"Sitting on the Front Porch"

[Miss Mary]

Linda - your post made me cry and wish so much for normalcy to return to your town. It is very sad to read but you need to keep telling us this. And we need to keep reading about it, lending aid and help. My daughter Nina is a very good kid, very kind and open minded. But tends to look at life thru that teen-way, MTV, the Real World, going to rock concerts. I predict this trip will change her little world forever. And I also predict, knowing her the way I do, she will come back, renewed in more ways than one. She'll want to go on another trip if one becomes available, organize or help out with aid drives. This is just the way she is. But I know seeing the devastation first hand will be a major shock. I am expecting a phone call Sunday evening, I really am. And tears. I know I'll cry too, hearing her first hand report.

Again, you need to vent about this Linda and tell us all what it's really like. The day to day struggles you describe that we take for granted, really hit home. No longer being able to just walk out to your mailbox, even mailing outgoing mail from it. Shopping at your local, favorite store. Just popping in for items, being on your way. I wish so much all of this would return to normal for your area.

Pascagoula will return Linda. And be stronger than before. You have that fighting spirit and I'm sure your family and community share it as well. I would be prepared for your parents to suddenly say they want a xmas tree afterall. Just for one small aspect of their lives to feel normal again.

Hugs, prayers, well wishes, all coming your way. Makes any troubles I or my family have right now, pale by comparison to what you're experiencing.

I thank you for sharing what it's really like down there.

Mary

[sunny]

Hey my Lindaloo. I am so sorry I haven't been around much. But I think about you often and I love you!

To have your life so completely altered is overwhelming. It is also very hard to understand what it is like to live what you are living. The little things that make life easy are suddenly taken away. But to have to "look" for food or medicine - it's just hard to believe this has actually happened. You let me know if you need anything at all - I will do everything in my power to help you through this.

[Lindaloo]

Thanks Mary and Cindy. Love you two!! ((HUGS))

[Miss Mary]

Linda - you are very welcome. I wonder if many of our S2K family members really understand the scope of what you, your family and your community are facing right now. Day to day. While I know you'd never put such emphasis on yourself Linda, a personal topic about your experience with Katrina and the aftermath you're all dealing with, would be a good idea here on the OT forum. We have other members who do this and I don't see why a Mod and beloved S2K family member couldn't do the same......

Thanks for putting it all into perspective and making me realize how much we take day to day living and our usual routines for granted. It's really a wakeup call to help out more.

And I thank you for reminding me of that. To put aside my petty little aggravations in life and focus on those that are in DIRE NEED right now in our very own country.

Mary

[sunny]

I agree with Mary, Linda. If you made a topic, it might serve as an outlet of sorts for you.

[breeze]

(*breeze is shivering)

D...D...D...D... Dennis?

It was 32°F on MY front porch, this morning...

When you gonna fire up that pot-bellied stove? I needed
some of Karan's Earl Grey, this morning!

[Miss Mary]

Yoohoo...oh Dennis....

We need that stove cranked up! I was going to activate your topic from this past winter but it's locked. You didn't tell me you locked the door!!!! LOL

I'll take some of that tea Karan, as we wait for Dennis to 1. unlock the door and 2. get the stove going!

Brrrrrr!!!!!!

I have good news to share and I was waiting for the stove topic. Come on Dennis!

Mary

[azsnowman]

HOWDY.....it's been HOW LONG since I've visited the front PORCH??? I am SO ashamed of myself!

Hey MARY.....check your pm, as I said in it, it's a tradition for me to fire up the Pot Belly Stove on 1 November, it's been a standing tradition for the PBS since I originally started it WAY back in 2001 So hang in there, it's ONLY a week away, can you BELIEVE that's it's ONLY 60 DAYS till ol' Santy Clause COMES?!?!?!?!

Dennis

[Miss Mary]

Hey Dennis - that's okay! Never realized you were this organized until now and have a set agenda, for the PBS and Porch topics. I am impressed, Host Dennis!!!

That said, I'll just share my good news here b/c next week I'll have less time available online.

I got a job! As a cafeteria sub in our local school district, where my daughter Laura still attends. That includes 6 Elems, 1 Middle and 2 HS's. She does NOT want me working at her HS......LOL, no surprise there. I will fill in if they need me, but for now they're starting me off all next week, at the other HS. 3 hours a day, either serving food, wrapping sandwiches or doing the dishes. I had 2 other serious job offers, a front desk customer service position at a local high end dry cleaners (hours were not the best for our family schedule) and a part time recept. for a doctor's office. 2 or 3 nine hour days. When I was offered this school district job, I just took it on the spot. Had to get a TB test and a criminal background check done, both came fine, and now I'm set. Most of all - I'm extremely relieved to have found a job that meets my remaining daughter's busy after school schedule and my health needs. Roughly 3.5 or 4 hours a day, off on holidays, weekends, breaks, I even get - SNOWDAYS!!! See, that's wx-related.... the pay was $3 more per hour than when I last checked, back in 1998! All in all, it's the perfect job for me, for now.

