Bill, An SBA Friend, Passes Away

Today I received the sad news from Susan of New Mexico that her husband Bill had passed away.  Bill had been an SBA loan officer with me on about 3 or more Disaster Services, in Texas and Sacramento. In 2001 all of us that were staying together had Sunday barbecue suppers together.  The hotel owners let us use their kitchen and dining area...we became quite well acquainted.

Standing on the left is our friend Tony, also from New Mexico, he still sends great uplifting emails.

That first year we worked Bill and I were the two "Top Reservists" and received $50 quick cash awards.  He was also the one who encouraged me to submit for a higher pay grade.  Some of the guys had been former SBA employees, I had come from the non-government banking world.  He said he had heard me and he knew I was worth it.  I applied with the help of a car partner, "a brainy guy" who knew just how I should write it and I did get it!

Bill was also my car partner on one disaster and he was quite a tease.  I remember one time as we stopped to get gas he said that I had never taken my turn at checking the tires.  The SBA guys were quite vocal about 'equal opportunity' and all that.  I turned to him and said quite insistently, "I am not going to check the tires!"  And he just laughed.  The guys did like to tease me, and one of them said one time, "it was just so easy."  I was evidently very gullible.

Bill was a special friend and when his wife visited in Sacramento he made sure we met and had lunch together.  They had such a lovely relationship.  When he had a stroke some time ago she sent the devastating news.  He was sure he would recover fully and worked hard at it.  It is very sad to hear of his passing.  Bill was probably more fit and healthy than any of us seniors.  He watched what he ate and always walked on his noon break.  He had been a model in years past and in the winter he was a ski instructor.  Life is not fair!

Bill was one of the "good guys"--his family and friends will miss him greatly.

SBA Training

I flew to Sacramento on Feb 6 and a Robert W picked me up at the airport.  Turns out he was the youngest person in the training (there were only 9 of us and 1 went home, so 8) and I was the oldest as usual.  We stayed at the Homewood again and they gave me one of the rooms for the handicapped on the first floor.  I love that because you don't have to climb in and out of a tub to shower, you have this really roomy shower room.  In 2009 a lady had an accident in the tub, so I am sure they have learned to just put the old people in the showers for the handicapped.  Works well for me!

The first day of training we all went to a Chinese lunch and we had bought fruit and such at Whole Foods the night before.  I also bought some gluten free cookies but...they have a lot of artificial stuff in them.  Something I ate really disagreed with me and I had an explosion just before I was to meet my ride in the morning.  There was such a mess and I had to totally shower again and redress and left a big mess for the cleaning lady.  That is so scary to me that certain food affects me like that.  I was panicked the rest of the week and on the plane home.

The training was excellent and also included of day of Closing procedures--no more having special escrow people come out in the field, it will be the Customer Service Reps.  They also gave us a jacket and two shirts and really act as if they will call us.  Are they expecting more hurricanes this year?  They say there has been a three year slowdown in disasters.  Right now they have 284 workers and want to have 450,

Saturday I had my face threaded, which I love having done and my toes pedicured and met Melissa and her friend at the mall to eat (forgot my camera).  My legs ached so much I had a hard time walking though.

I flew home on the 16th and James and Camber picked me up and I drove their car to their home as they were headed for the Bahamas on a trip they had won!  My back was aching and I did not feel well at all.

I Got the Call Today!

SBA is calling me in for training for Customer Service Feb 6 to 16th in Sacramento.  Actually I had the training in 2005 for Customer Service prior to Hurricane Katrina but I retired in 2006 and then rejoined in 2007 and this past year I switched from Loan Officer to Customer Service (taking applications in the disaster area).  When I rejoined in 2007 you could only join as a Loan Officer, no openings in Customer Service.  However, since they want to use locals as loan officers, if possible, there is little chance for work unless there is a major, major disaster (when you live so far away from Sacramento and Fort Worth). 

This past year my friend Mariebeth emailed me from Sacramento and said they were recruiting Customer Service Reps again and so I applied and got in.  Some of my other friends did it later and for some reason the positions were pulled, not sure just why.

