Paper Clip

A few years back I read a book, not sure anymore what it was or where it came from, but it had a passage in it regarding being depressed or down in the dumps. It suggested you start a chain of paper clips. For every good or kind deed you did you added a paper clip to your chain. It is to serve as a reminder of the good things we do in a day or week, it is a visual for us to be able to look at and remember the nice things we do all the time. The things we don't think about when we do them. Just random acts of kindness. The visual certainly worked for me. I am a very kind, caring person, but as I coped with a lot of personal stuff I forgot that about myself.

I can not tell you how good I felt as I watched my chain grow. My husband and I would be sitting chatting about the days events and he would say "Add another paper clip!" A lot of the time I would say no, that is just something I do. He would always insist it was worthy of the paper clip, so with some pushing from him I would add a clip. My chain grew and it is still growing. I get a wonderful feeling when I add a clip. I made a difference in someones day. Sometimes a smile or simple comment will bring a stranger closer to you. For a moment in time you connect with someone. You may change their day. Older people are so happy to be noticed, their eyes brighten as you talk to them. You might have been the only one they spoke to on that day. I remember seeing a frail little old lady trying to get this huge bag of dirt into her cart at Walmart. I of course stopped and offered to help her. The bag had to be the big one, and after a short struggle I was able to get it in her cart. As soon as the deed was done, she looked at me and said "I don't think I will be able to get it out of the car when I get home, I think I better get the small one for now." WTF! Well, I graciously agreed, fought with the bag and the cart while trying to get it back out, mumbling to my self the whole time, "Crazy old lady". I finished my good deed, and walked very fast into the store to get out of there before she thought of something else she might need help with. When I got home and shared my story my husband laughed and said "You get two paper clips for that." I really hadn't been thinking of paper clips as I help this lady, I just did it because that is who I am. I started to smile at his statement about getting two paper clips, walked to my board where my chain hangs and picked two brightly colored clips and added them. I felt so much better, he should have had a clip that day. He made my crazy bad day so much better.

There are lots of times I forget about my chain of paper clips, but it hangs in my kitchen on a board on the wall. I walk by it all the time, every once in a while it catches my eye and I stand and look at it, sometimes, I will run my fingers along it, feeling each one, remembering that each clip was something nice I did for another person. It is a good visual for me. If you every feel down, maybe you should start a paper clip chain of your own, I still add to it. It makes a crazy day not so crazy. There is a purpose to every encounter.

restful Sunday

Well my job is done for now, bought the last of the things we needed from Kohl's to use the discount I got, and walked out the door.

I enjoyed my job, but there is a part of me that is really happy it is over. I drove 30 - 40 miles to get there stood on my feet for hours, went home and could barely walk. Legs ached all night, hips hurt, was it worth it? Yes, I really liked it but, can I justify the drive with the price of gas? Minimum wage, the leg pain, no, I am happy to be home, at least for today. I am the type that has to work.. love people and getting out to see what's going on. I have had a hard time with being unemployed. But, my daughter tells me Poopy's wants me back as hostess when the weather warms up, and that was a fun job. So, for now I think I will sit back, do my spring cleaning, work on finding the peace in my life that I have had in the past and move on. I just move a little slower now that I have the aches and pains, but inside I am a wildcat, ready to bound on anything that moves. I still think
"look out world cause here I come." It is a little more like "wait, I will be there in a minute" but look out, I will be there....

Yea, the more I think about it I am glad to be home for a while again. I have my hubby,Bax and my new Nook e reader to keep me company. Life is good.

brr cold again,,,,,

I have been working part time at Kohl's for a few weeks now, and I am afraid this Friday may be my last day. It was only a temp job but I took it in hopes of more. I have not been called or let know that they want to keep me on, I can't say that I am not just a little disappointed. But on the upside, I am good, I did my best and we were told that we, the credit card greeters were number 3 in the opening of Kolh stores in the nation with having people sign up for cards. Considering the size of the area here, and that it is not that big, I was very happy to have been a part of that. We all worked hard to reach our goals but we did it with respect and kindness to the customers coming in. On Grand Opening Day 3 of us, (and yes, I was one of the 3) met our goals and Kohl's is buying our lunch. It was a different type of job for me but I was glad that I met the goals each day I worked and Kohl's is a very nice place to work. They stress team work, and I liked that.



I had to include a picture of my buddy Baxter dressed for Saint Patty's Day.. He is such a good sport.

I bought myself a new toy, a Nook color from Barnes and Noble. I love it so far. I have already finished one book. It was on the small side, but, I finished it and am ready for another one. I have not read for years. Any time I went into a bookstore I came out with a cookbook. The cookbooks are my form of relaxation. I lay on the floor in front of the tv and drool over the wonder foods staring back at me. I find my peace in a cookbook and I think I always will, but I want to get back into reading, just for fun, with a cookbook included every once in a while. See what happens when you get a job for a while. I spent all my money! It sure felt good!

We have been having goofy weather here. Today it tried to snow and it is cold again. Sunday when Joe and I ran to Rockford to get a Nook reader we drove in the rain and even some hail. Next day - in the 50's.

Teasers. We just have to wait. We have sat out on the deck a few times and it felt just wonderful. I have a fire in the fireplace to night.

more later, everyone have a wonderful night and an even better day!

Give Away by Suburban Retreat

Hey! Anybody following my blog hop on over to http://suburban-retreatblogspot.com and enter Lisa's giveaway, you can read about her and what she is giving away on her blog. Hope you enjoy her site, I love stopping by and looking it is so homey and inviting.
If you look on the list of those blogs that I am following you will see her address to enter,,, just in case I messed up her address here.... she is worth looking at!

