Ginny that is....first of all she hired me! I really had no idea what I was getting myself into, but I knew I wanted to work for a nonprofit..afterall I was working on a Masters Certificate in Non profit management..and well I had done the "own your own business thing" and the work for someone else and everyone else as a Nurse thing so this seemed like the next step..
I had no idea what the job was, afterall it was a tiny ad in the BDN, and it was for a part time job in Ellsworth...worked for me! Well Ginny and Suzan convinced me this is where I *needed* to be! I wanted that job after the interview...it seemed exciting, challenging and different than anything else I had ever done....and guess what ...IT IS!!!
Ginny was a great boss, friend, mentor and teacher! The respect she garnered from her volunteers, staff, and emergency services people across the state just amazed me! Everyone knew her..!
So somewhere along the line, Ginny starts a blog...and of course she lets us in on the site so we can read it...and of course comment if we want...well in order to comment you have to have a webname. Which means you can actually blog yourself...for awhile I used to just comment on her blog, but then one day that Ellsworth office got pretty boring and I was probably just in the right mood and "ARC Girl" just hasn't gotten off her soap box since.
Lynn came on and Hillary came on....(for awhile)...
Of course I then had to get the sibs on line...and the super sibs...(the upper echelon of the Wilson family) have a place to chat, and read whats going on in each others jobs...so Ginny...really put ARC girl on the map...even when it meant fending off "blog invasions" like Patrick and friends when the Velcro incident occured...
Ginny, you have made my life fun, at times way too exciting, with my job...and given me alot to
remember and laugh about...and if you can't find me anywhere else....I bet you will still find me here!!!
with Love,
ARC Girl
e hënë, 31 mars 2008
e shtunë, 29 mars 2008
For Ginny...I did the questionaire
45 ODD THINGS
45 ODD THINGS (FROM AUNT SUSIE)1. Do you like blue cheese salad dressing? YES love it.
2. Have you ever smoked heroin? No. 3. Do you own a gun? No 4. What's your favorite drink at Starbucks or other specialty coffee shop? Latte, no flavor just regular
5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? No. 6. What do you think of hot dogs? good grilled or in a ball park with relish
7. Favorite Christmas song?Oh come all ye Faithful 8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Coffee with cream 9. Can you do push ups? Don't like to!10. What 's your favorite piece of jewelry? My grandmothers pearl necklace 11. Favorite hobby? sewing 12. Do you have A.D.D.? No, but I could be getting it...13. What's one trait that you hate about yourself? Interupting people 14. Middle name? Anne
15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment. I have to stop making this survey skip so many spaces, I need to check on the laundry, and I want to listen to my new cd.
16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Coffee. white wine and water. 17 Current worry right now? Tyler and getting him thru the end of eight grade. 18. Current hate right now? endless snow 19. Favorite place to be? someplace warm 20. How did you bring in the New Year? not sure didnt do anything special 21. Do you like to travel? Yes,.22. Name three people who will complete this? no idea 23. Do you own slippers? Yes24. What color shirt are you wearing? lavender 25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? no 26. Can you whistle? Very little .27. Favorite color? Blue. 28. Would you be a pirate? wouldnt want to be mean 29. What songs do you sing in the shower? I hum 30. Favorite girl's names? Caroline, Grace 31. Favorite boy's name? Andrew, Peter 32. Whats in your pocket right now? nothing 33. Last thing that made you laugh? a friend who told a very bad joke, and just couldnt stop laughing 34. Best bed sheets as a child? Don't remember 35. Worst injury you've ever had? hit in the vertebrae by a chairlift 36. Do you love where you live? Love it, I dont my view for granted.37. How many TVs do you have in your house? 2 38. Who is your loudest friend? Amy 39. How many pets do you have? 1 cat 40. Does someone have a crush on you? yes 41. What is your favorite book? The snow goose by Paul Gallico 42. What is your favorite candy? really good chocolate preferably european 43. Favorite Sports team? The RedSox What were you doing 12 AM last night? Talking with a friend 45. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? "I'ts nice to be here"
45 ODD THINGS (FROM AUNT SUSIE)1. Do you like blue cheese salad dressing? YES love it.
2. Have you ever smoked heroin? No. 3. Do you own a gun? No 4. What's your favorite drink at Starbucks or other specialty coffee shop? Latte, no flavor just regular
5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? No. 6. What do you think of hot dogs? good grilled or in a ball park with relish
7. Favorite Christmas song?Oh come all ye Faithful 8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Coffee with cream 9. Can you do push ups? Don't like to!10. What 's your favorite piece of jewelry? My grandmothers pearl necklace 11. Favorite hobby? sewing 12. Do you have A.D.D.? No, but I could be getting it...13. What's one trait that you hate about yourself? Interupting people 14. Middle name? Anne
15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment. I have to stop making this survey skip so many spaces, I need to check on the laundry, and I want to listen to my new cd.
