Jan. 4, 2002 Friday
Well, this year got off to a flaming start. Literally.
Wednesday night I got called into work (which occurs frequently), but this time was unique. The building was on fire. Why did they call me? Was I supposed to grab my axe and fireman's hat and come running?
I'm on a list. Whenever something happens, I get called. So I went in, just to see what kinda damage the computer systems had sustained. It was all over when I got there. To me, there's a difference between "the building's on fire" and "there's a fire in the building." It was the latter, and between calling the fire department and their arrival, the night shift, to their credit, had emptied every fire extinguisher in the building onto the fire.
The fire was confined to some heavy equipment in a far corner. The computers were not affected, and the whole mess was cleaned up by Thursday morning. Damage was minor, and business was pretty much back to normal.
This year, my new office is just about complete. When my job was first created, my staff and I were spread around the building, and we were promised an office that would put us together. And here it is. With cubicle walls too high to see over! We might as well be spread around the building. We shout at each other over the walls. I complained. Maybe we'll get webcams to see each other :)
Four days into the new year and I haven't broken any resolutions yet. Of course, you can't break what was never made :)
Happy New Year!
Jan. 10, 2002 Thursday
January has always been a slow month at work. Of course, that is not the case this year. We're instituting a new system in one of our larger departments; a very involved computer-driven system of operation, which we purchased in total from a company that's good at this sort of thing. But the system has to be learned, and the supervisors have to be the ones who learn it (which includes me).
The training is provided by the vendor selling us the system, and it seems that the only opportunity they have to provide this promised training is next week; months before we are ready. We don't even have the new server to install the system on yet. So I'm spending time I don't have, preparing people for a system we don't have.
What's odd is that I know we'll get through this; we always do. If everything went according to plan, this job would be boring.
Yesterday was my nephew's 19th birthday. He's back at school, but he'll be home this weekend for a party, and of course we'll provide one. I just installed an 80 Gb hard drive (a Christmas present) in his computer, and he's getting lots of games for his birthday (if you're wondering, he manages to maintain a B+ average).
I suspect it's just the fact that it's cold outside, but c.c. has spent the night at my feet for several days, and chats vociferously when I awake (I do not respond very well; I am not a morning person). She used to spend most of the night outdoors, but lately the big warm comforter seems more appealing. And she doesn't just catnap, she's out like a light. If I'm not up at the usual time (her breakfast time), she'll crawl up on my chest and sit inches from my face 'til I wake up.
I could use a coupla slow, boring days - just a few strung together. With a cat sleeping on my chest :)
Jan. 17, 2002 Thursday
Greetings from sunny Florida (well, it's actually kinda dark out right now), where the temperatures are hovering around 70 degrees F. They hafta hover because it's so muggy. Muggy and January were two concepts I never associated together.
Why am I here? My company chose to purchase a new operating system for one of the larger departments, which requires a new server and lots of retraining for those lucky enough to work in that department. Guess who gets to do the retraining? That would be me. And a coupla supervisors from the affected department.
What has all this got to do with Florida? That's where the new operating system's vendor is located, and this is the best week (for them) to train the trainers. And of course we must come to them (so do I sound flustered at having to spend a week in Florida in the middle of winter?).
The problem is that we have neither the software nor the server at work to begin training. But we must adapt to the situation.
A major perk: Disney World is just over an hour away and I have a free weekend and friends in nearby Winter Garden. And I haven't seen the new Animal Kingdom yet.
Adapting can be fun!
Jan. 23, 2002 Wednesday
I'm still in Florida. This whole trip came up at the last minute, when none of us were prepared for it, so I was not looking forward to it. I didn't even bring a camera (and I always bring a camera). I just didn't attach fun to this trip in any form.
But when Saturday rolled around, and I had it all to myself, I decided to go exploring, and I had breakfast, then took the main road out of town. To nowhere. I was amazed at the lack of civilization. But I kept driving, and suddenly I was at the entrance to Disney World. I knew I was headed that way (maybe subconsciously being pulled that way?), but suddenly there it was. I had thought that I might take the opportunity to see the new Animal Kingdom at Disney World when I learned that I was coming down here, but I hadn't really made any plans to do so, and then I'm suddenly outside the entrance.
If I had made distinct plans to be here, I would have showed up earlier. It was after one, and the Animal Kingdom closed at five. But I was here, so in I went for four hours to catch the major attractions. It was well done of course, as Disney attractions are. And it was not crowded for a warm and sunny Saturday afternoon. I rode the whitewater ride. And got soaked. Twice. And there was a safari tour in large open vehicles, which I thought was a little scary, considering the size and temperment of some of the animals. But there was a cleverly concealed moat along the road's edge that was not readily visible to the tourist trade, so that was a relief.
And there was the Tree of Life, and the Affection Section (a petting zoo), and people having fun. By the time it was over, I was more relaxed and glad I had done it. It made this week a little less like work a more like a vacation.
But it'll still be good to get home.
Jan. 29, 2002 Tuesday
Well, it's good to see that the company survived in my absence. Still, they were glad to see me back (I'm the one they call whenever a computer hiccups anywhere in the building).
It was good to be driving my old but reliable Bronco again. I like sitting up high and being able to see over traffic (a result, no doubt, of years of driving my tiny Capri and being walled in by rush hour family sedans). I had a luxury-class Hundai (does that sound like an oxy-moron?) in Florida. It was a very nice car. And very quiet. And taller than my Capri, but smaller than my Bronco :)
And after the Husband reporting several inches of snow last weekend, I had prepared myself to leave the Florida sunshine behind and return to winter weather back home. Ha. It was nearly 70 degrees today. And sunny. I was ready to take the Capri (a convertible) to work with the top down. But I didn't.
And the cats missed me. They were huddled all around me last night. Which I thought was kinda neat. The Husband has the feeding duties, so he gets all their attention. But I know how to talk to them. They're not the independent aloof creatures they pretend to be. I always suspected that anyway.
A new month is near; the first without a mortgage payment. Bill-paying is gonna be so much more painless :)
Feb. 4, 2002 Monday
I took Friday off and Thursday, after work, three girls from work and I headed down to Atlantic City. One of the girls had gotten a free suite for the night (a frequent gambler perk), and a wonderful suite it was. Thanks to the two sofa beds, there was room for all of us. All we had to pay for was food and gambling. We headed for the casinos and didn't quit 'til 4 am, then it was back to our luxury suite for a brief four-hour nap.
We had a wonderful buffet dinner and a similar breakfast, and the rest of the time consisted of slot machines, roulette (usually my favorite) and various wheels of fortune. We pooled $20 each and played it all on a $5 progressive slot machine (with a payoff in the millions). All we got were 16 chances to whoop and scream and hope with each pull of the handle. We walked away empty handed.
My gambling allowance ($100) was rapidly vanishing, so I found a nickel slot machine, and managed to win enough to keep playing for a couple hours, but by mid-afternoon we were all broke and decided to head home.
I have this theory that the money that one "loses" is the cost of the evening's entertainment, and it was entertaining, and I got what I paid for - fun and excitement - so I don't consider it a loss. Two days in Atlantic City for $100 was pretty good.
The girl who got the free suite is a frequent visitor to AC, and she's not a high-roller by any means, but she frequently comes out ahead (I rarely do). As we were leaving we passed a slot machine that she recognized as the one her sister had won $720 on. She plunked in her last few coins and won - $720!
But you don't have to win to have fun.
Feb. 10, 2002 Monday
Somehow I've gotten into figure skating (watching, not participating). I think it started one weekend when it was the only thing on tv besides football. Then I began watching it whenever it was on (which turned out to be a lot), even prime time.
So now the Olympics are here, and I found myself parked in front of the tv when the figure skating competitions were on (which were the first day).
