First day on the job..

Today I started training and filled out tons of paperwork! I didn't have to watch any boring videos today...but I have heard that is coming.....all in due time! I took a tour of the entire courthouse....but if you were to ask me where anything was...forget it! I learned about some of the paperwork they have to do and the logs they have to keep. I will be responsible for "booking" them and then I will have to take their mugshots and then their fingerprints (only if it is a felony or court-ordered). I learned all that today (except for the fingerprinting). I also learned how to properly search someone. Of course, I would only be searching the girls. Since I live in town and so close, sometimes if there is by chance two guys working and a girl were to come in, I might get called in and have to seach her, etc. In order to properly demonstrate how to shackle someone...I got to practice on the other officer that was there helping to train me. Igot to bring the shackles home with me and they told me to practice on my husband......and to help me perfect my "frisking skills" I am supposed to have John hide something on his person and I am supposed to search him and try and find it. I guess when I go to the "Academy" (as they are calling it) I will be teamed up with a partner and that is how I will be scored (finding something hidden). I will carry handcuffs and I get to have a badge too! I overheard them talking today that they are going to be changing their "uniforms" instead of all black....we will be able to wear jeans with the black tops and black boots. I am also going to have to be certified (or rather recertified) in CPR.

911 Dispatch

Yesterday was testing for the 911 Dispatch position. It did not go well needless to say. I did terrible on the testing and as I was getting ready to leave, my coat got caught on the headphones and I pulled the taperecorder onto the floor and broke it! I was supposed to go back for a second round of testing, but decided it would probably be best if I did not go. The lady doing the testing said that after that first round some don't even show back up for the next series of testing. Whether I did well or not and never mind the fact that I broke the tape recorder.....seriously I don't think I could have done the job. I think that there would have been way too much stress. I don't think that I would want to be responsible for other people's lives. Not only did they do ambulance dispatch, but they also were in communication with the police officers, etc. So anyhow....I go in for my first day at Juvenile Detention. I suspect it will be like any other first day on the job.....paperwork, watching videos and general stuff like that. Well not too much else exciting going on here in the Bitterroots so I think I'll sign off for now and leave you with the beautiful picture of the sunset that we took tonight.

Employment!

Well I am officially employed! I am Ravailli County's newest juveline detetion officer! I was planning on walking to the interview today, but it was too cold (when we got up this morning it was -15 WITHOUT the wind chill) so I took a cab. When the interview was over, he told me that they would be making their decision later this afternoon and that I should hear something by later tonight or tomorrow. Well, I ended up walking home because John was still working (only took me a half hour) and I wasn't home for 5 minutes when the phone rang and it was Cal offering me the job. Before I left the interview, I didn't think I would get it because he told me I was over qualified for the position. The pay isn't the best, but I will get $1 raise after I complete the three week training in Miles City, MT(at a boys prison) and each year we get a cost of living raise and what they called a longevity raise....so you could end up getting a 4% pay raise every year. But the best part is there are full benefits health, dental and vision and I don't have to pay for it!! John is included as well. There is also 401K. So that more than makes up to the not so great pay! Also if I did not hear him incorrectly, I think you can accrue up to 3 weeks vacation/year as well as sick and personal time...but I'm not real sure on that part though.

Pictures....finally!!

Well, we finally have some pictures posted of a few sights around the area.....none of the house yet....it is still a MESS!! Will post some when we get everything settled. We took a short ride yesterday and we saw mule and whitetail deer, three bald eagles and a golden eagle. We also went to a garage sale yesterday and we got a loves eat for $10! Finally something more comfortable to sit on! I was planning on walking to 7:30 mass this morning but last night when we went to bed at 11:00 there was hardly any snow and it was not snowing! When we got up at 6:00 there was AT LEAST 6 inches of snow and it was blowing and drifting. So John drove me....apparently they don't bother or get in any hurry to plow the roads around here. Well that's about all for now....we plan on hitting the garage and trying to rearrange and organize to try to be able to pull the van in.

Sorry for so many posts...but so much to report.

I guess my feelings about the interview yesterday was a little off base, I just got off the phone with Cal from the Juvenile Detention center and I have a second interview set for Monday at 3pm. I am more nervous now than I was when I went for the first interview! I think I will be walking to this interview though, because if for some reason I am not done in time to pick John up at 4 he will not be stranded!