16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Coffee. white wine and water. 17 Current worry right now? Tyler and getting him thru the end of eight grade. 18. Current hate right now? endless snow 19. Favorite place to be? someplace warm 20. How did you bring in the New Year? not sure didnt do anything special 21. Do you like to travel? Yes,.22. Name three people who will complete this? no idea 23. Do you own slippers? Yes24. What color shirt are you wearing? lavender 25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? no 26. Can you whistle? Very little .27. Favorite color? Blue. 28. Would you be a pirate? wouldnt want to be mean 29. What songs do you sing in the shower? I hum 30. Favorite girl's names? Caroline, Grace 31. Favorite boy's name? Andrew, Peter 32. Whats in your pocket right now? nothing 33. Last thing that made you laugh? a friend who told a very bad joke, and just couldnt stop laughing 34. Best bed sheets as a child? Don't remember 35. Worst injury you've ever had? hit in the vertebrae by a chairlift 36. Do you love where you live? Love it, I dont my view for granted.37. How many TVs do you have in your house? 2 38. Who is your loudest friend? Amy 39. How many pets do you have? 1 cat 40. Does someone have a crush on you? yes 41. What is your favorite book? The snow goose by Paul Gallico 42. What is your favorite candy? really good chocolate preferably european 43. Favorite Sports team? The RedSox What were you doing 12 AM last night? Talking with a friend 45. What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? "I'ts nice to be here"
e premte, 28 mars 2008
And the weather is......
SNOW.....again....what is this?? I woke up and the ground was covered with a blanket of heavy wet stuff. YUCK! I mean really! Another wonderful drive in over unplowed Sedgwick roads which now have frost heaves on their frost heaves. I didnt even bother to take the shovel to the ramp...it will melt by tommorow anyways.
Tonight Hillary and I are going to Penobscot Theater Company's production of Little Shop of Horrors! I have not seen the play since Caroline had the lead as Audrey. Everyone seems to think I will have a hard time with that...not so...and the reviews for this particular production have been very good. Hill's best bud Dominick has several parts as well as Orin the dentist, so that will be fun. We plan to meet up at Paddy Murphys for wine and dinner and I am spending the night in town. Its been a crazy busy two weeks, with meetings and stuff so I am looking forward to it.
Hope everyone has a nice weekend....regardless of the winter weather that just will not end!
Tonight Hillary and I are going to Penobscot Theater Company's production of Little Shop of Horrors! I have not seen the play since Caroline had the lead as Audrey. Everyone seems to think I will have a hard time with that...not so...and the reviews for this particular production have been very good. Hill's best bud Dominick has several parts as well as Orin the dentist, so that will be fun. We plan to meet up at Paddy Murphys for wine and dinner and I am spending the night in town. Its been a crazy busy two weeks, with meetings and stuff so I am looking forward to it.
Hope everyone has a nice weekend....regardless of the winter weather that just will not end!
e enjte, 27 mars 2008
Heat.....not in my job description!
So I am not sure this week has been any better than last! Busy and of course the typical issues for ARC girl...she goes into the lovely ARC office on Monday and finds by the door a pile of trash from the weekend class..she immediately walks it outside to the dumpster....which is GONE!
Yup GONE! OK, so she goes inside the inner office and immediately she knows....its that crisp chill and extreme silence of the furnace and fans...NO HEAT! OK...no heat no dumpster! She calls the building manager, a flighty type who says "oh you can use my dumpster"...up at the next building! And she will call about the heat...well then before I can take my coat off...and quite frankly who wants to take their coat off the phone rings....
Yep, someone calling from a Hospital in Lincoln about a guy (patient) who escaped his burning home last night and needs ARC assistance. So a half hour later, and trying to work this scenario long distance, I get him somewhat squared away and call the building manager back...no answer.
So I call the oil/heating co. did she call and report our furnace trouble? Why yes she did but you need to call her....hmmmm, I tried I tell them..when are you coming....You need to talk to her they say...TRANSLATION: we are not coming!!
ARC girl is very unhappy by now and just a little cold...its 20 degrees at the end of March! Its 19 degrees in my office...so she forwards the phones and takes the trash into her car and drives up to the next building to put trash in "her dumpster" and find the woman!!! No luck, and my rear hatch all of a sudden wouldnt open and I got covered with salt and sand and had to go into the back of the van and drag the trash out thru the side doors. OK we are really unhappy now..so we go looking for "Nancy" building manager..no where....so just to make myself feel better we drive the van thru the car wash...at least my coat wont look bad! Then back to the ARtiC office.
Turned on all the little electric heaters I bought when we had the last little incident and tried to work....luckily a friend took me out to lunch to warm up! Nancy finnally calls back and says "was I supposed to call you?" HELLO! I say...well Hancock Oil said I needed to speak with you ..whats going on? Oh well the owner hadn't paid the last repair bill and until they got some money...no furnace repair! So I tell her, I will be in the Bangor office (thank god!) the next two days, but hopefully it will be fixed by then......
Tuesday morning...18 degrees, I call her on my way to Bangor...Nancy maybe you ought to go check the pipes in the office..."oh you think so?" Hmmmm! Tuesday afternoon, I have to go to office to pick up and drop off stuff to go back to Bangor on Wednesday...no heat.
Wednesday morning..snowing! I don't bother to call, I really don't want to know, besides I have to go to the office in the late afternoon before going to EHS for a concert. Yep you guessed it...no heat..its really cold in there by now. But I notice someone has at least been by to check the pipes. I call Nancy and leave her a message that I will be in by 9:30 am and I expect a phone call and there is still no heat!
Thursday morning...25 degrees its really warming up! (yeah right) I drive in, and think, this is just going to be an awful day..no heat and negotiating with this woman..so I decide I need a latte.
Then I decide maybe I need a hot breakfast sandwich too! So I arrive at the office drag my stuff and self up the ramp and open the main door...front hall way is warm from the sun, I am thinking maybe I can move a desk out here...I put the key in the inner door and then I hear it...the loud and obnoxious sound of heat!! HEAT, I open the door and it blasts me in the face.
My day is made.. nothing can ruin it now ....I have HEAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So for all you non ARC people who have your cushy offices and take your heat and hot water for granted (and electricity for that m atter) just remember us non profits who "suffer for the sake of saving humanity" from famine flood and fire!! I really do need that cape!
