Well I did it.

Today we got a visit from all the presidents of all the companies owned by the corporation that owns us. Albertson LLC. Whatever that means. They own Albertsons, Acme, Jewel-Osco, Super Savor and Shaws/Star Market. The latter being my original company. The store I'm in is apparently the show piece of the corporation. It is a money maker. The cheese section in my department, featuring many imported cheeses, grosses about $22,000 a week. All of a sudden payroll is no object.
"What?!! You're scheduled till 4p.m.! Can you stay an hour or more?
Here are a few pictures of the store that I found on the web.

This is the front of the store.

The lobby as you walk in.

The people escalator and the shopping cart escalator.

The kitchen or "LaCarte" department. Ooo "LaCarte"! Pardon me while I play the grand piano.

Part of the dinning area.

There was an amusing episode today or yesterday when you are likely to read this. A lady asked one of our workers where the Italian biscotti's were (Italian cookies). She wanted the one with the almonds. So the guy turns to one of our deli workers and asks him if we had the cookies with the nuts to which he replied, "I'm sorry ma'am but I don't have any nuts."

 

 With...

and without nuts.

 

Ok now referring to the title of this blog entry, I did it. I walked into the managers office and told her I wanted to retire. Not completely. I said I wouldn't mind working part time in a store closer to home. It looks I'll get my wish and I'll get to go back to my favorite store, The Mount Auburn Star Market.  I even get to choose my hours or so they say. I'll be able to go into the Mount Auburn Cemetery across the street. I have posted pictures of this very beautiful place before. It took me about 5 years work at the store before I went in there and was stunned, especially in the fall. It was the first landscaped cemetery in the country. Among the famous people interred there Curt Gowdy, Longfellow, and Charles Bulfinch, an architect who designed many buildings in Boston including the statehouse and was later recruited to work on the Capital Building in Washington. If any of you ever come to Boston this is a place you must visit. It is spectacular and free.                                                      

 

On Wednesday I left my house at 7 a.m. and pulled into the parking lot at work, 30 miles away, with 7 minutes to spare for an 8:30 shift. The traffic was horrible. It usually is at this time but I think it was intensified by the funeral of one of the firefighters. The highway I take goes right by the firefighters hometown of Watertown. I caught a glimpse of the funeral procession on television in our lunchroom. I could not believe it when they said there were 10,000 firefighters from all over the country and parts of the world including Australia. It goes to show you what a close brotherhood these people have. I lived in an apartment building that caught on fire. As I was running out of the building they were going in. What brave hero's.

 

Ok so I will work another couple of weeks fulltime then It will be time to tone it down. I still have to get all my ducks in a row concerning social security, my 401k and health insurance which I probably will still get to through the company.

 

I'm off tomorrow and have several errands to run. The very computer I am writing on is going to the computer doctor and depending on how much it costs to fix I may end up getting a new one instead.

That's all for now. I am one tired BostonBoy.

I'm outta here.