When they first started the Disaster Reserve program in 2000 we were expected to serve wherever they asked us to be--either in the office making loan decisions or out in the field taking loan applications and we were all called loan officers.  I remember the first time we were asked to put our preference of which we wanted to do on a sheet of paper.  The leader was trying to convince me of all the reasons it was better to work in the office and stay in a nice, safe environment in Fort Worth.

However, I noticed the regulars were really excited when they were called to travel and they brought all their suitcases to the office and then took off together and had exciting tales to tell when they returned.   Luckily, I was able to experience both over the years and traveled to Maryland, West Virginia, Guam, Galveston, Texas and Louisiana.  I also enjoyed the many times I worked in Fort Worth and then the Sacramento office.  There are challenges and perks to both but now, there is no choice, it is one or the other.

Hopefully, there will be no fiasco with me flying from San Diego instead of driving from Lake Almanor--somehow the information you give one doesn't always get to the right person.  It will be fun to see Mitch and Melissa again, glad I will be there over the weekend, but I may miss the big event, the birth of Meagan and Matt's daughter...hate to miss that.

"I Got the Call Today!"

SBA is calling me in for training for Customer Service Feb 6 to 16th in Sacramento.  Actually I had the training in 2005 for Customer Service prior to Hurricane Katrina but I retired in 2006 and then rejoined in 2007 and this past year I switched from Loan Officer to Customer Service (taking applications in the disaster area).  When I rejoined in 2007 you could only join as a Loan Officer, no openings in Customer Service.  However, since they want to use locals as loan officers, if possible, there is little chance for work unless there is a major, major disaster (when you live so far away from Sacramento and Fort Worth). 

This past year my friend Mariebeth emailed me from Sacramento and said they were recruiting Customer Service Reps again and so I applied and got in.  Some of my other friends did it later and for some reason the positions were pulled, not sure just why.

When they first started the Disaster Reserve program in 2000 we were expected to serve wherever they asked us to be--either in the office making loan decisions or out in the field taking loan applications and we were all called loan officers.  I remember the first time we were asked to put our preference of which we wanted to do on a sheet of paper.  The leader was trying to convince me of all the reasons it was better to work in the office and stay in a nice, safe environment in Fort Worth.

However, I noticed the regulars were really excited when they were called to travel and they brought all their suitcases to the office and then took off together and had exciting tales to tell when they returned.   Luckily, I was able to experience both over the years and traveled to Maryland, West Virginia, Guam, Galveston, Texas and Louisiana.  I also enjoyed the many times I worked in Fort Worth and then the Sacramento office.  There are challenges and perks to both but now, there is no choice, it is one or the other.

Hopefully, there will be no fiasco with me flying from San Diego instead of driving from Lake Almanor--somehow the information you give one doesn't always get to the right person.  It will be fun to see Mitch and Melissa again, glad I will be there over the weekend, but I may miss the big event, the birth of Meagan and Matt's daughter...hate to miss that.

Farewell Dinner, Sacramento SBA

 

We had a Farewell Dinner on Friday and this is Maribeth, my pod partner, and John, my Supervisory Loan Officer. I had the salmon which was marinated in ginger, brown sugar and bourbon. Delicious!

Jody, the lady, is our trainer, Edwin, in red is our leader, Greg in glasses was my car partner and fellow traveler from Maryland to West Virginia in Hurricane Isabel and Chuck, with the hat was my car partner for awhile here in Sacramento.

Ken, My Best Friend in Sacramento

Ken, my GPS Australian guide, has become the most important man in my life. Two days in a row as I have driven to work I have become lost. How can this happen when I have ridden the same route about 90 days in a row? I have been driving my own car as I had things to do after work and it is simpler but each day the traffic has been backed up and so I have taken an earlier turn thinking I knew the way. NOT! When I realize I am lost I pull out Ken and he directs me with u turns and such and I have to trust him completely as I have no idea where the roads go he is taking me on. It doesn't help that I have a hard time reading the signs. Must be an analogy there somewhere... Remember it is dark at 6:30 in the morning.

