Thanks Marcy. To give you an idea..........a gardener and customer from
Lowes has decided to befriend me. She invited me to her house, and after we
went to my favorite Mexican restaurant for lunch one day, I followed her to
her house where I looked at all her places she had ideas for. Turn about
was fair play and I invited her last Sunday since it was nice and before the
bad weather to come up to fairy holler to just see some of the spring that
is happening. I gave her the $5 tour...........it took us about an hour or
so to meet and greet every flower and to give her an idea of my basic rough
plan. I say rough. In her eyes it was overwhelming and amazing and "wow".
I don't see it that way at all. Like I said, I paint with words what I
"see". It took me 9 years here in this house to get to what she saw as my
humble mumblings of what I've done so far. I garden frantically. I sometimes
plant several things together. Like the azeala's I got today for $1.50
apiece because despite the lable that said white, they were red speckled and
had slashes of pinkish red on the white petals like the fairies had slopped
paint onto them. And another plant was totally and altogether different. It
had the speckles, and slashes, and the main petals were indeed white, but
there were 6 distinct pink with white edging flowers, each one unique. Out
of all the azaela's that came last week, there were only 5 of these that
were different. I grabbed the two colored one and a speckled with paint
one.

Now they're both planted together under the protective skirts of the
Sorbaria, non-blooming dogwood baby, and behind the Cornelian Cherry tree in
the NSSG. Given time I hope they will root into the good soil and scare me
with their height g I never think of these things. They either work or
they don't. But poor Diane was overwhelmed because what I take for granted
was HUGE for her, but I don't take it for granted. If I did that, I wouldn't
mind when Sugar dug up those four major beds. No, I work quite hard with
the fairies to plant this madness and if it comes together then it's even
better. If it doesn't work, I look at the idea and either improve on it or
move on to something else. That's all part of the fun of gardening. Your
garden will shape up.

If you'd like a smile, and a literal image, let me know and I'll send you a
picture of my constipated flower beds from last late spring to make you feel
better....g thanks for being there Marcy. You've been there all these
year like quite a few of my friends have been here on the newsgroup.

For what it's worth.......I am NEVER going to post something like what I did
here or even on Garden Web ever again because I really don't want to upset
"Spike" and be banished. And as for here, I respect the people here too much
to want to tie up and waste bandwidth on something I can't control or
change. If I see something that is wrong and I think ya'll need a heads up,
I will make it short and sweet. The heads up about the Sudden Oak Death was
great. I passed it on to someone who works at UT Agriculture and they
actually hadn't heard about the danger yet and this was a good early alert.

I can't do anything about Monsanto, and if they keep on with what they're
doing, we'll all be bitching soon enough. For now, I have to be outraged and
impotent and unable to do anything because I am just one person. Lets hope
someone on the inside sees the oncoming disaster before it's too late for
all of us. For now, I'm just going to take care of my holler and piece of
the ridge and keep trying to teach Sugar not to dig up mama's flower beds or
rip things that belong to me when I leave her with Rose by herself when I
have to go to work.

thanks for responding.
madgardener
"Marcy Hege" wrote in message
...
MG, just to let you know, here's one of your NG readers who appreciated
the
heads-up on the happenings at Lowes. Thanks for all your written ramblings
about Fairy Holler. I just hope that one day, the fairies work some of
that
same magic around my place. I'm trying to encourage them but I've got a
lot of
space that needs lots of amending before the fairies can really work their
magic.

M

preferably, both of you will go.... somewhere else. Madgardener has been on this
group forever and is one of the most cherished people and her notes from the hollow
are exquisite. Ingrid

"KCnRichmond" wrote:
You Go Harriet...


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

You Go Harriet....Thought this whining would stop ages ago....Oh, but she's
NOT whining......... I was offered a job with Lowes as garden associate at
$10.34/hr....HD offered me $15.00 to start 3 yrs ago............I am now
over $17.00, and still an associate and loving it....I see the ones who get
hired at just over 7 or 8 dollars and that group is huddled in the break
room whining about everything just like her.....Maybe no one at work would
listen to her anymore so she expanded her outlook to this NG..........I
dunno.........I have to wonder how much PK she has done with Lowes training?



"Harriet Nation" wrote in message
...
Enough already!!!!! Who cares that you want a pat on the back. Who would
want such a cry baby on the payroll?
"madgardener" wrote in message
...

