Mirage

The Mirage is offering us two complimentary nights stay - and it's so tempting to think of escaping to Vegas for a few days.  But thst's so silly 'cuz this time next week, my love and I will be in London!  Then Paris and Rome.  A whirlwind trip for sure and we are jamming in as much as we can.

We (me and friends at work equally obsessed) are bemoaning the end of Season 4 of Downton Abbey.  At lunch earlier this week, they said 'go to Highclere Castle when you are there!' so when I got home that night, we looked into it.  J. was totally up for including it - but then sadly, it is sold out entirely until well after Easter.  Can't even see the grounds or the gift shop or anything - so bummer!  Next trip we'll have to try to reserve far enough in advance to see that 'cuz it would be fun.  Now we have to impatiently wait another 10 long months for Season 5 and we are all sad about that - love it so much!  One friend just started watching on Amazon Prime from the beginning and she's so hooked, she's now only watching one a week to stretch it out as long as possible.  I plan to start rewatching from the beginning myself when we get back from Europe.

I have my big reports done and will work over the next three work days and two weekend days to finalize things.  Most important task is to tidy my desk enough that wood is showing.  It's been good to have spent a little time each weekend culling - construction projects sure create a lot of paper and we are slowly but surely making sense of it all and getting it tidied up and filed (or stored) as needed.  I even tidied up my desk drawers a bit -

It is storming here pretty fiercely at the moment and we won't complain about it one little bit 'cuz we need the rain so, so desperately.  Though on a house note we are going to hire someone to come clean out the gutters post-storm 'cuz there are some corners where the water just pours out over the top.  Last weekend, I noticed doves near the gutters and they were picking out things for their nests - so we obviously need to clean some things out. We have quite a list of house things that need to be done - getting rid of the doves/pigeons under the solar panels and netting them so they can't get under there again is another top priority. Houses always have something that needs doing or fixing.

If you're interested in seeing the effect of the drought, Google 'Folsom Lake' and see the pictures of the water levels.  It's stunning.  So let it rain - though hope the fire areas in the south don't end up having huge mudslides.  Nature - she's really something.

I filed the taxes for the 'kids' last night so they will get their refunds pretty quickly.  I didn't spend any time on ours yet - I've started them and know the approximate amount of 'damage' due but I can't tackle finishing them until post-trip.

I'm trekking to the doctor today mainly as a precaution - hoping he will give me a round of antibiotics to take with me 'just in case'.  There's still something sinusy brewing in my head and I would hate for it to blow up into a sinus infection and ruin 10 days of being an American tourist.

This trip will be a trial run of traveling sans laptop.  I will have the iPad so I can post and email, etc. - but I'm not lugging the laptop to/from.  I'm a little nervous about it 'cuz I'm so used to having it 24/7 but it's too bulky and I just don't want to fret about it - we are moving around a lot this trip with lots of connections and trains and cars and cabs and planes and it's just one less thing to have to worry about.  So blog posts may be sparse during the trip but I will catch up when we're back.  I think we'll post pics and stuff on Facebook, though -

It's cold.  Glad it's Friday and I will wear jeans to work!  I don't do that often but it's nice on a cold, blustery day and I have no meetings!

Updated on not Much

A very quick status -  this blog serves so many purposes!  On Friday evening, it was used as a timeline of H.'s 2013 employment history for his unemployment claim.  Yep - Friday was his last day and he's within 12 days of eligibility for unemployment.  His claim last year started on 2/8 and he got laid off on 2/21 - so he should qualify.  While the plan was to have J. create and retain a list of employer's including addresses, etc. , Friday evening found us recreating all that to get the claim in.  It was either Friday evening or who knows when 'cuz - you guessed it! - I worked all weekend again.

Progress was made, though, and I can see light at the end of the massively long tunnel.  I am, however, requesting no further updates on vacation plans for a couple days 'cuz at the moment, the mere mention of the trip sends me into an exhaustion induced tailspin.  I know it will be glorious - I just want to experience the glorious when I get there - not in advance.

