Moving on...

A week ago, I moved into a friend's house for two weeks. The past week in their home was been wonderful.  They are wonderful people, who have been so nice to me.  

In the meantime, I have been out looking for beds, and other things that I left in the storage unit in Detroit.  Dishes, glasses, sheets...I was able only to bring pots and pans, silverware, and some serving pieces.  Saturday is move-in day!  I am so excited!  

I have been looking at furniture online.  This is my chance to buy only what I want when I want.  My house will be what I've always wanted.

I've learned a lot over the past 4 years...I have had to rebuild my life from scratch once before, but I the circumstances were different.  I feel this is my chance to take it slowly and get it right...I'm not even sure what that means.  Stop and smell the roses?  Enjoy every minute?  Only the future will tell...

The End of the Beginning

Yesterday I moved out of Linda's house.  My house is not quite ready, and a new friend from work offered her guest  room for two weeks.  I am so incredibly blessed.  My new temporary home is on the East Shore (of the Susquehanna River), as opposed to Linda's house and my new home, which are on the West Shore.  It's similar to the East Side/West Side split in Detroit.  Chris and her husband are very nice, and have made me feel very welcome.  

One of their neighbors seems to be participating in a one-house Christmas decorating contest! Pictures tomorrow....

The first snow of the season today.  I am told that if it hits about 3 inches, our office will close.  As a former Detroiter, South Bender, and Chicagoan, this is unimaginable to me.  3 inches of snow was really not an excuse to be late for work...

"It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas
Everywhere you go;
There's a tree in the Grand Hotel, one in the park as well,
The sturdy kind that doesn't mind the snow...."

New Job, New Home

Last week, I received an offer for a permanent position at PHFA, where I have been working for the last 8 weeks.  I am ecstatic!  Monday was my first permanent day.  I have full-time employment and benefits!!!!  I love my job.  It is in the collections department, but the job is oriented toward finding a way to keeping people in their homes:  through loan modifications or other payment plans.  I talk to people every day with very very sad stories.  And I am amazed and completely humbled by what they say to me:  they are grateful for my help and understanding and patience with them.  One man called me his angel.  Whatever their story, most have one thing in common:  when a major thing happens, like they lose their job, or someone is sick, smaller things start to happen, like the car breaks down, or the hot water heater needs to be replaced, and pretty soon, all the dominoes fall.  That is exactly what happened to me in the last 4 years. I can't tell you how many times I've said, "If it wasn't happening to me, I wouldn't believe it."  These people are saying the same thing, and since I can relate to it, they are very grateful for the empathy.  And their gratitude makes my day, every day.

Today I received approval from my new landlord to move in December 21! I will be sharing a house with a woman who advertised on Craigslist.  She will have a bedroom and the living room, and I will have two bedrooms, and will make one into my own separate living room.  My furniture is so old, and will cost over $500 to move (cost of the truck, gas, and tolls, plus transportation for me to get to Detroit.  So I am picking up my kitchen supplies and my bed, and building my new house piece by piece!  I am excited about this...I can actually take the time to build my house into what I want it to be!

Alexandra and I are together in Lansing at my sister's house.  It is wonderful to be with her.  I miss her so much!

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!  I have much to be thankful for this year.

Update

Hello, everyone!

It's been a while since I posted.  Thank you all for the birthday wishes yesterday.  I had a nice day, with a gift from a friend from work, and a leather-bound journal from Linda.  Alexandra made something for me, but it hasn't come yet!  I am excited to see it!

The past couple weeks have been a blur of hard work and a little apartment hunting.  Yesterday I was told that my hiring has been approved by the director.  It's now in human resources.  I'm so impatient!

Alexandra found a sublet in Columbus, and will be moving right after the first of the year.  I am very proud of her. She will continue at Columbus State to establish residency, so she can transfer to OSU.  I know, my daughter the Buckeye!  Will her friends in Farmington forgive her?

I am heading back to Michigan for Thanksgiving!  I am very excited, and I get to spend 2 days with Alexandra!  I miss her terribly.  I also get to see two of my sisters (yea, Kathy and Annie), nieces, brothers-in-law, nephews...I can't wait to get there!

