June 18 started off to be a fairly nice day. Sure it was going to be over 90 degrees which is hot after the weather we had the last 3 weeks. We have air conditioning, no problem.

It was quiet until Motorcycle Man across the street got his motorcycle out. Don't get me started on those neighbors. NOT good neighbors.

About 8:10 AM I decided to nuke something for breakfast. I had been to the store the night before and got some Aunt Jemima breakfast sandwiches to try. I got one of those out, put it on a small paper plate and put it in the microwave. I was just ready to set the time when . . . HUMMMM bang. All the electricity went out.

We live in a mobilehome park. I went out the front door and Tattoo Boy was coming out his door. I gave him the standard greeting I always give him when something happens: "What did you do now?" He walked up to our house and said "I don't know. I was on my computer and then BANG. I think the transformer by the laundry room blew again." So we stood there talking for a while then wandered down to his house, talking about his neighbors. Then Motorcycle Man came back asking about the electricity and how long was it going to be off. DUH. How do we know. Motorocycle Man and Big Mouth wife. Nuff said.

So Tattoo Boy and I wander further down the street toward RV Man and Broom Girl house. They are the manager's. Broom Girl was on the porch talking to someone. Then Flower Girl comes running down the street making everyone's business her business. Tattoo Boy and I laughed saying she was probably going to go investigate the problem and make a full report to everyone. She did.

In the meantime, while Flower Girl was investigating, IAAM (as in it's all about me) came running up the street. "What happened. Does anyone know what happened. Are they going to fix this soon. Did anyone call Edison. It's all about me you know so I need this fixed now because I can't take the heat and I have this heart condition and by the way I quit smoking and it's really hard and no my daughter can never move back home and my dog got out the other day and none of the (insert derrogatory term for people from south of the border) would help me and I told them to f*** off and go back where they came from and so on and so on ad nauseum. Flower Girl is not supposed to be around seniors you know." I let her talk. It's best that way. Besides, it is all about her.

Turns out that a squirrel had climbed the pole behind RV Man's house , fried himself and BOOM all the electricity went out. Just in our mobilehome park.

This was only the beginning.

I walked back home to tell Mother what was happening and called KHTS, our local radio station. We waited for a while and nothing seemed to be happening. Like, the electricity was still out. I was trying to save my cell phone because it had not been charged overnight. That'll teach me. I walked down to see Broom Girl. Flower Girl was there and the three of us discussed issues. By this time it was after 11:00 AM, the temperature was rising, and there was no sign of Edison showing up. So Flower Girl walked back home and I stayed with Broom Girl and we discussed issues and people and stuff. IAAM wandered over. "Are they coming? Are they going to fix this? When will they be here? I can't take the heat. They better get here soon. I'm going to the Senior Center for lunch." Ad nauseum again. We kept telling her what Edison told us: They are on their way. Flower Girl came running back down the hill, breathless, telling us that she called another number and was told that the crew had been dispatched and would be here by 12:40 PM. That would make it 4 hours and 20 minutes after it was reported. But, OK better late than never.

So 12:40 PM comes. No sign of Edison. At 12:41, Flower Girl, IAAM and myself follow Broom Girl to the park office where Broom Girl calls Edison AGAIN. Flower Girl and I sat on the couch chatting quietly. IAAM yelled at Broom Girl to ask them would they would be here and why weren't there here now and don't they know there are seniors living here. YIKES. Does she ever shut up.

Bottom line, all Edison would say was the crew was dispatched. Broom Girl, Flower Girl and I sat and talked and then Broom Girl was getting frustrated trying to find something in the phone book so I got up to help her. IAAM called Edison from her cell phone and started screaming at them on the phone and we three got very angry at her and told her to leave. For once she listened. Then she came back to tell us she was leaving because it was too hot in her house and she felt sorry for her 2 cats and 1 dog. So why leave them. But go ahead get outta here and leave us alone. I walked back home to make a report to Mother. Then about an hour later I called Edison myself and explained the situation - again - and the nice guy I talked to called dispatch and found out that there had been a call before ours in the morning and the crew(s) were in Castaic and as soon as they were finished they would be here to fix our problem, maybe not until this evening. I said Gee, do you mean ALL of the crews are in Castaic. And if so, we don't understand why they can't pull one truck to come and fix our problem and then go back to Castaic. He said Good Question!

