Top six things

pamelarichardson.blogspot.com

# If something is going to go wrong,# it will and always be prepared for the worst.

Dealing with the public, you are open to have anything happen. With every small town, you always have the local business mogul.  You know the person that owns most of the business. In this case, it is the trash service for the whole town. They have two boys, they are hardworking boys slightly spoiled and most people know who they are. Also, there is a cousin the same age as the youngest boy. They are close and do everything together. Just like brothers. As older teens and adults, they would come into the restaurant at night from a night of snowmobiling or snowplowing. Of course, there were also the nights that they would come in after the bars closed.

So, here is the beginning of the story. The youngest boy and the cousin were not very happy with each other when they entered the restaurant. They were of age and had just come from the bars. As I walked them to their table, I heard mumblings about some woman but did not hear the whole thing. I left them to look at the menus.

Voices became loud and then there was shouting. I looked through the door into the dining room, just as I poked, my head out I saw plates and bodies flying.  The two had escalated to a fistfight. From somewhere a plate of fries and ketchup flew. It landed in the face and chest of a man sitting in a chair next to the cousins.  Shortly after this the youngest boy land in his lap. 

#Stay calm and clear-headed at all times.# That has always been my motto especial working in a bar rush. Now I had known these boys for years and knew they were good boys just drunk, young and had testosterone flying.

“What in the hell are you doing” I yelled at them.” Get off the floor and pick this shit up now,” I yelled at both of them. Apologize to this poor man and clean up this mess or I will call the cops. I did not really have to call the cops. One of them was already there. He had come in while I was seating them. He know them and was waiting to see what I did.  The rest were due to come in for break in a few minute anyways.

#Be a part of your community.# Also, be known as being a good person. Being a night waitress, I spent many hours sitting with the local law on their breaks. They knew me well and know I could handle things. Of course, I knew I could call them and they would be there in just a few minutes. One time a customer called the cops about an incident, another customer was being unruly.  I did not make the call so they did not come in right away. I was a little concerned but handled the unruly customer. The officer on duty came in an hour later for break. Why didn’t you come in when we were having a problem? ‘I asked.

“Because you did not call.” He said.” I heard the call but I figured you could handle it and if not I was right across the street. “I know if it got out of hand you would have called” He went on to say.

#The sordid side of life exists and there is nothing that can be done about it.# So just, get on with it and deal with it.  They only come out at night. People with their affairs, you also got vampires, yes vampires some of them had their teeth worked on to have extended fangs. There are also witches, warlocks, Goth and just your average nut cases. Some nights a regular parade would go on for hours. Forget diversity this was all of the other forms of life.  I do not know what their parents were thinking.

After the bars closed and the bar rush was over. Then the owners of the bars/strip clubs would come in. Sometimes the strippers themselves would come in. I always felt sorry for them; young pretty girls that just had a bad childhood.  As they sat there and discuss their events of the nights so did the law. Most time they talk amongst themselves. Occasionally they sat with the local law enforcement. Maybe discussing a new predicament, they had found themselves in.

 It was better than a soap opera. This was real life unfolding in front of you.  I sure miss those days. Really I do. I just do not miss staying up all night.

Life is hard and we need to laugh at ourselves. All of this took place over 20 years ago. I am sure all the vampires, witches and Goth are now executive somewhere or at least I hope so. Along with that, I hope the strippers are happily married with children. Again, I surly hope so.   

#Nothing is free.# Unless a plate of fries come flying into your lap and you get your meal on the house. Then again, it did cost you a new white shirt.

P.P.  Three years ago in the middle of February I need to find someone to dig us out with a bobcat. Our local plow guy could no longer plow the snow in our driveway. It was a record year for snow. An employee said she knew of a guy so I called him up. The name sounded familiar but then there were a lot of people with that last name. Sure enough it was the youngest boy. He gave me a discount for not sending him to jail that night.

 

 

Feeding Gods creatures

On my weekly shopping trip to my local grocery store, I was standing by the bulk isle. I was getting my supplies for my granola. One of the employees came up to the bin next to mine and said what a waste. This bin contained candied bananas and stuff. There was about 2 cups worth lying in the tray below it. (I am sure there were kids involved.)  "This is why the cost food is so expensive," she said. 

I just looked at her shrugged my shoulders and smiled.  It was a, I understand smile.  I remember when I worked there year ago and I took a tour of the facilities. The produce manager showed us around the dept. He took us back to where they put all the produce that was to ripe to sell. “We use to be able to send this to the local pig farm but now we cannot even do that anymore,” he grumbled.

I was surprised “why not” I asked, “what is wrong with pigs eating ripe produce?”

“Contamination or something like that” he said back.” I do not know why we cannot send it to the food shelf either” he went on to grumbling. “It is such a shame”. “I know they do send day old bead to the food shelf.” You could tell he was down hearted about the whole thing.

On the home front, I know I have a waste problem also. As I write this (well actually I did throw it out prior to writing this) have some kale (that has turned yellow) stuck in the back of the fridge. I put it in the compost bucket. That is taken to the compost bin though. It is outside where birds and other creatures can dig in and feed off what they want. All our food waste goes outside to feed God’s creatures. The crows really like it when I have a cake or bead that we really do not want to finish.  Therefore, I do not look at our food waste as anything more than feeding God’s creature.

