Career Point

On November 26, 2011 I received a letter from the Department of Unemployment Assistance stating that I needed to attend a Career Center Seminar, and that it was mandatory.

So, today Paul and I went to Career Point in Holyoke. You and Paul??? I can hear you asking. Yep, I'm a big chicken. I didn't want to go alone, so I made the appointment for a Monday, his day off.

It was about 2 hours long. I had to sign up for one workshop, so I signed up for a refresher course in Microsoft Word. I figure it can't hurt. They actually have a wealth of resources to help you to return to work.....

Then, it was off to Nick's Nest for lunch!

Lunch at Noble

Leslee had a checkup at Noble today so we (Leslee, me, Liz and Janice) decided to meet Dora and Barb for lunch today. I really miss the daily interaction with these girls. The above picture was taken of our department Christmas party in 2005.

Janice retired in 2006. This picture here is at her party.



Memories of a better time at Noble Hospital.

Facebook Phobia Class

FACE YOUR FACEBOOK PHOBIA
Monday, November 28, 2:30-4 p.m.
Baystate Health Education Center
361 Whitney Avenue, Holyoke
Your kids and grandkids are on it. Your friends are
using it to connect with friends and family around the
globe. Are you missing out? You might be. Join Jay Lord,
eHealth analyst, Baystate Health, for a discussion and
demonstration about Facebook, the popular social
media website. You’ll learn how easy it is to stay connected
and protected, including do’s and don’ts, special
features, and how to “friend.” Many of your favorite
places, like Baystate Health and Health New England,
even have their own Facebook pages, offering you
another way to connect and possibly enhance your
health care knowledge. Refreshments served. To register:
1-800-377-4325. FREE!

When my friend Leslee from work first told me she was going to this I laughed out loud. Facebook Phobia Class. Well, I decided to go with her and it was actually fun. Most of what was discussed I already knew, but you can always learn something. We told them afterward that they need to have a more advanced class too. I haven't been able to do anything like this in years. I'm beginning to like being "retired."

Leslee

Today I spent a good part of the day with my (ex)co-worker Leslee. She needed to have a little procedure done at Noble Hospital and I brought her. My other (ex)co-worker, Liz, met us there. While Leslee was being worked on, we had break with the girls that we have had break with for 14 years (!) and I also had lunch with my lunch buddies. It was bittersweet. It was good to see everyone, but also a bit sad. I have such mixed feelings. I actually like being home, but then again, I miss the people. I guess only time will help.

Last day of work

Today was my last day of work. This picture is of my empty desk! After 14 1/2 years of being a medical transcriptionist at Noble Hospital, the powers that be have decided to send the work to a service. We have known since September 8th that this was happening. The new contract didn't start until November 1st, so we worked for 7 1/2 weeks knowing that three of us would be done there. It has been a hard last week, but today was especially sad. People kept coming in all day to say their goodbyes. I have to say that this was probably my favorite job, by far the longest I have ever worked at one place. This last year things have changed a lot but there are many people that I will really miss.

Also......Halloween got cancelled in Agawam because of the power outage, so no trick or treating with Marley and Mason. Paul and I went to bed about 7:30 because it was just too cold to stay up, sitting in the dark.

Better days have to be coming because today was one of the lowest!

Sad!!

Today we had a little going away party for one of my co-workers. She is deserting us. Here is the group (minus three people who were not here today). A motley crew, huh?

Saying good-bye

Tonight we had a get-together at my boss' house. She has been asked to leave her job after almost 35 years. I have worked for her for almost 14 years. We have been undergoing a change in adminstration for more than a year and this was part of that change. It is going to be a hard adjustment and one that none of us are very happy with. We sure had a fun time tonight, though.

Good-bye McDonald's toy

Tonight I brought down the McDonald's toy and let Marley and Mason play with it for the last time before I packed it all up to give back to my friend Cindy. She let me use it for Marley back in 2003 when Marley was about 2 1/2. She had a lot of fun with it over the years.

Cindy now has a little granddaughter of her own and it's time for the McDonald's toy to go home. Mason had never seen it before. He's really a little too young for it but he had fun opening the doors and sticking his head out.

Thanks, Cindy, for years of fun with McDonald's!





Earlier today Dot had her 6 month checkup at her doctor's office. She looks pretty good, don't you think?

351/365 - New favorite Christmas decoration

I know this isn't a good picture, but it is the best I could do. I didn't want to use a flash because I wanted you to be able to see the light coming through the tree.