"KCnRichmond" expounded:

You Go Harriet....Thought this whining would stop ages ago....Oh, but she's
NOT whining......... I was offered a job with Lowes as garden associate at
$10.34/hr....HD offered me $15.00 to start 3 yrs ago............I am now
over $17.00, and still an associate and loving it....I see the ones who get
hired at just over 7 or 8 dollars and that group is huddled in the break
room whining about everything just like her.....Maybe no one at work would
listen to her anymore so she expanded her outlook to this NG..........I
dunno.........I have to wonder how much PK she has done with Lowes training?

Where do you start at that? Up around here, yes, those are the
prevailing wages at those stores. Down in E. Tennessee, $6.50 and up.
Troll babble.

--
Ann, Gardening in zone 6a
Just south of Boston, MA
********************************

preferably, both of you will go.... somewhere else. Madgardener has been on this
group forever and is one of the most cherished people and her notes from the hollow
are exquisite. Ingrid

"KCnRichmond" wrote:
You Go Harriet...


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

"KCnRichmond" wrote in message
...

You Go Harriet....Thought this whining would stop ages ago....Oh, but
she's
NOT whining.........

Well, I know it's not nice to poke sticks but I said I was NOT whining, and
when I say I ain't whining, I'm NOT. Believe it or don't. The post I put
here was just that. That someone mistook it for a whine didn't "hear" what
I was saying.

I was offered a job with Lowes as garden associate at
$10.34/hr...

How NICE for you!!! And just where were you offered this job with Lowes as
a garden associate for $10.34/hr???? Out in Morristown, Newport, and even
KNOXVILLE the starting wages are averaging $7.30 an hour, a little bit more
for someone of specialist capability, and managorial.


HD offered me $15.00 to start 3 yrs ago............

Again, which Home Deprived offered you $15 to start three years ago???. I
left Nashville in 1992 after working for the school board for 9 years and
was making $9 an hour and came to Eastern Tennessee to literally minimum
wages. $5.15 an hour. For a professional cook/institutional food service
intern/prep professional with manager qualifications. Three years ago I
worked at a good bistro restaurant in Gatlinburg making $9 an hour and had
it not been for the traffic nightmares, I'd kept the job. It was the first
time I earned the money I was making in 1992..........And just that Home
Deprived offered you $15 an hour doesn't mean you're good enough to deserve
it. They'll hire ANYONE.

I am good at what I do. I know this. I am always an asset where I work, and
just about all the people I work with like and respect me. I don't demand
it, I earn it. And customers who meet me and are serviced by me not only
return but return as more than customers. I've made so many friends of the
customers where I work, I know differently. You are trying to rile me by
insulting me and it's just not working honey. I'm so happy that you make
$10 more an hour than I do. I'd not know what do do if I was paid my worth.
Probably get caught up on my bills and buy real groceries.

But then, if you were really smart, you'd get your CDL license and make
$1700 a week take home driving a semi-truck like 47% of the women truck
drivers out there are doing.

I am now
over $17.00, and still an associate and loving it....

I'm so happy for you!

I see the ones who get
hired at just over 7 or 8 dollars and that group is huddled in the break
room whining about everything just like her.....

Well it's a good thing I don't go to the break room, now isn't it? I take
my breaks in my car to listen to music. And the store where I work, most of
the 169 employees are extremely happy. Again, where the shit do you get that
I was whining? You wouldn't know a good whine if it was poured into a cut
glass goblet.

Maybe no one at work would
listen to her anymore so she expanded her outlook to this NG..........

LOL you're hilarious! It's people like you who make my job so much fun. I
ALWAYS expand my outlook to this newsgroup. If you don't like my opinions,
then just don't read them. I don't write for your amusement or need your
approval or disapproval. Your attitude is pretty apparent. Jealosy is so
unbecoming of someone of your low caliber. And plenty of people listen to
me honey. I don't have any problem at all with some of my opinions being
heard. If I spout off, and it's just a spout, it'll get ignored. If it's
worthy of a thread, then it's worthy. As for people listening to
me.........I do just fine sweetie.

I
dunno.........I have to wonder how much PK she has done with Lowes
training?

I've only been working for them since last February, but already I have my
certification in Level 1 Outside Lawn and Gardening, made a 98% on that one.
Made 100% on my HazMat, made a high score on my Cashier certification, made
an upper 90's score on Inside Lawn and Garden with a little problem in
mowers. Aced the receiving quiz, and aced the SOS training and Commercial
Sales. I just don't want to do Commercial Sales.