I am starting to research for my novel.  I am sometimes really interested, and others, just overwhelmed.  So, I started writing short stories, pieces, even scenes, to practice writing. Writers always say that if you're going to be a writer, you need to write every day.  So I'm writing a little every day.  Most of what I write is unrelated to my book, but is just writing practice.  I love it!  I should have done this long ago.

I will be back posting again more frequently, now that things are settling in.  I am missing my local tours!  

Have a great night, everyone!

Under the Boardwalk

Since I have been here, the ocean has been calling me.  While living in Detroit, Alexandra and I went to Warren Dunes (on Lake Michigan) at least once a summer.   I missed that terribly this summer, and when I discovered that the Jersey Shore is 2-1/2 hours away from me, decided I would get there before winter.  Yesterday, I drove to Ocean City.  It was hit very hard by Hurricane Sandy, but somehow, the boardwalk remained mostly intact.

Yesterday was about 60 degrees, sunny, with a very strong, warm breeze. The ocean was choppy, but beautiful.  About half the stores were open.  The area has recovered very well from the hurricane.

My favorite picture:

Sea grass

The Boardwalk: The boardwalk is about the width of a two-lane road.  As you can see from the picture, it is striped with lanes:  pedestrian lanes, "surrey" lanes (which I presume means strollers, because it's a pretty narrow lane for an actual surrey!), and bike lanes.  I was told it is so busy, it is hard to move during the summer.

Finally, I'm not sure what this building this is.  

After I left Ocean City, I traveled 15 minutes north to Atlantic City.  I was unimpressed, and didn't take any pictures.  There are MANY opulent casinos, but outside that area was poverty-stricken.  The wealth from the casinos is clearly not spreading to the city.  I drove around and left.

Despite this, I had a wonderful day, got some fresh air, and walked the beach.  Life is good.

My Job

It's been 4 weeks since I started my job, and I like it a lot.  Last week we had a client who was months and months behind on his mortgage, and was to go to foreclosure.  His story was so sad:  his wife left him for another man, taking the kids with her, he added a second job to continue paying the mortgage plus child support.  He then had a stroke, and is permanently disabled.  I did not want him to go into foreclosure, but he is so far behind.  He was in a panic, understandably.  At the very last minute, as I was starting the foreclosure process, the manager put it on hold.  When I called to tell the client, he told me I am his "angel," and the only one on his side since this nightmare started 5 years ago.  I cried.

Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania

It's been a while since I posted.  I have been having problems transferring photos from my phone, but I'm back up!

Last weekend, Linda and I visited her home town of Jim Thorpe, PA.  It is a beautiful old Victorian town about an hour and a half north of Philadelphia.  The town was originally called Mauch Chunk, which is a Native American name meaning Bear Mountain, and is pronounced as one word:  mockchunk.

To get the name change to Jim Thorpe, you need to know a little of Jim Thorpe's story.  He was born on a Native American Reservation in Oklahoma.  His Native American name was Wa Tho Hunk, meaning Bright Path.  In 1904, he was sent to the American Indian School in Carlisle, PA which is about 20 miles from Harrisburg. Although not a college. the American Indian School's football team played against college teams.  In 1912, the football team beat Army, including Dwight Eisenhower, who would later say that Jim Thorpe "could do anything better than anybody I ever saw...."

Jim Thorpe also won gold medals for the pentathlon and decathlon in the 1912 Olympics.  These medals were later stripped because it was discovered he had played semi-pro baseball.  Ultimately, his medals were restored in 1982.

When he died in 1983, his third wife wanted a suitable memorial for him.  She made a deal with the city council of Mauch Chunk to build a memorial to him, including placing his body in a mausoleum, and renaming the town.  His family maintains that he should be returned to Oklahoma, an ongoing battle.  

The memorial is very understated and tasteful.  It's right off the main road, with statues of Jim Thorpe playing football and discus, and a brief biography.