BTW: Our park recently converted to a senior park. While we still have families with children, we also have a lot of seniors and others who have special needs like being on 24-hour oxygen. One gentlemen is on daily dialysis which he is able to do conveniently at home. So having the electricity out this long was critical to a lot of people. Plus it was now close to 100 degrees. Our home has the sun shining on it from morning to night, no shade. It was getting very hot in there and the freezer was starting to melt!

So anyway. I walked back to Broom Girl's to tell her what I found out. At the same time Flower Girl came and had the same report. So I says, I'm going to call the City Manager's office. I walked back home and called. They transferred me to a liaison and I left a message. He called me back and I gave him the story of what had been happening since 8:15. He said he didn't know what they could do but he would call Edison and try to do something because having seniors in mobilehomes with no way to cool off on a very hot day was unconscionable.

About 30 minutes later Edison called and said the truck was on the freeway on it's way to us and should be here in about 20 minutes. I thanked her and walked down to tell RV Man and Broom Girl. He had already had a call as well and so we stood there talking and guess who shows up? Right. IAAM. "Did they get here yet? When are they coming? This is ridiculous I can't take this heat I need my air my poor dog on and on and on." Finally I had enough and turned around and said "IAAM. This is NOT all about you, it's about everyone who lives here. You are NOT the only one suffering here, we all our, but we are coping the best we can and I for one wish you would just shut up about it. Broom Girl and RV Man are doing the best they can. Edison is on the freeway on their way here. Go home." Stunned to silence, she turned and left. Edison showed up at 3:30 PM. I went home and at 3:50 PM we FINALLY got power restored.

A total of 7 hours and 35 minutes with no electricity. It was 90 in the house but we waited to turn the air on until the fridge stopped running. It ran so fast I couldn't catch it!

Needless to say, I did not make supper last night. Instead we went to Route 66 and had a nice supper: Mother had fish and chips (her usual) and I had their delish taco salad.

If this ever happens again, I will just bypass Edison and call the City of Santa Clarita! They rocked yesterday and got the job done.

Dark Days and Knitting

It has been dark and dreary in SoCal all week. This morning there was a ray of hope - the sun was really trying to shine through the dark clouds. But alas and alak, no luck. It is usually 80 by this time of the morning but only 60 today. And this is expected to last until . . . who can say.

So anyway,

It is more of an excuse (like I need one) to knit. I'm working on several projects. One is a scarf for my Uncle I will be visiting in August. Another is a shawl I started last night. Don't know who it's for, but I love the yarn. It is Joanns' Sensations Multi Boucle. Basically black with "dabs" of bright color that make the finished product look southwestern.

I found this blog http://www.crazyauntpurl.com/ the other day when I was looking for a scarf pattern knit lengthwise. It's worth a look at the blog! Funny. Unlike mine.

I found out the other night that one of my best friends from high school will not be able to go to the reunion in August. She had a heart attack in January (which I didn't know because she didn't tell me). And she just started a new job. So she is stuck in Kansas. I'm hoping other friends will be there, otherwise, I will have to sit and sip my Margaritas or Long Island Iced Teas all night by myself and watch everyone. And I do like to watch people. Observe them. Watch to see what stupid thing they are going to do or say next! And basically I have not seen any of these old folks since graduation! Should be interesting.

So anyway part deuce,

Someday I hope to post some photos. But for now, be content looking at the ones already here! Ah Al Pacino. Watched Carlito over the weekend. AHHHH.

