Saturday, January 31, 2009
Month Past 01/01-31/09 (Visits,Inauguration,Chill, Layoffs)
Sun 01/04 we had the Simba family as visitors. Dingdong and Cherie with their first child. Cherie's mom, and her sister
Sat 01/17 some of W's staff dropped by for lunch and tete-a-tete aka gossip :) just kidding.
Sun 01/25 attended the first birthday celebration for the year. It was Mike and Lori celebrating their second child Aaron's first birthday.
Fri 01/09 took advantage of my day off by going to the dentist for annual check up and cleaning and finally get my haircut after five months..."Just a trim for you?" asked the lady cutter..."No, do a cut number 3 or 4 which ever is the shortest" I said..."I think you'll feel two pounds lighter" she replied ...just what I need.
And the snow kept falling. Mon 01/12 I counted three vehicles ditched on my way to work. Tue 01/13 I heard on the radio that we've accumulated 23" of snow and it's been the snowiest since Jan '04 and the coldest -18 (not counting the windchill) since '03. To drive home the point I was late getting to work . Slow traffic at I-35 because of a rollover. There was an ambulance, tow truck and three squad cars. You can't see the vehicle. It was way down the embankment. Thu 01/15 on my way to work temp read -22 and windchill of -35. On my way home it upped a bit to -14. Windchill advisory has been raised all day and frostbite is just an exposure away. By Wed 01/21 the weatherman says our temps have been below freezing since 12/29. Whose counting? I'd say your attitude should be "Bring it on" otherwise you'll dread getting up early in the morning going to work. Who am I kidding?
Speaking of work. I'm just thankful that I still have a job to go to every morning freezing or not. The news on the job front has not been good. Mon and Tue 01/26-27 layoffs have been reported at Home Depot and Target. W is already looking at sending some people back home because contracts have been abruptly terminated. It's hitting closer to home and the end is nowhere in sight. You're still in luck if you just have to tighten your belt. For those who are now juggling their funds it'll be strike one and it's gonna hurt bad. The difference is the former means you need to adjust your lifestyle and learn to live below your means. Pare down or do away with unnecessary expenses. The latter you are already juggling with your necessities. You pray you don't drop any balls: medicine expense, school, mortgage, food, credit payments. The American dream has become more elusive turning into a nightmare.
Tue 01/20 is a historic moment. It's my day off:) And it happens to be the inauguration of the 44th and the first African American President of the USA:
Pic Left: L-R: Mark, Pearl, Dennis and wife, Linus and Keith with their first born Otiks
Right pic: Keith (left)getting ready to start the ball rolling: Let's Eat!
Pic Left: A repose after meals but W still nibbling
Right pic:Group pic while watching Mark & Pearl's downloaded Wedding Pics in Mark's new HP notebook
Left pic: Up Close, Keith and Linus first born:Otiks
Right pic: Visit from the Banawa-Simba family
Left pic: Group pic L-R Cora with AJ (Dingdong and Cherie's first born),moi, Dingdong with Carol's daughter,Cherie, Cherie and Carol's mom, Carol
Left pic: After a day's running and excitement somebody needs to take their Zzzzz
Right pic: Mike and Lori celebrating their son Aaron's 1st B-day party. Blow the candle.. pffft
Bottom Left & Right pic: Moi witnessing Pres Obama's Inauguration on TV at Prior Lake, MN
Left pic: W with her "kids"
