Found

I arrived home this afternoon to find a long missing Starbucks card on my desk chair. I have been missing the card for several weeks. Once a month, I 'load' a gift card and use it throughout the month for my Starbucks visits - saves time at the cash register. (Oh, and check out the previous post comment where my wonderful hubby basically affirmed my morning Starbucks by pointing out that I'm not actually saving much by driving to the JITB across town...love a guy who gives me permission to do what's easiest, not necessarily the most frugal).

I had just about given up on finding the card - assumed it had been dropped out of my pants pocket and just hoped that whomever found it would enjoy the treats. But there it was, miraculously, and slightly bent - so it's been in either someones wallet - and the wallet would be the kind a guy would have in his back pocket - or possibly a pants pocket that's gone through the washer. Either option is entirely possible.

I had a fantastic day today - and I am really starting to love this job. I've had that feeling before today, though I would still periodically have the 'flee' feeling. But that feeling is completely gone and in it's place, is pleasure at 'digging in' to what's on my plate and pride at how I am really good at this - and getting better everyday. I know that sounds pretentious and snobbish and 'stuck up' - I don't mean it that way at all - but I feel good about how I'm starting to catch on and make sense of things that I've been 'lost' about for months. It's starting to get easier and easier - at least some parts, anyway. I told my boss today 'I learn as I go and sometimes, when the you-know-what hits the fan, that's when I really start to 'get' certain things 'cuz I'm forced to just bury myself in it until I figure it all out'. And that's what I've done the past couple days. A couple long simmering 'items' on the dozen page 'list of things I need to learn' have risen to the top of the heap and so they have been dissected and analyzed. Lists have been made. Lawyers, accountants, consultants, cohorts, etc. have been queried. I had more productive interactions and made more progress on some long-outstanding, very complicated, confusing issues today than I have in months. And THAT feels incredibly good.

Hopefully, I'll remember this feeling on Saturday when I'll most likely be working to do the 'regular' stuff I need to get to that doesn't involve burying myself in files, scheduling conference calls, etc. There's still tons of work to do related to year-end items and I have to get to all those things, too. So working this weekend is likely.

We will have a very busy weekend 'cuz on Monday, the 'team' arrives to do all the windows (inside and out) and screens and clean the house from top to bottom. Most rooms are pretty close to 'ready' but a few are most definitely not. We are still culling, sorting, de-cluttering, etc. and will continue over the next 4 days. J. will be working at home that day to ensure they are here and working and to keep things moving. I can't WAIT to get home on Monday evening to a sparkling home.

AND THEN, next weekend, my wonderful Aunt Mary is coming to visit from Boston! Can't wait to see her!! We are going to a Megan Slankard concert at Cedar Mountain Winery in Livermore and then we're hoping to have a day to head down to Santa Cruz for some beach/boardwalk time. The kids have been asking to get to the beach this summer so we're going to try to make that happen while Mary is here. And/or possibly the Monterey Bay Aquarium. We'll see if we're all in the 'mood' for the drive(s) and walking. We may just hang out here and enjoy our home and her company - we're flexible. Time with her is a rare and wonderful treat and I'm taking 2 days off work to enjoy every minute of her visit!