Mrs Justa and "Help Wanted"

It is scary out in the employment world,

with every night hearing news on lay offs and companies going down. Work is out there, but we have to accept what is available and not shun away an offer.

Today we had an opening

for a temporary position for our clerical support team. Normally we hear in about 2-3 days that the agency has a fit. Today we heard in less then 4 hrs. That spoke volumes to me.

As I have said before I do love my job,

and I am thankful that I have a job first of all, and secondly that I like the one I have. I did leave a tad early today because of a migraine and this funky thing going on with my right eye is not helping settle the headache. I did get to work this morning pretty early, and when I came home I was able to go back on line and do some work from here, so all was not lost for the day.

My thought for the day has to do with people looking for work.

The interview process is not a comfortable situation for me. I try not to show that I feel like I am begging for a job. In my past 38 years of working, I have gone on interviews and been the interviewer a number of times. So today my thoughts are some tips for when anyone goes on an interview .

First, listen to the interviewer,

and answer questions openly after the interviewer has stopped asking/talking. I have had some people, over the years , come in for an interview and talk over everything that is being said. That tells me 2 things, first they do not hear everything if they have already thought of something to say. And second, if they do this in an interview, how will it be to try to train a person.

Second, arrive a little early for your interview.

There may be an application you need to fill out. I had a person once reprimand me because they had to fill out an application. Oh yeah, I would advise not saying you want to come and work for the company because you want a job where you can kick back your feet and relax , that too is not a selling point.

Attire, no low cut tops,

cleavage needs to be covered.  I have in the past a few woman who have come in who I thought might have their breast end up on the table. Totally not acceptable in my book. My thought was if this is how the person is going to dress for an interview, what will it be like once they are comfortable. I could not help but wonder if they did this thinking a male might be conducting the interview. Conservative and casual business wear is best.

Ask questions,

do not just sit and nod and then leave. Make eye contact with the interviewer, the interviewer is taking time out of their day to meet with you. When you talk, talk to the interviewer and not to some spot on the wall, and if there is a window, do not be looking out it as the interviewer/s are talking to you.If the company has a web site, go on it in advance and learn something about them. That shows you have interest in your future and in the company you are applying at. And after, send a thank you to the company for taking the time to meet with you, ( if of course you are thankful for the interview). Good luck, Love, Mrs Justa.( image courtesy of google image)

43 Things Tags: looking for work,help wanted,interview,impressions

Mrs Justa and being thankful

43 Things Tags: thankful,family,God,babies,blessings,life

Have you ever taken time to think what really makes you happy? What brings you such joy? There are certain things that bring Indi joy, a joy that is endless,such as hanging his face out the window of the car as we go down the road.

Now this makes no sense to me, because I can blow in his face and he hates it,

but gusts of 55 mph in his face and he is in hog's heaven. He does not beg to go with us, but always appreciates the chance.

His tennis ball, now this brings him pleasure to no end, he will ask for it thrown, will chase it and then lay contently with it touching his nose, so no one steals it.

Things that bring me joy: Laughter, the kind that makes my eyes water and me almost gasp my breath: Babies,the smell of a baby, the warmth of their existence, the cuddling and their need for comfort: Music makes me fill with joy, it fills me with content: A good book, ahh, not enough of them are read, but when I get my hands on one, ahh it is ecstasy: taking a walk; exercising : A good friend. If you have a really good friend, you have more wealth than money can buy: Doing things for others : Knowing that my son loves me: having a husband that cherishes and loves me: knowing our kids are in good marriages: knowing the kids and their spouses love Mark and me: Feeling God's presence: Lilacs : Payday ! : Loosing weight: Singing :

Cooking something that turns out perfect:  Mowing a yard: Cleaning our house:

Shoveling snow: a campfire: camping: sitting at the ocean or walking the beach: being on a mountain top: the love from a pet: going to my job; sitting on the park bench and just chilling.... Yep I am weird, but these things- and so many more - bring me such joy.

I do not stop enough to count my blessings, to treasure the things I find joy from. Do you? Take time to be thankful for what you have and look for those things that make you whole. Love always, Mrs Justa.... Cindy

Mrs Justa and home

Charles Lindbergh once said" City and country are different qualities of human life, and each is essential to it. But they are like sugar and salt, not to be taken together in the same spoon. You should go from one to the other....and maybe even change your clothes along the way." I love the country life, I work in the outskirts of the city.

