Update 23 October 2022 Part 3/First Car

Oldest worked at the Sea Food place from February to March. Then she got a job at a store in the mall and worked there for a while. Then over the summer she got a job at Red Lobster. She was doing half a week at one and half at the other because the mall job wouldn’t give her full time. They got really crazy about what they wanted her to do and things. They wanted her to get everyone to sign up for their store card. They told her she had to get so many people to sign up for their discount card and then she would get a new job title and get a raise. She got what they wanted and they didn’t give her the raise. Then late they had this meeting about it and actually told them to beg them to take it. Where we are and where she is working is a big tourist area so must people are not going to ever come back to that store or not for a year or more. A lot of the other customers are elderly and don’t want to give all their information out and you can’t blame them. Everyone else either have it or just don’t want it or maybe just don’t have time to stand there and give them all the information they want at the time. Whatever the reason they don’t want it they point is they do not want it and she shouldn’t have to beg them to take it.

But she worked there for a while I think she finally quit in November. I know she did it because she wanted to bank money and she wanted a car. She ended up buying a car a couple days before Halloween. I found it while I was at work so I took off early to take her to look at it. Because I was on one end of the county and it was on the other and everyone had work and things right after I got off work. JW ended up being late for work by the time we checked it out and everything. But at the price of cars right now and with the money she had to work with it was too good to pass up if it was as good as the ad said.

I told the guy we would be up there in about an hour and half and he said that was fine he would meet us at the McDonalds right there. He didn’t bring people to his house or let people know where he lived. We got there about the same time. The car was really nice. It is a 2010 HHR the body is in really good shape I didn’t see any dents or damage to it. The inside was spotless, the only thing wrong on the inside is a few little burn holes in the passenger seat. It looks like maybe an elderly person had it and took good care of it.

The guy she bought it from was really young probably her age if not, not much older than her. I was surprised He let us test drive it he went with us. He said he had went to the other coast and bought it for a friend and then they didn’t want it they up and moved out of state. He said he had been buying and selling cars since the beginning of the year. He was talking about working on them and things. I asked him if he had any vans or suv’s I was looking for something. He said no. I told him I had one I was waiting for the place to get ready but I hadn’t seen it and it was taking them a while to get it ready I really needed something. He asked me what it was and I told him he kind of just looked funny and didn’t say anything. I said I know they are known for having these issues but it is all I can find right now. I have to get something asap. He said yes they do he said they can be bad I don’t even buy them. He said he would look around see if he could find something but vehicle’s are hard to come by right now at a decent price. I said I know this is why I am buying what I am.

After we test drive it the only issue I seen with it was the traction control wouldn’t go off. I told her I felt it was okay to buy and that I would buy it if it had been big enough to put everyone in for the price he wanted for it. Like I told her even if she had to put another $1000 into it between the part and labor she still got a really good deal on it. Because she gave the kid $2650 for it. She was looking at cars that were over 20 years old held together by putty and who knows what and tore up inside for $4000 or more. They had a ton of miles on them as well and most had some kind of mechanical issues. I said you are going to end up paying over $2650 and then still have to put money for parts and labor into it. At least this one you can tell had been taken care of and over all seems to have no major issues with the motor or anything. He wanted over $3000 and they haggled to the $2650.

So now she has her first car and a decent first car. I have never owned a car that new. I told her too look at the 2009 suv I bought that looked brand new inside and out for $4000 and it blew up in 88 miles. This kid seemed like a decent good kid and he is out here that young making a business for himself and trying to go somewhere. He didn’t seem like the type that would sell her something knowing something was horribly wrong with it. Just like he told me about the one I was looking at buying. He didn’t have anything to sell me so it wasn’t like he was going to get my money if he scared me out of buying it. He just wanted me to know they are known for issues. So far it has been a really good car.

She just had to get her drivers license so she can drive it. She is scared to drive but has been doing better. She was working so much she didn’t really have time to go learn. Now she says she is going to go to a school to teach her and then go get it. She is just worried about something happening. But I think she will do fine. It maybe good for someone besides me to teach her. I try to help her and let her do it but there are just some things that she dose I have to say something about and scares me. I am very happy for her and proud of her for working hard and getting herself a car not just blowing the money.

Update 16 April 2022 A Birthday, Back to Work and Easter

I planned to go back to work the week after his mom left but ended up taking another week or so off. It was so close to Little Bitty’s birthday I wanted to wait until we celebrated that. I had all this time off it seem wrong to go back a day or two before her birthday and tell her sorry spend the day without me I’m going to work and we will do your birthday in a week on the weekend. Her birthday was a Monday so I went back to work on Tuesday. It was funny because work called that day to get an idea of when I was coming back because I hadn’t set a date at that point. I had a lot of time I could take off and was considering working from home. I just told them I had a birthday that day I would be in the next day.