Moving on from the memorial, we went to Mauch Chunk Lake Park.  It was a beautiful day, about 60 degrees and sunny.  This is the park.

From there, we went to Flagstaff Park, which has a dance hall where Tommy and Jimmy Dorsey, who were from the area, used to play.  This is the view of Jim Thorpe from the overlook there.

On to Lehigh Gorge State Park, with these pictures.  The road passes over the river, and the walking paths underneath it, as you can see from these pictures.    The path continues up a steep hill to a waterfall,  which I did not see.

Unfortunately, it seems to not be a good year for the fall leaves.  They were falling down, not  changing colors.

Musings on the Job

I have learned a lot in the past 10 days talking to people who are behind on their mortgages:

There are a LOT of people who are behind on their mortgages.  Thousands of people.
When you ask them why they are behind, there are a variety of reasons.  Many of them fall into 1 of 3 categories:

• One of the mortgagors is unemployed, or their hours have been cut, or they took a pay cut
• There has been a serious illness in the family and there is no health insurance
• The couple is divorcing, and one is not contributing to the mortgage.

In my life, I have been in all three of these situations, and hearing their stories is breaking my heart.  One woman was crying when she said her husband is gone.  My coworker said that he answered the phone when she called last week.  The woman's response was that was the day he came back and moved all his things out.  It killed me.  And took me back to 1994.  

What this is leading me to is gratitude.  I have a job and a place to live.  And I am NOT going through a divorce or separation or heartbreak.  Life is good!  And I am grateful for everything!

Including all of you who read this blog. Thank you.

And have a wonderful week.

The First Couple Days

Two days in, I have met some very nice people.  I will be working with people who are 45 or more days late with their mortgage.  This week, I am working with people who are between 15 and 45 days late.  The first two days, I spent learning the computer system.  Tomorrow, I start answering the phone and making calls.

Next week, I'll move back for training in my own department.

Today, I discovered the lunch room on the 4th floor of our building.  It has an outside seating area facing Front Street.  This is the view from the seating area.

And this is out the front door of our building.

There's a walking path running parallel to the street.  Tomorrow, I'm bringing my walking shoes!

My department is on the 6th floor.  The dome of the PA Capitol is visible out our window.  And a gym in the basement, open 24 hours a day for all employees.

I am looking forward to what comes the rest of the week!

Wildwood Park

Yesterday I found Wildwood Lake in Susquehanna Township, about 2 miles north of downtown Harrisburg.  It's a wildlife sanctuary, literally at the foot of I-81, next to an industrial park.   It's an odd location, but once you are on the trails, you can't hear the cars.  

It is beautiful, and one of two places in PA where American Lotuses grow wild.  I wish I had known about it earlier in the summer, when the lotuses were in season.  It's also home, throughout the year, to a  150 species of birds throughout the year, many of which are migrating south in the fall and north in the spring.  Yesterday, I saw a lot of mallard ducks, and got fairly close to an egret, walking through the water.  The water level is low, and the egret raised its feet above the water.  It has long bony toes.  This is the egret.

Looking across Wildwood Lake.  The expressway is right behind me.  This is where the lotuses grow.  Unfortunately, they are out of season.

This is looking back across the lake toward where I took the picture above.  You can see the expressway signs in the background.

This is the first time I've been exploring in a while.  It was great to get out!

My Job

By now, everyone knows I got a job.  It is temp to hire, with a 6-week temp period.  The job title is Loan Specialist (I think), with a state-affiliated agency, the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA).  I will be working with people who are greater than 45 days past due on their mortgages, up to the time of foreclosure.  PHFA purpose to keep as many people in their homes as possible.  Since I left GMAC/Ally,  I have been saying I really want to help people.  Now I can!  I start of September 30.

My blog doesn't stop here...I have so many things ahead:  settling into the job, being offered the job permanently, finding a place to live in the area, and settling in.  I'm starting over!  I hope you will all stick with me!

Thank you all for your love and support.  Life is good!

Enjoy your weekend!

Additional Job Update

Today is my lovely sister, Anne's, birthday.  Happy Birthday!