Some people love the city life and may find nothing attractive about the county. To me, the country is quiet. If we hear a plane going overhead, it is a cause for concern. We never hear a train whistle, and every once in a while maybe a siren will go by on the county route we live just off of.

I can go out at night and see stars from one horizon to the other. We can watch the sun rise out of one end of the house and the sun set out of the other end of the house. It may sound weird, but I feel the presence of Gods being in the country. It opens up the gifts the world has to offer. The wind, the trees, the breeze, the colors of the sky.

There is no music pounding from a distance, unless it is a car going by. There is no constant noise, or hustle. I can sing karaoke at any hour of the day or night. Vacuum when we want to - not to worry about the neighbors being disturbed.

And then five days a week, I take the journey from the fields and openness to the life of a city. It is not a huge city, so it comes no where near to the tails of trucking from Mark's past. He drove anywhere they dispatched him,

with lanes next to lanes of bumper to bumper traffic. I can not do that. If there is a chance for bad driving conditions you can find me on a country road, holding the wheel and watching the landmarks to get me to work or home.

The older I get, the more I love the home life. Sitting in the evening and spending it home, watching a little TV, maybe sewing something , or doing a crossword or a word search. Hopping on the exercise bike, cooking, cleaning. I love being home.

There is a peace that I hunger for, and we have it here. Others I know hunger for the closeness of the city. A very good friend of mine came out here over the summer and made a comment that she would probably not be back unless she took a wrong turn. She was born and raised in the  city, so this is like a road trip to come out here. 

We need people who like the cities, to help keep the cities going. But me, give me a park bench and a cup of iced tea, a camp fire, maybe a early evening cup of coffee as I watch the world go from colors to silhouettes to shadows and  I am a happy camper. I hope that each of you live in a place you love, for home is where we are grounded, where we can take off the masks and be ourselves, where a pair of sweats may be the best feeling of the day, where you can be you. Peace to all, Love Mrs Justa

43 Things Tags: home,country,city,life,peace,God

Mrs Justa and aging

A Monday morning winter day. Yes folks here we go. And I am not feeling as confident about my winter tires as I was when we were working up to the first snow fall.

 I had an interesting Sunday and Monday. Seems my eyes want to play head games with me. Yesterday on my way to church I started to be aware of black lines flashing in my right peripheral vision. So I thought , oh maybe my eyelash, or some mascara, or my bangs, or a reflection in my side of my glasses. But as I eliminated all these possibilities, the situation still remained.

Then in the afternoon, it went away, only to return last night and today as flashes of white light. Now in this weird state I felt maybe an appointment to the eye doctor was warranted. I have glaucoma and was reminded of my moms flashes of light that were a result of a torn retina.

Mark drove me to the docs, and the car did not hold the road real well. It was a thick slush, so maybe that is why, it is tough to drive on slush, but I expected those tires to gnaw the snow, ice and slush and show it who was boss.

The good news was the white flashes and black curve is not a detached retina, the BAD news is it goes with aging ! GO figure. The doc warned me if the flashes worsen, or my floaters ( which I have had for 20+ yrs ) increase in number, then call back. So now I am looking like a freak or a paranoid person, as I keep looking real quick to my left, cuz it looks like something is coming for me....but it is only old age coming at me, in the form of lightening flashes. Ya just gotta love it. Mrs Justa and the imaginary spooks creeping up on me

43 Things Tags: aging,snow,tires,eyes,flashes

Mrs Justa and life

This room is filled with potential of joy. This is our back bedroom, and we have a crib , in case Brandon is over and a regular bed, for anyone to rest a weary head on, and my karaoke machine. I bring this room to the foreground today  because today was a day I sang in church.

This room is one place I practice whatever song I am going to do over and over again. This week was a song titled " I Can Only Imagine" . This song was on the top 40s a few years back on the contemporary adult music stations. This song has a message that is powerful. I actually almost tear up as I sing it, thinking about the meaning of the song.

Part of it goes " I can only imagine, What it will be like, when I walk by your side. I can only imagine what my eyes will see when you face is before me, I can only imagine."

