Where work gets done

I've mentioned how I'm finding calm in re-listening (is that a word?) to books by authors I enjoy. Authors that let the Good Guys win. My tender psyche seems to need a dose or more of that in these scary times when an invisible enemy has invaded.

One author I enjoy is Lee Child who writes the novels with Jack Reacher as the main character. Reacher is a former marine military policeman who travels the country like a hobo, finding wrongs and righting them. All with only the clothes on his back and a toothbrush. Don't get me started on the two movies where they cast Tom Cruise as Reacher - a guy who is supposed to be six foot five inches tall.

This week I listened to the Reacher book "61 Hours" again. It's set in cold snowy South Dakota. In the book, Reacher needs military information, so he contacts one of his former offices where a female officer serving in that capacity ends up assisting him. In repayment, she wants to know the lore behind the big dent in the big metal government desk she sits at. She'd heard rumors that Reacher put the dent there with a colonel's head.

It took nearly the whole book before Reacher reveals the story about the dent. The colonel was corrupt and had been selling MRE (ready to eat meals) to enemy forces while Reacher and his team were starving in Afghanistan. And he used the money to buy stupid things - like a 1980 Corvette, the worst Vette ever made, which added insult to injury. It's those kinds of details that make the Lee Child books excellent. They add texture to Reacher's character that not all books attain.

Listening to the author describe that desk put me into the "Wayback" machine. I started thinking about all of the desks I've sat at through the years.

I have the very first one downstairs. Mom purchased an unpainted desk somewhere and probably had Pearl the Painter match it to the wallpaper in the room lil sis Betsy and I shared. Our room had blue carpet with cream wallpaper with a blue design. So the desk was blue at that time. But the beauty of the desk is that it can be any color! When Mom gave it to daughter Amy, it was purple at one time. Because - of course, it was! Amy loved colors! Now it's blue again to match the guest room (Amy's room) in our DSM home.

My next desk memory is at Washington Elementary School when we had those little desks with the lid that opened. Inside we kept all of our stuff: Elmer's Glue, crayons, pencils, a ruler, scissors, and paper. The hinged lid allowed us to hide from the teacher at times. That created opportunities for hijinx like make faces or talk to neighbors unseen. Or one could slam it on one's hand. After elementary school, I found that desktops were smaller as students were mobile for classes. I didn't get as attached to those desks.

My first job was at age 15 at an Atlantic gas/service station - Hjortshoj Fina, where owner, the wonderful Harry Hjortshoj, taught me to help keep the books. I remember a big old desk in the station office but not if it was wooden or metal. I do remember Harry stashing beer in the soda machine for "after hours" when his pals would stop in.

Loraine Dunn (my first roomie) and Chris Deardorff (visiting from U of I) lounging in my first dorm room

When I went off to Iowa State University, I discovered that I needed to be flexible when it came to study/workspace. My Maple Hall dorm room had built-in desks like the one pictured above. And I studied in various buildings around campus. Note how the desk is being used to prep to go out for the night. Not study! Wow - those curlers were definitely not mine. #icantcurl

My first job post-college at Gamble Robinson, a grocery wholesaler in Sioux Falls, SD, came with a nice, fairly new office desk. I was proud to learn the office skill of running a 10-key adding machine (without looking) at the desk. I got educated to the fact that I didn't learn all that much in college, even with a Business Minor, that would help me to be an office manager. I've come to the realization that college prepared me for life after college: how to live on my own, dealing with adversity, and how to recover from alcohol poisoning. haha

After a year in Sioux Falls, I had the opportunity to transfer with the company to a branch in Omaha - right near the Old Market on 10th Street. The branch there was an old warehouse complete with old furniture. My desk was wooden with a large file drawer that I'd open in the morning and close at night - because it was heavy and rickety. I have fond and vivid memories of that job. It was during that time I got engaged and married to Paul who was living in Oakland, IA - the best decision in my life!

