Blessings

My job has been causing me much stress lately.  I have been worried about not having a full time job for several months.  I guess that is what happens when all new management comes in. 

Last week, my worst fears were coming true.  My bosses were talking about cutting my hours from 40/week to 30/week.  I know that might not sound like much, but 30/week means no benefits and a significant cut in salary.  Basically, I work all but 1 weekend a month.  If I could work every weekend, then that would be full time.  If I could work every weekend, I wouldn't have a problem.  I can't work every weekend.  As it is, I only get 1 weekend off a month.  In exchange for that 1 weekend off, I work 10 hrs during the week (2-5hr days).  Well, they are not happy with me doing 2-5hr days, because, sometimes I need to change days.  Mostly, I do Tuesday and Friday, but some weeks I may change that because of my kids.  That is not good enough for them.  They want set hours on set days, or my hours will be cut.  It has been killing me.  I don't know what to do, and I hate asking for help. 

I had to swallow my pride (funny, this weeks church sermon was on pride) and ask for help.  Luckily, I have 1 person I could ask.  She has been there since I started going to my church.  She has helped me through a lot.  I meet her when I first started going through my divorce.  She has seen my through my divorce, and I have seen her go through her seperation.  She has helped me a lot.  I have tried to help her too.  That's the way that I think people should be.  Help when you can, because you never know when you will need help in return.  I asked, she prayed, and she said that she can help.

This post is a THANK YOU.  Thanks Carmen for all your help!  Thanks for being there when I need you, I just hope and pray that I can ever repay you!

My baby....

Happy Birthday D.  Yes, you are still my baby, even at 7yrs old.  You will always be my little man, even if you are 6 ft 4 and 30ys old.  Please don't change your loving spirit.  You are so loving and caring.  You are so precious. 

This year you finially got your wish to know what it was like when you were born...30+ inches of snow on the ground. 

Seven years ago, we were in the midst of a major Nor'easter.  Record amounts of snow falling, and I was scheduled for a c-section on Feb 17.  Given the snow, you would not be born on the 17th, since the doctor could not get to the hospital.  Sure, me and Poppie laughed at that fact.  When the doctor was finially able to make it to the hospital, he called and asked if I could make it to the hospital..no problem.  Early morning on the 18th, Poppie, Me and your dad got into Poppie's truck.  Poppie drove us to the hospital.  Many a car was seen in the ditches, but luckily for us, we had Poppie to drive us in his 4 wheel drive truck (not to mention Poppie was a Colorado State Trooper in his past).  We safely make it to the hospital.  We were the only crazies able to make it there for an elective surgery.  Since I was the only one there, the doctor offered to let Poppie and daddy go into the delivery room.  Unfortunety, the hosital did not have a scrub set for Poppie.  Poppie even offered to drive back home and get his own, but it was not to be.  You always had a special place in Poppie's heart.  Shortly after 9am on Feb 18, 2003 you were born.  My baby boy.  I'm glad you had a great day.  May you continue to have a great year. 
Daniel Jackson, I love you and Happy Birthday.

More snow is a comin

Yes, you saw that right.  We are expecting up to 6 more inches of the fluffy white stuff today.  Of course....just got the driveway halfway decent.  That's it, I'm packing up the kids, leaving everything else, and moving to Florida.

Yes, the snow is really that deep

Kenny is 5ft 2 inches, and the snow is up to his hips......and he told me he was not touching the ground.   Yes, the snow really is that deep, with more expected on Monday.  At this rate, spring will come sometime around July.

My New Snow Shovel

Of my 4 kids, this is my biggest helper.  She complains the least.  Michelle is about 4 1/2 feet tall, and the snow is over her head.  Granted, this long driveway has been shoveled 2 times in the last couple of days, but, yes it is a lot of snow. 

While shoveling, I thought that I could just plow through it with my car....no luck, and I had to dig my van out.  Oh well.  Well, I still have half a driveway to shovel, so I better get back to it.

If yo uwould like to help, come on by, I would never turn down another strong back....

Again? With more due on Monday.....HELP!!!

Yes, this is a standard 4 ft fence

                  

 Might look like more of the same, but believe it or not, there is more there.  The storm has not ended, and we already have 20+ inches of fresh snow on top of the previous 30+ inches....Yes, we are talking a lot of snow.  We are buried in over 4ft of snow, with more scheduled to come on Monday.  There is no place to put all this snow.  Where do you put this amount of snow, when you plow?  Everyone here is saying to ship it to Canada for the Olympics, since they have a shortage. 
This year, Baltimore has had 72+ inches of snow, more than Cleveland or Buffalo....HELP!!!  Someone please come shovel me out!!!

Round 2

Over the next 12 hours, we are expecting another 10-20 inches of............SNOW!!!  I just can't believe it.  My kids and I were joking about it earlier today, we are all going to be walking around in snow tunnels.  We have 33 inches on the ground, and if 20 inches fall, that will leave 53 inches on the ground.  I guess all this snow is one sure way to spark the economy.  Think about it.  Who has been hit the hardest but landscapers and private contractor dump truck drivers?  Most of these hard working individuals have had little work all summer.  BOMB, a couple of good snow storms, and all the money they were out all summer is back in their pockets.  My uncle owns his own dump truck.  He has hardly worked for over a year.  He has made more this winter than all last year.  Moving and plowing snow.  Sure, Obama will get the credit for this.....but the one who should get the credit is Mother Nature.  A week or two of cold snowy weather is a small price to pay for thousands who will now have a good paycheck this winter.

How was this done??

I know that my sense of "art" is a bit strange, but something about this photo just struck me.  It's simple, yet striking some how.  What are your thoughts? 



If I told you that it was taken by my 6yr old change anything?

More Snow Pictures

Just some pictures I took after the storm was finially over.


I can normally drive my riding mower under the branches of this tree in the summer.














Notice the fence, the snow is about 1 foot from the top.












Just thought that this was a pretty picture.  It's looking through some trees into my neighbor's yard at a small pond

Don't know if you can see it, but there is a fence back there somewhere.  It is behind the Maple Tree and infront of the Leland Cypress Trees.  Can you see it??  No, maybe because it is buried in snow...the 4 ft high fence is buried in a snow drift....a snow drift not much higher than the rest of the snow.

Blizzard 2010

Newsflash....Date...Feb 5-6, 2010.....Blizzard hits the Washington DC area.  I have proof, just take a look at these lovely pictures.  To give you an idea how deep the snow is....Notice the pile of branches in the middle of the picture with the flag.....That is a Weeping Pussy Willow tree.  Yes, I said a tree.  This little friend of mine is about 4 foot tall. 
The picture with the fence...see the table behind the fence, Yes the snow really is up to the table top.  The fence is a standard height chain link fence. 
The news is saying that in this particular area of upper Montgomery County there is 30-35 inches, with 5+inches still to come. 
Anyone want to come on over and dig me out??  My road is clear, it really wouldn't be that hard to get to my house.  I'll have hot coffee for you, hot chocolate if you prefer..
Enjoy the pictures, and go ahead, laugh at us poor snowed in folk here in the Mid-Atlantic.