I'm too tired for in advance.

So H. will be home alone and relatively unoccupied for two weeks and that makes me a little nervous.  There are just so many things that he doesn't pay attention to - for example, the toilet handle sticks on the toilet upstairs and if you don't pay attention to that, the water will run forever.  As it did for a part of the night.  We are in a drought - not a good thing to waste so much water.

I toyed with leaving the dog home with him and saving some money on boarding her - but I fear she will spend two weeks begging for attention she will never get.  The kennel folks love her and spoil her rotten so I think we will pay them to do that - one less thing for me to fret about with him home alone.

The Olympics are over and I don't know about you but I did not enjoy them a bit.  Russia.  It's just so corrupt.  It was painful to watch the events when it seemed so glaringly obvious to me that the quality of building the venues just wasn't there - and you know they spent a fortune on the games and much of the money spent went to corrupt people who keep getting more and more corrupt.  I feel bad for the Russian people - I really do.  When my possibly imagined corruption spilled over into the judging of the ice skating - that was it for me.  I wasn't that enamored with the whole thing before that - and after, I was done.  So I'm glad the torch is out.

Downton Abbey's Season 4 finale was last night - haven't watched it yet - but wow - it's the fastest show ever.  It just started in January and now we're done again for another year?  How can I make it??  By re-watching all four seasons - of course!

I am back to being a coughy, scratchy throat mess....possible Dr. visit this week 'cuz I think it's moved to my chest and I am miserable.  I am testing the 'Vicks Vaporub on your feet with socks' method of coughing control and I have to say - it seems to help.  The Vicks I'm using still has a metal lid on the jar so it's probably two decades old - but it's still menthol-y.

Both boys are anxious for their accountant to finish their taxes.  Thank goodness for J. who reminded B. that 'she is working seven days a week and spent three days last week in bed with the flu so be a little patient and she'll do them as soon as she can'.  I will actually attempt to finish both tonight or tomorrow 'cuz Lord knows they both need their refunds.

OK - time to get showered, dressed and head out for another long day.  My office at work is starting to look less like a train wreck and I will leave a massively long list of stuff for my assistant to work on in my absence.  I have seven work days and one more weekend left - and many more days of work than that still to do.  It's going to be another long, busy week.

Karma

I am typing this without my glasses....and I have a fever.  So this could be interesting. (To prove that, I just published and realized the title was 'Karna'.  'Cuz m and n look a lot alike sans spectacles and a body who's internal temp set point is on the fritz).

Today is day two of what will be known as 'The Plague of 2014'.  The sore throat of Saturday, Sunday and Monday turned into a scratchy mess of a throat by Monday night.  I slept very little - but figured 'this is how colds progress so once I'm over this stupid scratchy part, I should be good'.  Around 5AM on Tuesday, I decided to take a leap and I called in sick.  (We don't actually call in sick - I went online and entered my absence into our attendance system which then sends an email to a list of people who need to know the CBO is out for the day). It's a small, select group - lest people think 'yeah, no fiscal oversight in the house - let's go crazy!.

By noon Tuesday, I was pretty sure I was pretty sick.  Fever and chills...oh my gosh, the chills.  I dreaded being out from under the massive pile of warmth 'cuz I couldn't stop shaking. J. went to music rehearsal for church and around 7:15ish, I texted him that I needed help.  I felt 'scared bad'.  My head was killing me; I couldn't get out of bed without shaking.  He texted H. who came upstairs and brought me water and made me hot tea.  And he brought Excedrin which I hesitated taking that late at night but then figure 'who cares if I don't sleep'?  It occurred to me that the awful headache was being made more awful 'cuz I hadn't had much caffeine that day (compared to my regular consumption) - I had skipped my morning coffees and no iced teas throughout the day.  And I was most definitely dehydrated but afraid to move.  Afraid to drink or do anything that might end up being the tipping point that would have me adding vomiting to the list of things wrong with me.  I sipped water and the tea H. made and J. got home and held my hand and listened to me whine.  He's a saint.