I have no idea what the attraction is. I certainly have no aspirations toward being a figure skater. I can barely remain upright on ice skates (and have therefore not tried in years). I suppose it's the gracefulness of it all that impresses me. I can always appreciate a person's ability to accomplish something that seems almost impossible.
I don't begin to understand the different moves, or the required moves, or the names of the moves. I have no idea what the judges are looking for. And I don't particularly care. I don't watch it for the competitiveness. I just like to watch.
The announcers don't yell and scream.
What did become of Tonya Harding?
Feb. 16, 2002 Saturday
We have once again participated in our annual Valentine's Day movie exchange. We used to give each other the mandatory box of chocolates, but that wasn't good for either of us. So we switched to DVD's :) I got Brian's Song (the original); the Husband got Pearl Harbor (the recent version). We tried to find some heart-shaped Tender Vittles with cutsey saying on them for Opie and c.c., but they had to settle for regular ol' Pounce (which they were quite happy with).
I got a request to babysit my nieces and nephew on Valentine's Day, and since that meant we couldn't go out to celebrate (we never do on holidays anyway - the Husband hates crowds), my sister prepared us a really nice restaurant-style dinner with all the fixin's - and no crowds. So technically we did go out to dinner on Valentine's Day.
In addition, the twins (4) and their older sister (6) consider a visit from us (mostly me) as party time, and we all have fun. Even the Husband. I bought all the kids small Valentine's gifts (Barbies for the girls, Digimons for the boy twin), as they are kids and always enjoy gifts. We watched them make up games involving interaction with Barbie and the Digimon character, and I even managed to catch some of the Olympic Figure Skating (after the tiny trio finally went to bed).
It's not your typical night out for Valentine's Day, but I certainly enjoyed it.
Have some chocolate for me.
Feb. 22, 2002 Friday
Two years ago we were planning our biggest vacation to date - Alaska. We had been saving for it for six years, and we'd done a lot of research and we knew what we wanted to do. And yet we were still amazed by it all. Planning six years in advance makes it seem like it's never going to arrive, although now that it's been almost two years, it still seems like yesterday. It made a very lasting impression.
We met some fun folks on the trip, and they were equally amazed by the surroundings. We have stayed in touch since then, and whenever we encounter a moose (in whatever form), we think of them. As a result we have received stuffed moose dolls from them, and various moose trinkets encountered on other trips, as reminders of those two amazing weeks. We have responded with moose coasters and wind chimes. It keeps the trip fresh.
A couple days ago we received a small corduroy moose (did you see it on the Today page on the way here?), and we've spent many hours talking about the vacation since receiving it. The folks had found it during a trip to Colorado.
Princess Cruises keep sending us assorted junk mail about Alaskan Cruises, which does help. But it's no moose.
Feb. 27, 2002 Wednesday
Seventeen years ago I had pneumonia (from which I fully recovered, thank you). I haven't had a sick day since (the Husband gets a plaque and restaurant gift certificates if he goes one year without a sick day - I've managed 17 straight years).
Until Friday.
I had been feeling ill that morning, but ignored it. It felt like a cold or flu, which I couldn't be bothered with. But by mid-afternoon it was not to be ignored. I had chills so bad I couldn't stop shaking. What amazed me was all the attention I got. People brought me blankets and aspirin and a small space heater. And moral support. Someone even went out and bought a fever thermometer (99.9 - not a big rise, but my regular temp is like 97.8). I think they were all amazed that I was suffering from some illness, 'cause I never get sick. I finally acceded to their requests to go home, though reluctantly (I never get sick).
Opie was happy to see me. I went straight to bed and he curled up next to me, purring loudly. And when you're feely crappy, there's something therapeutic about a purring cat. He didn't even get up when the Husband came home. Although he did when he heard the cat food can opener operate - some temptations cannot be avoided (we have two electric can openers - one specifically for cat food. When the non-cat food opener operates they pay no attention, but when the cat food opener whirrs, they become Pavlov's cats).
I was feeling better Saturday, at least enough to get out of bed, though Opie was sorry to see me get up. Thanks for the purrs, Opie.
Mar. 4, 2002 Monday
Working for a company that runs mainly on computers, it's kind of important to keep all the software updated. And we do. But it seems to need continual updating. At least right now it does. We're adding a new operating system to a department that deals directly with the customer, and that's a transition that must go smoothly. So I spent a week in Florida back in January with the software manufacturer to assure a bugless transition, and they are up here this week to further reassure us that it will be. The actual transition is sometime next month, and we're absolutely gonna be prepared!
Of course that means even longer hours at work (I still have the regular responsibilities to attend to), and when I get home, I'm so pooped I go straight to bed. You've heard all this before, right? It's still going on.
On the weekends I put it out of my mind, so that my sanity can recoup. This weekend I had plans to get my father's e-mail working properly. He just recently got a computer, and he's considering computer classes. He'll be 80 this year (doesn't look a day over 65). It's been a while since we spent time with them, so I decided I would invite them to my house for dinner. But they decided to take us out to dinner. So we compromised - dinner out with them Saturday, dinner at my house Sunday.
The nice thing about dinner guests is that I have to houseclean; no excuses. So Sunday morning I did some serious tidying up. Dinner went well, except that I got called into work - it was a simple computer reboot, so I excused myself from my own dinner party and rushed over to work, rebooted a server, and was home in time for dessert! My sister showed up for dessert. We all had fun.
It was a hectic weekend, but it was different from work hectic, y'know? And that's a big difference.
Mar. 10, 2002 Sunday
I have a good friend who does a lot of community work, and I sometimes help her out. Specifically this weekend was the local competition of the National Spelling Bee (for 5th to 8th graders), and my friend is a judge. I tag along to keep score. That means I keep track of who got what right, and who went down in flames (there are no losers of course). I do this every year, and enjoy it.
The winner advances to the national finals in Washington D.C., to compete against 250 other regional winners for a $10,000 prize. Our region's winner this year had been home-schooled (and apparently quite well), spelling the word "mendicant." She beat the kid who won Fox tv's "Battle of the Child Geniuses 2."
Change of subject:
After having driven the Bronco all winter, I decided I should give the Capri (garage-bound for months) a chance to stretch its legs. But the battery was extremely dead. I borrowed my father's battery charger and charged it up, but the next day the clock didn't even work (and that uses less enegry than a good sneeze). So I got an 8-year battery to put in my already-11-year-old car. I am keeping that car.
It was somewhere around seventy degrees today. I love it.
Mar. 16, 2002 Saturday
Three weeks ago I left work early not feeling well, and ended up spending half the weekend in bed, "under the weather" (where did that expression come from? Where else would you be, relative to the weather?). This is unusual because I never get sick. I haven't missed a day of work in seventeen years (and then it took pneumonia to keep me home). Except for that occasion, I haven't been to a doctor in more than a quarter century.
But since that "under-the-weather" episode three weeks ago, I've never really felt quite right. Fatigue and stomach cramps were the primary annoyances, with a general malaise lingering throughout. I've been working rather long hours lately, and it hasn't been what you'd call a stress-free environment, so I just blamed the whole thing on overwork.
Last weekend I had a mild relapse that had me curled up in front of the tv with Advil and plenty of liquids, but I carried on regardless.
Yesterday morning I woke up feeling my usual low-grade self and decided I was feverish, so I took my temperature. It was 104.1. I am no diagnostician, but even I know that's not good. I decided it was time to seek professional help, but my doctor had retired nearly 20 years ago, and I'd never taken any steps to find a new one.
I called my sister, the health-care professional, and she got me in to see her doctor. He diagnosed a viral infection of some sort, except that preliminary tests did not indicate any infection. He put me at ease (I was sure I had some incurable jungle fever) and scheduled me for a series of blood tests on Monday. Great.