Little Bitty turned 9 just two months after I had the baby. We had dinner and took her to the fair. She had a blast. As soon as we walked in a guy came over gave us information about a magic show they were getting ready to do. We decided to sit and watch it.

I didn’t know but JW had went over and talked to the guy doing the show and told him it was Little Bitty’s birthday we were there celebrating. At the end of the show the last trick he asked for someone else to come up and help he picked her. She didn’t want to go at first she finally did. he did this thing where he put this whit coat painter’s smock on her then gave her a brush told her to paint this glass. When it was done he pulls it out it said happy birthday on it she looked so confused because she hadn’t told him it was her birthday. Then he had her take the jacket off and give it back. then he goes wait something is in this jacket, it’s really heavy. Did you notice how heavy it was and asked her if she felt felt something in it? She was saying no and looking funny. He pulls this big live bird out of the jacket. She was amazed.

The next day I went back to work. I had been moved from my desk to the little one in the hall in the back. So I could be closer to the people in the team I work with. I now almost a year later think it’s so everyone don’t see how much I sit here and do nothing most days. But I was a little pissed off at first. But after a day or two I decided I am not excited about it but it is nicer than being upfront. I have more interaction with the drivers and the others in my group.

I was working every other Saturday when I first came back but only an hour or two. It was the first Saturday back after my leave I was here with my boss. We were talking about the new camera’s in the trucks and how people were covering the speakers or tilting them up or down away from the road. So he told me to go out and check all the trucks that were on the yard at the time and make sure they weren’t covered and aimed the right way. He wanted a list and pictures of any with issues so we could call the driver in and speak to them about it. And they couldn’t deny it if we had pictures.

I went and got my phone and pad of paper and go get in the first truck and checked it. I couldn’t get in the 2nd one because it was locked. I walked into the shop and asked them for their key and went back out to unlock it. I got up in the truck was sitting in the seat both feet flat on the floor of the truck. I looked up at the camera checked it and started making my note. The next thing I knew I felt all this pain and open my eyes and was trying to figure out where I was what was going on. As I am slamming against the truck. I realized I was falling out of the truck and hitting the steps on the truck on the way down. I landed on my left foot some how when I first fell. Then fell the rest of the way down hitting my right side, butt, elbow and wrist before hitting the grown.

I hurt some but my left foot was killing me. I hobbled around and got in and out of the other trucks and checked them, took the key back to the shop. Then I came in and went to my boss’s office and sat down. I told him I fell out of the truck and I thought I had jammed my toes on my left foot. They hurt like heck. I took my shoe and sock off because I had my sneakers on and looked at my foot. It seemed okay so I put it back on. I was done with everything but still had a few hours to go. I told him I was going home I was hurting. I cleaned my wrist up were it started bleeding and left. I truly did not think much of it. I was laughing about my dumbass falling out of the truck and jamming my toes beating myself up. I was also very confused about what happened and how I fell.

By the time I got home my foot was swollen up huge. I took my shoe off and propped it up. I just spent the weekend staying off of it as much as I could considering I had a newborn. By Monday when I got to work I decided I needed to get it looked at because something was wrong. I told HR when she got in. Then called work comp and they sent me to have it checked at the walk in clinic.

I finally was taken back and they did x rays of my whole foot. They came in all worried about it and said I broke my little toe at the base of my foot. They said it was a bad place to have a break because it could shift and need to be operated on. So I went home and called comp and let them know.

It took them forever to get me in to see someone to find out what I had to do. They put me in a boot and told me to keep it on until I can get in and see the other doctor. It was horrible and uncomfortable and killing me the way my back and hips are. Finally right before Easter I got in to see someone. He was an ass. I did not like him and he acted as if I was stupid for coming in, I was wasting his time. He never ask to look at it told me nothing to do for it. When I told him what the other place said and that I may need a different boot and things he got snippy with me. He said you don’t even really need to wear the boot. The whole time his tech is sitting behind him and looking shocked and like he can’t believe what he was saying and the way he was talking to me. He said I think you should wear your boot at least 4 weeks or so. The doctor was like yeah you can if you want.

I left there so angry and ready to call comp and tell them to get me in to see someone else. But I waited the 4 weeks or whatever they said it should take and my follow up was scheduled for. I called them about a week before my follow up and told them I was not going back to him how he treated me and what the owner of the company I work for said about him and others. That I was not going back to have him tell them everything was fine and release me from care and them drop me until someone checked it again. It had been a week or more when I went to him and he didn’t bother to x ray it and check to see if the bone had moved or if it started to heal or anything. At the point I contacted them it was still extremely painful. I was still wearing a boot.