Today, I am 'better' as in I am still running a fever but I'm not having the crazy chills.  My headache is there but bearable and I've been sipping various beverages.  J. went and got me the best chicken soup on the planet from the Mexican restaurant in town...and I had eggs and hash browns this morning - so that's good.  Eating and drinking will also help the headache.

I just put in an absence for tomorrow 'cuz if I'm feverish today, I don't work the next day. Praying I will awaken tomorrow feeling perfect - in which case I will probably go in -

I'm not panicked about my deadlines and massive list of stuff 'cuz I did make good progress over the weekend.  I am super-duper glad that I did work all three days of the weekend 'cuz if I hadn't done that, I would be absolutely freaking out.  But I'm not.

At least so far, I'm not.  There's still two more weekends and eight work days - assuming I make it to the office on Friday - and I think/hope I will.

I had planned to have breakfast with a friend on Saturday and I think I will need to cancel that - making me loser of the year in the friend department.  And we have tickets to The Ten Tenors in Modesto tomorrow evening and I'm going to skip that, too.

J. just made reservations for a tour of the Vatican in Rome!  Wow....

Time to head back upstairs....'my head feels fuzzy' (name that movie).

Baseboards

A weekend of progress to report on the major reports due at work.  Feel accomplished though this week will be interesting 'cuz it's full of a bunch of meetings and such.  Blocking days doesn't seem to work as well.  It's already February - it feels like the first day of school just happened a few weeks ago and here we are heading into Spring break. Crikey!

Returned home from work yesterday with a decidedly sore throat.  Argh!  It's really sore and getting worse.  Bugger.  Probably a stupid cold.

Along with working on the big reports, I did what I always do when leaving for a bit - like at home when I start dusting baseboards - I culled out my office majorly.  On the way home - after filling my recycle bin twice and deciding my shred bin will need an annex 'box' of some kind (my assistant will be plenty busy shredding, filing, etc. in my absence) - I had a brainstorm of creating a 'box' for everything related to the completed construction projects and another for those in process.  While I'm away, my great assistant can cull out dupes (a lot of meetings with a lot of different vendors creates repetition at times in all the documents floating around) and get things cleaned up and filed.  There will be far fewer stacks upon my return and that will be a beautiful thing.

There were far fewer stacks when I headed home this evening, too - also a beautiful thing.

I'll spend the week fine tuning; reviewing; re-reviewing and then sharing with my boss.  He will be 'me' at the next board meeting and it's a lot of info to present.  I'm sure he'll do just fine and I will do my best to provide clear info that he can easily share.  I'm sure it will go well.

Trip prep continues.  This week, J. will take Chloe for a couple shots she needs before she can be boarded at the kennel.  He'll order foreign currency; let our credit card companies know we are traveling in Europe; remind me to go to the bank to get a 4 digit PIN number for my debit card; arrange airport transport in Rome and a bunch of other loose ends.

H. is off until Friday.  They lowered all schedules to three days this week.  On a good note, H. confirmed they have added some major accounts so there's hope that the warehouses will still be needed.  It's great that H. has made it through several rounds of layoffs and is still working away.

I feel tired.  I'm more than a little concerned that by the time the actual vacation gets here, I will be too exhausted to enjoy it?  But I know I will (enjoy it).  I won't let myself miss out on this amazing trip with the best travel buddy a girl could have.  I will learn to sleep on planes. And trains.  Maybe even automobiles.  It will be wonderful.  I can catch up on sleep when we get home.  And it looks like I will be able to take off most of Spring Break so that will be a nice week of just resting and chillaxing at home.

I'm watching Downton Abbey and then heading up to bed.  Early to bed, early to rise.

Time's a Passing

It's already 2/15 and I can't believe how fast this month is going.  I've worked 14 of the 15 days so far this month and will undoubtedly be working every remaining day of the month but am feeling OK (relatively speaking) and things are moving forward.  Though I will say: where's a leap year when you really need it?