So I get to spend another weekend "under the weather". But I do have a doctor now :)
Mar. 21, 2002 Thursday
Old news: Last Friday, I went to the doctor. I hadn't been to a doctor in seventeen years. But I hadn't been feeling well for weeks and I had a temperature of 104. The doctor determined it to be viral but couldn't pinpoint it, so he sent me to a lab for bloodwork and rescheduled an appointment for Monday.
New news: My blood sugar readings are way too high. The virus (still unidentified) may be contributing to that, but it's likely that I am diabetic (I am resigned to that), so a 3-month glucose test was ordered (that measures the average sugar level for the past 3 months). Until actual levels are determined, I'm being treated tentatively with diabetes medication.
The Husband has been a diabetic for twelve years. He's gone from simple diet control to multiple pills to Insulin, but there have been no complications, and he lives a pretty normal life (if that's possible without ice cream). I know I can deal with it, but it would help if the virus would go away so I can start using the proper dosage I need. I'm in the acceptance stage and dealing with it. But I don't like it.
So now every morning, the Husband and I sit on the couch and stab ourselves in the fingers to get blood for the testing strips, and we compare our numbers. Romantic, huh?
Mar. 27, 2002 Wednesday
Okay, I've had all the tests, and it's confirmed; I'm mortal.
Life has been good to me, so I can't really object to the fact that I've developed diabetes. I can deal with it, and I will successfully. And the fact that I also have a thyroid condition that two of my sisters have had for years is also something I can handle.
So when the doctor told me yesterday that I also had a heart murmur, I thought, "Hey, why not? I can deal with that too!"
A murmur is just a noise that the heart makes. It could be something serious, like a strained muscle working too hard, or it could be nothing. Just a noise (like a squeaky hinge). Mine is of the nothing variety, but it has to be checked periodically to assure that it continues as such.
So now it's just a matter of adapting to new routines. Change can be fun. I'm going to enjoy being mortal.
Apr. 2, 2002 Tuesday
I decided to have Easter Sunday dinner for my family, because I needed to host an occasion, despite all the work involved (or maybe because of it). I also invited some folks whose families were far away and would otherwise be dining alone.
But before all that there was cooking and cleaning, which kept me hopping Saturday (and I was in no mood for hopping). But once everything started to come together, I started feeling better, dare I say exuberant. I made up Easter baskets for the little ones, and the Husband "hid" them in not quite out-of-sight locations.
The Husband and I have a tradition of exchanging DVD's (in lieu of chocolate) on the lesser gift-giving events such as Easter and Valentine's Day, and this year we managed to give each other the same DVD (which had not happened on any previous occasion) - K-Pax with Kevin Spacey - (we had both expressed a desire to see it, so it made the perfect gift - a little too perfect). The Husband exchanged his for Artificial Intelligence (a Steven Speilberg offering) that was also on our list of yet-to-view flicks.
But most of all the kids were there, having fun, and when they have fun, so do I.
So we ate well, had fun and have two new movies to watch.
Apr. 8, 2002 Monday
Well, the Husband finally bought his new truck, although not officially. He took 'til tomorrow to mull over the offer as a matter of principle (nothing sucks like buyer's remorse), but he's agreed it's a good deal all around and will go with it.
However, we do have a point of disagreement: the color. He picked white. He's been driving a white truck for 14 years. Why wouldn't he at least pick a different color. He was leaning toward red, but at the last minute he decided he didn't like it. I said he should get a color he's never had before, but he's owned cars of almost every color there is, including orange and purple. Then at least get a color that's not the one you've just had awready..
It's available in a very nice dark green that I like a lot, and he likes it too, but it's only available with a brown cloth interior, which he doesn't like. He has agreed to think about it though. But I'm not counting on anything.
The dealer didn't even want to consider his much-modified old truck as a trade-in. They had no idea how to appraise it, or what to do with it if they took it. So, sometime this summer, that'll be going to the highest bidder. And maybe the only bidder :)
Apr. 14, 2002 Sunday
This was a great weekend, weatherwise (well, Saturday was - today suggests rain). It was like everyone in the neighborhood had been given the same post-hypnotic suggestion - "Go forth and do yardwork!" Gasoline powered mowers, edgers and blowers were all rapping out their tunes, as mulch, bulbs and seedlings were placed loving throughout their individual quarter-acres.
We of the brown thumb persuasion were, of course, immune to such mass hysteria. The Husband had his day planned trying to figure out how to answer his flip-fone if it was already open (much time was fruitlessly spent seeking the misplaced owners manual, the rest spent searching the internet for the answer). My choices were going into work to finish up what I had abandoned Friday evening, cleaning the house, or shopping for new clothes.
Guess which I chose :)
Since the recent discovery that I was diabetic, I had become imminently aware of everything I ate, and avoiding anything that may affect blood sugar (hint: everything does). As a result, I lost a lotta weight without even realizing it, and my clothes don't fit any more. So I picked up a few essentials (I would have bought more, but I really wasn't finding anything I liked); just buying smaller sizes was cool.
When I got home, I found the Husband at the dining room table dismantling the remote control for his car's cd changer. It had gotten wet and quit working, and he was going to get a new one when he found they were $100 (more than half the price of the whole system!), so he figured he would fix this one. He scrubbed the circuit board with a toothbrush and plain water, blow dried it all, then reassembled it. Surprise! It worked. He was as amazed as I.
Opie and c.c. spent the whole day in the woods.
And the whole evening catnapping.
And c.c. still has her collar!
Apr. 20, 2002 Saturday
Well, the April heat wave is over - a cold front blew through last night, bringing heavy rains and winds, which blew the heat out to sea.
Fine with me.
That extra project at work (which took me to Florida in January) is finally nearing an end. Once the system is online, my job is done (I hope). The various department supervisors now have the responsibility to maintain the system (or they will, once it's "live" in a coupla weeks). I don't expect that I won't be called upon to answer questions or offer advice, but no one will be dumping operational problems on me. That's the theory anyway.
I'm already feeling a little relief. I actually got home before dark last night :)
And c.c. still has her collar!
Apr. 26, 2002 Friday
Way back in January I was asked to attend a training session for a new departmental operating system that our company was buying. The training session was a week in Florida in January, all expenses paid! It was fun. But there's no such thing as a free Florida vacation. I've been paying for it ever since.
This new operating system is a direct link to our customers. If it doesn't work, it's gonna be a disaster. It's not like I can go around to the different department heads and explain the problems and ask for patience - if the customers are inconvenienced, they don't wanna hear our problems or be patient - they'll go elsewhere. So this has to work correctly, the first time.
I don't really know how this became my project, but it did. For three months I've been working even longer hours than usual - 12+ hours a day is not unusual. I come home, eat something, speak two sentences to the Husband and go to bed. Opie and c.c. join me, because I don't get any other time with them. Then I see the operating system in my dreams.
This coming Monday, the system goes "live." It has to be working. And I've been so close to it for three months that I'm not really sure how ready we are. I do know that from the close of business today 'til Monday morning I'll be there, supervising the changeover, patching leaks and putting out fires, so that Monday morning all customer interfaces will be centrally computerized and coordinated. The customer won't notice a thing.
If we're lucky :)
May 2, 2002 Thursday
The new operating system incorporating our customer interfacing has been up and running for three days, and I can say confidently and without qualification that it's not a disaster. It's all a chaotic learning curve that has everybody on their toes, but so far it's standing up by itself.
So why am I not overjoyed? Post-Traumatic Stress Syndrome? Maybe - I have to pass it off to the department heads now, and that makes me nervous. It means it's out of my hands, after all the hours I put into it. Or maybe I'm worried that when I pass it off, they won't take it
Right now I'm still in it up to my elbows, and as long as I am, people will not be volunteering to step in and take over. So I'm still putting in the long hours, making sure I'm keeping track of everything. But I have to start weaning myself off it. For months I've been looking forward to doing just that. I never figured it would be that hard to do.
