I had no idea what to expect when both the operations manager and the general manager showed up today.  But, when we finally got into the position to where we could chat - there was still a lot going on when they showed up that needed to be dealt with - we were all in my manager's office and the pronouncement was made: we were the best Expressnet store in the entire country!  A 2 man crew bested a LOT of other stores and we got a huge plaque for the store in honor of it.

I mean, yes, I think that's a pretty cool honor in view of the fact of the amount of work we put in the last fiscal year.  We are also getting a little something out of it: an extra paid day off, compliments of our GM.

So, coolness.  Well, I got us into the subject of old equipment.  Not a fan of driving an old truck.  Well, we have an International and I completely despise International trucks for a myriad of reasons, the biggest being they are pieces of junk from the day they drive off the manufacturer's assembly floor.  Our truck is several YEARS past the replacement stage for our company.  We "own" the truck- meaning we haven't had to make payments on it in quite a while.  A good thing, but as trucks get older, more things start going wrong.

Well, as far as I'm concerned, the best thing that happened today was the operations manager, at the behest of the GM, got on one of the computers and ordered a brand new truck : )  It is a Freightliner, not and International.  I'll take a Freight Shaker over an Itisapieceofs**ternational any day of the week.

Excuse the French, please.  Thank you.  It is, really, though, a very prestigious award at least internally within the company so we can ride on that cloud for a while and place the plaque prominently on the wall somewhere where everyone can see it.

So, after leaving work today and going to the bank to deposit 30, worth of checks and cash (company money, not mine), I went out the door of Bank of America and across the street to Fresh and Easy.  Their sale on hams has had the restrictions taken off of it.  I was looking online today at their site and it showed that the $30 minimum purchase had been removed and the limit of 1 was also removed.  49 cents per pound.  You aren't going to find that kind of price on ham anywhere else.  I bought 5 of them.  Yes, I bought 5 of them.  You can't buy meat that cheap anymore.  I have a freezer, 4 of them fit in there easily and a couple more would also fit in there so - try to get 2 more before the sale goes off.

Basha's and Albertson's both have the Standing Rib Roast - it's not cheap meat but it's FAR more expensive in a restaurant and this is the only time of year that I even see prime rib roasts being sold at the supermarkets.  It's my once a year prime rib meal and I am doing that on Christmas unless I happen to be doing something else, which I don't foresee.  Stay at home, make a nice roast and fixin's, whatever tenants are around can have some and that's that.

3 more presents to buy and that's the end of it.  Not.  Lol, I want to actually show up with something for the family even though 3 of them will have or already have received their presents shipped to their homes.  So, nothing fancy stuff just something to hand to everyone type of present.  I don't even know what to buy in that department, I hope to find something.

That's it.  Time to go to bed.

ben

Spent a few hours yesterday afternoon in attempting to get ornaments packaged, labeled and out in the mail. Amazingly, the post office wasn't overcrowded - that due to the fact that they had all stations manned and were whizzing through everyone in a very expedient manner. 

The general manager is coming over to our branch this afternoon. He rarely comes over and I would assume some sort of agenda as he is constantly busy with the tasks that occupy his position in the company.  What the reason is for that visit, we don't know.  But, as most days, plenty of work to do and who knows what time I will be back at the yard.  I would prefer to get off "early" again today as I did yesterday, 9-1/2 hours instead of 11 or 12, cause' I still have Christmas shopping to do and time is growing short.  3 days until the family party and I still have several presents yet to buy.

I read and listen to the news about politics - daily in fact - but I tend not to occupy myself in my thoughts with it as I simply believe they are all playing games.  I don't really think they care about the American public as much as they care about their titles, positions and clamoring to get media attention.  I have no idea what low this nation will have to reach before they really start to deal with the problems - I'm simply speaking about money and government waste and the deficit, not even touching the topic of the violence since I don't believe the government has the answers to that dilemma anyway.  Certainly the whole slew of them that are currently in there are worth as much as a speck of dust in my backyard. 

In fact, unless there is some sort of revolution, I don't think it's going to be dealt with at all until the hand is forced upon them.  By that time, it will be too late.  

Whatever.  I'll leave that in the hands of a capable God who isn't broke and can take care of my needs according to His riches in glory, that according to His word. 

My ex-pastor who shunned me contacted me on Facebook yesterday asking if we could meet up for a coffee.  I almost declined, still not sure I am ready for that, though I did get the "load" of unforgiveness off my back a while back with that whole situation.  No sense in wrecking my life over other people's selfish actions.  But I accepted the offer though a firm date hasn't been made yet.

Well, almost time to leave for work.

G'day.

ben