Sheesh!!!

1. I may be offline for a bit. My computer is slowly coming unwound. I thought all I was going to have to do was switch to the other hard drive (I have two in this system) which would mean taking all the stuff from drive C and putting it on drive D. Easier said than done, as drive D has to be changed to be "master" and drive C has to be changed to "slave" or removed entirely. THEN I get the wonderful opportunity to rebuild from scratch on the new drive C. YEA!!! But it now seems that the video card is also taking the deep 6. I am typing between, around and through 4 vertical bars of pink paint-roller style marks. That is the best part. Trying to read through it when it goes all over the screen like a paint roller that is nearly out of paint is next to impossible, so I am trying to decide whether to just get another system. This one is about 7 years old.

2. I need to go to the hardware store and find the guts for my hot water tap. This one is leaking like a seive. Means I have to turn the water off to be able to do that, and figure out which guts actually fit this particular tap.

3. On Sunday, my house just seemed to keep getting warmer and warmer and warmer, and the AC fan just kept running, running, running, doing nothing except eating electricity. So I turned the thermostat clear up as high as it would go to shut it off. In case anyone asks you, it's hot outside, and now it's hot inside, too. I called to make an appointment with a repair place, and they can't be here until Thursday. So I am sleeping with windows open and fans running. I was rather pleasantly surprised to find the inside temp at 89 when I came home this evening, since it was over 100 today. This house is well-insulated.

Do I sound like I'm moaning and groaning? Yep, that'd be about right.

An Unexpected Day Off

This week I am scheduled to work 8-4 all week. I got up this morning at my usual 5:30, and didn't slap at the snooze button. Only had 2 hours to be out the door. Now, I know you're probably thinking, "only 2 hours?!" However, when one is used to having at least 3, and sometimes 4 hours before going out the door to work, 2 hours ain't much! I realized at 7:00 that I hadn't fed birds yet, and I was supposed to leave by 7:30. That meant, feed, shower, dress, leave in the space of 30 minutes. I actually nearly succeeded, leaving at 7:35. When I started the car, the "low fuel" light came on. Oh yeah, I was gonna leave early enough to get gas! Oops! So I stopped at the local Allsups. And waited. And waited. No one bothered to turn on the pump, so I got back in the car and headed for Angelo, praying that I had enough gas to get there. I pulled into the parking lot at 7:59 on my watch, and actually clocked in at 8:01. Not bad considering the late start I got. I walked up to the nurse's station, and Ellen said, "Are you supposed to be here this early? I thought you were 9:30 this week. We were going to ask if you just wanted the day off." Stress level from 10 to 2 in 2 seconds flat. I didn't wait around long enough for someone to change their mind and decide to keep me.

I went at a leisurely pace to get gas, did a tiny bit of shopping, and stopped at the local park close to the house and just sat at a picnic table under the trees, absorbing the peace and quiet, and enjoying the breeze. Stress level on leaving about an hour later: zero. My, I like days like this!

They're Coming Home!

My son called yesterday, and of course I was at work and missed it. So I called him today and got some really great news! They are coming home! My daughter-in-law has had her fill of Army life and is getting out. They should be home by 1 Nov at the latest. Her being pregnant again probably has something to do with the stress factor. She is due in Feb. and is already past the point of loss with the last pregnancy. They are so excited they don't know what to do with themselves. Apparently, there is an Army regulation that allows for early release with pregnancy (especially a high-risk one), and she has opted to take it. Son said that when they realized that they were past the 5 week point, they were able to relax and begin to enjoy the idea of bringing a new life into the world. She was 8 weeks on the 15th, which gives her a due date of 20 Feb 2009. (I figured that, A just said, "Sometime in February." I didn't get to talk to T, but I'll bet she knows that date!) They plan to be in the DFW area, so that is close enough to get to see them pretty regularly. I am ready! Christmas is already looking good!

I love my job...I love my job...I love my job...

...especially when it is one of the 1-9 (read: close) weeks. It just messes with my whole routine. It's hard to be in bed by about 9:30 when you don't get home till around 10 pm. Then the alarm goes off way too early at 5:30--and I slap at it--repeatedly--in 9 minute intervals--until I finally reach a state of semi-consciousness.

Yesterday really took the cake, though. I was supposed to be done at 9. Yeah. I finally left work at about 12:50. That would be AM. So I didn't set the alarm until 8:30, and finally got up around 9. Now I get to turn myself back around and be a day shift person again this next week. So when 5:30 arrives, I won't have the luxury (?) of slapping at the snooze button.

(Lest any of you question: I really do love my job.)

I had plans to mow this morning, and did manage to get a swath cut around the house, but by 10:15 I was too hot and put the mower back in the garage. My neighbor, who has a tractor and pull-behind mowing deck had mowed about 1/3 of the other side of my yard when I came back from helping set up things at church this afternoon. He really helps in that department. At least it now looks like someone TRIES to care about how it looks outside. Nearly 4 acres is just too much to try to really do justice to, even with a big riding mower. I'm not much of an outdoor person, since I am so fair skinned that I burn very easily.

However, I am NOT complaining. It is mine. All of it. Paid for. I have lots of room for a garden should I decide I want one sometime in the future. Does anyone in this area do a fall garden? Tomatoes fresh off the vine sure are sounding good! (Or cukes, or radishes, or green onions...)

An All Around Good Day

Today has been one of those "ahh" days. I slept until I woke up--no alarm. I did a little shopping--for a new lawn mower--the old one finally died. I spent a couple of hours sorting through some music to add to our repertory at church, then a couple more hours working on a few of them with the praise team. Then I was invited to participate in some of the holiday festivities at the lake, culminating in the fireworks display. It was beautiful and I thoroughly enjoyed it. But the best part was spent blowing bubbles. I haven't done that in a long time--not since my son was little. The kids who stopped by to see the Verizon display were treated to bubble gum, bubble blowing and water balloons. They had a blast! So did I. One little girl, who told me she was 6, joined me in the bubble-blowing, standing on the picnic table seat; and several other kids spent a lot of energy chasing the bubbles, seeing how many they could catch or burst. The rainbow colors rivaled anything seen in the fireworks, since the wind carried them westward into the setting sun. I am now just sitting, soaking in the pleasure of the day, contemplating still having the next two days off. What could be better?!