Hello moon_beam. Sunny and mild Wednesday greetings to you and your precious Noah.

Glad to hear the electrician was able to trace down the problem to something simple; and that he didn't charge any extra. In thinking about the loss of the tree, I didn't even consider all the wildlife that may make their homes there But, as we have said, safety first. I hope they are able to rehome themselves. It's good that your chainsaw arrived; hoping you don't have too much need of it other than clearing away smaller trees and debris. I'm happy to hear that Noah was able to find a suitable vantage point that mitigated his stress levels and that he came out after. Thank you for sharing about his ritual that honors his siblings no longer with you physically. That is very touching indeed.

Another "same old, same old" day in the mines today. At least we have some very nice weather going on that will make the commutes a little easier. Just under 45 minutes until can start packing up for my trek homeward to Miss Theresa and Sgt. Tang; hoping they are there to greet me when I walk through the door. I hope today has been kind to you and Noah and that you both have a very blissful evening.

TTT

Hi, Tracy, very pleasant Thursday evening greetings to you and your precious Theresa and little Tang from my precious Noah and me. I hope this finds you and your precious companions doing well and in good spirits. It is always a blessing sharing your news how you and your precious are doing.

It has been a quiet day here at the homestead for my precious Noah and me. Got caught up on many e-mails, and unpacked my new chain saw and read through the instructions. Everything looks very similar to my old saw, so it shouldn't be too hard getting used to it. When I went out to get the mail I tried my new front porch steps and they are WONDERFUL. I will need to put my sincere thanks in writing to the contractor and his crews who have worked so diligently on all the projects.

Soon it will be time for you to begin your trek homeward to your precious Theresa and little Tang - - the very best part of the day. I hope today has been treating you kindly, my friend, and that your travels home will be safe and expedient so that you and your precious Theresa and little Tang can have a very peaceful, blissful, and cozy evening. I thank you for the blessing of your friendship, Tracy, and of your precious companions. Please know you and your precious Theresa and little Tang are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I always look forward to sharing how things are going for you and your precious companions, and your treasured memories of your beloved Sir Thomas.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hello moon_beam. Sunny and pleasant Thursday greetings to you and your precious Noah.

So glad to hear you are pleased with the new steps. So, what's left on the list besides the tree? I'm glad you and Noah were able to spend some quality time together today. I can imagine that is just about the best part of not having to go to the "pit" anymore

Same old same old at work. Still no word on FTE (6 weeks and counting from the interview) Almost finished with the 6 books I had sent to my library branch. I ordered 3 more, 2 have been shipped. Hoping I can get them this weekend. In a few minutes it will be time to pack up and trek homeward to my precious Theresa and Tang. I hope today has been most kind to you and Noah and that you both have a very pleasant evening. TTFN

TTT

Hi, Tracy, good Caturday greetings to you and your precious Theresa and little Tang from my precious Noah and me. I hope this finds you and your precious companions doing well and in good spirits, and that your errands will go smoothly so that you and your precious fur tribe can enjoy the majority of today together. Perhaps if the weather is decent in your area some quality balcony time will be in order.

HR departments are very independent "bureaucracies" unto themselves - - they refuse to be questioned about anything because they are there to promote the employer's policies - - not to represent the employees. I truly am very sorry that you are still "hanging in limbo" with a definitive answer about your interview. Just keep on doing what you're doing to the best of your ability, Tracy, and know that I continue to lift your dilemma in prayer asking that you will be provided a decent job that will provide you and your precious companions with financial stability - - wherever that may be.

Speaking of your reference to my no longer working in the venomous snake pit, I read an article online with the local newspaper that a counselor with the company's Employee Assistance Program has been charged with inappropriate contact with a client, and the company has taken action against the counselor for siding with an employee who sought counseling because of experiencing sexual harassment in one of the company's departments for failure to protect the company from legal action. None of this surprises me - - if I were to need counseling I would NEVER seek counseling from a company EAP because their purpose is to represent the company, and because of that - - whatever is shared with the counselor WILL in some form or fashion be shared with the company and department management. Indeed - - I am SO VERY GLAD I am no longer working there!!

In addition to the tree, the only other project remaining on the list at this time is staining the front porch. I spoke with the contractor who will be doing this yesterday and he is hoping to be able to begin that project next week. The porch needs a good pressure washing first and at least one full day of good weather for the wood to dry out before he can begin the staining process. And since the wood is now very dry, it will probably need two coats of stain to offer a good protection from the elements. Although the front porch is covered by the roof overhang, when we get heavy rain the porch does get a good soaking particularly when there is a gusty wind accompanying the storm. Thankfully these two projects - - the tree and front porch - - are outside projects which will help to keep the stress levels down for both my precious Noah and me - - not having to have a contractor inside the house. When these two projects are done, I will need to call the company who inspects the flue to the wood stove to come and give it a good cleaning, and then things should be set for the coming fall and winter.

No outside projects today - - yesterday was a full day of taking a carload of "stuff" to the special trash bins - - which actually was two trips. The loading and unloading of the stuff was a "full day's" activity for me. So I will be enjoying a peaceful weekend with my precious Noah.

My friend, I hope today is treating you and your precious Theresa and little Tang kindly, and that you and your precious companions will have a very peaceful, blissful, and cozy evening. I thank you for the blessing of your friendship, Tracy, and of your precious Theresa and little Tang. Please know you and your precious companions are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I always look forward to sharing how things are going for you and your precious Theresa and little Tang, and your treasured memories of your beloved Sir Thomas.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hello Tom's Dad, and happy Caturday to you and your precious fur kids. I hope you'll have a nice relaxing weekend with Tang and Theresa. My girls and I are fine. I had some balcony time with Miss Mindy, but had to come back inside when it got too chilly. It sure felt good to have Mindy warming my lap! Once she settles in she pretty much stays in one spot. I read a book while Mindy observed things. It was so nice and quiet out. Few people had their A/C on. Gotta make use of these last nice summer days!

Hello moon_beam. Happy Caturday to you and your precious Noah.

No balcony time today as it was just too hot by the time I got home from the library and grocery store. Perhaps tomorrow during laundry, weather permit. Sounds like you have had some nice weather your way though. I'm glad this has helped your projects along that appear to be nearing completion. I hope it all goes well.

Your story about your former work place hardly surprises me. I agree that going to someone internally about a work related problem is a good way to get the short end of the stick. They are looking to cover their own tails in the event the issue becomes "actionable" Kind of like how SMLLC stated I quit, when in fact they fired me. In this case I think it's because they are small enough not to be required to carry UE insurance, and therefore the money would have come out of their own pockets. I guess the fact that 99% of their "customers" are state and county government helps when it comes to falsifying records, huh

I suppose I could take some small comfort in the fact that this current process is taking so long. In my experience, when one doesn't get the job, one finds out rather quickly. Not much going on around here today. Tang has come by to cuddle a few times, but Theresa has been content to soak up some rays either on the floor by the sliding door, or in the computer desk chair. Time to get them taken care of and settled in. I hope today has been kind to you and Noah and that you both have a most peaceful evening. TTFN

TTT

Hello DannysMom. Happy Caturday to you and your precious Mindy and Shelley.