And I have to reintroduce myself to Opie and c.c. :)
May 8, 2002 Wednesday
One of the required lifestyle alterations to the new diabetic is exercise. My doctor mentioned that I should be exercising, but me and exercise go together like oil and water.
I tried joining the Husband on his daily one-mile walks, but he's gotten used to them, while I still have to work my way up to a brisk 5,280 feet.
Of course I had mentioned this to my co-workers (basically, to anyone who would listen), and this past weekend one of them attended an auction which included a small exercise bike, and he bought it for me - for all of 25 cents!
It's not bad (for a quarter); it has a speedometer and odometer (it has 647 miles on it), and a timer (if you want to measure your exercise in minutes instead of miles), and the seat, handlebars and pedal tension are all adjustable.
The Husband has already put it to use, adding another mile-and-a-half to the odometer reading. I'm kind of looking forward to this; it can only do me good. And if I poop out, I'm not a half-mile from home.
Now I just have to do it :)
May 14, 2002 Tuesday
I started driving the Capri again, now that the weather is getting nicer, so I decided to treat it to an oil change and tire rotation at my friendly Lincoln-Mercury dealer (and they really are friendly). They took care of everything in their usual friendly manner, but they told me my axles were leaking and should be replaced (in very friendly terms). Fortunately I trust these guys, and the car does have 90,000+ miles on it.
The Capri is a '91 convertible (it's an Australian import), and the 11-year-old top is showing its age (unlike the rest of the car which runs like new - except for the axles), so I had been putting money aside to get a new top befitting the excellent condition of the rest of the car. Except now that money went for axle replacement, so I'll manage with the ratty ragtop for a while longer.
The Husband thinks it's going to be a collector car in a coupla years and will start increasing in value. But that's not why I'm hanging onto it. I love that car. I bought the old Bronco so I could keep the Capri for the nice days. Presently we've got several days of rain to look forward to, but the sunny days are getting really close.
And that's what a 16-valve turbocharged 5-speed convertible is made for :)
May 20, 2002 Tuesday
I've been feeling pretty rundown lately. It's generally conceded that I'm working too many hours with too little rest, and it's been manifesting itself in a mildly-feverish malaise. So I started forcing myself to come home earlier. Like before dark :)
I needed a diversion. Saturday I hosted a small dinner for a coupla close friends from high school (and spouses). That meant housecleaning with a purpose. I had been managing superficial housecleaning, but this was serious. Scrubbing kitchen and bathroom floors, dusting houseplants, vacuuming whatever didn't move (it was raining heavily that morning, so Opie and c.c. took shelter from the vacuum monster in the spare bedroom, along with the Husband, who also knew to stay out of the way). The Husband did a passable straightening up in the spare bedroom that didn't dislodge the cats from their sanctuary, and relocated the exercise cycle from its inconvenient spot in the dining room to an inconvenient spot in the bedroom.
The dinner was just an excuse to get together and gab, and the rain halted in time to grille shish kabobs, and a fun time was had by all.
Which made a Sunday with nothing to do that much more welcome :)
May 26, 2002 Sunday
If you've been reading any of my ramblings, you know for the last few months I've been working long hours on a special project at work (in addition to my regular duties) - 12 hour days were common, 16 hour days were not uncommon. It involved linking our computers to a new system that interfaces with customers and speeds things along with fewer errors. It is now active and running with only minor, solvable glitches. I have been able to cut back on my hours (although I've become so attached to "my" project that it's surprisingly hard to let go of it), with a degree of satisfaction that it was worth the effort. The congratulations from my peers and bosses didn't hurt either.
As a result of working myself sick (literally), I was forced to visit a doctor (which I hadn't done in years), and learned that I had diabetes and high blood pressure (neither of which showed any symptoms), so allowing myself to get run down was a back-door perk (I could have gone years before either disease became known). Another "perk" of illness was that I lost a lotta weight, to the extent that alterations wouldn't help my clothes fit, so charities got a lot of clothing.
Friday, I received a monetary bonus for my efforts, which I was kinda expecting, I just didn't know to what degree their gratitude would be extended. It was extended pretty good :) So now I can afford all new clothes that fit. And maybe even a new computer.
Opie and c.c. are happy to see me at home in the evenings again; they vie with each other for lap space - of course, it's usually while I'm eating dinner :)
June 1, 2002 Saturday
Yesterday the Husband and I were invited to a minor league baseball game (my company had free tickets to a catered executive suite at the stadium) so we said sure and joined about twenty of my co-workers. The food was good, but the stadium was definitely cool for a minor league park. It was right below a large suspension bridge running from Philadelphia to Camden NJ, which made a neat backdrop, and it used old-style stadium architecture that included tin roofs on the executive suites (which clattered furiously whenever a foul ball found its way up there).
It was the Ducks vs. the Sharks. The Ducks won.
There was a severe thunderstorm warning for the whole evening, but the storms held off 'til the game was over. There was rumbling and flashing all around when we got home, and c.c. made it clear that she didn't appreciate our absence during the thunder and lightning; she was pacing until we finally sat down, so she could have the shelter of a lap (always the place to be in a thunderstorm).
The Husband's truck finally arrived; he's either going to pick it up today or get a better deal on a loan on Monday - this is still not determined. But I'm sure he'll have something to say about it :)
June 7, 2002 Friday
June is a very busy month where nieces and nephews are concerned - lots of end-of-school-year-activities, from sports to school plays (which specifically were Wednesday and Thursday), and Tuesday we attended an awards dinner for the year's outstanding local teens (which my company co-sponsors), which was also on the Husband's birthday, and we sat at the head table along with the guest speaker, the sports guy from a local tv station's evening news. That was fun.
And of course there is the Husband's new truck. He's just amazed with all the up-to-date gizmos that he's done without for fourteen years (air conditioning, remote power door locks, cruise control) - he's still enjoying it all.
And I'm finally letting go of the project that required so much of my time for the last four months, mainly because I don't have time to hang on to it - we move on.
And there are two graduations to attend, a company picnic and an eye doctor's appointment.
And a new wardrobe to buy (I'm still losing weight!).
Bring on the summer - I'm ready!
June 13, 2002 Thursday
Once again I attended one of those make-you-feel-old celebrations (which occur with increased frequency) - the high school graduation of a close friend's oldest. It was held at a small hall with a DJ, lotsa food, loud music and really young people. We, of course, were at the "old folks" table, and we just observed the energy of the younger crowd and tried to remember what it felt like :)
And just to punctuate that noted passage of time, I received the automatic blood pressure cuff that I had ordered through the mail (the Husband is also on medication for high blood pressure). So now we regularly take our blood pressure, along with regularly monitoring our blood sugar. Tell me again about the golden years?
I borrowed an exercise video that came recommended by a friend (I never thought I'd be doing this stuff), but I haven't watched it as yet. The Husband regularly cranks out a few miles on the exercise bike in the bedroom. I do so less regularly.
But thanks to all the above and daily doses of stuff, we're fairly healthy. At least according to the numbers on the electronic monitoring devices.
This Saturday we again get to be reminded that we're not getting any younger, as we celebrate a niece's high school graduation with more loud music and younger people. The cycle of abuse continues :)
June 19, 2002 Wednesday
I've been getting home from work earlier lately - or is it just that the days are getting longer? Let's just assume I'm getting home earlier because I need it that way. And in a couple more days, the days will begin getting shorter. I prefer getting home when the sun is out.
Last night when I got home I walked in on a small frenzy - the Husband had discovered our resident chipmunk in the living room and was trying to herd it toward the open back door onto the deck. It darted under the love seat, and as the Husband was checking underneath, it took off again, in the general direction of the open door, but the Husband lost track of him. Logically, he should have headed for the open door, but he's fooled us before by avoiding the obvious escape route (I really think he prefers it here - he's out of the elements and has a steady food source. Why leave?).
So he may be gone, or he may not. Only time will tell.