I continued to work for Gamble Robinson even after we moved to Osage - in Northern Iowa. I traveled to Wisconsin and Michigan (UP) for the company, working at small grocery company branches, helping them implement IBM System 32 computers. They were huge with a tiny screen. I helped assign numerical codes to every type of product they handled to computerize them. I sat at many old desks and tables.

When Paul and I decided it was time for a family, I was lucky to land a job right in Osage at the woolen mill, Fox River. They are a family-owned company that manufactures fabulous socks and gloves. I worked with another young woman and a contractor to "computerize" company ordering. Karla and I would take order sheets and input them (IBM System 34) manually. We only had tables - no desks. For years I could spout off-color numbers - like Heather Gray is 7600, something like that. Crazy!

In 1986, Paul landed a new gig in Creston. When we moved there we considered another stop along the way - following his career. Amy was one year old. Something happened along the way. We met wonderful people (and some weird ones) and settled into the town. We got involved in activities and the great Catholic elementary school there. Creston became our hometown. It's a small community - with limited employment opportunities. Good thing I'm so flexible!

I started at First National Bank in Creston as a bookkeeper - in the basement of the bank. As a bookkeeper, you float around at all the positions - so no desk. One cool thing was the proof machine that we used to key by hand all the checks the bank got for deposit. The machine $ amount had to match the adding machine tape attached to the stack of checks. On other days we all sat around tables set in a square and stuffed bank statements into envelopes. That is how I learned how to pronounce all of the Creston names that don't sound like they are spelled. And I learned all the gossip - working with Cathy Lacina, Sandy Hysell, and Pam Grey. Fun times!

Credit - Creston News Advertiser from Bank website - FNB was purchased right before Paul and I moved to Creston

During my bank years, a position came open for a Loan Clerk - upstairs with a window! That desk was a built-in one, in a hallway. It was a great location out of the public eye. Sharon Higgins and Danny Purdum sat in offices behind me, both great people. The ever-so-nice Pat Barkalow sat down the aisle. That is when I really got to know the staff of Loan Officers gem of a person, Lamona Bilderback and crusty exterior, gooey inside Dan Porter - whose daughter Katie Porter is a California US Representative. Steve Crittenden is one of our best and longtime friends. The big boss back then was Dick Anderson - whom I nicknamed "the Dickster". Nuff said.

A year or so after Jud was born, paying for childcare but a crimp in fulltime outside employment. I quit working at the bank and had an opportunity to be on call and deliver home oxygen around SW Iowa. My Chevy Lumina and later a light blue Grand Caravan woody with a clipboard were my desk. Once I was a few months pregnant with our son Patrick, I was laid off from that job. I guess they didn't think I could haul a heavy O2 machine upstairs in my condition!

After we lost our infant son to a heart defect, I was at a loss for what to do next. I was fortunate that a local couple reached out to me to ask me to help with their financial planning business, to hang in the office when they weren't there, and to help with marketing. The office was on Pine Street in Creston. Mike and Judy always have their offices done upright, with nice furniture. I will always appreciate the Moffits generosity for letting me sit at their desks.

Once both kids were in school all day, the Goldsmith budget told us that I needed to work fulltime. I applied for a job as a planner at Gits Manufacturing, a local plant that manufactured automotive and other metal parts. When I first started, my newish desk was up front, in a big room with sales and accounting. Later, Cynthia Wolf, Jeanne Piel, and a purchasing person Juliann Sinn were moved to a small office in the middle of the plant called "the Blockhouse". We got brand new office systems type pressed board desks there. I think it was a tradeoff for being in a sunless blockhouse. We did enjoy our privacy out there. Being a production planner in the automotive industry was a high-stress low benefit job. I enjoyed my co-workers, but I couldn't wait to find something else after 2 years.

My salvation came in the form of a "Help Wanted" advertisement in the local newspaper. The landfill was looking for a recycling education person. Pick me! And they did - for a two-year grant-funded position, 30 hours per week. My first office was at Creston's City Hall with a modern desk borrowed from the city.

