“Thank you for shopping with us, please come again!”

Sometimes I do get tired of saying the same things over and over again at work. “Have a great day!” “Will that be debit or credit?” “Would you like paper or plastic?”…I get a break from that momentarily.

I have a day off today. Not because it is a long weekend/day-after-a-holiday-Monday, but because I’ve been scheduled to have Monday’s off for a while. My schedule changes at the whim of my manager, so I’ve really no clue what the coming weeks will bring as far as my schedule goes, but I just roll with the flow.

I’m glad to have today off. I need the rest. Of course I use the term “rest” loosely, as I have plenty to do at home chore-wise, and many errands that need to be done. But, after yesterday at work anything else I must do seems like a light task. We were so busy at the grocery where I work yesterday, you’d have thought the holiday “snuck up” on everyone. From the time I got to work at 11:00 A.M. until late afternoon/early evening we were slammed. I was non-stop scanning groceries and bagging. Cases of soda pop, large bags of ice, huge bags of charcoal, huge slabs of meat. You see, we don’t have the typical conveyor belt system that other grocery stores do, where the customer takes the groceries out of the cart…no, our system is that the cart pulls up to the conveyor and the cashier unloads as they scan. Tote that barge, lift that bail…I manhandled it all. I certainly got a workout.

The customers yesterday were generally jovial. Some seemed to think that we workers were the lucky ones, since we were working a holiday, missing out on festive events with family and/or friends, because we were obviously making time and a half. One lady who came through my line made the comment about holiday pay, to which the carry-out bagging her order spoke up quickly, saying, “We don’t get holiday pay.”

“You don’t get holiday pay?” Her face showed puzzlement. “You mean you don’t get holiday pay for this holiday…or ever?”

“Not ever. No holiday pay. Ever,” the bagger responded. I nodded my head in affirmation.

“That’s horrible!” I nodded again. She just looked at me with pity. As well she should. The work I did yesterday deserved at least time and a half. But, I just try to put things in perspective. I’m working. A lot of people aren’t in my town.

I was finally told that I could close my register at 7:00 P.M. As I was making my way to the time clock to clock out I passed the manager.

“Are you going home?” he said, smiling.

“Oh, God yes! I am exhausted!”

He just laughed. He knew. He was working his ass off, too, yesterday, making sure the shelves stayed stocked and dealing with customers.

My feet felt like bloody stumps as I limped to my car to go home. I got to rest for a little while before we made the trek, walking almost a mile away to watch fireworks. It was a good show. I saw some fireworks I had never seen before. I got to share the experience with my husband, my son, and my son’s father who tagged along. By the time we walked back and I sat down for a few minutes, I was ready to fall into bed. And that I did. I got some well-deserved sleep, and I feel surprisingly good today, with no major aches or pains.

Has the job market in your area improved recently? Do you see any positive changes in the economy where you are?

While many of you are enjoying your cookouts with family and friends, know that I am at work asking people if they want paper or plastic. I will have a smile plastered on my face, but it will not be a genuine one. I do not want to be there. I want to be with my husband at his family’s gathering. But, to me today “Independence” means being at work. Gotta pay those bills, ya know?

All is not lost, however. I will get off work just in time to hoof it to our nearest Fireworks display. Yes, we have one close enough to walk to, so after standing for nearly 8 straight hours I will be walking a couple miles total to see them. Anyone who knows me knows I loves me some fireworks. And for the first time in several years the forecast does not call for rain.

I just hope someone brings me a plate of food (light on carbs, thanks) so I don’t starve today. Heh.

What are your plans today?

Dear Lisa,

When I first set out to write this letter I had thought of warning you of things that you could avoid doing to make your life better in the future, but I’ve decided that doing that would rob you of learning valuable lessons along the way. You wouldn’t listen to me, anyway. For God’s sake, you’re only 16 right now…what 16 year old listens to anyone?

You will be faced with some potentially life altering decisions. Don’t spend too much time analyzing, go with your gut. Your gut has rarely been wrong. Oh, yes, you will make some wrong decisions along the way, but you are a good learner and you will learn from your mistakes. Rarely will you make the same one twice. When you do happen to make the same mistake more than once, don’t be too hard on yourself…you can’t change the past, and you are only human.