Today the Husband and I have a joint eye doctor appointment (recommended annually for diabetics); our eye doctor sees us both together, examining one of us while the other waits for the eye drops to work. It's a fun arrangement, as eye exams go :)
Have a pleasant midweek.
June 27, 2002 Thursday
I have to credit a friend's daughter for pointing me to this one:
http://www.terraserver.microsoft.com/
It's a database of satellite photos from the U.S. Geological Survey. You need only enter a city name or zip code and, if it's in the database, a satellite photo of the area appears. You can zoom in for some terrific details. The photos are all adjusted to the same scale and pieced together, so you can scroll left and right, up and down, for hundreds of miles (this just in from the Husband: If you zoom in to the max on Atlantic City NJ and begin scrolling left, it'll take you 5 weeks to reach California with a 200 mHz processor. You can drive there faster).
It's limited mostly to the lower 48 United States, although there are isolated patches beyond U.S. borders.
The satellite photo on the OpieWorld page came from there.
Too cool.
July 3, 2002 Wednesday
I am still getting used to this Diabetes thing that I'll be living with for the rest of my life. I've been doing what I'm supposed to, and taking my medication faithfully. And I've been watching my sugar levels drop from the really bad levels of a coupla months ago to a more normal and healthy range.
But they didn't stop there. They kept dropping steadily each week. Every time I expected it to taper off, it didn't. I had asked the doctor what is too low. He said anything below fifty should be considered dangerous. I was at 52. On the Husband's monitor it was 48!
So I had a dish of ice cream.
Then I called the doctor. He advised me to stop taking the medicine and check my sugar levels frequently. They did start to climb back up, and I felt better (I had had the shakes and my lips went numb). But of course they continued to climb back into the too-high range. So the doc gave me a new prescription (after I had just ordered a 3-month supply of the old pills, of course!).
So I'm a bit more stable now. It takes a little experimenting to find just the right treatment for an illness like this. But we're making progress.
My doctor just became a daddy! Congratulations, doc!
July 10, 2002 Wednesday
This weekend we noticed Opie walking with a slight limp - not terribly noticeable, but a limp all the same. He had sliced open one of his pads somehow.
So the Husband took him to the vet, and the vet explained that he had done some serious damage to his foot pad, and it should be stitched up. However a cat's foot pad cannot be stitched, so it has to be left to heal on its own. The vet said it would probably be okay since it was a clean laceration, but he prescribed an antibiotic to be safe, and advised us to clean the wound daily, and to keep Opie in the house until he no longer limped.
Despite his advancing years, Opie still enjoys the outdoors, so this should be a challenge
And we have to force-feed him a pill twice daily. More fun.
This also means he has to remember what the litterbox is for (he has faithfully used the backyard for the last seven years). Besides hoping that he makes a smooth transition to the box, I'm also hoping he doesn't get too used to the idea and that when he's healed he returns to Nature when Nature calls :)
It's been two days of this, and so far, so good. But then Opie is the Perfect Cat.
July 16, 2002 Tuesday
You probably noticed on your way in that there is now an advertising banner on our splash page. That is just temporary, until the Husband sells his old truck. He put the URL on the For Sale sign.
Opie is doing well. He took his antibiotics with little fuss, stayed off his wounded paw pretty much, and didn't complain about being confined indoors. His foot has pretty much healed up (although it still looks gross), and he walks without limping now, and it didn't get infected. So we have returned the cat door to two-way operation (in AND out), and life if back to normal (or it will be when that gross scab is gone).
I finally got my new kitchen faucet installed. The Husband wasn't that comfortable about doing it himself, so we got my father over here to supervise. He arrived with my mother and my grandmother, and we made a day of it. I prepared dinner (before they shut off the water), and they finished up just in time to eat.
Speaking of my grandmother, she'll be 100 years old next Thursday, and while there will be a big celebration, there will be no loud DJ's or Congo lines, at her request. Instead we will be dining at a classy restaurant in a private room - I think. I'm not really sure what the final plans are.
I'm really proud of my grams; she's come through the last hundred years pretty well, I think!
July 22, 2002 Monday
When I got home Friday night, I went through the mail as I usually do, and was surprised to find a notice for jury duty for the Husband - I would have thought he would have said something when I came in.
He just looked confused. He had brought in the mail, but had never looked at it.
The Husband had done jury duty a long time ago, and his employer had gotten his time cut down from three weeks to one week, and that one week had a Federal holiday on Thursday, and Friday was the 13th (lawyers don't begin trials on Friday 13th. Really!), so he served a whole three days. He never was picked for a jury.
But New Jersey has revamped jury duty since then. The only exceptions are for medical personnel and elementary school teachers (?), plus the obvious exceptions (the mentally infirm, non-English speakers and the severely handicapped). The Husband is none of those. However, the term of obligation has been trimmed from three weeks to two days. If you aren't picked for a jury in two days, you're done. Of course, if you are picked, you're there for the duration. Could be interesting.
The festivities begin August 28.
August 1, 2002 Thursday
This weekend begins our annual week at the Jersey shore. We got a new place this year that's right on the beach (the Atlantic Ocean is at our back door, after a hike across the sand), which will be great for the kids - no roads to cross or big nasty cars to watch out for.
And it's air conditioned, which we existed without for years at the shore, but have gotten very used to in the last two years :)
My sisters picked it out; I haven't seen it (I have seen pictures), but I know I'm going to enjoy it. I haven't started packing yet, but I have selected movies to watch in the evenings (just got A Beautiful Mind, but I'll wait 'til I get to the shore house to watch it.)
The Husband is in his busy season at work, but he will be able to get a couple days off to join us (he's not a big shore person anyway).
In New Jersey, you go "down the shore" (everywhere else you go to The Beach). Either way, that's where I'll be!
August 13, 2002 Tuesday
Well, that week went by in a hurry!
We usually spend two weeks at the shore, depending on everyone's availability at the time, but this year most of them (not I) spent a week in Colorado with my sister just over a month ago, so this year the beach time was cut back to one week. And of course it was over before we knew it.
And now I'm back, and the downhill part of the year begins - for the next eight weeks there is a horde of family birthdays and anniversaries to celebrate, in several instances there will be two in the same weekend. These include, but are not limited to, birthday celebrations for my mother, sister, brother-in-law, niece, nephew, several friends, plus anniversaries of friends, parents and us. And this year there is also a wedding to attend, just to keep things stirred up.
Shortly after that all passes is Halloween, when all the nieces, nephews and friends' kids show up for candy and picture-taking (a tradition), followed by Thanksgiving and Christmas. The rest of the year is going to go by as fast as the week at the shore did.
I guess I better get my Christmas shopping started :)
August 19, 2002 Monday
My Uncle Sam ... what can I say. He's my favorite. He's always been my favorite. I bet he's my 3 siblings' favorite too.
I wanted to be the favorite aunt with my nephews and nieces and although I wouldn't consider myself to be their favorite, I think I'm kinda known as the "fun," "funny," "silly," "cool" aunt and I know how much I am loved by them.
I know Uncle Sam knew how much I loved him too. Earlier this year he got sick. He went to the hospital for tests and we knew it was way serious. He passed away Saturday morning at 1 a.m. He hung in there till my Dad, his only sibling, and I got to his bedside. He was sleeping comfortably and never awoke, but we held his hands and talked to him. I know he knew we were there. My Grams, who just celebrated her 100th birthday, is taking it really hard. You're not supposed to bury your children.
I believe that my Uncle Sam is up in heaven having a few Iron City beers and some Lucky Strikes with my Grandpap looking down on us and laughing.
I love you Uncle Sam.
Aug. 28, 2002 Wednesday
It's been a traumatic week, but the funeral served its purpose, and we have adjusted our lives accordingly.