So far, since last February, it's been estimated that I've personally
probably been responsible for over 30% of the plant sales in our nursery.
Now if that's bad odds for someone who's just rolled over their FIRST YEAR
with the company, then someone can't cipher. It was noticed over the last
two weeks that there was an average of at least 5 customers coming into the
nursery looking for me, and out of 5, 3 would leave if I wasn't there and
they weren't the same people either. That means a lot to me. Makes me know
that I am needed and wanted at my store. sheesh.

I may not be paid what I am worth, but the customers and fellow employees
give me respect, and you can't put a price on that.

Now away w'ya!
madgardener

wrote in message
...
preferably, both of you will go.... somewhere else. Madgardener has been
on this
group forever and is one of the most cherished people and her notes from
the hollow
are exquisite. Ingrid

awwwwwwwwwwww thanks Ingrid!! (my computer can't find yer
address....holler at me so I can mark it!)
maddie

"KCnRichmond" wrote:
You Go Harriet...


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.

KCnRichmond" wrote in message
...

You Go Harriet....Thought this whining would stop ages ago....Oh, but
she's
NOT whining.........

Mg wrote:

Well, I know it's not nice to poke sticks but I said I was NOT whining, and
when I say I ain't whining, I'm NOT. Believe it or don't. The post I put
here was just that. That someone mistook it for a whine didn't "hear" what
I was saying.

To me it wasn't whining at all. You seemed to have wanted to give people a
"feel" of how it works where you are employed. We had a wonderful store called
Eagle Hardware taken over by Lowe's a couple of years ago and I bet that many
of the same employees still work there under worse conditions. I only go there
once in a while, but the toolguy here says that quality, selection and service
has dropped.

I was offered a job with Lowes as garden associate at
$10.34/hr...

(Snipping of wage comparisons)
Yeah, right. I've made less money than that as a department director.

Retail is notorious for the low wages they pay employees. I think it's a shame
because the workers represent that retailer to the public and it's good to have
happy employees. The work is hard and often boring . You can be treated like
a drone for so long and then you become one. Good work doesn't really get
recognized too much. And, the stress of dealing with customers who often treat
you like a bug or less! I should know, I worked at two different KMarts for
several years. I was expected to call the mgrs Mr. or Mrs. so-and-so and they
called me by my first name. Afterwards, when I worked for a university, we
were all on a first-name basis except I chose to give the president and others
in their calling their proper title when I spoke to them. And, you know what?
The pay wasn't much better than retail but there was some sort of respect for
employees, us hourly bottom-of-the-ladder workers.

I haven't worked in retail for years and never hope to again. But I really
appreciate retail professionals who aren't trying to sell me anything but
honesty. They are hard to find these days.

So, more power to you, MG. May your garden grow well.

And that is really at the core of the whole problem. I am an unabashed supporter of
"livable wages" http://maps.vcgi.org/burlingtonlegac...e_wage2002.cfm
for anyone working 40 hours per week. "A livable wage is the hourly wage/annual
income necessary to cover basic needs plus all relevant Federal and State taxes. The
basic needs include necessary expenses: food, housing, child care, transportation,
health care, dental care, clothing, household and personal expenses, renter's and
term life insurance, and 5% savings."

There are other factors that have a profound impact on workers. Respect,
recognition and reward ... the three Rs. Good parents teach their children that hard
work and "doing right" is rewarded. Then they grow up, go to work and too many find
out that there is little relationship between effort and reward. Too many find that
their company treats workers as disposable. There is only one consideration and that
is the bottom line. No respect for workers, dont bother to recognize and reward
working hard, for being honest, for being loyal. Walmart, Sams, and ever company
that has moved overseas and/or outsourced work.

But I still find smaller stores, restaurants etc where I see the same people year
after year. They are pleasant, helpful and professional. And that is where I go to
shop and eat. I dont shop at Walmart or Sams, and I dont go to chains where the
workers look dead behind the eyes. Ingrid

(Skirmishd) wrote:
Good work doesn't really getrecognized too much.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
List Manager: Puregold Goldfish List
http://puregold.aquaria.net/
www.drsolo.com
Solve the problem, dont waste energy finding who's to blame
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Unfortunately, I receive no money, gifts, discounts or other
compensation for all the damn work I do, nor for any of the
endorsements or recommendations I make.