Pears!

Every year, when I was a young girl, my Mom would can peaches and pears for our large family. I remember her buying 3 bushels of peaches and 2 bushels of pears. She would work all day, and stay up late several nights in a row to get them all done. (How in the world did she do it?) I remember hating pears. They tasted so gritty to me. I would never eat them. But my 8 brothers loved them, so she canned for them. Well, over the years I have learned to like fresh pears. But I have never canned them. This year when the ladies from my church found a great buy on boxes of pears, I decided to buy one and try it out. This is the product of my labors yesterday!
Eleven quarts and fourteen pints. I decided to do pints because with just the two of us we don't eat us much as a big family would. But then I ran out of pints and decided to use my quart jars because I didn't want to buy any more.

Peaches anyone?

We're doing what?

We are moving again! I know that you all can believe it, but we can't! It certainly wasn't in our plans. But life handed us this opportunity, and here we are moving again.

Last January (2009) Kelly and I were at a Wyeth district meeting in Boise. While we were there eating breakfast one morning, we saw a newsflash on the television saying that Pfizer was buying Wyeth Laboratories, the company that Kelly had worked for about 23 years. There were several other sales representatives there with us, and we were all shocked at what we heard. Only a few minutes later, Jay Lovin, Kelly's District Manager came and confirmed what we had just heard. We had no idea what this news would bring to our year.

We soon found out that no one knew anything. So we waited, and waited, and waited, knowing that something would happen yet not knowing what it would mean for our future employment. About mid-year there was a little news that the closing date would be coming soon, so we all braced ourselves for what might happen. But it didn't. We just kept waiting and waiting while no one could tell us anything.

In October, the transaction finally occurred. The sale of Wyeth to Pfizer was final. They let us know after several days that they were letting all of the south east Idaho reps go. Yikes!! We anticipated the possibility that SOME might be laid off, but ALL! And then word came that they would be rehiring two of the employees for 'Twin Falls' positions. We had high hopes for one of those positions. But it wasn't to be.

In the meantime, we learned that there were several positions throughout the U.S. open to Wyeth Legacy employees. So Kelly started interviewing! Spokane, WA; Lewiston, ID; Medford, OR; Casper, Wy; Portland, OR, Coos Bay, OR. It was a whirlwind! I traveled with him for some of the interviews but not all.

Kelly was offered a position in Coos Bay, Oregon. We were so grateful for the opportunity, even though we knew it would mean a move with lots of adjustments in our life. We are happy to have employment. And we are excited for this new adventure in the beautiful Bay area of Oregon!