Notes of Thanks

I was looking for info on the Hurricane Katrina and found this note.  It is always a joy to find something that reminds you that you have done some good in the world.

 

SBA Shirt 2003

After a Disaster was over there was usually a contest for designing the insignia for the shirt you could purchase as a memento of your experience on that disaster.  This was the one where I saw so much of Maryland and fell in love with the area.  The shirt was way to large and so I got rid of it but wanted to keep this memento.

This is the one I came home from in the winter time and my furnace had just gone out and I had a four feet high and wide solid berm in front of my house.

One of the elders in the ward brought over his machine and shovel and dug me out.  The next day he had a crash in his snowmobile and had a traumatic brain injury.  It took him months and years of recovery and learning to talk and walk again, totally changed his life.  He had to sell his airplane, changed the way they lived, sell restaurants he owned, etc.  But he remains a beautiful and humble man, whom I always loved hearing about their latest travels from.  Usually his wife or brother drove.  I do not think he could ever drive again.

 

West Virginia Snow

They are showing pictures of the snow in West Virginia from the Sandy Superstorm and it reminded me of my time out there in early 2004 because of flooding. 

After working in Maryland after Hurricane Isabel they sent two of us from Baltimore to West Virginia with boxes of equipment and I worked out there until sometime in February.  I hated driving in the snow along the freeways.  The trucks could travel on any side of the road they wanted and they all went so fast.  My little rental Ford was not up to winter travel at all.

The day I was to fly home there was a winter storm and it was terrible to get to the airport and then we had to wait while they deiced the wings.  I got home just in time to save my house as the furnace had gone out and we were having a cold winter.

I bought a new furnace with the money I had earned for the last several months.  I was working for the New York SBA office.

The one neat thing about the whole trip was the Thanksgiving Dinner cooked by the SBA leaders from New York.  That is where I learned about the Butternut Squash being mashed and buttered--they gave me all the left overs and I ate it all week.

Sandy Destroys Fishing Pier at OCMD

After Hurrcane Isabel in 2003 I spent quality time in Maryland.  One of the  most fun excursions was to Ocean City where I had the best French Fries I have ever had in my life.  They served them with an Apple Vinegar.  I also saw the most beautiful sand that went waaay out there.  The Federal Government had spent millions in preventive care for the area.   The Boardwalk is so long and then goes out to the Fishing Pier.

Many good memories of that SBA Disaster trip.   We ate in Delaware and the housing with back yard piers was beautiful.  Loved the Eastern Shore of Maryland, great place to live. 

Some of the flooded areas  further south which were still a mess was a sad sight and I believe this will be so much worse.  

Too bad I am not younger, I am sure I could have some work out of this.  It always seemed sad that my employment depended on disaster for others.

If I Had Only Known...

That last day in Union City Brenda said we were to wait until Jan called because some of their people had gone over to Fort Worth to process loans and they may need us to travel to work another Disaster Center instead of going home.  Since I was just a loaner from FOCW, they had reviewed all their needs and as usual, try to send whoever is not needed any longer, home before a long holiday.  Loaners are the first to go home when not needed.  It is very expensive to pay overtime on Saturday and Sunday and then double time on a Holiday.

About noon we got the call to go home as planned--now there was a six hour drive down to Jackson, Ms to turn in our cars.  She would call us on the way to tell us where we were staying and fax the hotel with our flight plans.  Brenda did not want to leave yet so I left by myself.

The Country Inn did not have a printer that was working so I could not read the fax and had to call Jan until she finally looked up the confirmation number and I was able to go online and get my flight information.  It was at six am which meant I would need to turn in my car previous to that as the Country Inn did not have shuttle service that early.  I did not read the details very well except to verify my seat and see if I could change it to an aisle seat.  On the leg to Sacramento from Houston I saw I had a seat in First Class.  I thought it was because I chose my seat so late there wasn't anything left but in First Class.

However, the girl at the desk assured me the airport was just 12 minutes down the road at Exit 54.  Since I would be driving in the dark in a strange place and needed to know what to do with my car I thought I better do a dry run.

Good thing I did it was actually Exit 52 and there was a little swerve in the road which was easy to miss and two rental car signs which were easy to be confused by.  By the time I finally found where I was to go a half hour had passed.  The garageman told me no one would be there that early but blah, blah, this is what I should do.

So after a fairly sleepless night I did get to the Budget Garage in the early am and no one was there as he said and it was fairly dark.  I did not like it.