We did Easter at home and then took the kids to the park and met up with my sister and her family. We let the kids hunt Easter eggs and took pictures. I was surprised his family didn’t get together and do something since they are very religious. They get together for Christmas and Thanksgiving, I assumed they would then too but they didn’t. That was fine with me it was nice to just stay home relax and see my sister. Just having the baby and being in the boot and trying to stay off my foot I didn’t really want to go anyway.

Over all April was a pretty good month. I was ready to go back to work as well. Just could of done without breaking my poor toe.

Update 15 March 2022 Last Day of Work/ Mom Comes

Since I was supposed to have the baby the end of February his mom had planned to make her next trip down in March instead of July like she normally does. She couldn’t wait to see the baby. She went over picked her friend up on the way here and brought her down with her. She was in South Carolina. She went to her daughter’s house to stay and his mom went to her sister’s to stay. She always stays there.

JW quit his job right before she came down. I think the 11th was his last day. We talked about it and we did not want the baby in daycare. Daycare or in home care would cost more than he was making in a month. Me quitting my job was not a. Option. I was making almost twice what he did in a week. My hours are do flexible as are my days. I get decent benefits it has taken me to long to get where I am and to have the flexibility. Plus we would never make it on what he made even if I worked part time. So we decided he would find a different job and work evening’s. As long as he could pay his child support, give me some each week and have something left for himself.

Since his mom was coming we agreed he would work out the next week and then be done. I agree to pay his child support for 2 months so he could take time to find something that would work around the hours he could work and let him be off on Friday and Saturday. This way he didn’t have to just jump on the first thing offered. He was going to take off the week his mom was here and then start looking and applying. And get the info for child support so we could pay it until he started working again.

His mom came and was just thrilled to see the baby. He got to spend some time with her. We went a few places and seen some of their friends. Then had a little BBQ at the house so others could get together and see her before she left since they weren’t able to set up a time to see her. Over all it was a good visit. It was nice to have him home for a bit.

Update 7 December 2021

December will be a few post as a lot happened in December and it would be a lot to put in one post and to keep track of everything. Me and JW talked and he knew how bad things were at home, that I wanted the kids out of this house before Christmas and that we were not finding anything around here. We started talking about moving away again and where to go. He said what about Oklahoma? I said ok if that is where you want to go and willing to go now lets go. I told him I would take vacation we could go find a house. At this point I would of agreed to go just about any where just to get out of that house. I really didn’t care.

I went to work Saturday and the operations manager was there he handles vacations for everyone. I said I need papers to take a vacation. He said where you going? I said Oklahoma. He said what are you going there for? I said to get a house, he has family there and we can’t get anything here. He said then what are you going to do come back and quit? I said I am going there setting my kids up in a house and then me and him will come back and tie up lose ends here and go home. I am having my kids in a place before Christmas and this is the only way to do it. I have to be out of the situation we are in. He said ok but I have to tell the owner. I said ok that is fine I plan to tell him anyway I have no problem telling him, he just isn’t here. You are here you have the paperwork I need so I asked you, I will tell him when I see him next week but you can tell him if you feel you need to.

Monday I had my 3 hour glucose test he took off to drive me because of how sick I go with the one hour one. I took off the day because of how sick I got last time. We went to my test and then we went to the little pizza place here in town by our houses and was having lunch to try and help me feel better.

Why we were eating my phone rang it was the owner at work. I answered and he asked if I was still looking for a house? I told him yes. He said him and his wife had talked it over and they wanted to rent it to me. He said they felt $1600 was fair and that the key was under the paver if we wanted to go look at it. I told him we were at lunch I had my test. He said you can go tomorrow if you want. I said no we were finishing lunch and heading over there.

We went and looked at it and it was perfect for us and a fantastic location. I did not even know houses were back on this street, I thought it was this industrial type area. There is a street off the main road you can get to it and one off the side street and both have businesses all around. You go down the street it turns into a dead end then you can only turn right that street turns into a dead end as well. I am at the very end on the side. There is the house across from me the street in the middle has room you could park like 4 cars maybe before you are at the ditch that runs down beside the house and there is one behind us. So no one can move in on top of us. It has a nice size front yard with a carport. The back is big with two sheds and it’s privacy fenced in. There is a screened in back porch and to the side of that is a large covered area as well that is outside.

In side it has the living room, kitchen, dinning room kind of together. There is a half wall between kitchen, dinning area the top half has a bunch of shelves. Off the kitchen/dinning area is laundry room. Off the living room is a large family room with a fireplace. Down the hall the other way is three bedrooms and a bathroom. Behind the dinning area is office area and a bathroom then to the left where you go to go out the back door is another good size family room.

We were able to give everyone their own rooms. My oldest got the room with the fireplace for her room. My oldest son got the back room on the other side of the office area. Me and JW took the master bedroom and the middle two got the other two rooms.

