I can sympathize, Oldbroad. About 20 years ago I was given jury notice two weeks after I'd just started a new job. There was no way my new employer was going to tolerate that. I was able to get out of it for medical reasons, but I actually would have loved to sit on the jury for it. It was a criminal case and I was warned that it could go for months. Shortly thereafter a major court case started. It might have been that one.

I just got summoned in the mail a couple of weeks ago. I asked for a postponement until the end of February (which was granted), at which time I have ample reason to ask to be excused. Whatever they may think, the courthouse is 45 miles away and I have not had a car since the end of May. No bus to get there either - the times are all wrong. No way to get to the bus pickup station if there was a way, either.

I sympathize so much because it always sends me into a tailspin when I get summoned, worrying what they might do to me if they refuse to understand. This time I am determined not to be upset for weeks on end.

I would not mind serving if my circumstances were different, but I am not a magician and can't just appear there via teleportation.

I really don't care to serve again as I just don't believe in the system frankly, however, I just feel such dread and terror thinking about having to go there. I am not an outgoing active person like most of you here. I do not like talking in front of people or having people look at me. I flunked out of high school (for not giving oral reports) and have not been hired by jobs because of this. I have always hated telephone or face to face reception type work. I have always been afraid to try things. The first time I bowled it was with 3 male friends in high school (probably when we were supposed to be in class). One of the guys was my boyfriend. I made him go in the washroom before I would try it because I was embarrassed. I never learned to swim or drive or know another language for the same reason. Not wanting to go to jury duty is about a lot of this, and now I have a lot of stomach issues too (but no doctor for a medical excuse). I don't even know if I could make the journey there without embarrassing myself and a bus full of people. I'm not vaccinated (mostly also due to these reasons) and I am actually afraid to go anywhere these days because this city is rampant with crime right now. None of this is something the courts would understand. I may try to postpone it so I'm not going in mid December but I hesitate to do that for fear of getting more on their radar. This is just a "stand by" notice so maybe I would not have to go like last time but since I didn't have to last time, I figure I will this time. I know this probably all sounds stupid to most of you but this is me. I have not been able to change in all these years though I have tried at times.

They used to let you be excused if you were 65 or older; now it shows 70 (which I am not).

It doesn't sound stupid to me, ob. We all have our issues and I am no different. And although I am fairly active by no means am I outgoing - although I can put on an act when I need to.

I will be 70 years old in 16 months, so chances are the next time I am summoned, it will not present these difficulties. 70 seems to be the age here too in which you can excuse yourself without the need for additional paperwork.

I can also understand about being afraid to go due to crime - and especially this time of year, when it could be dark when you are done for the day. I can't drive at night, so this presents yet another problem for me. I am very nearsighted and now that I am older my night vision is just completely kaput.

Thank you Marian. Your words mean a lot to me! I am not very good at putting on an act and that is probably why I was picked for jury duty the one time. I was so nervous I just started babbling and blubbering and I think they liked that. Each time I would start a new job, I would try to let go of the phone/reception thing but I never really did. I never got used to it, never liked it, but my co-workers didn't know that it scared me and I hated it. I just always lacked confidence I guess, which is why I ended up staying at my last job for as long as I did even though I grew to absolutely hate it there. I didn't have the confidence to try to go somewhere else after awhile.

Sorry I can't do anything to really help, ob, but I am glad what I said helped a little. When I read about how you felt about your job, it reminded me of something I read once: that the unknown can be more frightening than the monster we have come to know. The "monster" in this case being your last job. Yes, I understand that too. Hopefully this latest summons will work out for the best. I know it's difficult, but try not to lose too much sleep over it in the meantime. Not at all easy, I know!

I hope everyone has a good weekend. And enjoy your weather, judith!

Good evening everyone ... the week has kept me busy ... which is good. Off to do dinner dishes and then it'll be time to call it a day.

T.G.I.F.

Oldbroad, I don't think ANY of this sounds stupid. To the contrary, it all sounds perfectly reasonable to me - from your perspective. And your perspective is the only one that counts. It just doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. Your comfort zone does not include interactions with the public. I used to be that way to some extent believe it or not. I much prefer to be out of the public eye. But I got a job I loved - doing inspections out on my own - and slowly had to learn to interact with people. It wasn't easy for me, but I mastered it with some degree of success. Just because I sound like I am outgoing and in control now doesn't mean it was always like that. I wish I had some advice or help to offer, but I don't know exactly how I got to this place of confidence. The WORST thing you can do is think any of your issues are stupid because they are NOT!

This last time I got called for jury duty - which is simple for me logistics-wise - there were at least 6 or more people who said they were not capable of performing their jury duties and they were promptly dismissed. So the worst that can happen is that you will have to show up and say you can't and be sent home.

Thank you Draclvr. In my nervousness I don't even know what I'm saying half the time. Once I'm sure I would have been picked but I just lost it and started almost shouting "I don't know, I don't know" and waving my hands around and I was quickly dismissed then. I didn't do it on purpose. I really just couldn't handle the questions anymore. I've said weird things at, at least two wakes in the past too because I was nervous around all the people. Upset a friend of mine a little bit, though I certainly didn't mean to.

