Out with the Old, In with the New

[tortoise]

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

Happy New Year!

 

[farmerjan]

Congrats on the change. They are advertising for relief carriers here too. I have a friend that is a relief carrier, and she has been all over doing relief on different routes as carriers need to take time off and there are not enough other carriers to cover. I bet that once you learn, you will probably get asked to do different routes. She actually started turning some down because they had her working 5 and 6 days a week and she wanted to only be part-time.
I thought about it but I did not want to be on call for whenever the regular carrier that I was considering doing the relief for, decides one morning that they cannot do it or something and calls in and then the relief carrier was obligated to go in. But for many it works.
You will probably find a few people that you want to groom for that were good customers and good animals to work with. If not, then don't.
I am 31 years being a milk tester but it has gone from full time to part time as farms sell out. We have had a few testers quit and have absorbed those farms between several of us, because some of us have lost some from selling out over the years. But I am probably a bit older than you and I am getting to the point that I am thinking about getting out in another year or 2. Just getting burnt out, of the hours and all. I have some things I want to get done this year financially, then will give it alot of thought. But I will not be looking for another job then, just our cattle and my gardening and such. Might try to get into some selling at Farmer's market or just selling here on an honor system. I hope that after my knee replacements get all healed and I get back to "normal" activities, that I will be able to garden and do more here, and with our cattle again.

 

[farmerjan]

The difference with right side driving in Europe is the driver is still in the middle of the road as opposed to alongside the ditch... You drive on the opposite side of the road as we learn here... but you are not skimming the ditches... Here, most learn to drive an automatic; sitting on the right side with the controls on the left, and the left foot controling the gas and the brake. One friend had 2 steering wheels so she could drive from either side... like what the driving schools have for the instructor to be able to control in case of an emergency.

 

[Rammy]

I found some factory rims with 18" tires on CL Im probably going to get for $350. I need to ask my mechanic how much it would cost to take the lift kit off and replace with these rims and tires. Id rather have it like it was before whoever put this on it after they bought it. I think I'll feel safer.
My mechanic is also going to see about raising the seat so I can look over the dashboard and hood. 😁

 

[Rammy]

Happy New Year to all.
Monday I start my orientation for three days, then driving class,( I guess on how to properly drive up to a mailbox) 🤣, then training at my post office I will be working at.
Jeep still at the shop. Nothing wrong with it, they just havent gotten to it yet to check it over. The one mechanic there with the factory Jeep rims and tires will put them on for me. He said they'd look for springs and shocks off a Jeep someone took off thiers to put a lift kit on and swap them out.
Here Im taking off a lift kit. My brother isnt happy Im doing that but I dont like that high gravity on it. Scary. Plus its not going to cost me anything
The kit, tires, and rims are worth way more than the replacements Im getting, so I think Im getting a good deal.

 

[Rammy]

So all last week of December here, its been raining every day and the temperatures were in the upper 60s to mid 70s. Unusual for this time of year.
Today, Sunday, temperatures are expected to be in the mid 40s. Pretty good swing in the temps. Possible frozen mix and windy.
Yesterday was very windy from the front pushing through. It blew some branches off the pine tree and maple trees. I seriously need to call the people who put on my gutters to see if they can come redo one downspout to make it so I can fill my 275g totes I bought for collecting rain water for the garden.
I got my faucet fixed in the kitchen because it was leaking bad. They put a new piece in to replace the old one due to hardwater corrosion. Noticed yesterday its leaking again like before. Guess I need to spend some more money. 😥
Chickens have started laying good again. Not sure now, though, if its because if the warm spell we've had or the lights on the timer I have in the coop. 🐓🥚
Spent all last week cleaning the house. Its nice to know your house is clean in every nook and cranny. I move stuff and do baseboards, the whole 9 yards. Too bad it doesnt last long. 😂

 

[Rammy]

How was your first day?

Pretty good. Mostly went over safety procedures and......haha.....how to prevent heat stroke. And we had a test on it. I got one question wrong but alot of others did too.
One thing I must make sure to do when Im delivering is I can not, under any circumstances, back up if I missed delivering something. Immediate dismissal. There have been drivers who had 28 years with the postal service lose thier job because the one time they backed up...one backed up just 7"....was seen doing it, and was fired. 😯
When I have to get out of the vehicle to deliver a package, I will have to turn off the car, turn the wheels, put on the emergency brake, and take the keys, even if its just 5 minutes. They really stress safety. And gave some really good examples. I dont want to screw that up. 😬
I start driver training Wed. for the next couple days after, and then go to an Academy? for a few days after that before I go to my postal office I was hired at to do a few days there.
Its about 2 weeks of training. But I get paid while Im learning so thats good.

 

[tortoise]

UPS left a $700 package at the end of our long driveway in a snowbank today so at least she’s better than whoever the UPS driver was today !

I would be so frustrated with your job if I were you, I really hope it gets easier for you and soon!

Uggh! We had issues with our UPS driver for years. Small town problems - he would deliver packages addressed to me at home to DH at his work address to save driving time.

He (assuming same delivery driver, don't know for sure) delivered a box of heirloom family quilts in the snowbank, in the ditch ACROSS THE ROAD from my driveway. My driveway is 1/4 mile long. He yeeted that box into the ditch! on the far side of the road!!

We took photos and reported it to corporate. Funny, we haven't had any annoying UPS deliveries to DH's work since so I assume it was our regular UPS driver that did it

Delivering mail and packages is an important job! sure some of it is amazon junk, but also life-saving medications, food boxes for shut-ins, etc. You're doing good work @Rammy 🥰

 

[farmerjan]

Give yourself some credit... you are already saying things like "on a route I know".... you are DOING THIS ... and you can only do the best you can on a route you don't know. I am very impressed... and as it has become apparent... getting the mail in the right order when it is being "pulled" and put into your flats, to have it in order so when you go to a box you are not sorting or looking though stuff for it, is obviously very important.
I give you lots of credit....

 

[baymule]

I had a refreshing experience at the local 1 person post office. I have a P.O. Box there, was mailing a letter to another post box there. In any other town I’ve ever mailed anything to anyone in the same town or box to box, it was picked up by a truck to be processed at a bigger town and trucked back.
Knowing this, I expected my letter to be put in a bag and sent off for processing.
Nope!
She canceled the stamp with an old fashioned rubber stamp and put it in the box!
I laughed and told her I’ve never seen the Post Office operate with such efficiency! We had a good laugh.