Going into the terminal from the garage I found I was first in line at Continental.  Since I did not have a readable eticket I thought I had to wait until the ticket man talked to me and he was having problems finding his key.   The young man behind me showed me I could just scan my passport and it would bring up the tickit in the kiosk.  Voila--there were my boarding passes and a mini version of an eticket.  Just what I needed for my voucher later on.   They were having problems without the key to print off our luggage tags but I wondered why they put a priority ticket on my luggage bags.

The flight home was good except I couldn't believe I really had a seat in first class.  The lady looked at my boarding pass and assured me I did.  However, I felt very uncomfortable there and was sure someone was going to claim my seat at any time before we left the airport.  Later when they asked what I wanted for breakfast I didn't know if I had to pay or not because they were talking on the intercom about prices.  I also chose to read my book instead of watching DirectTV because it had a slot for paying $7.99.  I asked for just a banana for breakfast.

So it wasn't until I got home and was working on my voucher that I studied the faded fax given to me at the hotel and saw that they had actually 'booked' me first class.  Evidently it was cheaper than waiting for another flight and paying me for the wait.  I could have really enjoyed that First Class ticket if I had only known I wasn't in the wrong place after all...  What a bummer trip.

Last Day

Today was my last day working for FOC East.  It has been very slow so we are being released.

Tomorrow I have the whole day to drive to Jackson, MS and then fly home from there on Friday.  The people in this area are quite self-sufficient I believe.

We had a little excitement.  There was a tornado warning for the area and when it passed over it was a lot of wind and rain and a little hail (not much compared to the hail in Montana) but fortunately we did not see a tornado!

Michael told me it was snowing in Lake Almanor today and actually sticking on the road.   Unbelievable!!!

Joplin, Mo Tornado

The news that is coming out of Joplin is so heartbreaking.  I listened to the radio on the way home from work and heard a mother's story of talking to her son on the telephone when the tornado hit and they have not been able to find him since.  His friend had dived into the back seat at the last minute after they got out to go in a store.  She told about all the injured that had been flown to all the surrounding states so even if he is in a hospital it is difficult to know.

They finally determined the tornado was an EF 5 which is the highest of any they have every known, over 200 miles per hour.  It wrapped and twisted things and flattened most of the town.  The hospital was ruined on every floor.  They are searching for over 1500 people, and known dead is at 122, and it will be more.  This is the highest ever for a single tornado and to think this all happened in just seconds.  There was little warning evidently.

We have been under thunder storm warnings every day but the warning for tomorrow evening is very severe.  It has actually been quite lovely today.  I will be home in the Hampton in Union City in western Tennessee ready to jump in the tub for safety tomorrow evening.

The American Idol is on and I must stay how much I have enjoyed it this year.  Lopez and Tyler added so much positive vibes to the show and they had such quality singers.  The youngest they have ever had are vying for the title and both Laurie and Scotty are so good.  I surely like having the good shows come on at 7 pm instead of 9 like they do in Calif!!!

Reelfoot Lake

In the 1811-1812 era there was an earthquake and this lake was a result. It is about 15 miles off Hiway 51 on the other side of Troy. We pass Troy every day on the way to Obion. I drove out there the other day at lunch. It takes quite a long time. Evidently there are several kinds of fish, catfish being one. So I sought out a local restaurant that serves catfish and it was very good. In fact, it was the best place I have eaten here yet.

Today while I was standing in front of the office one of the locals walked over and chatted with me. He said he didn't understand why they put the Center in Obion where there is nothing going on. He said in 1997 there was a bad flood and the worst places were "bought out" with the understanding that if they stayed there they could never get help from the government again. He said also the people here are very self-sufficient.

Evidently we had a lightening storm last night and I slept right through it. Yea. Except for not being surrounded by hills it reminds me of Montana here. The sky, the breeze, the scenery. The farms are beautiful. Obion stands for 'River of Many Branches' and was started by the Mississippi indians in the 1700s. Very peaceful life here.

Yesterday a lady brought in a beautiful 3-layer carrot cake.  It looked delicious but with my gluten intolerance problem I did not attempt to eat any.  I am missing lots of goodies that the younger ones are eaten...such a bore being old with a touchy digestion.

Michael picked up my mail today and paid some bills for me.  So nice having him in charge and taking care of things.  Bandido has been groomed, my car has been serviced and all is well on the home front.  Thank you, Michael.

Unfortunately the deer repellent I put in my bushes didn't work and the two bushes on the left side I took the wire cages off were stripped by the deer!!!

Everyone Has a Story...