I ended up getting a bigger bedroom set we went to a king bed from a queen. It came with the whole bedroom set, dresser, chest, night stands. It would not fit in our bedroom. And our bedroom did not have a bathroom either. So I asked my oldest son if he wanted to swap bedrooms. He said yes. He decided once he was back there he didn’t really like it back there.

Right after I had the baby we moved our room to the back and made the baby a little room in the little office area and now we had a bathroom too. We picked up two bi fold doors and put up at the dinning area and put curtains up between our room and the babies area. That worked out much better.

Fast forward to this past weekend February 2023. We just moved my oldest to my middle sons room and my middle son and my youngest daughter to the room with the fireplace. Now the baby is getting the small room my youngest daughter was in.

I did this because the baby being in the office area isn’t working well, he isn’t sleeping good if we do anything other than be silent and just go straight to sleep. Going to shower wakes him up and he is up for the night or hours. Because the bathroom is on the other side of his room. We can’t just watch a move or show before we go to sleep. It’s just not working he isn’t sleeping through the night he needs to be and should be. I think moving him will help.

My youngest last Easter told me she was moving into her brothers room. She started sleeping in there on the bunk or one of the extra mattresses in his room. I would not let her move her dresser and toys in there. There was no room and I didn’t figure it would last. But here we are a year later and she is still in there and her room sits unused. So I figured if it isn’t being used he may as well have it and they can divide the room in half and put something up if they don’t want to share. Oldest got my the room they were sharing because it is bigger than the room the baby is getting. They are all happy.

I got the house because my boss now who I asked for vacation paperwork said he went to the owner that Monday while I was out. He said he told the owner they had to do something they were about to lose me. He asked why? He told him I was going out of state to get a house because I couldn’t find one here. He said I don’t have a house to give her so and walked off.

My boss had the house empty for almost 9 months. I had offered to rent it site unseen and offered him more than what he ended up renting it to me for. He would not do it. He kept pushing me to buy it and I do not want to buy here and could not if I wanted to. I had to get my income up. So when he went to him told him I needed a house he didn’t have one and not to lose me he knew he had that one he could rent me. That is when he called me and said I could have it go look at it.

Update 1 April/May 2021

I am going to start off with April and May since my last post was in February. Not a lot happen in March nothing really that I can remember. At the end of April I got a new job. I had been at the trucking company full time working days for just over a year. But they moved me from working in accounting to billing. I thought when they moved me I was going to be doing a bunch of other things and helping with billing here and there. But I ended up strictly working in billing. I worked in the back at the repair shop some when they were behind and looking for help and training new people but that was only a few weeks. I truly hated doing billing. I would sit there for 8 to 12 hours a day just filling in the same sheet over and over and over again with the same names just a different number by it for the cost for that shipment. I hadn’t seen anyone come or go and I knew the other positions that were open had been filled.

I seen a job at a local heating and air company it was right at the end of the block and across the street from my house. It was the same one that JW’s best friend who lived by me worked at. I sent all my information in and got an interview. He told them he knew me nd everything. I went in talked to them and they hired me on the spot. I filled out all my paperwork and everything. They were putting me in their dispatch office. So always something to do. I wasn’t thrilled about it but it was walking distance to home, it was a different position I was making a couple dollars more an hour. I told them I had to give my current job a 2 week notice and would start the 9th of May. They said that was fine. I also would not be working weekends or holidays at the new job. I lived about half hour from my current job so a lot in gas money and time traveling.

When I got to work that day I went in and ask the owner if he had a minute and told him I needed to talk to him. He said yes sure. I didn’t go to my “boss” because I did not like him or get a long with him. I hadn’t for a while and had stop going to him for anything. I would go straight to the owner or his wife. I wanted to be the one to tell the owner not anyone else to twist anything around. I told him I wanted to give him my two week notice and that I had found another job. He was very surprised.

He said he didn’t want me to go and that he had been giving out raises and he just hadn’t had a chance to talk to me. He asked me when the last time I had a rise was? I said I took a $1 pay cut last year when I went to full time day shift. He said OH. He said I want to give you a $2 raise and how professional I am and reliable and how he never would of thought I would have come in there and taken over and trained helped in all the departments I had and handled other “projects” he had given me to do and how I was an asset to the company. He said think about it and let me know later. I was working outback that day so I went out there and was talking to my friend out there and we were doing parts count in the trailer so we went’ around the phones and things. In a bit I had to go inside for something and he said I was looking for you, I called your desk and outback. I said I was doing inventory in the trailer. He said I want to offer you another dollar an hour.