As you can see in my previous post, no balcony time today, just too hot We had weather like you describe earlier in the week, but being at work it didn't help for balcony time by the time I got home. I'm glad you and Miss Mindy got to spend some quality time together. I hope today has been kind to you, her and Shelley and that you all have a very blissful evening. TTFN

TTT

Hi Tracy,

Happy Caturday to you, Sgt. Tang and Miss Theresa. I hope you all are doing well......Yep, summer is back, although the mornings are quite cool....No cat-tails to tell tonight, haven't seen Tabby or any other cats for several days. Even the Bandits come around later at night after midnight, but they do clean up all the food. I hope nothing big and scary is roaming around at night scaring them.

Take care, Tracy, and have a cozy night with your furkids and a blessed Sunday. I hope your work week goes well and you find out good news soon.......My thoughts and prayers are always with you. Always thinking of Angel Sir Tom too.........TTFN

LoveMyMickey

Hello LoveMyMickey. Happy Caturday to you as well.

Not a bad day here with Sgt. Tang and Miss Theresa. I'm sorry to hear that Tabby and company have been no shows It's been like that here too. When I go to replenish the food behind the dumpster it appears untouched, or barely touched (I figure I can attribute the latter to the squirrels) I doubt we can attribute the no shows though to a natural predator. No. it's the bane of ALL of God's animals. HUMANS Why do humans feel so powerful hurting small helpless creatures? Bless you and your husband for your efforts to help them.

I do hope today has been kind to you and that you have a very pleasant evening. TTFN

TTT

Hi, Tracy, greetings to you and your precious Theresa and little Tang from my precious Noah and me on this quiet Sunday afternoon. I hope this finds you and your precious companions doing well and in good spirits. Glad your errands yesterday went well, and hope laundry time went smoothly so that you and your precious fur tribe can enjoy the majority of today together.

Not much happening today -- a very welcome quiet and lazy Sunday here for my precious Noah and me. Noah is upstairs enjoying some after lunch private time. Still have the lunch dishes to clean up. Looks like some clouds are passing through but no rain developing at this time.

I hope today is treating you and your precious Theresa and little Tang kindly, my friend, and that you and your precious companions will have a very peaceful, blissful, and cozy evening. I thank you for the blessing of your friendship, Tracy, and of your precious Theresa and little Tang. Please know you and your precious companions are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I always look forward to sharing how things are going for you and your precious Theresa and little Tang, and your treasured memories of your beloved Sir Thomas.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hello moon_beam. Hazy and hot Sunday greetings to you and your precious Noah.

Glad to hear you both are having a good day together. Laundry went fine. There were a couple loads in other dryers that I do not use, so it was good. No balcony time again as it rained just enough to raise the humidity level; even now it's about 90 out.

While I was doing my laundry I saw the same skinny waif I've seen for a couple weeks now darting by. With the food behind my dumpster barely touched these days, I could not help to call out to him/her "There is food just a few dumpsters down this way"

Theresa and Tang came and went for cuddles. I think when it's warmer they are less inclined to stay. But all in all it was good. Now it's the Sunday "blahs" thinking about returning to work tomorrow. I'm left with the singular question: Would it be less so if I was permanent? Well, obviously not going to find that out for a while. For all I know those 2 contractors that "left" are just the fist stage of "house cleaning" In any case, I hope today has been kind to you and Noah and that you both have a wonderful evening. TTFN -

TTT

Hi, Tracy, cloudy sometimes sunny Monday greetings to you and your precious Theresa and little Tang from my precious Noah and me. I hope this finds you and your precious companions doing well and in good spirits.

My heart shares your concern, and LoveMyMickey's concerns, for the homeless and hungry waifs around your apartment complex. I know you are doing everything you can to try to help them, my friend, and your efforts will not go unrewarded as your beloved Sir Thomas is keeping track of all your efforts.

The contractor working on the front porch was this morning to pressure wash in preparation for staining. The weather is supposed to be decent tomorrow, and he'll be able to get one coat on. If it needs another coat he will do that sometime this week weather permitting as the potential for rain returns in the forecast for Wednesday and Thursday. No tree contractor today.

Noah is doing well. He is curled up on his lamb's wool cushion in front of the window next to the bed taking his after lunch nap. Still have the lunch dishes to do.

I hope today is treating you kindly, my friend, and that your travels home will be safe and expedient so that you and your precious Theresa and little Tang can have a very peaceful, blissful, and cozy evening. I thank you for the blessing of your friendship, Tracy, and of your precious companions. Please know you and your precious Theresa and little Tang are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I always look forward to sharing how things are going for you and your precious companions, and your treasured memories of your beloved Sir Thomas.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hello moon_beam. Hot and muggy Monday greetings to you and your precious Noah. Looks like summer is going out with a bang here

Thank you for your kind words regarding my efforts with the homeless waifs in my community. I seek no reward other than the hope that each and every one of them finds a loving forever home someday. Perhaps you are right about Sir Thomas "keeping score" though. Most nights when I go to put food out I encounter butterflies

I'm glad to hear that your contractor came to work on the porch and that that project is nearing completion. Sorry you have had no word on the tree though. I do hope it does not become an issue for your and Noah's safety I'm glad, as always, to hear that Noah is doing well and getting some sunbeams

Another same old same old in the "mines" today. Does this rat race ever end? But, another one is over and I can now pack up and start my homeward trek to Miss Theresa and Sgt. Tang (who was particularly vocal on my departure this morning, bless his heart) I hope today has been most kind to you and Noah and that you both have a very pleasant evening. TTFN

TTT

Hi Tracy,

I hope you had a good day, but I know it gets tiring, same old, same old. Seems like a person is on a loop, even domestic engineers like me feel that way.

That is so cool, you encountering butterflies when you take the food out. I know Sir Thomas is sending his love and letting you know you are doing a good thing by helping the poor little kitties. Well, Tabby came back this afternoon right after I got back from the store. He ate some of the dry food that we had put out. My husband took some more out to give him, and he walked away and hissed as if to say "I want canned food!" so he took some canned food out and Tabby ate quite a bit. So I think the hissing is a "food thing".

They finally finished the construction on the Kroger store. I got almost everything I needed and didn't even cover the whole store. I took a long nap this afternoon.

Give the furbabies a special pat for me and have a cozy evening with them.....TTFN

LoveMyMickey

Hello LoveMyMickey. Pleasant Monday greetings to you.

No butterflies tonight (sigh) and not much of the food from yesterday eaten. BUT, the dish is still there and it keeps getting pushed up under the dumpster. So, perhaps some waif(s) are eating some and trying to "hide" it for later?

Your poor husband trying to please Tabby and getting hisses for his trouble But, perhaps it's as you say. He associates that with getting canned food. I hope Theresa and Tang never learn that trick Both are doing very well, by the way. Tang's ear has never looked better; even than when I first got him. I hope you and your husband have a most pleasant evening and that Tabby and Co. keep coming around for your generous hospitality. TTFN

TTT

Hi, Tracy, warm Tuesday greetings to you and your precious Theresa and little Tang from my precious Noah and me. I hope this finds you and your precious companions doing well and in good spirits. It is always a blessing sharing your news that your precious fur tribe are doing well and thriving. And I know your heart is soaring with joy that your precious Tang's ear is doing so well since his last surgery. I know it has added to your financial concerns, but I also know seeing him do so well lifts the weight that was burdening your heart worrying about his ear. There isn't any money in the world that can take the place seeing him happy and comfortable.

