Cluck cluck cluck

I'm north! Yay!

My last day at my "old" job was Thursday. Friday I headed north. I get to be here for an entire week! I've left kids to take care of kids. They should be fine.

Peter and I are helping out a friend of his who is unwell. We're sleeping at her house (so she is not alone at night) using sleeping bags. It's just like camping he says. Yes. EXACTLY like camping. I'm just sorry that the campfire in the middle of the living room caused such a problem. Kidding!

Yesterday, Peter's neighbor's dog came over and killed about 10 of his ducklings - and one of his geese. The term "bad dog" does not begin to cover the heinousness of this dog's crimes. Very very sad.

Today we went looking for new ducks - because 3 ducks aren't enough to do a duck's job. We found some. Not only that, but we found chickens. All kinds.

So guess what I did? Yes! I got THREE Rhode Island Red chicks. Aren't they cute??

My friend Lori suggested I name them all "Carmen." I think I shall. I like it. And she's right, I won't be able to tell them apart as they get bigger. They can all be Carmen.

We're going to build a chicken coop that I can take home. I should be eating Carmen eggs in early September. Hmm: omelets, soufle's, eggs benedict, bacon and eggs, scrambled eggs, eggs over easy, sunny side up!

Man.. I hope the neighbors don't call the police.

about 400 days until I move north..

Just thought I'd throw that out there! Woo hoo!

I signed on the dotted line today for the new job. I start June 7th (assuming I pass the criminal background check and that incident in the early 80's never comes to light...). I'm out next week. I don't work Friday's so day-after-tomorrow is my last day with my current job. YIKES! I've been at that job for 16 years. I've worked on the third floor of that building for 16 years. I'll probably go there out of habit!

I was told my new office (cubical really..) is on the "garden level." Doesn't that sound lovely? I was also told that the nickname for this location is... "The dungeon." No windows, low ceilings. Simply charming.

Other news.. The bag I was making for my Aunt is offically done. It's also offically the bag that I hate the most. It simply did not produce a result I'm happy with. I think I shall "shelve" it and start over with something new for her. I'm fairly certain I know what would float her boat so I shall make excuses.. tell her the dog ate it or something and eventually give her something I'm much more pleased with. She'll never know.

oh.. HI Aunt Carmela! Please pretend you didn't read this!

Other, other news: No chickies. There are no chickies for us. I'm very sad. Our last egg produced nothing but gooey egg yolk. ewwww. I'm thinking of skipping the egg stage and just getting little chicks.. but it might be too late for this year.. maybe.

I have a pea! A bigger pea than I had before!

Oh my gosh! I still can't believe it's true. But it is. I've sent my applications & resume's out everywhere - almost. I had two interviews set up for next week.

Then yesterday I got a call, from out of the blue, from an old friend who has moved up in the political arena. He's now top dawg at a big swanky agency (one of the only ones I had NOT applied at). The conversation went something like this:

TD (top dawg): I hear you got laid off.
Me: it's true. I did.
TD: I have this project...
Me: tell me more
TD: blah blah blah blah, are you interested?
Me: Uh.. duh. yes! Even if I weren't laid off, I would quit my job to come and do this!
TD: well then.. be here Friday at 2:00 so we can discuss it more.

So I went. The project was not quite what he described. I said.. "I don't think you'd regret hiring me, but I don't know how to do that!"

Their response was, "Well, we like you and, Top Dawg said you could do it and we believe in you. We will hire you anyway." Then they told me the bad news.. it's limited duration and only guaranteed for a year.

uh.. HELLO!! Let's not forget the TYPoE! This is a match made in heaven.

Somebody pinch me.

Do we have chicks?

They were due to hatch in a few days and candling indicated that it was not to be. 5 of the 6 eggs showed nothing nearing chicken-dom - in fact showed they were just like they were 3 weeks ago. Additional exploration involving a bowl and the edge of the counter (yikes!) proved that, indeed, they were not to be chicks. There were a couple that looked like they had started to form chicks but for some reason had stopped growing very early on. It was very sad. The terror involved in purposely cracking them open.. not fun at all! We are still holding out hope for one egg. We can't see through it with a flash light. Maybe maybe maybe we will have ONE little chicky..

I've found myself too stressed to spin on either the wheel or with the

drop spindle successfully. It seems one must be at peace to spin fine yarn. I keep breaking my wool/yarn and cursing loudly. It's just adding to my stress so I have thrown myself into knitting. This is the bag my Aunt Carmela asked for. It's HUGE. I still need to attach the handle and felt it, but uh.. It's as big as a sweater!

The felting of this shall prove very interesting, much like I've come to expect from it. I love felting.. it's all so exciting!

News on the job front. There is nothing like being FORCED into the job market after years sitting about on my laurels (I should probably look up with that means exactly). It's forced me to evaluate skills, decide what I really want, grow my self confidence, etc.

Below are the jobs or leads I'm exploring and why..

Secretary, US Army (civilian position). I sent in my application this morning. It pays fairly well and would offer me the lovely opportunity to "take it easy." Not that secretarial work is easy, but it's not working where I have been going through the insanity I've experienced in the last couple years.

Trainer, Private Sector. This is doing exactly what I've been doing. It's a contract position that lasts one year (how perfect is that??) Problem is they want 2 years of Captivate experience. I have just under one. I've got our Agency Head Hunter (AHH) singing my praises and trying to get me an interview anyway.

