News

So, I dug out a hole back there, poured the cement and installed one of the posts. I then got a phone call - I want to buy a DVR for the living room and then use the regular receiver in there for the third room rental. It was being sold for $60 less than the cost of a new one.

Fortune had it that the person lives 2 blocks from my work. I don't officially get paid until tomorrow, but the boss hands me the check on Thursdays when UPS brings it. I got the DVR and then headed to work. Bossman already knew what I was there for, apparently, as he had the check in hand and directing it my way as I entered his office.

Then came the news. I have been expecting this news for quite a while now. I have - been hoping that a certain portion of this news would be the way I wanted it. The news - is that a driver is being moved back from our store to the Phoenix branch. What I wanted? To NOT be the driver that is being transferred. I FAR prefer working the Chandler store for a myriad of reasons. The other driver - who has seniority on me, is being moved. He does not have seniority on me at the Chandler branch, but my boss doesn't make these decisions, anyway, it's the General Manager and the Ops Manager who come up with these decisions. I pretty much knew from the way my boss was talking that he had intoned to the Ops and Gen that he wanted me there over the other driver.

Not just because I have been there longer, that really doesn't do anything for anyone. It is, I am assuming, because I have learned a lot more of how to operate the Trilogy system than the other driver and I can effectively run the store by myself when the need arises. And the need does arise. Especially when talking in terms of only 3 employees running a store: the boss; my co-worker who basically does all the shipping and receiving paperwork and inventory stuff; and I. It does, however, place a heavier burden on me: If I get sick, calling in is a bit difficult when you're the only driver. I hardly call in sick, anyway. I have to be bedridden, can't move and basically puking or whatever to call in sick. If it's just flu symptoms that I can still walk and be reasonably mobile, I will go to work. Just stay away from people.

The advantage: I will be much busier. Right now, we switch trucks from week to week. The smaller truck gets more deliveries. The semi doesn't get as much because there aren't always semi loads worth of stuff to deliver. I will be responsible for all commercial driving out of our branch. The boss or the other guy can do runs in the pickup truck when necessary - or I can do them if there isn't anything else going on and I'm not tied up in one of the "real" trucks, lol. Longer term readers may remember that the branch I am working at was like this before. I was the only driver for quite a long time before they transferred over the other guy.

The bad news? Probably someone downtown is going to get the axe. According to my boss, anyway. If that's the case, I'm pretty sure of who is going bye-bye. I hate to see anyone losing their job right now - the market is bad, really bad, even for truck drivers. I guess I'll say selfishly that I am very happy it isn't ME getting the pink slip. It may come yet - who knows, but it ain't right now. BenB sighing big sigh of relief.

But - there's this visit from the Western Regional manager. I'm still pretty expectant of some kinds of decisions being made there, as well. WHAT decisions remain to be seen. Common sense dictates that in tough times - and getting tougher - the company is going to go into preservation mode. They've already done that, but I suspect more on the way.

So, anyway, a move has been made. I got my paycheck - it does have the driver award bonus on there. Thank GOD almighty! Right now, that little infusion is a big help. For me, the switch of a driver is good news - I won't have to try to invent things to do. I am quite sure the other driver didn't want to go back to Phoenix - but - at least he didn't lose his job. I kind of feel like I dodged a bullet here....
going outside to check the post I cemented - see if the cement is setting. Probably won't do anything furhter with it until tomorrow. I can hook up the chain link on the portion of fence, and then install a gate on that post. I do this stuff in sections. After installing the gate, I can then identify exactly where the post needs to be for the gate to have a latch that can go onto the other post. Only bummer? Rain expected this weekend. Well, no big deal - I still have the temp fencing up, and the sometimes trouble-maker dog just left. Roscoe, the dog I watch frequently - for money of course - was just picked up by his owner. It was an almost $70 gig. I'll take that money and deal with the dog's little incongruities.

C'ya later.
ben

Fencing

So - I'm having second thoughts on the type of fencing I want to divide my yard. Something about chain link - isn't very appealing to the eye. I have ideas of what I would like back there - something in wood - but, guess I'll have to go ahead and put in the chain link, cause right now, spending money on fencing is hardly on any priority list. Since I already have everything except the 5 posts and some bags of cement, I don't expect to do anything but install that fencing already back there.

A glimpse of why Michael is late every day for school was seen this morning. His mother doesn't come pick him up for school until almost 8:00 o'clock, school starts at 7:45am. Last report card I saw he had 28 absences in his fir period class. They consider it an absence if you're late, even if you show up 2 minutes after the bell.

I think that a good thing - it SHOULD do something for teaching kids and their parents some discipline in life. I mean, you can't just show up to work whenever you want - well most people can't, anyway. I think Michael is going to fail several classes this year because of the lates and the no-shows and also the fact that he is offered make-up work and he doesn't do it. Michael "moved-out" a while back, but has been staying here most nights during the week and all weekends. He's getting his X-Box 360 fixed, I imagine when he gets that thing back, he will be over at his family's house more than he is now. Now? He is "forced" to stick with my Playstation 3.

Anyway, I'm undecided yet what to do with this day off. I had thoughts of installing that fencing, I'm still thinking along those lines, but - feeling rather unmotivated. Digging holes in that ground is very difficult work, I basically hate it. Could spend hours digging out 5 holes for the posts, literally. Where it might take a couple of minutes in good soil - well, the constant hitting of rocks makes it a very drawn out process. Amazing anything can grow in this kind of soil, but so far, all of my plants have shown that they don't really care that much about the soil cause' they're mostly all doing well.

Think I'm going to get outside and start looking at the fence project - what it's going to entail and whether I REALLY want to get involved with that today or not.

Have a great day!
ben