And tommorows Friday....ARC girls favorite day!
Yup GONE! OK, so she goes inside the inner office and immediately she knows....its that crisp chill and extreme silence of the furnace and fans...NO HEAT! OK...no heat no dumpster! She calls the building manager, a flighty type who says "oh you can use my dumpster"...up at the next building! And she will call about the heat...well then before I can take my coat off...and quite frankly who wants to take their coat off the phone rings....
Yep, someone calling from a Hospital in Lincoln about a guy (patient) who escaped his burning home last night and needs ARC assistance. So a half hour later, and trying to work this scenario long distance, I get him somewhat squared away and call the building manager back...no answer.
So I call the oil/heating co. did she call and report our furnace trouble? Why yes she did but you need to call her....hmmmm, I tried I tell them..when are you coming....You need to talk to her they say...TRANSLATION: we are not coming!!
ARC girl is very unhappy by now and just a little cold...its 20 degrees at the end of March! Its 19 degrees in my office...so she forwards the phones and takes the trash into her car and drives up to the next building to put trash in "her dumpster" and find the woman!!! No luck, and my rear hatch all of a sudden wouldnt open and I got covered with salt and sand and had to go into the back of the van and drag the trash out thru the side doors. OK we are really unhappy now..so we go looking for "Nancy" building manager..no where....so just to make myself feel better we drive the van thru the car wash...at least my coat wont look bad! Then back to the ARtiC office.
Turned on all the little electric heaters I bought when we had the last little incident and tried to work....luckily a friend took me out to lunch to warm up! Nancy finnally calls back and says "was I supposed to call you?" HELLO! I say...well Hancock Oil said I needed to speak with you ..whats going on? Oh well the owner hadn't paid the last repair bill and until they got some money...no furnace repair! So I tell her, I will be in the Bangor office (thank god!) the next two days, but hopefully it will be fixed by then......
Tuesday morning...18 degrees, I call her on my way to Bangor...Nancy maybe you ought to go check the pipes in the office..."oh you think so?" Hmmmm! Tuesday afternoon, I have to go to office to pick up and drop off stuff to go back to Bangor on Wednesday...no heat.
Wednesday morning..snowing! I don't bother to call, I really don't want to know, besides I have to go to the office in the late afternoon before going to EHS for a concert. Yep you guessed it...no heat..its really cold in there by now. But I notice someone has at least been by to check the pipes. I call Nancy and leave her a message that I will be in by 9:30 am and I expect a phone call and there is still no heat!
Thursday morning...25 degrees its really warming up! (yeah right) I drive in, and think, this is just going to be an awful day..no heat and negotiating with this woman..so I decide I need a latte.
Then I decide maybe I need a hot breakfast sandwich too! So I arrive at the office drag my stuff and self up the ramp and open the main door...front hall way is warm from the sun, I am thinking maybe I can move a desk out here...I put the key in the inner door and then I hear it...the loud and obnoxious sound of heat!! HEAT, I open the door and it blasts me in the face.
My day is made.. nothing can ruin it now ....I have HEAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So for all you non ARC people who have your cushy offices and take your heat and hot water for granted (and electricity for that m atter) just remember us non profits who "suffer for the sake of saving humanity" from famine flood and fire!! I really do need that cape!
And tommorows Friday....ARC girls favorite day!
e premte, 21 mars 2008
A Month in a Week, A week in a day....
It was not a quiet week( was it really just one week?) for ARC girl. I seem to remember it getting busy last year in the Spring but this is ridiculous. Monday, a national holiday according to my son..St Patricks day, I sat in front of a computer for 6 hours putting shelter info from a National web site to a spread sheet made up by some "brilliant service area employee" who by the way got a pink slip last week. This redundancy report has taken me about a week all told, between downloading the info that I have gathered to put into the National data base, and then put it into this spread sheet that will ..get this be for "our use" when the data is looked at, and then sent back to us.
So after finally finishing that task, I took the one day I had left in my office this week to clean up, (Wednesday) unfortunately after lunch...all you know what broke loose. First there was Armed Forces Emergency Services Call, for a service member whose mother was undergoing immediate surgery,..they could not find him, the situation deterioriated as the afternoon went on, and after all the back and forth phone calls, the service member was actually not in the States as thought but on a plane to Kuwait, and the mother unfortunately passed away. It was one of the rougher calls I have had. Then I check my email and they are predicting that the storm coming in on Thursday is going to "blast" Aroostook County! As well as cause icing else where, so I email my EMA director,that I will be in Augusta at the Emergency Management Agency, but he can get me by phone..
Then I have my coat on..to leave and phone rings..Fire in Otis..Family with kids, no one home but could I come..? As I am talking to dispatch , I look up and my EMA director Ralph walks in the door to discuss tommorows weather...jeez!
I say Ralph, this has not been an easy day and its not getting any better, and you need to listen to my day before I hear what you want..so I fill him in and he says...I had no idea about the seriousness of this storm, I was in Augusta and got a text on the way home.. I said hey,,.you have my cell but I have to go to Augusta tommorow..He was headed for Kona's for a drink and I said "its better than Otis to a fire..and off we went.
Made it to Otis, house was completely gone, but looked like it had been a beautiful home. Large field stone fire place and cathedral ceiling at the front. Unfortunately no one had gotten in touch with the owners so I say and waited until she came home, not knowing she had no home to come to. To say the least it was one of the tougher cases I have done.
