A blizzard of work on the last friday of September

Ever have such a jam packed day that you wished you were a peanut butter sandwich?

Or an Oscar Meyer Weiner?

Or maybe just a government official, flying around in private jets?  As they say, “Money for nothing, chicks for free.”

My new cube. Do I like it?

I can’t say I do… or I don’t.

It was a day without that kind of reflection.

More like a snow storm in October in Minnesota:  Find a shovel and dig out of the driveway.

By 5pm, the driveway was snow packed, with ruts and ice and remnants of krispy Kreme chocolate doughnuts.

It was not the day to feel warm and fuzzy.

It was the constant falling of snowflakes that barely opened a path to freedom when it was time to leave.

Hello world.

Is anybody out there?

“Not tonight”, said the ghosts who had passed through the blizzard earlier in the day.

Hungry, tired and parched, I did what I despise doing:  Playing games on my phone.

Ha!

What a hypocrite I am.

At least I had a slice of pizza heaven before I ventured out on the roads.

When I got home, no cat to greet me.

Oh oh.

She must have slinked off to some dark corner, to end her 9th life.

Time to change into my pjs.

I opened the bedroom door, and guess who emerged?

That goofy cat….. locked up all day in the bedroom.

Now she has disappeared again.

It seems that no one wants to communicate with me today.

A Friday like no other.

But then, each and every day blossoms into its own scheming design.

Mine just happened to debate the theory that no man is an island.

After all, it is a really, really big ocean.

 

Wolf

 

 

King of the forest…

Just could not comprehend all the world’s problems today.

No matter what I thought about, it was not uplifting.

Health care, N. Korea, Puerto Rico, protests, head games, Iran, the middle east, Africa, Venezuela, Cuba, The Dominican Republic, Islands destroyed in the ferocious hurricanes, Houston, Key West.

I cannot keep up.

And then in my little bubble:  Howie’s health scare, my lost brother, Jimmy’s anniversary on Saturday:  One year, already, that he died.  Moving my cube from the back to the front, issues with my accounts, hoping my little kitty can hang in there just a little longer, a need to go home, to Minnesota to see my family.

Tonight, however, Sissy Belle and I went to a wonderful Italian Restaurant, and had a few glasses of wine, and great food.  The waitress?  Wait a minute. Don’t I know you?  It’s Brynn!  Missy’s daughter!  What a fun time.

On we went, to Specs, for a night cap.  And who did we meet?  Justin Beaver, Ali, the Sausage man, and the lion from the Wizard of Oz.

It was a hoot.

You should have seen that lion.

A spitting image of that goofy cowardly lion in the film.  And she needed no makeup.

Rather than croak, from laughing, we hit the road Jack.

Escaping from the realities of the world today was a much needed respite.

Sometimes, we think too much.

Actually, we tend to worry about those things that are beyond our control.

For tonight, at least, the gloom and doom lifted, and life was fun again.

Enjoying what we have, now, is all there is.

As long as we are still here, by some miracle, alive and well, let’s make the most of it.

Tomorrow? Friday:  Let’s give thanks for another day on this planet, and share what we have with those who don’t have….

Cheers!

 

Wolf

Is this Cripple Creek?

After laughing my ass off, with the most unlikely friends ever, I came home tonight, smiling.

The work day?  Brutal.

Responsible?  Of course, even for those things, beyond my control.

To kill a mockingbird, or a messenger?

No distinction.

I am who we are.

Take the sword.

Take the bullet.

It’s ok.

To the  customer, we are what we deliver.

Competition?

It’s always about who can do better, faster and cheaper.

It is, and always has been, the ability to completely satisfy the customer, at a very competitive price.

Even that is changing:

Companies need instant gratification:  Ship today! Do it with perfection.  And if you can’t?  Well, there are plenty of other options.

Whatever happened to long term relationships?

Or to loyalty?

Or to partnering?

Today, we need to continue to get better and better.

Innovation!