As it happened for a second time today (and Yes, I have been late for work) I thought again of Maria and her comparing the GPS to the Lord getting us out of our self-imposed jams in life. And how important that trust is as our life takes unexpected turns and takes us on unknown roads that all lead us to our intended destination if we can just trust and follow directions. Follow the Leaders, follow the scriptures, how hard that is to do sometimes, we think we know better...

Hey, I Am Getting It...

Today I had my first performance review from the SLO I had from 9/22-10/3. The first week here was just training and then we started processing. I thought I was doing so badly but he actually gave me a really great review (I shouldn't have complained about him) and said I was in one of the top 3 in points (production) even though none of us are up to what they want from us...everyone must be struggling.

I am finally catching on to the program and quite enjoying it. Plus I am right next to my really great new SLO who is extremely forthcoming with advice and hints on what they want and right across from me is a computer guru who always knows how to do what if I get stuck so a pretty good situation right now.

Today "The Duchess" started at a theater here so I ran over after work and quite enjoyed it. Kara Knightly is great in it and it is historical fiction, which I always love, from the book "Georgeana, the Devonshire Duchess" or something like that, based on truth. Quite an interesting story and well done I think. A sad tale of having to live your life according to what is expected of you. Hey, isn't that the life we all live?? Of course, women didn't have it so well back in the 1700's, we have a pretty great world right now, even with all it's problems.

Twice this week I set the timer so I could watch TV from 9 to 10 and believe it or not I didn't see one minute of the shows either night. I am so tired I fall asleep as soon as I close my eyes, problem is then I awake at 2-2:30 so that is a problem! Also the eating too much and exercising too little. Hopefully when I am more relaxed about what I am doing, that will change.

Learning Curve is UP!!!

I am so glad Maria brought Mitch down last weekend. It surely cheered me up! Maria has such a great way with words, in voice, as well as on writing. I know we all enjoy reading her sobering messages that teach us each day. Thank you, Maria, for all your insight and beautiful way of voicing it.

I had never eaten a dinner at the Cheese Factory and I had the Bang Bang Chicken and Shrimp. It was so delicious. There is a Cheese Factory a block from my hotel and I bet it is not as crowded as the Arden mall one, we will have to try it sometime. We had planned on going to a movie but Michael got sick, so Michael and I hope to catch it this weekend.

I cannot go away overnight without checking out and back in the hotel (company rule) so if I go home for my winter clothes it will have to be on a quick run on a Sunday!! I really like my room and location of room and if I am going to be here till Christmas I want to keep this room.

We haven't started working 10 hrs yet and I am already so tired...

I finally feel like I am "getting" the computerized paperless loan processing program we are learning. Today I had a very productive day and feel like I have had a breakthrough. Maybe now I can stop doing this nervous eating.

The fact that I have a new SLO has certainly helped. He is the nice car partner who toured us around Dallas and kindly went with Betsy and I to dinner a lot. He is a team player, non judgmental, teaching without intimidation, kind of leader and we are all doing better under his tutelage. He acted happy to have me sitting next to him again also cuz he says I am the most organized person he has ever seen and probably thinks I can be of help to him once in awhile, too. We both miss the Necco Wafers I ran out of cuz Wal Mart doesn't have anymore!

He is about the age of my John. Just a really nice person. Comes from Buffalo. Our other SLO was knowledgeable but intimidating with sarcasm. I thought I was the only one who thought he didn't like me but Suzanne said the same thing today. We are both doing better with John. (He is a John E also). I don't understand why all leaders don't understand that a positive and comfortable working environment has positive results.

Now if my eye would just stop twitching, we are all having trouble with our eyes--could it be the lights, the computers, the???????

"I Got the Call Today" (Don Henley words in a song)

SBA called and I leave Sept 7 to 14 for a week of training in Fort Worth. This is training on the new computer loan processing program which they started in 2005 but I wasn't one of the few that learned it at that time. I was instead surpervising a group in the "old" program

As I have said before, because I am a loan officer instead of Customer Service and they mostly use loan officers that live in the Fort Worth area so they don't have to pay them per diem, I will not necessarily be working after the training.

