Wow - Another Monday!

Another Monday has crept up on me when I wasn't looking. A friend had to remind me that I hadn't posted my Monday update, so sorry, all you fans out there in the cyber world!

I'm really getting used to not getting up and going to work. Sleeping in until 7 or 8 in the morning, having a cup of tea with the newspaper, petting the cat and eating some breakfast, catching up with Facebook... this is now my morning routine. Sometimes it lasts until 10 or 11 - in the morning, of course! It's going to difficult to get back into a decent frame of mind for working again when something finally comes along. Bummer :)

Had a really busy weekend - didn't think about employment once! Saturday was filled with gardening and hardscape construction. We are finally working on building the walkway/stairway from the deck level of the new house to the lower yard level along the creek. Over the two days, we cut in four steps, after much "negotiation" on the engineering and construction techniques. Fortunately, Scott and I learned the art of compromise very early in our marriage, which is probably why we have stayed together for over 28 years! It was a beautiful weekend, warm during the day and chilly at night - perfect for working outdoors! Not only were we able to make that progress, Rich came and started laying floor beams for the waterfront cabana. After months and months of planning, measuring, estimating, waiting for funding, and "negotiating" the plans (again with the negotiating...) we had trenches dug for the footings and our son-in-law poured the footings, set the pier blocks, and with Scott's help, shot the measurements for the floor beams. Next step is rolling the floor joists and backfilling the footings. We should have a shell in a couple weeks! It's very exciting - I will be sure to post some pictures of the progress from time to time. I haven't taken any yet - usually when I'm down there, I'm covered in dirt :)

Michael heads back to Afghanistan on Wednesday after a nice 15-day visit. He'll be gone for another 8 months or so. He's spent a lot of time at his favorite watering hole, singing karaoke until the wee hours and hanging out with his buddies. We will sure miss him when he's gone again - our little soldier boy is such a goofball and so much fun to be around. Keep him in your prayers while he is in harm's way over in the desert.

We had quite a runaround on Sunday - My sister, Carolyn, came down from Vancouver BC for the day - she wanted to visit with Michael before he redeployed. But Michael was visiting with one of his Army buddies across town - and planning to visit with his daughter in the afternoon. So, Rich came over early with Anita and baby Griffin so he could work on the cabana and Anita and Griff could visit with everyone. Erick and Liz took baby Aeries to the fair with Liz' uncle and grandma, and Michael went to his friend's place after church. Carolyn made it to mom's next door and had some lunch while we finished up with the landscaping, and Rich finished for the day and took off to help his uncle move. Then Mom, Carolyn and I took Anita & Griffin home around 2, then headed over to Rannen's home to hook up with Michael during his visitation. Around 4, we picked up Scott and went into Seattle to meet my brother Tom & his g/f Miho for dinner and more visiting while Carolyn was in town. Carolyn had to leave during dinner to catch her train, Tom & Miho headed home after our meal, then Scott, Mom & I went to see Carol Burnette at McCaw Hall! Carol's show was a hoot - a mixture of old clips from her show and Q & A time with the audience. She even did her Tarzan yell! It was a pleasant way to end a busy day, and a busy week. No wonder I was surprised to find Monday rolling around again...

Enjoy your week, and I will press on with mine!

Yikes!

This morning started with a nosebleed! (sorry - no photos...)
Fortunately, it ended pretty quickly, with no other casualties!
Another Monday, and no new job, or offers, or anything. It's a beautiful day, though, and I believe I will get something done in the yard. Hopefully my son and his wife will get some housework done also, like they agreed to do when we allowed them to stay here.
So, we put together a rental agreement, and they have yet to agree to it! How do you boot out your non-compliant adult kid and his wife when they have a darling baby girl who will assuredly suffer if they take her also? I say: IF, because we have offered to keep her here until they get on their feet somewhere else. They (naturally) did not find that offer attractive... however practical it may be.
We ask them to keep their room tidy, and currently their piles of clothing, etc. are not only obliterating the floor in their room, they are spilling out into the hallway and the "spare" room next door. Perhaps I will offer to throw away anything that ends up in the hall. But of course, that will only spark strife, and I can't take any more of that. I like a peaceful house.
So here's a questions: Am I trading cleanliness for peace? Is that a reasonable trade?
Maybe I will post some pictures of their mess, just to memorialize it! On day, I am sure they will "grow up" and realize they can't live like that - that it is an unhealthy environment for them AND their daughter.
Arggh! Sometimes it is so frustrating! I am looking for suggestions from all you readers out there (both of you)... and something more practical than "Put your big girl panties on and show them the door!" Tough love is tougher than it sounds....

Melancholy Monday

This is my sixth Monday since the layoff.