I drove back to the office around 7:30 pm and did some paperwork and finally headed home around 8:30. I am pretty sure I did a months worth of work, at least emotionally in one afternoon. One of the rougher days I have had with ARC.
Thursday and Friday was spent with all the Emergency Service people around the state working on our disaster plans at MEMA. It was a good two days, tiring, but none the less worth doing and always good to connect with everyone else that if the you know what ever hits the fan we will be in the trenches with!!
Today Friday, the EOC was getting messages all day from Aroostook county where roads were closed due to white out blizzard conditions and roofs collapsed including at a dairy farm where several cattle were trapped underneath..not a pretty picture from our northern most part of the chapter..Today being the first full day of spring mind you!
Well its the weekend..started with ST Paddys day and ends with Easter...today being Good Friday,,,I am not sure but is 4th of July next week? Someone let ARC girl know...she is confused and tired!!
So after finally finishing that task, I took the one day I had left in my office this week to clean up, (Wednesday) unfortunately after lunch...all you know what broke loose. First there was Armed Forces Emergency Services Call, for a service member whose mother was undergoing immediate surgery,..they could not find him, the situation deterioriated as the afternoon went on, and after all the back and forth phone calls, the service member was actually not in the States as thought but on a plane to Kuwait, and the mother unfortunately passed away. It was one of the rougher calls I have had. Then I check my email and they are predicting that the storm coming in on Thursday is going to "blast" Aroostook County! As well as cause icing else where, so I email my EMA director,that I will be in Augusta at the Emergency Management Agency, but he can get me by phone..
Then I have my coat on..to leave and phone rings..Fire in Otis..Family with kids, no one home but could I come..? As I am talking to dispatch , I look up and my EMA director Ralph walks in the door to discuss tommorows weather...jeez!
I say Ralph, this has not been an easy day and its not getting any better, and you need to listen to my day before I hear what you want..so I fill him in and he says...I had no idea about the seriousness of this storm, I was in Augusta and got a text on the way home.. I said hey,,.you have my cell but I have to go to Augusta tommorow..He was headed for Kona's for a drink and I said "its better than Otis to a fire..and off we went.
Made it to Otis, house was completely gone, but looked like it had been a beautiful home. Large field stone fire place and cathedral ceiling at the front. Unfortunately no one had gotten in touch with the owners so I say and waited until she came home, not knowing she had no home to come to. To say the least it was one of the tougher cases I have done.
I drove back to the office around 7:30 pm and did some paperwork and finally headed home around 8:30. I am pretty sure I did a months worth of work, at least emotionally in one afternoon. One of the rougher days I have had with ARC.
Thursday and Friday was spent with all the Emergency Service people around the state working on our disaster plans at MEMA. It was a good two days, tiring, but none the less worth doing and always good to connect with everyone else that if the you know what ever hits the fan we will be in the trenches with!!
Today Friday, the EOC was getting messages all day from Aroostook county where roads were closed due to white out blizzard conditions and roofs collapsed including at a dairy farm where several cattle were trapped underneath..not a pretty picture from our northern most part of the chapter..Today being the first full day of spring mind you!
Well its the weekend..started with ST Paddys day and ends with Easter...today being Good Friday,,,I am not sure but is 4th of July next week? Someone let ARC girl know...she is confused and tired!!
e hënë, 17 mars 2008
Happy St.Patricks Day
Happpy St. Paddys day from Me and Van the Man! The concert was just grand, Tyler and I had a wonderful time in Boston and the songwriter from Northern Ireland was the consumate entertainer.
As sib #2 had said, he does not do alot of talking to the audience except to tell us what he is playing but, he does get the audience off their feet with his blues/jazz revival style that has everyone clapping along with some of his pieces. He arrived on stage in a suit, sun glasses and fedora..all of which he kept on the entire time. He sang for an hour and 45 minutes not bad for a 62 year old guy and when he wasn't singing he was playing his sax. A good portion of the concert was the new CD Keep it Simple sandwiched with old favorites such as Moondance and Brightside of the Road, as well as lesser known Vanlose Stairway, and of course Gloria for the audience encore.
We had wonderful seats in the orchestra at the Wang Center, and I would not have traded it for anything...Boston Globe gave it a so so review but the audience comments on the web..said it was one of his better live performances in years! I'll take it after a 30 year wait!!
In other Holiday News..the Diva Daughter calls from the New York City St Patricks Day Parade...that child takes after her mother...right place at the right time..even sent me two pics on my cell and held it up to the pipe band going by...thanks Care..enjoyed it while I worked on an excel spread sheet all day! Brother Ty wore his Drop Kick Murphys t-shirt to school today and then off to Henry Sullivans to record more video for You Tube..you don't want to see it believe me!
Corned beef, guiness and an Irish coffee for dessert...can't ask for more my friends..
Happy St. Patricks day all......ARC girl
e diel, 16 mars 2008
The Princess of Pranks
Soooo, apparently "someone" had a little tiny problem with their computer in the ARC office on Friday! Seems his computer had been just "slightly" altered to write a few phrases when certain common words were typed...you know words like "The", "You", and "I", for example when the word "I" was typed it said.."I am in awe of ARC girl Gretchen!" Hmmmm!
Quite clever I would say!.....especially when all were in doubt of ARC girls capabilities to really get some sweet revenge for the "velcroed office".
I of course was on my way to Boston, when my cell rang and Pat said he was having some trouble working! I did enjoy all the inter office emails as well as the ones from Super Sib #3.
I suppose I will pay dearly for this "little" prank of mine...but to all of you who had doubts the ARC girl, prevailed...for the day anyways!