The contractor was here this morning to put the first coat of stain on the front porch. Right now it's a little darker than what I originally had in mind for it to be, but I know the color will be absorbed into the wood which will lighten it - - along with being exposed to the sun and rain and winter cold. Still no show for the tree contractor today. Since it has been a week since he was here I e-mailed him to inquire where I am on the schedule. Rain is in the forecast for Thursday which of course has me concerned about the pine tree - - which is what I explicity noted in my e-mail to the tree contractor. Perhaps I will hear from him before the day is over with - - or not. I'm not particularly fond of the tree contractor but he was the only one I could get to come out to survey what needs to be done as all the other contractors are "too busy." So I'm kind of stuck at the moment.

There is one more thing that I do want to check into and that is a new railing for the front porch. The contractor I have been blessed to be working with does not have the options that I want to consider for the porch itself. So this afternoon I contacted three contractors that do railings. So we'll see what happens with that.

Noah is on his lamb's wool cushion in front of the window next to the bed taking his after lunch nap. When I was coming back inside from talking to the contractor this morning I startled a doe and her fawn who had come into the back yard and of course they raced out of the back yard - - which broke my heart that I had frightened them. I have missed having the deer come visit the yard this summer as frequently as they did last summer - - and to startle them off when they do come is a bummer.

Still have the lunch dishes to do and a trek to the mailbox to make after awhile. Just after I got my post to you loaded the internet went down, so I was glad I was able to get my "daily news" posted to you beforehand. I hope today is treating you kindly, my friend, and that your travels home will be safe and expedient so that you and your precious Theresa and little Tang can have a very peaceful, blissful, and cozy evening. I thank you for the blessing of your friendship, Tracy, and of your precious companions. Please know you and your precious Theresa and little Tang are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I always look forward to sharing how things are going for you and your precious companions, and your treasured memories of your beloved Sir Thomas.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hello moon_beam. Hot and humid Monday greetings to you and your precious Noah.

Glad to hear your porch project is coming along and hope you can find someone to do the railings. Sorry to hear you have not heard from the tree contractor. If the pine falls would it hit a power pole/line? Perhaps the power company could provide some assistance. Bummer about the deer; I hope they come back soon. Glad to hear Noah is doing well as always.

Thanks for the encouragement on Tang's ear. But it seems to have created a downside. Since I only clean it in the evenings and had always associated that to the insulin shots, I have forgotten the morning shots yesterday and today This is SO not good. I'm going to put a big sign on the fridge to remind me every morning! Now I know why he was being so vocal "Dad, you're forgetting my shot" I did some research and found it's not too bad unless both doses are skipped over several days. And better that than giving too much. Where is my head lately? I've fretted so much over his health, and now this (sigh)

Work was a little busier as we had to take billing calls outside of our usual area; something about them being slammed in queue or some such nonsense But, soon another day will be over and I can pack up and head home to Theresa and Tang (I hope my boy is OK) I hope today has been kind to you and Noah and that you both have a most pleasant evening. TTFN

TTT

Hi, Tracy, hot humid Wednesday greetings to you and your precious Theresa and little Tang from my precious Noah and me. I hope this finds you and your precious companions doing well and in good spirits. It is always a blessing sharing your news.

That's a great idea about posting a note on your fridge about Tang's insulin. I had to do something similar for my beloved Oslo's meds - - otherwise I would sometimes forget them. The mind can only hold so many "priorities" - - so please do not berate yourself. Yes, missing his insulin shots could become a major problem - - but it is obvious you are doing everything to make sure that you don't - - and this shows how dedicated you are to him. If it you didn't love him, if giving him his insulin when he needs it didn't matter to you then you wouldn't be upset about temporarily forgetting a dose - - and finding a way for you to REMEMBER when a dose is due.

The tree crew arrived around 2 p.m. this afternoon - - during the hotest part of the day to begin working on the job. They decided to work on the saplings inside the fence line and the dead oak tree that could eventually topple. Tomorrow they are planning to return to focus on taking down the big pine tree - - that needs the most immedia atte action. If the pine tree were to fall - - depending on which direction it fell - - it could fall either on my garage or on the neighbor's house. Neither option is ideal, but were it to fall I would much rather it fall on my garage. Rain is forecasted for tomorrow at some point in time so I'm hoping they will be able to get to the job of taking down the big pine tree early in the morning before the rain begins.

Today I worked on getting financials caught up as it will soon be time to do the checkbook balance a thon again. Cannot believe September will be half way through come Sunday. A contractor will be here around 4:30 today to talk to me about a railing for the front porch. And another contractor is scheduled to be here Friday morning - - so we'll see what happens.

Noah is doing well. He is taking his after lunch nap snuggled next to me as I'm writing to you. Soon you will be able to begin your trek homeward to your precious fur tribe who are eagerly anticipating the arrival of their Forever Dad.

I hope today is treating you kindly, my friend, and that your travels home will be safe and expedient so that you and your precious Theresa and little Tang can have a very peaceful, blissful, and cozy evening. I thank you for the blessing of your friendship, Tracy, and of your precious companions. Please know you and your precious Theresa and little Tang are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I always look forward to sharing how things are going for you and your precious companions, and your treasured memories of your beloved Sir Thomas.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hello moon_beam. Hazy and warm Wednesday greetings to you and your precious Noah.

Glad to hear you getting some estimates on the railings; I hope you get one that works for you. It's good the tree contractors were out and I hope they make all due haste in getting the pine cleared for your and Noah's safety. Yes, already mid September. Where does the time go? I'm happy, as always to hear that Noah is doing well and getting his sunbeams. We are supposed to have highs only around 70 on Saturday, so I think some balcony time is in the offing, if I can trust the Amazing Flying Tang

Speaking of whom, thanks for the encouragement on my forgetfulness. Yes, it does prove I care, but that does not help matters much. I put the note next to the bathroom mirror as I'm in and out of there getting ready, scooping litter, etc. I DID give him his shot this morning.

Work was same old. The manager was no show, and heading into week 8 after the interview with no word The time has come to pack up and head homeward to Miss Theresa and Sgt. Tang. As promised, I picked up a bag of cat nip at the Kroger on the way in to make another "new" sock so they will stop fighting over the one I just made with the last of what I had. I hope today was most kind to you and Noah and that you both have a very peaceful evening. TTFN

TTT

Hi, Tracy, hot Thursday greetings to you and your precious Theresa and little Tang from my precious Noah and me. I hope this finds each of you doing well and in good spirits. It is always a blessing sharing your news.

So glad you remembered to give your precious Tang his insulin yesterday morning. Sometimes I find that I need to post a "reminder" note in a couple of places as I am now at that age when I can find myself asking "Now what was I coming in here to do?" A recent news report on the evening national news covered this very issue, and thankfully this particular type of memory lapse is not a symptom of Alzheimers. It's reassuring to know this particularly since I am the only human in my home. So please know that, although your "memory lapses" about some things - - including giving your precious Tang his insulin / meds - - can be disconcerting they are merely an effect of temporary "absent-mindedness."

The tree contractor arrived around 9:10 this morning and are still working. They have taken down the big pine tree and are in the process of shredding the trunk now. I was outside while they were taking it down as I felt I was losing a good friend and wanted to be with it as it was being taken down. The pine scent was so wonderfully fragrant - - the property looks so bare without it standing tall and proud. But it wouldn't have lasted tall and proud with the root system being seriously compromised, so it's a good thing that it is being taken down while it still had some pride intact. While I'm not fond of the contractor who arranges the work, the tree crew sure do know their stuff. Hopefully they will have all of the work done today.

Noah is watching what is going on from his lamb's wool cushion in front of the window next to the bed. The noise of the saws and the shredder are not too loud, and he has heard them before from the previous tree removal event.