J. and I fixed ourselves a wonderful dinner to celebrate love!  We ate out last night but it was after I got my hair cut - it was good but not 'special'.  So tonight, we did steaks, baked potatoes, Caesar salad with homemade croutons and Pots de Creme for dessert.  All delicious though the Pots de Creme is so, so rich.  H. will enjoy leftovers when he gets home from work later tonight.

J. is heading to a Beatles tribute band concert here in town with a friend who's driving here from Dublin to join him.  Beatles just aren't my thing so I will spend a quiet evening at home working on taxes and cleaning my desk here.  Then early to bed to get ready for another day of work tomorrow.

And so it continues.

H. is pretty sure (based on what he's hearing) that the warehouse he's working at is destined to close soon.  The company lost the Raley's account and that's definitely a loss of one of their biggest accounts that was supported by their Northern California location.  They have other warehouses down south - but it's looking like H. will be unemployed again within a month or so.  He's looking for another job to hopefully find employment before they close - and he is one of a very few left from their round of recent hirings.  He's doing OK but they put all the trainers back to working in the warehouse also and it's not as easy without someone to ask questions of.  It's sort of H.'s way - he likes help.  Makes me think that one of the reasons he's having some lower production numbers is 'cuz he didn't really take notes and 'learn' what he needed to do - he has to ask questions of someone when he's stuck and then he does OK. Big learning for him that eventually, you have to stand on your own.  AKA:  LIFE!

B. is good - he is enjoying a four day weekend this weekend and got to shoot some sniper rifles on the range this week - now that he's officially in Recon, they are doing a lot of real training and he's enjoying it.  A lot.  He hit the target at 700 meters - pretty darn good! Maybe all those video games are paying off.

On Thursday, I treated myself to calling a friend I haven't spoken to in ages - fun to catch up.  It's so easy sometimes to stay 'away' for reasons that seem reasonable - life, busy-ness, the perception that the other person is too busy to be bothered.  But reaching out and connecting is always such a wonderful break from the craziness of life - reminds me to do that more often.

It's another three day weekend which even with me working is still great 'cuz I love sleeping in.

I'm sure there's been a lot more happenings in the past in nine days but for now, I can't think of much.

Precipitation!

It's raining!  I am so excited!  We need the water soooo badly in our state so when Chloe turned around and gave me a look that said 'you've got to be kidding?  You expect me to go out in this?'  I replied with a firm (almost gleeful) 'yes, I do!  Get to it!'.  So she did.  Poor baby with her belly rubbing on wet grass and puddles everywhere but she coped.

She's back in her day bed burrowed in against the cold.  Wish I could burrow back in my bed, too...but that's not happening for another 16 hours or so.

Today is a no meeting day and that's a beautiful thing - hunkering down and finalizing board prep stuff and then back to work on my massive report.  I met with a coworker late yesterday strategizing on board stuff for next month and realized that all of that prep needs to be done in just over three weeks as well 'cuz I'll be heading over the pond in less than four weeks.  Yikes!  I'm nervous excited - as I always am before a big trip.

H. paid his first  room and board week yesterday and J. said he was less than thrilled.  It's such a small amount of money for a roof over your head; heat; water; food; beverages.  I can't imagine why he's so upset about it but oh well.  It's a reasonable amount for an almost 21 year old to pay for room and board and if he's unhappy about it, let it motivate him to get to a point where he can have his own place.  Here's hoping.

Brewing second cup of strong coffee now and then getting spruced up to greet the day - it is a three day weekend this weekend and while work will mostly fill it, I do look forward to sleeping in.  The 4AM awakening that is then followed by going back to sleep is often the best 3-4 hours of sleep I get in any night so I really relish weekends - and a Monday off is stellar.  Followed by another Monday off next week.

