Where to Begin

"Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop" - from Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, King to the White Rabbit.

Having started this way, for some there might be an explanation required. It certainly has been a busy few days since the last post, so let's begin.

Weddings: As some know, I have always been a huge fan of weddings. They have proven to always been a grand time, and last weekend was no exception.

After several hours in the vehicle, I arrived in Merrillville at 2:30-ish Saturday afternoon. No problem - wedding scheduled for 4 PM and directions indicate there would be a 12-minute drive from the hotel. The directions must have been written for a Chinese driver leaving at midnight. I managed to arrive at the outdoor site minutes before the wedding party processed to the gazebo. WHEW! I was not the last to arrive either. I did find shade to stand in, and that made it tolerable. Too bad for the bride and groom - they were in full sun.

Reception was delightful - in AIR CONDITIONING! Yippee! I sat at a table with several interesting people (and handed out my personal business cards - who knows where the next job lead could come from). Open bar, good food, great discussions (learned much about the groom's father - perhaps TMI). Hung out with the groom's grandparents and learned how to manage groundhogs (kill 'em, and then place 12-gage wire in an attractive display around buildings to keep them from burrowing).

Brunch with the groom's family members at a posh country club the next morning. The most interesting of the group was an aunt who's front tooth kept coming out. She was definitely a throw-back to the 60's (or as a friend would say, a "hicker-billy").

Volunteering: Monday was my day for completing a "good deed." I have a good deed as an objective for every day, but perhaps Monday will be good for several days (or even weeks or months). A person from church asked if I would be able/willing to assist a somewhat disabled gentleman get ready to sell his house. This person has a contract to purchase a home in Shelbyville, contingent on selling his current one. No problem.

I called almost daily a week ago, but could not make contact. On Friday before the wedding I sent a note to my contact and told his wife I had "given up" - could not make contact. On Monday morning my contact called and asked if I could assist in the afternoon. I (perhaps in a weakened state, making a poor judgement) said yes.

I arrived at the location shortly after 1 PM. The gentleman, after several knocks on the door, came and suggested I start with the sink in the rental unit (the renters had moved out, and the air conditioning was on). He brought me a bottle of some unknown liquid, which he stated could be used to clean the sink. After working for about 20 minutes I had managed to remove about two-thirds of whatever had coated the surface. My contact arrived.

We entered the person's "living quarters" (he also has a small dog). The smell would have knocked a weaker person over! I headed for the local convenience store to pick up supplies - Comet, paper towels, Pine Sol, and Fabreeze. It was going to be a LONG afternoon.

Highlights: I found the sheets wadded on the floor and made the bed (which sagged about a foot in the center). Picked up unknown paper towels from the floor, vacuumed (with a vacuum cleaner what was STICKY), and used a good portion of the Fabreeze in the room. I used bleach only in the bathroom on the shower and floor - and only used a mop! There was no bird in the house and what I thought were thistle seeds were really mouse dropping (huge piles around the kitchen floor, under things that were moved, along the walls, and across the kitchen counter). I am not a great house keeper, but you can't pay me to do that job! I did my best and at 5:40 PM the house was ready to clean. I left and my contact, the realtor (who worked on the outside of the house and then assisted me inside) remained to show the house at 6 PM. I went home (which I was going to clean that afternoon), walked in and thought, "this isn't too bad." Poured a tall one.

Job Hunting: The never ending saga. I have completed my first reporting for extended benefits. I "waived" the first week (ended June 13) and claimed the next. I have 12 more weeks of coverage. Let's hope for the best - I will no longer be able to turn down a written offer that will pay more than what I get on unemployment (at least that is what the directions indicate).

Books: Because the government is now restricting how I go about my job hunting, I am now reading more books. Check my Facebook page to watch my completions. I have started "The 4-Hour Workweek" (T. Ferriss), "Hot, Flat, and Crowded" (T.L, Friedman), and "Energy Independence" (C.Woodside). Last week I finished two others. I have never been able to read only one book at a time (is that ADD?).

"Name must your fear be before banish it you can" - Yoda