~Happy 4th

I was talking to a friend, we were discussing the various jobs

we held in our lives.. I have held many, from tending bar to

nursing , sewing, Exporting, my own business and the one

we talked about was when I worked in Houston for a man

that was an attorney, well known, and very smart. He owned

motels and apartments, and houses that he rented out . I

worked for him managing them.. Not all at the same times,

but I did work at all of them at one time or another, They

were all over Houston, and Pasadena.

One that I worked at was on Telephone Road, a very busy part

of Houston, well it was back then, this was the 70's.. The motel

had 46 rooms. Across the street lined up were at least 4 strip

joints, as in nudies..and a couple bars.. It wasn't the best area.

Lots going on 24 - 7.. The motel..stayed busy. we very seldom

had empty rooms..and on the week ends? well..to make money

then, it amounted to re renting the rooms.. I rented one room I

know 22 times in one night.. In the motel business, well the ones

I worked in ..all had a short and long staying time..the short time

was for 4 hours.. They were not given a key, and we had to make

sure we copied the license plate number, and informed the

guest, that when we saw their car leave it meant that they were

checking out, and we would go and clean the room and rent it

again.. Most of these short stays..were just that..:-) maybe an

Hour at the most...

Some of the rooms were efficiency rooms with small area as

a kitchen..Some girls that worked across the road at the strip

clubs, many lived at the motel, they worked and lived there

and when they made enough money they would move on to

other things..hopefully better..There was no telling what would

go on over there..many times I would hear gun shots and just

cringe and make sure it wasn't at my place ..usually it was at

one of those places.. I saw a man once walking up and down

with a shot gun , swearing at some girl to come home.. I think

they said they found him dead in his car behind the bar, the girl

wouldn't go and he committed suicide... was a bad area..

The ONLY good thing about living there, I lived above the motel

office in a massively HUGE apartment.2 bedrooms..just great..

The living room windows overlooked that road. But a block or

so down the street was a restaurant called Tel Wink.. and they

had the best food, it was great.. On Saturday they made home

made potato soup..it was so good..My boss made sure it was

Saturday when he came by to check his place.. it was his excuse

to go there..They were always busy, and only open early morning

till 6 I think.. not late at nite.. It was too bad an area at night..

Running a motel was almost a 24 - 7 job. I had clerks to run the

desk when I didn't, and I had room cleaners..maids we called them,

but after 5 it was up to the clerks to clean the rooms if they needed

it.. I had laundry lady too.. When I ran the little small places outside

of Pasadena , One motel was only 6 rooms the other was 12 and

they were next door to each other but a huge field in between..My

boss owned the smaller and when the bigger one went up for sale

he bought it.. I lived at the bigger one and rented out both places.

They were very busy, but mostly daytime short stays, they were

in an industrial area.. amazing the area determined when we were

busy. The road out front of these 2 smaller places was 4 lane..

and being an industrial area many stayed there on a weekly

basis as 6 had small kitchens.. and the area outside was really

nice..we kept it up so it looked good.. I liked working them..was

interesting all the different people I met..

I had a bit of bad news from a dear friend Jo, that I have mentioned

here, specially when she was having some very severe medical

problems.. Jo has a son, that has a lady that he lives with, she has

4 children..the youngest Tammi, 3.. Yesterday she spent the day,

along with her 2 brothers at Jo's..The mother & Jo's son came

and picked the kids up to take them home..early evening.. When

they got home. mom went downstairs to put clothes in the washer

The dad was gone to the store or somewhere, the other kids were

there.. Tammi got out of the door and climbed the ladder to a pool

they had only purchased a month ago.. They could not revive her.

Pools are so dangerous for children. it only takes a second.. Mom

only ran down the basement to put a load of clothes in the washer,

the other kids were probly watching TV, and paid no attention,

all was normal to them.. No one noticed the Angel on her way

back to heaven..... I can only imagine the heartache that whole

family is going thru today and will for a long long time.. My heart

goes out to them.. My dear friend Jo is devastated..her words were,

"If I had only kept her for the night"... Just a split second and a

person's whole world can change drastically..in the blink of an eye.
When you say your prayers tonite..think of this family and their grief

ask a little blessing for them..Tammi will swim safely forever now,

All our only consolation at times like this ..is that they go to a better

place.. I believe that.. All God's creatures go home when they leave

here.. I do believe that.. and its a better place.. its heaven..

Well while I am stuck here, I have to eat..and its out in the kitchen.

I was going to make myself a nice hot beef sandwich with fries

and gravy..since its a holiday today.. well I got to looking around

and to get it all set up so I can use my deep fryer I would have

to move about 4 other things and where do I put them..and- and-

and-.. so ..I didn't make fries.. I think I am going to change my

kitchen around..but I have to find a helper than is strong enuff

to help.. I think..when I get my power chair I bet I could move most

everything out there.. I have to do a plan of attack..and do it step

by step..or it wont work. Well its just a plain roast beef sandwich

for dinner..then TV maybe.. at least its nice out for the fireworks..

it said rain. Time for food, time to say "Nitey Nite" :-)

Y'all have a good one now, Y'hear? love ya, and thanks :-)

Always, Lois ****

God Bless you is my prayer today,

I'm so honored to call you "friend";

I pray the Lord will keep you safe

until I write again..