Once the job turned into a fulltime director position at the landfill, I was tasked with outfitting the new scale office and my office. I decided to hit the KSIB radio waves to beg for unused desks and chairs.  Creston peeps came through - I hit the jackpot with a big old metal desk like the one Jack Reacher described. Solid! It came from the Central Iowa Power Cooperative north of Creston. That was my favorite desk - so much character and history.

As a Department of Natural Resources employee, I worked in a cubicle. My desk was a countertop built into the 5 foot sidewall. In the last few years, I had it raised so I could stand up to work, or sit in a tall chair. There were plenty of drawers and flippers for storage. I miss the people there but not the cubicle. #loudtalkers

I can picture Dad's desk in the living room of our Atlantic home with a big huge adding machine on it. Dad mostly worked in his chair too. 

Now I work at home, my "worky" stuff is in my Dad's desk in our office, with the printer on Paul's side of the room. But the magic mostly happens when I'm sitting in my big chair with ottoman and my laptop. Or at our kitchen counter when I need to spread out more or do a video meeting. Have I mentioned I'm starting a business in June? Goldsmith Environmental Consulting (little 'ol me). I hope to work with solid waste agencies, counties, and cities on environmental stewardship. Stay tuned!

Cheers!

The cherubs arrived on Wednesday. Paul picked Amy up at the airport as I finished up DNR work at home. It's so great that DNR allows me to do that - since nobody else was going to be at work that day anyway and I had a bunch of grant agreements to work on. It was about 1 when Amy and Paul pulled in - Odie and I were so happy to see Sissy. (That's what Odie thinks Amy's name is...)

While I was working, I had an idea. Unfortunately it wasn't work related. I'll admit it...I was daydreaming a bit. I would have been doing that if I was in my cubicle too...
Amy planned to drive to Creston for the night to stay with her friend Stormy. Jud and Kara were driving up from Kansas City. My idea: We could ride down to Creston with Amy and have a few drinks - eat at A&G like the olden days and ride home with Kara and Jud, who would meet us there. Brilliant! I texted Paul, Jud and Creston pals to fill them in.

I also texted my pal/eye doc Donnie to see if I could slip in to see him - my left eye has been a bit wackier than usual lately. I feel/see a shadow going across it when I read especially. I figured it was a "floater", which is something you can't treat - but wanted to make sure. He nicely fit me into his late afternoon schedule. We pulled in about 4:45 p.m. and he stared intently into my eye - and put icky drops in them. I also took that peripheral vision test. Yep - sounds like a floater. Don says my old eyes are like an old basketball with bulges. Great! Don also took a look at Amy's post Lasix surgery eyes - doing fine!

Beautiful sunset over the rail/agricultural town

We saw him scant minutes later at the Lobby. It's like walking into the "Cheers" bar when we walk into a Creston establishment. So nice to see so many familiar faces. Along with several other friends who were there for a drink. Patti, Pat, Susan - several of the exercise gang was there. It was so nice to see them. The McFee girls were there, Krissy with husband Caleb and Kim, who is back studying at ISU. Bobbie and Jeff came after Jeff was done with chores. My BFF Deb stopped by.

 

Jud and Kara arrived about 5:30 p.m. Fun to see Jud introduce his honey to Crestonians, and to chat with hometown friends. I took lousy pics - I was in a hurry, so excited to talk to my buddies. I had a good long chat with Patti, but not much chance to talk to any others. We MUST arrange a winter brunch and shopping trip in DSM.

After the Lobby, eleven of us headed to A&G for supper - pizza mostly. Amy went off to Stormy's for the evening. She said the downtown crowd had turned into mostly younger generations - though she got to talk to some friends like Dusty Mullin and Zack Schaeffer. We hopped in Jud's car for WDM about 9 p.m. My brainstorm was a good one!

I was on a rant roll today

I think I was in touch with my inner Maxine. You know - that old bitchy lady in the cartoon? I was just feeling a bit put out with some things going on at work - and to quote an old movie - finally I became Mad as Hell and I wasn't going to take it anymore.

