Are you an American? Call this number: 202-224-3121

Why should you call that number?  So you can tell them what state your from and then you can tell your state senator that you are against having more Syrian refugee's in America.  Should we help these people?  Of course!  Should we bring them here?  Um. . .no.  Why do you ask? 

Well in Paris one of the crazy people was posing as a refugee.  ISIS has stated that this is exactly what they were going to do.  Pose as refugee's and then turn around and go kill people.  This is common knowledge.  You can look it up.  They are so bold they are flat out telling us what they are going to do and here's our president saying oh okay sure come on in and kill a bunch of people.  While your at it, guns kill people.  Turn in your guns in Chicago and we'll give you 200 dollars.  Seriously this really happened you can look it up.  Not only is this a danger to us but there are many other reasons to be against letting all these refugee's into the country unchecked. 

First off, people need jobs.  Every day at my work someone calls, someone comes in, BEGGING for a job.  People need jobs now.  How many people do you think will need jobs if we have all these new people coming in willing to work off the books for whatever pay just so they can have a job?   People are homeless now.  Living on the streets.  Where are all these people going to live?  Is someone going to give them all houses or apartments?  What are they going to eat?  Oh that's okay they will all get food stamps.  Guess what?  I have had the pleasure of being poor enough for food stamps.  I know several others who are loosing their homes and lost their jobs, needing help in paying for food.  We are all getting squeezed out.  I lost my food stamps due to something so asinine its hard to even believe.  My ex husband has savings accounts for the kids under their names.  They are minors on the accounts and can't pull any money out of the bank till they are 18.  But because he has them under their names and socials EVEN THOUGH WE HAVE NO ACCESS TO THE MONEY, I can't even find out how much is in there- we lost our food assistance.  Come to find out after the fact its like 400 dollars in there (spread between 3 kids) so it wasn't even enough for us to get kicked out but just because it was there we get booted.  People who are lucky enough to still get help are getting less and less help to the point where some are only getting like 20 bucks a month.   What is the point?  Well once they get on food assistance there's not going to be anything left for anyone else.  This is another type of warfare that is quoted in their so called holy book.  They feed off the host country like parasites and refuse to conform to the host country's laws till they eventually take over.  With the numbers that he wants to bring in it sounds very likely that this will happen sooner than later. 

In other countries where they have let them come in and run amuck, women are being raped.  Children are being raped.  Little 15 year old girls are being gang raped.  There are places in these countries where the police won't go because it is deemed "unsafe" to go there unless you are Muslim.  Granted here we at least have the ability to bear arms so perhaps that will cull the insanity for awhile but seriously why play with it at all? 

Now I am not saying all Muslims are bad people.  I am not saying that we shouldn't help them, I am just saying from what I have seen of the ones who are already here we are already full up of Muslims please go somewhere else we have no room in the inn.  Can't we give them Alaska or something?  I wish there was a way to scan for radical ones but even with that the strain on our already collapsing economy I fear can't handle much more. 

So if your an American, if you love your neighbors and your family's and your co workers please call this number and blow up the phones and tell them that you are against all these refugee's coming here.  Please.   

less than jake - american Idle

Super appropriate! 

If you just smile. And hats.

You never know what is going to happen do you?  I was at a gas station the other day getting one of my indulgent spiced pumpkin latte's and I noticed this guy come in.  Kind of strange. . he made sure the door was closed after him.  So I get my coffee and get in line behind him.  Just another day you know.  And then he turns around and smiles at me.  I smiled back.  And then he gets up and walks out gets back in his car and leaves.  I guess I will never know what that was all about.  Was he just a weirdo who likes to make sure doors are closed behind him?  Was he running late for work and couldn't wait in line to pay for his gas?  Or was he going to rob the place and had second thoughts?  Maybe the delicious smell of my spiced pumpkin latte brought back memories of a better day and he decided not to do it.  Maybe my smile was all it took.  I don't know but it has been a couple of days and I still can't get the incident out of my head.  I think its because it is so rare these days for people to just randomly smile at you.  It used to be people would always smile and say hello, and everyone knows your name and all that, but with technology being what it is it seems like people don't so much communicate anymore.  And if you read that whole sentence and it made sense to you than I tip my hat to you. 

So today was Halloween.  I am divorced.  One of the benefits and one of the pitfalls of that is you miss half the holidays with your kids.  Today it was not my day to take them trick or treating.  I choose to see it as a blessing since it was raining and cold.  They still got candy and I got to stay nice and warm and crochet more hats.  I guess I might as well show you some of my latest ones.  You can find them all at crochetbymel.com I have really been on a hat kick lately.  Probably because of my job, I now like shorter projects that I can get done verses ones that stay on my desk for a month because it takes me so long to finish them.  I would love to get your opinions on them!  I really like the blue one because its chunky and texturized and you can wear it 3 ways by either braiding it like I have it braided in the last picture or taking the braids out so its slouchy or mega slouchy.  When you have both braids out it could even fit shorter dreads!  These hats all come in just about any color you can think of and if you want one in a color I don't have listed odds are I can get it.  So just ask!  So what do you think? 

