Sunday, March 31, 2013

Me & My Cousins! Happy Easter!!!

Easter Sunday, circa 1953, say Cheese...
An innocent time when our only thoughts were that of the Easter Bunny and what gifts he would bestow upon us. Scrubbed clean, new socks, patent leather shoes, underwear and always a new dress, it was Easter Sunday, after all.  Yes, I got the new coat being the oldest and my sister Barbara (front center, screaming) would get my hand-me-downs, a year later. Straw hats and bags would surely accessorize the outfit.
After church, a visit to grandma's where cousins met and played for hours. Consuming, comparing and exchanging candy of all shapes and sizes! 

Excitement and the sweet smell of chocolate filled the air. Headless and sometimes earless bunnies stood stoic, waiting their turn for further attention and or consumption. Pink, green, lilac and yellow foil wrappers strewn about, grass filler everywhere. 
Eventually an adult would surface to control the chaos. Giggles, hushed for a few brief moments. Cleanup imminent! 
Some sixty years later we are all still alive and doing well! We remain friends and have the comfort of knowing that we are there for each other, although separated by hundreds of miles! 
My sister Barbara, front center, myself in the middle with the big head, cousin Carol, pictured left, cousin Jimmy, back left, cousin Ricky, back right, cousin Nancy Paula, outer right and cousin Susie, middle right! 
Happy Easter Guys! Love you all!
Happy Easter to each and everyone of you, as well! 
Have a wonderful day!

Pin It!

Friday, March 22, 2013

Small Town USA

Small Town Church, USA 
As in any small town USA, a community church, post office and several small structures may command the landscape! 
Recovering from a bad cold, Judy called and asked if we would attend a strawberry festival in a neighboring town. Cooped and confined for a week, I eagerly agreed. My trusty Canon in for a tune up, I had my little point and shoot as a backup. 
The town so tiny we weren't sure if we missed it or not. A small wooden library, adorned with chipped white paint and several tented vendors confirmed that we had indeed arrived. The church quite beautiful by comparison, stood proudly across the street. 
Strawberry shortcake being served under one tent only. YUM!
"We are sold out," explained a mature little lady, loaded down by character. It's only 11:30AM, I thought. Oh well let's make the best of it, as we all seem to do very well! Husbands along for the excursion, I am sure wishing they were on some golf course about now! 
Plants for sale along with a few crafts around the west side of the well weathered structure. The air perfumed by grilling hotdogs, manned by a few younger residents. Children running amuck and screaming were the melodious tunes of the day.
The library beckoned us in, much to our amazement we discovered a plethora of vintage artifacts. Although tattered, dusty and reeking of a moldy sent, that old items seem to own collectively. We were intrigued!
Town matriarchs guarded the door and creaking floors danced under our dusty feet. Appreciating the labor of love and pride it took to create this hidden treasure, we meandered about. What a discovery! 
Glass cabinets housed old wedding gowns, high topped buttoned shoes and vintage jewels. A rusted metal dentist chair, instruments along with a well used doctor's bag were on display for all to see and touch. Items to numerous to mention captured our attention for quite some time. Some even a little creepy, rendering us a few chuckles. 
The day finished up at a local vineyard for a wine tasting and of course a late lunch at the local diner. We were assured that they served the best broasted chicken in all the land and that they did! 
Well there you have it folks, a wonderful day enjoyed by four retirees discovering Old Florida, one town at a time. 

Using an action, .atn file, for the first time. Created by The Coffee Shop Blog. Thanks Rita!
A whole new world to me. 


Weekly Top Shot #75

Pin It!

Sunday, March 10, 2013

My Winning Essay! What Not To Do In A Job Interview!!!

A previously posted photo above that represents some of my blogging career!
I thought some of you might enjoy my winning essay. I know it is a bit long, but truthful, none the less. You just can't make this stuff up!!! Jennifer Cornell over at Three Dogs in a Garden hosted the contest and I won a beautiful handmade bracelet that she designed. Jennifer, is a woman of many talents and has visited my blog for quite a while now. She is a master gardener and her photos are sure to mesmerize you! She encouraged me to enter her contest and so I did. You can view the rules here. Make us laugh, was the category that caught my attention and the following event immediately came to mind! It might be more humorous after a couple of glasses of wine...maybe to early for that! Enjoy!!!