I love my job. Some of the people there are knuckleheads. I could be one of them! I saw another soup can in the trash can when I tossed my banana peel after lunch. Grrr. We're the DNR. Shouldn't people who work there be environmentally conscientious? The recycling bins are 3 steps from the trash.

I went back to my desk and emailed Communications for a copy of the poster containing recycling information for the building. Then I opened the Microsoft Publisher program and made a sign that said something like "Tree Huggers - recycling bins are that way. Rinse out soup cans and yogurt containers along with other recyclable stuff listed on and sign above (stuck the recycling poster on the wall above my sign) and help protect our environment". I taped both right above the trash can.

We'll see if the dummy can read. Who could work for DNR and not recycle? And another thing...


Henry Wallace

You have probably heard me complain about my workplace - the Wallace Building, named after former Secretary of Agriculture Henry Wallace born in Adair County, just north of our former home in Creston. Sorry Henry - your building sucks. It was built during an era (early 1970s) that in my opinion, few beautiful buildings were designed. On top of that, the rumor is they cheaped it up due to budget issues - no surprise there!

I put up with a lot. Then the paper towel dispenser in the restroom began mis-firing. You had to crank it about 15 times to get a sheet of the brown no ply paper big enough to somewhat dry your hands. The teeth on the Kimberly Clark machine were shot! There are also two hand dryers on the wall in the 5th floor women's room, but nobody uses them. One doesn't seem to work and the other is flakey. When I've tried to use it in the past it is slow to start and stops quickly.

About a month ago, after all of the women on my floor had struggled with the towel machine for weeks, I emailed the operations gal for DNR, Lisa to let her know "Kimberly" had lost her teeth. I also told her the dryer was a no go. Weeks went by. The custodian finally began placing the giant roll of towels on the counter with a note instructing us NOT to swipe it for coffee spills in the break area.

This week Lisa sent me a forwarded string of emails. It seems the operations guys had tested the dryer and it blows just fine. The director of that department said they would not replace a dryer just to replace it. Hmmm. Yes. That makes sense - but did they not notice that it was flaky?

I sent an email thanking them for checking into it - and suggested perhaps we've all gotten used to those vortex machines that blow really hard, so we're impatient. I went on to state that nobody uses the machine because of some reason...so even though it blows, it might as well be a wall ornament. Since nobody uses the dryer we'll continue to use many paper towels. So there - take that! (which I didn't say)

Today I in one of those moods.
If you're female...you know what I'm talking about!
I was ready to snap. The soggy giant roll of paper towels was getting to me. This was after I had dealt with the wayward soup can tosser. I was all set to stick another sign up in the restroom.
Bathroom Users Unite! Rebel against soggy towels and a crappy dryer! But a clearer head prevailed.

Instead of white towels insert worthless brown ones...

I forwarded the email string about the dryer to our bureau chief and explained the towel situation. I told him I was fuming.
Lo and behold a new towel dispenser was installed later this afternoon. Squeaky wheel!  

Pablo arrived home from a work trip to Madison, Wisconsin today. Odie and I are happy to see him. I am going to lunch tomorrow with my longtime pal Jane Flack Conn. Can't wait to hear how her daughter Morgan is doing - freshman at ISU.

The Happy Place Countdown is ON!

1 Week to my flight to happiness - Marco Island. Paul and I will meet Cindo and Colby there next Saturday. The way this winter has gone...for once it's not just about as warm here as it is there. I have been working at warp speed lately it seems. I love my job, but need a total break tree-hugging and from cubicle land.

I did enjoy a break from my cubicle yesterday as I worked with partner in crime Scott Flagg at a conference for landfill people and public works folks at the Sheraton in West Des Moines. Our bosses decided to invest some time and $ into a booth this year. Alex is a carpentry whiz. He whipped up an official Cornhole game. Yes folks that is what it's called - because Angie Googled it and found an actual association - Cornhole!