Anyway...at our work Christmas party on Wednesday, this was the gift I received from my Secret Santa. I later learned it was the gift my boss brought because she asked me if I liked it. It is from Yankee Candle and the tea light is a Christmas scent. The whole tree has little holes in it and light from the candle shows through. I absolutely love it. It is so pretty, and it smells good too!

349/365 - Party Day

Two parties today! Our annual Christmas party at work was today. Good food, secret Santa gifts.

Then tonight was the Girls Ministries Christmas Party. It was only with the Prims and Stars, so it was a smaller group and therefore not as chaotic.




The girls got the badges that they have earned since September, and then they made a craft. We had lots of help tonight. Many of the girls' mothers were there and they all helped. Marley's group was small (and they are older than my group), so Kristen helped in my group as well. I might even get to like crafts if we had this much help all the time!



This is Pat, the Prims leader (I insist on only being the helper). Doesn't she look cute in her Santa hat? She has so much patience with the girls. Not much seems to bother her (I worry and fret enough for both of us - LOL!)

324/365 - Janice's blueberry pie

Today I went to a scrapbooking crop. My friend Janice has been hosting crops at her house since 2005. We always have such a good time.

This picture was taken in 2008 before I started my blog. She had made a blueberry pie that didn't come out quite right. The bottom crust wasn't cooked through and the top had burned a little bit. The blueberries were good though. We were all hysterical over it. It's a good thing Janice is such a good sport!

We got talking about this pie today and I thought that the picture of Janice and her blueberry pie deserved to be shown.

314/365 - Caroline

This picture was taken in November 2005. A few of my co-workers and I went on a bus trip to New York City. Caroline is the first lady on the right.

Today Caroline lost her battle with cancer. She was diagnosed with it two years and three months ago. She was a very brave lady who had spunk and dignity right up until the end.

If anything, Caroline's death reminds me that life is very fragile and we should always try to make the most of every day. It also reminds me that we should never take our friends, or our family, for granted.

312/365 - Little door #2

I have been meaning to take a picture of this little door for years. It is on the ground floor of where I work near the staircase that I take to go to the cafeteria every day. No one seems to know what is really behind that door. Some think it may have been a fallout shelter at one time. One day it was open part-way and I peeked behind there. I think it is some sort of storage but I don't know how big it is or where it goes to. I'm sure the maintenance men know; some day I'll ask one of them.

266/365 - 60!!!

Even though I had to go to work on my birthday, it was a fun day. The girls in my office really made me feel special with cards, gifts, cake, and lots of well wishes as well as old age jokes! I feel very fortunate to work in a place where I consider my co-workers my friends. Thanks, everyone.

Paul and I went to Amherst for pizza at Antonio's tonight and last week we had our annual 5 family member birthday celebration.

Turning 60 has been pretty good so far!

221/365 - Vacation Bible School

Today was the first day of Vacation Bible School at my church. I took Marley this morning and ended up unexpectedly "helping out." My group was the same age group as my friend Cindy's group with her granddaughter Kailey.

This was my group - nine 4 year olds!!!

218/365 - Cindy's birthday at Noble

Today we celebrated my friend Cindy's birthday at Noble. Happy birthday Cindy!

182/365 - New Noble Cafe

I was looking at my Project 365 blog lately and decided that I really missed doing it. It was such a slice of life from last year; things that I would never had documented, simple everyday things. So...I decided to do it again, in this blog, for the last 6 months 2010.

Last month the new "Noble Cafe" opened at work under new management with Morrison Foods. The food has been great and healthy too (which seems a no brainer for a hospital). Today I had a "Roasted Turkey & Basil Salsa" sandwich. Doesn't it look good? They have been having a lot of flatbreads; this one was hard on the outside but soft on the inside with turkey, Provolone and freshly chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and basil. Yummy!

Birthday celebration

One of the girls that I work with had a birthday today. Her 9 year old granddaughter in California had sent her a birthday card and asked her to write back to her. I thought it would be cute to take a picture of her grandmother and her co-workers at her desk at work! I really like the girls that I work with.

356/365 - Work Christmas party

We had our Christmas party at work today. We had quite a feast (this table was just the main meal; we also had an appetizer table and a dessert table). That is my boss standing at the end of the table.

341/365 - Baby, it's cold in here!

We had no heat in my office today at work. It was 65 when we got in and only got up to about 68 by the end of the day. When you sit and type all day that is pretty cold. They say they are "working on it." When my co-worker Liz works with her coat on, you know it is COLD!