I told him thank you and it meant a lot to know that I meant so much to the company, but I was going to have to take the other job. He kept trying to talk me into it and things. I told him it was paid holidays, no nights, weekends, paid vacation and sick days and time off. He I think offered a little more. I said, I have to be honest with you, I like it here I like that I have been able to not only work on my skills but learn so many new things. But I really do not like my position.

He said what? Why didn’t you say something? I told him there really wasn’t any other position to move into and that he had helped me out by letting me come on to day shift and taking me on full time when I lost my other job. I didn’t want to complain. That I was given a different position when I moved to days that was fine that I wanted to like this one but I was having to really force myself to sit there all day everyday. He said I guess I should of checked in with you too to make sure everything was ok or how you were doing we just pushed you over into this other spot and things. He then asked what I would be doing at my new job?

I told him I was going to go back to doing dispatch like I did when I started there. He said wait really? I said yes. I he said you know I need someone here in dispatch? I said no I hadn’t heard that anyone was going to leave. He said his son was going to be leaving in the next month or two. He couldn’t move me until he did but he would give me the $3 more and hour starting on that weeks pay check I would get that Wednesday and I could have whatever amount of overtime I wanted until I was moved. He said that is $300 a week more than what you are making now, it is salary so that would be paid nights weekends and holidays and sick/personal time.

I didn’t know what to say I was set that I was going to start this new job in two weeks. I wasn’t prepared for what happened at all. I honestly didn’t think he would really care much one way or the other but to offer me all that he did and say what he did surprised me. I told him I would really have to think about it over the weekend and let him know on Monday but my Notice was from that day if I didn’t stay he said that was fine.

I thought about it all weekend and decided to stay. Even with the other job being closer and paid holidays and things I wasn’t thrilled about going over there to work. I was going to do it because it was better benifits at the time and so close to my house. But I did not like the dress code, I didn’t like how by the clock they ran it was and there wasn’t really any flexibility. If we walked next door at lunch or break time we had to clock out and in even if we were getting paid for it. We had to be dressed business casual or nicer (most were dressed nicer) we don’t see the public face to face or anything like that it was just the people in the office and maybe the guys when they were coming or going. I had just dyed my hair this dark burgundy color a a week or two before I knew I was going for the interview or anything. I went and had it changed back to brown. Someone said oh the guy that owns the place is a biker your hair will be fine. I still just wanted to cover myself and did it. I was glad I did because I honestly don’t think I would of got it if I hadn’t. Everyone’s hair makeup all was done they had heels on. I like to dress up sometimes and I always dress decent for work. But full make up and heels all the time is not me. The other thing I didn’t like was that the space I would be working in was a little counter or desk space with just enough room to sit your computer and your chair. there was a thin plastic between you and the other person you were elbow to elbow, all you could do was turn your chair all the way around look behind you to have room to do anything and hold your clip board in your hand to write. But again it was close it was more money and paid time off sick days and holiday pay. It would better but not a long term spot.

Once I really thought about it I figured I may as well suck it up and stay where I was. If I could stick it out a few more months doing billing I would have a lot more money and all my paid time off. I would be able to set my own hours for the most part and come and go when I needed to for the kids and things without anyone getting mad. I would keep my vacation time I had already and I would keep my yearly bounce. My seniority I had built up and it felt good to know that you were valued and wanted by your employer not just another body that could be replaced whenever.

It took longer than I was told to get moved I finally went to him and said I need to be moved so that my pay changes because over time will not get my a house. The $300 a week increase in pay and the fact I am salary should and the fact I really don’t like what I am doing and have stuck it out this long. He said ok he was sorry it was talking longer for his son to leave and he was going to go ahead and move me and he did.

He had me doing broker loads and there weren’t many we needed and I could finish in no time and some days didn’t have anything to do at all. I would wonder around around looking for things to do. I started helping out in operations doing different things they needed help with and talking to the boss over there. He keep saying he needed me on his team. I just laughed because I didn’t really think anything would happen. I had just moved and now I was going to move again. I had already been in every department but HR I guess technically. He said something again another day about it. I said if he will move me I will do it but you got to make that happen. It was a month maybe two months I think and I was in his department. That was right before the holidays last year, that is where I have been since and I am happy. I like my boss I can go to him about anything and everything, I like the other guys I work with and I get more interaction with the drivers and help them out. The lady in HR our offices are right next to each other we are close. I should say her office is right by where I sit in the hall way. I don’t have an office but that is ok I have a little spot to myself and see and talk to everyone coming and going. it is better than where I was sitting.

So that is the up date on my job. This did help with other things a lot for a bit.

Covid Encounters Pt.9…..Not Happy

If you have been following my Covid Encounters you know we have had over half the office staff test positive for Covid. We have had the office shut down for the last few weeks.