It makes me think about what is next after this life we are in, and from what I have read in the Bible, and with what I have heard in church, this is a stepping stone to an eternal life.  Some of you may not believe that, and I respect that, but I do very much believe it. And the way I look at it is, let's say this is all not true- then I have lived a life the best way I can and when I am gone, I will have left a good memory for those I have left behind. I treasure my family, I treasure my work, I am so very thankful for everyone in my life, I try not to judge, I am honest, and I try to bring the best to all I do.

But what if it is true, and I chose to ignore the Bible and the words of life, then what. It will be too late to turn back and say I am sorry for all I have done.

Some people I have spoken to have made comments like " When I know I am ready to die, then I will ask forgiveness and believe.. but now I am living life my way." Well I guess that is an option, if you are blessed with a premonition of death, but what if you die instantly- a horrible accident, sudden death from a heart attack or maybe shock. There are no second chances.

This song beings out the - what will it be like when I have died on earth and gone to my eternal life. The song went alright today, the nerves before singing were there, but I made it through, and now "I Can Only Imagine" is playing in my head, in my heart. I wish you peace, and calmness on this Sunday in November, Love Mrs Justa

43 Things Tags: Life,death,Bible,living,singing

Mrs Justa and Imus part 2

Part 2 of Mr Imus. This is Imus doing a type of break dance.

Kinda like being Michael Jackson wanna be. This cat is a trip

He will stand on his hind legs and box the dog. Or as in this set of photos he was just boogying.    

He twists and turns and then took a bow.

Mornings however bring out his major thought process. First my alarm may not yet have gone off, I awaken to him trying to play with the alarm clock, like he is trying to set it off early.

That doesn't work, so then I wake as he is playing with the rod on the blinds, like he is trying to open them.

Still no luck, he has more tricks, he tries to knock the phone receiver off, I do not know if he is trying to call for help, or get that annoying alarm sound to go off letting me know the receiver is off. SO we leave our bedroom door closed, as soon as the alarm goes off he starts meowing in a strange fashion , sliding his paw under the door and shaking the door.

Once we feed him, he is fine. Quiet for the rest of the day. He plays with the dog, then takes a snooze. But morning time... that is a time for attention. :) I love this little guy, but I found out a long time ago that pets have personalities just like people. If you take the time to sit back and watch them, it is quite entertaining. Love to all, Mrs Justa :)

43 Things Tags: cat,life,entertaining,pets,meow,dance

Mrs Justa and Imus and Indi

Tonight is the night for Imus ( and INDI) . This cat is the funniest little animal that I think I have known for a long time. He has a fetish for clean counters, and will push off anything that he feels is not supposed to be there.

For example, we have a couple of toy VW bugs at the base of a lamp, every morning they are on the floor.

I was unloading some stuff from my arms and left an empty bag on the counter for a second, he jumped up knocked it off and disappeared.

He does not jump up and bother when there is food preparation, just for the other stuff. Ya gotta laugh at his lack of fear to that quick pop up, knock off and disappear.

He also loves Indi, I mean loves him.They get along so well, they play rumble and then lay next to each other and clean each other off. 

I look at these two guys and am reminded of a saying- a Bulgarian proverb...

"God promises a safe landing but not a calm passage." These two have both landed safely. One was a stray cat, born to a farm cat and left to walk around in the outside by a busy country road. And Indi was given up by an elderly couple and left alone at the SPCA. Their journey was not always easy, but they have landed in a home filled with safety and love. They never are let out alone, the dog on a leash and comes right back in. The cat only out for the vet.

I love these 2 guys. I think we all need to be reminded that the road in life is never guaranteed to be smooth, but it is the landing that counts.

  Have a kitty cat/

puppy dog type of day! Cindy

43 Things Tags: dogs,cat,life,difficulties,guarantees,God,peace

Mrs Justa and the colors of life

My mom used to say her favorite color was sky-blue-pink. This photo is dedicated to my mom, for this is the closest to sky-blue-pink I can run across. I see many colors evolve before my eyes as I drive in to work every morning. Now that daylight savings time has forced us to turn our clocks back an hour, I find I am half way to work before the darkened sky becomes illuminated with colors.