On Tuesday, I had an interview to be a consultant at Jenny Craig.  As I told her the story of how I got to Harrisburg, she told me I am a fascinating person.  I was very flattered.  I don't think of myself as fascinating, but my life is my life.  The rest of the interview went well, but she is not hiring for about 30 days.  Ugh...

In the meantime, I am still waiting to hear about the job with the state agency.  They advised the temp service they have chosen 2 candidates, but must get approval to hire them.  Not sure when that will happen.  This is the place where the manager and I really got along well, and he told me I was "brave" to move to Harrisburg without a job.

Finally, I've started to apply for seasonal work in local stores.  I am a busy woman!

Enjoy this amazing weather!

Moving Past the Disappointment

On Thursday, the day after my second interview, I received an email from the company advising me they had selected someone else.  I was extremely disappointed, but not surprised.  When I left on Wednesday, he did not look me in the eye when I shook hands.  I knew immediately I wouldn't  get the job, but spent the night trying to convince myself I was wrong.  I wasn't.

Whenever I receive a disappointment in my job search, I feel I have to do something immediately to help myself.  Any small thing.  So I immediately jumped on the computer and applied for a job as a cashier at Costco.  Then I watched the series finale of Burn Notice, which I have loyally watched for 7 years.  It was a good distraction with a great series ending.

By yesterday, I was back thinking about what's next.  First, no decision has been communicated about the job I interviewed for Monday, with a manager and supervisor who I really liked.  The pay is not great, but the benefits are outstanding.  I hope to hear about that Monday.  When I told the manager there the reason I moved here, he said, "That was a very brave move."  I was happy he recognized it!

Second, I have another interview for a job on Tuesday.  

This morning, I woke up thinking about what I really want to do.  So I am back at the AARP website looking for job search advice.  And I LOVE writing.  Part of the reason I started this blog is to write frequently.  So I am adding that to my list, and researching it today.  If anyone has any connections in the publishing world, please let me know.  

My greatest loves (other than my daughter, family, friends, and Lake Michigan) are writing, public policy and politics, and doing things to help others.  There must be SOMETHING I can do with this knowledge and skill.  If anyone has any idea, I am open to any and all suggestions.  I can and will move anywhere in the U.S. My email is pmbreslin@gmail.com.

Back to work.  It is a beautiful fall day in Harrisburg, and I hope you are all sharing this weather!

Second Interview!!!!

A lot is happening pretty quickly.  First, and most importantly, I have a second interview for the job I interviewed for next week.  It is at 10 am tomorrow, and is a team of 2-3 people.  One of them is the person who was promoted out of the job I am interviewing for.  The second is the director of Member Relations.  I don't know if Hank, the person I originally interviewed with, will be there or not.

Second, I interviewed with a state agency yesterday.  The interview went VERY well.  The hiring manager told me I interviewed very well, and he liked me.  I am waiting on progress on that job till Friday.

So I went from famine to feast, and I am loving it!  Employment is just around the corner!

I'll update tomorrow afternoon about the second interview.  In the meantime, have a wonderful day!

Labor Day Weekend Part II and Update

These weeks just fly by!

The manager I interviewed with on Tuesday thought he would get back to me by yesterday.  I haven't heard anything.  In the meantime, I have an interview Monday for a temp job.  At least I am finally getting interviews!

The second day of Alexandra's trip here was spent at Gettysburg and in Annapolis, MD.  We started at Gettysburg, and spent 4 hours there.  The first time I was there, I spent time in the cemetery.  Alexandra and I did a partial tour of the battlefield.  Four hours is not nearly enough time to spend there.  We were both exhausted by then, and overwhelmed by the amount we had learned.

The North Carolina Memorial was dedicated in 1929.  North Carolina had over 14,000 men in the Confederate Northern Virginia regiment.  Over 6,000 of them were killed or injured during the battle.  The statue was sculpted by the same sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, who designed the sculptures on Mt. Rushmore.  

These pictures are of the battlefield.  It was huge.  We were standing on LIttle Round Top where Union General Goveurnor Warren  was standing watching the fighting below.  He is depicted in the statue. 