I remember when my nieces and nephews were young (I love them dearly). They would come over and we would have family meals. Of course, we used plastic plates and plastic forks for convenience. Plastic utensils and plates can be recycled or washed and used again. My biggest problem was my nieces and nephews filling their plates and then just taking a small bite of everything. Then they would throw everything in the trash, food and all. There was enough food there to feed six people.

I think of this because of my day’s when food was scarce and I did not know where my next meal was coming from.  Thank God for the food shelf. The problem is what can be given to the food self. I stopped buying the prepackaged food shelf-bags.  Everything is processed food. Just because someone cannot afford food does not mean they do not care about what there is to eat. So, I buy canned tuna or salmon, canned vegetables, Jars of fruit and whole-wheat pastas.  I then put it in my local food bin box at the store.  I also volunteer at fare share. They give out fresh produce.  

Please help in the fight to stomp out hunger.


 http://mnfoodshare.gmcc.org/index.php

 

 

Real love

pamelarichardson.blogspot.com

 Do you ever wonder what happened to the couple that rode off into the sunset and lived happily ever after? I love a good romance movie. The good guy gets the girl in the end and they receive all the benefits of love. It is a world of eternal bliss. It makes me feel like all is right with the world. An added bonus, I feel more love towards the C.O. I would think this is a good sign. If I did not think we had a good relationship I would be like, “Why can’t you be that way”?
                                                                                    pamelarichardson.blogspot.com

 

Where the problem comes in is you never get to see what happens five or ten years down the line. I think that is why we have sequels. Shrek is a great movie.  I liked the premise of it. He is a big ugly ogre and she is the Princes.  Deep down Princes Fiona is just like him.  In addition deep down he is a Prince and a man of honor.

Princes Fiona concealed her true self from the world until she met him. Shrek let her know that he understood. He made Princes Fiona feel safe and alive.  She now was able to reveal herself as she really was to the rest of the world.

                                                                                        pamelarichardson.blogspot.com

Shrek 2 is also good. Most sequels are disappointing but Shrek 2 is good.  Shrek 3 I thought was overdoing it.

They say you have a better chance to live a long and healthy life when you are married or in a long-term relationship.  I have to wonder why.  My guess is because you want to outlive the other person just so you can say I win. Seriously, no I do not think that. It is because you take care of each other

In real life, couples get irritated with each other. The stresses of everyday life start chipping away at the magic invisible shield. The shield that keeps the outside world from touching the bond they share together.  

Nobody ever knows what is around the corner, sickness, death, betrayal.  I think this is why we like fantasy so much. It gives us hope. It reminds us of our own beginning of our current relationship. It gives us hope that there is love out there if we are not in a relationship.

 Relationships are hard, day in and day out. Heck, reality is hard and if the person you need to be there for you is sick, dead or worst of all a liar. A thief of your heart that takes it and  just stomps on it like it was nothing, it can take a big toll on you.

I know this is going to sound terrible bad of me. I have always thought it was romantic when a couple after being married for 50 plus years suddenly one of them dies. The other one follows within 6 months.  He or she could not live without the other. They were probable known to others as the Bickersons. Although, in their quite moments together, they were each other’s life, both depended on the other.  

pamelarichardson.blogspot.com

I like to believe they rode off into the sunset hand in hand. Looking back and waving  goodbye. GOOD LUCK!  you can hear them shout out back to us.  And they lived happily ever after.
 

Moe

Pamela Richardson. BlogSpot.com

 
 
Moe

Moe, you are beautiful as beautiful as an African goose can be. Walking through the poultry barn at the state fair all the blue ribbon African Geese could not hold a candle to you.  In addition, looking at pictures of what a true African Goose is to look like is just like looking at you Moe. Standing tall with so much pride about you is a pleasure to watch. Your grace and beauty radiates about you.

After the goslings became adult, I think Daunte got tired of being in charge of the gaggle. He put Moe in charge, there was no fight no struggle for power. Moe took that to heart. He watches over the gaggle with pride. Neither a squirrel nor a chipmunk will infiltrate our space.  Havens forbid a crow land in the middle of the gaggle, as the rest lie sleeping.  All will be safe as long as I am in charge. Sleep, who needs it when the safety of the gaggle it at hand

Usually there are many fights between the males, especially in the spring. Most days we just ignore the fights. They are usually just something trivial like someone stepped on the others foot or looked at the other the wrong way. Pretty much, like children. Some are more violent and there is blood, not anything life threatening but can be cause for concern.  The C.O or I will intervene and send them to their corners for a time out.

Usually within an hour, everyone is back to normal and the fight forgotten. Life now is returned to the same old same old, should we go down to the pond or try to sneak up to the front yard. There is always one lagging behind as the scout. It is usually Midge, sounding a warning when one of us is spotted looking for them. ARRRRAACk.  As if, we cannot hear or see her.  All of a sudden, you will hear squawk, squawk, and squawk as they come around the garage one by one; acting like nothing is going on.  No, not us, we were not in the front yard.

Sometime when they are out in the field or in the back of the pond and we cannot see them. All we have to do is yell, WHAT. They will then give themselves away.  For some reason the word WHAT means something to them and they have to answer us back. SQUAWK!!! For every WHAT.

Sometime we go out and get them and sometimes we just say, “Get back here right now”. After a long discussion, they usually return in 20 minutes.

This is a sample of my goose story. Feel free to look around.

.