Web Developer - another state agency. Again.. exactly what I've been doing for years. Good news - it would be a promotion! Bad news - I missed the deadline for applying. I had our AHH send them my resume and call them up and plead my case. We're waiting to hear back.

Trainer Coordinator - another state agency. I think I'd be good at this. I sent in an application for this on Monday.

Plus - next week I have two informational interviews with other agencies. GAH! I have nothing to wear for an interview! I need shoes! I need slacks! I need.. uh.. stomach medicine!

Wish me luck!

No Peas for me. :(

The keepers of the pea jars met with me today. They said.. "You aren't qualified to eat peas! You aren't even qualified to eat pre-chewed peas! It's good we have a chance to get rid of you, a worthless, non-pea eating scallywag!"

They didn't really say that. But that's what it felt like. It was a HUGE blow to my ego. They were much more politically correct, of course. It was more like, "We were unable to place you at your current level, someone 'trumped your bump' in the blah blah blah position, and despite our best efforts (and we fought tooth and nail!) we were unable to justify your placement in the ISS4 class with the same duties you did for years but now don't have the common sense for..."

Blow to my ego or not, I'm GLAD I got tossed out. I maintained throughout this process that I did not want to bump anyone as I find this union procedure absolutely barbaric. I was backed into a corner and coerced into going through the process despite my best intentions. I may end up hungry, but my soul is at peace.

The bottom line is I'm out pounding the pavement looking for work (in case you hear of any.. or just want to buy a felted bag or yarmulke for a couple hundred bucks... ). I have commitments here in Salem that keep me from just running north (not that it isn't tempting) and I just can't bring myself to allow "the keeper of the pea-jar people" to decide when I'm going to start my new life. I had plans. Plans I intend to keep. I will find work and eliminate unnecessary expenditures and get myself through the next year one way or the other.

Ultimately, I'll do it my way, just like Robert Goulet.

Pea Salad

This lay-off process has been enlightening. I found out that if there is a way to complicate things, the government will find a way. I also found out that I can't "Just be layed off." Even if that's what I want.

Here's how it works (because I know you want to know):

Picture a dozen jars on a shelf. In each jar are hundreds of peas. Each pea has an owner with a unique number. The process says I must find three peas that might be something I can do. I must go through each jar and examine each pea. If I think it MIGHT be a pea I want, I must contact "the keeper of the jars" to find out more about the pea. I must cross reference the pea with assorted databases to ensure that I meet the minimum qualifications, and the special qualifications, and that the owner of the pea has a lower number than I do. This information is not kept in one place and the owner of the pea is considered confidential information so I have to cross-reference that information with the pea ownership database.

During the week I'm given to sort through the peas I must also complete a "generic" one-size-fits-all pea application.

At the end of the week (5:00 today) I must submit my application along with the name of the jar(s) that contain my chosen peas. I must not tell them which pea I want in the jar (it's a secret!). THEY will compare my application with each and every pea in the jar and try to guess which one I selected.

If someone else that's been laid off has chosen the same pea the person with the highest number get's it and the other person is out of luck. If the pea I've chosen just happens to be on the lay off list (because we're not allowed to know that either) we're out of luck. If the information on the pea is incorrect and I don't really qualify afterall, I'm out of luck. "The keeper of the jars" might choose something else from the jar that they think is a better fit.

Then - I get the pea, the pea owner get's laid off and must start the process of sorting through the jars of peas. It sucks and I find it completely reprehensible.

Today I turn in my application and jar choices. I'll know in a week what has been decided.

The three jars I've chosen are the Information Systems 4 jar, the Communications & Training jar and the Project Manager jar. That means by the end of July I might be working the computer help desk, creating training, deciding what temperature our conference rooms will be set at or collecting unemployment (because none of my selected jars had peas that were a good fit) and looking for work as a WalMart greeter.

What an adventure!

Update and something about dad.

Quick Updates:

• Mom is doing incredibly well. She is thriving and remembering and "she's back."
• Job. Still laid off. Still don't know what to do. Pretty sure I'm screwed.
• Kyle. Working and well.. being a semi-irresponsible 19 year old. Just like he should be.
• Jill. She's in Seattle having an awesome time on a school art trip. They're staying in a youth hostel and taking in all the museums and sites.
• Peter. rocks. He's attending a seminar this weekend in Portland so I get to see him for a few hours each night. Plus - he's helping me figure out my employment options. It's nice to have someone to help because it's so confusing.
• AC&UA came up again this weekend. They brought me a new/used table saw and 100+ year old spinning wheel. We spent today figuring how to make the spinning wheel go.
• Peter brought 8 eggs for the incubator. We're trying not to cook them. cross your fingers.

Now.. for the Dad story.

My Uncle Art is my dad's older brother. Big brothers know stuff. Probably stuff they should never tell their little brother's children. Uncle Art spilled the beans on one of my father's uh.. adventures. I want to share, before it get's lost.

As the story goes my father liked to drive fast in a less than responsible way. He would take his model "A" out for a spin. He occasionally would attract the attention of the local constabulary. But he would have a head start. They chased.. but they didn't catch.

His trick to making a clean get-a-way? He would pull his model "A" (with a v-8 engine) into the barn, hook a chain to it and hoist it up out of sight.

The police never caught on.

Isn't that funny? I always sensed a hint of mischief behind his eyes. I wonder what else he got up to?