Hope today has been wonderful. All the best for a fab year ahead!

Hi, my name is Lee and i am addicted to Converse All-Stars.

The first time i tired a pair on, it was peer pressure.

I thought my big flat feet wouldn't fit into them, but with a little bit of encouragement, i was convinced the orange would look fabulous!

They fit!

Since then, i can't walk past a store if i know they have them...

I had to have a special shelf built in my home to house them.

Here are my latest pairs:

Black with an Anarchy A and a Peace Sign & Black and Green plaid.

Less than a half hour ago, i left my last shift (11p - 9a) at the hell hole i called my work. No longer will i have to endure the boss calling me stupid to my face and behind my back; laughing at my tears when she was speaking ill of me; or having her go stone quiet from full volume when i enter a room. Some day, not at my hand, but with someone who really won't take it anymore, her game is going to come crashing down. I just hope she doesn't drag down too many others with her.

What a week!

Nana's funeral was as good as one can be. My brother did not punch my uncle Brad in the face like everyone was expecting/hoping/wondering. He cheated my brother in a business partnership that left my brother and his family with nothing -- lost their house, all the money they had and his business. My dad felt the pressure as the oldest and executor of trying to ensure everything ran smooth, but that was the funeral home's job, not his, i reminded him repeatedly. Grieve. That's your job.

I had an issue with my boss not really beleiving me that she died and i had to bring in a card from the funeral, an obit and a death certificate. Sheesh.

Then, i found out the new guy, a temp. with more seniority than me bumped me out of my shift. I am stuck on night shift. Lovely.

My mom is ill. She has COPD and a really really bad cold/virus according to her doctor. Today, i called to check in on my dad and see if she was doing better and it turns out she has pus/ooze coming out of her eyes. Go to the doctor! Why do people avoid going?

So, we went to Hamilton for the funeral. Took only 2 of the 3 days i could have not wanting for someone at work to be screwed over on the 24th.

Worked on the 24th (3p-11p) and 25th (7a-3p). Then to Hamilton for xmas and boxing day.

The stress got to me and my dad while we were cooking, trying to share a small kitchen space and do what my mom usually does and we have very little experience with.

Had a heart to heart with him that his ego was a bit injured when he didn't know what to do and mine was when he stepped in assuming i didn't know. Dynamics. *sigh*

Otherwise, those 2 days were quiet and peaceful. Played a lot of scrabble. Damn, i love that game... even when i am shit at it and i am in a brain freeze (90% of the time!).

Worked a 12 hour shift, carefully avoiding the boss. Went grocery shopping and got close to $800 of non-perishables to tide everyone over while i am on vacation.

Had issues with the human resources about a 4 hour time off thingie and had to run to the doctor to get another note. Apparently, just having a note saying you have an appontment is not enough. I needed to have one that said i went. *rolls eyes*

Then, the boss' boss' boss came in when i was the most experienced in the house and i got quizzed on procedures and medicaid plans.

When we left my 'rent's house i had a low tire warning sign with Gwen (it's what i named my MINI). We filled it up and it went away. But came back. It went away. It came back. Today, i had a flat. Blam... all the way down to the rim. Oh, and the dealer can squeeze me in in... uh... three weeks or so. WTF? So, i called Russo's Auto (not covered under warranty anyway) and they could take me.. WITHIN AN HOUR! Guess where i went?

After i left Russo's i went to work to fax over the doctor's note and to get my visa receipts signed... i forgot to get the reciepts signed from the other day... and again today. Damn it.

I wanted to check to see if i got any of the bids i put in, too, but the boss was on the phone and the computer. Darn.

Then, at 11pm a co-worker called me. He got his bid to another house (his is in West Seneca) and i got mine too. I got a full time gig with the state!! YAY! Best way to end a pretty shitty week.

2012 WILL be betters! It will. It will!

When i was at work yesterday, my phone rang and it was my mom & dad's number. Since i am not supposed to have my phone with me, i couldn't answer it so i asked a co-worked if i could step out for a second. The voicemail was a hangup, so i knew something was wrong.

My dad's mum died. At 2am on the 21st. Arrangements are being rushed together because of the holidays. But it was expected. She had slipped into what the nursing home presumed to be a light coma (if there is such a thing, it wasn't a deep coma) a few days earlier. And she had basicly stopped eating for months. Unless it was a can of coke, she wasn't interested.

