10/02/04 Antigua Cruise

[RellingTwin]

Marianne...glad you got the tours you wanted George has tried to call David a few times. When is the best time to reach him? I bet Heidi is having a wonderful time!It's stange when one of the kids is gone isn't it. When Regina went to sleep away camp last year, I kept thinking she would walk into the room any second

Hurricaine Alex has passed us by. We had a few heavy rains, but mostly the really bad stuff stayed off the coast.

 

[cdnmickeylover]

Signed up for our excursions. Jim wanted to see St. John so we are doing the island tour and are then doing the island tour in Antigua too. I've never been to either place so anything is fine by me.

Really starting to countdown the days now.

Fiona

 

[disneybride96]

Originally posted by Zapp1213
We're having thunderstorms tonite. David pointed out that it always rains on his birthday. I'm not sure if that's accurate, but it did come down in buckets the night he was born. I think that's why he loves storms so much!

Marianne-
Your thunderstorms just arrived here in Indiana.....on my day off of course!
Tell David that the weather only acts up to celebrate special birthdays. When I was his age it always snowed on my birthday. I must have been the only person upset because of a snowday because it also canceled my birthday parties.

 

[Viking]

Alles Gute zum Geburtstag, David

 

[Viking]

Just checked out Hurricane Alex, which is now drifting across the Atlantic towards Britain. But there's a tropical depression (TD 2) right now in our cruise area heading for Hispaniola (Haiti/DomRep).
I'm just hoping that these early storms drain off all the latent energy from the sea so that we'll have a smooth sailing

 

[dsncruise lover]

Lauren- sent you a pm a couple days ago. Just waiting on your info so I can send out the next edition of the kids' cruz list.

Happy Birthday David

(I finally get to use the smiles!)

 

[cdnmickeylover]

Forgot to wish David a Happy Birthday!!

It's usually cold around my birthday but one birthday party when I was around 8 was a birthday breakfast with Santa!

Once I got to university though it was exam time which wasn't much fun although I never actually had to write an exam on my birthday exams did surround it.


Fiona

 

[Sarah'sMomfrom PA]

Not too good of a day in our household yesterday...DH has worked for Techneglas for the past 34 years and has endured many layoffs, etc. but yesterday he went into work for day shift and at 9:15 a.m. there was a plant wide meeting called and by 9:30 a.m. he was out in the parking lot shaking his head. They announced at the 9:15 a.m. meeting that effective immediately, the plant was closing. They got around the 60 day notification by paying all of the employees that were left for the next 60 days. Being that DH has tons of seniority, he is one of the lucky ones who has to actually work to get orders out and help dismantle equipment while all of the people with less seniority get to sit home for the next 60 days and collect their usual pay for sitting home!! Go figure! There is also talk that there will be no severence pay (even though it is guaranteed under the union contract) and the pensions may be affected so hopefully, the union will fight for them. Sam is devastated to think that he gave 34 years of his life and this is how the company treated them...didn't even give them the courtesy of any notice. We have heard rumors for months and it seems like every time we went on vacation they had a layoff and Sam's boss was dreading our upcoming vacation--little did we think that this would be happening! His boss wanted to know if I had a crystal ball for planning our vacations!!

 

[cdnmickeylover]

Oh Mary Jo what horrible news especially to get it that way. I do hope that his pension will be ok as that would be truly awful to work for a company for 34 years and be left with almost nothing. Sending pixie dust your way!!

My DB was actually let go the end of June after 7 years at the firm he was working at (no where near 34 years). He's known it was coming but it was still a shock just a few weeks before baby #3 was due. He seems to be taking it ok but with a wife and now 3 kids he'll have to find a job fairly soon although he did get 8 months severance.

Wishing you all the best Mary Jo and Sam (and Sarah too!).

Fiona

 

[Viking]

Originally posted by Sarah'sMomfrom PA
Not too good of a day in our household yesterday...DH has worked for Techneglas for the past 34 years and has endured many layoffs, etc. but yesterday he went into work for day shift and at 9:15 a.m. there was a plant wide meeting called and by 9:30 a.m. he was out in the parking lot shaking his head. They announced at the 9:15 a.m. meeting that effective immediately, the plant was closing. They got around the 60 day notification by paying all of the employees that were left for the next 60 days. Being that DH has tons of seniority, he is one of the lucky ones who has to actually work to get orders out and help dismantle equipment while all of the people with less seniority get to sit home for the next 60 days and collect their usual pay for sitting home!! Go figure! There is also talk that there will be no severence pay (even though it is guaranteed under the union contract) and the pensions may be affected so hopefully, the union will fight for them. Sam is devastated to think that he gave 34 years of his life and this is how the company treated them...didn't even give them the courtesy of any notice. We have heard rumors for months and it seems like every time we went on vacation they had a layoff and Sam's boss was dreading our upcoming vacation--little did we think that this would be happening! His boss wanted to know if I had a crystal ball for planning our vacations!!

Sorry to hear that, MaryJo
When I read of such drastic and quick lay-offs in the USA, I'm always glad that such things are not possible over here. Although our protective laws sometimes are considered by the employers as obstructions for adapting to the market's needs, we're really happy to have them. To fire someone after 34 years in Germany is near impossible - or extremely expensive for the employer. People over 55 have special protection according to our laws, because it's especially difficult for them to find a new job.
Our thoughts are with Sam and we keep our fingers crossed that his pension finds are not adversely affected.

