Out with the Old, In with the New

[Rammy]

I finally did it. I quit my job of 10 years at the veterinary hospital I worked at as a groomer. I have been grooming for almost 30 years, and finally decided I no longer wanted to do it.
The past couple years it has been getting harder on me physically. My hands are stiffening and I keep dropping stuff. Slight carple tunnel with tingling and feeling cold. I figured that I should stop now before I completely disabled myself and could no longer do anything.
A couple months ago, something happened that made me realize I needed to leave. I wanted to leave.
One day, the rural carrier that delivers the mail left a card in the box. The P. O. was hiring carriers. I applied. I was offered a RCA position ( rural carrier assistant) at the office near my home. I accepted.
I start orientation on Jan. 3. I am getting a Jeep ( because you know you have to use a Jeep to deliver mail) 😏 on Monday from a private seller.
I am honestly a little scared, but excited to start this new chapter of my life. It was a long time coming.

 

[Rammy]

Have an announcement........a few months ago two carriers quit so thier routes were vacant. The 1st of September the routes were put up for bid on the liteblue website.
I thought the two senior RCAs would get the routes and I'd be the next PTF.
Turns out one RCA couldn't get into liteblue to place her bid, but was told she could do a paper ballot.
Whoever told her that was wrong because according to our contract, paper ballots are no longer accepted.
It took a few weeks to get the results.
I bid for the heck of it just for practice, thinking I'd not get anything, and be the next PTF.
Not so. I got one of the routes. I was as shocked as anyone. The girl who should of gotten it didn't, because as I said earlier they no longer accept paper bids. Whoever told her that at HR was wrong.
She filed a grievance, but they emailed the O.I.C. and told her it would not go any higher, that basically it was dead in the water. But here is the clincher. Management told her to get a lawyer and sue.
Can you believe that?
If the USPS says its not disputable how is a lawyer going to get them to change thier mind?
The route was already awarded to me. They cant take it back.
I officially took over the route Sat, Oct 7th.
I wont have to split routes anymore and be out after dark.
No more Amazon Sundays, ( or Mondays if its a holiday).
No more parcel play. Thats where starting about mid- Nov to mid- Jan you had to be at the office at 6am to run just packages until 9am, then come back and case your route, run it and then probably have to split a route and be out til dark.
No more if that for me.
Paid holidays. Insurance. Paid leave and paid sick leave.
I never thought when I started this job, I'd be where I am now. You all know my journey, and I still find it unbelievable.

 

[FarmerJamie]

Thought of you @Rammy

 

[murphysranch]

Oh. My. Gosh.!!!! That was horrible to read. Please stay home. I know the PO is stressed and overworked. We didn't have mail for four days due to ice and call outs. No Big Deal.
Stay low, stay warm and keep sipping some good broth.

 

[Rammy]

Welcome to Monday.

 

[Rammy]

I dont think I posted about this, but I got a new Jeep. I actually got it back around the end of November, but had to wait til the conversion kit came in so it could be converted for me to drive it on the right side. Its actually dual control but I just say conversion. A friend of mine at work found it on Facebook marketplace up in Clarkesville. I had been saving for over a year to get another, bigger vehicle for a backup and this one was a good deal.
Have had a few problems with the conversion kit but finally got it fixed and have been using it on the route.
I had gotten it to use for peak season but by the time the kit came in and got it back, I only got to use it the last two days before Christmas.
Now that I have a regular route, its good to have a backup.
I will still have the Wrangler which I'll probably use on light days. I have too much in it anyway to get rid of it, and its so far been really reliable.

Its a 2011 Jeep Liberty 4 x 4. I made the tray myself. Had to take it out a few times to get the height right for the legs but finally got it figured out. I have a piece of fencing wire holding it in place to keep it from sliding forward and hitting the front.
Good thing is I was able to pay cash for this one and still had money for the conversion. Everything else I had looked at was either very high mileage, rebuilt this or that, or just looked plain nasty. I keep my Jeeps clean. Hate driving nasty vehicles.

 

[baymule]

I am thrilled for you! You haven't been happy there for a long time. It is a huge change in your life, and for the BETTER! This is great and a darn good excuse to get a jeep. One of the rural route carriers here drives an old hearse.

 

[Rammy]

I'm so happy for you! 30 years is a crazy-long grooming career! Time for a change.

Happy New Year!

It sure is. I kept all my stuff because, well, I paid for it. 😏 and I may once in a while do some grooming but when I want to not because I have to 😉

 

[Rammy]

This morning before going into work, I cleaned out the meat chickens brooder, gave them fresh water and food, and swept out the barn.
Fed the chickens and rabbits and cleaned out the water bucket for the backyard rooster and gave him fresh water.
Took the old wooden chicken coop out of the backyard dog kennel I will be using for the meat chickens when they get moved out there probably next weekend, and put another doghouse out there with the other one that was already in there. Now there will be 2 so that should be good enough to house 24 chickens.
Maybe.
I may put 12 in the hoop house and 12 in the kennel. Yeah.....🤔
Washed the dishes and did laundry.
Took a shower because I was stinky......😊
Now.......off to work........high ho.....high ho......its off to work.......oh noooooooo

 

[baymule]

Meat chickens make it easy to grow a lot of meat in a short time. At what age/size do you butcher? I'd let them go to 2 1/2 months and got some Goliath Giant chickens! I always part them out, saves space in the freezer and with a 6 to 7 1/2 pound whole carcass, that's a lot of meat!

Funny: I took a whole frozen chicken to my sister's house when I picked up granddaughters at Easter. Went back for Easter Sunday, my DD had started the chicken. She was grossed out that she had to touch it and gave me the whole story on the terrible things she had to do in order to cook it. My sister thought it was gross too, she only buys whole chickens already cooked. I laughed at them.