A week of Zero

Zero temperatures that is. It's been quite a while since this gal dealt with frigid air (not frigidere..lol) and nature sort of amazes me. I was all set for an interview in Denver when the first wave of Very cold air and snow blew in. Last week I had been doing yard work in short sleeves and then presto- change-oh!! How do you like the -11 temperatures when you are outside smoking? lol..I did not freeze to death, but it's not very pleasant. It kind of made me realize what lengths I can go to hold on to nicotine addiction. My father was afraid that he would find me frozen to the chair outside his office door, but that did not happen.

I had told myself that I would be quitting, I'm just afraid to quit without some medical help because I know that I will need help..patches for the day and a Xanax at night, at least till I stop wanting to light up. I have No health insurance at the moment.

The interview had to be rescheduled because when I got onto I-25 South ( at 4 degrees F) I could feel my car sliding in my lane only going 25 mph. I could not see me driving 80 miles like that back and forth. I am feeling a bit desperate for a job now. So many applications and no responses. I have two pending possibilities and I AM crossing my fingers that one of them will see what a great worker I can be. Sounds like I am bragging but I come from a generation who does work hard. We expect to be recognized for such as well. I have little patience for people who constantly whine instead of working. (the urge to smack them upside the head is tempting to me.)

We will be moving back to more normal temperatures for this time of year in about a weeks time. As long as there are no more 'polar vortexes' that is. Funny, the image that comes to mind when I hear polar vortex is from the movie "The Day After Tomorrow." In that movie there were hurricane like formations of clouds that pulled sub-zero temperatures down from the upper Troposphere causing everything inside the eye of the storm to instantly freeze. So yeah, I think this new weather word is designed to make people afraid. It's always wise to have common sense in any serious weather situation,, but I think that they use it more for dramatic media effect.

Shoveled today, a good 7 inches of powder is on the ground. Not as heavy to move as the snows we had back east, but damn, it was cold! My cheeks were stinging..my face..not my butt, lol.

OH MY!!

Love,K

Lordy Lordy, look who is not 40

I had to dig for that title, and obviously it was a long shot. Another year on the calendar of my life is approaching on little sneaky feet. No sense running, it will catch up no matter what evasive moves you may make. I'm actually comfortable with my age. I won't in years get any younger, but in my heart I am still young. The passing of the years is what we all do, no exceptions, and as some have mentioned before, it beats not getting older for other reasons, lol.

I have settled in here in Colorado, unpacking is complete, only a couple of items that have not been found after the flurry of packing,driving and unpacking. I have attended several church services, helped with the food for the homeless program, and of course last Fridays Trunk or Treat in the church parking lot. I've also been kept very busy with a large amount of needed yardwork.

Still nothing on the job front, but I am not giving up hope and keep plugging away. I hate to settle but likely will to get needed income to help around here with rent. That means taking a job that is out of necessity and not necessarily what I'd like to be doing. Hitting the bricks this week instead of online applications. I've heard back from a few advising that the position had been filled. Part time is not an option, I need 40 hrs and benefits.

Happy Birthday to me, and thanks to Laura Mae for the only card that was mailed this year. I did not know that Colorado was in a different galaxy, but it seems so. No matter, I do have wonderful folks to share the day with.

Have a good week everyone,
K~*

PS: Note that other cards arrived later and were very much appreciated!

Bits and Pieces

Slowly learning my way around Loveland because it's a bit bigger than what I had become accustomed to. I think that I can find one of the Walmarts and a food store or two. Tomorrow I will have the afternoon to myself and I 'd like to do some more gardening. I plan on an excursion to find a car wash, because Greta the Mazda is still bug splattered from the trip out here. (plus dust from the many construction zones.)

I have applied to varied positions, and as usual it's a wait and see, which I have trouble dealing with. I've applied for security positions, medical secretary, assembler at a printing company, and call center for utilities in the city of Fort Collins. I told you..very varied.

I am now insured in Colorado, the next step will be a driver's license since mine expires on my birthday this year. (that should be a blast) Registering the car will have to fall after that, as I should have approximately 3 months before I can be ticketed. (I hope)

I am expanding my horizons to include micro brews. I have never been much of a beer drinker, but it's either beer or wine, and I really have never gotten into wine. There are a fair amount of smaller breweries around here. Oh! And coming up October 25 there will be a Zombie Crawl in old town Loveland, that should be interesting!

