Pretty Potash

Tuesday, November 17, 2020

This week I lost Potash, one of my three remaining elderly hens. Among them (all nearly eleven years old), Potash seemed strongest and most likely to be longest to survive. A gorgeous bird, Potash’s feathers basically were black, always flashing highlights of blue or green depending on how they reflected the light. A tough bird, Potash claimed leadership of the flock after its two ill-tempered roosters forced me to rehome them.

Often in mornings, I’d arrive at the gated area that houses my Dwarf goats and hens. Potash would be perched on a goat’s back, the team appearing comfortable.

The goats and chickens taught me lots. For example, hens often peck at the corners of the goats’ eyes and remove accumulated matter. Watching this I’d hold my breath, but the goats neither flinched nor blinked, and always, the hens were accurate.

Early last week Potash appeared okay, but one night something was different. Instead of being snuggled with LittleTail and Wellsummer, I found Potash settled deeply in straw inside the goat house and against its farthest back wall. That night promised to be bitterly cold, and in severe weather the hens usually roost as a batch.

The next day, I peered into the goat house and saw Potash’s eyes closed. She appeared comfortably asleep, but on reaching to check I felt her body cold and stiff. I wiped away tears, lifted her, and began thinking about bravery. This chicken might have felt herself in declining health and increasingly cold. She found a warm safe spot, but on a very cold night had been too weak to generate combative body heat.

Chickens are brave, and especially as they age, poor health in one isn’t always apparent. Ten years ago, my beginner flock numbered a dozen day-old chicks. Upon reaching six or seven years old, the hens’ laying days began to dwindle. Afterwards, and one by one, I began losing them, and understanding that mass-bred chickens are marketed as egg layers or meat birds with life expectancies at the low end of a bird’s capacity range. I feel grateful for still having two hens, but they’re old and ahead must cope with another dicey winter.

Those who’ve grown up in families that worked to manage large chicken flocks might have had enough, couldn’t give a hang about a chicken’s life or death. Those who’ve never lived with chickens might not value a chicken’s life or consider its death a blow. Well, from this small rancher’s experience, losing a chicken is a big deal emotionally.

We humans willing to house one or more animals, regardless of variety, embark on an amazing journey. Often with our charges, and almost unthinkingly, we find ourselves connected to and deeply attached to them.

Dear Friends: Ten years ago my flock had a dozen baby chicks, and now only two. Diana

Yes, Really!

Monday, November 16, 2020

My week has been one of mumble-jumble anxiety. I’m receiving speedy-like training for a new supervisory role in my part time job. Several days ago, my friend Susie got in touch and invited me to the Neubauer’s TiPi. She and Dale would provide wine, cheese, a fire. She added, “It’s a great place to ventilate.”

Last night, we gathered around the fire pit, sipped wine, and shared our stories. For me, their pleasant companionship was plenty, but they had a surprise. Susie handed me a flat package wrapped in comic-paper, “Here, this is for you.”

My little dream seems more true.

This beautifully designed sign turned my head completely from the complex topics of business, sociology, and politics. Their gift is an honor to my recently-named Eight Pines Ranch, with its three wonderful equines. The sign, a mark of achievement, increases the ranch’s individuality.

So beautiful and meaningful. I couldn’t look away from it.

The Neubauers have lived many years in this neighborhood. Dale, a helicopter specialist, is an inventor. His HeliLadder, a tool used in making repairs to aircraft, is designed to avoid damaging complex body shapes. Susie, his entrepreneur partner at Heliladder, makes certain that they maintain a life beyond work. In our neighborhood, Susie knows nearly everybody, her confident insight identifies and brings together folks with common interests. It wowed me, she had caught onto my casual mention, but deep wish, for a more identifiable property.

Thank you again, Neubauers, for offering on a chilly fall evening, the comforts of TiPi, fireplace, and talk. I’m beyond delighted with a beautiful sign identifying “Eight Pines Ranch”.