I love the peacefulness of the early morning hours, when you can hear the wind whisper and the clouds start to rise above the land. In the process of doing so, the trees begin to pop out their heads through the blanket of mist.

I saw a deer this morning as it surfaced on the fog filled field. It was like an image growing from the earth. It's elegant stance , so poetic, and then the sucker darted across the road, smack dab in front of me. It took the ahhh , the peaceful feeling, and accelerated shock and fear in me. From ahhhh to AHHHHH. Fortunately Bambi and my vehicle survived the sudden change. But by the time I had recuperated from the fear of smashing the car and trashing the deer, the sunset had lost it's color and it was replaced with a glaring yellow sun.

Each sunrise is different, and it always brings me peace. Who knows what colors will be there tomorrow, painted across the horizon. But whatever it is, I will try to enjoy them. Things like this bring me such joy, such peace and such realization that we are such a minute part of this great world that God has provided us with.  

We do need to stop, look around and see what we can see, in this lifetime movie set that we live in. The admission is free, the sites constantly change, and the beauty never ends if you look for it.

Love always , Mrs Justa.

43 Things Tags: sunrise,colors,blessings Mother's Day,life,gifts

Mrs Justa and the septic tank pumper

43 Things Tags: septic tank,pumper,stink,jobs,poop

Okay, now there are jobs and there are jobs,

and this job takes the prize in my mind. Again I ask, what in the world would make someone a professional septic tank pumper outer. Jeff and Amanda just had to get one pumped, and it had not been done for a few years,Jeff said it was full. No one has lived in this house for months, so I am thinking that was ripe.

Really, have you ever been back with the septic man?

Heck you can be 1/2 mile away and know one of these guys are around. Do you go to school for pumping poop? Some of the stuff they do may be neat, like when they get to bring in the steam shovels and back hoes and destroy a person yard to put in a new leach field,  but the dude who drives around the tanker trucks, with cutsey names, like turd hunter, or poop taxi, I mean what can make them look forward to coming to work?

I am glad they do, because without them,

us country folks would be up poop creek without a paddle. I can not imagine that they have all their senses. The sense of smell has got to be something they are lacking, and maybe their vision is not the greatest, cuz it is hard to believe anyone would like to play in other peoples ( or their own for that matter) poop from the last yr or so.

Where we used to live,

they tried to stretch the pumper of poop appointments to every 5 years. We had 4 homes going into one septic- and let me tell ya, when that guy took the lid off, we all closed the windows and breathed thru fabric softener sheets.

Can you imagine doing their laundry?

You would have to do it immediately, the guys would have to strip on the porch. And do they stop for lunch? How can you keep the visuals of the job out of your dreams?

And do they jump out of bed in the morning, excited of the day to come? My hat goes of to you folks who do this for a living, and I thank you for it, I just can not figure out why you do it. Keep pumping, and we will keep going. Love Mrs Justa, ( photos from google image)

Mrs Justa and the dentist

Can ya tell where I was last week. Yep the dentist. Another pondering moment in my mind, why would anyone want to be a dentist? Drool, bad breath, tartar, little tiny tools, little miniature drills and sanders, drool, looking at tongues, lips, nose hair. Now don't get me wrong, I am glad there are dentists, thankful they have this passion     but why...what would inspire someone to want to look in maybe 30 mouths a day. 

And how do they understand people speaking open mouth lingo?   Did you ever have your mouth pried open and the dentist or dental hygienist asks you where you work? Or the dentist is drilling and wants to know how the weather was on your way in? You try to talk without moving your lips, jaws or tongue, and they understand your explanation. Ugg uggg uggg ugg.. and they nod at you , like understand you fluently.

Then when they clamp that piece of metal around a tooth they are filling, have you ever had them tighten the screw of the clamp and not realize a part of your lip in in the way. Youch!

Or when they have to give you Novocain just under your nose- man the eyes start watering, and it feels like it takes forever. And where do you look as your dentist is 4 inches from your eyes. I hate breathing with him that close, I try to look beyond his face at the ceiling tiles, I don't want to stare in his eyes, that is totally weird. And they must be thinking the same thing when they are close enough to bite my nose . I refuse to let my mouth fill with saliva, cuz most of the time the suckey thing is sucking the inside of my cheek and making little hickies in it. SO I swallow, trying to leave my tongue in place, ahhh, the life at the dentist is not fun.

