I really goofed!

I haven't written for a long time in my blog. While cutting and pasting, I thought I had deleted my repeated versions. After I pushed POST, I now can see, that did not happen.

I am very sorry that I have repeated things, I am embarassed and I apologize to all of you.

I need to pay attention when I am blogging personal things especially. I ask for your patience and understanding with this.

Thank you1
Merry

Opportunities!

"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."– Thomas A. Edison

Ha, so this is why I have missed opportunities!!! I don't ever wear overalls. EXCEPT I did wear striped bib overalls when I worked (when Tim was in Jr. High) part-time at a restaurant. Navy blue long sleeve shirts underneath. It was a cute outfit and the restaurant theme was really neat (not hokey and dumb). The name of it was "The Iron Horse." The menus were unique. Each different sandwich or meal was named after some railroad thing. The owner, (my boss and he became our friend) took off on this theme and it was ahead of it's time. It was a fairly upscale place. I loved that job! I didn't know one thing about restaurant work, serving, etc. Or when I was a hostess, I wore my own "dressier type" clothes. I loved getting dressed up and looking my best and it was a good excuse to get new dressy clothes! It was fun. (Of course, I was a LOT younger and a lot cuter then! But what I really enjoyed and loved getting up before the sun (yeah, really then I did) and going to work. I saw each morning's sunrise. Only had seen it on rare occasions when we had some neighborhood parties (Let me tell you those were the days, LOL) (but I wouldn't want to do them over again..) That pt job turned into full time for me and we worked 6 days a week. Only closed on Sundays. My work-mate and BF at the time, & I used to go to the Mall on Sunday.But sadly (for us, -lucky for Dave), we'd be too tired to shop much! I know that's hard to believe for those of you who really know me. Unfortunately, the business went belly-up. Prices were too high and a 50 yr. old restaurant was across the street. We didn't stand a chance. Davenport, IA, was part of the Quad Cities, along the Mississippi River and is a gorgeous area. They run together like one town. So it seemed huge, but Davenport itself is/was/ is about 100, 000 alone. (Mason City, where we are now isn't 30,000), and Clear Lake (where we lived for the first three years we lived "up north (as Dave calls it) is about 7,000. I loved, loved loved being in a small town again!

But oh, gosh, was tun while it lasted. I sometimes think that 3+ years were some o f the very best of my adult life! I could have stayed on with the new owners, but I didn't like them, #1, and #2 we had sold are only 3 yr. old house (the only house we ever built from scratch) that fall. So, that summer was exciting (I couldn't wait to move to Clear Lake, IA- brought me closer to the MN border (& I thought that my sister and I would be able to become closer (she lived in Minneapolis suberb). But, alas that did not happen.) Dave's company opened 3 branch offices that year, one in Mason City, (I PUSHED HARD to come here! I thought it would be a great family adventure. LOL Well, it has in a way. The other branches we could have gone to were one in Cedar Rapids (thank GOD we didn't go there. I hate CR. It stinks-literally, they make cereal, and beans and other nasty smelling things there. It's too big for ME, anyway. (Our son Tim, wife Patti, and Jack and Joey live there, though, but back then they hadn't even met....Tim was in Jr. High, maybe Patti was in grade school. (A little humor there folks, laugh, ) Also, we had a chance to move to Tulsa, OK but didn't go there. My parents were still in Iowa then and in declining health.