Then I went in Tuesday and the new girl was back and the new book keeping lady. Both tested positive. I’m not thrilled it wasn’t what we were told but I guess if she got a negative okay.

I didn’t go yesterday Wednesday because I was up all night sick and went some places to try and get help with my gallbladder. Today I go in they are there. About 10 or 11 she says she is calling about her test results. I’m thinking what results? She comes in and say’s they told her it could take 6 weeks. Then she says something about being surprised the owner let her come back without a negative. I was pissed. I started to say something and I didn’t. I didn’t want to start shit.

After they all left the HR lady and me were the only ones there. I went in and ask her. She said yeah she had no say and questioned it to. She said but they had her look up the CDC and what they said about when people could come back. That is what they are going by. It says after 10 days if not sick.

Covid Encounters Pt.8

I don’t know how to feel or what to think. I pull up to work yesterday and there are a lot of cars in the lot. I was thinking driver’s parking in our lot since it isn’t being used. I pulled up to park and notice that one is the new girl’s van. Then I see the new accounting ladies car. I go in and they of course are both there. Then I notice another person there. The office floater I call him. He is the go between for the office and drivers and helps here and there. They later said the guy I worked with on the night shift was going to be coming back in.

All 4 of them are ones who tested positive in the first round of test. Just over two weeks ago. They say they all have been tested and have negative test now. But I still kind of feel they should be home in case seeing as the test contradict each other so much. Two test in one day same person one says yes one says no. If this is going to put people out of work for weeks at a time then they should not be bringing people back who we know have had it right away. They are working from home. They have already said the 2 of us who have been there are most important in being in the office. That they were not going to put us at risk. My old boss from dispatch has said he don’t want his guys all back in there. He said like 3 one day 3 another rotating so they are spaced out and everyone isn’t exposed to everyone. That way if someone came up positive only those 3 would have to test and stay home. They have to stay in their area and use the back door so they are not in contact with us. We can email or call back and forth if we need to.

Further more the one’s who were negative all along were going to be the first to come back a few a week. Then the rest a few a week. Some who wanted to strictly work from home could. There are a few and that would cut down on things too.

So pulling in seeing all that I wasn’t real happy. I don’t know maybe I am wrong for thinking they should be last to come back. But no one knows no real way to handle this or even to know if they had it at all. Who’s to say the one’s of us who tested negative test was wrong. But I feel if they were we wouldn’t have 2 or more that say no and none that said yes. Some who’s test showed they had it never felt sick. Other’s had colds and that was it. So in that case why do we need to wait 14 day’s from a positive test before we can test again? Why can’t we go whenever and get tested and be allowed to come back as long as it is negative?

I just don’t know I am just over all this. I want them to go back to life as normal and move on with life.

Missing Work and Looking For Help

I went to work yesterday and worked most the day. I left about an hour and half early. I was starting to hurt. Later in the day and the way I sit because of my chair and desk are puts a lot of pressure on my right side. I have to think about it and sit straight up to keep it from doing that. You know how hard that is when you are working on something and trying to be comfortable too. You aren’t thinking don’t slouch sit up straight.

Yesterday at the store I was getting stuff for dinner. I was looking for stuff I could eat, stuff to use with what we have at the house and quicker easier to make since I have been sick and he don’t get home until after 7. This way I am not standing moving so much and he isn’t making a big meal so late if he has to do it.

I picked up stuffing and gravy to go with chicken we have. Taco stuff and spaghetti to use with ground meat we have. Walking along I seen a can of backed beans. I thought I haven’t had those in awhile they look good. So I bought them and hotdogs.

Well by time I was done shopping getting it home and put away it was time to get him. We got home I told him what I got he said why not make the beans and hotdogs? It’s quick and easy and I haven’t had that in awhile. I cut up some hotdogs dumped them and the beans in the pot and heated it up. Dinner was done. Great relax, shower watch some tv and go to bed. Nice simple night. Wrong, not long after we went to bed the pain hit me and would not go away. Instead of coming and going in waves it came to stay again. I woke up drenched in sweat again and hurting horribly.

I had taken aleave for my tooth when I laid down. I did not know if I could take it and the pain pill they gave me together. The aleave wasn’t helping. I tossed and turned. Turned around laid at the foot of the bed to have more room and lay different. Nothing helped. I finally went to the couch to sit. The dog was on it and didn’t want to move off the blanket. He wasn’t happy. He finally moved enough for me to get the blanket from behind him let me have that. I reclined the other side and tried to sleep. I couldn’t find a good way to sit or lay. I had no clue what time it was at this point. I forgot my phone in the bedroom i wasn’t going to get it. I finally drifted off a few times and slept a little. Before long I heard the trash truck. That is the last thing I remember. I guess I finally fell a sleep for a bit. Next thing I knew JW was waking me up wanting to know why I was on the couch and how long I had been there. I laid back down in bed for about an hour. I was still hurting when I got up.

