Cheers!

My mom...wearing my hat.

My brother and sister-in-law; Rich and Pam

I spent the weekend in Detroit visiting my family.  The primary reason for my visit was to celebrate my brother Richard's 50th birthday.  For 15 years I have not been able to get together with my family during the summer...and NEVER on a weekend.  (Other than for funerals.)  This was such a treat for me!  It was truly like old times.  Drew and I left Friday evening and had a great time visiting with my mom.  On Saturday we visited my sister and family at their new home in Harrison Township.  Then my mom, Drew and I went shopping.  Big Lots, Dollar Tree and Aldi...all "high end" stores!  Saturday night my sister-in-law had a great gathering with a wonderful spread of food! 

The weather outside today is beautiful.  Harley will not want to come in from his walk.  I will be working, of course.  I am getting so much more comfortable with my job.  It is very demanding and accuracy is imperative.  It is quite interesting talking to people from all over the world.  I will say this...American's are CHEAP and DEMANDING!  I love the Australians!  When I see a call pop up and it says "Australia" I am so happy.  I know they will be cheerful, polite, thankful and courteous.

I have great conversations during the day with my co-worker, Amy, who sits next to me.  She really "get's me."  We actually have a lot in common regarding our beliefs, our humor, our attitudes, etc.  We've made up a silly thing for Friday's...it's "Show and Tell" day.  Just something to break the monotony of being on the phone.  We've also decided to do "Christmas in July."  I'm getting to know more people and feel a bit more at home.  It's starting to become a routine.  I will just be so glad when my bankruptcy is over and I will feel like I can now move on with my life.

Well, gotta go, Harley needs a walk!  As the Australians say when they hang the phone up "CHEERS!" - Jimmy

Everybody Is Now Really Getting Along!

Wiley resting on his chair.  He will be 17 in a couple weeks!

Well, the week has come and gone.  The weekend is here.  It's so nice to have weekends off, there is just something about it.

My buddy Wiley is in the picture above.  When Ray and I got him and his sister (Amity) we had just purchased our condo in Saugatuck/Douglas (as our second home-we were still living in Royal Oak).  As a joke Ray said "Let's name them Wiley and Amity" (which were the corner street names of where our condo was).  We assummed it was a temporary joke.  We decided to call them that until we picked real/better names.  Well, they stuck.  Amity died almost three years ago from pancreatic cancer.  Wiley seems to be doing very well.

My new job is going well.  I am finally starting to get used to a routine schedule.  There was nothing routine over the last 15 years.  So that has been a big change for me.  I sit for eight hours a day handling customer and hotel calls from places ALL over the WORLD!  I deal with different languages, accents, cultural beliefs, attitudes, currency, etc.  One minute I may be talking to a guest in Oklahoma and the next second Istanbul.  It sure keeps you on your toes...well, while you're sitting down.

Today is Ray's sister Marguerite's birthday.  Happy Birthday Gully!  Ray named her "Gully."  An explanation I will not get into. 

This is the newest baby.  "Harley Quinn Davidson."  He's a great boy and everybody is now really getting along.  - Jimmy