Nancy's Notes
Nancy Sugges spent some or her early years in Lime Springs, graduating from Lime Springs High School in 1957. Her parents, Harvey and Betty Moldt, owned and managed the lumber yard in the 50s and 60s.
She attended nursing school in Rochester and practiced her profession as an RN until about a year ago. Her last few years were as a manager in a hospice system in the Phoenix area.
She and husband Pete live in Chandler, Arizona, and have one daughter in the area. They love to explore the wild areas of Arizona and observe the creatures there. And maybe catch a fish or two for dinner!
Nancy is a real "people person" and loves to write. Sharing of her experiences, knowledge, and writing skills with us will be enjoyable, educational, or motivational—and possibly all three!
Jobs, Or Not, As the Case May Be
Written by Nancy Sugges
It is truly heart wrenching to hear about and read about so many employable folks in the U.S. that have either been laid off, have tried to enter the work force and found no work, or just, for whatever reason, would like to work but there is none to be found. It has caused me to reflect on myself and work I have done over the years.
I was really very young when I had my first job that paid a wage when we lived in Chester. I am guessing I was 6 and my sister(Sheryl) was 8 when a local elderly lady hired us to come after school and bring in a fresh pail of water we pumped from the outside well and two buckets of coal. We were paid a nickle a day for doing this work. She had relatives that did it for her on the weekend. Good grief but those buckets were heavy. She was a demanding task master and we were never to spill a drop of water or a lump of coal. I can still feel the edges of the buckets where they banged against my shins but I was determined to be a good worker. One day this lady decided my sister and I were to brush down the coal bin before she had a load of coal brought in. Now to this day I don't know why anyone would brush down a coal bin but we took the offered brooms and went to work. All this brooming of walls and floors plus bringing the water and coal for a nickle. If anyone has worked around coal very much you know how the coal dust gets into every pore including inside the nose. Ones clothes turn black. When we arrived home with our nickle our Mom took one look at us and was totally horrified at our condition. I am sure we looked like chimney sweepers. We got an extra bath that week and buffed back into presentable shape. Our dear Mom went to see the lady and she resigned both of us from that work. It might have been my first inclination that employers should have an obligation to employees to have good working conditions.
I was not a whole lot older when another lady in Chester hired me to clean her bathroom. How I loved the cleaning supplies she provided with their fancy bottles and labels. Alas my enthusiasm got the best of me and I thought if a bit of some wonderful smelling product called Glass Wax, which was pink and came out of a pink can, was good, a lot would be better and I put plenty of it on everything. The lady had gone out for a bit. When she came back I was still trying to polish the fixtures, the mirror, the floor and even a bit of the walls. I was nearly finished so she had no idea how hard I had worked. The smell was over powering. She picked up the nearly empty can of Glass Wax and shooed me right out of her house telling me what a wasteful employee I was, I was fired, and I would have to pay her back for the product. I did hate to go home and tell Mom but I did. Mom grabbed her purse and went right to the lady and gave her more than the product would cost. Then I learned that employers make the rules and it is wise to follow the rules. (I also learned being a Mom who stands up for her children is nice for the children.)
Over the years I cleaned a lot of houses in Lime Springs and houses hold many secrets. I learned not to share those secrets and how good it was to become a confidential person. When I became a nurse it was natural to listen to patients and let them talk about whatever it was that was bothering them. I held jobs in many areas of nursing and I look back on all of them with the greatest of pleasure. So many lessons one learns about being a respected worker. The last job I held will always be my favorite. It was as a Director of Nursing for Hospice. Maybe it became my favorite because I realized it would be my last nursing job for a paycheck. Maybe it was because I was able to share a few insights I thought I'd learned to younger folks. Whatever it was I felt good about having worked for so many years in so many jobs.
I always remembered my very first jobs and how it felt to have a harsh employer. I tried always to be kind when helping an employee learn another way of doing a task.
I, of course, don't have the answer to the raging unemployment figures. Maybe creativity will creep in and new things will emerge for the country. I am very sure that hard work, doing the best job possible, and being flexible are good points to start from.
Inspiration
Written by Nancy Sugges
I have to tell you that since Keith was so kind as to let me post some of these Nancy's Notes on The Front Page I have found trying to find things of some interest to me to think about and write about that might also have some modicum of appeal harder than it might seem. I have acquired nothing but super admiration for those who have the talent to put out frequent columns.
The title, Inspiration, has been dancing around in my head for maybe a week. I was going off to sleep at night thinking on it and why I might have anything worthy of a Note to get down. I found myself looking at the Gila Woodpecker pecking away into the pineapple palm tree and thinking is this hole an inspiration. I wasn't sure what he thought when Mama and Papa Starling moved in and made it their nest. Mr. Woodpecker moved to a different palm tree and began again. He was inspired to succeed.
Yesterday I think I found my answer. When I worked as the Director of Clinical Services for hospice I came in contact with remarkable people, both patients and staff. Two years ago a wonderful Social Worker, named Eileen, came into the office and with nothing but stoic body language she said to me, "I have to tell you something but I can't take any questions today". What she told me was her husband, John, had been diagnosed with inoperable esophageal cancer and given maybe a year to live. I asked no questions, we hugged and she left the office. As the weeks passed she did get more open about where they were in any treatment. The biggest concern was a teen aged son due to graduate the following year. This couple planned out the things they had wanted to do in the future and began to do them immediately. John was determined to see his son graduate. He did and a week later John died. Eileen picked up the pieces of her family and went back to work.