I hadn't been to work in over a week, and I usually plan these absences well in advance, but of course that wasn't possible this time, since I had to drop everything and make a fast trip to Pittsburgh.
The good news was that there weren't a lot of messages awaiting me when I returned home. The bad news was that there were a lots of loose ends to be tied up when I got back to work. But it wasn't awful - I work with good people who held things together admirably following my sudden exit. Of course they picked this week to switch over to a new e-mail system, which didn't help any.
The Husband has jury duty today. Maybe. The system in New Jersey requires that you call a number and listen to a recorded message that tells potential jurors when to report. The Husband called last night and was excused from duty for this morning, but he has to call back at 11:30 this morning to see if he is needed for the afternoon sessions. If not, he has to call back after 5 pm to see if he is to report tomorrow morning. What a system.
I guess it beats sitting around the court house for hours.
We are being forced back into our daily lives. I suppose we need that.
Sept. 3, 2002 Tuesday
We're entering that part of the year I enjoy most, when the weather cools off and the party season heats up. Next month is our anniversary, followed by my birthday, followed by Christmas.
Next week is my nephew's 11th birthday, and he expressed an interest in a digital camera, which of course I encouraged and tried to explain in great detail (it's hard enough to explain digital photography to uninformed adults, let alone eleven-year-olds).
Monday he stayed at our house while his parents took his older brother back to college, and we all went out to look at digital cameras for 11-year-olds (the Husband tagged along for lunch, and to check out the latest electronic gadgetry). I figured any camera with decent resolution, removable media card, preview screen, flash and zoom would be a more-than-adequate introduction to the medium. The trick was to find one that was not too expensive. Our choices were few but varied. The one I wanted him to get was a bit over budget, but I was willing foot the bill if he wanted it. But to my surprise he chose the cheaper one. He just wanted to "start out simple."
So we went with simple. It only had a digital zoom (which I dislike immensely) instead of the much-preferable optical zoom. But he seemed quite happy with it, and that's what counts. But that left us with no toys for ourselves. So before we could get out of the electronics mega-emporium, we had bought a new tv for the living room :)
We did Mexican for lunch.
Sept. 9, 2002 Monday
Both the Husband and I get paid every two weeks (coincidentally on the same day), or twice a month. Usually. But thanks to the unique eccentricities of the Gregorian calendar, two months out of the year have a third payday in them, which is almost like an extra paycheck when it happens. Almost. October is one of those months, which translates into the new hdtv we bought for each other for our anniversary.
And there's the New Jersey Homestead Rebate - a very convoluted property tax rebate system that ranges from nothing to several hundred dollars each year - not something one can count on when determining a budget. But this year it was surprisingly sizeable - certainly more than we would have anticipated, had we bothered to anticipate it at all.
So now we have money for a small vacation - we've decided on Massachusetts for a couple days. It's only four hours away, and we spent a weekend there last year and vowed to return. We've never been to Cape Cod, so that's on the list. And we discovered that the Lizzie Borden house (Lizzie Borden took an axe ... that Lizzie Borden) is now a Bed and Breakfast, and you can spend the night in the room where Lizzie's mother was murdered, if you so choose, and the next morning you're served the same breakfast the Bordens had the day they were murdered. The Husband thinks that sounds cool. I think it's creepy. But interesting.
So that's in the planning stages - details will be forthcoming. In the meantime, back to work.
Sept. 15, 2002 Sunday
My 100-year-old grandmother is now officially a New Jersey resident. She had spent her entire lengthy life in Pittsburgh, but is now living with my parents, and my sisters and I pitch in on a regular basis to help out.
Yesterday was my nephew's 11th birthday, and this year it was shared with the nephew's dad (whose birthday is actually next week). It was the usual good time, with all the nieces and nephews in attendance enjoying the mandatory cake, ice cream and presents.
But following all the regulation hoopla, my sister brought out a huge storage box of my grandmother's old photos, and we spent quite a while going through them. We had no idea who most of the people in the pictures were, but between my grandmother (who is still pretty sharp for a lady who's been around since before the Wright Brothers learned to fly) and my father, we were able to learn who was who and what occasion was what. There was even a 19th century photo of my great grandmother that was still in pretty good shape.
But my grandmother seemed to be enjoying it the most, reliving the various occasions with her three generations of descendants. Which made it all the more special.
Sept. 21, 2002 Saturday
I used to volunteer more for work, doing community service type things, but lately I seem to be spending so much time at work I haven’t volunteered much. You don't get paid money for volunteering, but you get rewarded in other ways. A couple years ago I volunteered to represent my company at our booth at our town’s community day. My job was handing out blow pops.
It was easy enough. Little kids and “big” kids pick one of the lollipops. Some of the sticks are colored and depending on the color you could win a prize. Beach towels, mugs, t-shirts, sweatshirts, umbrellas, tote bags, and all kinds of goodies. The kids loved us, mostly 'cause they got to keep the lollipop. The adults were surprised that they got to play too. And even if the stick wasn’t colored, you still got either a pen or some tattoos. Hey, it was free!
A guy came over with money in his hand to donate to our cause. He was amazed it was free and picked his blow pop. It was white. As I laughed, I told him he looked like a tattoo kind of guy. He again remarked about it not costing and my friend and co-worker jokingly said, “Hey, you could always buy us hotdogs.”
Not five minutes later, our guy was back with 3 of the foot-long varieties, apologizing for not knowing what condiments to put on them. He disappeared into the crowd and the three of us munched on the best tasting hotdogs we’d had for a while. What a sweet thing to do. We hoped he would pass by again so we could point him toward one of the green colored blowpop sticks. Those hotdogs were definitely worth a sweatshirt. We didn’t see him near our table again; too bad we didn’t think about it sooner. I wonder how many other people he bought hotdogs for?
Volunteering pays well!
Sept. 27, 2002 Friday
Tuesday begins the final quarter of the year, and I always look forward to it for a number of reasons. Such as:
In eleven days: Our anniversary
Three weeks later: Halloween
Four weeks later: My birthday
Four weeks later: Christmas
One week later: A new yearIt’s gonna go quickly too. We have a few days in Massachusetts in there too. And even though we already got our anniversary present (the new tv), there is still to be a party in our honor including gift items.
And of course Halloween is for kids, and all my sisters’ and friends’ kids will show up all decked out for the occasion; that’s always a fun evening.
And my birthday! There are multiple celebrations to look forward to (my birthday has never been just one day - the Husband and I celebrate the actual day, I get feted at work, and a party with friends follows on the weekend). And just to keep the ball rolling, my sister, father and brother-in-law all have birthdays the following week.
By then the Christmas season is in full swing and I’m out there shopping ‘til I’m dropping. Christmas is my favorite time of the year.
And it all starts in just over a week.
Oct. 3, 2002 Thursday
I've had no vacation time this year. I've had days off, but none of them were used for vacation purposes. So I'm really looking forward to our few days in Massachusetts next week. The hotel reservations are made (including one overnight in the Lizzie Borden house), I have the necessary time off scheduled, our favorite catsitter has agreed to provide food and affection for Opie and c.c. in our absence, and we have contacted folks we know in the Boston area, warning them of our pending arrival (we met them in Alaska two years ago and have maintained contacts).
All we're planning to do is look at the scenery. The fall foliage is particularly spectacular in mid-October in Massachusetts (and they don't keep it a secret - motel rooms are at a premium then), but we're also planning a sightseeing tour of Cape Cod, which is not so much foliage and the tourist season has pretty much ended.
And the summer "cottages" (mansions) of the rich 'n famous 19th century industrialists are open to the public in Newport, Rhode Island. They're on the itinerary also.
I think I'll go pack.
Oct. 9, 2002 Wednesday
Every year at Christmas time, we get a Christmas Poinsettia. And every year after we pack away Christmas, the plant gets moved to a window in the spare bedroom (we don't do all that busy activity involving cutting it back, putting it in a garbage bag and leaving it in a dark closet 'til May, just so its leaves will be red 'n green next fall), where it becomes a simple green leafy plant.