Pennsylvania Polka

The music of the Pennsylvania Polka keeps going through my mind.

I'm finally gonna do it! My blankety-blankth high school reunion is August 15. I am making the trip to western PA (that Pee-Ay) to attend. I haven't been back east since let's say 1982.

So, I have made airline reservations (all new to me doing this stuff online). Rented a vehicle - an SUV. Let me add I have never driven one but I have driven U-Haul trucks. What's different?

So anyway, I am REALLY excited about the trip. I will be meeting Eden and her family and I can hardly wait for that. I hope to have a blast! :)

Will also be seeing my friend Marty and my Dad's only surviving sibling and tons of cousins.

Oh yeah and maybe my brother. He does not want to go to our Uncle's for a mini-reunion because "I don't know any of those people". I don't know them any more either but I can't wait to see them! It doesn't matter if he goes or not.

Today it is dark and cloudy and "cold" in SoCal. Normally by 8:00 AM in mid-June the temp is close to 80. Today it's barely 60 and no sun. Maybe it will rain! Which makes me happy. We never get rain in the summer. Well, not much rain. Maybe a drizzle or two, but not enough to soak the ground. Which makes it necessary to drag out the hose and water all the posies and plants.

So anyway, I'm excited about my trip. I still need to find a place to stay the night of August 15 (night of the reunion) but that shouldn't be a problem. Can't wait.

It's been a long time since I blogged and much has happened - or not!

No job yet - but not really looking too hard.

Spring has sprung into summer - we have been very hot is CC - over 100 for 6 days, but today is supposed to begin a cool down.

I fell and hurt my leg pretty bad about 2 1/2 weeks ago. It's getting better now. Nothing broken, just some muscle and ligament/tendons. The swelling has almost gone away but it is still black and blue in some places. Ouch!

Been doing a lot of work outside - which is where I hurt my leg when I fell trying to move a box in the yard. But the work is getting done slow but sure and even have some planting done - two small dahlia plants, scallions, tomatoes (Roma and cherry) (all in hanging pots), tore out some old dead Lantana and hopefully what is left will continue to grow. Cut down two dead hedges. And raked up no fewer than 25 bags of leaves that accumulated over the winter. There are 3 HUGE oak trees around us and they continually drop leaves year-round. 25 bags of leaves in a yard that is at the most 200 feet square! Fortunately I have a neighbor who will take the bags of leaves to the dumpster for me. Otherwise I would not be able to do it myself. Thanks Mark!

So anyway . . . need to get started redding up the house. Company is coming the second week of June. Bro and sis-in-law from PA.

Still have the two cats - still trying to find homes for them.

Happy Easter! :(

April 1 - no fooling!

I haven't written since March 18 - much has happened.

On the day before Good Friday, the boss (I will call him Barry) told me that someone else would be starting on Monday (day after Easter) and "we would appreciate if you could stay and train her and we would understand if you don't want to do that." I had already thought that over and decided what the heck - if they are going to pay me for another week, I will go for it. I told him OK but after I am gone, I am unavailable for any calls or to answer questions.

The one they hired - she is very nice and seems smart enough. But even on the last day I was there she was asking me stupid stuff like "The printer jammed, what should I do?" Uh. Unjam it would be the logical answer. Another one: "This mail came back because the address was wrong. Should I change the address in the system?" Uh. Yes would be the logical answer.

Oh, and she had to write down what I was telling her - word for word. I am not kidding. For instance, if I said "First, we open the computer file Job Subcontract Tracking" she would write that down word for word. After two days of that, we were only 1/4 of the way thru the training I had planned. We never got to how to do subcontracts, etc., and barely touched on everything else.

And she had to take her notes home each night and type them up.

Now, I know taking notes is important - but key phrases are what you write down - I would have written "open subcontract tracking folder."