Reduced costs!

Continuous improvements.

Constant, meaningful communication.

The bond between the supplier and the customer :  So very important.

Ok, so I left the work place to have a few drinks with those who have similar problems:, as contractors, supervisors, hourly workers, managers, and owners of their businesses.

We connected, not in a business sense, but in a crazy, laid back, humorous hour or two.

For the few hours we were together, we left our problems behind, and just enjoyed each moment.

A drunkard’s dream if I ever did see one……

 

Wolf

 

Christine . Love you girl.

Rarely do I meet someone like this woman.

Christine: Petite, hard working, willing to take on the impossible, but always, a loving, caring person.

Yes, I admire her.

Whenever I run into her, we talk and she amazes me.

Her accomplishments include rescuing animals, restoring houses, making life worthwhile for her family and friends, loving music, nature, and sharing the secrets to a happy life.

Full of life, this little pixie, creates beauty and harmony, wherever she goes.

Beneath the humble exterior, lies a firestorm of passion and wisdom.

I love listening to the stories of life… the struggles and accomplishments, and her deep devotion to those she loves.

To have this woman as a friend: priceless.

Love you Christine.

As we all do.

I can’t wait to run into you, again….

You make life sparkle.

 

Wolf

Freedom in America: The rarest treasure of all.

Feeling vulnerable.

Shaky.

Not at all put together.

8 or 9 hours of trying to keep it all together.

Wondering if I succeeded.

Left shortly after 5pm.

Reluctantly, stopped for a night cap.

No cars.

No one there.

It’s ok.

I just want to say hi to Jodi and leave.

Several drinks later….

Blue thongs, protests at football games, singing Elton John songs, debates and discussions getting wild, doing my best to agitate the patrons, in this crazy wild world we live in.

Me?  All I said: ” We live in a country where we are free to protest peacefully.”

Oh my!

Talk about a frenzy.

Ok.
I will continue to watch football.

Sorry, if you miss the games, guys, but I won’t.

I would love to settle our differences and make things better for our brothers and sisters.

Hey Leadership!

Can you just quit the name calling and address what is wrong?

I love this country.

I love living here.

I am ok  with those who disagree.

Isn’t that what democracy is all about?

Time out!

Time to talk.

Time to fix the issues, and quit the name calling.

Time to live together, side by side, where every one has the right to pursue the American ream. “Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

A non judgmental world:  Imagine!

Wolf

 

 

Life is fabulous when you hang out in your pjs all day.

Kicked ass today:  NOT.

Did I get dressed?

No.

So, what did you do, Ms. BWolf?

Well, it’s like this:  It was 90 degrees today.

I had a list of things to do.

Fortunately,  or not so fortunately, yesterday, I went shopping.

For beer, cat food and potato salad.

Puff Daddy ate the cat food.

I drank the beer.

The potato salad beckons….. Ok.  I ate it.

Called my buddy, Banana, to see how she was doing, while I did next to nothing.

My list?

Yup. Still there.

It is the end of September and my deck is calling me.

Just can’t resist the summery weather, and a cold brewskie.

Or two.

Ok, so I had 3.

I am feeling a tad bit tipsy. after a wickedly wild week.

Cheers everyone!

Someday, I will get my life organized.

Until then, I am having a lovely time.

xooxoxoxxoxoxo

Wolfie

Sometimes, all we can do is listen, to show empathy and concern.

Breakfast club this morning:  It was a soul wrenching experience.

Denise’s brother: Died, suddenly, yesterday.  She needed to see us, at breakfast, to try to feel some normalcy.

Sue went to her grand daughter’s graduation : Navy, boot camp.  It turned out to be a family disaster, and now Sue and her daughter are not speaking to one another.

Susie’s husband, still in chemotherapy. If that isn’t enough, there were issues with his chemo doctor, who is now his former doctor.  Thank goodness, we have choices for our medical needs.

I, on the other hand, was just plain too pooped to pop.

