Feeling Springy!

Winding up the weekend and feel proud of myself for all we accomplished.

I worked both days - full tilt, all out worked.  I had a couple moments each day of 'I think I could head home now' but I kept going.  Promising myself that every minute I spend in early May will be one less hectic, stressful, panicked moment I'll be spending later this month.

I started this past week completely pissed off - my boss having procrastinated us into a corner.  He asked for an extension of a deadline and I bit my tongue off not saying 'you've known about this deadline for months'.  His one huge weakness among many strengths is his constant last-minute nature about things.  And when my deadlines loom and I can't move forward on them because he's last minute again (as usual), it really tweaks me.  I was panicked - about his looming deadline that was thwarting a ton of my looming deadlines.

Once we asked for the deadline extension, he plowed through his stuff and I followed his work by plowing through the things I needed to do after - and by Friday, we were back on track.  Guess we are alike in that respect - we both work very well under pressure and we both are pretty driven when push comes to shove.

I felt two weeks behind on budget - having lost two weeks for his procrastinating - but by late week, I had regrouped and packed as much as I could into every spare minute.  'Cuz yes - on top of my boss' contribution to things being last minute, there are still many things looming in the weeks ahead that having nothing to do with building the budget for next year.  Retirement reception (annual district event), negotiations, meetings in Sacramento and Stockton and a host of other time commitments.

It's crazy, loony busy at the moment. And I'm doing better about it all post a weekend of making progress.

J. and I managed to even wedge in a little gardening this evening - oh, and we cooked a delicious baked chicken dinner.  It felt good to do a small project or two outside and we've decided (with finality and certainty) that we are going to empty the compost bin and get rid of it.  We never have the right 'blend' of green and brown and it's just a box jammed full of yard debris and leaves that's never going to turn into anything usable in the yard.  We've hired H. to empty it out and then we'll put the bin itself in the side yard until we arrange for our annual trash pickup courtesy of the city.  Or we'll post something on Facebook and see if anyone wants it.  I might try putting veggie scraps out in the dirt and just turn it over with a shovel?  We've got an area where we pile extra dirt so I could use that area and give it a try.

H. and his girlfriend R. are spending most nights together here.  She spent the weekend packing up her house and spending time with her kids.  I imagine this is all incredibly hard on her - her amicable divorce isn't - her kids are staying with her Dad and his wife (her step mom who it appears she doesn't get along with much).  She is planning to move into an apartment on June 10th and as far as we know, she and H. will live together as soon as her divorce is final.  Hopefully, they're both looking for work soon.  For now, she stays here many nights and her comings and goings and being here is becoming 'normal'.  She's nice and she and H. seem to be really 'good' together.  On top of everything else, she's had some kidney issues this week and H. has stayed close, taken her to/from doctor appointments and waited for her through procedures - and stayed nearby once she was home to be sure he was there if she needed anything.

J. and I tamp down any misgivings we have because for now?  Who knows what the future will hold. I still have moments when I wonder why she's with him - don't get me wrong - H. is a fine young man and he's got a kind, sweet heart and a good soul.  He's funny and loving and caring - he's a catch, for sure.  But I wonder - is it convenience?  She needs a place to stay so they are together?  Will that change when she's living in her own place with her kids?  I don't know.  We just have to let the situation be what it is and see what happens.  As I do in work, I try my best to always think and assume the best of her - because doing otherwise doesn't help.  She gives H. a list of things to do around his room - 'their' current 'home' - and he does them.  So maybe for the love of a good woman, he will learn to be tidier and clean up his messes and keep his room tidy.  Here's hoping.

H. worked for our gardener on Wednesday and pushed through his fear that he couldn't do it.  It was one of the hottest days we've had since last summer - 90+ degrees and no breeze.  He told J. after an hour 'I don't think I can do this' and J. was his usual encouraging self - telling H. to do the best he can and to not quit until he was ready to drop.  He made it through the entire day (8 hours!) and the gardener told J. 'he's a great worker - follows instructions, works hard'.  He's going to work most Wednesdays and hopefully some Fridays and Saturdays as well.

It's after 9 and I need to get to bed.  I'm trying for 8 hours a night minimum.

Here's to another productive, busy week with (hopefully) fewer frustrations than last week.