Years ago I worked with an Ex-Marine. He was a shift manager at a juice plant. He worked hard. He busted his ass to do hard jobs, but always looked clean shaven and dressed to kill the woman-folk. I mean, he would be working on the greasiest piece of machinery one moment and five minutes later was dressed as snazzy as could be, ready to take a girl to a movie. The guys who were with him minutes before would still be greasy and looking like they had battled an oil well into submission.
We finally found his secret. He used to bring several changes of clothes and keep them in his vehicle and I'm pretty sure he shaved on his break. He was a...complicated individual.
The reason I bring his memory up, though, is simply because he loved, I mean LOVED a song. This song:
If it came on the radio and he was in the lab (that's where I worked) he would stride over and turn it up. He would even sing it (silently) and his eyes would close just a little. He really like the song. I imagine it held some meaning for him. I wonder what he's doing now. Probably dressing disturbingly well for a straight guy. Well, here's to you Dave! Wherever you are.
The reason I bring up the song, though, is that it has been awhile since I blogged. I have been busy. Haven't we all? This previous weekend we cleaned house, had my parents come up and babysit and then Cora and I went to dinner. First time we've done THAT for awhile, sans Chloe, anyway. Sunday we went shopping and got ready for the oncoming week.
The past few days I have been doing the job of one of the groundskeepers. I had the bad luck to be on two mowers last Friday that broke. The first one had a spindle break. The second had a guide arm break. Pretty much it stopped them from being useful, but neither was my fault. So, I attempted to mow lawns without a big lawn mower. The span on these things is about 14 feet, so they mow a lot of lawn all at once. The small mower mows a swath of about 6 feet. It takes a long time to mow a big lawn that way.
So, I have been out in the sun pulling weeds, emptying garbage, and mowing lawns. It's hot work, and I have a slight sunburn, but I'm good!
Chloe's Nana went on vacation this week and next. Nana also happens to be our daycare. So this week we had to find a new daycare. We found one on Craig's List. Chloe has gone there a few times over the summer, and she seemed to not mind it too bad.
This week, though, Chloe was a different child. She cried before going to daycare. She whined. She said she did not want to go. She said she did not like it there. Cora and I have both seen and observed some things that made us feel that maybe this person was not the greatest daycare person, but we wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt, but when Chloe began to dread going to daycare we began to worry.
Yesterday, I called to tell the daycare person that I wished to pick Chloe up early, and they said that the kids had gone down late. I said, "ok..." They said, "Well they had lunch at 1:15, because they were having such a good time outside." Ummm, they are little kids. They thrive on schedules. Knowing what is next is important to kids. STRUCTURE!! We had already decided that Chloe would not be going back, but if there were any doubts they were erased by that.
Chloe spent the day with my parents today. I think they spoiled her, but that is their job. They shared their grand daughter with an untold number of family and friends. They bought her a new outfit and pajamas and a puzzle and who knows what else! She got A LOT more mental stimulation than the "daycare" where the TV was on all the time. The change in Chloe was amazing! Where as she came home kind of blah and listless from the "daycare," she came home happy today.
I guess that is the difference FAMILY makes. Thank goodness we have family!!
And, THAT is why it's been awhile!
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