However, if this current hurricane is bad enough they plan on using some loan officers in Sacramento and I may get called to go there. Keep your fingers crossed for me. They questioned whether I was able to go if called.

But at any rate I am one step closer to earning a little money and get a free trip and one week's pay. Sounds good to me!

Who wants to keep Bandido if I go for months???? My sister in Orem would if I could get him there...she enjoys Bandido.

SBA Friends Call from Cedar Rapids

Emmett is standing behind me in red... Mary is here with Sirdon, and he is also out there...

Two of my SBA friends called today from Cedar Rapids. Mary, who I worked with in Beaumont, and Emmett, who was my leader in Baton Rouge are car partners. And chatting realized they both knew me.

They are trying to figure out how to get me out there. Emmett said he knew someone in Personnel and was going to ask him how I can get switched over to CSR easily so I can get some work. Hope he finds out something good, but the system is so different now, I am not holding my breath.

Anyway good people, and I was happy to talk with them. They said if they were successful in getting me out there, I might be mad at them when I got there...

At any rate, I appreciate them thinking about me and trying...

SBA

Yesterday I had my fingers printed for the last item to send in to SBA. Since it is treated as a total new hire, I will be investigated before the appointment is complete. Therefore, some of you may be called. Please say nice things about me. Anyway, it reminded me of my last assignment with SBA, which was Hurricane Katrina and Rita.

I was called in August 2005 just as John, Marjorie's son, was putting down new carpet in my bedrooms and most of the furniture was in my living room. SBA gave me two days to get things in order and then I reported to Sacramento. We had training and prepared materials and then the following week a few of us were sent to Houston to acquire cars. We then drove to Baton Rouge. We slept in a gym most of the time while there. The stories from the victims were heartbreaking.

The next week, I was sent to head up the Port Arthur center. I was there one day and then the warning of Hurricane Rita was given and we had to evacuate north. We spent one night in Tyler, Texas and then headed for the Fort Worth office. As soon as things were calm we went down to Houston, Texas and I drove each morning to east Texas to a small town of Spurger where I was the SBA rep for a month. East Texas had been badly hit by Rita and trees had crushed many homes. This is when I lost 20 lbs as there was little palatable food to be found. Many of the churches were helping the victims. That was really good to see. Unbelievably, I was able to fly to San Diego to attend Kristi's wedding!

Luckily, I was assigned to head up the Galveston office soon after I returned and that was a really nice part of my trip, just because Galveston is such a pleasant place to be. By then the restaurants were all in business and it was like a vacation. We were seeing both Katrina victims, who had fled from Louisiana, and Rita victims. When things slowed, it was back to Beaumont, where I stayed until my back went bad and I went home in March.

I was so tired and depleted after this trip I decided to retire from SBA. I thought I would be able to manage things without working and I was anxious to be able to work on my little plot of land.

Now, here I am again, preparing for disasters...we will see how this goes and if they ever call me out...and if I can handle it!

Probably Will Not Get Called Out and Why!

I probably will not get called out on this Disaster and I finally understand why after talking to a number of people from the Herndon and Sacramento offices. In 2005, SBA went from four offices doing all aspects of disaster to four offices each doing a specialty. Texas would now be Loan Processors and Sacramento would be Field Operations.

From 2000-2005 I was Disaster Reserve Loan Specialist and could work as a processor in the office or go out in the field--then when they made all the changes in SBA in 2005 Sacramento had us fill out applications to be DR Customer Service Reps (Field Operations) but before the approvals could be completed Hurricane Katrina hit and they hired us to go out there and serve as CSRs whether it was completed or not. We came to Sacramento and had CSR training. Texas was hiring as local as possible so they would not have to pay for housing for the Loan Specialists and hirees would be more permanent, if possible.