Scott Flagg with game - note skin with logo

Cornhole is a great tailgating activity! It was good for conferencing too. Alex built an "official" set and Jen had our communications department design a "skin" for it with our section's logo on it, made from sturdy Tyvec material. Angie ordered 4 bags - and yes, they're filled with - corn. It holds up better than beans.

LF Engineer Mike Smith blamed lack of beer for lack of prowess

We also decided to raffle a 4 seater park bench made from recycled milk jugs and plastic bags. This combination made our corner of the packed full exhibit room the "place to be" during session breaks! The sign up for the park bench was a good conversation starter. Those who chose to play the bag toss were eligible for several prizes - left over from last year's State Fair. People had fun with it. New employee Amy B. kept saying - "try the games - all the cool kids are playing!"

Landfill engineer Matt Phoenix, Scott and new girl, Amy Buckendahl(sp?)

Photo looking away from our booth - over 200 attended

Alex - at left is the supervisor of the Solid Waste Section.

I found out this afternoon that the landfill staff at the Iowa County Landfill won the bench and the director, Rick was thrilled! They have a beautiful facility, right by the Amana Colony and are certain to find a great spot to set the bench.

The other nice thing about this conference? Several people told me how they appreciate the attitude at DNR these days - how they feel staff is more committed to working with them. That comes from the top - Director Chuck Gipp was the keynote speaker yesterday and they liked what he had to say. I didn't get to hear it, but he talks at our periodic staff meetings. He gets it.

Enough about work.

We're entertaining for Easter! Paul's sis Carol, her daughter Barb with fam - husband Mike and daughter Mandy and Paul's sis Jean and husband Dave are coming. Paul will be making his standing rib. I'll whip up Mom's party potatoes in the crock pot. I stopped at Whole Foods today and got some yummy bread, and some desserts. Plus these beautiful flowers.

I'm looking forward to seeing everyone.

Tomorrow, Lil Sis Chiya and I are going to the new Oz movie. I'm nervous, because I grew up on Oz - as did my Mom before me. The books are displayed proudly in my room - much beloved. I'm skeptical - but my supe, Jen said she took her 10 year old daughter who loved it. So I'm willing to give it a shot, for Chiya's sake - no 3-D though...that would mess with my head. Even more than I'm messed up already!

Blind Mellon Chitlin Scores Giant Monitor

I don't even have a personal computer at work anymore. Sniff, sniff. They took it away a few months ago and now I have a "Thin Client". My how things go around. They used to call them "Dummy Terminals" so Thin Client sounds a lot better, doncha think?

What it comes down to is the DNR IT staff got tired of removing viruses from people's computers. Some of us (not MEEEE) put too much crap on our work computers. My bosses generously allow me to work at home - accessing the mainframe using a fob and Citrix software. So I didn't argue when my elderly desktop pooped out and they told me I was getting a cheaper thin client instead. But you can't adjust those units a great deal - including fonts.

My emails were tiny! So was my display - so I asked about trading my elderly monitor for something larger. I thought maybe they had one in a back room. Nope! So I've struggled along, with my monitor perched on a book to reduce neck and eye strain. Yesterday, lo and behold, an IT staffer I've never seen before showed up at my cubicle with a giant box. I was on the phone but I figured it out - I moved my stuff out of the way lickity split!

Check out my cubicle - all my photos and momentos make me happy!

Now I'm the user of this nice new giant monitor. And my crappy eyes don't have to work nearly as hard. The book - "Toxics in the Waste Stream" can be returned to the shelf.

Did I mention my new hardhat?

I love my job!

Rotten day and progress

I had a somewhat rotten day today. First I woke up groggy - left over Advil PMs in my system I guess. I hate that!

Then I drove over to Penn Med for Physical Therapy at 10:15 a.m. only to find out that Lori the clerk had tried to call me - on my home phone. Gee that's in Creston. I didn't get it.

I know in all that paperwork they had me fill out I gave them my cell number, why didn't she use that? It seems Tim has to call the insurance company to find out if they'll allow more visits after my initial 20. I also had discussed this with them earlier - asking them if they would cover this. I figured they had already done so...guess not. Today I wasted 45 minutes for nothing! They'll call if I can go to Thursday's appointment. The made me grumpy.