Have you ever had a dentist that sweats profusely as he is looking down on you? Oh I did when I was a teen, and every once in a while he would have a droplet hit my face.

Nope- I am not understanding if a dentist is born with that thought, like from the moment they are conceived they know they want to be a dentist. Or when was it they decided it was what they wanted to do? Hmmm. I have to go back next month, already dreading it. And again as I sit there, talking open mouth lingo, I will wonder what made these folks want to do this job, and when they are through I will thank them. For they are special people to want to do this job.  Love Mrs justa ( photos courtesy of google image)

43 Things Tags: dentist,jobs,professions,gross,teeth

Mrs Justa and the first day at a new job

43 Things Tags: new job,alone,feeling lost,inadequate,training

Okay, so here I go again with my mind pondering. I was reflecting on my 45 minute ride home today about jobs I have had. And orientation for them. The feeling the night before I was starting a new job. The feeling that very first time I walked into that new job. And training for my new job. Some jobs the training was pretty quick, working at Carol's Restaurant, at Pizio's Italian Restaurant. That training was pretty quick.

Working in photo finishing, that was much more involved and lasted for a few weeks. Nursing, wow that was 2 1/2 yrs of school, and clinicals on the various types of medical floors, but that first day as a new graduate nurse, walking onto that med surg floor, wow, that was scary, and I had an orientor...somewhere. That first day we had call-ins- so the utopian moment in my mind of starting with 2 patients and learning how to manage the days, gradually increasing in the patient load--well I ended up with 9 patients! And my orientor had the next nine. I call it baptism by fire.

Where I am now, we gradually train people, make sure they feel comfortable as they learn new things and they have an orientor for 3 mos. After that they have a team of nurses always available to answer questions, trouble shoot.

Now comes my pondering-- imagine you are at the new job as President of the USA. There is no one shadowing you, guiding you, one day you are not and the next day you are.

Barack got briefed today... man I think I would want more then a briefing. Tomorrow he gets a tour of the White House by President Bush. Not for nothing, but that must be surreal, scary, to know all the secrets of the world, and be told ..."no one knows this but a few people". Who is your orientor? The president packs up and leaves when he is through. I am feeling scared for Barack ! I have butterflies in my stomach, just thinking about how it would feel that night before taking the baton, and then the first day you would walk into the oval office, and be all alone. Yikes... who in their right mind would want to go through 2 1/2 yrs of accusations, of nasty comments, and then poof,,,, alone in that big white house, with millions of people under you.  And watching the guy who was just in this job, walk out of that big white house and go into the sunset.

I am freaking myself out. think about it.... all I can say ..is better them then me!. Love Mrs Justa

Mrs Justa and new beginnings

43 Things Tags: elections,new beginning,life,president

All people sick of the way things are- raise your hand. Hold that hand high and say we need a change. Tired of the high taxes, the high fuel costs, the companies leaving the US of A and discarding their devoted employees like used tissues. Hold up that hand and show your desire for better days ahead, for not fearing the utility bill, not feeling used when you go to the store.

And then look at where we are. We are at another one of those "new beginning" times in our lives. A new time in history. The first black president.Not who got my vote, but it is over and we have to come together and rally as a country.  He is a very intelligent person, His college education speaks for itself. He has nice teeth, a warm smile. And I think the dude will age a bit in the ol oval office. You gotta be nuts to want to be president! Look at all the crap they have to deal with.  

I hate dealing with politics of every day life in the very small level I deal with. Can you imagine having to deal with senators, congress folks, all those secret service folks watching every move you make.

You can't sneeze without a bunch of secret service offering you a tissue. And what about if you have one of those annoying itches- you have no where to go to scratch it. DO they stand outside your bathroom door waiting for you to come out?

I wonder if they tell you what to wear? How to eat? Nope, I will take the day to day politics of driving from point A to point B, the people in the store, or the folks I run across. Low key, few disruptions, and time to belt out songs in my car ALONE on my way to and from work. More power to you, Mr President. Love Mrs Justa.