The Stock Farm.

The Stock Farm is located just outside Hamilton city limits. It covers thousands and thousands of acres (from what I am told) and it is ownd by Charles Schwab. It is a gated club community with its own golf course. There are 40 houses in this development....16 actual working ranches and only 1 home has a year round resident. To even be considered to buy at the "Farm" you must be able to prove that you made 2 million dollars a year consectively for the past 5 years. Well, Linley Cabinets has exclusive cabinet making rights to the Farm. John delivered cabinets there yesterday and he said the house had THREE kitchens in the main house and one in the guest house. His boss was going to take him through the rest of the place (mansion) but they had just got done refinishing the steps....oh,well maybe next time!

Interview

Well, I went for my interview today and I feel it went well. But I don't feel like I got the job.....ever get those feelings? The job entails monitoring the inmates and I would be on the graveyard shift from 11p-7a. So since the kids would be sleeping, I would be doing other things like cleaning and doing their laundry. They are a permanent facility, they hold the kids until they have their trials, or are sentenced or are transferred to another facility. I would also (if I worked any day shifts) be responsible for transporting the kids to their trials or doctor's appointments, ect. They would be in the backseat of a car that had a cage and they would also be in handcuffs and shackles...so it would be totally safe. At some point I would need to go for a 3 week training.....to be considered an officer? I'm not really sure on that, though. Right now the position is full time, but they are hiring for someone that fell and got hurt and is on leave(and not sure she is even going to return), so it could go part time. But the guy said "historically" all part timers turn into full time. He also took me on a tour of their facility. I got to see where they stay for most of the day, they have an excercise time and then in the evening from 8-10 they are allowed in the "lounge". They are allowed to watch tv, play video games, board games,read or be on the computer....not allowed to be on the internet. When they are in the lounge, 1 officer is in there with them and the other is out at the front desk (watching from tv cameras). He also said that we are responsible for making sure they get their meds, but he said that MT state law is about to change that and a nurse will be coming in twice a day to administer their meds.

Our newspaper's free section....

This was the as posted in the "To Give Away" section of our daily newspaper and I thought it was so funny that I wanted to share it with you....
"1 sheep if you catch it you can have it. call 370- 7868 for Linda"

I guess that last post is what happens when you fall asleep and your husband takes over...I did not see that last post until just now!

Well right now I am just killing time waiting to go for an interview. I had one on Wednesday at the hospital (just 4 blocks away) in housekeeping. It would only be part time (they hire full time positions from withing) so I would have to wait until a full time position comes open and I would not start until the 4th of Feb. This would be a day shift job, but night shift (3-11) pays $2.10 more an hour...that is quite a pay difference! My interview today is at 10am for a Juvenile Detention Officer. Mom is not too happy about that! I should have called my brother in law, Dave for some interview pointers.....that is what he does! He tried to get Cathy (his sis, my sil) to apply...they are always looking for women....and that seems to be the case here too. The job description said basically only women should apply at this time. I also have an interview set for next Wednesday for a 911 Dispatcher position. Before I could even apply for that position I had to take a typing test at the job center. You had to type at least 30 wpm.....I was a little nervous, as I have never taken a test like that before, but when I got my scores, turns out I am able to type 50 wpm! Who knew?? I have also applied for a job just last night for a fright broker (we find the freight and then find a truck to haul it.)

I have also found some other things interesting (for lack of a better word).....1) they have garage sales in the winter out here (not a lot, but there are a few) and 2) There are people standing in the icy waters (up to their waists) fly fishing! In the middle of winter!!! While chunks of ice are floating by!!

Before I get going, I wanted to mention that yesterday was John's first day on the job and one of his co-workers ( actually I think he is a backup driver for John) grew up in Phillipsburg, PA...small world, huh?
Well, I'll post more later about the job interview.

Short update for now...