In the distance, you can see the Pennsylvania Monument with the white dome.  The entire area, as far as you can see, is the battlefield.

Annapolis On a whim, we drove to Annapolis in the late afternoon.  We both fell in love with the city.  Here is Capital Teas with the State Capitol in the background.

This is the Maryland State Capitol.

We ate pasta with fresh crab sauce on the street in downtown Annapolis.  This is the view from our table.

The harbor at Annapolis.

More pictures tomorrow from our third day.  Have a good week!

Labor Day weekend with Alexandra, Day I & Job Update

Alexandra arrived via Megabus late Thursday.  After 14 hours on the bus and in terminals, and with homework to do, she decided to take it relatively easy on Friday.  She brought her spectacular camera. We started by taking a self-guided tour through the PA state capitol.  A few weeks ago, I posted a picture of what I thought was the front entrance to the capitol.  I was wrong, to say the least!  It was the back entrance.  This is the very stunning front entrance:

We took the time to tour the building, which was dedicated in 1906.  This is the rotunda:

Senate chambers:

House Chambers:

More tomorrow on what we did Saturday.

JOB UPDATE

I had an interview yesterday with the PA Association of Realtors, for a job very similar to my job at GMAC.  I believe it went well, and I really liked the man I interviewed with.  I should hear if I made it through to the next round of interviews by Friday.

An Important Interview

Earlier this week I received an email asking me to interview for a job I applied for about a month ago.  It's with the Pennsylvania Association of Realtors as the Standard Forms Manager.  It's very similar to what I did at GMAC.  The interview is Tuesday at 1 pm.  I am so very excited!

Alexandra is on the way here for Labor Day weekend!  I miss her a lot, and can't wait to see her!  She is bringing her wonderful camera so we will have great pictures for my blog.  

Have a wonderful evening!

Job Disappointment

I finally heard today about the job at the apartment complex.  They hired someone directly, and did not go through the employment agency.  I am bummed, but the woman I interviewed with said she would help me make contacts in state government.  I am waiting on a cooling down period.  In the meantime, I have a job selling vitamins at Costco, starting a week from Saturday.

I am telling myself that I have been here 9 weeks, and that's not that long to be looking for a job in a new place.  I know it's not, but the time before that is what's killing me.  And money.  

I have been reminded that although I posted pictures of my charges over the weekend, Ginger and Toby, I never posted pictures of my daily companions, Tessie and Lacey.  They are a lot of fun (although I think they are upset that I left for a few days and fraternized with other dogs).  Here they are:

Tessie is the pug and Lacey is the beagle.  They are never, ever this peaceful together.  They had just returned from a long walk.  Every night during Jeopardy, they have a wrestling match.  They jump on the furniture and tear up and down the stairs, into the kitchen, etc.  It lasts about 10 minutes; then they are exhausted, drink water, and go to sleep.  The wrestling match usually repeats itself later on, between 10:30 and 11.

WONDERFUL NEWS: Counting down to Alexandra coming in 3 days!  I can't wait to see her!

Have a great day, everyone!

Dillsburg

I spent most of this week dog- and house-sitting in Dillsburg, PA, for Linda's cousin.  Dillsburg, population 2,063, is named after its first settler, Matthew Dill, who settled around 1750. The borough was incorporated in 1800.

I fell in love with the two dogs I was sitting: Ginger, a Chow-Shiba Inu, and Toby, a Canadian Red Golden Retriever.

Ginger is one of the most beautiful dogs I've have ever seen.  She is also sweet and affectionate.

Toby is huge and very sweet.  On Thursday night, she decided to snuggle up with me by climbing on the couch and laying on top of me.  I was a little surprised that a 100 pound dog thought it was a great idea!