Catch up more later,
~k

PS: I have failed to mention how beautiful it is here. The weather is traditionally fall like, clear bright skies. I actually found the big dipper sitting outside looking at the sky at night. Looking forward to a trip to Estes. We've just gotten in the last few days the first snows on the higher peaks, I could see them today driving through town.

We Made It!

We crossed many rivers, including the mighty Mississippi; we climbed a few mountains and we made it across on Interstate 80 West, which was under construction in every state we zoomed through. Gilligan traveled like a pro! But he is currently hiding in our room at Dads. The car ride was one thing, but dogs are quite another.

Waiting on the moving truck..wondering where everything will go. Job search has already started. Will say more later once I have my computer set up.

K~

T-2

One more day until the moving truck arrives. I am almost totally packed except for the pots and pans.
Then onto cleaning..Yay..not. I am still in a quandary as to whether I sleep on the floor on Monday night after the truck has left, or finding a cheap hotel room locally. Not looking forward to my first sprint of the journey spent after sleeping on the floor all night, but do I want to spend money on a room? Decisions, decisions.

I don't have GPS so I found an atlas at the Walmart.(still cracks me up when people add "the" like it's the only one out there.) I figure the most difficult parts navigating will be around the bigger cities, the first being Pittsburgh. I intend to mark my passage in short Facebook posts, to keep friends apprised.
Being that I have an older smart phone that loses battery strength quickly, I'm crossing my fingers.

Charles Town has been good to me in it's way, I appreciate all the friends that I have made here, and the job that added to my skills. But I am looking forward to my new adventure, discovering new territory, making new friends. I won't miss the skunks though..both human and the regular basic striped ones.

Gilly has finally clued in to the changes, there was a fair amount of feline howling done tonight because his ratty old cat tower is not coming with us. I hope to find his highness another one that is not shredded. I'm sure that getting back to being outside some of the time will solve some of that, though Dad might start to wonder about his trees with claw marks on them. I have a sedative for the drive, though I would rather not have to use it. He'll be in the bathroom when the movers arrive, but I can remember him freaking out in there when we moved in here.(wedged between the vanity and the tub, turning himself upside down and panicking.

Not sure that I will be able to post here again once the move starts. My next entry will likely be in Colorado.

~K

If you know who is watching

If you know who is watching I'd suppose that he would be doing a jig..celebrating my departure. Good, happy for you. After all the blog entries I've written for you I guess that I have said it all before. I'm ready to move on and escape the last influence of your presence. I've enjoyed most of the time that I have spent in West Virginia, most of it. I made some awesome friends and found fulfillment in my work. I surprised myself by hanging in there and surviving your betrayal.
I can honestly say that I am leaps and bounds past where I was when you dumped me.

I am looking forward to exploring a new place instead of dwelling in the stomping grounds of your past. I hope that life brings you what you deserve, be it good or bad. (sort of ambivalent of that topic.)
I know that Karma has visited you and that you recovered. Good for you. The hate was one sided Sir. I struggled to make 'us' work for years. I don't believe that I failed, I do believe you bailed. Whatever,.. it is what it was. For whatever reason you chose to do what you did..I forgive you, because I AM stronger without you.  Trying to please you was slowly killing me, as there was no way I could please you, try as I did.

May you live..may you truly know yourself. And I hope that at sometime in your life you drop the bullshit and find honesty. Your Father was a good man. If you aim to emulate you better get stepping. He did not play games, and I liked that about him.

K

9 days

9 days left till my last day at work. They are looking at a lapse of Dual Rates after I am gone on swing. I feel for them, I feel badly that they will be so short. But it has happened before and they have survived. There would have been one left, but he, unfortunately, was demoted last Thursday due to his own actions, or lack of. I think if he had been a trifle more mature this would not have happened. But sadly he was not. It's going to be rough for them to get through this. They have known that I was leaving in July even though I officially gave my months notice in August.

Most of all I feel sorry for my team. I wish things were different for them as I hate leaving and knowing that they will have a hard road until staffing is fulfilled. I hope that they all know that this was not my intention, life just happened to make if more difficult. If I stayed until things got better I'd never be leaving, as there is always some issue or staffing problem there. Best wishes to all of my colleagues, I only want the best for you all.

K