"The..Princess of Pranks"
Quite clever I would say!.....especially when all were in doubt of ARC girls capabilities to really get some sweet revenge for the "velcroed office".
I of course was on my way to Boston, when my cell rang and Pat said he was having some trouble working! I did enjoy all the inter office emails as well as the ones from Super Sib #3.
I suppose I will pay dearly for this "little" prank of mine...but to all of you who had doubts the ARC girl, prevailed...for the day anyways!
"The..Princess of Pranks"
e enjte, 13 mars 2008
...And the Caravan is on its way...
Tommorow we head out to Bean town. Early so we can beat the traffic in and out, and have some time to do whatever. Van concert is at 7:30, have been told to try PF Changs for dinner which will no doubt please Tyler.
So I knew my site was popular..but when you can google Van Morrison and get the ARC girl..see comments on last entry..things have truly gone to another level or have truly gotten out of hand.
Innocent enough I guess, afterall as Caroline would say..MOM she just wanted to know what to wear!! And we all know the O'Grady women have a passion for clothes. So good luck to Alison whomever she may be.
Off to a jazz concert at the high school...and then home to pack..
..."turn up your radio, and let me hear the song..." vm ARC girl who is beyond excited!!
So I knew my site was popular..but when you can google Van Morrison and get the ARC girl..see comments on last entry..things have truly gone to another level or have truly gotten out of hand.
Innocent enough I guess, afterall as Caroline would say..MOM she just wanted to know what to wear!! And we all know the O'Grady women have a passion for clothes. So good luck to Alison whomever she may be.
Off to a jazz concert at the high school...and then home to pack..
..."turn up your radio, and let me hear the song..." vm ARC girl who is beyond excited!!
e mërkurë, 12 mars 2008
TWO DAYS to GO!!
THIS BROWNEYED GIRL WILL BE IN BOSTON FRIDAY NIGHT IN THE ORCHESTRA AT THE WANG TO FINALLY SEE ......VAN MORRISON!
HER DATE FOR THE EVENING..TYLER!
Its been almost thirty years and counting the days...to see my most favorite performer for the first time!
ARC girl...on her wavelength...
HER DATE FOR THE EVENING..TYLER!
Its been almost thirty years and counting the days...to see my most favorite performer for the first time!
ARC girl...on her wavelength...
e martë, 11 mars 2008
Just how did this happen?
How did I get so busy? And exactly where does my day go? Yeah I can hear the answers now from some of my loyal readers....
Today..I was in the office by ten, answered a dozen phone calls and emails and then decided the NSS ..National Shelter Survey web site which does not like me presently, after trying to run some reports yesterday, so I ignore that report due next week and start to put together a presentation for some girl scout troop that I have to do at 2:30 in Brooksville. Just as I get the place torn apart with bandages, slings and stuff everywhere and am making my notes a fire client walks in, who was supposed to show up yesterday...He actually asked if we were just moving in..I guess I really made a mess today!
All of a sudden its 1pm..and I have one hour to load the car not only for the girl scouts but for a trip to the Bangor office tommorow which includes 4 boxes of stuffed animals ..don't ask! I remember when I wondered what my next project was going to be..now I wonder how I am going to finish what I started...good thing I like this job!
The drive to Brooksville was a treat...more of the Blue hill Frost heaves with tons and tons of road sand thrown in for good measure! But the girl scouts were adorable and so involved in the whole first aid thing..love it!
Finnally there is the ever persistent problem of the ARC girl having to deal with the obvious exaggerations and rude comments by others to her website. You know those people who have to make a DQ sundae out of a simple banana!!! I mean really!
And note to Sib #3, do you really think that I am quite done with my plans for retaliation?
Honestly...get your mind out of the gutter and give the princess of emergency planning a little more credit!
Today..I was in the office by ten, answered a dozen phone calls and emails and then decided the NSS ..National Shelter Survey web site which does not like me presently, after trying to run some reports yesterday, so I ignore that report due next week and start to put together a presentation for some girl scout troop that I have to do at 2:30 in Brooksville. Just as I get the place torn apart with bandages, slings and stuff everywhere and am making my notes a fire client walks in, who was supposed to show up yesterday...He actually asked if we were just moving in..I guess I really made a mess today!
All of a sudden its 1pm..and I have one hour to load the car not only for the girl scouts but for a trip to the Bangor office tommorow which includes 4 boxes of stuffed animals ..don't ask! I remember when I wondered what my next project was going to be..now I wonder how I am going to finish what I started...good thing I like this job!
The drive to Brooksville was a treat...more of the Blue hill Frost heaves with tons and tons of road sand thrown in for good measure! But the girl scouts were adorable and so involved in the whole first aid thing..love it!
Finnally there is the ever persistent problem of the ARC girl having to deal with the obvious exaggerations and rude comments by others to her website. You know those people who have to make a DQ sundae out of a simple banana!!! I mean really!
And note to Sib #3, do you really think that I am quite done with my plans for retaliation?
Honestly...get your mind out of the gutter and give the princess of emergency planning a little more credit!
e hënë, 10 mars 2008
Work weekend
Back from a long weekend in Rockland Maine! The PineTree Chapter hosted a leadership institute for volunteers, with advanced classes that are not always available in our chapter or even in the State. We brought in instructors from other chapters and taught National courses, it was a complete sucess and as always there was fun to be had.