What Not To Do In A Job Interview!!!



Many years ago, about forty just to narrow it down, I managed a fabric store shortly after graduation from college. The job was OK but I longed for something a little more challenging. Informed  of an area manager’s position for a competing fabric company, I made a phone call! A pleasant voice answered and informed me that the district manager would be in my area, he would call me shortly.

I answered the long black collector of coins in the back of the store, “can you meet me today,” barked a stern voice! “Sure where shall we meet,” I asked? “How about the steak house across the street from the mall.” “Sounds good, 1:00PM.”

So now the stage is set and the series of events that followed could not have been fabricated even if I tried! There are embarrassing moments in one’s life that one simply cannot forget! But it’s what we take from the event that matters! Right?

A very stern tall fiftyish man, in a rumpled gray suit and pencil thin tie, reeking of an Old Spice, Aqua Velva cocktail greeted me with a firm handshake. My then slender knees began to buckle. Slightly intimidated, we ordered our food, honestly I don’t remember having a bite! The questions came fast and furious, all the while gulping his carnivorous morsels of flesh in between the interrogation! 

Offense number one: Finally, Mr. Stern Face, suggested that I fill out an application and asked if I had a pen! Yes, as I reached down into my faux leather disorganized container of everything un-necessary. Grabbing onto a slender instrument that my automatic pilot assured me was a pen, I drew it up in a cigarette like position between three fingers. It went directly up to my ear, without a glance I held it there tapping my head while reading over the application. Looking up to ask a question, Mr. Drop Your Jaw, had an unusual and perplexing look of horror about him. He was staring at my ear. I knew my ear to be of normal size, I quickly realized that it was my pen he focused upon! Dare I look? Oh what to heck!!! Can you only imagine??? In my haste I had accidentally retrieved a tampon! That's right a tampon! I could feel the rush and flush of blood take over my entire body. Heart pounding, hands sweating, my inner voice kept telling me to make a joke of it. “Oh, silly me, can’t write with this can I,” I muttered. Be still my heart! I managed to calm myself down! My breathing went back to a normal but disjointed rhythm.

Offense number two: The bill arrived and I fully expected Mr. Cheapskate, to pay! He firmly announced that my share was seven dollars. For sure I knew that only three dollars swam aimlessly about in my faux leather. Horrified once again, I confessed to the shortage. Reluctantly he paid the bill and we departed on a surreal kind of note. 

Offense number three: Leaving the parking lot in a rush to get back to work I got stuck behind a rather pokey old shark finned red cadillac. Please go I thought and proceeded to lean on my horn. Totally out of character for me, but remember I was somewhat rattled! Yup you guessed it, it was him, Mr. Speedy! He waved and let me pass on by!

Mary Mother of the Arc Angels, could this interview have been more of a disaster? Well I’ll just have to chalk this one up to experience, I thought! Kiss this one goodbye, jingled in my head! Can you only imagine the conversation back at his office water cooler! 

Several days later, Mr. Nice Guy, offered me the job!!!!! Yikes, was he desperate or what? Relaying the entire incident to my husband, I decided to decline the offer as there was too much traveling involved and we had a very young daughter. 

Well folks I learned early on what not to do in a job interview, but mostly to have the ability to laugh and learn from my mistakes, pick myself up and move forward! People still roar all these years later when I tell the story! I am who I am, I can’t seem to fix it, unusual events seem to accessorize my life challenging me always to keep on laughing! A sense of humor, yes that’s the key! Maybe a bizarre sense of humor, but a sense of humor, none the less and we won’t even talk about me almost crazy gluing my grand-daughter’s lips together!

I also received Post of the Week from Hilary over at The Smitten Image. Thanks Hilary!
Have a great day! 

Pin It!
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...