Another Miracle Needed

Things are falling into place at world record speed in getting this move to happen. Just two major projects left. Sell this house and find Mac a home. The house is under control but Mac, not so much! Mac is my 6 year old foster son. He's been with me almost a year. I love him to death and he loves me, too. He's Sudanese and lived in a refugee camp for a long time before being brought to the US by Catholic Charities. His mother's parental rights were terminated last fall. She had been through a lot and was not able to take care of Mac.

I'm too old to adopt him. It wouldn't be fair. And he needs a Dad to help guide him. He's cute as a button so I had anticipated they would find an adoptive family fairly quickly. Then we could let Mac ease into the new home with visits, then overnights and then a final move when I move. That may not be able to happen. His adoptive case worker called yesterday and said that the issue is his citizenship. He's not a US citizen and now they are wondering whether they had the legal right to terminate his mother's parental rights! Oh dear.... this sounds like a long, drawn out process.

I do have a couple of friends who were interested in him so I need to get them introduced. Then if someone is serious, they will have to become licensed to foster and adopt which will take a couple of months. OR they could be considered a kinship placement if he knows them.

Lord, help guide the people making these decisions to find a special home for this wonderful little boy.

New House!

Yesterday, just for fun, I was searching for homes in Papillion on the internet. Looked for horse property, too, but they were all too far from town. I found what I thought was a really good-sized, neat as a pin house in my price range. Contacted my ex's cousin, who's a realtor and set up a date for Jacque, my daughter, to go look at it. She did today at 1:30. She said it was as good as I thought. I put in an offer at 6:00 and the lady agreed at 8:00! Whooo hooooo.... so I'm going to be living on Shannon Street in Papillion, Nebraska. The close is set for 15 May which will be perfect since I should get my severance by then and I can cash in some of my 401K to pay the rest. That will leave me free to concentrate on starting up the business instead of worrying about where I'm putting my stuff and all my animals! That worry is gone... thank you God!

So, yes, I am buying a house sight unseen... but I don't like to do things in the usual way! And I do have the small detail of getting my current home ready to sell and sold! It will all work out! Again, thank you Lord for showing me the right house for me.

Understanding creditors

Found out there is a significant delay in getting my severance AND my unemployment so I'm going to have to tell some people I can't pay them in april possibly. Paychecks end on 31 Mar and severance may not arrive for 30-45 days! I can't believe it takes a company as big as Shell 45 days to pay severance. It's not like they don't know who they're letting go and what it's going to cost! Texas Workforce Commission, I can understand. They don't know and have to process stuff to make sure I'm eligible... and they're the government! You expect them to move slowly. Major budgeting in my future!

Endings

I held the last meeting for the employee network I've been running for Shell for a couple of years. It was a good meeting with lots of energy and contributions on 2010 plans. The only concern is that I can't find anyone to take on the Presidency. So the co-VPs, who are both lawyers or affiliated with the legal group will be taking it in the interim. Now I'm concerned about the level of complexity that may be generated! But it's not my worry so I've got to step back and let them go for it! I started the network up and we have over 600 people so I'm having some withdrawal symptoms!

Picked up Pickles from the vet. She has a totally rebuilt knee for about the same price as it would cost to do mine! And she's already got a stitch out so she'll have to go back on Monday. But she's comfortable... this is just a long healing process and we're required to keep her quiet and not running for 6 weeks!

And despite vitamins every day, washing my hands until they are chapped and living in relative seclusion, I have caught a cold. Drinking Nyquil and taking Mucinex, down a kleenex box and a half... but must rally by tonight. Mac has a birthday party for a school friend at Chucky Cheese. Can't miss that. ;-(

Rock and a hard place and getting harder...

Had a visit with my realtor today. Seems I may have to take a JOB before I move to Omaha so I can qualify for a mortgage loan. I won't qualify for much on my Navy retirement! And I can't take all the animals to a leased home generally... unless I offer to pay big bucks for a deposit, I guess. I wanted to use some of my cash to start up the business... so it seems I can have a place to live OR a business but not both. But now I really have to knuckle down and find a job in Omaha. I can't give up my friends, my home AND my animals in this move. Lord, lead me!

And on top of that, my pitbull, Pickles had to have orthopedic surgery today to fix torn cartiledge in her knee so I'm down another $1000. And the dishwasher went out... what next!

It going to come right... all in God's time.

Valentine's Day

So what if it's a made up holiday invented by candy and card companies to get us to spend our money, I like Valentine's Day. It gives us a reminder to let those we love know it. How can that be bad? And you don't HAVE to spend money. Some of my most treasured and long kept Valentines are hand made with macaroni, glitter and glue.

I don't have a romantic interest at the moment (except Mike Rowe from Dirty Jobs but sadly, he doesn't know I exist, literally). So I was surprised by a couple of gifts I received for VD. A beautiful vest from my friend that works at Coldwater Creek. She is a bargain hunter and couldn't resist telling me it was 70% off! But I know the thoughtfulness was there. And a job referral from a friend I haven't seen in years. True kindness. Both very special and both something I'll treasure a long time.

So all you cynics out there! HAPPY CHOCOLATE AND HALLMARK DAY! MAY CUPID'S BOW STRIKE YOUR COLD, CYNICAL HEART. The world is a good place.