Mrs Justa and anger

"Anyone who angers you conquers your mind" (Mothers advice to Sister Elizabeth Kenny) Whoa, that is something I am pondering.

My mind has been conquered a few times in my life. And it was hard to get it back on course. I saw this photo on goggle images and it really fits what I feel from this quote.

I have had people in my life, that have really weakened me to feel anger. Feel such anger that I may think a four letter word or two. Anger that has made me curse out loud, or scream to the point of choking.

Anger that has made me feel all trembling inside , and my hands are actually shaking. But I never looked at it as conquering my mind, but it does. It takes me to places I do not like to be in my world of emotions.

I do not get angry very often now, although I have had instances where a person is just down right nasty and cruel to me, and I feel the anger inside, I keep it there, and sometimes it feels like my head will explode.

When I was younger, so many years ago, I showed my anger, I would grit my teeth together so hard I would think they would crack, or I would actually pull out a clump of my own hair ( what sense does that make?? I should have pulled the other person's hair out!) I have wanted to chase that jerk who cut me off down the highway, but I don't. Yes anger, if we let it can conquer our who being. So now it is time to deep breathe, ahhh, count to ten, ahh, and proceed in a harmonious manner in life. MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM. Love Mrs Justa

43 Things Tags: anger,self-control,patience,overcoming emotions

Mrs Justa and missing my mom and dad

Whoa November 3rd is a date of many emotions. In 1963 my father died, the same second my youngest sister was born. So she brought us joy in a time of terrible loss. I was ten at the time, I had just turned ten on October 19th. It was on my 10th birthday that my dad had stayed home from his traveling salesman job and went to a doctor, thinking he had the flu. I went to school, kinda glad that dad was sick, cuz that meant he would be home for my birthday, instead of traveling for many days and nights.

Well, when I came home, he was not there, he had been admitted to a hospital because the "flu" was really a heart attack. My mom was very pregnant, and she had all 5 of us home alone with her. We spent the next 2 + weeks traveling to the hospital so she could visit and we hung out in a waiting room lobby area on the first floor.

Well November 2nd came and we got to see him. He was coming home the next morning. We laughed, we were thrilled. But at 1100 that night my mom went into labor, my oldest sister came home from nursing school to watch us as a neighbor rushed my mom to the hospital.

The next morning, a phone call, and we found out our dad was not coming home, he had died. Then we called the hospital my mom was at, and told them to relay the message that her husband had died, it was then we found out we had a sister .

35 years later in life, to the day, my mom was in Germany visiting people she had never meant before. People she found to have ties to her roots. My mo was an illegitimate child from 1921, and finally found a possible connection to the past she never knew. November third, the phone rings at around 5:30 in the morning. It was weird, like maybe it was mom saying hello on this day of joy and sadness. But instead it was a call to say my mom had died , November 3rd, in her sleep , in Germany, at the home of the relative she never knew she had until then. A perfect circle, a perfect ending to an unusual story. I miss you mom, so very much... I miss you dad more then you will ever know.. and I love you sis on this special day. Love to all, Cindy

43 Things Tags: death,life,miss,mom,dads,sorrow,joy

Mrs Justa and The hour glass

43 Things Tags: vote,trust,nation,time

Have you ever been doing something that had to be completed before the hour glass was done emptying? Did you ever play a game using an hour glass? As the sand is almost gone, the nerves increase.

Like in the Wizard of Oz when there was the huge hour glass in the wicked witches creepy room.

I had a game once that used an hour glass, and I had to get all the pieces in the puzzle before the hour glass finished. The anxiousness of running out of time made me feel anxious, shaky.

Well that is how I feel as election day is finally less then 48 hrs away. At this time in 2 days we will be getting to the end of our chances to vote.

I am nervous that people are not going to vote--PLEASE vote.

I am anxious that people have not really looked at the candidates.

I personally am not going to vote for a party, but for the people running. The sand is slowly going from one end to the other of the hour glass, and the weather - at least in the Northeast look like it will be great for Tuesday.

So please everyone, lets make sure nothing gets in our way. Do not become apathetic. And vote for the person who you truly believe has a track record of doing things for this country and for the person you believe will help this country become stronger and more financially secure. Peace, and faith to all of you. CIndy

Mrs Justa and typical Monday

Mondays, why do they always have the tendency to have things go wrong.