We tried to see the Space Station last night at 7:04 - might have caught just the quickest glimpse of it but it was getting cloudy and trees were in the way.  That happens sometimes when it's low in the horizon.  Oh well - we tried.

Off to the races!  Can you feel my enthusiasm?  Really.  I am.  I think I can finish board prep today and maybe with a little luck I could take off one of the three days this weekend if I can spend tomorrow working on my report.  Here's hoping!

Clearly

B. broke down yesterday and procured a new Verizon phone.  So he's officially off our car insurance (a year ago!) and now off our phone plan.  He's independent!  Yippee!  The best part of the new phone (well, for him it's a new 5S iPhone which is pretty awesome) is the reception is so much better.  Honestly, calls with him have been pretty tortuous in many ways.  The reception has been flat out awful with AT&T and he ends up calling us from his truck from the gym parking lot most of the time 'cuz he can't call from his room.  The reception was so garbled, it was like listening to someone talk with marbles in their mouth. I would end up totally frustrated that I couldn't understand 90% of what he was saying.  But now, crystal clear!  Yeah!

It appears he has block leave (a time when the base is basically shut down and all enlisted personnel are encouraged to take vacation time) the end of June/first of July time frame - when we are in Cancun.  I'm not too keen on having him here using this house as party central for two weeks but we'll see how it goes.  A lot can change and we probably won't really know 'the plan' until a few days before the plan is enacted.  I will try to remain flexible.  Ha!

Monday flew by which is great 'cuz Monday's usually don't.  Heading into a long morning of meetings and then will be in hunker down mode working away.  My boss expressed kind concern that I worked both weekend days this past weekend and when I said matter-of-factly 'I am planning to work every day in February to get everything done that needs doing before my trip', he said 'well, try to wedge in a day or two off - 'cuz really...that's too much work'.  I like him.  He's very kind.

H. continues to baffle and beguile me nearly simultaneously.  I wish he would understand that 'spinning stories' to craft his version of a situation doesn't make it any less the opposite.  And as always, his madre is going to figure it all out - and then I'm left scratching my head with the perplexing question 'why?'.  The crafted story wasn't necessary 'cuz the 'truth' was no big deal and yet he persists.  He says 'it's just hard for me to communicate about emotions and feelings and stuff'.  Well....OK.  But then say that.  Say 'it's hard for me to talk about this and I don't know what to say' instead of weaving a convoluted story that I quickly poke a gazillion holes in.  Oh - and quit attempting to convince me that I'm crazy.  That the facts as I recall them must be wrong as you weave a different scenario in a futile attempt to throw me off the tracks.  My memory ain't what it used to be - but I'm still a mom and I know smoke and mirrors when I see them.

And the oddest thing is:  there is nothing major going on.  Nothing.  Not a single thing that warranted such a huge attempt to avoid the conversation.  Only then you know what happens: bold lies about nothing at all create distrust about everything (and nothing at all) and the spiral continues.

I always told him I can't live in a house with someone I don't trust - and that's where we're back to.  It's nothing big or major - except his integrity and reputation with his mother on this earth.

I'd honestly kick him out but he has nowhere to go and I'm not cruel.  The kid is snoring on the couch at the moment and he acknowledged 'it's cold in here'.  It was 65.  It's a heck of a lot colder sleeping in your car, buddy.  I didn't say that - but I thought it.

Avoidance doesn't solve anything.  And the mom always knows a spinning, fabricated ruse when she hears one.  If you aren't truthful about things so small, H., then how can I trust about the big things - like sobriety?

Super Sunday

J. is at church 'cuz he is officially the only bass player left in the church's musician group.  He could literally play every single Sunday at this point and I acknowledge there's no reason for him not to.  He's got plenty of time these days for the Tuesday evening rehearsals and the Sunday morning early arrival (another rehearsal).  Still, I miss our lazy Sunday mornings of hanging out together with occasional waffles and bacon mornings.  Now, it's just me and Greek yogurt with coffee.

H. is vertical and he's good company - but he doesn't want to just hang out with me.  I think I feel a little lonely on Sundays for some reason.