Hillary should get five gold stars for our accomodations. Since the "Bates Motel" episode in Aroostook County we have really upgraded. She booked all the instructors into a new Hampton Inn in Thomaston.. well I have never been to a Hampton Inn with Granite counters and sinks, tile showers, a bath room as big as my two (ok, well almost!) a king bed with duvet, and a really nice room! The place was brand new and obviously one of their "new concept" models or something! I remember going into a Hampton Inn somewhere and it was very very basic. There was a nice room for breakfast and the place was spacious and airy. Couldnt really ask for more.
Friday I drove down with plans to get to the office by 11, made a quick stop at the Market Basket and out walks Maureen Predham! Well that was 30 minutes! We had not seen each other in quite awhile. Bubs birthday was that day and she was picking up the cake so I wrote a note on the box to him...six years tommorow they lost Hillary.
Got to the Rockland Office and "happened" to be the one to answer the phone..AFES call! It ended up being an all day all evening event...everytime I turned around, they were calling me back wanting more info..by the time I got to the institute they called to say "they could not find the service member..no such person or something to that effect!" Great. Several phone calls later it was resolved. Taught a class Friday night and then a large group of us went to Applebees which was next door to our hotel for liquid re..juvenation! Hillary and I stayed up late
talking, and "being girls"..bed at 1am!
SAturday I got to TAKE a class...taught by the Irish Man himself, Patrick.. who taught us all about Diversity! I did manage to find a small square of velcro and velcroed his banana to the front desk... "teachers pet" that's ARC girl!~ It was actually a good class with alot of great funny moments and discussions.
Saturday night Paul our MEMA liasion came to dinner and said his wife called and wanted to know "how are the kids?" meaning me and Hillary..After dinner she convinced me to go to the pool with her after we had hunted down a bottle of wine of course!..I never ever go to pools in the winter.. but I did. A quick couple of laps and then the hot tub, then up to bed thank you!
Sunday I was just plain tired...Daylight savings time..too much on a weekend like that.
Long drive home at 4:30...
Patrick picked up a Drop Kick Murphys T for me for Tyler that he was thrilled with! Suppose he will have to wear that to Boston this weekend sometime!
So I am off for the rest of the day..quiet in the office..good thing!
Hillary should get five gold stars for our accomodations. Since the "Bates Motel" episode in Aroostook County we have really upgraded. She booked all the instructors into a new Hampton Inn in Thomaston.. well I have never been to a Hampton Inn with Granite counters and sinks, tile showers, a bath room as big as my two (ok, well almost!) a king bed with duvet, and a really nice room! The place was brand new and obviously one of their "new concept" models or something! I remember going into a Hampton Inn somewhere and it was very very basic. There was a nice room for breakfast and the place was spacious and airy. Couldnt really ask for more.
Friday I drove down with plans to get to the office by 11, made a quick stop at the Market Basket and out walks Maureen Predham! Well that was 30 minutes! We had not seen each other in quite awhile. Bubs birthday was that day and she was picking up the cake so I wrote a note on the box to him...six years tommorow they lost Hillary.
Got to the Rockland Office and "happened" to be the one to answer the phone..AFES call! It ended up being an all day all evening event...everytime I turned around, they were calling me back wanting more info..by the time I got to the institute they called to say "they could not find the service member..no such person or something to that effect!" Great. Several phone calls later it was resolved. Taught a class Friday night and then a large group of us went to Applebees which was next door to our hotel for liquid re..juvenation! Hillary and I stayed up late
talking, and "being girls"..bed at 1am!
SAturday I got to TAKE a class...taught by the Irish Man himself, Patrick.. who taught us all about Diversity! I did manage to find a small square of velcro and velcroed his banana to the front desk... "teachers pet" that's ARC girl!~ It was actually a good class with alot of great funny moments and discussions.
Saturday night Paul our MEMA liasion came to dinner and said his wife called and wanted to know "how are the kids?" meaning me and Hillary..After dinner she convinced me to go to the pool with her after we had hunted down a bottle of wine of course!..I never ever go to pools in the winter.. but I did. A quick couple of laps and then the hot tub, then up to bed thank you!
Sunday I was just plain tired...Daylight savings time..too much on a weekend like that.
Long drive home at 4:30...
Patrick picked up a Drop Kick Murphys T for me for Tyler that he was thrilled with! Suppose he will have to wear that to Boston this weekend sometime!
So I am off for the rest of the day..quiet in the office..good thing!
e mërkurë, 5 mars 2008
"Dodged the bullet" as Ralph put it!
I am actually sitting at home typing this...if you said this morning during that potential Ice Storm this is where I would be I would have laughed in your face...Thank heavens it went it's jolly way..but things did not look promising this morning for ARC girl in Hancock county!
It all started yesterday when as I said MEMA held its 107th conference call of the year..and my EMA director said nothing then showed up at my office to say that his office would NOT be manned today and he gave me his cell and email and that he would direct everything from Portland..yep that was confidence inspiring. So this morning its 29 degrees, sleeting and there is a 2 hour delay for all the schools..what does that tell you what the roads are like? Then I hear on my favorite morning show that power lines are down on the Deer Isle Causeway..so I check my Bangor Hydro sites and sure enough 1100 people without power...before I even get to the office!
So I go out to start the car..by the way ENCASED in ice!! So I let that run for awhile and pack up..as I figure I am not coming home for the night..just easier to stay in town under the road and power condititons especially if Ralphie is going to be Outta town! The drive in is pure hell! I have driven thru alot this winter but ususally I hit a good road after awhile no such luck today..30 something miles of ice and slush and snow and ice pellets hitting the window..took me one hour!!
I get in the office and some "crazed" health and safety instructor decided to take her anger out on the H and S dept by throwing a lot of cpr stuff all over the floor! Nice! Professional too!