When the warm weather arrives, it gets moved out to the deck and its care and maintenance is turned over to Nature. It usually does pretty well out there throughout the summer, becoming quite bushy and leafy. But along about the end of August or beginning of September, it starts to wither and thin out. We move it to a sunnier area and water it when necessary, but it continues its decline until it can no longer sustain itself. We assumed (brown thumbs that we are) that after many years of similar experiences, this is all that can be expected of a potted tropical plant in a non-tropical environment.
But here it is October, and our Poinsettia from last Christmas is still green and bushy. We've been waiting for it to wither away, but it refuses to do so. And while it's still been quite warm in the daytime, the predictions for chilly nights have become more frequent. So yesterday, we brought it back to its southern-facing window in the spare bedroom, where it will live out its days (or be joined by this year's Poinsettia after Christmas, if it's really determined).
With the chilly weather and bare tree limbs soon to surround us, there's something uplifting about seeing that bushy green survivor in the window.
Oct. 17, 2002 Thursday
We've just gotten back from five days in Massachusetts, and it was lots of fun.
Except for updating the Opie Project. The first day was no problem - we got Sunday uploaded painlessly. Then we moved on to our next hotel (in Hyannis MA - on Cape Cod), and there was a snag. Apparently Hyannis is one of those areas that requires dialing ten digits for some local numbers (even though they're toll-free). This was not a problem from our end, but it was from the hotel's. They had an antiquated phone system that read any number beginning with a "1" as a long distance number and billed it to the room per minute (at $9 per!). We tried every local number we could find, but none worked without a 1 and an area code first. So the options were nil. We finally gave up. The next overnight accommodations (and last of the trip) had no phone accessibility whatsoever, so the Opie Project was quiet for several days.
Until today, that is.
Hopefully we're back in business now.
We got in late, and Opie and c.c. were actually happy to see us (they're usually quite aloof to our absence); they staked out laps while we unwound a bit.
Our whirlwind tour of Massachusetts took us to the Berkshires, Fall Foliage, a visit with friends in Boston, a drive to Provincetown at the very tip of Cape Cod, and a night in the Lizzie Borden house (famous for its two gruesome axe murders) in Fall River, a tour of a famous mansion in Newport RI, and lotsa rain.
More about that later. I hafta unpack.
We're back :)
Oct. 22, 2002 Tuesday
Mondays are bad enough, but the first Monday back to work after a vacation is a black hole. You wanna just talk about your vacation to all those folks you haven't seen in a while, but work keeps getting in the way.
A friend at work had a birthday just before we left, as did our catsitting friend (who doesn't just feed them, she has conversations with them while she's there). So Saturday I dropped in on the latter with a Birthday/Catsitting present from the Yankee Candle Company, and she was her usual gracious self, assuring that I didn't have to do that. But of course I did.
Then Sunday I made a pineapple upside down cake for the friend at work (my pineapple upside down cakes are so well-received at work that anything less is regarded as a snub, so I hafta keep the ingredients handy at all times in case a cake occasion arises at work).
And there are a couple people at work who are real history buffs who wanted to know all the details about the Lizzie Borden house, and I was happy to oblige (that was a very interesting experience that I would recommend to anyone).
And I still managed to catch up on my backlog of work. I'm back in the routine already.
And c.c. is still keeping an eye on me. I believe she never realized that we had ever been gone for more than one day before. She no longer commands lap space, but she is always nearby.
It's nice to be wanted.
Oct. 28, 2002 Monday
Our anniversary was on the eleventh, the day before we left on vacation, and we had already exchanged our present (we buy one gift each year for both of us as an anniversary present - this year it was a much-needed new tv), so we exchanged cards and headed for Massachusetts.
This deprived my sisters of a reason to party (which is unforgivable in my family), so we arranged to celebrate the occasion when my sister from Denver was home, which was this past weekend.
It was a typical family get-together with lotsa nieces, nephews and food. We had fun. And being the guests of honor, we also got gifts. Cash, mostly (we did get a restaurant gift certificate).
And it was also the return to standard time, so we set all the clocks back an hour before going to bed (there were 17 of the things!), so it will be getting darker earlier from now on. It's almost November and the trees are just starting to assume their fall colors (some are just bypassing the colors altogether and dropping already-dead leaves).
Halloween is days away. And it's getting colder. Christmas will soon follow.
I love it.
Nov. 9, 2002 Saturday
Three years ago we splurged on a very nice digital camera. It takes great pictures and has all the features of a high-end 35mm film camera. Except for interchangeable lenses. But I still had my 35mm camera for the serious stuff (I referred to it as my "real" camera). However, the years have passed, and digital is my first choice now. And while there are digital cameras with interchangeable lenses, I could trade my car in on one and still owe money on it.
Actually, what I miss most is the ability to compose shots in the viewfinder, meaning I need a long telephoto lens (the 3x zoom on our present digital was too limited). And I wanted my own digital camera (the Husband and I share the same camera).
So I began looking around, and I found a Nikon with a great lens, a lotta features, and an 8x optical zoom lens (that's good!) and it wasn't terribly expensive either. And I was impatient, so I bought it online.
And today it arrived. Along with an owner's manual that was both thick and daunting (but if it wasn't, I wouldn't be happy). It is all I hoped it would be; I just hope I can learn it all before Christmas.
'Scuse me, I hafta go play :)
Nov. 15, 2002 Friday
It's that time of year, when the pace picks up before you realize it. My birthday is less than two weeks away and I can't even remember how old I'll be. And the big Christmas shopping day follows directly thereafter (yes, I'm one of those insane people who goes out Christmas shopping the day after Thanksgiving). Right after that are birthdays (father, sister, brother-in-law), more shopping (yay) and Christmas gets closer.
Somehow, many weeks ago, when things were quieter, I promised a bunch of people that I'd join them in Atlantic City for an evening at the casinos. Tonight is that evening. It's also opening night for the new Harry Potter movie, and my 11-year-old nephew invited us to join him, but we had to decline because of the previous engagement. Everything runs together.
I feel like I'm running at full speed just to stay even. I've worked long and hard this year, putting in lots of hours. And there's no relief in sight. I got a new camera last week and I haven't really had any quality time with it.
It's hard to realize that three weeks from tomorrow we'll be hiking around a Christmas tree farm, picking out a tree.
And as if I didn't have enough on my plate, I bought a new computer. It was time. My present computer is four years old; I need to be up to date. It arrived Wednesday, and it's still in the box. I haven't had time even to look at it yet.
Do I sound like I'm complaining? No way - I love this stuff :)
Nov. 21, 2002 Thursday
Tuesday morning at 5 am, the alarm went off. The Husband decided he was going to get up to see the meteor showers. It took him forty minutes to get out of bed. He was back in five. "Any good?" I muttered. "No" he grumbled. We went back to sleep, failing to reset the alarm. We both overslept.
I got my new computer set up and I love it. But I haven't been able to connect to our home network. I followed all the instructions, I double-checked all the properties, I did everything right. But I can't communicate with the Husband's computer (which has our budget on it). And by the same token, he can't communicate with mine (which has the color printer). So far we're making do with disk-swapping. But we gotta get this figured out.
c.c. is due for her annual inspections and injections (we got a reminder from the vet).
One of the perks (side effects/fallout) of shopping online is that you end up on mailing lists. Lots of them. So we are up to our whatevers in catalogs. They arrive by the pound this time of year. I'm sure the mailperson appreciates them as much as we do. But I will keep shopping online. The Husband is doing more of that himself - not all these catalogs are mine.
