OKAY...........somebody needs to make sure these "old guys" eat and get plenty of rest, especially when they know that they have to attend functions like these!
First it was Bill Clinton.........now, Ted Kennedy a few minutes ago.....and poor Cheney looks like he's just tryna hang in there! LOL I'm just sayin............
Adrian
Well, Matthew started working on Monday. He says that he isn't doing much of anything at the moment. He will be getting his laptop next week, and says that he isn't in a hurry to obtain the cell phone that they are providing for him yet. I guess the cell phone puts him at "on-call" status, so whenever they need him, they can contact him to come out. I assured him that it is totally normal for it to be slow right now; I didn't start doing any "real" work until my third month of being here! LOL He just started; he has to give it time. I told him to enjoy these slow days!
He's a salaried worker, which means that he doesn't have to clock in and out, like I do. Sometimes, he has been coming home early. We'll see how things go from here; it's too early to tell.
My old car, Nelly, is up for inspection soon. I already know that he's not going to pass. Matthew and I are going to New Orleans next Saturday to borrow one of my brother's cars until we can figure out what we are going to do about my car situation. There is a voucher program that has been set in place here that gives the driver of an old, smoky car up to $3500 towards the purchase of a newer vehicle. The catches to that, though, are a) the car can't be older than a 2006; and b) the voucher must be used at one of the participating dealerships in the Houston area. In other words, I smell a car note coming on! I was excited about the prospect at first, but I really had to sit down and think about what sticky situation purchasing a car can put me in, especially since I am trying to pay down my debts through a consolidation agency. I cannot open any new accounts or apply for any new loans, and a car loan is a LOAN. I could go on Matt's name, but I want MY OWN car, not a car with someone else's name on it! Believe me, those arrangements between folks can get pretty ugly, and I don't want any part of that drama! I was thinking of just buying a newer model car in cash. I wanted to buy my brother's car, but he opted to let me borrow it instead (it is a Cadillac). He loves the car, and doesn't want to part with it. I understand that; I hate the idea of having to part with Nelly, too, but he's not going to last much longer. I am glad that he held up these three years! LOL
The girls' had good report cards; Nicolette and Maya had A's And B's. Angela didn't do as well (she barely passed), but the problem with her is that she knows how to do the work, but puts anything down on the paper so that she can hurry up to go play! Matt and I already told her that if she doesn't pass to the second grade, she will not go to see her grandma in Mississippi this summer. And we mean it, too!
At work, there have been a lot of resignations and transfers going on up here. There are now two morning spots available. Everyone keeps asking me if I'd like to take one of them, and my answer is always no. Matt has to work from 6 am to 2:30 PM, which means that I have to bring the kids to school in the morning. My girls are too young and vulnerable to be left alone to fend for themselves. That's why Matt and I make sure that whatever jobs we have will accommodate them, if possible. My mom never left me alone when I was a kid, and Matt's family always made sure that someone was there for him and his sisters when they were young. When they are older and are able to show me that they can handle a bit of freedom, then I will give them a bit of independence; but that time isn't now.
However, a senior is leaving this department. He found another job somewhere else in the city. He works evenings, and is off on Monday and Tuesday. I am considering applying for his open position. I have learned all that I can possibly learn where I am now, and a senior position increases my chances for advancement. There is still a lot of drama going on over there, though. I'm still thinking about it..............
Adrian
HACUNA MATATA!!!! LOL
"Exhausted" should also be a mood! LOL
Matt had to be at City Hall early this morning, 8 AM sharp, so we dropped the little ones off to school first, dropped him off downtown, and then I drove Nikki to school (she didn't have to be there until 8:30 AM). Everyone made it to their destinations on time. Mom called me last night to ask if I could run a few errands for her, so I went and did that this morning also. As SOON AS I was finished with her errand running and house cleaning, Matt calls telling me that he is ready to go! He wasn't supposed to be finished until 2:30; they let him out an hour early!!! So I had to FLY to downtown Houston, in our big ole Suburban, from Southwest Houston to pick him up. I still had errands to run for my own family. My little "mung bean" went along with me for those, to keep her mommy some much-needed company.
Matthew had taken his drug test, received all of his benefits information and paperwork, and the most important document, his "report for duty" slip! They won't be sending him back home THIS time! LOL
I was very interested in learning about what his pension plan is going to be like. The city of Houston offers those of us who are enrolled in the current plan, in my opinion, an excellent pension, which pays you about 2x of your current monthly salary if you retire when you should, and about the same and a half of your present salary should you decide to retire earlier, with all of your medical, dental, and vision benefits intact. Naturally, since the cost of living has gone up, and retirees are living longer, the plan that I am currently under has become quite expensive for the city to pay out. Lately, they have been doing a number of things, like bringing retirees out of retirement to work again (which is cheaper than paying them those fat pension checks), forcing people who are approaching retirement age to leave sooner and accept a lower pension payout, and, inmy husband's case, offer different pension plans for new hires. They just put the new pension plan into effect January 1, and, in typical city government fashion, they have no information yet on what the new plan is, and how it is going to work. All that I know is that his plan will be non-contributory. More to follow as the information becomes available.........LOL
I was supposed to wash and press the girls' hair, but I was just too tired. Plus, they just didn't want their hair washed and pressed today! I have their shampoo and conditioner, though. If I don't do it this week, I will probably do it next week. My hair needs to be washed, too. So much to do, so little time..........
Well, next Wednesday, at 6:30 AM, is Matt's first day on the job, so I'll probably write about how his day went. Good night!
Adrian
This was a very busy, very eventful holiday season for us.
We spent the Christmas holiday in Mississippi, visiting with my husband's relatives. We entertained a guest at our home for New Year's Day ( I cooked). The girls spent a night with my mom while I went to see Irvin Baxter, and Endtime minister, with my husband last night. I really enjoyed myself, and had a wonderful time in the Lord with everyone.
The city of Houston messed up; they called Matthew in to work without calling him in for processing first. This Wednesday, he will be processed at City Hall, and Wednesday of next week will be his first day with the City of Houston as a Traffic Systems Technician. I am SO excited for him! He is concerned because he will not receive his first full check on the eighteenth, but in the first week of February. He is still employed with the temp agency, though, and they are trying to find some fill-in work for him in the meantime. Anyone who knows me knows that it isn't important to me WHEN he starts, but that he is STARTING!!! LOL
The girls had a great Christmas; although money was tight in this household, they received nice gifts from the most unexpected places, and people! HISD found a way to connect with an agency that was able to provide FREE BIKES for EVERY CHILD in the school district! All three of my babies, as well as every HISD school child, got a brand-new bike! Nicolette's aunt gave her a new MP3 player! The girls got a ton of much-needed clothes from the in-laws, and some toys. I bought Nicolette her first "grown-up" perfume set (A Tommy Girl gift set that was marked down for the Wal-Mart after-Christmas sale). I also managed to get the younger girls some nice marked-down items. It wasn't what they asked me for, but they already know what the situation is; they were grateful for what I was able to give them.
I was reading over all of my journal entries a few weeks ago, and I literally surprised myself at how honest, candid, and HOPEFUL I am! LOL I tell ya, I can't make it without hope. Hope sustains me, and faith is just the evidence, the fruition of what was already hoped!
Happy New Year to all! Expect GREAT things to take place in 2008!!!!
Adrian