Oldbroad, it's not impossible that you have a social anxiety disorder. I have a 19 year-old grandson who struggles with it mightily. He wants to do college and it is not going well. He wants nothing more than to be "normal," but it's so hard for him. My son has considered taking 6 months of emergency family leave to help him deal with it. But he is making some slow but steady progress with the resources available at Colorado State University to provide the mental support he needs.

What I'm saying is that I understand more than you know. Frank tells me that having a weird grandma who doesn't send cookies, but sends him hot sauce helps enormously!

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Drac, Congrats on your almost 200 game. Shopping is on the agenda today. Dinner and karaoke at the Eagles tonight. Enjoy the weekend and hug someone.

Put the coffee on and now I'm headed off to do my morning Wordle. Another blessed day all to myself as hubby went hunting again this morning.

Cold and sunny this morning, but I'm waiting for that truckload of snow oldbroad was going to send me!

Happy Saturday!

Good morning all.

It's pretty cold here, too. I woke up at 4 am with the heat pump coming on, so I guess it's time to start putting the heat way down to 17 degrees at night. I'm enjoying a cup of coffee so strong and mild it tastes almost syrupy. Lovely.

It's a beautiful sunny day, and again I'll go for a walk once I've done my morning chores.

Then it's off to look for blinds for my bathroom skylight and some bookshelves. I can get them now because I had a lovely surprise in the mail yesterday-- my rebate cheque for the property taxes I paid for my Campbell River home this year. I had applied for deferment, which we can do here once we're 65, and then forgotten about it in the rush. Our property taxes in Campbell River were astronomical once the mill shut down, so it was a nice unexpected bonus. Seniors can defer the property taxes on their principal residence indefinitely until the property is sold, which is a real help.

Oldbroad, I suspect that you might be excused from jury duty on medical grounds, but even for that you may have to turn up and be sent home (as mentioned above): however it might be worth checking with the Court whether you can get a doctor's letter or certificate to send in.

Good afternoon everyone. Connie, I'll have an asiago bagel. Starbuck's French Roast, Lapsang Souchong tea and bottled Fiji water in the Break Room. Wishing everyone a wonderful Saturday. Some weekend chores are crossed off but I have miles to go before I sleep. I'll be back...

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Good morning everyone. Connie, I'm ready for a blueberry bagel this morning. Thanksgiving is just around the corner! Have a wonderful Sunday everyone.

Since it's a rainy November day I'll spend some time in the garage. I keep thinking I'm close and then I find myself stymied by something heavy that I can't move. Right now there's a large wool carpet in the middle of the room and I can't even budge it. I'll have to keep chipping away at the edges.

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Meeting at the Eagles tonight. Enjoy the day and hug someone.

Good morning all.

Yesterday afternoon turned out to be lovely, so I went for my walk and then cleaned up leaves for a couple of hours. Today I think I'll go pick up a small power washer and a blower to to make the job easier. There are a LOT of leaves! Also, I'll need the power washer for next Spring, to clean up the pathways around the house and the covered back patio.

Had a dermatologist appointment this morning for a checkup, so good afternoon!

Kind of chilly and dreary here today, but we have gotten a smidgen of rain! Having a cup of peppermint herbal tea right now.

Two of my most treasured tools - after my electric tomato press, of course - are a battery powered blower and a power washer. Our blower is really high powered, so I can blast all my mulch back into the flower beds after the chickens have scratched it out. We don't do leaves out here in the country - especially since we are in the middle of the woods! When I lived in town for a few years, I just ran over mine with the lawn mower and let it mulch down into the grass.

Happy Monday!

Happy Monday everyone!

I'll have a bagel and danish Connie. I brought a pot of Gerry's double dark roast, Scottish Breakfast Tea and bottled Fiji water for the Break Room.

Drac, I'm still working out just how much power my smallish chargeable mower has for mulching leaves. It's definitely ok for a small amount. I wouldn't even dream of sending it over a lot of the large maple leaves, though. Some of them are as big as dinner plates. I did my last mow today and I'm noticing that at least half my lawn is moss in some places. I'm tempted to just let that be.

The Sea lions are barking like crazy today.

It seems that the neighbour's cat likes to come over and peer through the French doors every morning now. Not sure how to deal with that, but I'm not happy about being woken up. It might be in for the shock of its life if I opened the doors and sicced two cats on it. Willow is a lazy girl but she's BIG.

Good morning everyone. Dark roast Kona coffee, Scottish Breakfast tea and bottled Fiji water in the Break Room. Looking forward to Connie's bagels later this morning. Hagatha, you have a new neighbourhood friend...I assume the cats are talking to each other which wakes you up?

Have a wonderful day everyone!

Good morning, Danish, Donuts and Bagels in the Break Room. Bowling at the Eagles tonight. Enjoy the day and hug someone.