Still have the lunch dishes to do and eventually a trek to the mailbox to make. It is very hot and humid outside. I for one am lookng forward to the cooler weather anticipated for the weekend. Looking at the clock you still have a couple of hours to get through today. The clock is ticking now as only one more day to get through until you and your precious companions have a weekend together.

I hope today is treating you kindly, my friend, and that your travels home will be safe and expedient so that you and your precious Theresa and little Tang can have a very peaceful, blissful, and cozy evening. I thank you for the blessing of your friendship, Tracy, and of your precious companions. Please know you and your precious Theresa and little Tang are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I always look forward to sharing how things are going for you and your precious companions, and your treasured memories of your beloved Sir Thomas.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hello moon_beam. Much cooler Thursday greetings to you and your precious Noah.

I'm glad the contractors were able to take care of the old pine before it became a danger. I can certainly empathize that it's like saying goodbye to an old friend and I do hope the local critters that made it their home can make other arrangements. Thankfully, it was not a source of great stress for your little man.

Thank you, as always, for the encouragement in my quest to keep Tang (and Theresa) healthy and happy. The note seems to be working and he's in better spirits. Theresa got a thorough ear cleaning last night, to her dramatic chagrin and the addition of another "new" catnip sock has brought some peace to our home. Today has been kind of a downer. No one thing, just a lot of little ones. But, another one is over and just one more day to go. Time to pack it up and head homeward to my precious fur kids. I hope today has been very kind to you and Noah and that you both have a most pleasant evening. TTFN

TTT

Hi, Tracy, very pleasant T G I F greetings to you and your precious Theresa and little Tang from my precious Noah and me. I hope this finds you and your precious companions doing well and in good spirits.

I am so smiling at your precious Tang being in better spirits - - I can just hear him say, "it's okay, dad, - - I'll remind you when things need to be done." Poor precious Theresa - - having to endure the very undignified procedure of having her ears cleaned. I bet she doesn't let any grass grow under her feet getting down from the bathroom sink afterward. Our companions do find ways to let us know their "approval" and "disapproval."

Thank you for your support and encouragement on my ongoing homestead projects. When the tree crew left yesterday at 6 p.m. they said they would be back here today to finish up the work. I called the contractor this morning only to be informed that the crew works four 10-hour days and no one would be back here until "sometime" next week. I told him what still needs to be done, and that I paid the crew yesterday for their hard work in good faith that the follow up work would be taken care of. So we'll see what happens.

A railing contractor who works with various different kinds of iron came this morning, and I selected four different designs for him to give me a quote on. There is one design that I really liked but it may be a bit too financially adventurous for me. The contractor who came Wednesday only works with vinyl railings - - so I want something to compare. My first preference would be to go with the iron railing as it would definitely add pizzaz to the porch - - but - - it will be a matter of what is cost effective AND offers a touch of class to the homestead.

So Noah and I have been enjoying a very pleasant and peaceful Friday since the railing contractor left - - which is very helpful. I must confess I am feeling a bit "contractor weary" again and need the peace and solitude to recharge. The front yard could use a good grooming, and I may tackle that chore tomorrow if I feel up to it. If not, the weather is supposed to stay on the pleasant side on into next week, so I will have other opportunities to tackle that project.

Lunch has been served and Noah is on his lamb's wool cushion in front of the window next to the bed taking his nap - - snoring softly with each breath. I need to get the security updates and scans done on the desk top.

Today is F R I D A Y - - and we all know what that means - - another weekend on the horizon - - YEA!!! I hope today is treating you kindly, my friend, and that your travels home will be safe and expedient so that you and your precious Theresa and little Tang can have a very peaceful, blissful, and cozy evening. I thank you for the blessing of your friendship, Tracy, and of your precious companions. Please know you and your precious Theresa and little Tang are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I always look forward to sharing how things are going for you and your precious companions, and your treasured memories of your beloved Sir Thomas.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hello moon_beam. A very pleasant (weather) TGIF greeting to you and your precious Noah.

I can imagine your are indeed growing "contractor weary" Hopefully the projects will all be completed to your satisfaction. That really stinks about the tree contractors though. Especially since you already paid I hope they return to finish the job as early as possible next week. I would think the iron railings would be a better long term investment, but there are financial considerations as you say. I hope you end up with something that makes you happy though.

Yes, our companions do "speak" to us - we have but to listen, which I clearly wasn't (sigh) But Tang's doing well again, as is Theresa. So that is good. TGIF, indeed my friend That makes tomorrow Caturday, YAY!! I have to return a book to the library and pick up 4 more before picking up provisions tomorrow. I have several in my "saved" list too on their web site. The only thing better than always having something to read is not having to pay for it

Just under 2 more hours until I can get out of here. I need to stop at the bank for a certified check for the (late) rent. Hopefully this is the last time. The company I got loans thru went out of business and the 3rd party collector can't draft anything from my bank. The principal is paid anyway. All that's left is "fees" (I'll deal with that later) The good news is that I should have more money each week and hopefully October rent will be on time.

I do hope today has been kind to you and Noah and that you both have a most peaceful evening. TTFN

TTT

Hello Tom's Dad, and happy Caturday to you and your little fur kids. I'm glad that Tang is doing well, and I'm sure Theresa appreciated the catnip treat after her ear cleaning! My Tina always loved catnip. I would buy her these little catnip pillows and she would lick them and rub her face on them. Sometimes I'd sprinkle fresh catnip on and she'd eat it. It helps their digestion too. It's good news that your financial situation is looking up. These companies sure charge so much for payday loans and really take advantage of people that way with their exorbitant fees. I'm quite sore today and trying to recover. Volunteered for the "Day of Caring" yesterday and did lots of weed pulling. It was a good experience though. My girls are happy to have me home today and they even let me sleep in a bit and snuggled up with me in bed this morning. It's cool here today, only about 71 and so we won't be having balcony time today, but it is supposed to be warmer tomorrow.

Hi, Tracy, very pleasant Caturday greetings to you and your precious Theresa and little Tang from my precious Noah and me. I hope this finds you and your precious companions doing well and in good spirits, and that you were able to get your errands done quickly today so that you and your precious fur tribe can enjoy the most of today together.

This morning I mowed the front yard. Didn't quite feel up to it but the weather was perfect and the exercise really helped. While I was mowing I discovered a discarded mostly full gas can in the tree line that is in the county / State right of way. I was going to call the Sheriff's office for advice as to what to do with it, but - - much to my surprise - - by the time I got done with my shower one of the tree crew was here to finish cutting up the big tree trunk in the back yard and do the minor repair on the fence. I told him about the discarded gas can and asked him if he would like to have it. So he went to check it out. Apparently it must have fallen off one of their competitor's trucks as it rumbled by the house - - and he took the can. He said there was no evidence that the can had any leaks - - so I don't have to worry about someone driving along the road and flicking a match or cigarette out the window and then having my property, and my neighbor's, go up in flames fueled by gasoline.

While the railing contractor was here on Thursday morning he leaned up against the support post on the front porch at the steps end of the porch and the post wobbled. So this morning while I was mowing I checked it out. It looks like nails, or screws, fastened into the porch overhand are loose and now need to be re-set and tightened. So I will call my "jiffy contractor" who has done all the wonderful work on the porch and steps and foundation to come look at it and fix it. Looking at the house now with all the work done on it - - it looks almost brand new - - better than brand new. I am so looking forward to getting the new railing installed - - and then that should be it for the projects until the spring.