There will be some really painful events that happen in the next 30 years. You are going to think at times that no human could possibly survive these things, but you are stronger than you think. So is your faith. Don’t believe it when people say that God doesn’t give you anything you can’t handle. He will give you plenty you can’t handle. The thing to remember is that God doesn’t give you anything that HE can’t handle. Always turn it over to Him. He will see you through. I promise. He has promised, and God is not a man that He should lie.

Here’s a kicker I will let you in on…you’re going to have kids; three of them, as a matter of fact, two girls and a boy. You will love them as you never knew a person could love. They will be your life for many years to come and always. Never forget what it was like for you at your age when they are going through their teen years. It’s not easy, is it? So many emotions happening, and the desire to break away is so intense. They will make it through, as you will. Don’t get too frustrated. They will learn their valuable lessons along the way just as you have. They may be different lessons than what you’ve learned, but they will be lessons that they need. Learn to hold on loosely, but don’t let go. By the way, that’s going to be the title of a popular song in a few years.

And hey, since I can tell you anything I want to about the future, Friday, June 2, 2010’s winning lottery numbers are 1, 10, 12, 32, 36 +25. The jackpot is 30 Million dollars. Enjoy! Just remember to buy us something we’ve always wanted, and share with family and friends. Except Kim. She’s a backstabbing bitch.

Love,

Lisa

(This is my Featured Grownups entry for July)

…but, I promised many of you that I would try to update you on what has been going on with me since I started my much too long hiatus from Xanga. It just so happens that I can’t live without food (who of us can, for very long, anyway?), and it is no secret to some of you that I was a big, fat cow for a while. I also promised that I would post pics at some point of the before and after, and I feel very comfortable doing so now. So, without further adieu…

I had to call my daughter, Marisa, (who is out this evening with friends) to ask her if she knew where the mini USB cord was because I wanted to upload the photo I took of the wonderful dinner I prepared this evening. She was the last one to use the cord, so logically I thought she’d be able to tell me where to locate it, no problem. Wrong. In lieu of the actual photo I have put together the above panel of what was on the menu: New York Strip, grilled to rare perfection, a medley of vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, and baby carrots) smothered in butter made from grass fed cows milk, and Athena melon for dessert.

This menu is typically the way I’ve eaten for the last three years. I blogged about being on a low carb eating plan here, and garnered some support and a whole lot of criticism. Many were sure that it would be the death of me, cause my kidneys to fail, clog my arteries and they warned that it would be totally unsustainable in the long haul. Well, all I have to say to that is:

BITE ME!

Ha! Just kidding.

Not too bad for a middle aged old lady, huh?

I didn’t die. My kidneys didn’t fail. My arteries are clear. My cholesterol level is great. My blood pressure is normal. I am healthier than I ever have been, and I eat so well and am so satisfied. I eat thousands of calories a day, a bunch of saturated fat, and I don’t kill myself working out all the time. For all of those starving yourself on low fat, low calorie diets to lose weight…you’re doin’ it wrong!! For those of you who are eating low fat to lower cholesterol, you’re doin’ it wrong, as well.

Oh, and though I’ve given up weighing myself long ago, I estimate I’ve lost approximately 60 pounds. I am maintaining the weight loss quite well, thank you.

So that’s part of what has been going on with me while I’ve been absent from Xanga.

I’m still taking requests for my Protected List. But be warned, a lot of what I have to say in my upcoming Protected Post is not for the faint of heart…

My question for you all: Would you be willing to give up carbohydrates for better health?

EDIT TO ADD: My wonderful, loving, talented, handsome husband has a Xanga now: MisterNoun – you should go over and read his first post, then ask him why he chose his screen name.

Okay, I’ve taken friends lock off. We’ll see how this goes. If I get any hostile or strange comments, or odd Footprints, I may lock my site again. Or, I may just do a lot of blocking.

There is sure to be a Protected Post in the near future. Who would like to be included? Let me know. I’m limiting the slots to 30 people…leave me a comment if you would like to be on my Protected List.

ETA: I guess I should have asked, “Who definitely does NOT want to be on my protected list?” Ha ha!