Eight months ago I started working for Double M Construction on a temporary basis just to fill in while my sister had major surgery and recovered.
The first day I walked in my boss (Big Daddy) asked me, "What do you know about Union Payroll?"
"I know payroll, but nothing about Union Payroll."
He then handed me a huge stack and said, "here it is...learn it!"
Kathryn told him, "Hey, that's not why I hired her!"
He said, "We leave next week and we've got to get it right. Payroll won't start for a month and that should give you plenty of time."
Mike left the next week and didn't return until Christmas.
Two weeks later he calls and tells us the job was starting early. I can't remember many details about those weeks other than the work was...intense. Kathryn and I had a motto: Ain't no fun till the work is done! Thing is, it was always fun to me. Every week I would say, "next week will be much better." Somewhere along the way I quit saying it.
Many have asked me, "How on earth did you do it?"
Kathryn's vast knowledge of payroll issues and support, the delays of her surgery, supportive people of Union Halls in 3 states, not to mention the top Union guy and our great foremen helped me as I picked it all apart and put it all together.
So, here we are 8 months later winding down the Ruby Pipeline job. Kathryn is back at work full time and has turned over the payroll for both companies to me. I'm still getting out monthly union reports and such.
Today, Scott from the Union Hall in Wyoming called. He started out telling me what a great job I had done. He went on and on how the big Union Companies weren't able to keep all the variables straight and that for someone who tackled it, knowing nothing, had nailed it.
Have I made mistakes? Yes, I have. But I've always done my best to correct quickly and above all, be nice!!
Now, this job has turned from temporary to permanent. I don't know right now how the details of my life will work out over the next months but I'm sure of one thing and that is that God will continue to guide my life and take care of all those details.
I'm alive and doing well!
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Wednesday, March 02, 2011
Spreading the Love
Last month I was in Arkansas helping my florist friends, Joe & Pam, spread the love for Valentine's Day.
They have a nice, high-end flowershop and Valentine's Day is one of their busiest times of year. I got my feet wet helping with Mother's Day last year and evidently they thought I was helpful enough to have me back.
Three days before Valentine's Day we were busy. The phones were ringing; the designers were designing and basically a pretty noisy place. Joe is multi tasking like few men I know. And I might add....he loves it!
Something I had witnessed the previous May was about to happen. In this den of noise and activity a family walks in to order flowers for the casket of a loved one.
Someone gets Joe and he takes them to an area set up with a table, chairs and books of flowers. Without anyone saying anything everyone is quiet. Oh, the phone still rings and orders are taken, flowers are still arranged and deliveries go out but all this happens in hushed voices. Joe takes the time with the family like he has nothing else to do or think about. It's like the space around that table is in a bubble....
Joe shows us the meaning of spreading the love.
It's a hard thing to do to make preparations to bury your loved one and in this shop, on this day, at this moment it is the most important thing we do.
The husband pays for his wifes flowers. As he turns to go he looks around and notices all the roses, chocolates and valentines. Joe has returned to his work in the back and the man returns and asks me if he can talk to Joe again. I get Joe and with tears in their eyes quiet words are exchanged between the two men. Joe pats the man on the shoulder and they part.
Later I asked what the man wanted and Joe said the man wanted to know if he could have a single red rose for the inside of the casket for his valentine. This elderly man was burying his wife on Valentine's Day.
There wasn't a dry in the shop and you can believe me when I say that on Monday, February 14, 2011, at 2 pm we were all thinking about that family and especially that sweet man.
They have a nice, high-end flowershop and Valentine's Day is one of their busiest times of year. I got my feet wet helping with Mother's Day last year and evidently they thought I was helpful enough to have me back.
Three days before Valentine's Day we were busy. The phones were ringing; the designers were designing and basically a pretty noisy place. Joe is multi tasking like few men I know. And I might add....he loves it!
Something I had witnessed the previous May was about to happen. In this den of noise and activity a family walks in to order flowers for the casket of a loved one.
Someone gets Joe and he takes them to an area set up with a table, chairs and books of flowers. Without anyone saying anything everyone is quiet. Oh, the phone still rings and orders are taken, flowers are still arranged and deliveries go out but all this happens in hushed voices. Joe takes the time with the family like he has nothing else to do or think about. It's like the space around that table is in a bubble....
Joe shows us the meaning of spreading the love.
It's a hard thing to do to make preparations to bury your loved one and in this shop, on this day, at this moment it is the most important thing we do.
The husband pays for his wifes flowers. As he turns to go he looks around and notices all the roses, chocolates and valentines. Joe has returned to his work in the back and the man returns and asks me if he can talk to Joe again. I get Joe and with tears in their eyes quiet words are exchanged between the two men. Joe pats the man on the shoulder and they part.
Later I asked what the man wanted and Joe said the man wanted to know if he could have a single red rose for the inside of the casket for his valentine. This elderly man was burying his wife on Valentine's Day.
There wasn't a dry in the shop and you can believe me when I say that on Monday, February 14, 2011, at 2 pm we were all thinking about that family and especially that sweet man.
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