Dear Friends: Sharing seemingly small things often refreshes and keeps us going. Diana

Stressing

Sunday, November 15, 2020

My “weekend” has begun, it’s delicious. During this partial week of my supervisory training, the mornings have been action oriented. Work wants me there by eight a.m., which means very early caring for my large animals. A dislike of working outside in early, dark, scary hours makes me pause for some natural light. This week, between limited early light and an onslaught of awful weather, I’ve not finished early with the horses and have been running late. It’s not been a huge problem because already my manager has been in the office and working.

We who oversee Costco’s daily sample serving process are responsible for bunches of early work. First, we generate mega computer numbers to report the previous day’s costs and sales, and we create documents to guide the current day’s demo servers. After the computer work and before sample server employees arrive to start working, we overseers must prepare and have ready the displays of foods. By ten a.m. all computer reporting and demo food preparing must be complete. My manager knows well the computer systems and keyboards. She’s fast. I’m still slow and aware of the pressure to get quicker.

Our plan upon returning to work on Tuesday (my final training day), is for me to handle all the computer and food prep needs. My manager will supervise and if necessary lend a hand, because on the next day, Wednesday, she’ll be away. On Wednesday I will be in charge, must get everything done, and accurately, by 10 a.m. Here I’ll pause a moment, to roll my eyes.

My manager on offering the promotion said my hours would continue to be part-time. Her supervisor interviewed me, too, and casually mentioned “computer work”, asking if knew how to “use a mouse”. My early expectations didn’t rise to the organization’s many real time needs, to manage and report in a big business focused on sales and productivity.

Learning Costco’s computers has made me aware of its very busy office. Out in the aisles, Costco employees hurry, moving products, cleaning up, and pausing briefly to assist customers. The employees working in its computing office are focused, intense, fast. They tend to ignore a novice to the system who needs help. My manager has responded, dropping what else she might be doing and coming to bail me from “stuck spots”.

This Wednesday will be my “final exam”. Hopefully on that day, I will be able to manage everything in a manner acceptably accurate and timely. Now, again I’ll pause, to sigh.

Dear Friends: An automated working environment tests brain capacity and memory. Diana

Oops!

Saturday, November 14, 2020

On this very beautiful morning I got preoccupied, writing to a longtime friend, and lost track of the hours. Now, I’ve too little time to compose something more before it’s essential to leave for work.

Yesterday was a day of storming. Snow dropped, but not too much. Just enough to crunch underfoot.

Dear Friends: I’ll “see ya” tomorrow morning! Now, I’m off to the management training. Diana

Relationships

Friday, November 13, 2020

The dogs love staying eight-hours inside while I’m at work being trained in my new role. It took a nanosecond for them to recognize on going outside that shortly they’ll be re-invited inside. After a time or two of five or ten five minutes outside they’ve learned to huddle at the deck-slider, barking to remind me. In this cold weather it’s good they’re inside, for Miles is arthritic and Louie is recovering from a sprained back.

Meanwhile, I’m learning about my new role and adjusting. For many years I’ve handed out samples at Costco and in the process have escaped the business’s paperwork end. In my new job a daily priority is detailed, hefty paperwork. It’s how our branch team communicates with our home office team. The paperwork requires computer skills and speedy processing, and we must gather numbers from computers in the Costco business office to assemble with other data from our own computer.

It’s been shocking to realize that the two online business systems are unlike anything I’ve known and each differs from the other. Plus, the various keyboards aren’t like mine at home and require more learning. So I’ve been stumbling and slow to gather information. It’s frustrating, but learning is a processes and I resist being too hard on myself. My manager worries though, because she must have me “trained” by the end of tomorrow, and before next week when I’ll re-start working part-time.

Another big part of this has been learning to team with another person. That means creating a relationship of mutual comfort and confidence, in skills, dependability, and trust. We avoid areas of differences, like politics, religion, and such. There is a mutual trust developing, we will team together well.

