And Speaking of Past Jobs......

Most of us have had more than one job in our lifetime, it's how we grow and learn. I've had a few, and man oh man, I've learned a lot of lessons. One lesson I guess I never learned was, why didn't I take more pictures?

Good god, when I was in High School, Jamie gave me more than one camera. A Polaroid, which was a lot of fun, a little 110, which wasn't too bad, and my favorite, a 35mm, which I still have. And it took a lot of pictures!!

In High School, I learned a lot of lessons on a Kodak "Instamatic" which was anything but "instant."

It took film.

It took flash cubes. (Remember those)

And it took time and money, waiting for the film to be sent away to see if any pictures could be developed. It was easier when I was in Souris High; I could drop the film off at Larter's Pharmacy and wait for the call to go pick up the developed pictures, because before that, it was all done by mail order.

Time and money.

Today, could it be any easier? One click, and "instant" gratification. And if it isn't pleasing, take another one. Or fifty.

But back to my years at the Hilltop Motel, where many a lesson was learned. I was just getting used to the idea of trying to get back in the work force, since my youngest was now in school, and my work days at the Bank were far in the past. So the word got out that I might be looking for a job. I got a call from Verna MacAulay, the owner, and the rest as they say, is history. I had done lots of sewing for her over the years, so she knew me quite well.

The work was hard, but we had an awful lot of fun too. There were 23 rooms at that time I think, and it was often filled to capacity. After the busy summer was over, there were full time winter residents. So it was hopping all the time. Locum doctors often stayed there. In the spring, different outfits would rent a block of rooms to house dockside monitors for the fisheries, or buyers from out of province. Could be tuna, lobster or crab. Some spoke English. Some didn't.

I learned to operate stacking washer/driers, which I loved. I often did breakfast for the guests when it was offered, we really enjoyed that. The housekeeping was hard, repetitve work, but I had great co-workers. Virginia, Tina, Teresa, Verna of course, and always a couple of summer students. They were great. The rest of us worked year round.

Also, the Motel operated 24 hours a day, so someone always had to be present to answer the phone, book rooms, and do check ins. A couple of local students/new teachers often filled in for night shifts, from 11-7 a.m. It worked well for them, since the evenings were quiet, so they could study, but stilll get a decent sleep, for school the next day. One I remember in particular, Graham, was such a gentleman, and he always cleaned the snow off my car (during winter time night shifts) and started it up for me, so I could drive home in comfort.

Lord, we had some appetite! We got in the bad habit of making plates of toast, spread with Cheez Whiz, and scarfing it down with pots of coffee. But by summers' end, our belts were slimmed down a notch anyway, as we literally ran straight time, from one end of that building to the other. Eight hour shifts just flew by!

I would be remiss not to mention one of our favorite co-workers, who filled in a tremendous number of shifts, while working another job. Billy was so much fun, always in good humor, and the guests loved him. And nobody loved a good prank more than Billy. I often found my coat sleeves tied together, or a set of keys "missing" and the cases of coffee no where to be found.

On e day going off shift, I walked out to my car to find a nice fat propane tank strapped into the driver's seat, seat belt and all. What a bunch.

One of my favorite memories is a prank he and Virginia pulled on me. I was the newbie after all, so fair game.

In the mornings, as guests checked out, we housekeepers would be provided with a list of who was in, who was out. "C" denoted a complete clean, and a "T" meant the guests were staying, so a tidy-up would be in order. (Guess what was our favorite?)

This morning, with the first fresh cup of coffee already downed, Billy handed me the list. I glanced at it and said, "Someone was in 101 last night?" It was a small room at the very far end of the building, it originally had been the office to the Motel. (I think) We rarely put guests that far away from the front, as it meant longer trips to get the work done. Verna wasn't big on inefficiency. And she wouldn't have been big on the stunts either......she rarely would have heard of them til later at the Christmas party.

I headed down the long hall with my cart all loaded up with supplies and fresh linens. Master key in hand, I swung open the door, whistling a tune, which I did a lot. I flipped the light switch on, and walked over to open up the curtains. I turned around and then stopped in my tracks. Someone was asleep in the bed. Jesus.

I backed out, and as quietly as possible I closed the door. I tiptoed, although the damage was already done, up the hall, doing the walk of shame.

I rounded on Billy. And Virginia was nowhere to be seen.

"Somebody is still here, asleep in the bed in 101. Who told you they checked out? I'm gonna get hell for this." It was hard to growl at him when all I could do was a loud whisper, we had guests sleeping after all.

And then his shoulders started shaking with the laugh. Virginia came out from behind the laundry room door, laughing so hard I'm sure they could hear her over at Verna's.

"What? What's so funny? You two can go clean that room, I'm not going back down. Ya friggers." And I meant it.

"Come here, give me the keys." Billy and Virginia started down the hall so I followed them.

Billy opened the door, none too quietly, and went over to the bed. And then I caught on. Not a real person, they fixed some blankets and towels to look like a body, and had a wig on the pillow, placed to look like the back of someone's head.

The friggers. Just waiting for this dummy to come to work.

"Oh leave it there, Theresa's coming in tomorrow....."

Well, we all had a good laugh over that one, and I'm quite sure it wasn't the last one.

I've never had a problem laughing at myself, why would I? But having a good sense of humor can diffuse many a situation, and I prefer to take the high road.

As the Loretta Lynn song goes, "A lot to things have changed since way back then......."

But if those walls could talk.....