Day Off!

I'm taking the remaining Fridays this month off - using vacation to comply with the allowed carryover policy.  It's nice to sleep in a bit and to not feel rushed.  Enjoying the blue jays and listening to the street sweeper.  Back and forth.  Weaving as close as he can to the curb whilst avoiding all the parked cars.

No real plans today though we might meander over to new homes near us (and in our school district!! Yay! to future increased enrollment!).  There's only one single story model in the entire three community development but oh well - worth looking.

Though my heart is still set on Reno.

H.'s driving suspension was apparently lifted officially the day of the meeting with the DMV but I guess they just don't confirm any way other than 'in writing' - so it took close to a week to receive the official notice.  H. is back on the road now and J. is super glad to not be schlepping H. back and forth though he (J.) did get a lot of reading done which he enjoys.

Yesterday was the 27th anniversary of our proposal - hard to imagine it's been that long.

J. just headed out to pick up Starbucks - thankful it's just down the street and loving the mobile app.

B. is on maneuvers again but got to fly there (vs. a bus) on a huge Army transport plane.  Though his unit is heading 'home' and they are on a bus back.  But still - at least it's a one way long bus trip vs. both ways.  The latest rumor is Iraq in December - so possibly home for a week in November but then restricted to base for the 30 days prior to deploying.  Christmas without him home will be hard - really hard.  But hoping for Thanksgiving timing which would be lovely - and we will do a mini-Christmas then, possibly?

I had dinner with a dear friend on Wednesday evening in Danville - all things considered, the drive was fairly easy.  The new 'Express Lane' is open and it was only $1.30 all the way to 680 North which I thought was a pretty good deal.  I told J. I think I'd like a FasTrack gadget for the car so that IF you are going somewhere and decide the toll lane is a better option, you can make the move!  And the rare times we head over to the city will also be easier with FasTrack - automatic and you just pay the bill monthly.

My friend just celebrated her 75th birthday - we spent the evening reminiscing about the college where we both worked for a while and about her grandkids and kids and my kids.  We ate pizza, drank beer and she brought me a box of the most delicious chocolate chip cookies - and then, bless her heart, she told me they are a mix and it's a King Arthur Flour Company mix....I've already tried to order it and it's completely sold out!  They were so good, I hid the cookie tin under a pile of laundry in a laundry basket lest H. find them and immediately devour them.  She could have told me it was a secret family recipe and I would have totally believed her - but she fessed up and I'm glad she did 'cuz they are fantastically delicious and I can't wait to make them!.

It was a really nice evening and I'm glad I'm going to commit to making time to schlep over the hill to see people I miss seeing.

Work is crazy busy - when is it not?  I always say that as if it will magically ever be not crazy busy? It's always chaotically busy and already this year, little things just seem so irritating.  Sometimes I want to email people and say 're-read the email.  Read it carefully.  Think about what you are reading and then apply it.  If after doing that, you STILL don't get it, then call me'.  One little thing took one person SIX emails to get....and it was as if she simply just was guessing at what to do vs. reading what the email SAID to do.  Geez, people.  I know everyone is really busy and it is craziness everywhere but when we take up extra time unraveling things that a little simple 'stop, read, think, do' would manage, it's so challenging.  For everyone.

I'm going to turn on the TV and see what's recorded to watch - and then settle in for a leisurely Friday.  I think a nap will occur since I can stay up way past my bed time tonight.