This week during my long hours away from home, my across-the-road neighbor has baby sat the horses.

I’m thrilled the trio may be all day on grass. They walk over with me in early light, and hurry toward me in early darkness when I’m returning for them. They are easy and cooperative in both directions of our walks.

Dogs are inside, horses are on grass, and I’m starting to re-settle at work. All’s good.

Dear friends: Working with animals forces aside all thoughts about other sorts of work. Diana

Deformation Professionnelle

Thursday, November 12, 2020

I’ll speak some about my adventure of training for a new role in my part-time job. I report to a woman who’s significantly younger. We spend lots of time together. She’s focused on the organization’s need to increase sales, is aware of staff as individuals and with unique capabilities.

Our different personalities push our discussions into directions both wanted and unwanted. Our worldviews differ enough that we must work to coordinate ideas on leadership and training. Sometimes our efforts are slow, for her management brain trends to the left and absolute, mine searches for enlightenment from the squishy, less-known.

It’s important that we talk, to thread toward our goal of teaming in mutual trust and dependability. In my experience, people who can get their heads together do team more creatively and achieve worthwhile outcomes.

It’s a long time since I’ve tried professionally to coordinate thoughts with another person. A powerful outcome of expressing aloud thoughts and ideas is that individuals may continue processing, by reaching deeply inside to explore more their views and opinions. Talking is powerful, it can summon self-awareness. I’m reconsidering ideas that have arisen from me and might recast a few.

Dear Friends: That seems enough, there are animals to feed in barely enough time. Diana

Unforgettable Dolly

Wednesday, November 11, 2020

Years ago, as a total novice somewhat afraid of horses, I climbed onto my Quarter Horse, Dolly. She was mild-mannered, and over time taught me to ride, to know that horses are great fun.

Upon retiring to Oregon and knowing next-to-nothing about horses, I acquired a small ranch with a fenced horse space. I looked around, just to keep a horse. I had no intention of riding. I found Dolly, then in her twenties, and brought her home. I cared for her about a year, until one day and full of fear, I climbed onto her back, and Dolly stood quietly. When I managed to “up my courage” and mumble, “Walk,” she did.

For years Dolly carried me wherever I wished, into the mountains, over water. She had the fabulous attribute of always knowing where to find the rig and becoming lost was impossible. I’d drop Dolly’s reins and and say, “Go, find the rig.” She always did, with her I felt safe.

After Dolly passed, I searched for other horses. Few are better than mine today, they take me everywhere, are sure footed, dependable, and yes, find the rig. I love them, but my first horse, teacher and trusted bestie, is special.

Dolly taught this beginner much. I made mistakes in horsekeeping, some hard to recall. But learning is a bumpy road. and today, I’d face some situations differently. Nonetheless whatever I asked, Dolly never minded, didn’t argue and stepped up to the plate. She always did her best, and to my mind, perfectly.

My Dear Dolly.

Dear Friends: I’ll write later about my new at-work role and learning process. Diana

In The Moment

Tuesday, November 10, 2020

It’s fun when odd lines from my childhood occasionally pop up, most learned while reading comic books to which I was addicted. Yesterday, a line occurred that I easily could recall Archie saying to Veronica, “Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.”

That’s one of my favs and this morning is appropriate, for today begins my training for a promotion in my part-time job. I feel okay about being trained, but dislike that on each of the next five days it will gobble eight-hours. Moreover, this training means I must be at work by eight a.m. Come on!

I want the promotion, so yes, this morning am on my feet. I managed to sip a cup of coffee while pulling on a couple of sweaters and some heavy-duty coveralls. Now, I’m ready to strap on a headlight and go outside to feed horses. I’ll be watching Rosie and looking for funny, as she’ll be stunned by me treading downhill and toward her. Ah, yes Rosie, it’s no dream but real now, and will be throughout this week.