On Friday, I had an interview with an internet sales company.  It was in a very old retail building, and I am not sure exactly what to think about it.  I will know more tomorrow.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

The Mt Gretna Art Fair

Linda and I wandered to Mt Gretna for the annual Art Show on Saturday.  Mt. Gretna is a very small resort town (population 242) in the mountains about 10 miles east of Hershey. The juried art show, in its 39th year, had about 200 fine artists and what looked to be about 100 crafters.  Having lived in Michigan for almost 16 years, I had seen many of the same artists over and over in different art fairs.  This, of course, was a whole new group of artists from all over the east.  There were many forms of art I had never seen before.  The show also showcased local and regional singers who were very very good, and the food court included only local restaurants.    

The charrn of Mt. Gretna is in its historical homes (most were built in the early 1900's) that can be rented throughout the year; its local theater company, outdoor summer concerts, its lake and its beach.  

The view from the performers tent.

Two of the many homes available for rent in Mt. Gretna.

While we were sitting at a table, a butterfly and moth landed on the flowers. The butterfly landed on the opposite side from me, but here's the moth.  I have no idea what kind of flowers these are, but they are very pretty.  Does anyone know?

Next year, if I am still in central PA, I would love to volunteer for this show.  It was a wonderful way to spend the day.

Have a good day, everyone!

The Job Situation

It has been almost a week since I last posted, and the week has been a bit hard.  I had hoped for more temp work this week, but there is nothing in sight.  My money is dwindling...thank heavens for the paycheck from Lego Camp!  I have been signed up with 2 temp services.  Today I signed up with 3 more.  And next week, I am housesitting for Linda's cousin, who has a red Golden Retriever, and a Shiba Inu-Chow mix.  They are really nice dogs, and I will be paid.  I will post pictures of them...the Shiba Inu-Chow (Chiba?  Shiba-Chow? Chow-inu?) is one of the most beautiful dogs I have ever seen, and very very sweet.

The leasing agent job I interviewed for has changed and offers more money.  I am still under consideration.  Yesterday, I found a job as an administrative assistant in the Public Policy Department at Penn State.  Not great money, but an opening into a new world.  I am hoping for  this one!!!  In any case, I apply for a number of jobs weekly, and work 4 or more hours a day looking for jobs.

On the great news side, I found my long-lost friend from college, Amy.  Unbelievably, she still lives in the same house in South Bend where she lived in college.  That had never occurred to me.  We talked for a couple hours!

After my interview with the temp service today, I drove into downtown Harrisburg, to the state capitol.  Although Harrisburg is relatively small, driving down Front Street along the river, you see many state offices, and many association offices (e.g. the Pennsylvania Medical Association, the PA Association of Realtors, etc.) in big old Victorian houses.  I watch the signs, and when I get to a stop light, I write down what I've seen to check for jobs.

Back to the state capitol, the exterior is currently under construction.  It was completed in 1906, and from pictures I've seen, it is beautiful inside. At its dedication, Teddy Roosevelt said it was, "The handsomest building (I) ever saw..." 

This is the main entrance.

The Capitol is a long rectangle, with the dome in the middle.  There are smaller
domes on each end of the rectangle.

The green roofs are made of glazed terra cotta tiles.  

I am hoping that when Alexandra comes, we'll have time to tour the capitol!

Everyone, have a wonderful weekend!

What I Learned at STEM (Lego) Camp

After a week of teaching  STEM camp, this is what I know:

1) I am pretty good at repairing Lego battery packs.

2) I am not cut out to teach 3 - 6 year olds with ADHD.  

3) I have little patience with a 6 year old singing the theme to Star Wars for 3 straight hours.  He clearly could not stop himself, despite warnings, distractions, and time outs. Sing with me....'DAAA-DAAAA-da-da-da-DAAAA-da.  Da da da DAAAA-da....Da da da DAAAAA..."

4)  Despite my fears that they would be bored, the 12-year olds LOVED building and crashing motorized cars.  It was a lot of fun being a part of their excitement.

5) 11 year olds who name their cars and make up songs about them can also be a bit trying.  Sing with me to the tune of the Battle Hymn of the Republic:  "Everybody's jealous because Constantine won...Everybody's jealous because Constantine won...."

The week ended on a good note, and I learned a lot!  I am very happy I did it, but I am NOT sure I would repeat the experience.