Thank you so much for your thoughts about the railing for the front porch. I agree with you about the iron railings probably being the choice - - and that's what I'm leaning toward. I'll let you know how things go.

Noah is taking his after lunch nap snuggled next to me as I'm writing to you. I am looking forward to a quiet evening with my precious boy.

I hope today is treating you and your precious Theresa and little Tang kindly, my friend, so that you and your precious companions will have a very peaceful, blissful, and cozy evening. I thank you for the blessing of your friendship, Tracy, and of your precious Theresa and little Tang. Please know you and your precious companions are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I always look forward to sharing how things are going for you and your precious Theresa and little Tang, and your treasured memories of your beloved Sir Thomas.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hello DannysMom. Happy Caturday to you, Mindy and Shelley as well. Beautiful and 73 here with a light breeze.

Glad to hear you and your girls are having a good day. I have allowed balcony time here, but neither seems to want to stay out there too long And such a pretty day too. Just a bit ago Tang went out, then Theresa went out and he sprang up and scared her sniffing her butt I informed him that was quite rude. I wish mine got along as well as yours (sigh)

Yeah the payday loan people can be brutal. This, however was a personal loan (I didn't even know they did that, teach me to pay closer attention to what I'm clicking on) with payments every two weeks and locked in to a 10 week schedule with no extensions. But they were always fair and never took more than what was scheduled; or anything beyond the pay out. Not my fault they went belly up and had to hand things over to a 3rd party with no authorization to ACH my account. Like I said the principal is paid off, so I do not feel that bad for them.

Not much else going on here. Getting ready to clean Tang's ear and other evening kitty chores. I hope today has been moat kind to you and your girls and that you all have a very pleasant evening. TTFN

TTT

Hello moon_beam. Happy sunny and breezy Caturday to you and your precious Noah.

I'm sure the yard work was difficult, but I'm sure you can feel a sense of accomplishment now that it's done. I'm glad to hear your tree contractors returned to finish the job. I hope you are able to get the porch repaired and your railings installed to your satisfaction soon as well. Then you just relax and enjoy. You deserve it my friend.

I was out a tad longer than I would have liked today. My bus going up to the library was 10 minutes late. So, instead of catching the one coming back from the mall before her (as in I missed it) I had to wait on her to come back around. But, she made up most of her time by then. So instead of getting home by 11:30, as planned, I got back a little after noon.

I'm glad to hear that Noah is doing well, as always. Theresa and Tang seem to have gotten past the rough patch on the balcony, as posted above. Both are behaving themselves and taking in the lovely breeze. I really hate to drag him to the sink for his ear cleaning. But as it looks so good (last night I only used one swab and there was nothing really on it) I might skip it and just give him his shot.

I hope today has been most kind to you and Noah and that you both have a very peaceful evening. TTFN

TTT

Hi, Tracy, pleasant Sunday greetings to you and your precious Theresa and little Tang from my precious Noah and me. I hope this finds you and your precious companions doing well and in good spirits.

So glad to know you precious fur tribe is doing well - - your precious Tang with his ear and remaining stable with his insulin, and your precious little girl Theresa - - your "constant" with whatever is happening at the moment. Two precious jewels to bring joy into your heart.

I'm so chuckling at your little Tang "checking out" his sister's deriere. Noah would do this as well to his beautiful baby sister Abbygayle - - which usually meant that she needed a little bit of cleaning up as her pantaloon fur was so thick and long that she wasn't always able to do a thorough cleaning by herself. She would always be greatly embarrassed during the process, but grateful afterward.

Not much happening here at the homestead today - - Noah and I are just hanging out together enjoying the big door open for fresh air and the sounds and songs of the woodland residents, and getting caught up on some overdue e-letters. I checked out a couple of channels that are offered through my Roku box but will not be ordering them as the programs that I'm interested in watching are already being streamed in through HuluPlus - - no need to duplicate the channels and add to the monthly cost.

Hope your precious companions were able to enjoy some balcony time today - - and behaved themselves - - I won't name any names here. I hope today is treating you and your precious Theresa and little Tang kindly, my friend, and that you and your precious companions will have a very peaceful, blissful, and cozy evening. I thank you for the blessing of your friendship, Tracy, and of your precious Theresa and little Tang. Please know you and your precious companions are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I always look forward to sharing how things are going for you and your precious Theresa and little Tang, and your treasured memories of your beloved Sir Thomas.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Thank you moon_beam. Pleasant, if warmer (80) Sunday greetings to you and your precious Noah.

Thank you for sharing your story about Noah and Abbygayle (are they actual siblings?) It sounds very sweet. However, I'm pretty sure Tang was being territorial He even crawled into Theresa's cubby under the coffee table today, but didn't stay long. Almost like he was checking it out/leaving his scent. I agree why spend money on a channel you can already get through another media. Kind of how I feel when a new movie comes out on DVD. Yeah, I could see it sooner on on-demand on cable. But why pay 6.00 for that when I already pay 12.00/mo for Netfliix; so I have to wait a bit longer. So what?

Laundry went fine with no "competition" I was only about 64 at the time, so I allowed balcony time. Here again, neither stayed out long. Almost like they rather go out when it's hot; I know Theresa would which is weird since she looks like a little arctic fox

Not much happening here except the Sunday blahs about returning to work tomorrow. A little bit ago I was worried one of my outlets by the computer desk had a problem because I smelled something burning. I felt it and it was not even warm to the touch. That's when I realized I'd put eggs on the stove to boil for tuna salad for sandwiches for lunch this week Talk about absent minded.

Getting ready to take care of that, Tang's ear/insulin, etc. I hope today has been most kind to you and Noah and that you both have a most blessed evening. TTFN

TTT

Hi, Tracy, sunny, sometimes cloudy pleasant Monday greetings to you and your precious Theresa and little Tang from my precious Noah and me. I hope this finds you and your precious companions doing well and in good spirits. So glad your laundry time yesterday went smoothly, and that you and your precious companions had a pleasant day yesterday. I know so well the Sunday evening "blahs" transitioning back to the week day work schedule.

This morning was busy doing the checkbook balance-a-thon which went fairly easy this month, for which I am very thankful. Next week will be the monthly bill-a-thon for October. Also contacted my nifty jiffy contractor about the support post on the front porch, and he is scheduled to be here tomorrow to take a look at it and advise me what needs to be done to strengthen it. I think it should be a fairly easy fix. It is soooo nice to have someone to call on when something needs to be done for the house.

Lunch has been served and my precious Noah is on his lamb's wool cushion in front of the window next to the bed taking his nap. He is so fascinating to watch - - even when he's sleeping. Have started a grocery list and am hoping to make a "provisions run" this week, and stop off at the hardware store to pick up a small bag of quick cement to use with the trellis repair.

I hope today is treating you kindly, my friend, and that your travels home will be safe and expedient so that you and your precious Theresa and little Tang can have a very peaceful, blissful, and cozy evening. I thank you for the blessing of your friendship, Tracy, and of your precious companions. Please know you and your precious Theresa and little Tang are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I always look forward to sharing how things are going for you and your precious companions, and your treasured memories of your beloved Sir Thomas.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hello moon_beam. Overcast (but forecast says 0% chance of rain?) Monday greetings to you and your precious Noah.

It's good to hear your "go to" contractor will be able to take a look at those rails. It definitely sounds like a possible safety issue; I hope he can fix them for you. I hope you have no trouble working on the trellis too. I had forgotten about that.