Hi just wanted to update you all with what has been going on over the past few days....We finally have phone(new number posted on contact info......ZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZzZ........ The Mouse in the Corner is now typing: Deb let John use the internet and she is sawing logs now! They do have internet now so they'll update more often. John & Daisy are outside for one last time and then they are going to wake up Mom (Deb) so she can go to bed! They need to get some sleep...They have been taking walks every morning and now John starts work at 0730! So that means the alarm is set for 0500!! Thank goodness I can go back to sleep after they are done in the kitchen!
--Signing off until next time they leave the Internet and Computer on!
--The Mouse in the Corner

Productive Day!!

Well, after the house hunting yesterday, we were a little discouraged. Everything we saw was a bit on the dumpy side.....ok, more than a little. The one place we looked at that wasn't half bad was a trailer....I have an aversion to living in a trailer. However the setting was awesome! Last week there was a herd of wintering elk living in our yard! We did see them in the way in bedding in the field just down the road. There was about 40 or so elk in the herd. Also saw a flock of turkey in the back yard. There would have been no internet access at the trailer other than thru a verizon wireless card we would have needed to buy. BUT today on the other hand was much much better! John got the job at Linley cabinets AND we signed a lease. It is not in the setting we wanted but we just could not pass it up. It is 3 bedrooms and 1.5 bath! It has a garage and also a small storage area/closet separate from our townhouse. It has a big closet downstairs, each bedroom has a closet and there is HUGE linen closet. All for only $600. Water,sewage and garbage included! Also for any concerned parents (or one concerned mom) we are only 4 blocks from the hospital. There is also a washer/dryer hookup so I have found some on craigslist for $300 for the set. I have not called about them yet, but plan to do so tomorrow. So as I mentioned there are three bedrooms so there is plenty of space for visitors.....HINT HINT! Not that there will be an actual bed in there BUT we do have an queen-sized air matress! We have posted our new address on the website. We don't know anything about internet and phone lines yet but will post that info as we get it. So since we don't know anything about internet yet this may be the last post for a little while. We will also post pictures next time as well!

Missoula or Bust!!

Well, we all made it in one piece! We did not really have any bad weather except for wind and rain aroud Chicago. That made driving the Uhaul pretty difficult! The trailer just wiggled back and forth the whole time.....the roads also contributed to that...the ruts and the potholes. We entered Montana around 4:15 pm yesterday (eastcoast time) and got to the Missoula area around 4 am (eastcoast time) we slept in the Uhaul and got up and showered at a truck stop. We have some appointments set to see rentals later on today.....so I will post more later today or tomorrow.

Ready to Go.

We just need to shower and then we will be ready to go. We did run into a bit of a problem. The guy we rented the Uhaul from only had been doing this for about a month, so he did not know too much about them....the trailers included. So after I drove the van onto the trailer.....now how do I get out, roll the windows up, shut the van off AND have the keys?!? Only after I crawled thru the window did we figure out that the bumper folded down! Well gotta run....see ya in Montana!

Moving and packing

We were planning on leaving on Monday, but I was very sick with the flu yesterday and still am not feeling all that well today, so that left John pretty much on his own yesterday. So we are very much behind schedule....so it looks like we will be leaving on Tuesday now. We should still be ok to make John's interview for Friday. Tomorrow we go to pick up the uhaul. I hope to post some pictures of the packing and all of our stuff. John still thinks we will get it all in....but we will see. He is a really good packer!

Soap Making!!

Well, we did it.....it is definately soap! We were going to make 2 larger batches of soap, but then decided that we should start with a smaller batch, so if we messed up too terribly bad, we wouldn't waste too many of our supplies. So we ended up making two smaller batches and one larger batch. They all turned out....some not so pretty but they are all definately soap! The process we used you need to let them cure for 2 to 4 weeks before you can use it...but I have been cheating a little and have used a small amount. We made lavender goats milk (you can buy it powdered), lavender oatmeal goats milk and the larger batch was oatmeal honey. The last batch does not have hardly any smell to it. It was very easy to make, it is just very time consuming. You need to stir the soap for an hour to get it to "trace" where you can add you fragrances and other additives such as the oatmeal or clays etc. You need to wear long sleeves and protective eyewear because the process uses lye which is very caustic and can cause terrible chemical burns. The end product was not very pretty.....I guess that will come with time. It had a lot of wrinkles in because you need to line the molds with plastic to make it easier to remove. I was planning on posting some pics of the final product, but I guess John never got any.