Lean Time Management

When I left for vacation on the afternoon of June 17th I was manager of Tool World. Coming back on June 25th I found I was manager of Hardware as well. I can't go into the details here of how or why all this came about, I don't believe that I am allowed, and it isn't interesting enough to be made public anyway. Just moves that companies do to hold on to employees and make themselves better stores to the public. It was all good.

But becoming manager of a suddenly larger department will be a challenge for me. I think I am up to it, but I have to focus and learn as fast as I can. The two departments compliment each other in product. The personnel that we have in both departments currently have always worked closely together, and continue to do so.

Not a lot of visible change, but some reorganization of employees. All of which keeps our jobs from becoming monotonous or boring. A good thing. Maybe a great thing. And we all have an opportunity to accomplish more than we could have before.

Once again I am up in what many call the wee hours of the morning. I am guessing that comes from the numbers we assign to the hours being very small . Not much weeer (hows that for a word?) in real numbers than 1. I am not as wee at this hour of 5. And in fact, many mornings I am already clocked in at this hour. I like getting to work at 5 on the mornings I open so I can get a jump on the freight. If there is no freight left it doesn't make good sense to go in at 5 since customers are not in the store until 7.

I am off today and tomorrow, but have two important appointments. One is to check on my financial well being and the other is to check on my health well being. I need the former to be in as good of shape regardless of how good the latter is. I have more issues with the latter which I need to iron out with our family physician.

I turned 60 just over 3 1/2 hours ago. I was sleeping. Just like my dad was doing when I entered into this world. But in his defense the doctor had sent him home for rest because it didn't appear I was shortly forthcoming. I recently heard from my mother's sister closest in age to her who told me she, Aunt Dolly, was the first Aunt to see me. I don't know if she might have been first in the family to see me. Mothers in those days were often put completely to sleep when birthing, and with Dad at home, well I don't know. I was the first grandchild on the Catlett family side, and the first grandchild of my Grandma Newberry's, but the second grandchild and first grandson on the Newberry side. Granddad Lum Newberry had two daughters from a prior marriage one of which had a girl older than me. Barbara is 3 years older than me. Her family moved to California before I was old enough to even remember them, so I have had little interaction with them over the years. I wish I could get to know them.

July 1st is the start of the government's fiscal year. I hope they have a better year than last. One thing I am wondering about; if the government mostly owns GM now can a GM purchase be tax deductible? And what are all of those Chevy fans going to call Ford now? You can't say "Found On Road Dead." Ford weathered this thing and as far as I can find has never had to be bailed out or claim bankruptcy. Got to mean something or someone is doing something right.

Cheers.