Today I commiserated with another gal who had lost her son, her only son, through a freak accident when he was only 17.  Then she told me an amazing story about their life.

She worked for an investment firm for about 11 years in New York but every summer her son would go to Puerto Rico to visit his grandmother.  He was not happy in New York and pleaded with his Mom to move to Puerto Rico.  Eventually she gave up her job and did just that.  He was happy but she wasn't, at first, and then she found employment with FEMA and really liked it.

Being a very smart lady, she had invested her earnings in a high yield safe investment for her only son.  And when he died it had grown to $600,000!  What was also unusual is that he had been very prolific in his youth and at 14 he presented her with her first grandson, and then another granddaughter with a different mother, and then just before he died he had another mom pregnant and she delivered a beautiful daughter in time.

Each of these granchildren have been given a third of this trust and it will provide for them until they are 30 or so!  What a story, don't you think?

Mayor's Wife

Today the Mayor's wife came in and brought us a strawberry pie.  I took the opportunity to ask her some questions about this little town.  Like 'what happened?'  She said in the seventies there were several restaurants, clothing stores, drugstores, etc.  Today there is nothing except one Convenience Store.  What happened?  Well, there was a shirt factory and it closed and that was just the beginning.

There is an ethanol factory still and I suppose that is why all the corn is grown .  She told me the four houses I saw in a circle were the beginning of a subdivision but there were so many trucks going on the road in front of it, no more  homes were built.  When the new highway comes through, it will solve that problem.

It appears to be a dying town but I did see one beautiful home with really lovely sprawling lawns and a little lake with a boat dock.  She said the owner was a contractor and her son had been married there.  Really lovely.  I enjoyed listening to her as she talked on a first name basis about God in her life with her sweet southern accent.  She says, "Did I misunderstand you God?  I thought you told me this."  She says nothing can go wrong in your life if you just trust in God.  Amen.

Anyway life moves slow in these parts of Tennessee but I found the Subway and I love those 'Grilled Chicken Spinach' salads and I thought I found some good chocolate malt ice cream cups but they couldn't match up to the Cho Chos of the 40's.

Mexican Food--not so Good!

Tonight I tried some taquitos at a Mexican place and they were too greasy, burned and tasteless.  I was so disappointed.  I told the Cashier and he said this restaurant was Tex-Mex and referred me to another one down the street.  Hmmm, we will see.  Then I realized I had my jacket on and they will know it was a government person complaining, oh dear.

It was slow again today but they keep opening Centers trying to be very proactive.  It will be interesting to see how long this one stays open.  The area director told me it was a very poor area but I saw lots and lots of fields of corn growing! 

Beautiful skis again with low fluffy clouds and very blue sky.  Vickie told me it was allergy season, hope I don't get hit.

I enjoyed spending my lunch time talking to Marjorie.  The eating places are so far away I decided to just eat some yogurt and strawberries and then I found a close place with corn dogs.  Unfortunately they weren't a match to the Frosty's...  And not good for my diet anyway...

There is so much TV about the flooding down below here, I am not sure they show so much in the west but it is affecting so many people after they opened the floodgates.

My BIG BOSS and I Cross Paths Today!

President Obama and I were in Memphis today at the same time.  I was picking up supplies from Holiday Express on Union Street and he was traveling on the highway below.  They blocked traffic for about an hour.  Also all along the highway from Southaven to Memphis there were police cars parked with their lights flashing.   I was hoping to take a picture of the black SUVs as they flashed by, but never saw them.  I was also late getting to my destination but no problem, they understood.

From Memphis I drove along a peaceful highway to Obion, TN where a Disaster Center has been set up and later checked in to the Hampton in Union City about twenty miles away.  I tried to take some pictures of the thickets of trees and lovely green fields as I sped by---will post tomorrow.

Mississippi and Tennessee are very flat.  The Tennessee area I am in is very sparsely settled--must be farmlands, however the town has a lot of car lots and car businesses and a lot of fast food and a movie theater just five minutes from my hotel.  I pass one homestead I am curious about as I go from the Center to my hotel.  There are three mansions in a circular fashion with lovely landscaping at the entrance and their own lake on the side.  Curious who lives there.  Most of the homes are very modest looking.

Two of the families who came in today had their autos damaged and the other family had their flooring damaged.  Since the Center has not been advertised yet, it was a surprise to see them.  However, there is a big FEMA Mobile parked by the side of the Community Center and I am sure they saw the
name.

I also had watermelon tonight--wonder if it was from Tennessee or Mexico???