I may spill my coffee on my way to my car, or I get behind every school bus on my 35 miles of rural routes to work , or my "tire low light" comes on on my dash in the middle of no where, or 3 people call in sick. This past Monday I had on a white sweater, I had gone to the cafe to make my lunch, I had my instant oatmeal and added it to a cup put hot water in it and carefully covered it with a paper towel. On the way up the stair to go work thru my lunch, somehow the hot maple and brown sugar oatmealy water spilled all over my white sweater. Well it looked like a cow pooped on my chest. So I went in the bathroom, took off my sweater and washed it in the sink, tried to dry it with paper towel ( the cheap kind) and sat shivering for the good part of the afternoon. MONDAYS!!!

The worse Monday pits however is car trouble.

This is a photo of one of my dearest friends, and she also works with me. She had this car that was beginning to cause her some heartache, and on a Monday not so long ago, I answered my phone at work, only to find out is was AAA calling. The lady on the phone told me that my friend asked them to call me to say she was going to be late for work, and that she had broken down a few miles from work. She told me my friend seemed pretty upset and worried.

This street is a very busy street, and has no shoulders.

So in the right lane ( far left in this photo) lane, with absolutely no electrical power, her car sits. AAA was sending a patrol car out to sit behind her car, as she had not flashers, but they had not yet arrived at the time I arrived to be with her.

We stayed on the lawn next to the car, because there was no way for anyone coming up on the car to know it was stopped at first.

I felt bad for my friend, she had no cell phone,

and had to use a passer by's phone to even call for help. She is a good person, and would give you the shirt off her back, she has a dry sense of humor, and sometimes she will talk in a riddle. I have known her since 1989. She is a blessing. She has been there thru many ups and downs. I did not think twice when she was stranded, I told the team I would be back in a few, and I was going to go stand with Her as we waited for the tow truck. Mondays,,,, they can suck... but true friends help make Mondays better. I hope when you have a Monday, you have a friend to share it with:) Love to all, Mrs Justa.

43 Things Tags: Mondays,car trouble,bad luck,friends,life

Mrs Justa, and PLEASE VOTE

Please vote next Tuesday. And do not vote because of what any of the polls say. They are reflective of what ever part of the population they claim to represent.

Vote with pride, vote with an educated vote. Go on line and check out each of the candidates. Not their political ads, but who they are, what have they done in their past, what do they believe in, 

please do not get swayed by the media. Get swayed by your heart and mind. Make sure they agree , your knowings and your feelings need to be sure that when you go to that polling booth, you are voting from knowledge, not just because you think so and so will win.

Your vote does count, do not let anyone make you think any different.

I heard someone say to vote for a certain candidate is like throwing away your vote!! That is total nonsense. It is each of our votes,tallied together , that reflect the was we feel about each candidate.

The presidential election is only part of this next Tuesday election day, we are voting for other folks too.

So research, go to non bias sites and learn as much as you can, and PROUDLY go on Tuesday and show this country you want to be heard. And for those who believe in God, say prayers for election day and that people will be guided to make the best decision for the USA. Love, Cindy

43 Things Tags: voting,your vote,educated,knowledge,politics,pray,believe

Mrs Justa and being a grandma

Good night my sweet one,

sleep peacefully as you rest your sleepy eyes and grow . I just can't believe how much fun it is to be a grandma! I know I am bias... but me and Mr Justa think this little guy is pretty special!

We offered and had an acceptance

to watch him last Saturday night. We wanted his mom and dad to have a little break.  I was not sure if we would get and okay or not, but we did, and he was really pretty good. Slept most of the time, followed some rattles around as I slowly moved them above him, he even accepted the swing for about 10 back and forth motions. There was on time he began to get fussy, so grandpa took him and he went right back to sleep for another hour.

He is growing quickly, and the poor guy is still having issues with stomach aches and acid reflux, so he is an meds still. Mom and dad are having to adjust to the no sleep mode, but all are well.

I was at the dentist the other day

and the receptionist said she had gotten to met Brandon a week prior. She mentioned how great it was to see Amanda and Jeff work as a team in caring for him , fastening him in his car seat and such.

