it ain't over 'til it's over

Summer,that is. While the Gulf coast is staring at several days worth of rain on a money making holiday weekend, our temperature is still topping out around 100 with relief in sight by Monday. Hopefully, for good until next July. That will be mighty uncomfortable for the folks who are working hard to get things ready for the Dyer County Fair. I haven't been to the fair in probably ten years, but I've been asked to take some pics to be used for fair books, displays etc and I feel obligated by my heritage to take part if asked. Both of my parents were veteran fair people giving up a week of their lives, beginning on every Labor Day, to help keep the thing running. My birthday virtually always falls during that week, this time on Friday. However..........I have celebrated the passing of many years right there at the gates where people clamor for the midway and exhibits like crackheads lookin' for a hit of junk. There is some ancient barn wood around here headed for the Sorghum village, and some to my salsa sista' so that she can display her hand beaded creations at shows. I would have never thought of that...but she jumped on it! If the weather forecast is right, by opening night the air should be clear and cool, dipping into the fifties at night.

I'm sticking to a strict regimen of meds and support during ragweed season because it's my worst problem child. BG is allergic to something that peaks in October...I don't have a clue what. We're still sifting through stuff..even my parents, going through photo albums and putting similar things together. I realized watching my BFs family how hard it is even when the whole brood pitches in because there's always drama as an undercurrent with kids and their mommas'n'daddies and death and suffering and whatnot. Oh, and independence. Sheesh! All I can figure is that pretty soon we'll be even for the three evil years they had from me :) My mother taught just enough of the social graces to be able to pull off a running Stafford fit and still seem like a "nice girl." Not many people have seen those from me, and almost always they involve justice or the lack thereof.

Our photographer at the sawmill stopped by to get some shots of different departments today so a whole bunch of us snuggled up together between analyzers to put on a happy face for the company. And really? Most of us aren't pretending. As jobs go, I'd rather work with the crew I'm with than any other I can imagine. It's a revolving door kind of thing, especially with the phlebs, watching them leave as twentysomethings and come back years later, sometimes with a degree. Knowing how to properly perform venipuncture is a valuable skill in today's workforce. For years we have trained people off the street to do the most important task in the whole process: Proper identification of patients and labeling and transport of specimens. Many new hires are graduates of PCT classes, where basic nursing skills and medical assistant type job training are a plus for an employer considering a resume.

For the life of me, I will never understand why healthy people who claim to be faithful don't take the time to donate blood anonymously. I guess it's just so random that most folks don't stop to consider the fact that 5% of the population supplies human blood for the other 95%! That's like a needle in a haystack, ya'll. I have seen their gift used wisely and sometimes wastefully, but never without saying a silent thank you to the person who rolled up their sleeves and gave it just because it's the right thing to do. I had to quit because my one vein collapsed and I'm "saving it" for my old age hospital visits.

Hope ya'll all have a safe and happy holiday. I'll be at the sawmill pouting with my comrades.

^j^