Today was another blah day. I did something I may come to regret though. I sent off an email to our new KFORCE contact person. In it, I described my frustration over being a contractor for almost 16 months and the ungodly wait after the interview. I asked for any advice or any other more promising projects she may know of. I also asked for no client contact at this time because I don't want to lose what ever small chance I may have. She replied it will be forwarded to someone in the Louisville office. How much to you want to bet the first thing he/she does is call TWC? I do hope I don't come to regret it, but I am getting so frustrated. I'm too old to be a call center drone, and most assuredly too old to be doing it as a contractor I figured since I work for them, they should be doing more to make sure I'm OK. So far, they have been totally "hands off" (sigh)

But, this day is over and I can get packed up and start my trek homeward to Miss Theresa (who is indeed my constant and my rock) and Sgt. Tang my fearless little man. I hope today has been most kind to you and Noah and that you both have a very peaceful evening. TTFN

TTT

Hi, Tracy, greetings to you and your precious Theresa and little Tang from my precious Noah and me on this cloudy sometimes sunny cool Tuesday afternoon. I hope this finds you and your precious companions doing well and in good spirits.

Yeah, once you press that "send" button there is no retrieving the message. I can certainly understand your frustration and it isn't unreasonable to want some form of confirmation about your employment status. I hope you receive a response to your query, and that the response will be a positive one. Please let us know what happens.

The contractor has not yet arrived - - he usually comes in the morning - - but I also know that on Tuesdays he helps a client who is disabled with transportation to grocery shopping, MD appointments, etc.. Something may have come up that he has not had a chance to call yet to re-schedule. If I don't hear from him by tomorrow afternoon I will give him another call.

This morning I checked the oil in the generator and the propane level in the tank, and everything looks okay so far. Come the first part of December I will need to arrange for an oil change on the generator as by that time it will have 8 hours of operation from the weekly system check runs - - and the first oil change is due after 8 hours of operation.

I also got an e-mail from the iron railing contractor with estimates for the 3 railings I selected - - and my favorite railing is the lowest cost. YEA!! So I e-mailed the contractor back with my selection, and am waiting to hear back from him with a confirmation / contract, etc.. I am soooo looking forward to the new railing!!

My precious Noah is enjoying his after lunch nap on his lamb's wool cushion. Still have lunch dishes to do and a trek to the mailbox later on.

I hope today is treating you kindly, my friend, and that your travels home will be safe and expedient so that you and your precious Theresa and little Tang can have a very peaceful, blissful, and cozy evening. I thank you for the blessing of your friendship, Tracy, and of your precious companions. Please know you and your precious Theresa and little Tang are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I always look forward to sharing how things are going for you and your precious companions, and your treasured memories of your beloved Sir Thomas.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hello moon_beam. Pleasant Tuesday greetings to you and your precious Noah. Not so pleasant for me though.

I'm sorry to hear your contractor was a "no show" But glad you are able to get the railings that you want. Also good that your generator is in proper repair. Let's hope you have no need of it.

"Yeah, once you press that "send" button there is no retrieving the message. I can certainly understand your frustration and it isn't unreasonable to want some form of confirmation about your employment status. I hope you receive a response to your query, and that the response will be a positive one. Please let us know what happens."

Indeed. Not only did I fail to get hired full time, I got fired from being a contractor as of 5:00 today. I won't go into the details other than to say it was based on faulty, possibly even fraudulent data. I've heard the chatter about how first the reports could not be pulled to the data is totally wrong. In hind sight I know I heard the sups going over them. They had no idea what they were looking at or how to interpret them. Then I heard one say something like "Well, (manager) says this will have to do" I was held in a side office like a prisoner while my stuff was gathered for me. Humiliating I can't say for sure if the email was the catalyst for it, but it seems like too much of a coincidence. Oh, and the "manager" who fired me? She collected my things and placed them all in my back pack. Um, that means she had to go into it to do that. Kind of like going into a woman's purse. Can she do that? I'm thinking of fling criminal trespass charges

For tonight I'm going to do my best to enjoy my time with the fur kids. In the morning I will follow up with KFORCE and file my UE claim. I DO hope they don't fight me on it. Today's didn't with LG&E under similar circumstances, so crossing my fingers and praying. I can only hope God has something better around the corner. I am a failure to my fur kids

I hope today has been kind to you and Noah and that you both have a blessed evening. TTFN

TTT

Tom's Dad, first of all you are NOT a failure, don't even think that! This just goes to show what nasty kind of people THEY are. I am sorry you lost your job, but don't ever think you are a failure. You are NOT! It really stinks that they would fire you over an email that just honestly expressed your feelings. You didn't say anything bad in it, at least not from my point of view. Tom's Dad, there IS something better out there waiting for you. Take a deep breath. Keep on looking. If you look for the good things you will find them, I really do believe that. You're in my prayers, and believe me, I know what it's like to be out of work. The best you can do is look forward. Forget about what's behind. That's gone and you can't change it. But you can shape your future. Give your sweet fur kids a little hug from me.

Thank you DannysMom.

I spoke with a rep at KFORCE and explained my side of the story. She said she will check with her boss and get back to me. I filled out my UE claim online and some of the questions caught my eye. Like were you given any warning, where you made aware your job was in jeopardy, etc. The answer to all of them is "NO" I think this is one case where the manager's "I can do anything I want" arrogance may work against her. But then, what does she care. It's not them that would be paying the claim, but the agency. My understanding when I first spoke with them is they don't generally tend to fight claims as long as we keep in contact and are available for other work. Crossing fingers.

Theresa and Tang (especially Tang) have been extra affectionate this morning. Like they are trying to make me feel better. But, it could just as easily be the novelty of my being home at this time. They are both enjoying balcony time with it only being 66 outside. Thanks for you support and prayers. My best to you and your girls.

TTT

Hi, Tracy, cloudy and chilly Tuesday greetings to you and your precious Theresa and little Tang from my precious Noah and me. I hope this finds you and your precious companions doing well today.

Tracy, like DannysMom, I am sooooo sorry you are enduring another unemployment episode. And like DannysMom, please permit me to add my total support that you are NOT a failure. You did EVERYTHING that was expected of you in addition to being the "go to" person for other employees who had questions about what to do with this and that. You have been observing a "trend" evolving regarding the other contractors - - and for quite awhile you have been anticipating this very thing to happen.

Now that it has you now have an opportunity to turn your focus to looking for a better job - - and hopefully one that will not be a commute and a half for you with decent hours - - and NO late night staff meetings. Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers that your UE request will be processed expediently - - please let us know how things go.

The contractor was here this morning and has repaired and strengthened the support post to the front porch. He also saw the remnants of the huge tree the tree contractor took down in the back yard and was appalled they had left it for me to deal with. He will be back here next week with a log splitter to cut the huge trunk into firewood for me - - and stack it for me as well. The cost he quoted to me was the cost I was thinking about going toward the purchase of a log splitter I found on Amazon. I described the splitter to him and he said that the size and weight of the tree trunk requires a heavier commercial splitter - - which is what I had been thinking as well. I am soooo happy I have this gentleman to call when I need help with the house. Tomorrow will be grocery / errand day.

It is time for me to start getting some lunch on the stove warming and some niblets in my precious Noah's bowl.

My friend, I can imagine the shock and anger you are feeling about the way you were treated yesterday - - which is totally uncalled for, in my opinion. I know so well the feeling of humiliation at the hands of an employer, and the experience is never forgotten. I truly hope today is treating you and your precious Theresa and little Tang kindly, and that you and your precious companions will have a very peaceful, blissful, and cozy evening. I thank you for the blessing of your friendship, Tracy, and of your precious Theresa and little Tang. Please know you and your precious companions are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I always look forward to sharing how things are going for you and your precious Theresa and little Tang, and your treasured memories of your beloved Sir Thomas.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hello moon_beam. Similar type weather Wednesday greetings to you and you precious Noah.

