Day 222 - Monday June 20 (summer solstice)
Day 222 - Monday June 20 (Summer Solstice)
I laid awake in bed multiple times last night thinking about Beth Scully. She was my manager when I first started working in the Deli Bakery at our local grocery store. I was 20 years old and down on my luck, but they gave me a chance. Beth was hard to get to know. Always giving mean stares and treating us like we didn't have a clue how to do anything. She was a store assistant manager at the time, but, after working the later shift with her for about a year, we really respected each other.
Beth was almost twice my age at the time, and she was pretty good at sarcasm and putting the fear of God in me if I wasn't doing things right. I guess you see things that way when you're 20 years old. The next year I got moved to the new store in Gulf Breeze, and Beth stayed at the older store.
I never really saw Beth that much after that from a work perspective, but when I'd walk in to pick up some inventory if we were shorted, we'd talk and ham it up like we were good buddies. I always liked and respected Beth, even if she was having those bad days where it felt like you were being dumped on.
I left Delchamps Grocery store after a seven year stint. I could see the writing on the wall, corporate takeovers in the distance, different managers coming in the store, pushing different product. I left my beloved bakery job in 1997, to pursue a two year career running mail machinery for a real asshole boss, whose type A personality really stressed me out before I even knew what stress was. Not a huge mistake, but that was two prime years of my life--marriage, buying a house, talking about children with wifey, etc. I worked there for two years before I got my job with the county--the job I still (kind of) do today.
Yes, we had children--two to be exact, and I found out that Beth lived behind our very close friends, the Baltz family. I'd visit Beth on occasion; I'd even pick up Baltz kids from her house as she moved to watching kids as her job from home post Delchamps.
When we had our son in 2004, we were in a bit of a pinch. We hired a nanny to watch him while Jen worked at a daycare (infants weren't allowed until they were a year old) and not much later, the boss sold the business to a chain, renting the property to Childcare Network--per the wife, and awful chain of business, not child care or teaching. Isn't that how America has become though? Anyway, the sitter we got for Garrett was somewhat of a lunatic, and after two days, basically said she couldn't watch him--the job wasn't for 'her'. Wow. That escalated quickly. I remembered that Beth watched the Baltz kids, maybe she would watch Gt. Lucky Us! She accepted, and a VERY reasonable price and we had our prayers answered. Four months later, the business changed hands, and Jen found it best to work as a registered home day care for the next ten years. It was a great time to work from home, as all our friends had young ones, and the reputation of the crappy daycare sent a few folks defecting and bringing their business to us. Jen is the absolute best person to raise children. Her patience is amazing, and it's reflected in the children she's raised. Most importantly, our own. I'm supportive, but she gets 95% of the credit!
We thanked Beth for helping us through that time, but noticed she'd gained a lot of weight and, although always the caregiver, she didn't always watch out for herself. We'd see her occasionally at church, and every now and then around town. She raised two loving daughters too--children that our kids look up to.
Beth was diagnosed with colon, rectal, and anal cancer about three years ago. She made friends with my sister as Beth would get Chemo, and my sister would get her infusions. They forged a strong relationship through their weekly visits, talking about us and the good old days. My sister really liked her too. I told her we were praying for her and had Karen relay the messages, stating that I'd have to get there and visit her one day. Unfortunately, Hospice was called not much later, and that visit never came. I'm sorry that I didn't get to see you one last time, Beth. You're in our hearts and Prayers now, and we all hope you are feeling no more pain. Today was her funeral. A pink casket that the priest stated he'd never seen before, as that was her color. I'm hoping for that strawberry pink moon to shine down on us tonight, that way I'll know she's in good hands.
Elizabeth Scully was 62 years old. Rest in Peace.
I laid awake in bed multiple times last night thinking about Beth Scully. She was my manager when I first started working in the Deli Bakery at our local grocery store. I was 20 years old and down on my luck, but they gave me a chance. Beth was hard to get to know. Always giving mean stares and treating us like we didn't have a clue how to do anything. She was a store assistant manager at the time, but, after working the later shift with her for about a year, we really respected each other.
Beth was almost twice my age at the time, and she was pretty good at sarcasm and putting the fear of God in me if I wasn't doing things right. I guess you see things that way when you're 20 years old. The next year I got moved to the new store in Gulf Breeze, and Beth stayed at the older store.
I never really saw Beth that much after that from a work perspective, but when I'd walk in to pick up some inventory if we were shorted, we'd talk and ham it up like we were good buddies. I always liked and respected Beth, even if she was having those bad days where it felt like you were being dumped on.
I left Delchamps Grocery store after a seven year stint. I could see the writing on the wall, corporate takeovers in the distance, different managers coming in the store, pushing different product. I left my beloved bakery job in 1997, to pursue a two year career running mail machinery for a real asshole boss, whose type A personality really stressed me out before I even knew what stress was. Not a huge mistake, but that was two prime years of my life--marriage, buying a house, talking about children with wifey, etc. I worked there for two years before I got my job with the county--the job I still (kind of) do today.
Yes, we had children--two to be exact, and I found out that Beth lived behind our very close friends, the Baltz family. I'd visit Beth on occasion; I'd even pick up Baltz kids from her house as she moved to watching kids as her job from home post Delchamps.
When we had our son in 2004, we were in a bit of a pinch. We hired a nanny to watch him while Jen worked at a daycare (infants weren't allowed until they were a year old) and not much later, the boss sold the business to a chain, renting the property to Childcare Network--per the wife, and awful chain of business, not child care or teaching. Isn't that how America has become though? Anyway, the sitter we got for Garrett was somewhat of a lunatic, and after two days, basically said she couldn't watch him--the job wasn't for 'her'. Wow. That escalated quickly. I remembered that Beth watched the Baltz kids, maybe she would watch Gt. Lucky Us! She accepted, and a VERY reasonable price and we had our prayers answered. Four months later, the business changed hands, and Jen found it best to work as a registered home day care for the next ten years. It was a great time to work from home, as all our friends had young ones, and the reputation of the crappy daycare sent a few folks defecting and bringing their business to us. Jen is the absolute best person to raise children. Her patience is amazing, and it's reflected in the children she's raised. Most importantly, our own. I'm supportive, but she gets 95% of the credit!
We thanked Beth for helping us through that time, but noticed she'd gained a lot of weight and, although always the caregiver, she didn't always watch out for herself. We'd see her occasionally at church, and every now and then around town. She raised two loving daughters too--children that our kids look up to.
Beth was diagnosed with colon, rectal, and anal cancer about three years ago. She made friends with my sister as Beth would get Chemo, and my sister would get her infusions. They forged a strong relationship through their weekly visits, talking about us and the good old days. My sister really liked her too. I told her we were praying for her and had Karen relay the messages, stating that I'd have to get there and visit her one day. Unfortunately, Hospice was called not much later, and that visit never came. I'm sorry that I didn't get to see you one last time, Beth. You're in our hearts and Prayers now, and we all hope you are feeling no more pain. Today was her funeral. A pink casket that the priest stated he'd never seen before, as that was her color. I'm hoping for that strawberry pink moon to shine down on us tonight, that way I'll know she's in good hands.
Elizabeth Scully was 62 years old. Rest in Peace.
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