Boatload of flowers take 2

Well there you have it folks.  I only did the 2 big swags my awesome and wonderful co-workers did the wreathes.   I guess they got it on there with power tools or something and had a tarp to protect it from the cold at  night.  I tell you what its a good thing I am not a delivery driver because things never look the way I picture them in my head and I would be upset all the time.  Sure it came out beautiful but that's not how I pictured it. . .you know??  At least they had a great sunny day for it.  I guess they had to park the boat a certain way to get the flowers on because the wind was terrible bad the other way.  The customer is happy and that's all that matters.  I can't believe I made those things 8 feet long and they still didn't frame the whole name.  I am disappointed about that but those are the measurements they gave us and I don't think I could have gotten much bigger anyways.  As it was it was 2 casket sprays set together to look like one big piece.  . . .and I had to do 2 of them.  I never did 4 casket sprays in one day before but hey at least now I know it can be done. . . God forbid there's some kind of terrible tragedy and we need that many for one day. 

Well that was a neat job.  I love getting these challenge jobs and at least there wasn't any bridezilla's involved.  All's well that ends well I always say .. . .

We have a boatload of flowers. . litterally

So I have been asked to do many a things in my floral design days, but this is a first for me.  I must say I am kind of excited.  Today was a weird day.  We had so many flowers in our cooler that you literally could not walk into the walk in cooler.  And I was sitting there thinking okay . . .sweetest day is Saturday but seriously what are we going to do with all these flowers? 

Enter these guys. . . Their boss's mother died and he had named this tug boat after her.  So they want 2 giant swags and 5 wreaths to decorate this boat with and I sure hope they get some good pictures once they get it all set up because I don't know how well my arrangements are going to hold up on the water.  You got the wind, you got the waves, at least its not salt water but still if it gets below freezing the flowers are going to freeze.  I guess they are going to Michigan after they take a bunch of pictures for the funeral.  I hope the arrangements hold up but I don't know man. . . part of me wanted to have them sign a waver that we won't be held responsible if anything falls down and hits someone on the head, they aren't super heavy and probably won't kill anyone but still.  I think its going to look really beautiful once its all set up, I hope it lasts. 

Not to go all clerks on you but "I'm not even supposed to be here today!"  That happens a lot where I am though coming in on days off.  I enjoy it because its like. . . I still get paid for coming in on my day off so who am I to complain?  And I love the work so its a double bonus really, especially when the kid are in school anyways its not like I am missing out on anything.

So I guess I know now why we had all those flowers funny how sometimes life works out like that.  Sure would be nice if all we had to do is order a ton of flowers and every time get a big order like this.  Well better hit the hay, big day tomorrow.  It's not so much the work that tuckers you out its more of the emotional cheese and rice can I even do this type of stuff that wears you out.  Wondering if its going to all fit in the van.  Wondering if its going to look right on the boat.  They were awesome enough to give us measurements but still. . .in this line either people love love love it or they hate it.  My saving grace is its for a bunch of guys so they will probably not really care too much.  For the first time ever I get to go in and say "We have a boatload of flowers" and not be just being a smart ass.  How exciting!!!

That moment when someone tells you your car is only worth 95 dollars.

I must admit I did plan on running that car into the ground, so I guess I did a good job.  I don't understand though how a car that runs and all is worth only 95 dollars.  In the end I only got 90 for it.  If they ripped me off well than one day God can sort it out.  That was one headache I needed to get rid of literally.  I think the car was giving me headaches because the fumes were leaking into the car.  No bueno.  The transmission was slipping and then there's that little part about where I went over rail road tracks and the air bag blew up in my face and caught on fire. . I guess that's like 500 to fix all on its own.  I always wondered what it was like to have an air bag go off on you.  Well now I know.  I didn't even hit anything so it was a big shock when it happened and there's all that white powdery stuff.  And then I smelled burning.  The metal plate on my steering wheel was some how super hot and was burning the air bag like a bag of popcorn that had been in the microwave too long.  So I decided to pull over. . . since my window didn't roll down or anything. . .yeah.  Time to die little car.

Things I will not miss about you: The window didn't roll down
The radio didn't work
The tape player didn't work.  Yes I said TAPE player NO CD PLAYER
The air conditioning didn't work.
The heat broke 3 times last winter.
Only 4 seat belts so my daughter had to ride shotgun.
Transmission randomly shifting gears for seemingly no reason at all.

So yes.  End of the line with you.  And I feel sorry for the poor soul that gave me money for you.  I hope they dismantle you and find ways to make you useful because as far as a car goes, your fired.  Good riddance to old rubbish.