Thank you for your encouragement, thoughts and prayers. It's true I did see this coming in one way or another. What puzzles me is why they went to so much trouble. It's always been my understanding that a client can end a contract at any time with or with out reason or notice. Of course not providing warning and/or reason leaves the employer in a poor position for contesting the UE claim. Of course the employer in this case is KFORCE, not TWC. It could be that this "manager" is trying to influence KFORCE into fighting it. But while she provided a "reason" (fabricated as it is) she failed to provide any warnings. It must be important if it's on the UE claim application, don't you think?

I have yet to hear back from the woman at KFORCE. She rushed me off the phone and has not called me back or answered my follow up email I hope they don't fight the claim (most agencies don't if for no other reason is that they never do anything with the contest form that the UE office sends) but I may be out of luck in them placing me somewhere else (sigh) Time to start my mass posting on the job boards. So much for paying my October rent on time as I'd hoped now that the loans are out of the way

I'm glad your contractor came out and fixed up the porch as well as giving you a fair estimate on the tree removal. Hopefully, the day has been kind to you and Noah and I wish you both a most pleasant evening. TTFN

TTT

Hi, Tracy, good afternoon greetings to you and your precious Theresa and little Tang from my precious Noah and me. Thank you for sharing with us how things are going.

I can imagine you are feeling unsettled until you receive confirmation that your UE claim has been accepted. I am also very sorry about this coming at a time when you were looking forward to better financial stability now that you have the payday loans paid off. It can seem like the more you try to get ahead the further behind you get - - which is very discouraging indeed. Please let us know how things go, my friend.

For several months as you have continued your job search you have not been able to respond to anything that has even remotely seemed appealing for inability to lose a day's pay to go on an interview. Hopefully you will find positive responses to your queries and will be able to find a good job quickly this time. Do you have an employment agency that you can still rely on to also help with your job search?

Noah took a little snooze on my lap after lunch, and is now curled up on his lamb's wool cushion. Still have the lunch dishes to do.

My friend, once again I hope you and your precious companions will have a very peaceful, blissful, and cozy evening. I thank you for the blessing of your friendship, Tracy, and of your precious Theresa and little Tang. Please know you and your precious companions are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I always look forward to sharing how things are going for you and your precious Theresa and little Tang, and your treasured memories of your beloved Sir Thomas.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hi moon_beam

Thanks, as always, for stopping by to check on me. I replied to your email too. I just got off the phone with Kforce and the rep said as far as she knows, I can just file my UE claim and it should be OK. I also mentioned I posted for another job through them on CareerBuilder.com and she said that was great. As for weather they will actively seek something else for me? That's anybody's guess. Like any other US business they are just out to make money.

I ran over to Kroger earlier and got a whole box of insulin syringes for Tang; figure I might as well stock up now. I also lucked out in an online order from GNC for my digestive pills. They lost the first order and sent out another 2nd day air at no charge with an additional 20% off my original order. Low an behold the original order showed up too. Now I have 4 bottles. About 3-4 months worth. I was just musing at my good fortune with that yesterday before you-know-what happened (sigh) He giveth, He taketh away.

Theresa and Tang are well and have enjoyed balcony time this morning in the coolish air. Both have been especially attentive today. I don't care what anybody else says, they know how we are feeling at any given time. Perhaps even why, in their own way.

My best to you and Noah.

TTT

Hello Tom's Dad, I just want to let you know I wholeheartedly agree with everything that moon_beam has said in her posts to you today. I am not as eloquent as she is, and she said it so well! I'm glad you were able to get the extra order of digestive pills. And I definitely agree with you that our fur kids know how we feel. There were so many times that Tina has comforted me when I was sad or upset, and Shelley seems to know when I'm feeling low as well. Job loss hurts, and I feel for you. You were looking forward to more financial stability. It is really their loss as they have to spend money and time to train a new person. The whole way this was handled by them was really shameful. But keep your chin up. There is a new job for you on the horizon! Believe it, look for it, and you will find it! Keep a positive attitude above all. You're a smart guy and you've got a pretty good head on your shoulders. Things will get better.

Hello DannysMom

Thank you for your support. As far as them needing to train a new person? I doubt that. It's all a part of the culling of the contractors. I was just too stubborn to quit as we have all been "invited" to.

I'm glad that Miss Mindy and Shelley continue to provide with ongoing comfort. Peace and Blessings.

TTT

Hi, Tracy, cloudy Thursday afternoon greetings to you and your precious Theresa and little Tang from my precious Noah and me. I hope this finds you and your precious companions doing well and in reasonably good spirits.

I'm so glad you were able to get your precious Tang's syringes and your meds - - sounds like you have a good stock for the both of you for awhile.

I'm glad the rep at KForce was able to offer you some encouragement about your UE claim. I hope it will not take long to process so that you will be able to plan your finances accordingly. Please let us know how things go for you.

Today was grocery day. I really didn't feel up to doing multiple stops today so I didn't go to the hardware store - - I'll save that for my trip next week when I go to the post office to mail my monthly checks for payments I cannot make online. The fridge was getting a bit bare so I stocked up on things, and loaded coupons on my Kroger card. I haven't looked at the receipt yet, but even with the coupons the total price was a bit of a shock.

After I got home I got a call from the contractor working on the front porch railings to let me know he is processing my order, and he requested a downpayment. So I got that ready and made a special trip to the post office to get that to him. So thankfully the errand running is now done for the weekend, and Noah and I can enjoy being home together without contractors roaming around on the property for a few days.

Noah is upstairs at the moment enjoying his after lunch personal time. Still have the lunch dishes to do and a trek to the mailbox to make.

I hope today is treating you and your precious Theresa and little Tang kindly, and that you and your precious companions will have a very peaceful, blissful, and cozy evening. I thank you for the blessing of your friendship, Tracy, and of your precious Theresa and little Tang. Please know you and your precious companions are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I always look forward to sharing how things are going for you and your precious Theresa and little Tang, and your treasured memories of your beloved Sir Thomas.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hello moon_beam. Sunny and warm Thursday greetings to you and your precious Noah.

I'm glad you heard from your contractor and I hope that all works out to your satisfaction.

I spoke with someone at the UE office and she said my claim is being processed and I should get something in the mail soon. But she said I only qualify for 269.00/week when the calculator based on my earnings on their website says 335.00. I hope she's mistaken. In the mean time I worked with Kforce to get online copies of my pay stubs to take to a local office. for review.

Meanwhile, I just got off the phone with a recruiter from Brooksource about a help desk job literally just down the road from TWC, and the pay is about the same. I really was hoping to get away from the whole express bus pass expense/length of commute. But work is work. She is sending my info over the account manager, so we'll see. At least it's some kind of movement. But, I know about the trap of taking anything and then something better coming along.

Other than that, it's been a fairly uneventful day spent online working on UE and looking for a job. Theresa and Tang are both well. I hope today has been kind to you and Noah and that you both have a wonderful evening. TTFN

TTT

Hi, Tracy, sending you and your precious Theresa and little Tang rainy Friday greetings from my precious Noah and me. I hope this finds you and your precious companions doing well and in reasonably good spirits.