They really do work well together,

it is just hard when everyone is tired, and ya feel like no matter what you try to do, nothing makes the baby okay.

We were fortunate,

we got him at a comfortable time. It was wonderful, and I was honored we were trusted to watch him.

Heck when Jeff was a baby, I did not leave him with anyone till he was 11+ months old.

Life is full of problems, and disappointments at times, but this lil guy, he makes the problems from day to day disappear, if only for a short while.God made babies to help us focus on what really is important.

43 Things Tags: Brandon,babies,grandma,love,blessings,precious,God's gift

Love to all, CIndy

Mrs Justa and THANKS going to you

43 Things Tags: thanksful,blessed,giving up,doing,working,parenting

"People, who need people are the luckiest people in the world. "

I am on this thankful path, and I was thinking about people as my dog was jumping at the edge of the bed letting me know he needed me to let him out. My mind begins to elaborate on ideas and before I know it, I sometimes can't get back to what made my mind start reeling.

But this I remember. The dog was bouncing up and down, getting a lick on my face every so often on his rebound. He was hyperventilating as he enthusiastically was telling me he was in a situation where my services were needed.

People, think about where we would be without people doing things for others. In life, we all do something for someone. Even if we live alone, if we are employed, we are doing something for others. And if there were not people willing to do everything that requires a person to do it, well we would be screwed.

There are many someones willing to leave their homes and go into work in essence to service others, to help others, to fulfill a need of others. This can be a nurse, a police officer, an engineer, an auto mechanic, a garbage man, the person at the ticket booth for the parking lots or garages, the street cleaners, the cashiers at the stores, those who deliver the goods, those who design them, those who manufacture them , those who write the articles in papers, magazines, those who write books, those who manage, those who clean up after us, those who stand on their feet for hours serving food to others, those who chose to spread the word of their religion, those who design, those who create, those who parent, those who keep our highways smooth, those who plow the snow, run the electric, oh the list goes on and on . We are all over, doing everything to make IT happen. Whatever "IT" is.

Everywhere I go, there are people that make whatever I am experiencing happen. So I want to THANK YOU , each of you, for whatever it is you do? Thanks for going to work, thanks for raising the children, thanks for picking up that piece of paper from the ground. THANKS FOR YOU!!!

(photo courtesy of www.fallingpixel.com)

Mrs Justa and health insurance

Health insurance gets a bad reputation. And I wonder if people really understand the work that goes on when a review needs to be done for a pre authorization of a service. ( photo is from google images courtesy of www.wciv.com) There are so many stereo types of insurance companies, and I admit there may be some that are crooked, but I personally have worked in the administration part of health care for 13 years now, and I am here to say the hours of compassion, of work, of trying to make sure the patient is receiving the care their doctor is recommending and within their benefit plan, it is amazing how devoted the people are who have worked in the environments I have been blessed to be a part of.

People need to understand that sometimes they or their doctor may recommend something that their plan just does not cover. Some plans are stricter then others. We sometimes may get a person who wants their health plan to pay for a craft- matic adjustable bed, or maybe a home health aid to spend days with them and help clean their house, or a ride to a doctors office, but it is not a covered item. If health plans paid for some of the services and items people want them to pay for, the premiums would be higher then they are already.

When we get a request in, we have to follow national criteria for the type of care being requested. We do not just say yes or no without careful researching . And if it does not meet our criteria, we have to send the case to a physician to review, to call the doctor who is requesting the service and discuss the case. The nurses do not just make the determination if there is a potential denial of the request.

SO please, I ask you, to take a moment, read your health plan, and feel free to call the customer service department to see what is covered. Ultimately it is you and me who need to know what we are covered for, whether it is our home owners insurance, a life insurance plan, out health plan, even warranties on things we have.

The folks working for your health insurance administration department are experienced health care professionals, who have been in the clinical setting and bring to this position knowledge, experience and the want to be the best they can be. So please refrain from calling us names, threatening us, and yelling at us. We are looking out for you, your health plan and trying to accommodate the needs of each sapient, within the guidelines of the health plan they are paying for. Stay healthy, love Mrs Justa

43 Things Tags: health insurance,approvals,denials,health care,compassion,knowledge