New Job

Well, Hi, y'all!

It has been a very busy time and I know I have been away too long. I have been working, then not working, and now I'm working again....

We're also remodeling the house and everyone knows how much fun that can be!

My eldest son, Joe, graduated from college last December and will be starting grad school in the fall. My youngest, Keith, is still changing his major every semester, but looks to be sticking with Forensic Psychology with Jazz Studies as his minor.

Joe has written a play, "Deux Ex Machina", which will be produced this May at the Whole Art Studio in Kalamazoo. It's a comedy and the first time he has been paid for his work!

So, with both boys out of the house, we are now renovating the Living Room, Dining Room and Kitchen. This is not just paint. This is everything from the walls out. Paint, trim, flooring, doors, and we just installed a new French Door to replace our drafty, icky slider. So everything is torn up and we're living in chaos.

On the Jobs Front: Greg and I have decided to sell the shop building and property. If another building becomes available for rent, we will move the business and give it another year or so. If not, we'll take that as a sign to get out of automotive repair. We can sell all the equipment for good prices and use it to pay off debt. The sale of the real property will pay off the land contract, the feds and the state and any outstanding parts bills. Whew!

For myself, I was out of work and very depressed for about 6 months. I spotted an ad for an agency, contacted them and the next day they sent me to a research facility that does first in human drug trials. Now this is really cool work. The 'Subjects' (not patients) are healthy, come from all walks of life, all age groups and are being paid for being human 'lab rats'. The job is very detail oriented, interesting and mentally stimulating without killing my back or my feet. Because I work for an agency, I can pick and choose when I want to work, I am not required to work weekends or holidays unless I want to. Very cool!

I've started a Yahoo Group called 'Nurses Stories', as a place for nurses to tell the tale of their daily encounters. I'm hoping for some really humorous, touching, uplifting and educational responses. If you're a nurse or know one, I hope you'll join, read and post.

I'm going to really try to post here at least once a week...not once a year! Glad to be back.