Disaster Duty 2011

Wednesday at 1:38 pm I was awaken from a nap and told I would be flying out east tomorrow. It was finally decided I would fly out in the morning so would pack and drive down to Sacramento that night. I left at 6 pm and arrived at Melissa's apt at 9:30. I took a rest on Melissa's bed and awoke at 2 am and Melissa and Mitch drove me to the airport at 3:45 am. Poor Melissa slept on the couch!

I am working for the SBA Field Operations Center-East which means I will be east of the Mississippi. We flew to Orlando and then on to Jackson and I rented a Kia. I like Jackson and I like the Kia. I met Stan from Sacramento on the plane and I tried to follow him--doesn't work, too many white cars. I like the pace of driving in Jackson, though--not so frantic as CA and as you can see it is beautiful with all the trees and interesting clouds.

 Thursday we met with our director and were assigned to new Disaster Centers that are opening up. Three of us are driving up to Southhaven, Ms which is just south of Memphis, Tenn. There has been both flooding and tornadoes in the area. The place we met at is going to be the big base of operations for FEMA and it is huge. Evidently it was an abandoned business park and they are still setting it up.  This is a view from the back of the building.

As usual everyone I meet at SBA is very nice. I remembered Dan from Guam and John from Sacramento. I will be driving up north with Jon from Louisville, Ky and Stan from California. Also as usual I am the Great Grandma of the group.  We all have our own cars so we can be reassigned to different centers as needed.

And as everyone warned me, it is humid here in the afternoon.  Also there have been storm warnings on the radio all afternoon.  It is probably a good thing I don't know how close these places are to me. 
These clouds remind me of the kind we had in Montana in the summer.

I did drive over to Wal Mart for some yogurt and it is half the price as California.  I also went to Dillards for the face cream I left at home--it is the same price here.  Dillards had a lot of tempting clothes but I swear I am not buying any more clothes and I am eating very light so I don't gain a lot of weight!

I am staying at the Fairfield but our leader told us 15 cars were broken in to at another Jackson hotel so I brought my GPS in.  How did we ever get along without them?  I am so turned around here, I never know where I am but I just follow directions and eventually get there.

They have me booked for 30 days at the Courtyard in Southhaven but not sure how much that means. 

Everything I Never Wanted To Do--But Often Enjoyed Doing!

Today I found the resume I did when I switched from Loan Processing to Customer Service at SBA this year.  Because I want it printed in my book so I can reflect on all the work I did after 5 years of school teaching and 20 years of child rearing I am uploading here:

Janet E Hardy
Self-Assessment

I have over twenty-six cumulative years of experience working in an office environment specifically in loan origination, loan processing and loan funding of homes, apartments and business endeavors. I have had to analyze business loans with partnership corporate and Schedule C income. I have supervised up to ten loan officers in all aspects of loan analysis in the mortgage brokering business. I use the HP Financial Calculator with ease and skill and I tend to be analytical by nature and like to understand the reasons for following procedures. I owned Choice Mortgage Inc with my husband from 1984 until he passed away in 1996.

I have been employed by SBA since 2000 with part-time (5-7 months each year out of the years 2001-2006 and 2008 working as a SBA Reservist Loan Specialist in the Fort Worth and Sacramento offices (also Guam) and served in the field in Maryland and West Virginia for the New York Office and in Louisiana, and Texas for the Sacramento Office. As a loan specialist I analyzed the use of proceeds, duplication of benefits, credit worthiness of borrower, disposition of insurance, and making a recommendation for a loan decision to the Supervising Loan Officer. During 2005 in Sacramento I also supervised other loan officers in their loan analysis and I also served as a Team Leader in two Disaster Recovery Centers in Texas during the fall and winter of 2005.

Work History

1980-82 Obtained CA real estate license and began originating and processing trust deed loans for Richard D Jones Mortgage Inc of La Mesa, CA. I learned how to verify ownership, credit worthiness of the borrower, value of the collateral, verify the intended use of proceeds, obtain title insurance and hazard insurance. Properties involved were homes, 1-4’s, apartment buildings and small businesses. Many factors came together to determine a good investment. The loans or investments were offered to the private sector for their investment portfolios. This basic loan analysis was the foundation for the years that followed of asking credit decisions and protecting the interest of our lenders.

