Monday - The Beginning (Again)

Greetings to one and all,

First and foremost CONGRATULATIONS are in order to Sandy and Allen in Longview. They became home owners again today. She has bought - in her words - a 1976 Split Level Brady Bunch fixer-upper! Oh the fun they will have. I wish them well as it is the kind of fun I would not enjoy.

So, over at the office, Debi got her first day under her belt and celebrated her 50th birthday. What a day! It was a blur, from the moment I arrived I was on the phone or responding to over 300 emails from the weekend. Suddenly, I am like the only "go to" person in the office with Debi getting her footing and Barb back in Canada for the THIRD week in a row. What is going on up there? Well, I have to tell you that the weekend was very relaxing and I entered the lion's den in a state of calm. Soon enough I was being chewed up and more than once I just said, "Yup, you're right. Now what?" I refuse to do battle with people who are only set on babbling for hours and not getting anywhere. I don't have time for that.

Then came reports that rain had shut down major events in Houston and Dallas. Gotta love it when the boss asks, "Why did you let that happen?" And I immediately want to say "Well I forgot weather was under MY complete control this weekend!" I do think Mark is going through some separation anxiety with Trista not being there. Amazing how all the staff were on time today for oh the first time in weeks, if not months.

The calendars went up last Thursday and already some of our events are full. This is a double edge sword that needs to be addressed quickly and now! We cannot have that happening too much as it can backfire on us as new members join. Trying to get the staff to see this as not a good thing is not easy. Lots of discussion on this today during staff meeting I and when I talk with the other half tomorrow during staff meeting II it will be relayed once again.

One big surprise of the day had to be the spot drug check in the bay area. Can you say fireworks! Oh my. It was all arranged last Friday right down to the two fake appts. scheduled. We had it set up for a 1pm time. Well, an appt. ran long and so by 1:30pm the staff was gathered to leave as the appt. left and then the sale person who had been in the appt. pretty much freaked out. Demanded to talk to Barb in Canada and then Mark. End of story copped to the fact that it would be a dirty UA, but that did not matter as he was going to announce he was leaving for another job. Since he was leaving he would not have to do the test - nope, not so. He was still under our employ and thus forced to do it. I do think he thought he could get around it and then in a couple of weeks we would forget and suddenly he would ask for job back and stay and move on. Not this time. He had to do the test and we should have results by tomorrow. Boy do we have drama or what?

So now I am home beating the traffic for the ball game and my friend is due here soon for drinks and dinner. Had to pass on seeing Markie this night, but hey, sometimes we can do it and other times it does not work out. He spent the day yesterday yanking out his fence in his front yard in Southpark and boy it looks different. On that note I am signing off and wishing you all a very good evening!