Then, I messed up something at work - it was resolved somewhat easily, but still, I dislike finding out that I screwed something up. I assigned the same grant number to 2 grants! Estupido! I have a list of grant numbers, but they were on 2 pages. It was really dumb. I put them all on 1 page now so it doesn't happen again.

On a better note, it was the first day I noticed that my shoulder is improving! So take that crappy day. In your face! It was really the lack of pain that I first noticed on my lunchtime walk - what a refreshing surprise! I ate a lovely salad I had picked up at Target the night before - chicken with greens and walnuts, goat cheese and crancherries. So yummy. I sat at my usual bench in the shade on Locust.

After lunch though - that's when I discovered my mess up. Bummerooski. I hate being human sometimes. Again though - in the afternoon, I noticed I didn't need meds, ice, nothing!

After work I stopped by Trader Joe's to get a few things for the Goldsmith Fam Reunion this weekend. I love picking out foods there - stuff you can't get at Fareway or HyVee. Plus I got a Cod dinner for supper - it was pretty good. When I got home I did my exercises and walked to the Waukee Library to take my book back. That's a pretty good hike, and again the should was feeling fine. I think I'm turning the corner so that makes me happy!

Roomie Joan is working late this week so I've hardly seen her. I don't like that - miss hanging with her. I do like watching the Olympics though! I think they should do them every year. I know - then they wouldn't be special.

Tomorrow - a half hour massage! Yay!

Age 53, maturity age 10....

Some people will never grow up! And I'm one of them. I made myself laugh today. Several times. By myself. Just now again....

Today the two sections that I work in - Solid Waste and Financial and Business Assistance (FABA) of Iowa DNR met at Walnut Woods to do a Strategic Planning session  - all day. The leader of the Land Quality Bureau, Brian Tormey lead us in several exercises to help set up how we'll move forward through the next several months. In order to get started, we did an "ice breaker".

The purpose of the little exercises was to solve 30 questions - figuring out what numbers the statements stood for (the answers were the numbers 1-30). Our group of some 22 or so people was broken up into three groups. I was with Becky, Laura, Theresa, Matt, Kathleen, Jeff - and our FABA supervisor Jen chimed in once in a while. The questions started out easy - stuff like "A typical round of golf is this many holes."  Answer 18.

They quickly got hard! There were things like the square root of 256. And the British race track is the M____.

But the one that got me laughing at me and my big juvie mouth was: The number of planets in the solar system is? I asked Jeff, who was sitting beside me the answer. He said - 9. Without thinking I said, "Did you include Uranus?" It still makes me laugh. Out loud. Jen heard me say it and laughed too. Sometimes I can't help myself...it's like a little evil witty person lives inside me. Turned out the answer was 8 - they tossed Pluto out not so long ago...not Jeff's anus...I mean Uranus.

We grilled burgers and brats (supplied by the managers) for lunch along with potluck. I took calico beans that I put together yesterday with Paul's help and lots of good salads and desserts. It was all very good.

Walnut Woods was a cool place to meet - though the wooden benches got a bit hard after a while. And the walnuts hitting the wooden roof of the lodge was a bit distracting at times. Glad one didn't hit me in the head (though I prolly deserved it..) The walnuts reminded me of our old house - the walnut tree and the shed out back. Bam!

Let's hope the day away from the office translates to a great plan for our two sections.

***********

On a totally unrelated note, my sis Bets sent us this cute framed print last week, as it made her think of Odie, my darling dachshund. Thanks sis!

Baby Boy

We saw the baby boy yesterday before the ISU Men's basketball game. Going to the game was really an excuse to see Jud, really. I started thinking about the fact that just like his sister, he soon might be living far, far away. And I decided a couple hour drive to spend a few minutes with the kid wasn't such a bad idea!

We swung by his apartment (luckily I didn't have to set foot into the icky boyville apartment) and picked him up on our way to a sports bar sandwich joint. I had a nice turkey sandwich with cole slaw. Paul chose a burger and fries. Jud surprises me as he grows up - he got a chicken sannie and salad.