Then, we moved to Mason City after Tim graduated and was in the Air Force. We have been in this house 26 years, I think. I started college (Jr. college) in Clear Lake, it was North Iowa Area Community College (located on the eastern end of Mason City, IA. I got my first AA there. Then Dave found this house near his work in Mason City and the price was right. So, end of story. I have never liked it all that much, except we did make some good friends and were active in church here, too. I also worked at a "Country Kitchen" here for a few years. It was a LOT faster pace. But I loved that, too. Most of that was part time because I was also going to college then. I worked when ever I could work it into my school schedule. Just because I loved it, not that it was good for my body. My boss there became (REALLY) a millionaire, and bought several CK's all over. Now, the one here is closed. Jay is the first millionaire, I have ever known personally. He worked just as hard as his employees did. Now he has a little more upscale (but not super fancy) place called "Whiskey Creek." It's a lunch and mainly a SUPPER restaurant. I could write a book about him, and about my experiences there but no one would probably want to read it but me, and MAYBE my family. After that I went my last 2 years (mostly on scholarship) at a private Lutheran College, In '94 I went back to school through NIACC again, and took Medical Technology. (College gets HARDER or at least it did for me, as I got older.) (Or I got dumber~that is possible, too. LOL) By the time I finished that, I was starting to have issues with my back, my feet and then my neck. And so I was not able to do the job I trained to do. As it is all over, a BA, BS, or Bachelors in Applied Sciences, AKA Business) was not enough to get the "pleasant psych. or Social Work jobs I wanted though I did land a couple and worked at them for a stime.

I didn't enjoy being a med. tech. I did love going to school though. And wouldn't change a day of the times I had doing that. The last job I did have was a church secretary. I hated it. I was NOT (so I said then) going to spend my days in front of a computer, for one thing.
"Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work."– Thomas A. Edison

Ha, so this is why I have missed opportunities!!! I don't ever wear overalls. EXCEPT I did wear striped bib overalls when I worked (when Tim was in Jr. High) part-time at a restaurant. Navy blue long sleeve shirts underneath. It was a cute outfit and the restaurant theme was really neat (not hokey and dumb). The name of it was "The Iron Horse."
the menus were unique. Each different sandwich or meal was named after some railroad thing. The owner, (my boss and he became our friend) took off on this theme and it was ahead of it's time. It was a fairly upscale place. I loved that job! I didn't know one thing about restaurant work, serving, etc. Or when I was a hostess, I wore my own "dressier type" clothes. I loved getting dressed up and looking my best and it was a good excuse to get new dressy clothes! It was fun. (Of course, I was a LOT younger and a lot cuter then! But what I really enjoyed and loved getting up before the sun (yeah, really then I did) and going to work. I saw each morning's sunrise. Only had seen it on rare occasions when we had some neighborhood parties (Let me tell you those were the days, LOL) (but I wouldn't want to do the party scene again..) That pt job turned into full time for me and we worked 6 days a week. Only closed on Sundays. My work-mate and BF at the time, & I used to go to the Mall on Sunday.But sadly (for us, -lucky for Dave), we'd be too tired to shop much! I know that's hard to believe for those of you who really know me. Unfortunately, the business went belly-up. Prices were too high and a 50 yr. old restaurant was across the street. We didn't stand a chance. Davenport, IA, was part of the Quad Cities, along the Mississippi River and is a gorgeous area. They run together like one town. So it seemed huge, but Davenport itself is/was/ is about 100, 000 alone. (Mason City, where we are now isn't 30,000), and Clear Lake (where we lived for the first three years we lived "up north (as Dave calls it) is about 7,000. loved, loved loved being in a small town again!