Next up:  Waiting to hear on about 3 interviews, and finalizing the job demonstrating food products in the grocery store.  And more applications....

Enjoy your Sunday, everyone!

Gettysburg

I wandered down to Gettysburg today. Although I hadn't planned the trip, I did go into the National Cemetery.  If you haven't  been there, it is a very moving experience.  Visitors are quiet and respectful.  It's one of the few historical sites I've been to where I felt that history is living.  On the outer fringes are graves of veterans of other wars, including World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. When you step into the cemetery, the first thing you see is the Gettysburg Address Memorial, pictured here.

This is not the site of the Gettysburg Address, which is actually near the Soldier's War Memorial.  However, this memorial does include the text of the Gettysburg Address.

From there, I strolled toward the Soldier's Memorial.  This is where I came across the graves of unidentified Union soldiers.  These graves are identified by a headstone with a number of it.  In the section I visited, the numbering began at 555 and ended at 1,000.

The graves of unknown soldiers, marked by a number.  The concrete stack in front says, "445 unknown graves."

In front of these are rows of graves, divided by state and regiment.  I took this picture to provide an idea of the scale of the graves.

The graves in this section extend to the memorial. 

Rows of marked graves, arranged by state.  The graves state the name and regiment of the dead.  Many indicate they are unknown, and state their regiment.

The Soldier's Memorial, close to the site of the Gettysburg Address.  Graves are laid out in a half-circle surrounding it.

Some history here:  Many of the Union and Confederate dead were buried where they fell on the battlefield.  Others were buried outside the battlefield in temporary cemeteries, outside homes, and in nearby fields. Shortly after the end of the battle, local residents and governments raised health concerns about the volume of unburied dead.  Over 7,000 soldiers, both Union and Confederate, were killed.  In August 1863,  a section of the battlefield was selected as a cemetery for those killed defending the union.  Because Confederate soldiers were trying to break from the union, they were not buried here, and their bodies were left in shallow graves on the battlefield.

Abraham Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address on November 19, 1863, at the dedication of the cemetery.  Most of the Union soldiers had not been reburied at the time of the dedication. The cemetery was completed around 1872, with over 3,500 buried Union soldiers.

In 1871, efforts to move the Confederate dead began.  While records were scarce and unreliable, the remains of over 3,300 Confederate soldiers were eventually recovered.  Most were moved to a cemetery in Richmond, Virginia. A few were sent to local cemeteries throughout the south.

I did not tour the battlefields today.  Alexandra is coming to visit in September, and we will do that together.

An Update

Immediately after my Wednesday post, I received a call to interview for a job as a product demonstrator (as in food) at Costco and Sam's Club.  The interview is at 6:00 today.  This call was immediately followed by another call, asking me if the temp agency could submit my resume to a health insurance company.  Of course, I said yes.

Now it's Monday, and I was hired to be a product demonstrator in a grocery store.  Working on that paperwork. I could start as early as this weekend.

Today was my first day teaching two principles of engineering classes with lego.  Of course, I know so much about engineering.  I was so nervous!  It was fine.  The first class included 2- 6 years olds and 2- 8 year olds, all of whom were excited. 

The second class was 17 10-12 year olds.  It was quite a wild ride!  The class is called collision cars, and the kids build Lego cars with motors.  They build two cars a day, and have two competitions. These are not races, they are a competition to be the last car standing. They had a great time!

A Temp Job

Yesterday, I received a call about a temp job for the entire week starting next Monday.  The job is working in a community center teaching 5-12 year-olds via the STEM program (science, technology, engineering, and math) using Lego's and other building toys.  Training is this Friday at 11:00 am.  Then I have the weekend to build them myself, so I can teach these kiddos!  This sounds fun, and the pay is pretty good.

In the meantime, nothing from the apartment complex.  Keeping in mind that it took almost 2 weeks to review my resume, I guess this is not surprising.  The other temp agency is sending my resume to a health insurance company to work as a customer service rep.  