First Day on the Deck!

Snow is almost gone!

What a great SUNNY day!

I am so excited! It was warm enough with the sun shinning to sit out on our deck for the first time this year.... I love it. I had forgotten how wonderful it can be. I didn't even look to see what the temperature is, we just put our coats on, cushions on the chairs and grabbed a drink. The sun felt wonderful on our faces.
We managed to stay out about a half an hour, enjoyed every moment of it too.

Baxter and his shadow were catching my eye, I love shadows and could not pass up a photo opportunity.

Joe was talking to Baxter and I just laughed when I saw the way Baxter was looking and listening to Joe, too funny. Wish Bax would listen when I talk like that, but then I am always talking to the dog..

The job is going alright, just have tired, sore legs from standing all day, other than that it is fun... I know I am jumping the gun but I have corned beef in the crock pot today, had a new recipe to try and now that I am "working" I wanted to have some leftovers in the frig. I also made some stuffed pepper soup for lunch, it was the first time I tried making the soup and it was great. We love stuffed peppers but the soup is a lot quicker and just as good.

Wine Tasting Trip

Saturday Joe and I took off and went on a little road trip. We went to Clinton, Iowa to visit a local winery there.

The winery was having a dog contest for the cutest costume. Of course my dog is the cutest, so we had to enter.

We drove up there and presented our photos of the cutest dog ever, no matter what he is wearing. We had a blast. We arrived a little early so we could get back home before dark. There were not to many people there while we were, but that made it even nicer for us.

The girl working was so much fun, and I am sorry to say I do not remember her name for sure, and she even gave me her card so we could contact each other, but sadly I lost it. I intend to call and get her information again, so we can keep in touch.





I really would love to have her come our way and sit on our deck and have a glass or two of wine.

We had such a good time, while we were there we didn't see any other dog lovers with pictures come in. I was really hoping to see some of the others photos. But when you think about it, that could be good. Win because we were the only ones.. Naaa,

The name of the winery is Wide River Winery, and we love the wines. It is a good road trip and everyone is so nice when you get there.

It is a little out of the way but well worth the drive. Right now the road to get to it is a little ruff, so if you have a ruff riding vehicle, bring a pillow to sit on. It didn't bother me, but my husband Joe, yelled every time I hit a pothole. It is a dirt road and some sections were so bumpy you just could not avoid hitting a hole. Like I said it didn't bother me, there was wine at the end of the road, so onward hooooe

A Work Day!

Yesterday was my first day of work for over a year and a half. As I sat down in the car after 7 hours of standing on my feet I thought, Now I remember why they call it work. I had had nothing but a cup of coffee from 6:30 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon. I chose not to take a break because we were so busy, so yes, I was working. I got a temp job at a new Kohl's in Sterling. I greet the customers and then ask if they would like to sign up for a Kohl's card. I had a good time with it and the day went very fast. It was the first day open for the new store. I had someone ask me where the restrooms were and I thought, mmm I don't even know that. I got in on this job at the last moment and not a lot of training. I made sure I found out where the bathroom was, and it was a learn as you go type of day. I really like the feeling of being so busy. Forgot how good it feels to be so tired but happy that you made it through the day.

A friend fixed dinner for us that night for us and it was perfect. Wonderful food, good wine, nice fire in the fireplace and last but not least great company. It was the end of a long, busy day for me. Wednesday is the grand opening for this store and I am scared! I am glad I will have two days of practice before that, but, who knows.... it is learn as you go... and I usually do well in situations like that. The weather was great, and I enjoyed my drive to work and home. I always liked that little bit of time to unwind before getting home. Oh, can you believe next Saturday night we change the clocks again... wow, can't wait to have it stay light longer.... spring is coming!

Update on outing...

I got a call back, so now I am on to the next level.... movie and training.. Kohl's did mention that they are team people and encourage teamwork. I do like that, with teamwork you have communication, good, bad, whatever and that helps eliminate a lot of problems. So, on the the next step..

At least it was an outing

Today I had a job interview in Sterling, IL at the new Kohl's. I arrived a little too early and sat in the car for a while. People just kept coming, and the store has not opened yet so you knew all those people were there for an interview. It was one of the strangest ones yet, 3 of us sat together with an interviewer, she asked all of us the same question and then would flip through the apps and write down comments as we sat there. Of course the other two there with me were like babies, maybe in their 20's, not even to sure about that. I should have licked my thumb and went to wipe something off their face. Like moms do, or maybe like GRANDMA's do. While I was standing outside waiting for my time I saw lots of old ladies come out... gees I was just one more.
The funny thing about this whole job app was I had tried a while back to get on line and apply at this new Kohl's but all the interview times were taken. I tried off and on for a couple of weeks and quit. On a whim one day I tried again and got farther than I had ever gotten before, well, I was so excited about getting to apply that I whizzed on by what I was applying for so fast that I didn't know what I had applied for. When I was done applying I tried to go back and see what I had applied for but of course it would not let me. I was so relieved when someone called to confirm my appointment yesterday and they mentioned that I had applied for the Credit Card Greeter. All this time I have put off applying at WalMart because I was afraid I would be the old lady greeter. Oh well, I went to the interview. Good thing is that if they don't call me by late afternoon Thursday I will know I didn't make the cut. How shameful, I can't even make the grade as a credit card greeter, oh well, you know what, I am sooooo much more than that,I am Sandy, able to leap small puddles, eat an entire pizza by myself, cook steak on the grill and get the table set, taters baked, veggie in the microwave, and still have time to sit for a few minutes. I can do anything.

I love this picture, I just caught some rainbow before my interview! Nice way to start a day....