Then I retired in 2006 (big mistake) and in October 2007 when the San Diego fires hit I wanted to come back and completed the application on line and sent it to Herndon (they do all the hiring). They were not advertising for CSRs then, nor are they now. I just completed the one for DR Loan Specialist thinking it actually was Disaster Reserve and we would serve in disasters where they wanted us to go! It finally did get approved. And they are sending me the packet.

But, DRLS usually serve out of the Fort Worth office and the chance of getting called are very slim it would seem as they just recently laid off 600 (from Katrina and Rita) though they are still advertising for that job and not for the CSR and Lena from Herndon said they probably won't advertise for CSRs again until September.

So Lena advised me to get on board and possibly I could get a call sometime if there are more hurricanes etc. and then in September reapply as CSR. Seems if I was needed out in the field they would use me since I have served as both but probably not so.

Lena says I will go on a list to all offices as a DSLS but since the Sacramento office is not using them I would not likely get called by them. She also added that they are always changing things though so...

But, anyway I left my name and availability with Denise in Sacramento and I think she understands what happened here though I really didn't understand it fully until Lena looked up my records and found why I was showing in Herndon with two applications and the CSR never completed from 2005 but the 2007 LS approved.

Now, if you are still with me, you understand why I probably will not get called out.

NOW KARLA LEAVES US!

Our Beaumont group dwindles. Karla was called yesterday to go to Napa in California where approximately 1000 homes were damaged in the flooding and landslides of last month. We will miss Karla. She was our Excel expert who created forms for us to use to make our closings and such go a little smoother. Besides that she sings like Janis Joplin! And she is from Ohio! It seems the "out of staters" were called to California and four of us Northern Californians are left in the Beaumont office with our lone Texan Barb, "the closer"! Go figure!

Goodbye, Mary and Deloris

We know we are getting to the end of Disaster Assistance when some of our favorite people are sent home. Mary (on the left) will be going home tomorrow and we will miss her "merry" smile and upbeat spirit. Our social life will probably dwindle as well, she was the one who saw that everyone was included and that we celebrated regularly together. Here our Beaumont group is downstairs at the Hampton Inn with the Orange group saying our farewells to Mary of Beaumont and Deloris (second on left) of Orange. Seen in the forefront of the pix is Dave, Barb, Dean, Mary, Suzanne, Sirdon and Karla and in the rear of the picture is Deloris, Amy, Marlene, and FEMA reps from the Orange office. Supposedly we are still waiting for 4 states to be declared for flooding but evidently there are still too many of us out here. It won't be long and I will be going home, too.

Trip to Galveston and Kemah

So what do you do on a sunny day off from the Beaumont DRC? You drive to Galveston! Mary, Suzanne, Barb and Janet drove to Winnie and then down 73 headed for the ferry and--Lo and behold after driving through a yucky part of Texas you come upon a beach area called Crystal Beach and there are some very lovely streets just a few steps from the beach. Riding on the Ferry from Crystal Beach to Galveston--Children try to be brave enough to hold the bread while the birds swoop down for it. Shopping on the Strand in Galveston is always fun--Mary, Barb and Janet bought bracelets, charms and earrings in a new favorite store The Front Parlor. Posing in front of the warm Gulf across from where Gwenda and Janet lived in Galveston. I was trying to get a picture of the unusual blue and pink Gulf skyline as well as the ladies of SBA on the Boardwalk at Kemah. Beautiful, right? One final thing to end the day--dessert at The Flying Dutchman--only Suzanee resisted--we had Italian Cream Cake and Pecan Pie with Bourbon Sauce. Yum, yum--a fun day.

A Good Change!

Who works for SBA in the Beaumont DRC? Sirdon and Mary from Sacramento.Karla from Ohio and me, of course.

Last week we had some good changes made in the office--Dave was made the Team Lead and we are all enjoying the new peaceful, calm environment we are working in. Dave is from Sacramento.

Suzanne is also from Sacramento.

Here is Mary again with Dean from Sacramento.

Our closer, Barb, is from Fort Worth.