Glory to God though so it's all good.

It's Super Bowl Sunday and I had visions of preparing snacky things to munch on but J. is heading to San Leandro to visit his brother and they will watch the game there. H. is heading to work at 3PM so if I get home from the office by 3, I will have the place to myself.  Plenty of piddling to do.

California is officially in a drought and the dark skies this morning are begging to pour.  We had 1/5th an inch of rain one day this past week and then less than that another night...but it has been an incredibly dry winter.  At the very least, I hope the dark skies here means there is snow up north - so am fine with the gloomy cold the weather brought today.  Yesterday was stunningly beautiful - crystal clear and sunny.  We've had a lot of those clear winter days and they are wonderful - but when you see lake beds drying up and realize that water rationing may actually happen, it's different.

I enjoyed a long talk with B. yesterday - decided to call him as I pulled out to go to the office for a bit.  It was a 40 minute conversation about nothing much but it felt great to just visit with each other.  He made the Recon unit - the time he's spent there has been a 'try-out' of sorts that culminated in an interview.  He was nervous but said he thought the interview had gone well - and he was right 'cuz he made it!  So he's officially Recon now and looking forward to starting specific training including shooting sniper rifles.  He's really stoked about that. It was great to hear him excited and content.  Considering in November, his invitation to Thanksgiving dinner was 'hey, you're the new guy and nobody likes you, but you're still invited to my house for dinner' - he's come a long way.  He's made some great friends and is officially 'accepted' in the unit.

Sometimes I think the military is really just living through high school over and over and over.  Being new; trying to be accepted; making friends.  But he's dealing with all of it fine and seems happy so that's good.

He did acknowledge that he and the friend we met when he was here have decided to be just friends.  Romantic feelings long distance are impossibly hard - and he said they both realized it and mutually agreed to just keep in touch.  We'll see if he sees her when/if he comes home for a visit in April or May.  I think their decision is practical and logical.  They don't have a long term friendship to back them up and getting to know each other across thousands of miles sounds good in theory but is challenging in reality.

H. has spent the morning chatting with me - I love how curious he is about so many things. He spends a lot of time surfing the web and watching videos and at first, you might think 'what a waste of time'.  But he's basically educating himself on so many topics - he finds interesting things he's interested in hearing and learns more.  Sure, some of the stuff he finds is ridiculous.  But it's all thought provoking and I enjoy how he chats about things he's seen or heard or wonders about.  Today, he asked me 'what makes a Louis Vuitton purse so special?' and I explained that partly, it's the brand (high end designers with a good design reputation are coveted for anything they make) and also the materials used to make the purse.  And that high end purses are usually hand-sewn and last a lifetime...and age well because they are made from materials that last forever.  We talked about my Dooney & Bourke obsession and I said 'I still remember how it felt when I'd purchased a pretty expensive handbag - to carry it - 'cuz I'd never spent that much money on a purse in my life.  But when you've reached the point where you can treat yourself to something like that, it felt great!'.  Then I said 'I think that's what's hard for kids today - 'cuz I didn't own a purse like that in my 20's...or even my 30's. You see adults with all this stuff and you forget that you are in your 20's and your goal at that age is to get to where you can support yourself.  Budgets in your 20's and 30's don't include luxury items like that.  And maybe your budget will never include things like that.  It's OK.'

Now, I need to remind him that I always get my purses on sale at the outlet stores or online vs. full price - 'cuz I'm all for treating myself but I'm frugal.  Maybe those purses will put his kids through college someday.

It also hit him this morning that we are going to both Europe AND Cancun this year - and he was stunned about that.  I said 'Carpe diem! is our new motto'!  He wants to go to Cancun and I said 'save up for a ticket and you're welcome to join us'.  So we'll see.

I've got to get showered and head to the office for a bit.  Hoping to be home 3-ish to enjoy a little quiet time and piddle around the house a bit.  There's always plenty to do.