 

[jeanniec]

Mary Jo -- I am so sorry. What an absolutely horrible thing to happen. And no notice - just walk into work and find out that the company is closing immediately. What is going on in the United States today that things like this can happen? A person can't even have job security after being with a company for 34 years? Hopefully Sam will get a good severence package and his pension will be safe, but still ---- how difficult it must be to deal with a shock like this. Will this affect your cruise -- hopefully not, and October might be a good time to get away from it all.

Pixie dust to all involved!

Jean

 

[jeanneg]

So sorry, Mary Jo.......I wish there was something I could say to make it all go away. Please know you're in my thoughts and prayers. I hope everything will be resolved by October and you and your family can enjoy the wonderful vacation you so deserve.

Mary, you were right, although I would hesitate to classify myself as a lurker.......John and I have decided to join the St Thomas group. We've been there before and have seen all the sights on the tour, but it sounds like it will be a fun excursion with good company and would love to join in if it's not too late. I need to get in touch with Bette and let her know.

I won't be posting for a while......we leave at 2a.m. tomorrow for the drive to Port Canaveral. It shouldn't be too bad considering we have 5 drivers going down and 6 returning. We haven't done a full-family road trip in a while so it should be interesting. We're staying 2 nights at the Ron Jon resort. If anyone wants me to check anything out, please let me know. So far I have Eric's query about the seltzer and nothing else. DH will be taking the unlimited net package so I may even be able to jump onto the board every now and then. I plan to log on as least once more this evening.

 

[Hygiene99]

Mary Jo 5 minute or five years.. Gone

That is the sayying we use.. just does not matter...

If u need a hot meal Drive to New Hampshire...

No this is Sad but Cant u get him a Job at the hospital ??


Hope all is welll we have been thru this many times..
u willl Be Ok .. 3 times in the last 9 years I have been laid off
for up to a year.. just came off of a 6 month lay off..


Tighten the belt no Lap top For SARAH...



Peter

 

[ciadriamom]

Mary Jo, so sorry. Here loads of pixie dust to you and your famjily.

Jeanneg it was me who asked about the seltzer. Thanks for remembering and have a wonderful trip.

 

[Zapp1213]

Originally posted by jeanniec
Mary Jo -- I am so sorry. What an absolutely horrible thing to happen. And no notice - just walk into work and find out that the company is closing immediately. What is going on in the United States today that things like this can happen? A person can't even have job security after being with a company for 34 years? Hopefully Sam will get a good severence package and his pension will be safe, but still ---- how difficult it must be to deal with a shock like this. Will this affect your cruise -- hopefully not, and October might be a good time to get away from it all.

Pixie dust to all involved!

Jean

Jean says it perfectly.

Mary Jo, Sam & Sarah--hang in there. When a door gets shut, God opens a window. Watch for it!

Love, Marianne

 

[Zapp1213]

Originally posted by cdnmickeylover


It's usually cold around my birthday but one birthday party when I was around 8 was a birthday breakfast with Santa!

Fiona

Fiona--

Out of curiosity, when exactly is your birthday? Mine is December 13th.

Marianne

 

[Zapp1213]

Originally posted by RellingTwin
Marianne...glad you got the tours you wanted George has tried to call David a few times. When is the best time to reach him? I bet Heidi is having a wonderful time!It's stange when one of the kids is gone isn't it. When Regina went to sleep away camp last year, I kept thinking she would walk into the room any second

Hurricaine Alex has passed us by. We had a few heavy rains, but mostly the really bad stuff stayed off the coast.

Mary--

I can't really tell you when would be a good time for George & David to talk. Our lives are so busy in the evening! Bedtime is around 9:30 central, so maybe after 8:00?

I do miss Heidi. I know she's having a good time. I hope she can get away from what's going on at home for a while.

Marianne

 

[jeanniec]

Jeanneg -- would love to have you join our tour. Why not let Kim know before you leave so you get on the select list. Have a great cruise!

 

[two-foxes]

Mary Jo-
I am so sorry to hear about your family's situation. To say it is stressful when you think after 34 years it is in the bag would be a complete understatement. Hang tight, you guys will do okay! My mom cringes everytime United Airlines and bankruptcy come up....she was forced into retirement fwith them after 35 years and 9/11...she is waiting for the plug to be pulled on her retirement benefits...no matter what or how it happens, it is always a shock, but hang in there!

Are you guys still coming out to Colorado?

 

[Sarah'sMomfrom PA]

Jill..two foxes...I was going to call you today but the past two days have not been the best...I will call you before we leave and yes, we are still coming out west...we need the vacation and it is already paid for.

Thanks everyone for your concern, prayers and support...you don't know how much they mean to us.

We are still going on the cruise so don't worry!! Again, everything is paid for.

I think what bothers us the most is the way that the company handled it plus the fact that Sam has to go in and help dismantle equipment to be shipped overseas so someone else can do his job. He is eligible for 6 months of unemployment and thank God is covered under NAFTA so he is eligible for 104 weeks of schooling that they will pay for plus his unemployment so we should be ok--imagine going back to school at 58 years of age...I told him that I don't care if he has to take up flower designing just so he can get the extra unemployment...this is his first time collecting ever so I told him he earned it and to relax but he is upset because he really loved his job and loved to go to work (crazy, I know!!) and he misses it. Plus he has done the swing shift (changes shifts every 7 days) for 34 years so it will be tough for him to adjust!! He played Mr. Mom today and mopped the floors, dusted furniture, etc. so I was thrilled and I won't mind him staying home!!

Sam said that the reason they only gave them 15 minutes to clean out lockers, etc. is that the company is afraid of vandalism and theft should they have given them notice of closing.