Monday, December 29, 2008

Pleasant surprise...

Well, today is my first day back to work after having a week off. Besides having two weeks worth of work to do, my coworker is off this week, so I have to deal with the customers and phones as well. In addition to that, it is end of month and end of year - two huge billing crunches all rolled into one.

Needless to say, I was not looking forward to coming in today. And don't let the title of the post fool you, the pleasant surprise was not that someone did my job for me while I was off. I don't think I would be able to write this post if that happened. I would have gone into shock and had to be rushed to the hospital had that happened. Just wanted to stop you from thinking that right off the bat.

So, let me back up a bit to say that I have a key to the office. And the alarm code and all that. I rarely have to use it in the mornings because I am rarely the first one here. I have to use it at night a lot because I'm the last to leave a lot. So, when I couldn't find my regular keys this morning after about 10 minutes of searching for them, I just used my spare set for my car and came onto work. I was thinking that my boss, or one of the techs, or even one of the sales guys might be there to open the office. Well, when I arrived at 7:50 am, not one single car was in the lot. In the 9 + years I have worked here, I have been the first to arrive maybe... oh, let's say... 5 times. So, I was hoping that today was not one of those days.

I called my boss's phone and got his voicemail that he would be working at a customer site all day and would not be in. I called our tech manager to see if he was on his way (it wasn't quite 8 and he's not known for getting in early either), but he was at a customer site all day as well. I asked about the other techs who had keys, and they were on customer sites as well.

ACK! So, I pulled out of the parking lot, intending to drive home and frantically search for my keys. I could not for the life of me imagine where I put them. I usually put them in my coat pocket or my purse. I had checked both. As well as counter tops, desks, and a few drawers during my search that morning. So, while driving down the road, I dumped my purse out on my passenger seat. And there they were! Yay! I didn't have to drive all the way home.

So, I finally got in the office and went to my desk. There was a neatly wrapped gift and a gift bag sitting there. No name tag, no "To" or "From" anywhere to be found. I wasn't really expecting anything from anyone, I mean... come on. I work with a bunch of men. I have worked with these same guys for 9 + years (except for one, I'll get to that in a min), and they aren't that thoughtful. Not that my boss isn't thoughtful - he is, really. But he usually gets us gift cards or something, and honestly with the economy the way it is, I was not expecting anything. And this was a nicely wrapped present - and in the gift bag (yeah, I did look in it) was socks, lotion, and girly stuff. NO WAY did any guy who works here get that stuff.

So, I was hesitant to open it - I wasn't really sure it was for me. Yeah, I'm weird like that. The sales guys arrive at 9ish and I don't think anything of it. We have inter-office instant messaging, so I messaged my boss and asked about the gift. He said it was from him, Josh, and Gary. They went together to get gifts for the two women in the office. Here is about how the conversation went:

Me: Wow. No way.

Me: I'm in shock.

Boss: Lol why?

Me: No way did any of you three pick out this gift. The gift has a female written all over it - did Lisa put it together?

Boss: I think it was Josh's sister.

Then Josh comes over and asked if I liked the gifts - and to make sure I got them. I told him I didn't know who they were for or from, so I didn't open the wrapped one yet.

It made my day. I didn't care what the present was (even though I liked it), the pleasant surprise is that three men I work with went together and got gifts for us. It really made me feel a bit better about this place. :)

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Merry Christmas!!!

Ughhhh. I'm still full 5 hours after eating breakfast. Maybe that's because I keep going back and grabbing a piece of bacon, or a little piece of waffle. As with every year (it's a Family Tradition - love that song!), we had breakfast at my house this morning. I made sausage, bacon, biscuits, gravy, eggs, hash browns, waffles, cinnamon rolls, and my mom brought her hash brown casserole that everyone loves. Bernie (my step mom) brought a cherry pie.

But... that's not really why I'm writing this post. I'm writing to tell you about the conversation between Jeff and me a couple of seconds ago. Before I forget. Jeff took a nap, and as always, when he woke up he was a bit groggy. He was trying to ask me questions, but he wasn't making much sense. Maybe in his own head he did, but he didn't clarify anything. Come to think of it, he doesn't need to have just gotten up to make no sense to me.

Anyway. Allie and Ceara went to my sister's house after breakfast, and Ceara had called while he was asleep. Here is the conversation:

Jeff: "I wonder what Ceara wants?"

"She wants to see if you will take her to see Grand-dad today."

"They are all sick over there."

"I know they were last week, but they might be better today."

"Think they're OK over there?"

I took this to mean Allie and Ceara being OK at my sister's house. So I said, "I'm sure they're OK or Molly or Jeff would have called to tell us to come get them. Or they would have brought them home."

He gave me a puzzled look. "I meant my dad, Benetta, and Warren. Where did you learn to communicate? Tard school?"

"Obviously not, or I might be able to understand you better."

Then I laughed for a full 5 min while he tried to think of something witty to say. Which he did not come up with. Hahahahahahahahahahaha

I'm still laughing.