Gwenda went to work in the Austin office and Evanne was sent to the fires in Texas and we will miss them. However, we are all happy with the leadership change. Saturday morning I saw my coworkers walking in with the biggest smiles I have seen in a long time. It was a pleasant, peaceful morning and we all celebrated at Olive Garden!!!

Moody Gardens 

Last Weekend in Galveston

This will be the last weekend in Galveston for me. Wednesday I am flying to San Diego, Ca to spend a few days with Linda's family and then over to Jimmy's for Christmas. To celebrate our last weekend Gwenda, my SBA co-worker, and Peggy, our FEMA friend started off to see one of the historic homes in Galveston. Prior to the 1900 hurricane Galveston was the busiest port and many wealthy people resided there. The Greshams built this huge home in 1886 at a cost of

 

$250,000. It has been designated one of the 100 outstanding buildings in America. The interior was carved by German immigrants. The woodwork is rosewood, satinwood, white mahogany, oak, maple and pine. Some of it is that priceless burl unattainable now. The outside was built by Italian immigrants. In 1920 it was sold to the Sacred Heart Church and the Bishop lived there until the Church headquarters were moved to Houston and it was turned into a tourist attraction--and it is something to see. 

We also went to the Gingerbread House to do some fun shopping for Santa Claus rings, Listerine decanters, gorgeous jewelry, unusual umbrellas and many gorgeous things to look at. Then it was time to go to Moody Gardens and see the fish in the aquarium, the birds in the rainforest, a fun Winter musical, and to view the beautiful lights all along the bay and on the grounds. Of course, we had to eat kettle corn, chocolates and such. It was a fun day.

We decided we would have to come back to Galveston from Beaumont where we will be working after Christmas until that DRC closes also--we have just not been able to see it all. Peggy is going home to Louisiana though and who knows when we will see her again. She is a sweetheart.

Dickens on the Strand

Above is Gwenda Barker, my SBA partner at the Disaster Center in Galveston. She is getting into the spirit of Dickens on the Strand when Galveston 's historic Strand area transforms into the Victorian London of legendary author Charles Dicken's era. What started in 1974 as a potluck supper to attract interest in saving the crumbling Victorian commercial buildings from demolition has become a worldwide attraction and is considered one of the 100 best events in the US. The parade is huge with more than one bagpipe group and several bands of sorts in uniforms. Unfortunately I forgot to charge my batteries so can't elaborate more. You can tell the Galvestonians from the tourists because they are in elegant Victorian dress--quite spectacular. Something to come for in your travels, it is the first week in December and hosts over 100 entertainers on six stages and on corners throughout the area. The crafts and arts for sell are also really first class. Quite a show. And what a tribute to Dickens though he had nothing to do with Galveston. His great-great grandson Mark Charles Dickens even comes to do signings of his ancestor's works.

Victorian Christmas Home Tour

The tour started out at the Sacred Heart Church, one of the treasures of the Galveston Island. It was built after damage during the 1900 storm. Everything here is related to before or after the 1900 Hurricane. This church was modeled after the Alhambra in Spain and is the only Roman Catholic Church in the United States with Islamic architecture. We listened to the Moody Methodist Handbell Choir.

  The homes that we saw were mostly built as tenant homes or bride and groom starter homes between 1892 and 1900. They have all had several owners and been lovingly restored and refurbished with modern kitchens. The woodwork has been refinished and in most of the homes is the original. Very beautiful.

Most of the homes are being used by their owners as vacation homes. The tvs are well hidden in armoirs. One of the owners actually lives full time in her home and it was spectacular. I especially like the full mirrors at each end of the bathtub so you could look forever at yourself in the tub! 

It was a fun evening of walking through the town, riding in a horse carriage and viewing homes of another era. The homes have long windows on the porch that could be opened to use as doors! They also have porches on the front or back to take advantage of the breeze from the gulf. One of the locals who had lived in San Diego told me the difference in the gulf water here is that it is very dirty from all the fishing that goes on. She also said there are not good beaches or sand like California and it costs to park and go to a beach where you can swim. She likes the California Pacific beaches much more and the Pacific Ocean which is so clean!