Seriously though its the end of an era.  I got that car when I was 21.  I had that car 14 years.  It got hit by lightning and hence had serious problems with the electrical system I suspect thats why my radio was so spotty and then eventually gave out.  It got hit by a semi truck on the toll road lucky he wasn't going that fast and stopped going into my lane when I blasted my horn.  Got hit by another semi truck when it was on a side road it wasn't supposed to be on.  Been rear ended a couple of times.  Since I moved here the neighbor across the street hit it 2 or 3 times.  A giant tree branch fell on it during a storm.  And once upon a time I backed up into a pick up truck in the parking lot.  And when my sister was getting married I bumped into a mini van.  (I was nervous for her) Oh well.  Now I owe someone way too much money but at least I have a car and can keep my job and can still be pretty much independent and take care of the kiddos.

How long have you had the same car for??

Confessions of a florist

I got back into floral design.  It's it a really great shop with really awesome people.  Since I've been at a couple (okay 3) shops now I thought I might give anyone who cares some insight onto what it is like to be a florist.  I know many people think "Oh what a fun job! I'd like to do that!" but you just don't know what it's really like till your there.  Anyways on with the confessions:

1.  The flowers designed in the front cooler are the same age as the flowers in the back cooler.  Just because you are standing there personally watching someone put your vase together for you that doesn't mean its any fresher than the ones already made.  Most times the ones in the display cooler are made earlier that same day. 

2.  "We just got this in" translates to . .  it was in our last shipment.  Most flower shops get one big order once a week and then "fill in" daily as needed with more flowers.  Odds are if the flowers are open and beautiful we have had them in for at least 2 days, since they come to us all tight and thirsty from boo foo Egypt.  A busier shop is going to have fresher flowers since they have to "fill in" more often with extra shipments, but with the way we process and keep the flowers in the cooler they don't really age much anyways. 

3.  Here's an interesting one for you, our flowers come packaged in Chinese newspapers.  I don't think that the flowers actually come from China, but for some reason they are packaged in newspapers with all those cool Chinese letters all over them.  Why? I do not know.

4.  Roses are mean.  So are Christmas greenery.  Every rose has its thorn and in this case it's literally.  They hurt.  They will cut you.  Especially during Valentines day rose strippers are a girls best friend.

5.  You may grow to hate the holidays.  Now me, I love the holidays because I love to be busy busy busy but some florists hate the holidays.  They don't like doing the same arrangement 50 times in one day or heaven forbid they have to actually "work" all day. .  you get the picture. 

6.  Your not going to like every arrangement.  Even the very best designers don't like some of their own work.  At least twice a day I look at something that I made and secretly hate it.  There is no accounting for taste and you know, the customer is always right.  Some of the things that Teleflora or whatever come up with are just straight out ugly.  If you ever order flowers yourself say you want "designers choice" that allows the designer to pick the most beautiful flowers of the day and put them all in one classy arrangement. 

7.  You are on your feet ALL DAY.  Get some good shoes.  Your going to need them.  Not too good though because most shops just throw all their stems all over the floor.  I do love that part of my job.  Make pretty things and just throw the rest on the floor we'll pick it up later.  Good times.

8.  Cleaning buckets stinks.  As in smells bad.  I don't know if its the chemicals in the flower food or the bacteria that starts growing after awhile but mix that with bleach and you got yourself the lovely stench of cleaning buckets.  And you'll have a lot of them.

9.  Making bows is the worst!  Pinching that ribbon super tight and holding on while you craft the perfect bow (and on top of that I am left handed so the shears don't work till I am done and let go) and then twisting that wire. . was just talking about this today with my buddy it took us both about a year to make a passable bow.  I still hate my bows.  Not that they are bad or anything, I think I just hate them on principal.  They can add to the appeal of an arrangement no doubt but after its all said and done you know that hard work is going in the trash. 

10.  You are doing God's work.  Encouraging the sick, comforting those who mourn.  Celebrating with those who celebrate and also helping that creepy guy stalk the bartender. . . all in one day!  I am not going to lie it is fun and rewarding, but working with the public has its ups and downs.  Especially when you are working with brides or those who have just lost a loved one its an emotional time and you have to be careful how you handle them.  I think of it kind of like a doctor, do no harm.  Just be there for them and support them and even if they want something you think is going to be straight out terrible (unless its a very very bad idea) make it work.  A happy customer is a returning customer. 

So there you have it.  10 confessions from a florist.  I could get into the whole there's good shops to work for and there's bad shops to work for, but that's just about anywhere.  Try to find a boss who's compatible with your way of thinking and every day will be a good one.  Don't take it personally if someone doesn't like your arrangement.  Everyone has different tastes.  If this is something you still want to do, GO FOR IT but keep in mind there's no money in it. . I do it for the love of the work.