Food

It's a widely known fact that I love food. Which is why I tuned in an Oprah show on Food. Highlighted a documentary called Food, Inc. which covered things like how our food gets to market, stockyards and chicken farms. Unfortunately, I could put those imagines out of my mind when I'm eating a steak or a chicken sandwich. But what did give me pause for thought was a statistic. The more you spend on food, the less you spend on medical. I don't remember the numbers but it was significant. So I can buy better food... I've been moving that way anyway. The other part of the piece was on good fast food. Chipotle Mexican Grill was highlighted. One of my favorite places. And now I know why a burrito is $6.75. But at least you can get two meals out it! So I'll go to Whole Foods and Chipotle. I wonder if I'll lose weight! Probably, cause i won't be able to eat as much! It's a theory!!

Food

It's a known fact I love food too much. I was watching Oprah the other day and a guy was on there that has done a documentary called 'Food, Inc.' All about eating more healthy and taking into consideration how some of that food, especially animals are treated. And how we subsidize fast food instead of good farmers. What I remember the most is that if you spend more on good fresh food, you'll spend less on medical. Sounds reasonable to me! I've been trying to buy more organic and 'in season' food. It is expensive but it does taste better. And the second part of the show was how to buy good, healthy 'fast food'. I was very pleased to learn that one of my favorite spots Chipotle Mexican Grill is one of the very best. No antibiotics in the meat and all fresh food... yeah! Now I know why a burrito is $6.75 but I can get two meals from one anyway. And the owner is a nice philanthropic guy, too. So it's more Whole Foods and Chipotle for me!

Buddy

I recently lost my Boxer, Garth, to brain cancer and it was horrific. So God sent me a new dog a couple of weeks ago. Yellow lab and 'something big' mix that was running loose and jumped in my truck like he had called me to pick him up and I was late. I looked for his owner. I really did! With the move coming up, it's not an ideal time for a new pet. And we already have eight other pets so I needed another mouth to feed like a hole in the head. But no luck and no microchip so he's here and his name is Buddy. He's about two, very sweet, very pushy, a jumper, a humper, a thief and not entirely housetrained. So I checked with the vet to get him fixed and vaccinated and it will run about $500 so he's not entirely free either. (I think that my epitaph will say "no good deed ever went unpunished'!)

So even though he reminds me of most of my old boyfriends and why I'm not married, the most important thing is that he's a big, sweet galoot and we love him already. Including Pickles, the Pitbull. They are already wrestling buddies and fast friends. And if Pickles approves, we all approve, or else! Happy Valentine's Day!

Sarah

Last thought for today...

The more I see Sarah Palin, the more I think if the Republicans are stupid enough to run her for ANYTHING, they get what they deserve. She's just not on top of the issues. The 'folksy' stuff wears thin quickly. BUT I will say, I'm sick of the scrutiny they're putting her under that they would never dream of doing to a male. First her wardrobe and the cost of her clothes. Now, it's even rude questions like 'how much do you make for a speaking engagement and what are going to do with the money?'! They would never ask male politicians those questions and if they did, they would be told where to stick it! There must be a better qualified female candidate than Sarah. Lately, they all seem to be filandering nincompoops or just plain nincompoops. But I won't be applying for any of those jobs either!

I knew it would happen

I applied for some jobs last week and this. I was vastly overqualified for most of them but I dummied down my resume and salary requirements. One was almost exactly the same job I have been doing for five years for a lot less money and they just sent a 'thanks but no thanks' note. I wish there weren't so many labor laws cause I would really like to know why I wasn't even interesting enough for an interview! Of course, they won't or can't tell me.

I knew this whole process was going to tick me off... but realistically, I know I'm a middle aged woman who has been getting paid a lot of money by most US standards.
They can hire young, overenthusiastic neophytes for much less money and I'd probably do the same thing in their shoes. However, this doesn't make me feel any better about the 'thanks but no thanks' notes. But is has helped me figure out I don't really want another corporate job!

So I'm full bore onto figuring out what I need to do to start a service related business in Nebraska. I'm leaning towards a non medical in home care for elders. I wrote to the Chamber of Commerce to see what the competition and demographics look like there.

Next, I'll start applying for the LLC. Spend a little at a time, since I have a few months until potential launch.

This will allow me to make the dang rules and I'll be the resume reader, not the resume writer!! So far the employment manual will allow casual Monday through Friday, and bring your pets to work options!

Tough Times

Gosh... real challenges stacked on top of losing my job. After the new year, I had to put my 6 yr old boxer down. He had brain cancer. Such a big sweetie... I sure miss him. And then an untimely death in my daughter in law's family. 19 years old. So sad for everyone and so much guilt and blame. There's such anger when something like this happens. I wish I knew the right words to help them move past those feelings.

And then I keep getting rays of Sunshine... I was down at the barn in my neighborhood (we have a co-op stables) taking care of the horses last week and there was a big stray yellow lab. Buddy lives with us now, learning his manners. He's a jumper but he's getting the message. Using my "Dog Whisperer" techniques! Spend some money on neutering and shots and I've got a new Buddy... and he'll like the snow!

And I have had so many friends step up and offer help with moving and setting up the business in Omaha. And some of them are people my friends have referred me to! They don't even know me but are so kind and helpful. I feel so sure we can make this business work.

My daughter and I were talking today. If we can get this first business making money, we want to open a TexMex in Omaha. There's NO good Mexican food there! But then the Nebraskans don't seem to like much spice so there would be that risk!

Count your blessings!