By Wednesday afternoon I was disgusted. And I was supposed to clean up all the filing that had piled up and I had not even started. So I said to her that on Thursday I was not "here" - pretend I have gone home. That lasted about 30 minutes when there was a dumb question, "Should I be answering the phones." ARGHHHHHHHHH!

So anyway, I spent all day March 31 at the local industrial center (that is where most of the business in Bumblefuck West is located). What I did was drive up and down the streets and jot down the names on the buildings that looked like they might pay more than $14 an hour. Today I am researching the companies online.

Today I plan to drive to Burbank if I can find the address of this place I want to go to. If not, I will be researching and applying for jobs on monster and scvjobs and a few other places I have found.

Right now I'm gonna make myself a cuppa tea.

Totally missed blogging on the weekend and on St. Paddy's day.

Hope you all had a happy one! {insert smiling shamrock here}

So anyway . . .

The weekend - nothing to really blog about. Did our usual Wal-Mart run and while we were in there it rained! After a week of 80 plus weather, Saturday seemed very cold at 54. Interesting tho, although it rained on one side of the valley it didn't rain on the other! We got absolutely no rain where we live. But it was cold and windy - even tho the air temp was about 54 it seemed like 40 with the wind. That was Saturday. Sunday was a teensey bit warmer - and we worked at our spring cleaning. Nothing more to say there except that I found a long-lost notebook that I have been searching for. It is a special notebook - Eden knows. It contains patterns to knit hats and mittens. Also two special recipes. I'm going to copy the pages and send them to Eden. I can't wait to hear her comments when she sees them!

I love how there is no communication where I work. Someone is here working today - no one mentioned he was coming in. Fortunately I know him from when he was here in January.Last Friday one of the company's attorneys came in to do a document search and no one told me he was coming in. I had never met him and when he came in the "boss" never even introduced us. So finally the guy came over and introduced himself to me. Geez Louise! Lack of communication: Key to the job! That is how you become a manager here. Don't tell anyone anything. Like you are replacing them.

No luck on the job front yet. But I'm lookin'. Had an interesting e-mail from a sole-practioner attorney over the weekend. She asked some questions and I answered. Eden said SHE would hire me based on my answers! :)

Today I plan to go to an agency I have been to before - just to touch base and discuss things face-to-face with a new recruiter. The one I interviewed with before is gone and the one who had replaced her was a B***h (yes, with a capital B), so I avoided them for a year. Now they have a new gal there who seem very nice.

Then - last week I kept writing the date as 3/18/08 or March 18, 2008. Today is March 18 - I'm thinking something is going to happen today - good/bad? I don't know.

Thanks Eden for fixing the photos on my blog. Sigh. George. Ah.

Goes to show no matter how old you are you can still lust in your heart! :)

Gotta run. Work to do. More blog later.

AHHHH Friday

Finally - it is Friday on the week that I wish had not happened.

So yesterday I went to an employment agency for an appointment at 3:45. I filled out paperwork and took a basic arithmetic test, spelling, filing tests (all on paper). This took me to 4:20! Because even tho I had my professional-looking resume with me, I still had to fill in all the information on THEIR form. Redundancy.

So anyway - The recruiter came and gave me the Word 2003 test on which I scored 89%. Hey, so I don't know how to mail-merge. Sue me. How many people really use that EVERY DAY! No one I know. By then it was 5:00 and she didn't want to say any longer so I said I could come back on Monday at lunch time to finish up. She is actually quite nice and very attractive. I totally understood her need to leave and I wanted to get home too.

So today - the "boss" has talked on his cell phone out of the office twice. Is he talking about me behind my back? Do I care?

Then - IT IS FRIDAY! Yippee!

Over the weekend, after I get my nails done and after my weekly trip to WalMart (I have to shop there since I have no money), and after I do some yard work and housework - I will continue my online jobsearch and try to fix up my blog with some photos. I might use my HS photo to identify me. TeeHee. :)

HAVE GREAT WEEKEND.