Garden Pests...eww

Yesterday while out doing yardwork, my husband noticed these guys (yes, two of them) on one of my tomato plants.  I had to look up on the internet to learn that they are "cartoonish, hornworms...that will eventually turn into moths....the size of hummingbirds."  They eat so much...that in one day they can devour an entire tomato plant...leaves, and fruit!  Well, these buggers got the leaves and fruit on one of my six plants...hopefully, I don't find anymore.  JMS and I plucked them off and drowned them in a cup of soapy water.  JMS asked if we could cut them open and look at their insides....I told him no, but thought..."what a boy!"  So, I know the pictures make them look big...but seriously they were as big as my middle finger...each of them was this large! 

Look at our garden grow...

I'm not sure if it's all the rain we had in the month of May and early June...or if its the dirt....or if I'm just plain lucky...or if I have a really green thumb....but everything is growing like weeds this year.  And, it isn't just the weeds. :)  As you can see my hostas are doing awesome...and the Easter lilies I planted last year....and the tomatoes...and the petunias....

And...in this last picture...while we were in South Carolina...JMS was helping grandma and his cousin Drew water grandma's flowers...I think grandma squirted JMS and this was his reaction....I can't wait to pull this out when he's 18!!!  I call it "JAZZ HANDS." 

June Vacations

JMS left at the very beginning of June and travelled to Michigan with my parents.  They spent the week "exploring" the woods with lanterns, catching minnows, playing with a little white dog, and looking for all the toddler friendly playgrounds in northwest Michigan.  Needless to say, my parents needed three days without JMS to recover from his exploding amounts of energy. 

As soon as they send photos of their trip...I'll share.  Until then, I will talk about the vacation we took with him the following week to Myrtle Beach with Mack's family.  We went to Kingston Plantation again...since it worked so well the previous summer for our families.  So here are the pictures.  

The boys walked out to the very end of the pier and we actually saw jelly fish...alot of jelly fish.  We also saw some variation of sting ray...four of them swimming together.  If he could have his pick, JMS preferred the swimming pool.  One of my nephew's...baby Josh...isn't much of a baby anymore. 

(jelly fish photo that I couldn't get moved up on the page...)

Memorial Day Weekend Fun

This weekend we had my parents, and sister-in-law over for food and fun in the sun.  She brought her two boys...William (6) and Eli (2).  They enjoyed playing in the sprinklers...eating steaks...(well the kids had corn dogs)....and ice cream sandwiches/popsicles.  It was good to see them all play together.  It sure brightens grandma and grandpa's moods too. 

On another note....a few weeks back we tore out our front landscaping and put in rhodies and azaleas...here is a picture of the final outcome.  The bushes will hopefully have white blooms next year. 

And....also a few weeks back, check out this rainbow that Joseph and I saw over our neighborhood!!!! He wanted to go look for the pot of gold b/c it was so close.  Super cool. 

Another Blanket...

This one is for my friend Phoebe who just had a baby girl...Jane Marie Flynn.  I hope she loves it!  It is pink and blue together to give it a purple hue. 

The Problems with An Old Store

So I haven't been on my blog much since I became a Store Manager.  I think it is only fair to explain what I deal with 7 days a week.  I have 6 assistant managers.  Of these six, I have three that were in college less than 12 months ago!!!  Five are from the generation that doesn't have a name yet...Gen Y or Millennials...whatever you want to call it.  And only 1 was in this store a year ago!!!  Needless to say, I am having to choreograph and teach and guide many individuals in many different capacities. 


Second, I have a very old building.  This aspect affects me in two ways: structure and personnel.  So, have you ever had a situation where you are trying to sell stuff....but you have water bugs and sewer water coming up out of your floor (in four different places) and the customer sees it and smells it?  Well this happened to me about two weeks ago.  We had a backup in our main sewer line and every time a customer flushed a toilet it purged more water up on to the floor.  Apparently there are caps that are supposed to be screwed tightly into these access panels, but mine were not, so they floated to the surface and did not prevent anything from coming up.  I had the fire department show up because a customer panicked and called them about a gas leak and was concerned b/c we were not evacuating the store!!! Great...another thing to deal with.  :) 


Yesterday our Chiller essentially died.  What is a Chiller you ask?  Well, it is what an old building uses to cool the store.  We do not have an air conditioner...rather a Chiller...it fits well with my boiler room. Yes, I have a boiler room too.  Now the company is trying to decide what is the most cost effective way to cool this store to within acceptable levels for the customer as well as the employee.  So I have a replacement Chiller in place but it won't be hooked up until Monday.  I can't believe they still make these things.  Who do I need to call...Popsicles and cold water is only going to last for so long with the team. 
 
As far as the personnel, a good number are resistant to change.  (No...say it ain't so!)  My boss expects me to turn this store from "not on company programs" to "on company programs" and they are fighting me....so I spend 15 hours a day talking to the team members and persuading them ALOT! 


And...you all thought I just sold stuff and told customers where to find "off the wall" stuff that they are looking for.  :)  To update everyone, our customers still ask for weird stuff.  Lately....crazy bands (rubber bands that are shaped like animals)...heavy duty lock up a fence chain (we don't sell except for bicycles)...watch batteries (in our electronics department)...fancy trash bags for the car...The Blindside (popular movie)...As Seen On TV bra strap converter...  I must say the customers in my new store are much more polite than those that I was dealing with a year ago.  I haven't had to roll my eyes or bite my tongue as much. 


I was at a store in Bloomington Indiana on Thursday and found it funny when we were asked to help a customer figure out what numeric waist size corresponded with S/M/L sizes.  We told him he was a Medium and you would have thought we told him he was UGLY.  His ego deflated right in front of us.  I was laughing on the inside. 


Hopefully this gives you a small glimpse of what I am doing.  I know for  many of you school is ending...and you are looking forward to the summer.  I on the other hand am up to my ears in Back to School planning.  This job is very consuming and it is very hard to find that work/life balance.  Fortunately my JMS and wonderful husband don't let me forget to take a break....I love them so much!

Roses for a Mom

Happy Mother's Day...what a nice gift. Five rose bushes planted and mulched for me: 1)Floribunda Moondance: Creamy White Clusters smell like raspberry; 2) Mister Lincoln Rose Hybrid Tea Rose: Red; 3) Scent From Above: Yellow Climber 4)Cut Rose Hybrid Tea: Red; 5) Climbing Joseph's Coat Rose: Orange/Pink

1....Moondance

2...Mister Lincoln Rose

3...Scent From Above

4... Cut Hybrid tea

5...Climbing Joseph's Coat