I dropped him off and decided to go see if I can get someone to help me get this taken out. I went to the one place and they said they were just general doctors. They couldn’t do surgery and things. That they were really short doctors because they lost a bunch over covid. They can’t even take new people. I left and went to the health place I was going to in 2018. I decided to go to the one closer to work. This way I could leave work and be there in 10 minutes. The one i go to is on the other end of the county. I was almost to it and work because of where I had to go for the other place anyway. So I got there and just didn’t feel like it was where I should go. I have heard okay things and bad things for their adult care. I like their after hours for kids. That is all I knew. I decided to go to mine where I liked the doctor’s and things.

I make the drive to find they moved. They are now further north by about 5 miles. I get there it is in a horrible area. I pull in and looking for it. I see 4 or more cops in front of a place. I look sure enough they are in front of where I need to go have someone with their stuff strung everywhere. I wasn’t looking around me and it just didn’t seem like a good place. I decided to leave and go to the one between them and my house. Where I take the kids for dental work. It is newer, nicer area and building. They have everything in one office. They have doctor, dental, kids and mental health all right there. You check in go to the waiting area and they come to get you for whatever you are there for that day. I liked that too. The over all office staff is a lot nicer as well. I don’t know the doctors I hope I like them.

I think I can get in there early before work too. I am thinking about getting set up with the mental health side as well and seeing them to get back on my meds. If I can go there before work and not have to miss.

I messaged work told them I had a bad night was up sick I was going to be late. I am going to message tell them i have to meet these people for help I’m not coming. It is to late to go at this point and I did meet with these people so it isn’t lying. I can not afford to miss. I have missed a week between them telling us to take off, now being sick and the holiday. I was going to work half day for the holiday and this past Saturday until I got sick. That made me miss Friday, Saturday and the holiday. Now today. They say I can make it all up we will see I guess. I am going to talk to them about that tomorrow and Friday. Try to work saturday. I am going to try to work all day normal day Saturday. Because I have to take time off Monday.

I went to the place they gave me all the paperwork and everything. But the soonest I can see the doctor to get the ball rolling to get this out is Monday. So a while if or when something will really be done and who knows how long that will take. Then off to get it done and time for recovery. Hope they do it friday back to work by Tuesday.

Dinner With the Family and Other Ramblings

As I said in my last post JW’s aunt called why we were having lunch and ask us to dinner. She is. Down staying with his other aunt for a few days. So we went over to see them. I had never met them before. I only really know his mom and brother. I met his dad once or twice when we were younger but he wasn’t around much when we were growing up.

Tonight was two of his aunts one’s son and his girlfriend that was there. They were all really nice. It was a really nice night. We sat and talked while we waited for dinner to finish. After dinner we went out and watched the rocket launch. Sat and talked for a little bit longer and now we are home. They were all really nice and welcoming.

I am tired and wore out. It sucks because we haven’t done anything for me to feel this way. But I have drove about 150 miles today. The aggregation of running around wasting time for something that they didn’t have when we were debating where to go and decided to go there just because of the car show since they don’t have it all the time. Oh well. He is watching Black Panther and relaxing. I’m really not interested in it. I think I will go take a relaxing shower, fold the clothes make the bed and go to bed. I don’t want to go to work tomorrow. I worked Saturday to make up time we missed during the week. Took me 6 days to get 39.5 hours. I should of had 44. I had done 4 hours last Friday to make up for the day we missed the week before. Half day at over time would be more than i would of made had it been a normal 8 hour day. But then we missed Tuesday this week i had to work this Saturday and have them put it on this check to just touch 40. Hope we don’t miss any more.

Covid Encounters Pt. 5 & 6

I went to work at normal time Wednesday and the other lady in billing was the only one there. I asked her if she knew who the other person was who tested positive and she said it was the other HR type person. He I guess got his test results back that day at work from one of the ones he took last week. She said the HR lady said she couldn’t tell us and that we really needed to stop talking between us and telling each other who it is. We all feel no that isn’t going to fly we want to know so we know if or how much we been around them and things. She is the other one who is waiting on her test to come back from last week and this week. And feels she may have it she woke up not feeling good yesterday or today and now her husband.

Me and the lady in billing were talking we are glad they aren’t going to let anyone back in until next week and then just a few. Then when we were leaving last night  the owner’s wife came up. They talked a few minutes she left. She came knocked on my window and said she told her he is thinking that he isn’t going to let anyone but us come in for two weeks. That is fine with me. I think we can get caught up and organized without everyone there. She don’t have 10 people calling her away every few minutes or 20 coming asking questions when they aren’t calling her away. The normal everyone in and out doing their thing distractions aren’t there.