I woke up feeling empty and lost - again. I though I was over this phase... But I started thinking about work and the ladies who are still there. I know today is a heavy workload, being the Monday after the 10th of the month. I started wondering who was doing which tasks - Are they overwhelmed? Are they having a hard time juggling priorities? Is someone doing my old tasks - and are they doing them well? Will the work be done on time? Which deadlines will slip? etc, etc, etc.....

I had thought I was past this phase - but then I recall some old psychology class lesson on the impact of "life-changing situations," including death in the family, moving, and job loss/change. The full impact is sometimes not felt for 6 months. Your mind stays in a state of shock so that the person can continue to function while gradually absorbing the impact of the "life change." I sure don't want to feel this way for 6 months!

Focusing on the positive has got to become a standard practice for me again! I have to take charge of my situation - I can't keep wallowing in self-pity and self-aggrandizement. (Of course, the office will do fine. Nobody is indispensable. I was not the only one there who was capable of excellence...) Pulling myself up by the bootstraps has to become a daily workout! I will get through this and come out a better person with more appreciation for al the wonderful gifts God has given me in this life, and not worry about those that have been lost. Even the things in my past have given me lessons and memories that will last a lifetime! Looking for the silver lining has got to become second-nature for me.

Then - out of the blue - my younger son called from Dallas... Yes, Dallas! He has been on deployment in Afghanistan, and we knew he was due to have leave this month, but did not know the exact dates. He will be home today! We will get him for two weeks before he has to go back - it will be a joyous time for sure. And a little difficult too. I have been handling his finances in his absence, and I have got to make him understand how broke he really is. My boys both have a really difficult time comprehending finances. They both crave instant gratification, and will spend every penny in their pocket without regard to upcoming bills. It's a really difficult lesson for them - especially since the poor impulse control they have is directly tied to their ADHD. Still, today will be a good day after all!

Friday Night

Well, another week come and gone... and spent the night with a few friends having "happy hour" at a local restaurant. It was relaxing to sit and chat with other moms about troubles with sons and daughters and the various problems teens have these days. The hubby came to join us later on, and another hubby came too. It was a nice, relaxing time out on the patio having drinks and some appetizers. Too few days like that lately!

Still no positive responses from job applications - which is actually a good thing, since I'm not really getting serious yet. I figure, with a two week vacation coming up in a month or so, it's not a good idea to get involved in interviewing, etc just yet. Hard to ask for two weeks off while you're learning a new job :)

Well, enjoy the weekend, all you folks out there in ether-land!

Post Holiday News

What an eventful whirlwind holiday weekend!

Despite pouring rain and wild windstorms - even thunder & lightning - we got a lot done in the yard and garden. Even had some help from a friend's son & his buddy (thanks guys)! But that's not all... We took a spur-of-the-moment trip out to the ocean to visit my hubby's folks, and were fortunate to be able to take our oldest granddaughter (3) with us! We played on the beach (in the blustery wind) and made sandcastles... it's amazing what passes for a castle when you're three! Our delightful dinner consisted of salmon and crab legs from Costco - a first for the little one, and she really enjoyed it! We had also brought over some fresh tomatoes that made a lovely salad accompaniment. We stayed the night and scooted out early in the morning. A quick visit, to be sure, but a fun one, despite the 2 1/2 hour car ride each way :)

Then came a visit from our 9-month-old grandson (and his parents) to celebrate his parents' fifth anniversary - we went out to dinner (Mexican - yum!) and watched the lightning and monsoon blow by from the warmth of the restaurant. We had a chance to chat with our son-in-law about plans to do some "remodeling" to our creekside cabana. He's also out of work right now, so we are collaborating on several projects :)

On Monday, we slept in! I know, it's a shocker... but we were surprised to wake up and find it was almost 10am. Haven't done that in awhile, except when sick. Then our grandson brought his parents over again and we played and chatted and had a good time, in addition to making some firmer plans for the construction projects. They scooted off to join a Labor Day picnic and we had some lovely steaks for dinner along with several items from the garden... green beans sizzled in our own onions and herbs, caprese salad with our tomatoes and a few pea pods for variety... it's so nice to be able to walk outside and pick dinner! My mom joined us, and we had a lovely meal. A little later on, our younger granddaughter (almost 1) came home with her parents from a week in Spokane, where they were visiting her other grandma and various family and friends. While they were away, my son and his paramour finally got married! It was a simple legal marriage, but we're going to celebrate later. We got to play with the little one until her bed time - she's such a delight!

So now it's Tuesday, and the sun is shining for now - back to the job search and the daily routine of housework, yard work, and maybe even completing a few sewing projects that have been on hold!