It has been more difficult than I had anticipated to stay on top of things while working both days and nights. I didn't realize that I'd be scheduled for so many hours!
Anyway, last Monday I had a few hours to kill before going to work so I went back to the library to finish my orientation and training to be a volunteer. The City requires orientation just like an employee, and the training wasn't difficult but I still had to learn where everything was, etc. Now, if I can just get some time to actually volunteer!
Tuesday night was the Santa Parade in Appleton. It's a tradition that goes way back and there are approximately 100,000 people that line the streets each year. Last year, Maggie and I went with the boys but this year we were all there because Ian was in the parade. His mom's employer had a float in the parade with the theme of The Wizard of Oz, and Ian was dressed as one of the flying monkeys.
Fortunately, his costume was heavy and warm because the weather has taken a nasty turn and it was really cold on Tuesday night. Fortunately, Jeff had won a spot for all of us indoors at the Children's Museum, so we were able to watch from the second floor through the windows. Sure makes it a lot nicer with your hot chocolate while sitting indoors.
We had a great Thanksgiving at our house this year. Jeff got a new "deep fryer" that doesn't use oil; it's really a vertical roaster but cooks a turkey in a fraction of the time that it would take in the oven. We watched football, and played with cars, and saw a couple of movies. Ian and I played the game of Life and he totally stomped me. The doggies all got along reasonably well and we had too much food, as usual. A great day all around, but I had to get to bed early because I had to be at Target for "Black Friday" and Maggie also was going out for the deals.
I got to Target about 3:15 and it was bitterly cold and windy. Nevertheless, there was a line of people all the way around the store and there were tents set up where they had spent the night on the sidewalk. People really are insane. When the doors opened, I thought they'd trample each other to get to the cheap TVs that had been advertised. I was able to get out into the store and snag a couple of things that Maggie wanted, and put them aside (although we're not allowed to do that as employees) and I was able to save a cart as well. It's a good thing as the store filled up pretty quickly. Maggie didn't even have to stand in the long lines to check out -- which were taking approximately 2 hours to get around the store. I did traffic control for about an hour, and spent a lot of time restocking shelves and also going around retrieving things that people left sitting all over. In the process, I found a few good deals of my own that I managed to sneak into the back room.
Then, we headed to Rice Lake around 1:00 on Friday and got to spend most of today there before heading back home. I have to work tonight and Susie is having everyone over tomorrow for Thanksgiving. We were able to spend some time together today (Doug and Susie, Tom and Sylvia, Scott and Maggie and Alex, Jeff and I, and Mom and Dad). Jeff put up some of Mom's Christmas lights and we shared some KFC and pies. Susie is still struggling with her sinus problem and I have "an unidentified lip fungus" so we weren't the liveliest group, but Alex had enough energy for all of us.
Tonight, I'm headed back to work overnight at Kohl's but then I'm off until 1pm Monday afternoon when I go back to Target. That will give me plenty of resting time. Got paid on Friday for the week ending November 20; I had 16.1 hours with Target and 20 hours with Kohls. Together, I don't think I made enough money to offset unemployment so I'll need to file that to make up the difference. :-) It makes me chuckle. However, this past week I racked up about 50 hours of work so I think my checks will be a bit bigger next Friday. Fortunately, I'm getting some Christmas shopping done in the process and getting some really great deals, which was my goal to begin with so I guess it's work it. My swollen ankles and blisters are telling a different story, though, I think.
If I'm not too dead tomorrow, I'm hoping to start my Christmas decorating. Although the weather is quite cold, we have no snow. They have an inch or two of snow on the ground in Rice Lake, but I'm perfectly content to not have any for a while.
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