Dear Friends: Sorry for this moment when my brain can handle only this moment. Diana

Exhaling

Monday, November 09, 2020

The past few years have burdened us with emotions in bulk. At first I tended to ignore Donald J. Trump’s ridiculous ongoing campaign rhetoric. My mind changed upon the release of the open-mike tape that caught him explaining how easily a famous person can grab a woman’s pussy. That was disgusting enough, but his bullying increasingly became pronounced. During campaigning, he never hesitated to devalue human feelings and intelligence, he laughingly made a mockery of being handicapped, and he dismissed American heroes as “losers”. And then he won the presidency.

He didn’t win the popular vote. His support came from about a third of the constituency, but they were in states with the electoral college votes to win office. We then listened to him brag about building a wall, cozying up to powerful dictators, withdrawing the United States from international agreements, and isolating effectively this country. The list goes on and culminates last year upon the onset of a Novel CoronaVirus. He downplayed its outbreak.

If that virus had proved less virulent as Trump hoped, he’d likely have been re-elected. Despite the virus strength and Trump’s disassociation from social and infrastructure needs, his favorability among voters increased, from a third to almost one-half of current voters. It’s been a phenomenon of “Trump and altered-democracy”. Americans long will analyze the factors that have made popularity and emotional overburden almost work. We will comprehend upon unthreading what has occurred, on understanding what has so divided American society. That’s our guide to repairing divisinesses.

Now that a few days have assured Biden’s election is secure, the future seems better. I feel myself breathing more slowly. Last night, in contrast to ongoing months of tension, I relaxed enough to re-immerse myself in books. There was more, too. I patiently searched the incredible music catalog of iTunes for wonderful artists from the past, and afterwards sat listening to sheer talent.

Dear Friends: Environment, population, and infrastructure overwhelmingly demand. Diana

Quality Management?

Sunday, November 08, 2020

Today marks the start of my weekend. On Tuesday, I’ll begin a new job as an assistant supervisor, by spending a week in training. Unfortunately, the training requires my presence at work for eight-hour days. I’ll be following the senior supervisor and learning to support her position. My first challenge is personal, forcing me to be more creative in early mornings before departing home. I want to continue blogging and also handle early ranch chores. Please excuse me, if sometimes I apologize for morning processes getting out of hand.

New elements in my work-life are associated to our newly-decided election. It gives me a sense of relief. While working in Costco, I can anticipate a continuance of mask-wearing. Until now, many shoppers have predicted the election outcome will allow for dropping masks altogether. Their disappointed likely will display in rebellion by continuing to wear MAGA masks, hats, and t-shirts. Recently, Costco hired outside security personnel to ensure normality during shopping hours.

After months of unemployment we sample servers on returning to work at first weren’t allowed to hand out samples. Despite a pandemic and mask-wearing, many customers complained, demanded, and even begged for samples. We began handing out samples on a limited basis, small pre-wrapped and pre-apportioned bits. We asked customers to consume samples outside the store so as not to remove their masks. At first, most customers complied, but quickly that changed. People ignored our requests, lowered masks inside the store, ate, dropped food and paper waste on the floor. For whatever reason, Costco has had enough, is reversing the trend.

Beginning Tuesday, sample servers returning to work won’t hand out samples. We will show an example of our product, verbally describe it and state price and location. Several months ago right after layoffs, that’s how we worked. We showed and described. Beginning Tuesday and as before, many customers will abuse us verbally, for “just standing around, talking endlessly, not handing out samples”. A common spitting-out is, “Why are you here anyway?”

“Well,” I’ve replied, “Finally, I am working again and receiving a paycheck.” Some customers have nodded in understanding and others have sneered.

For we Sample Servers, some things won’t change. For example, we’ll still have the ongoing pressure of assigned sales goals for each product being shown. Our individual performances will be measured against those sales goals.

On Tuesday, to assist with constantly changing conditions in our confusing work-world, I’ll be assuming a supervisory role. Please bear with me.

Dear Friends: My story is a microcosm of the unique disruptives in work processes. Diana