Mid week ramblings

Another birthday come and gone, another year older. FIFTY-TWO! Yikes. I sure don't feel that old (well, except those days when I feel more like 82 years old). DD was home for a quick weekend visit. She made me a birthday cake (Confetti cake) and got me a cute rooster mug and a candle (from Ireland). Her BF got me a set of pictures to hang on the wall that dd and I had seen awhile back and I liked. They will look nice in my new office/bedroom. DH got me a nice Starbucks gift card and some of my favorite chocolates. My boss had my cubicle decorated with Happy Birthday signs and a pretty bouquet of flowers. Mom took me out to lunch.

DD also got me some adorable, but totally dysfunctional, rooster salt and pepper shakers. The holes are so big, the salt and pepper just pours out.

Sunday morning DD and I made some candles.  Super easy and the amount of wax I bought was exactly perfect for the containers we had. They smell wonderful.

Gil, over at That British Woman recently reviewed the book Once Upon a Flock: Life With My Soulful Chickens.  It looked like something I should read :).  Picked it up at the library and read it in about 24 hours. Very cute, funny, sweet book. Makes me want chickens even more.  Though they do seem like a lot of work if you get addicted to them.

It's a quick read, with great drawings (she is an illustrator) and pictures throughout the book.

I can't seem to get in sync with my side job lately. Monday I tried to access the main system they use for tracking orders (same one we use at my regular job) and got an error message. I emailed the guy at the office that handles that kind of stuff (they don't have an onsite IT person, and use an outside company for most things, if he can't take care of it). He passed me off to another person at the office, who then passed me off to actually call tech support for the program itself. So, early yesterday morning I called and their support person said that they had upgraded to a new version and I apparently still was trying to access the old version. He emailed me some easy instructions and I followed them, but apparently that messed up everything and then no one at the office could get into the program. I get an email later that morning from the guy I originally emailed (you know, the one who was supposed to handle it?) and he said "in the future it would be better if I handled this type of issue". I, as nicely as I could, emailed back "I definitely agree, that is why I emailed you for help in the first place" - and added a smiley. I waited awhile and emailed him back asking him to shoot me an email when everything was up and working again and he said it's all working now. So, I tried to again access the program (it was the new version now) but there is still a message that some settings need to be entered (that I don't know), so emailed him right back to let him know. It's now Wednesday morning and I still have no response. I've been trying to get on this program for 3 days now, and have so much to do, as I'm trying to finish up year end. Frustrating.

It's been a pain in the butt trying to get a debit card in DH's name on our checking account with Chase. I had finally gone into the bank and talked to the manager about a week and a half ago or so. He said to call him back and put DH on the phone and he'd set it up. Well, I called back when I got home, had to leave a message and he never called me back. This was a Friday afternoon. The next week I kept forgetting to try and call him back and then this week I was at work Monday and Tuesday and no time. As I went to bed last night I had a thought. I wonder if I can order a debit card in his name with my PayPal debit card account? I logged in this morning and sure enough, there was a link to "order another card". I typed in DH's name, clicked the box to agree to be liable for all charges, and simple as that, a card in his name is on the way.  One more thing taken care of. Plus, this way is better anyway, as I'll earn 1% cash back. I really don't know why Chase had to be so difficult. His name was already on the account for goodness sake.

On the neighborhood front - quieter but still in business. Now both of the renter's sons have warrants out for them, so they haven't been seen much, though DH did see the older one walking out last night and sent the deputy an email. We also found out this great deputy is being transferred to a different area in the county. Well, of course he is. GRRR.  BUT, there is a new guy who seems to have stepped right into his shoes and is impressing DH and the guys from the other nearby neighborhood. He has called DH several times and texts him too. One of the brothers from the house behind us is still in jail for a couple more weeks, but the other brother is still there to do business.

that's about all I know for now.