Next week is Thanksgiving, a brief respite from Christmas shopping :)
Nov. 27, 2002 Wednesday
Tomorrow is my birthday. It's also Thanksgiving. And my duty for my first Thanksgiving as a diabetic is to make the desserts. Is that some kind of irony or what? I'll make the usual pumpkin pies for everyone else, but I do have a nice sugar-free dessert planned for myself and the Husband that involves angel food cake, jello, sugar-free pudding and Cool Whip Lite.
My sister is home from Denver, and we'll also be celebrating her birthday while she's here (Her actual birthdate is next week, but that's close enough), and then it's Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving), when the stores have their biggest sales, and we join the throngs of shopping maniacs, dividing our time between the actuals stores and finding a parking space.
The Husband thinks we're nuts. But he has to work that day. Heh.
It's supposed to snow later today. A wet slushy no-fun snow. It's too early to snow - c.c. says so - she's complaining already. There's a light rain falling right now - just enough to keep c.c. in the house (and more than enough to keep Opie ensconced on the couch).
And c.c. - three years old but still a kitten - thinks Opie should play with her more than he does. She keeps trying to get him to join her. And sometimes he does, after she's batted at him mercilessly for several minutes. They run in and out of the kitchen, annoying the dessert chef (that would be me), then they nap for a while, then they're at it again. I think it's their prelude to the Indoor Days of Winter.
Every holiday has its traditions :)
Dec. 4, 2002 Wednesday
I am happy to say that I've got most of my Christmas shopping done. Managed to do so during the three hectic days that follow Thanksgiving, when the stores put on their big sales to get those Christmas dollars into their registers.
Usually it's a sisterfest - a roving mob of me and my sisters - that sweeps over the malls like a herd of locusts. When we spot something in a store that we like, we say so, then discreetly wander off so the other three can decide who will purchase it. Sometimes we don't even bother with the wandering off part. We also combine thoughts for ideas on gifts for parents and spouses. And we basically just enjoy each other's company. The three long days of shopping don't seem that long.
But this year one sister decided her family would be spending that weekend at Disney World, while another sister was otherwise occupied (she had to work!). Fortunately my big sister was visiting from Colorado that weekend, and the two of us had to make up for the lack of the other two. And we did, although we limited the experience to two days instead of the usual three (I'm not a kid any more).
There are still a few things left to buy, but we made a pretty good dent in our shopping lists. I still have to buy some toys 'n treats for Opie and c.c., but they appreciate whatever we get them (they usually enjoy the wrapping more than anything).
Ah, the wrapping. Phase 2 of the holiday experience, still to come.
Dontcha just love Christmas?
Dec. 10, 2002 Tuesday
We got our Christmas tree this past weekend. We almost didn't.
I'm ahead on my Christmas shopping, behind on most everything else. The house was a disastrous accumulation of clutter, none of it Christmas related. Things had to be stowed, trashed or transported elsewhere, and it was not a simple project. So that was what I spent the majority of Saturday doing. The house was thoroughly cleaned and ready for Santa.
The Husband then dragged out the 24 boxes of Christmas decorations that we have accumulated over the years and piled them strategically around the recently de-cluttered house.
By Sunday, we were ready for the tree. Ample space had been cleared of furniture (and our trees always require ample space), so it was just a matter of going out and bringing home a tree. We were also in need of a new trash can , so we stopped and bought one. And we still hadn't gotten our Christmas cards yet, so we made it a point to get them while we were out. Then we stopped by my parents to drop off some stuff and ended up having a late lunch there, and by the time we were back on the road, it was after 3:30.
I like Fraser fir trees - they have much sturdier limbs that Douglas firs, and I need sturdy limbs for my ornaments. We stopped at our usual Christmas tree lot where we were informed that Fraser firs were not growing big this year (a drought down South), and their selection was correspondingly poopy. I was disappointed, but worse was that it would be dark in less than an hour, and I was exhausted. If we didn't get a tree today, it would be next weekend before we did, when the selection would be even worse. But they did have a very large and well-shaped Douglas fir which I liked, so I relented.
This year we will be hanging our many ornaments on less sturdy branches.
Dec. 16, 2002 Monday
I finished my Christmas shopping this weekend, enduring several days of the worst crowds yet. Okay, I still have three gift cards to get - piece o' cake.
I started early Saturday morning and dragged myself home by late afternoon, too pooped to do much else. The Husband spent his time putting up the seasonal decorations on our home's exterior, and he had to buy all new lights for the Christmas tree (none of the old lights worked), so he was pooped for different reasons.
So we watched a disturbing movie called In The Bedroom. Not exactly a feel-good Christmas flick.
Sunday morning sent us both out on separate shopping quests, but he finished up much earlier than I. I met up with my sister and her family, and we all went shopping together and had an early dinner out. The Husband had hooked up an old antenna rotor in my absence (to receive more accurately the digital broadcasts we are now able to get), and he was napping soundly upon our return.
We got our Christmas tree last weekend, and it has stood unadorned in the living room since then. I won't be taking any days off this week, and I probably won't be getting home too early either, so this tree-decorating thing looms as a chore not done. Some folks make it a tradition to decorate the tree on Christmas eve. At the rate I'm going, I may be joining them.
But these things will work out. They always do. Ho ho ho.
Dec. 23, 2002 Monday
Less than two says to go and I can start to relax. I took off Friday from work, even though we were quite busy (my very confident staff insisted I do so - they said they'd call if I was needed), in order to get the house clean for the holidays. I'd been attempting some sort of tidying up for weeks, but it just wasn't good enough.
Stresses are a lot less stressful once you have a clean house to move around in. It was worth the effort.
Saturday and Sunday were wrapping days. Scissors and wrapping paper were busy both days. I even had to send the Husband to the store for more Scotch tape so I wouldn't lose my momentum by having to go out. He also spent the weekend in another room, wrapping with equal fervor. We both ventured out Sunday night around dark, tired but fulfilled. I made a celebratory dinner (lasagna) and we both watched some reruns of old Andy Williams Christmas Specials (there isn't much on tv the week before Christmas), followed by Christmas in Connecticut, a 1945 Barbara Stanwyck comedy of manners which I'd never seen before. It was watchable.
Today I have nothing to do Christmas-wise, and I'm going to enjoy not doing it. Christmas morning we will exchange gifts, head over to one sister's house for brunch and presents for the nieces and nephews, then it's over to Bucks County PA to the Husband's sister's house to exchange gifts with his family (they'll all be there), then it's back to a different sister's house for Christmas dinner (on alternating years we would stay with the Husband's family for dinner, but not this year), so Christmas day is a pretty hectic experience for us.
But until then, I will be able to relax and enjoy the anticipation of the coming celebrations. Finally.
Merry Christmas!
Dec. 30, 2002 Monday
Well, another Christmas season is winding down. Christmas gifts have been exchanged (the last of them being last night at a Pollyanna dinner; a between-Christmas-and -New-Year's tradition begun years ago among our friends). Although I am still waiting for some kids' toys I ordered online.
I had to return a dvd player I got for the Husband - it had a large label on the box specifying that it was either a floor model or returned or refurbished merchandise, and there was a markdown price in large letters. Not only did I not notice the label, but I was charged full price. I was a bit annoyed with myself for not noticing, and equally annoyed with the store for charging me full price, but the exchange was painless and I got over it.
My favorite part of every Christmas is the joy of the nieces and nephews at Christmas, and they didn't disappoint. We had breakfast with the youngest (7-years and 5-year-old twins) before joining the Husband's family in Pennsylvania.
I also took off all of last week from work - I hadn't planned to, by I was encouraged to my staff who assured me they could handle everything and that I had earned the week off. I agreed :)
A non-Christmas addendum - a co-worker picked up a rather nice exercise treadmill (a $500 item) at an auction for $45 and sold it to me for the same price. It was pretty close to being a Christmas present, so I'm counting it as such. It is taking up the last available bit of space in the bedroom, but both the Husband and I will make use of it.
Have a healthy and happy new year!