He'd been out to eat the night before with his GF Kara's parents. They were in town for Kara's sorority "Mom's Weekend". Jud says they're nice - and they're younger than we are. Gasp!

The poor Cyclones lost another close game. But the guys are still playing hard - bless their big tall hearts! Next year my Freddie will have them kicking ass. His dad Eric was my advisor - in my fascinating major Public Service and Administration in the college of Agriculture. Eric Otto Hoiberg was a sociologist. No wonder Freddie is so darn nice. Paul and I thought he should have chewed on the ref and picked up and technical last night...but he didn't.

Busy week ahead - meetings about proposed Bottle Bill legislation should be interesting! And Friday I'm attending a meeting on Social Networking - so someday soon I could have a Facebook Page for a work program. Lunch is at the culinary program at DMCC, so that s/b yummy. Long week though - no early home for me. Stiff upper lip and all that rot...

Salad Days

Stopped at Target after work - picked up a deliciouso chix salad for supper. Though this one wasn't quite as fresh as the last one I got there. Greens - not iceberg, a nice grilled chicken breast, goat cheese, dried cherries, and large walnuts with poppy seed dressing.

At lunch the permitting staff had food day. They neglected to invite me - even though I attend their staff meetings and work quite closely with them. Bummer - they still forget me. So not knowing about food day, I wandered back to heat up my burger, left over from Sunday at home. There they were, eating away.

Matt Phoenix, one of the engineers, kindly offered me some of the ribs he had prepared and cooked. They smelled awesome. I took a chunk for tomorrow - can't wait. Then I stood and chatted with the staff members. I'm sure they wouldn't have minded if I would have joined in eating. But I didn't. I also don't partake in their birthday gatherings - except for Becky, who makes a point to invite me.

If my new boss (since my boss Al retired) turns out to be a schmuck or won't allow me to work from home, I may scootch over to the permitting/solid waste department. Then I'll be invited. Maybe.

Old stompin' grounds

So I cut off his head with my cell phone camera - but Pat's tree has gotten muy largo - and yes, Kay has purchased ugly fake flowers for our father's grave. In addition she has put a frog by there. It's really sweet of her - and I'm not being sarcastic this time - I love her for it. I'm glad she remembers him like that.

I was in my old stompin' ground today - Atlantic. I went there on biz - the Cass County Landfill is participating an Environmental Management System (EMS) pilot project that is my baby at work. So it was kinda nice going to town on a nice sunny day for work.

I stopped at the cemetery on my way into town. Our baby boy Patrick (it may have been 18 years, but he'll always be my baby) is buried there along with 4 other generations of the Bullocks. The tree our friends purchased in honor of Pat has gotten huge! It was nice to have a few quiet minutes at the cemetery.

I arrived at the landfill site around 8:15 a.m. - drove through Grove City on my way there - it's about 5 homes, but is a gorgeous rolling area on the curvy blacktop road just off Highway 71. The consultants - Laura from Dallas and Tom from Ohio got there shortly after. Shelly, from the Iowa Waste Exchange was there too. Wendy Wittrock is the facility director. We spent some time talking biz and touring the facility. It made me miss my work at the local landfill - but not that much.

At lunch we headed to the old Whitney Hotel - I had a turkey ruben. It was good. I enjoyed chatting with Tom, Laura and Wendy. I've known Wendy for the past 10 years as we both ran landfills and worked together on some projects. Tom and Laura have been crucial to this EMS project. Laura is the main reason we hired this firm for the job, and the two of them have kicked ass! It was fun getting to know them a little better.

After lunch I trotted up the street to check out the shoe selection at Browns. Cindy Abild asked about you Betso - wondered if you were coming to the class reunion. I told her that now that you're going to LA this summer Atown was prolly out...

I was home in Creston by 3PM working. Will be here the next 2 days, thanks to Joan's visiting niece. Paul and Odie and enjoying it - so am I!