Now if she thought about it..she would know that it would have been "me" that had to pick it up and not anyone that she really wanted to offend! Hence making my morning all the more pleasant.
The weather got worse and worse with driving icy rain, power outages etc and I figured I was a resident of Ellsworth..but then it all let up..Just as Ralph called to check on everything..power had been restored at that point to everywhere except Washington county and I was just not going to worry about them today(even though I usually give them a call) and things seemed to calm down nicely! Ralph happy and calm=ARC girl happy and calm!
So I came home and hung up my cape...until tommorow anyways...
It all started yesterday when as I said MEMA held its 107th conference call of the year..and my EMA director said nothing then showed up at my office to say that his office would NOT be manned today and he gave me his cell and email and that he would direct everything from Portland..yep that was confidence inspiring. So this morning its 29 degrees, sleeting and there is a 2 hour delay for all the schools..what does that tell you what the roads are like? Then I hear on my favorite morning show that power lines are down on the Deer Isle Causeway..so I check my Bangor Hydro sites and sure enough 1100 people without power...before I even get to the office!
So I go out to start the car..by the way ENCASED in ice!! So I let that run for awhile and pack up..as I figure I am not coming home for the night..just easier to stay in town under the road and power condititons especially if Ralphie is going to be Outta town! The drive in is pure hell! I have driven thru alot this winter but ususally I hit a good road after awhile no such luck today..30 something miles of ice and slush and snow and ice pellets hitting the window..took me one hour!!
I get in the office and some "crazed" health and safety instructor decided to take her anger out on the H and S dept by throwing a lot of cpr stuff all over the floor! Nice! Professional too!
Now if she thought about it..she would know that it would have been "me" that had to pick it up and not anyone that she really wanted to offend! Hence making my morning all the more pleasant.
The weather got worse and worse with driving icy rain, power outages etc and I figured I was a resident of Ellsworth..but then it all let up..Just as Ralph called to check on everything..power had been restored at that point to everywhere except Washington county and I was just not going to worry about them today(even though I usually give them a call) and things seemed to calm down nicely! Ralph happy and calm=ARC girl happy and calm!
So I came home and hung up my cape...until tommorow anyways...
e martë, 4 mars 2008
Back to ARC girls site.....
So I have left this post alone for a couple of days hoping all these people having a conversation on my site would quiet down for the time being...and they have. Good, I have work to do.
Another storm coming in tommorow and of course the State EMA decided to have a conference call..#107 of the winter.. they are rather monotonous by now and quite frankly, we have had no real issues except some minor flooding Valentines day storm. So I took it in stride until they called role and my local EMA director said he had no questions nor did he have any comments...very rare for him! So about an hour later he shows up on my door step to say I need to let you know the EMA office will be unmanned tommorow and I am counting on you and a few others as I will be directing any issues from Portland! ooookaaay! Now nothing usually happens around here. But..leaving ARC girl in charge? I said really Ralph.."you're leaving me alone up here?" Yep, you can do it! He said I've called the Hydro and I have all your numbers, and I will stay in close contact with you...yuuuh! So everyone..pray for rain, no ice, no wind! Thank you!
In other life changing events tonight is the Basketball awards night...Tylers last one at Sedgwick, but even more so.. His Dad's last one as Basketball Coach. I think Don is going to miss that job very very much. He loves those boys, and coaching has really been a great thing for him..I think if something similar comes along he will take it up again. He is an excellent role model and a great coach for young kids as he doesnt have that "win under all costs" attitude..yet he does try to get them to do their best..I have seem him really grow in this position over the past four years.
I am afraid it will be rather bittersweet..I hope he can replace it with something as special.
Off to Rockland and the ARC institute at the end of the week..more on that later I am sure.
ARC girl
Another storm coming in tommorow and of course the State EMA decided to have a conference call..#107 of the winter.. they are rather monotonous by now and quite frankly, we have had no real issues except some minor flooding Valentines day storm. So I took it in stride until they called role and my local EMA director said he had no questions nor did he have any comments...very rare for him! So about an hour later he shows up on my door step to say I need to let you know the EMA office will be unmanned tommorow and I am counting on you and a few others as I will be directing any issues from Portland! ooookaaay! Now nothing usually happens around here. But..leaving ARC girl in charge? I said really Ralph.."you're leaving me alone up here?" Yep, you can do it! He said I've called the Hydro and I have all your numbers, and I will stay in close contact with you...yuuuh! So everyone..pray for rain, no ice, no wind! Thank you!
In other life changing events tonight is the Basketball awards night...Tylers last one at Sedgwick, but even more so.. His Dad's last one as Basketball Coach. I think Don is going to miss that job very very much. He loves those boys, and coaching has really been a great thing for him..I think if something similar comes along he will take it up again. He is an excellent role model and a great coach for young kids as he doesnt have that "win under all costs" attitude..yet he does try to get them to do their best..I have seem him really grow in this position over the past four years.
I am afraid it will be rather bittersweet..I hope he can replace it with something as special.
Off to Rockland and the ARC institute at the end of the week..more on that later I am sure.
ARC girl
e shtunë, 1 mars 2008
Traffic control
My goodness, did someone put out an ABP on the ARC girls website...there is more "traffic" on this site than Curt Schillings after the series...5 comments and they are all to "each other" on the "en garde" post! You people all need to get a chat room! Then they continue with the "confused Kym and the "charming" cough, cough,.. Patrick dancing on the comments page of my last entry.
So lets see if I can straighten it all out...