1982-4 Set up the conventional side of the mortgage company for brokering loans to banks, savings and loans, mortgage bankers and credit unions. This involved learning the underwriting guidelines of each lending entity as well as the packaging of each loan. The loans originated and prepared were home loans, 1-4s, and multi-apartment loans. We had specific training in learning the different programs, credit guidelines, financial parameters and packaging requirements of each lender. An emphasis and many hours of training were given in reading income taxes to determine the net worth of individuals and their businesses. As I grew in my proficiency I became the supervisor of the loan officers and processors. This involved teaching and training and monitoring of their work.

1984 My husband and I started our own mortgage company. Choice Mortgage Inc., and my roll was the conventional loan brokering side of the business doing all the things I have mentioned in the above paragraphs. Through all this process of teaching others I was also involved in originating my own loans and guiding the borrower from origination to funding and closing of the loans by the chosen lending entity. I had to know how to qualify the borrower in the way the specific lender wanted them qualified. Here again, many classes were taken that were given by lenders, title companies, and appraisal companies for implementation into our loan brokering business. Many operating procedures had to be read and understood regarding VA, FNMA and FHLMC guidelines. Loans that were originated were home loans, 1-4s and multi-family. It was my role to approve each loan that went out our door to be delivered to a lender.

1985 The first computer loan processing program was introduced and I had to learn the program and teach the processors to prepare the loans for submission. More often than not, I was “hands on” in the computer program. This program involved loan analysis and the transferring of all credit, ownership and income data from credit reports, tax returns, property profiles, escrow instructions and title reports. Loan officers had to be taught how to use the program for comparing loan proposals, qualifying the borrower and determining which programs to present to the prospective borrowers for selection. This now involved not only the fixed rate loans but all the different types of adjustable and balloon loans as well. There were training classes given by an invited guest or myself every week in the different aspects of choosing loan programs and analyzing the borrower to make good credit decisions.

1984-1996 Four different computer loan processing programs were learned and utilized over the years and for the conventional loans and two other processing and escrow programs for the private loans. Four different accounting programs were learned over the years before teaching the bookkeeper how to do the accounting on the computer. My role throughout these years was first and foremost the manager of the processors and loan officers. This involved ongoing instruction in new loan programs and guidelines so agents could make informed loan recommendations. This also involved reviewing each file for approval before delivering it to a lender. And of course it involved supervising the processors. The most processors we ever had at any one time for private and conventional loans were five and the most loan officers were ten.

1996 My husband passed away and I closed the business to retire. Then my son asked me to be the officer manager for his financial business. I did administration work for the first six months and then they asked me to start a mortgage entity under their national company’s guidelines. I did get it started and then my role became entirely loan analysis to keep all credit and collateral worthy loans going to the processors and canceling the others before too much time was spent on them. This involved another new loan analysis program. In the meantime I had also acquired my securities and life insurance licenses.

1999 I semi-retired to the mountains of Northern California but continued some accounting for my son’s business and part time work in an escrow office of Fidelity Title Co.

2000 I joined SBA as a way of using my expertise and earning more money doing something I enjoy.

2001 Summer - I was called to Fort Worth as a Reservist Loan specialist and worked in the office doing analysis of use of proceeds duplication of benefits, credit worthiness of borrowers, capacity of borrowers, disposition of insurance, and making a recommendation for a loan decision to the Supervising Loan Officer. In the fall I was called back for 9/11 and worked on homes as well as business loans.

2002-Summer - I was called to Fort Worth again and just returned home and then was called to the Sacramento office and on to Guam to work as a Loan Specialist making loan decisions until March 2003.

2003 September to February 2004—I was called to Maryland and then West Virginia and worked under the direction of the New York Office. I was doing loan origination in Disaster Recovery Centers on this assignment.

2004 Fall - I was called to the Sacramento office to work as a Loan Specialist and then became a Supervisor over a team of six. I worked until March 2005.

2005 Fall - I was called by Sacramento Office to travel to Louisiana and then into Texas and worked until March 2006. I was doing loan origination in Disaster Recovery Centers and then was called as a Team Leader for two different Texas Disaster Recovery Centers.

I retired in March of 2006. But applied in 2007 to return to SBA. In Fall 2008 I worked as a Loan Specialist in Sacramento.

Now I am asking to be put to work again as a Customer Service Representative doing originations in the field.

Disaster Reserve Specialist 2000-2011 for Small Business Administration

In Spring 2000 Maria called me and said she had found the perfect job for me.  Richard had died bankrupt in 1996 and I had to sell my house, store my furniture and was living first with Linda and then with James.  I worked as a Temp Loan Processor for awhile and then became the office manager for a business that James and Kent had gotten into and miracle of miracles when Maria called in 1998 and said she had found the perfect place for me to live, it had actually all worked out and in March 1999 I moved to Lake Almanor, Ca 30 miles from where Maria and her family were living in Susanville.