I have heard on the news some rumblings about States reducing UE benefits as an "incentive" to get people to look for, and accept, ANY employment. I'm so glad you are pursuing trying to obtain the full benefits the UE website indicates you are eligible for. Please let us know how things go.

Yes, "a job" is always helpful for the income. I am hoping and praying that you will have a better selection of job opportunities this time around, my friend. Sometimes recruiters look for jobs in the same area where a previous job has been simply because of the "status quo." Is there some way you could encourage the recruiter to keep the options opened that would be an easier commute for you - - without closing the potential for ALL options? Please let us know how things go for you, my friend.

Have begun the preliminaries in preparation for the "bill-a-thon" this weekend. Noah is on his bathroom window perch taking a nap. Soon it will be time to start getting lunch on the stove warming and some niblets in my little boy's bowl. Because of the rain forecasted for this weekend there won't be any yard work chores -- so I'm looking forward to a very pleasant and low key weekend with my precious Noah.

I hope today is treating you and your precious Theresa and little Tang kindly, and that you and your precious companions will have a very peaceful, blissful, and cozy evening. I thank you for the blessing of your friendship, Tracy, and of your precious Theresa and little Tang. Please know you and your precious companions are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I always look forward to sharing how things are going for you and your precious Theresa and little Tang, and your treasured memories of your beloved Sir Thomas.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hello moon_beam. Hazy and very warm Friday (TGIF seems to have lost its meaning) greetings to you and your precious Noah.

I don't think there is any brinkmanship going on between Brooksource and Kforce; more likely just a coincidence. The phone interview with a local agency rep went well enough. He sounded quite young though. He is going to forward my resume to the client and said I should expect to hear from them about an interview next week. He said they are looking to have people start no later than October 1st. Oh, and the hours are M-F 8-5 so even though it's still quite a commute, at least it's within workable hours. Assuming I get it (fingers crossed) I should then have enough time to load up my pay stubs on a flash drive and take them to a local UE office to see if I can get more. Even if I don't and do get this job, I should not be losing very much (if any) money overall; just have to wait longer for it Like I said, so much for October rent on time. (sigh)

Perhaps this was how it's supposed to happen though. I don't know. Maybe subconciously I felt it was time to move on and therefore sent the email. At least with this job I don't have to figure internet connections, phone connections and features, or if the accounts are balanced correctly for cable TV. BLAH! Just Windows based PC issues. I think I can handle that. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Today has been otherwise uneventful for me Theresa and Tang. Except they both came to wake me up around 8:30 - QUITE vocally

It's good the weather will be providing you more quality time with your precious Noah. I hope today has been kind to you both and that you have most peaceful evening. TTFN

TTT

UPDATE: The phone interview with the client was not so good. It ended with him saying he'll follow up with the agency and if we want to move forward we'll let you know. That's never good. He kept drilling me about the fairly brief periods I spent on other jobs since 2006. I felt like I was being interrogated Why do hiring managers, heck managers in general feel so comfortable treating people like criminals? I'd say there ought to be a law against it but the irony is too great. I knew it was too good to be true

Hi, Tracy, thank you for letting us know how things have gone with you and your precious Theresa and little Tang today - - including your telephone interviews.

Yes, I experienced the same response when I applied for a job with a company that supports "new starts" in the community. As a part-time employee, I was essentially my own contractor, and when the part-time position ended for whatever reason I found myself looking for another part-time job. The female who interviewed me for the job made a rude comment that they were looking for someone who would not be leaving in 3 or 4 years for another job. I replied saying as long as the job remains part-time the probability of that would be low. Never heard from the interviewer - - which was fine with me.

The only "explanation" you need to make regarding your "turn-arounds" is that the jobs you have been working have been temporary contractor positions, and that you are hoping to obtain a PERMANENT EMPLOYEE position this time around - - and say it as positively as you possibly can.

Employers from the get go do not think of employees - - or applicants - - as human beings who are entitled to civil decent respect. Instead they think of them as expendable commodities. Their goal is make employees - - and especially applicants - - feel as worthless as they possibly can. So please don't let the "put off" you experienced with this interview put you down. Just remain as positive as you possibly can. You have the skills and experience that make you a valid candidate for the positions you are applying for - - and there IS a job that is waiting for you - - it's just a matter of working through the "garbage" to get to it. Until then, I hope you are able to get the proper UE benefits you need - - and are entitled to. Please let us know how things go.

Once again, my friend, I hope you and your precious Theresa and little Tang will have a very peaceful, blissful, and cozy evening. I thank you for the blessing of your friendship, Tracy, and of your precious Theresa and little Tang. Please know you and your precious companions are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I always look forward to sharing how things are going for you and your precious Theresa and little Tang, and your treasured memories of your beloved Sir Thomas.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Thank you moon_beam.

I will respond in more detail in your email. For now, I'm just kind of numb. One can only hope the economy and therefore the job market will improve. Maybe then when/IF it becomes more a worker's market than that of management the "bullies" will go the way of the Dodo. But at almost 48 years old, I'm not holding my breath. Maybe we'll all get lucky and the Biblical Rapture is just around the corner. Then none of this will matter

Hello Tom's Dad, and happy Caturday to you, Tang and Theresa. I hope you and your fur kids are well. I understand you feeling just kind of numb. You know moon_beam and I were hoping so much you'd get a permanent position with benefits. You're probably wondering how you're going to cope financially, but please don't give up. There are some good companies out there. And people can still start over at 48. I know there's a better job out there for you and you will find it.

Mindy and Shelley are both well. Mindy and I had some nice balcony time today, and it was so relaxing sitting outside and reading a book. Shelley snuggled up with me when I went to bed last night, and they let me sleep in a bit this morning before asking for food. Mindy and Shelley played a good game of "kitty chase" last night, and Shelley's only rescue was to get high up on the couch as Mindy doesn't like to jump.

I hope you and your fur kids have a nice weekend.

Hi, Tracy, rainy Caturday greetings to you and your precious Theresa and little Tang from my precious Noah and me. I hope this finds you and your precious companions doing well and in reasonably good spirits.

Certainly this earthly journey has many disappointments that can be very discouraging, so I understand how you must be feeling at this point as I know from first hand experience. This is why it is important to focus on one day at a time and to be thankful for the blessings each day brings - - and keeping the spark of hope in your heart, for without hope the spirit withers.

I hope today is treating you and your precious Theresa and little Tang kindly, my friend, and that you and your precious companions will have a very peaceful, blissful, and cozy evening. I thank you for the blessing of your friendship, Tracy, and of your precious Theresa and little Tang. Please know you and your precious companions are in my thoughts and prayers, and that I always look forward to sharing how things are going for you and your precious Theresa and little Tang, and your treasured memories of your beloved Sir Thomas.

Peace and blessings,
moon_beam

Hello moon_beam. Pleasant weather Caturday greetings form here to you and you precious Noah.

I appreciate your words of wisdom and compassion. But I'm finding it hard to muster up any real hope, and I'm pretty sure my spirit withered and died at the hands of evil a long time ago. About 24 years I'd say. Hm, that's about the time I was tricked into moving here to Louisville from Dallas. Things would be so much better if I'd never listened to certain elements within my so called family and stayed in Dallas. But, what's done is done.

The only blessings I have right now are Theresa and Tang and that that they are doing well. For how long under the circumstances I cannot say I/we have been here all too often, and I'm sure most folks here are sick of hearing about it. I'll simply wrap up with I hope the day has been kind to you and Noah and that you both have a blissful evening. TTFN

TTT