In a rare turn of events, I kept my big mouth shut during breakfast, listening to my friends talk it out.

I believe it was therapeutic.

Dana was dining at the restaurant, and came over to greet us. Another one of the original hires, from our employer:  14 + years ago.

As I walked to my car, Denise was standing in the parking lot, crying.  She told me her mother had just called her, to let her know that her aunt had died yesterday.  2 family members on the same day.

Life can change in a heart beat…. or the lack of a heart beat.

Love, laugh and live, with every beat of your heart, today, for tomorrow may never come.

My thoughts are with my friends tonight.

A sad day, for our little group of breakfast clubbers.

I hope our October breakfast will bring better news.

 

Wolf

Accepting our limitations

How sweet or how sad?

Knowing one’s limitations?

Being asked to rise to the occasion, when the mind says “yes” and the body says “no.”

As we age, we think we can, we think we can…. but we plum damn run out of the ability to do it.

Tonight, my coworkers are spending the evening, working on getting a major project accomplished.

They will continue throughout the night, and into tomorrow.

All are welcome to join in.

However, the Chicken Butt aka The Wolf, is so wiped out from the week’s activities, that she has to decline.

Guilt?

Not so much.

In my younger days, I would have plunged into the challenge, and enjoyed it.

Not so much now.

It hurts…… to stand for hours on a concrete floor.

But more importantly, it hurts not to be able to keep up the pace, and to accept my limitations.

It just may be time for me to reconsider what I am doing with my life.

When I make the decision, it will rest on my effectiveness and my happiness.

Can I cut it?

Or should I cut it?

Either way, I refuse to be a beast of burden.

Ha!

I walk for miles, my feet are hurting.

Just kidding.

Later, kids.

It just may be the time for me to accept who I am, what I am, and if I really do contribute…

Tune in, again, tomorrow, for this never ending saga….

 

Wolf

 

A place where everybody knows your name….

Did you, at any time today, have a meaningful conversation with someone?

Did you make a difference in anyone’s life?

How about making someone feel good, or thanking them for what they had done for others?

When you met your friend/coworker/stranger, did you make any of them feel good?

I had a very busy day, at work, and had very little time to converse with those around me.

And when I left the work place, I was feeling somewhat overwhelmed.

I drove to the place where everybody knows my name, and found Scott there.

And then, in walks Bryan and Jimmy.

And of course, Colleen was there.

We all live our separate lives, but somehow, remain connected.

We genuinely like one another.

We relax together, after a hectic day.

We console, tease, corrupt, and sympathize, all in a matter of an hour or two.

And when we leave, to head on home, we leave with a smile, knowing our unlikely friendships will last as long as we do.

Thanks, Scott, Jimmy, Bry and Colleen.

Can’t wait to do it again.

xoxoxooxoxox

Wolf

America, the beautiful. The caretaker of those who need our help.

Mother Nature was in one of her worst moods.

She ravaged the Caribbean, devastating Puerto Rico, and at the same time, wreaked her havoc on Mexico.

Once again, we humans are no match for what Mother has in store for us.

Possessions have been lost, and sadly, we begin to realize that possessions are fleeing and really not that important, when death and destruction reign.

What matters is the lives of those who are struggling, after the vicious onslaught of Harvey, Irma and Maria.

Rebuilding?

Yeah, ok.

But first, let us take care of those who are lost, stunned, at the turn of events.

I believe that:

America will rise to the crisis, regardless of what our politicians preach.

We are not an isolated country, an island, where greed and control exist.

Deep in the hearts of our citizens, we will do as we have always done:  Take care of those who need our help.

Feed the children.

Give hope to those who feel hopeless.

Reach into our resources and give generously, to our brothers and sisters who so desperately need our help.

We may not be able to help everyone, but if each of us adopts one family, to lessen their load, we can make a difference.

America is great.

It always has been.

We wear out hearts on our sleeves.

And we do whatever we have to do, to take care of those in need.

Wolf