Sucked back into the vortex

That's what I felt like yesterday as I got closer to Des Moines - I felt like the big city was a muddy pond and I had on slippery shoes. I was too close to the edge. I slipped in. Dang!

I didn't feel it too badly yesterday - I was still basking in vacation glow I guess. But today it hit. Now I'm feeling overwhelmed. My shoulders are tense. Hmmm this may call for a visit to Chris the masseuse.

The good news - I walked down to Jimmy Johns at lunchtime. It was a gorgeous day. I took my #2 (roast beef) no mayo with oil and vinegar and ice tea to Governor's park east of the State Capitol. I sat on a bench there and read a Robert B. Parker novel, and the character ironically flies into the Quad Cities airport. Why ironic you ask? I was just looking at info on that airport yesterday because Jud is doing that internship there and may fly out of there for my niece's LA wedding.

I peeled off my jacket and sat in my shirtsleeves enjoying the sun. Kids walked by clutching their lunch bags scurrying from Capitol tours. A group of four worked out doing yoga in the grass nearby - 3 women and a black guy. I thought to myself that I couldn't see a white guy joining the group, but a black guy fit. Racist? Perhaps. White guys can't yoga...

A thought left over from our flight last weekend. We flew American Airlines - their board spiel goes like this: anyone with special boarding needs can board. Anyone in our platinum club can board. Anyone in the silver and bronze club can board. Anyone in the diamond club can board.
I thought to myself - anyone in the wood club, paper, lint in the pocket club can board.

By the end of today I did feel like pocket lint. I was very tired and I felt the work piling up. Sigh. I guess that's why they call it work.

All bottled up

I'm feelin' good tonight. My big contract at work, the one I've slaved over for the past 6 months, was approved by the Environmental Protection Commission today. Phewww. Last Friday I was feeling like it wouldn't happen.

I had sent the draft copy to the contractor - GS&P a consulting firm in Dallas. Then on Friday the poopay hit the fan when our DNR legal beagle called to say he needed it ASAP. Shoooot (as my dad's gf Kay used to say). Of course GS&P's people marked it up big time. I was workin' at home and stressed.

So come Monday, we were under the gun to get the thing done (after gentle prompting from my boss). The DNR attorney Jon re-marked it up and I sent it back to GS&P again. Then GS&P wanted to talk to Jon who went home with a sick child. Argh - BB (Big Boss) had to take off for Fayette (where the EPC meeting was) early this a.m. before said atty and Laura from GS&P ironed things out. So I called him while he was enroute to give him the heads up that it was kosher.

BB had to do a sales job as those EPC commissioners are tough task masters. They ask tough questions. He must have done a good job, because we got word this afternoon that it passed. Yee Ha!

Last night I got to relieve my stress of the situation by bottling wine. Yum! Roomie Joan and I traveled to my friend Susan's sister's home to do the bottling. A group of our friends met us there. Lucy, Deb, Pat, Diana, Patti, Susan, Bobbie all made the trek from Crestonia. Mary Ann and her friend umm Whatshername (I'm awful at remembering names) I think it might be Sheryl all helped.

We bottled some 60 bottles of the Chardonnay and Green Apple Riesling. My buddies brought snacks - cheese, chocolates, veggies, crackers and more. We got to drink the leftovers - including the spitty wine that Mary Ann sucked out of the tube to get it going. Bottling involves sucking the wine (started a few weeks ago by a few of the gang from a kit) from the large glass bottles the stuff fermented in.

Susan and Pat were brave enough to run the filler part. Patti and I manned (womaned?) the corker for the first batch. It's a cool little machine that jams to cork into the bottle neck. Joan wiped the bottles down and Deb, Lucy and Bobbie were in charge of putting on the gold cap that was heated with a blow dryer to seal it. Then our own label was attached. Cool!

It was a fun night - reminding me how great it is to have crazy, funny, nutty, generous loving friends. Friendship in a bottle! Maybe Patti will send me a couple pics from the event. hint, hint