July 24, 2014

Thankful For Our Yard Crew

July 24, 2014

Our yardmen hauling a huge broken limb back to the brush pile this afternoon.

This is one of those 2-day blog entries.  I am still recovering from our Family Gathering.  I fell asleep in the recliner last night reading and later moved to the bed.  This morning, it dawned on me I didn't do a blog entry.  I think part of the reason was that yesterday was not very eventful - until the evening. 

After work, Ron was going to stay and prepare things for a big job today so I texted our daughter-in-law and asked if I could stop by for a little while.  We had a very nice visit and of course it was good to see the grandchildren - or at least all were there except the oldest.  We talked about the Family Gathering and what we thought could have been done better, etc.  We were both very pleased with just about everything.  I also needed to talk to her about a baby shower that she and I are hosting Sunday afternoon with a couple of other ladies from the church.  Then just as I was about ready to come home our son arrived and it was good to have a brief chat with him before I headed home.

Today at the office was a little more interesting.  Ron was out on that big job most of the day and so I was helping customers most of the time.  Several had problems that they wanted me to solve.  It is frustrating when they buy cheap, Chinese made imports and then want us to "fix" them.  We don't have parts and most aren't made to be taken apart and repaired, but it becomes my fault in the mind of the customer who may stomp out saying, "I thought you were a locksmith!"  I want to say, "I thought you were smart enough not to buy cheap imported junk."  But I don't.

One man came in sort of demanding that I do something that is against our policy - not illegal, just not something we are willing to do.  Another customer had come in at the same time and stayed close by listening to our exchange.  When the unhappy customer left, the other man stepped up and said, "You deserve a gold star for not punching him out."  I knew the man leaving was mad and was ranting and raving, but I really could not understand what he was saying, so I told the other customer that I was very hard-of-hearing, and that some times that worked to my advantage.  He said that must be true, so I guess the first man was really spouting off and thankfully I did not hear any of it.

That second customer stayed for a long time visiting (he may have been hanging around in case the other guy came back).  The second man had been (now retired) a band instrument repairman and we talked about the "joys" of trying to repair "Made in China" items.  We really found a lot in common as we chatted and he brightened my day.

Then a lady came in with a patriotic shirt on and I complimented her on it and said several customers today had shirts on with various flag pictures.  She said she thought maybe we had all decided it was time to stand up for our country.  We also had a good visit.  All three of the above mentioned customers were strangers, but I could engage in conversations with them.  The first one who left mad, God may have just plugged my ears so I could not hear, but also he was walking away from me as he complained.  His voice was aimed away from my sound processor and I couldn't do any lip-reading.  I do very little lip-reading, but sometimes just enough to help in a difficult situation.

Several other customers had unique problems and I did my best to help them.  Then a man came in 45 minutes before closing with a box of locks he wanted re-keyed, while he waited.  I told him it was not possible at that time of the day, plus Ron was still out on that job.  He was not pleased.  Oh, well.  You just can't make them all happy.  But we try.

We met Mom for supper and had a nice visit.  We also talked about our trip and what things we thought worked well and what we might do differently next time.  We had a good time chatting and a good supper. 

When I got home Ron was setting the sprinklers in the back yard and I had seen some tools in the front yard.  I went out there and it turned out our crew of yardmen were getting ready to haul off a huge limb that broke in the ebony tree while we were out of town.  Ron had not even seen it and I had told him but it was going to be a big job for him.  The yardmen without even asking took care of it.  I was so very thankful.  It was big, ebony limbs have stickers, and Ron just really didn't have time to take care of it.  I am thankful for a Christian yardman and his workers who look out for our needs.  He is so kind and thoughtful.  When he comes each month to collect (he comes by the office), he and Ron always have a nice visit, often discussing scriptures and things going on it their lives.

Just before I started this blog entry, I was able to talk to our daughter-in-law in New Mexico for a bit.  I have had trouble of the cell phone a few times using the cable.  Sometimes it is too loud and sometimes it cuts out.  We had a little of both problems tonight.