Today I went in 2.5 hours early at 7. The other lady gets there at 7 and leaves at 330. I don’t really want to sit there alone for 3 hours after she leaves. Plus I had an appointment for my eyes I had to get almost to the other side of the county for. So I needed to leave at 3/330 as well. This way I would get my 8 hours in.

We were talking this morning about how and when they should let people come back even with negative test. She said new girl was pushing to come back Monday. We both said no way she needs to wait and get another test and wait for it to come back. That she needed to wait at least a full 10 days from last Saturday before getting it really 14. The Hr lady called her and they talked. She got off the phone and said she wanted to come back tomorrow Friday and Saturday her test is negative but that New girl she was going to have to talk to owner about. The billing lady there with me told the hr lady she would talk to me and see how I felt about her coming in and let her know. I said her office is in the back and she can use dispatch printer and scanner if she needs to use one. That keeps her over 6 ft away from us. I said it kind of jokingly but kind of feel that is how it should be. She is having sinus issues and it probably is she has had 1 more test than me I think they are all negative. But like I told the other lady, I am not worried about catching it being sick. I am worried about catching it and not being able to work for 3 or 4 weeks or how ever long it takes. Because I don’t have a set up to work from home. Then if my kids get it and it is bad I will miss work to be there for them as it runs through 4 of them. She completely agreed and understands.

But we decided the hr lady and one dispatch lady could come back they are in different ends of the building than us we don’t have contact and all test have been negative. We were comfortable with that if they were the only ones for a bit. She talked to the hr lady and told her. She said she still had to talk to the owner to see what he thought or how he felt.

In a bit she called her back and said owner said no one would be coming back until further notice. Not anytime soon. Not even the hr lady until her issues are gone. He don’t want us catching something else and passing it around on top of this or bringing our system down leaving us open to catch this. We are fine with that as well. And agree.

We feel he should wait a week or two more before bringing anyone back other than the hr lady if her stuff goes away and she is negative. Then slowly bring one or two of the ones who have tested negative all along back staggering them out. A couple a week. Then slowly bring the ones who had positive test back but make them get a test like Wednesday or Thursday before the monday they are to start back and get results first. This making sure they are over it. Until we hopefully have everyone back in the office and no more cases.

No one is going to miss work because they all can work from home. Most are on salary and getting paid. So it shouldn’t be a problem. A lot of them want to work from home anyway.

I feel like we are on one of these tv show’s and instead of voting people off we are voting people in. I told her earlier we are just going to tell them they had their chance at this and failed. We are taking control now. These are the one’s who can come back and when. The rest need to work at home until we decide they are safe and then these over here we would rather not bring back at all. We can do without them or replace them.

I forgot yesterday she told me when she was talking to the accountant he said he told owner he needed to give me and her some extra for coming in doing our job’s and taking care of everything else that can’t just be left until when ever. She said yeah are we getting hazard pay for all this and keeping everything going? He said no really they had already been talking about giving us something and he was going to talk to him about it again and push it. That would be nice. Like right now if we were not there the place would come to a stop basically. No one else at all knows how to do mine or her job or where to even start if they wanted to do it. Then she has to collect all the payroll papers and things that go with it. Bag it up and toss it in his trunk when he pulls up so he can do what he needs to from home. It is just to much to send by computer. I have to go get the checks load the printer and let them print the checks. Then I have to find all the bills and match to each check. Package them all up so that the owners wife can come after we leave and get them. I have to put each envelope through the postage machine so he can mail them once he signs them. We are not talking 5 or 10 checks. We are talking like 35 to 50 checks. That is the new accounting person’s job but she has this too.

If we weren’t there making sure this gets done or that billing gets done no one would be working. Because if we are not getting billing done to get people to pay us there would be no money to pay the drivers or us in the office. Them drivers do not get paid they will leave that truck where it sits jump on a plain and come home. If we didn’t get payroll paperwork together for the one that is at home they still wouldn’t get paid.

She has also gotten to look at the work the new girl has and hasn’t done and really see what is going on. She has found out she has stuff from July she has not taken care of like she was told and said she did. We are figuring out new ways to handle things and do things that work better for me and her because new girl has everything a mess. We are going to put some things in place and she is going to have to do them this way. Because what she set up is not working at all. I know she isn’t going to like it but that is to bad. She already got in a huge argument with the boss because he told her to change something because the way she was doing it was not working for how things are done. She blew up. I think the other billing lady i am working with hopes she leaves. A lot of people there want her to and have complained about her. Just like telling them she was coming back Monday.  Not asking when or how they were handling things. Billing lady said today someone needs to tell her she has only been here a few months she needs to step back or this isn’t going to work. But she isn’t going to listen. She won’t put up with it for to much longer she is going to say something.