I also have a job house-sitting for Linda's cousin's two dogs the week of August 21.  There is, at least, a trickle of money coming in.  And this is more action than I saw in Detroit over 3 years!

I am tired, and my energy is at a low ebb. I am walking every night, which I hope will pay off in weight loss and higher energy.  I need to get back to my previous excitement level!

Fort Hunter

On Friday after my interview, I went in search of something to do.  I ended up at Fort Hunter, on the east shore of the Susquehanna River.  The Susquehanna is such a beautiful river, with islands throughout.  I was FINALLY able to get some pictures of the river.

Fort Hunter was built in 1725 as a grist mill, known as Hunter's Mill. During the French and Indian War, a military fort was added to the land, and served the military until 1763, when it was abandoned.  A Revolutionary War hero bought all the land in 1787, and expanded  it to include a saw mill, a country store, a brewery, tavern, and distillery.   The fort was dismantled, and changed hands several times until 1956, when its owner formed a trust to maintain it. It  is now maintained by Dauphin County.  

You can tour the mansion and outbuildings, but I did not.

It's a great spot to walk, take pictures, and I saw several painters working on their canvasses, overlooking the river.  It was a beautiful day, sunny and in the mid-80's!  A perfect spot on a perfect day!

The Interview

I interviewed for a job as a leasing agent in an apartment complex today.  It went incredibly well!  The woman I interviewed with is slightly older than I am, and we bonded immediately. We had so much in common!  We actually discussed politics, and philosophy of life, and just about everything else you can fit in a 45 minute job interview.  She is recommending to her boss that they hire me.  

Even more, she has a public affairs broadcast on local television, and has connections in the city and state government.  And she is going to help me connect into local and state politics!  I am so excited about that, and happy that I may have money again!

Three Mile Island

While on my daily drive yesterday, I ended up in Goldsboro, across the lake from Three Mile Island. Yes, THAT Three Mile Island.  Of course, I had to investigate.  I ALWAYS have to investigate.  So, I followed the road for a while, and discovered a dead end.  Time for my GPS!   

The view from across Lake Frederic in Goldsboro.  Notice the reactor on the right, Reactor 2, is not functioning.  This is where the melt down occurred in 1979.

I ended up in MIddletown, about 20 miles away.

Reactor 1 in Middletown.  I tried to get a picture of the Three Mile Island sign, but there are cameras at the entrance to the access road, and I really wasn't interested in having my picture taken going into a nuclear reactor!

There is speculation that Three Mile Island is scheduled to be shut down.  It's too expensive to run, with diminishing returns.  Renewable energy is less expensive. And, of course, there is no back-up reactor if there is an outage. 

On the job front, I have an interview Friday as a leasing agent for an apartment complex.  Also, I am going in to apply for a job in person today.  I will keep you  all advised!

Have a wonderful day!

Intermission

Thank you to all of you following my blog.  I have been down with the stomach flu since Friday, but up and around today.  More posts to follow!

Thank you all!

A Change

Today, Linda's son, Kyle, moved back to Michigan.  He and his brother, Sam, are renting an apartment in Kalamazoo, where Sam is going to school.  Kyle will work for a year, then go back to school.

We are down to three in the house, plus the dogs.  Linda and I alternate cooking, and I do the cleaning.  Kyle took much of the responsibility for the dogs, which will now fall to me.  I love them both.  In fact, I love pretty much every dog.

In the meantime, I spoke to the temp agency today.  They are still waiting to hear from two of the three places they sent my resume to.  I have an appointment with the other temp agency at 10 am tomorrow.

I am building my own website.  One thing I've read many times over is that employers worry that "older" workers are afraid of technology.  And as I mentioned earlier, 92% of employers use the internet to find employees, especially LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.  Obviously, you don't want to have a controversial Facebook or Twitter account.  So I'm linking all three of those to my website.  I will post the link when it's done. And I will prove that I am on top of technology! 

I have been getting discouraged, but today I realized that I have been here only 4 weeks.  My self-imposed deadline was 8 weeks, which I've now shortened to 6.  2 weeks to go.  I am sure I can do it.