Work History

As I prepare to start a new job, I have been thinking about my work history. I moved to Kennewick in 1979, one week after getting married that June. By October I had discovered the mall. Until I was about 15 years old I didn't even know what a mall was. When we visited cousins in Tacoma the older kids talked about going to the mall, and I thought it was a malt shop.
Well, I walked into Hickory Farms of Ohio at Columbia Center Mall, and I recognized the man behind the cheese counter. I had met him during a summer visit with my friends, Elece and Traci, in Deer Park, Washington when I was in high school. I knew him as Moose. We started visiting and he asked me if I was interested in working through the holidays. I was. I interviewed with the managers, Judy and Jean, and I started my first real job. I enjoyed the camaraderie with co-workers, interacting with customers and the hustle and bustle of the holiday shopping season. Over the following 6 years I worked at Hickory Farms whenever I was able. Moose moved on and he is now Pasco Police Captain, Jim Raymond. I'm not sure if he knows it, but his faith in me had a huge impact on my life.
The last time I was in Hickory Farms was in 1986, shortly after my dad passed away and just before the store closed for good at the mall. Now they only operate holiday kiosks.
Sometime after that (probably 1987), I made frequent trips to downtown Kennewick. I loved wandering in and out of the little shops. I became friendly with Joyce Mineart at The Enchanted Toy Shoppe. Our husbands worked together and I enjoyed visiting with her. After several visits to the store she asked me if I wanted a job. I did. I loved the toy shop. It was the best toy shop I have ever been in and the customers were always fun. Of course, the employee discount was also helpful when Christmas rolled around.
While I was working at the toy shop, I was offered another part-time job as a janitor at my church, which I took. I cleaned the pre-school and the church building every week. I don't remember how long I had the job, but eventually I decided it was too much for me.
In September of 1990 I decided I needed to do something more. I had turned 30 that summer and I felt like I was missing something. I opened the newspaper and saw an ad for an entry level, part-time courier position at the Tri-City Herald. It was the only job I applied for, and I got it.
I stayed at the Herald for over 20 years. When I was laid off I was devastated. It took me at least a year to even begin to feel better. Even though I was so sad, I didn't think finding a job would be difficult. I guess I'd been fairly lucky up to that point, with jobs finding me, rather than the other way around.
There are times when I've wished I had accepted offer to stay at the TCH as a part-timer, but I am also very happy with my college experience.
Last Friday I started my new job and I enjoyed the day. There are a lot of things I need to learn and improve on, but I guess that is normal when you start something new. The people are nice and the duties are interesting and diverse. It is going to be an adventure!
I wish it was more than one day per week!

Morning walk.

This morning I went for a walk - the same walk I used to take with my kids most evenings when I was around the age they are now. I remember we would look at the river and talk about a different life. You could say we had dreams.
Now I walk that same path while my kids are making their own way in life. I miss them. I'm lucky that we are so bonded, and I think those walks long ago have a lot to do with that. Some of our dreams have been realized, but not in the way you might think. We weren't wishing for tangible things. I think Anna and Noah would agree that we just wanted peace in our lives... and happiness.
I have made a conscious effort in my writing to be respectful of others, so it is rare I make mention of what prompted us to take so many walks. But this is my story, and I can't tell it without acknowledging that it was my husband's alcoholism that sent me and my kids on those walks along the levee, dreaming our dreams. It was our way of coping and it is what made us closer. Although that is a good outcome, I would still change the catalyst if I could. One thing I finally realized, with the help of my very wise children, was that I couldn't change their father. We went our separate ways.
I wish he could be healthy. I wish he could be happy. I wish my kids could have had the childhood they deserved, with happy parents. They have assured me that they have happy memories, but still, I wish.  And I wish that, as adults, they didn't have to deal with the fact that their dad can't be a support system for them.
My son is going to be a daddy in July. I know he is afraid that his daughter might never really know her grandpa. My daughter, like every girl, needs her dad. But he needs her more and I know the weight of that is something she thinks about constantly. No matter what - my kids love their dad. And you know, he deserves their love. Everyone deserves to be loved. I know he loves them too, but he is just not in a place where he can show them. Alcohol has taken it's toll and he is not doing well. I pray for him to get better, but I know that, as in the past, I still can't change things.
I'm so proud that my kids can see their dad's heart and appreciate his intelligence and his sense of humor. I'm glad they love him so much, but its also painful to know how much that love hurts sometimes. Alcoholism doesn't just destroy the alcoholic, it destroys families, it destroys the trust and emotional stability of children. I am lucky that my kids are so strong.
We're still working on our happy endings. We'll get there.