a positive attitude among so much negativity.  I am grateful to those who have endured in being there for others. I suspect the paycheck does not have near the value as the individual that said check is made out to.  What a challenging time we live in right now.

          I am grateful to those things that are available to us right now.  It makes me wonder for how long.

Look in your Shoe

              It’s always such a big ordeal to take the sheets off the bed, wash them, and fit them back to the bed.  Yesterday I did five loads of wash – three which included bedding.  As I removed the bedspread and blankets from the bed, I noticed the television remote and had set it aside – on the chair I thought.  Only Roland couldn’t seem to find it and I thought I would have to spend the entire day looking for it as I could only think of two places where it would be – neither which it was.

        This morning Roland was about to put his shoes on and found the remote had fallen into one of them.  Oh.  I had not put the remote in his shoe. I would have never thought to look for it there.  It must have fallen off the chair.  Weird.