But oh, gosh, was tun while it lasted. I sometimes think that 2+ years were some o f the very best of my adult life! I could have stayed on with the new owners, but I didn't like them, #1, and #2 we had sold are only 3 yr. old house (the only house we ever built from scratch) that fall. So, that summer was exciting (I couldn't wait to move to Clear Lake, IA- brought me closer to the MN border (& I thought that my sister and I would be able to become closer (she lived in Minneapolis suberb). But, alas that did not happen.) Dave's company open 3 branch offices that year, one in Mason City, one in Cedar Rapids (thank GOD we didn't go there. I hate CR. It stinks-literally, they make cereal, and beans and other nasty smelling things there. It's too big for ME, anyway. (Our son Tim, wife Patti, and Jack and Joey live there, though, but back then they hadn't even met....Tim was in Jr. High, maybe Patti was in grade school. (A little humor there folks, laugh, ) We moved to Mason City after Tim graduated and was in the service. We have been in this house 26 years, I think. I started college (Jr. college) in Clear Lake, it was North Iowa Area Community College while still in Clear lake. got my first AA there. Then Dave found this house near his work in Mason City and the price was right. So end of story. I have never liked it all that much, except we did make some good friends and were active in church here, too. I also worked at a "Country Kitchen here for a few years. It was a LOT faster pace. But I loved that, too. Some of that was part time because I was also going to school again then. I worked when ever I could work it into my school schedule. Just because I loved it, not that it was good for my body. My boss there became (REALLY) a millionaire, and bought several CK all over. Now, the one here is closed. Jay is the first millionaire, I have ever known personally. He worked just as hard as his employees did. Now he has a little more upscale (but not super fancy) place called "Whiskey Creek." It's a lunch and mainly a SUPPER restaurant. I could write a book about him, and about my experiences there but no one would probably want to read it but me, and my family. After that I went my last 2 years (mostly on scholarship) at a private Lutheran College, less than one hour away. I also took a class or too, from Buena Vista (they use our Jr. College's Campus evenings, but are expensive.) In '94 I went back to school through NIACC again, and took Medical Technology. (College gets HARDER or at least it did for me, as I got older.) By the time I finished that, I was starting to have issues with my back, my feet and then my neck. And so I was not able to do the job I trained to do. As it is all over a BA, BS, or Bachelors in Applied Sciences, AKA Business) was not enough to get the psych jobs I wanted though I did land a couple. I didn't enjoy being a med. tech. I did love going to school though. And wouldn't change a day of the times I had doing that. The last job I did have was a church secretary. I hated it. I was NOT (so I said then) going to spend my days in front of a computer, for one thing. It was also not fun. And your boss is the pastor and the council and that's not a good work/ help situation. Less said about that the better. I had no clue when I started this that I was going to get so LONG. Sooooooooo, I am transferring this to my Blog. I will send it to some of you who may not read my blog or know where it is.

End of it! But Tom Edison was right. The hardest work was (for me at least the work I loved the best. other than being a career college student. I did that job well, too. LOL Laugh! I am kidding, but also that is the truth.

Getting off my soapbox now. Love, and prayers to all of you!
Merry

PS I had jobs before then, office jobs, which I hated with a passion, even though they were easier on my body. I would work to get us out of the red, and QUIT ASAP afterwards. I was not into working until Tim was older,Some people have no choice, but since I did and particularly since we had Tim, I always felt privileged to be able to stay at home until he was older. (Well, that's a laugh on me, I never dreamed I would become addicted to my computer, but I am!) It was also not fun. And your boss is the pastor and the council and that's not a good work/ help situation. Less said about that the better. I had no clue when I started this that I was going to get so LONG. Sooooooooo, I am transferring this to my Blog. I will send it to some of you who may not read my blog or know where it is.

End of it! But Tom Edison was right. The hardest work was (for me at least the work I loved the best. other than being a career college student. I did that job well, too. LOL Laugh! I am kidding, but also that is the truth.

Getting off my "soap-box" now, (finally)!

Love, and prayers to all of you.

Merry
PS I'd love it if you read this on Blogspot if you leave me a comment.
PSS I had jobs before then, office jobs, which I hated with a passion, even though they were easier on my body. I would work to get us out of the red, and QUIT ASAP afterwards. I was not into working until Tim was older,Some people have no choice, but since I did and particularly since we had Tim, I always felt privileged to be able to stay at home until he was older. Today's Mom's don't always have that choice. But I was blessed, though we had periods of struggle, I won't complain, as with most everything in my life, I did it "my way," and I am glad that I could do it. Old age offers us time to refect on our mistakes, but also, with age, comes ACCEPTANCE, and by gosh, finally I think I have that at 65. About time, don't you think?