I was not working at my usual location. I was doing ot at another house and at the day program with 5 individuals. The staff at the program were so nice to me. Ned told me to take as much time as i need to do the job. Greg wore a funny girl's headband making funny faces and trying to make me laugh. Ms K gave me a hug (she is so NOT a toucher!). When i got back to the house, the other staff were also so sweet, finishing my paperwork and letting me go a few minutes early to go get a coffee or something before i had to go to my other ot house.

I got to the second house a bit earlier than i was expected and when i told them all why, they were so sweet, asking me if i wanted to keep busy or sit in the corner of the living room and read a book. I kept busy, and even though it is not my usual house, i was able to find lots of chores to complete.

Then, i called my house to tell them i need to call off for 2 days so i can go to the visitation and funeral. Talk about opposite results. I got a frosty reception at best. The supervisor told me the documents i should bring to get the time off....

My dad seems to be doing ok. Stressing about things that don't matter all that much. Bargain shopping for places to have the reception (funeral home vs the church she went to for over 40 years?) is just something he can worry about instead of his mother dying.

I was close with her when i was a kid. She took me to her church a lot. That church is the reason i became disenchanted with religion. Holy roller baptists who showed little kids films of the people left after the rapture getting their heads cut off by the devil.... By my teen years, my Nana told me the devil will take me because i am unable to bear children....

But as she aged, she mellowed and became nicer.... and told me i was doing "God's work" taking care of developmental disabled people with behavior issues.

Bitter sweet. RIP Nana.

I have a MINI!!

I pick up my MINI on Friday

The day before yesterday, (e:Uncutsaniflush) was on the way home from work when his Prius showed a big giant red exclamation point on the wee screen. Turns out that's the "pull over right now and tow this mofo to the dealer" light.

Since it is a first generation Prius (2001) that is way out of warranty, we took it to our mechanic (Russo's Auto they do Prius' and we totally trust them!) and left it with them overnight so they could look at it first thing in the morning.

Yesterday, they gave him the bad news. The hybrid battery systems. Need new hybrid batteries. Along with other needed repairs, the estimated cost would be in the $5000(+?) range.

Good thing we didn't get the exhaust system replaced and have the hoses for the a/c repaired and then have this exclamation point issue!!!

So, our old faithful first Prius is dying. Feels a bit like a funeral. (e:Uncutsaniflush) bought that car before i could drive, back when we were in Knoxville. I think we both liked the fact that it has NY plates but says "Toyota Knoxville" on it.

But, it has over 200,000 miles on it. Good long run.

Now begins the process of new/new to us car shopping.

We went to Paddock (where i got my used 2006 Prius) because we knew they had a used Prius and a couple of used Minis then to Paul Herman Motorcars before i had to speed (yes, that was me doing 65mph on River Road, a 40mph zone!) off to work.

Today, we are taking my car in to the shop to get an oil change and get snow tires put on.

Although i am strongly encouraging (e:Uncutsaniflush) to go get the car of his dreams, he keeps telling me he is more than happy to take over my car.

Understandable since the 2006 Prius is a very nice car.

But it's not my dream car. I may have the chance to get it now.

What if all these years of dreaming of having one and i am disappointed? Does this happen to everyone when they are about to go and do something they think they really really want? Am i stressing nervous and excited for nothing? What if the used one is gone already? Can we be cash poor to get a new one? Can it really be mine?

Sigh

A Mini!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That's what we heard a lot of 7 years ago....

Today is the anniversary of the day we landed in Buffalo, to make a new home.

11-04-04 it was blowy and snowy and despite both of having grown up in the rust belt, we wondered why we left the warmth of Knoxville, TN for this down on its luck city.

We stayed at the Lennox Hotel for a few weeks... until i needed a permanent address.

Moved into the Mayflower because they were willing to give us a 6 month lease.

The moving company mislead us when we signed with them -- 2 to 4 days to get our stuff was from the date of when they bothered to go get it, not from the date we called to say we want it. My parents lent us folding chairs and we made do with the things we had fit into our car. Wooden crates and blow up mattresses....

We moved here, to the west side at the end of May 2005....

As much as our recent trip to Knoxville tempted us to want to move back there, Buffalo is in our blood now. It's home.