July 27, 2006

Change in the Weather

cloud strewn sky taken on my break walk a few days ago

Written 7-22-06 10 pm

The weather has finally changed, cooling off after a week of days over 100f temperatures. I have spent a lot of my time at home out on the lanai enjoying the cooler air. The green leafy trees sigh in the wind like the forest is breathing...Which of course it is...

We are breathing too, a sigh of relief that its cooler and also that other changes are afoot that I think will make things better for both Woody and I

Woody has been working at the car lot in this horrible heat all month. He's only made two sales... one to himself. After last month's banner sales this is a bit disapointing, but who in their right mind shops for a car in 110 degree heat? The three dealerships had not had a sale in 8 business days. Its real bad and going to be worse with low inventory and the high gas prices...now the war...

I only found out yesterday that Woody took a tumble in the parking lot last week. It was a bad fall, but he's ok, only his pride and his clothes were the worse for wear. But the manager felt it was heat related and sent him to the company doctor. The bill of health was clear, blood pressure good blood sugar really good and hes down 25 pounds. But that and Woody's confronting them on two deals that he should have been paid for early this month..(including the sale of our old van) lead to his being terminated yesterday.

I feel bad for his pride but deep inside we both know that he is well away from these scoundrels that have done little to help us, by way of helping Woody get deals written. Many of our friends have come in to buy a car from him only to not get the deal done because the dealership was too chintzy to pony up the incentive, or make a reasonable trade in offer. The 70 hour weeks, the complaining about any time off was taking a toll...

The timing is good and bad Good as there seems to be a million jobs available right now. Bad as I am in a situation that may mean my time at "thisplace" is ending in the next 6-8 weeks. Our account has begun to demand the enforcement of an agreement in the contract that demands a on time delivery average of 98%. If this is not acheived and kept there by the end of August they will be taking their business elsewhere....

I was shocked when I first heard of this figure... We are talking about transportation here... you know trucking...things happen. Drivers go AWOL, there are accidents and during the summer peak shipping season...like NOW you are going to have fall off once in a while, and with our volume 10 percent late is a normal average. But to do what they are asking of us would mean that only 1 load a day from each person could be late...I looked at the woman speaking at the large group"huddle" and mouthed "we're doomed" silently...

I have whipped my carriers into shape and currently have the longest running No No Shows or lates of anyone. 9 business days of sweat and anxiety, and I know this wont keep up...its not possible. We are being set up to fail, and there will be heads sacrificed.

Several things have come along that I have applied for, and Woody is starting to look. I hope this week to get the quote on the studio, finally so I can start building. But mostly, I want to do what God wants me to be doing.

We have laughed about the situation... Bill and Gloria Gaither, the gospel singers are hosting a cruise to Alaska in the beginning of September... Woody wanted to know if I was wanting to go... I said "Sure...but the minute that you pay the money, then my job will be secure, and I wont be able to go"... Such is life

The heat will come again and the summer will thunder on through to fall, but change seems to come to us the way the leaves change on the trees. It is a certainty...just as a change in the weather is certain...its just that you dont know what the change will bring, and thats what keeps life interesting...