1.Ginny takes no responsibility for letting anyone know where ARC girl resides..
- That would be true..unless you are a member of her site..and we all know that the current "interlopers" are not..Ginny is responsible for the ARC sisters being on line..the digital land of estrogen that someone so kindly nicknamed it...
Perhaps you would like to tangle with Ms. Barboza ....she knows how to show a guy the door!
And yes 'Kym in the Gym' she knows how the "Super Sibs" came to be a branch of the ARC girls site. In other words Ginny speaks the truth! Unlike some who claim to get their info thru the breezes of the "pine tree's..... chapter"...because of their wit and charm....
2. Patrick claims to have inner knowledge from the ARC camp....the "gigabyte queen" informs me she in no way is involved in Velcro wars.. Sisters are sisters after all...that bond is stronger than any VELCRO!
3. Patrick and the Knight want to meet for a pint...
- 'shudder'..you know the old Irish saying "the truth comes out when the spirit goes in"
that could be a potential nightmare for the Princess/ARC girl, best to keep them in their seperate kingdoms. They are both too clever for their own good! and perhaps way too much in common...
4. Kym in the Gym wants to know if the Irishman is taken...
Me's thinking,
-the answer there would be "Kate the great"! Anyone who puts up with the antics of Paddy Walsh deserves a royal title.......so don't fall for his smooth lines that's the whiskey talking...
(I know all about what kind of trouble Sir Jameson can get you in to!) Stay away from the
on line "nudges" as he calls them too! Hmmmm, eerie.
He's clever..but he velcroed your sister!
Now does that take care of all of you...? After all this is MY website or did you all lose site of that? If not I may have to change my name and go somewhere else! You'd all probably find me though!
So guess what its snowing..storm #327 or is it 328? Can't recall. Wish I had saved some of that left over velcro from my desk top this week, might need to throw it on the roads since the State now claims to have run out of salt..of course Sedgwick never had any in the first place! Doesn't look like this is going to stop anytime soon either. JOY! March first, looks like it could be a white ST Patricks day too!
Speaking of which the ARC girl and that celtic rock loving son of hers just got their Van Morrison tickets in the mail for the concert in Boston St Paddys day weekend. Actually Friday night the 14th. The Wang Center! This girl can not wait..its been an almost 30 year wait to see him in concert. I started to enjoy Van Morrison's music in college and have never had the opportunity to see him live. Tyler always said he would be my date...so we will be off for Bean town on the 14th. Ty says he hopes he doesn't have to wait 30 years to see Drop Kick Murphys live!
Well other than you all enlivening my blog the only excitement for the day besides watching the snow fall from the window seat is the laundry that keeps calling my name....yes I hear it now..
or is that one of Patricks leaves of Barley whispering to me?
The snowed in ARC girl/aka Princess
So lets see if I can straighten it all out...
1.Ginny takes no responsibility for letting anyone know where ARC girl resides..
- That would be true..unless you are a member of her site..and we all know that the current "interlopers" are not..Ginny is responsible for the ARC sisters being on line..the digital land of estrogen that someone so kindly nicknamed it...
Perhaps you would like to tangle with Ms. Barboza ....she knows how to show a guy the door!
And yes 'Kym in the Gym' she knows how the "Super Sibs" came to be a branch of the ARC girls site. In other words Ginny speaks the truth! Unlike some who claim to get their info thru the breezes of the "pine tree's..... chapter"...because of their wit and charm....
2. Patrick claims to have inner knowledge from the ARC camp....the "gigabyte queen" informs me she in no way is involved in Velcro wars.. Sisters are sisters after all...that bond is stronger than any VELCRO!
3. Patrick and the Knight want to meet for a pint...
- 'shudder'..you know the old Irish saying "the truth comes out when the spirit goes in"
that could be a potential nightmare for the Princess/ARC girl, best to keep them in their seperate kingdoms. They are both too clever for their own good! and perhaps way too much in common...
4. Kym in the Gym wants to know if the Irishman is taken...
Me's thinking,
-the answer there would be "Kate the great"! Anyone who puts up with the antics of Paddy Walsh deserves a royal title.......so don't fall for his smooth lines that's the whiskey talking...
(I know all about what kind of trouble Sir Jameson can get you in to!) Stay away from the
on line "nudges" as he calls them too! Hmmmm, eerie.
He's clever..but he velcroed your sister!
Now does that take care of all of you...? After all this is MY website or did you all lose site of that? If not I may have to change my name and go somewhere else! You'd all probably find me though!
So guess what its snowing..storm #327 or is it 328? Can't recall. Wish I had saved some of that left over velcro from my desk top this week, might need to throw it on the roads since the State now claims to have run out of salt..of course Sedgwick never had any in the first place! Doesn't look like this is going to stop anytime soon either. JOY! March first, looks like it could be a white ST Patricks day too!
Speaking of which the ARC girl and that celtic rock loving son of hers just got their Van Morrison tickets in the mail for the concert in Boston St Paddys day weekend. Actually Friday night the 14th. The Wang Center! This girl can not wait..its been an almost 30 year wait to see him in concert. I started to enjoy Van Morrison's music in college and have never had the opportunity to see him live. Tyler always said he would be my date...so we will be off for Bean town on the 14th. Ty says he hopes he doesn't have to wait 30 years to see Drop Kick Murphys live!
Well other than you all enlivening my blog the only excitement for the day besides watching the snow fall from the window seat is the laundry that keeps calling my name....yes I hear it now..
or is that one of Patricks leaves of Barley whispering to me?
The snowed in ARC girl/aka Princess
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