Well, world, it's happened...I have joined the ranks of such famous women as Shirley Feeney, Laverne Da Fazio, and even Rosanne Connor. I am now among the factory-employed! Unfortunately, I don't work for Shotz Brewery or Wellman Plastics...instead, I work for Electrolux, building electric ranges. My job, specifically, is to install brackets on the backguards. For those of you who don't speak "stove", that's the part with the clock and timer on it, and you never actually see the brackets...in fact, I'm a little puzzled as to their purpose, but if I'm being paid to put them on, I'll do it til my thumbs are sore! And, boy, are my thumbs ever sore!
In addition to the sore thumbs, my arms have joined the party, because for the past two nights, I've been working a screw gun, putting caps on the sides of the backguards, and the screw gun weighs more than I do. From the work I do on the endcaps, I'm going to end up with one killer grip in my left hand, since that's the hand I use to brace all the parts together while I work the screw gun with my right hand (yup, ya caught me...I'm a rightie!). Since I work around a lot of metal and machinery, I have to wear the required safety gear...and, man, oh, MAN, is this stuff SEXY! I have rubber-palmed gloves, over which I have to wear wool arm guards with thumb-holes so that absolutely no skin shows on my arms at any time. Then there's the matter of my safety glasses. Ya know those cheesey, contoured ski-glasses that were all the rage for a while? Yeah, I wear those...complete with an adjustable head strap, so they don't slip off! The only thing optional about my gear is the bandana I wear, and that's just to keep the hair out of my safety glasses. I got used to wearing one when I worked at Hamburger Haven back in Keyser, and I still have all my Haven-reeking headrags. No matter how many times I wash them, they STILL smell like Haven food! I think working at Electrolux will take care of that, though...every night when I come home, BJ hugs me, gives me a kiss, tells me he missed me and he loves me, then adds "You smell like stove parts, go change..." Electrolux has a distinct aroma of metal, propane fumes (from the tow motors) and occasionally...dog food. Yeah, there's a dog food plant right up the road, and when they crank the furnaces on, EVERYONE knows about it! So, maybe it's not the most glamorous job in the world, but ya know what? It's a job, first and foremost; it pays better than JCPenney did, it's closer to home (it's a 7 minute drive from my house to the plant) and it's full-time, right off the bat. I'm guaranteed at least 40 hours per week, and they pay weekly. So...say hello to Bracket Brat!
In other news, BJ and I have the house to ourselves again. Matt moved out (I'll spare you the details), so it's just me, BJ, the cats and Addison, when she comes to stay. Since we have the second bedroom open now, it's going to be Addison's room, and next week when we both get paid, we're going to go shopping for Little Miss. We'll be getting her a brand-new big girl and all the trimmings (new sheets, blankets and pillows), a toy box for all her treasures, a bookshelf, a little area rug (hardwood floors and tiny socked feet don't mix well...) and a table where she can color and draw and play with her Play-Doh. Mainly, the table will be for drawing on her own, she loves to do that! Play-Doh is something better suited for the kitchen table...basically, so I can play, too! And...there will be finger paints! Oh, yes...there will be little paint-laden fingers! We're gonna get some big sheets of paper so she can doodle and scribble and smear paint to her little heart's content! And...so I can play, too! Come on, really, you all know me...finger paint and Play-Doh makes for good times, even at my age! Oh, she's also getting some new outfits, too, cause the clothes we have are rapidly being outgrown. I'm going to have fun shopping for a little kid again...I remember buying clothes and fun things for Matty, and I loved it! Even living with Boyd and Tabby, I still got to buy little fun things for the kids and help Tabby pick out clothes. I'm still a big kid at heart, and so is BJ...this is going to be fun! We already have various play sets picked out that we'd like to get for her, and when the weather and funding improves, she'll also have outdoor play areas set up - a swing set, a sandbox, a little wading pool, and perhaps a little playhouse (funds willing).
Well, world, it's WAY past my bedtime, and with that said, it's off to the beddy-bye basket for me, BJ and the boys!
Now you need to sew a big 'K' to all your clothes. :) Great story, as always. Hope you get to keep this job too. Sounds like something I would have liked to have done instead of the career path I put myself on. Their wearing my old body out sometimes. I remember working for ADM, labeling Sears catalogs for mailing. We were right next to the recycling plant. When they opened the warehouse doors it was like when the elephants come to town. P.U.! xxoo
ReplyDeleteWell, good for you Girlie! I like the idea of a big K on your sweater.
ReplyDeleteLove Ya!