Maybe Never?

There are few times in a woman's life when she will acknowledge her husband called her a 'whale' and she loved him for it....

On a whim, I took a vacation day today and headed to Thunder Valley for a three night stay - the last junkets I will make for a long time 'cuz work is heading into the crazy busy time it always is this time of year AND I have no payroll person and no assistant at the moment, so to say the days are crazy is an understatement.

I was comped two nights and was able to get a special rate for the third night.  When I checked in late yesterday, the room number was the usual floor I stay on, but it was all the way at the end of the hall. Upon realizing this, I gave a thought about going back downstairs to have them move me closer to the elevator but I figured 'oh well, it's exercise'.

And then I entered the room - they upgraded me to a suite and Holy Cow - it is awesome!  Full living room separate from the bedroom.  Little kitchen area.  All sorts of 'new' amenities.  When the guy brought my bags up (I have two computers with me 'cuz I have to be available for some work things that required a work connection - isn't it amazing that I can be 'at my desk' virtually anywhere in the world?), he asked if there was anything else I needed - and brought me tons of waters, extra coffee supplies (in-room Keurig!).  Later that evening, two ladies arrived and offered me anything I wanted off the cart - 'all complimentary to our suite occupants' - tons of chocolates, full-size shampoos, bath gel, lotion, conditioner, more extra waters...

J. said 'you're a whale' when I told him!  The shower is HUGE and so is the bathroom.  There are two toilets - one in the huge bathroom (with a separate door) and another toilet room just inside the suite's front door.  A TV in every room (including inset into the wall of the bathtub), phone in every room -

I left this morning to eat a good breakfast (also comped with my points) and they did my room right away - so now I'm back, preparing to go out briefly 'cuz my computer mouse is dead and I need to navigate some work things and while I'm getting used to the touch pad, it's not easy for me.

I'm proud of myself because I am not losing my shirt - saving most of my play time for the 'events' that drew me back here.  I didn't come home broke from last time so that helped.  It's not really 'new' budget - it's just leftover fun $ and while I hope not to lose it, this will be the last overnight visit for a long time - and likely not a lot of weekend jaunts for a day, either.

Work is turning crazy quickly - and I really feel it.  Three days back of doing three people's jobs left me feeling bruised, frantic and exhausted...and there's still a long way to go to resolve all the things that are pending.  I think the hardest thing for me has been realizing a long-time employee and someone I considered a friend has decided the best approach to retiring is to give as little notice as possible AND schedule a completely elective surgical procedure during her 'notice' - resulting in her not being available for any kind of pre-departure training.  Thank goodness our County Office of Ed is full of totally stellar people who also support me as a CBO - 'cuz without them, I'd be doomed.  In the three days back at work, dozens of things crossed my desk that were 'brand new' to me - and I've been a CBO in the district for nine years now (1/4 was my anniversary!) - it's like those early days of being brand new to being a CBO - it's all new and I know nothing.

I know I can do it - I've done it before.  It's not the workload that's troubling me - it's the overwhelming feeling(s) of betrayal and trust that are crushing me.  People make the decisions they make and there's really nothing to be done about it - and I know the ultimate answer to all things like this is 'the only thing you can control is your reaction to it' - but geez....sometimes controlling those emotional responses is very hard.

OK - time to get my car and find a store that has a computer mouse.  I got a new one for Christmas but I can't wait three days for one.  Work stuff beckons....and doing projects, etc. in the quiet of a hotel room has it's pluses.