Wish me luck - Lunch Lady Mary! That's what my family is calling me....oh another perk - I didn't need a new wardrobe!!! You wear very plain clothes, that you don't mind getting stained. Plain-Jane/Mary's current wardrobe fits the bill too!

Mary

[Skywatch_NC]

CONGRATULATIONS MARY!!

I wish you the VERY best!!

Eric

[arkess7]

Well good for you Lunch Lady Mary!!!!

Ya know I thought about doing that too... part-time......like when my daughter gets older and starts getting into after school stuff like sports etc....she's only in kindergarten now and she loves it!!!!!

It seems like something easy and not to stressful ya know? And as always the extra money will sure come in handy!!!

Best of luck to ya!!!

[Miss Mary]

Thanks Amy and Eric - well, the extra money is going straight to bills - LOL! Probably college tuition for our oldest daughter....but yes, it is a stress-free type job I've heard. That's what I need - go work my shift and then leave the job behind......no computers there, so my time here will reduced but I could hardly stay home forever....unless we won the lotto. Amy, the hours are perfect for juggling a busy school aged child's activities. I will be home everyday by 2:30. Laura can remain as busy as she is. People would tell me all the time - oh buy her a car, then you can work until 5. Well, a third car costs money, it doesn't grow on trees ya know and this way, when Laura gets her license, the real-deal, she can take my car. And quite honestly, the times we've driven to and from music lessons, club meetings, is when she tells me all about school. Always, IN the car! But if she were to drive herself next year, I think by then, 3ish I'll want to be home - cleaning, baking, etc. Yes I will. Who knows, I could love these hours so much I'll keep them for when she's in college. It is just so nice to know I'll be home over xmas break, have snowdays too, be off in the summer, no conflicts with an annual family reunion or our family vacation. I receive 8 paid holidays too - I was shocked! I would highly recommend any mother who wants to return to the work force but want to be home after their child's school day is over, to look within their local school district's job openings first. I was told by Sept., most permanent jobs are filled. Looking back, I should have looked at the district's openings in August. But I did get on, as a sub. That's a start!

Mary

[Skywatch_NC]

Mary,

Another added bonus, too...you and your fellow cafeteria workers could get possibly a reduced lunch cost deal for your own lunches after the students have been served!!

So VERY excited and happy for you, Wxbuddy!

Eric

[furluvcats]

I have never been sooo glad to be home! In my last two solo travels, I've been caught by 2 hurricanes...Rita while visiting Louisiana, and Wilma this past Monday! The night before Wilma was especially scary for me, because there was a tornado outbreak in the county I was in...and I was up all night in fear! lol Thank God for Laurie, who was then just a few minutes away from me, and the folks in the chat room, who stayed up with me all night, and kept me relativly calm... :O)

It's good to be home...even though its all gray and zero visability...I know a hurricane is NOT going to get me here! Now...to just keep the earth from shaking... .

HI to everyone...congrats Mary on your job! Hope you enjoy it. Happy fall...

[Pburgh]

Mary, that's terrific!!!! I've know several women who have had those jobs and loved them. One friend of mine just retired after 35 years!!!! She stayed so long cause she loved in so much. Her kids were long gone from school and she was starting to feed her grandkids. I think I'd love a job like that. ((HUGS)) and congrats. I know you're going to make a lot of kid's lunchtime very special.

[arkess7]

Glad your home furluvcats!! '

Thats great Mary......I think i am going to seriously look into that in the next couple of years.......it's so great to know you can still be home with your child and have the summer off and christmas break and all that!!!! It just makes it like an added extra bonus!!! And paid holidays!!! That's awesome!!!

Well keep us updated and let us know how its going!!!

Amy

[pojo]

I'm almost halfway into my deployment... January will come fast enough. This sounds funny... but 80* feels cold (in some instances w/ winds)... when you are accustom to temps 100-110* during the day... radiational cooling at night... yup, temps will drop.

I talked with my mom... its 40* back home (Wis)... now that's cold! But its end of Oct... no surprise there.

Congrats Mary on the new job... Enjoy it. My grandmother was a secretary in my school district... all of my teachers used black mail to make sure we behaved... oh yea, that was fun (not to say that I didn't behave, but the teachers held it over our heads)

[Pburgh]

Shannon somehow I cannot imagine you EVER misbehaving!!!! Stay safe my friend. ((HUGS))

[sunny]

Congratulations, Mary!!! This is wonderful news, and I think this is the perfect job for you

[furluvcats]

How's the new job going Mary? Sounds like it will be wonderful for you. Brett, my son, started a job while I was in Florida...the previous GM from my hubbys casino, opened up a chicken rest. and Brett is the official sign spinner for them...which he loves..he acts all goofy and dances and moves around with the sign, pointing folks in the direction of the new resturant...they may even get him a chicken suit to wear...LMAO...Hey, thats how Brad Pitt started out....He only works an hr and a half on school days and 3 hrs on weekends...not much, but not bad for a 14 yr old kid!!!

Hi Shannon, hugs, good to see you!