The problem was I did not have enough income.  When I left San Diego I supposedly had a job doing online work for James' business but that didn't last very long.  I had a lifetime teaching degree, a real estate license, a securities license but no real income besides my social security and that was about $1000 short of what I needed every month to make it.  I had landed a job finally with a title company by walking around Chester and handing out flyers and then interviewing.  I had the experience needed but it was full time and not that much pay. That was in late spring 2000.  

The job Maria had found on line was something new the SBA was trying.  They were looking for retired, experienced loan professionals who could leave within 48 hours of being called and be on assignment anywhere needed for three to six months at a time..  The position I applied for was called a Disaster Reserve Specialist and the salary range was ($26,470-$39,178) depending on experience.  The positions were temporary with an intermittent work schedule and so no benefits.

SBA provides low interest, direct loans to homeowners, renters, and businesses in declared disasters. I was a perfect candidate and got the job.  However, it was not until September of 2000 that I was called to Fort Worth, Texas for training.  Then it would not be another year before I was called on a disaster and actually make money. I did tell the Title Officer I was currently working for that if I was called I would need to go.  Besides the salary, there was overtime, per diem, hotel and plane points and of course, all transportation and lodging was paid for.  It turned out to be a perfect job even though I was now almost 69 and about 20 years older than most of them I was working with.  Luckily I did not look my age most of the time.  But when we introduced ourselves at the training I was the only one with a lot of grandchildren.

I was hired as GS 9...those who were the technicians who worked for us were hired as a GS 5/6/7.  Before I had worked two disasters I was able to get raised to a GS 11, the highest you could be in this particular work.

TROPICAL STORM ALLISON-June 11, 2001

I was on a plane to Dallas, Texas on June 13, 2001 to work for the Forth Worth Area Office.

They had us working in a really large warehouse type building and it would be hot summer.  I learned right away that any rayon or nylon type clothing was too hot and I was soon shopping for cotten and linen clothes.

We worked in a Pod with a Supervising Loan Officer and seven of us.  There were four ladies in our pod Joyce, Julia, Julie and Janet and three guys Leo, Randy and Dick.  Some of them had worked for SBA previously, three were from Texas, the other four were from Georgia, South Dakota, Hawaii and California.

Randy was from the Atlanta SBA Office and he was so pissed at Julia and I when he found out we were getting loans approved with less stringency (do more loans faster) than he was used to in their office, thus we had a higher production number than he did.  

JULIA

 

Dell was a great first leader for us to have because he taught us well.  I tend to ask questions however, and soon one of the guys was pulling a zipper across his mouth to tell me to shut up so we could move on...but questions is how I learn and to my credit, I was the first woman reservist to be awarded $50 as a Top Reservist!  I bought Kreme Doughnuts for everyone.  

This was my first day and one of the woman leaders took a liking to me and got me a SBA jacket.  Everyone did not get them at that time unless they were going out on a disaster location and people were always asking me how I got it so I always told them I would share.  Sometimes the air-conditioning would be so cold and sometimes we had rain, so I always had my jacket.

 

Randy liked to tease the ladies with his teeth but someone wrote him up for sexual harassment, which was ridiculous.

Julia and I became good friends and usually ate lunch together.  Ken, one of the young guys in my van liked to eat with us.  And one day, Julia said, "Now isn't this nice, A Jew, A Baptist and A Mormon all having lunch together."

John had told me to be sure and visit the Stockyards so I thought they would be like the stockyards in Glendive but it was a great entertainment center.

This was Ken, the Messianic Jew from Florida.  He was very smart and when one of the former SBA guys told me I should be able to get a raise because I was much more experienced that most of them, Ken helped me change all of my non-government words into government words showing the experience I had, in my resume. I got the raise to GS 11.  No one cared until Beaumont, Texas when one of the old leaders found out two of us ladies were GS 11 and he was only a 9.  He gave us a bad time and I told him off.  Probably gave me a bad write up but that was in 2007 and I did not care if he did, he was not the greatest leader I had, in fact he was prejudiced against women.  One of the ladies reported him.

This was Leo, a really quality guy from South Dakota, had a lovely wife and home.  A real gentleman.

Julie had a crush on Randy.

This was my last day on August 25, 2001 and I was so tired.  My files were all completed so I was helping Leo and Randy finish their files.