She asked me to have lunch with her yesterday. I knew it was the year's anniversary of John's death. I met her and she said "I just had to see you, Nancy, for you always put such a positive spin on everything in life and I think I need that". I was a bit taken back as it isn't really easy for me to know what the right words are in plenty of situations. She went on to tell me how often I had counseled staff to let life come to you - don't go trying to mold it to your wishes. Make a goal and see if it will work.
Last night I knew she was the inspiration I was looking for. What a treasure to know someone who has lost their spouse at an early age and yet is looking for all the ways to move forward. Thanks, Eileen. As they say 'You made my day'.
Arizona, Again
Written by Nancy Sugges
I truly am not one to make very public any political views I might have. I am not going to do so today. What I am going to say is that it is not terribly comforting when the daily newspaper has a headline that reads "CENTER OF THE STORM". That center is Arizona and the storm is from the tremendously controversial law the Arizona Governor signed yesterday that makes it illegal to be an illegal immigrant in the state. Most would agree that illegal immigrants are not welcome any place in the U.S. It is the way law enforcement in Arizona is going to be able to stop folks 'who just don't look right' and make them prove they are legal citizens that becomes the issue. It is reported the state stands to lose many tourist dollars as others outside the state see this as racial profiling. Arizona did this in the recent past when then Governor Mecham refused to let there be a Martin Luther King holiday in the state. Millions of dollars went to other states that had the holiday as conventions looking for a city chose to boycott Arizona. (We now have the holiday.) No one can be sure what is going to happen now - it is all just guess work. What I do know is that my dear neighbors next door of Mexican heritage can now not 'look right' to law enforcement and be forced to prove their citizenship. For them and countless others it seems like a violation of civil rights. What are we doing here in Arizona??
Last week Pete and I enjoyed a birding festival in Yuma. The birds seemed to be able to safely cross the border between Arizona and Mexico. One of our guides suggested if we had time we might want to drive to the border and look at the fence that has been erected to keep illegal immigrants out. We did. It is a hideous thing standing 16 feet tall with blazing lights available to spot night time crossings. Cars, vans, temporary buildings and awnings saying Border Patrol are very evident. There was a check point on our way back to Yuma where we had to stop. A pleasant looking male, in a Border Patrol uniform, peeked in and waved us on 'to have a nice day'. Up the road was an airplane circling over head. We stopped to watch. What we found out was air traffic is now becoming popular as a border crossing as planes can pick up passengers or a supply of drugs and get them very quickly across the border. Can it be we should be more upset with the drug seekers in the U.S. If there were no outlets for drugs the supply would not be needed.
The sun is shining, my coffee is just great this a.m. and, in general, things seem to be as usual. But they aren't here in Arizona and I can only hope none of this crosses our borders to the rest of the U.S.
Friends
Written by Nancy Sugges
With nothing but apologies to relatives I am reminded of the phrase, You can pick your friends but not your relatives.
This year I have had the most amazing Feast of Friends and it is early March. I hardly know how to digest the delight seeing friends brings. Each of them harbors a special place in my mind and when in their presence and long afterwards all sorts of memories are brought forward. It is truly like living a very fine novel in present tense!
The first thought on friends isn't really a personal experience but just the small part I played. I mentioned a birding festival in the last Note I wrote. At that festival I happened to sit next to two couples who had come together and they had been friends for years. As is apt to happen in these chance meetings a good opening line is, Where are you from? Now I am from a lot of places but Lime Springs, IA is the first on my list(forgive me, Chester, for your few years). Imagine my surprise when the two husbands lifted off their chairs to stand by me and ask if I knew Don Lyons and Wayne Roberts who they recalled as being from Lime Springs. The four of them had been fraternity brothers at Iowa State many years ago. (I had the notion those days were a story it would be fun to hear!) One of the wives asked about Maxine Montgomery. To make a long story short I quickly sent Donna Ihns an e-mail from the laptop and she sent the info on how to reach Don, Wayne and Maxine. I have since heard that recent contact has been made among the men and these old friends have renewed and refreshed friendships.
Kareen and Earl Johnson spent some time in Laughlin, NV in Feb. Pete and I were able to meet them and we found a Mexican restaurant in Bullhead City on the internet that sounded like an interesting place to connect. Interesting does not begin to cover the full amount of adjectives that could be used. Old river joint character might better describe it. But we met and toasted each other, our decent health, kids, grandkids, great grandkids and anything else we felt like. Kareen and I have been friends for over 60 years. It seems like yesterday we first met.
Kay Joan Jones Daly was in AZ staying at her daughters'. She called and we agreed to find The Village Tavern to have lunch. We forgot how old we were and chatted and giggled and covered all the topics necessary. I sang at their wedding nearly 50 years ago.
A nursing classmate from 1961 and her husband were in town and came to have dinner with us. A friend I met when our daughter was in marching band from 1990 was in town from Colorado and we had lunch.
And while all these things were transpiring I was making plans to join 4 other nursing classmates in Las Vegas for a mini-reunion. It seems amazing we came from Montana, Maryland, Minnesota, Iowa and myself from Arizona. Next year will be our 50th reunion.
Ah, yes, it has been a feast of friends. We chuckle about the new metal knees that set off the security monitors at airports, the fading eyesight, the need for hearing aids, the medications for blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, heart conditions and the clicking of the pill boxes at meal time becomes a symphony of testimony to life.
I treasure all these friends and love e-mail that keeps even many more in all corners of the globe in touch. Whether we toast with champagne, wine, spirits, water, tea or coffee the thought is always the same. Thank you for being my friend.
03/08/10
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