Hope everyone is enjoying their Christmas today!!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Sitting on Santa's lap

All the kids got the opportunity to sit on Santa's lap at our family dinner and talk to him about what they want for Christmas. What's the first thing that Conor asked for? A puppy. Thanks to Pete - who, just like last year, put the idea into his head.

The entire evening was great. Filled with a lot of laughter. I don't think Ceara asked for anything. Clothes she agreed to. And I think a laptop - but that's not happening. :)

Allie asked for his bunny.

The videos take forever to upload, so I guess I won't be putting all 16 on here. :) I hope I picked the correct three. Otherwise I'll be editing soon! Hope you enjoy them!

It's Christmas Eve!!!!

Monday, December 22, 2008

2008 Family Christmas

I've never uploaded video to my site before, so consider this a test. Of the Emergency Santa System. Or something like that.



We had our family Christmas party at my aunts house this year. Santa came to visit the kids, and he was GREAT! He was funny, he did some magic tricks, and he had everyone laughing. I, of course, didn't take my video camera because the battery had died while I was filming the Christmas play Allie was in earlier, and I forgot to plug it in. So I took several small videos with my camera. I have 12 altogether, but it took so long to upload this one... I don't even know if you will watch them all!




So, if you want to see more... leave a comment and let me know. I also have pictures... Oh, OK, twist my arm... here is one:

And, yes, that is a little white (REAL!) bunny rabbit on his lap. And Ceara is wearing Allie's glasses because ... I think because they look cute (which they do). And no, she's not going to hurt her eyes! While they are prescription glasses, they are not THAT kind of prescription. Oh, I don't know how to explain it. They are prisms that "move" objects so that your eyes don't strain so hard. Or something like that.

Anyway, Ceara has contacts because she REFUSED to wear glasses. Hated em. And imagine that, she likes em now. Wonder if she wants some of her own...

Anyway, that is all the time I have to write right now.

Hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season! Don't for get the reason for the season, either! (That was a song in Allie's play that stuck in my head, too - really catchy tune.)

I have baking and cleaning to do now. And Taxi service.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!! (Just in case I don't get to tell you that again. I probably will, but you can't say it too much now, can you. Which reminds me, I need to put my Christmas CD on to listen to.)

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Christmas

I've been reading some blogs (yeah, I still read them, I just don't post myself! wanna make something of it?) about their wants and desires as children. What they asked Santa for but never got it under the tree on Christmas morning. THE toy of their time that didn't end up under their tree.

I don't remember any such toy for my childhood. I really don't remember asking for anything and being so concerned about it that it scarred me for life and I always remember not getting it. What I remember about Christmas is family. When we got to go to Grandma's house on or near Christmas Eve, and everyone exchanged names. I remember a lot of laughter, games, fun.

I remember sneaking down the steps at our apartment, with my sister, to see if Santa had come yet. That is how we found out that *gasp* our mom was the one who put gifts under the tree from Santa. And you know what? We didn't tell her we knew - not for a couple of years anyway. I don't know what Molly's reasoning was, but I remember thinking that if that was something she didn't want us to know about, then she would tell us when she was ready. I also loved and admired her even more for all the sacrifices she made for us to get us gifts from Santa. Seriously. I DID! No, it wasn't about the fact that we might get less presents if we fessed up to knowing she was Santa. I think that was Molly's motive, but not mine.

And oh, while we are on the subject of Molly... I love my sister. I do. I love her a lot. But, she does have flaws. As we all do, of course, I just feel better discussing her flaws here than I do discussing mine. Anyway, for as long as I can remember she has always COUNTED the presents to make sure we got an equal amount. Yes. I'm serious. I'm sure there are other neurotic kids out there like her, but I wasn't one of them. This is the same person who encouraged my cousin to PEE ON MY HEAD (he was on the steps, and I was innocently playing below him). Molly was just mean like that.

Oh, wait. This isn't supposed to be about all the mean things my sister did to me when we were kids. This is about Christmas. *ahem*

I do remember Christmas mornings as well. I remember getting a Snoopy Sno-cone maker. I remember some of the things I got, I just don't remember if I asked for them or not. I've never really been real big on asking for stuff. I honestly don't care if I get anything or not. I just want to spend time with my family and friends.

I've been reading a new blog lately (yeah, I know! you don't have to say it!) and she posted about what she wanted for Christmas as a child and did not get. Then there are all these comments that I read (because I love to read people's comments, even on other sites!) where her readers didn't get something they wanted as a child. AND THEY REMEMBER IT! So.

Here is where I am going with this... Conor wants a dinosaur for Christmas. The D-Rex. It is all he has asked for and he really wants Santa to bring him one. Jeff and I already decided not to get him one - they are too expensive for what it is and it will just be something he uses to terrorize the dog, and it's just not in the budget this year.

So, am I just asking for a Jerry Springer-ish confrontation at some point in my future when he is an adult? Or will he be more like me and not even remember asking for stuff because spending time with his family will be what stands out most in his memory?

I need to ask Allie if she remembers anything that she asked for but didn't get.

Come to think of it, I think I could have a Jerry Springer-ish confrontation with my sister. Did anyone else's sister encourage boys to pee on their heads?