2002-05-17 - 5:10 p.m.

Work-work-work

They are working me to death! I may be very happy to be unemployed before this is over! We had a new code change from corporate yesterday. Unfortunately no one but QA on our shift noticed the message. Product ran all shift on 3 and until I pulled my first check. It may be released but I am so glad I remembered the announcement. I even got a 'thank-you' from S by phone to D. Little breezes float by causing me to wonder if a big change may be coming right after the meeting the 28th. It will concern options open in the areas of scheduling, schooling, order of lay-offs, etc. It comes right after the holidays and a cleanup. Wouldn't surprise me if we got a closing announcement at that time.

800 is busy hatching wild turkeys and pheasants. The little peeps can be heard down the hall and it smells of chickfeed and heatlamps down here. That smell brings such a revulsion to me. I don't think it probably smells that bad, but memeories of Radelmiller's turkey brooders are strong in my mind. That was 50 years ago, but I can still recall hauling water and feed to all the brooder houses. The big circles containing hundreds of baby turkeys scurryng here and there, with dead ones occasionally to be found underfoot. I can't remember whether I had to discard the bodies or if Daddy did.

The positive thing that came out of that experience was the purchase of my horse Sally in exchange for that work and free board at the farm for her. She was my physical salvation then. Riding her each night after school even on the short winter days when we could only make it up the lane and back before dark, long summer days spent riding down to the little store for a popsicle or down to the lake for a swim. Those are good memories that crowd out the poverty, Daddy's drunkenness and Mamma's growing insanity. Sally gave me acceptance that I could not find with my school peers.

I had a horse and I was smart. Those 2 things gave me confidence to face the world I lived in. I shut out all the rest of my life and lived for those 2 things. She insulated me from the influence of the only groups I might have found a place in and kept me from going down paths that could have destroyed me before I found You. Really You found me. Thank You for giving me Sally. Thank You for keeping me safe until I grew up. Thank You for making one more 'way of escape'.

EE's devotional

newAutumn Leaves

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