Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Getting Better

Well, things are looking much better from where I'm sitting today.  The truck got fixed yesterday, which is a very good thing.  The fact that it only cost about $85 is even better!
The long and the short of it is, the interlock thing that doesn't let you go out of park when the key isn't turned was stuck.  I now know how to fix it.
I must say, the weather the last few days was awesome and I'm so glad that if I had to walk it was those two days.  Today, on the other hand, the weather is ick.

Anyhow, now if only I could get my mind back on work.  Oh well, life happens.

On another totally random tangent, cookie sales wrap up Saturday.  I'm so glad.  I have to make a final count of what I've still got, but I'm pretty sure we've sold everything!  I have donations for 64 boxes for "Cookies from Home" and I've got to get 10 boxes sent off to Steve. (I did some bad math earlier... and added an extra 24 boxes to my Cookies from Home count....)

Anyhow, I'm not able to keep a train of thought, just thought I'd post a quick update saying that it's amazing how your outlook can change when something small goes your way.

Peace and may things go your way.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Are We There Yet?

AAARRRGGGHHHH!!!!  I really want to start the week over again.  Really.  Well and truly.
The weekend was pretty good, even if it was long and tiring.
Then Monday struck.
I over slept.  Not by a lot mind you, but by enough that I could really get anything done that I wanted to.
I got out the door a few minutes late because I just couldn't get out of my own way getting dressed or getting breakfast and lunch together.
The weather was cold but nice.  It wasn't even really all that cold.  I started the car and then tried to put it into gear.
It wouldn't go.
Nope, the gear shift wouldn't budge.
This happened a few times last winter, but hadn't happened in about a year so I'd forgotten about it.  I figured it was cold enough that she was being cranky, so I left her running another 5 or 6 minutes and tried again.  Nope, no dice. *mutter grumble*

So, I call Bill.  He only lives a handful of blocks from me and usually heads into work at about that time.  Thankfully I caught him and Sandy when they weren't too far out and they turned around and got me.  (Of course, unbeknownst to me at that point, Sandy was not having a happy morning either.  Normally she's quite friendly and happy, but she was not in a good mood yesterday.)  Anyhow, we get to the end of the block and the light onto 309 went through 3 cycles before letting our side go.  WTH?  We make it to work with little else going wrong.

I get out and head to the front door to give Bill and Sandy a moment.  No ID badge.  Thankfully we're not the first ones at the office and Melissa lets me in.

I go upstairs  to my cube and I can't get one of my two monitors to turn on, the button is stuck.  Silly me decided Friday to go ahead and actually turn off the monitors instead of letting them go into sleep mode by themselves.

I then head back downstairs to make myself a chai latte (using Adagio's Masala Chai tea and half milk, half water).  I promptly boil the tea over in the microwave while my waffle is toasting.

By now I'm really, really, really wanting to just go home and crawl in bed and try again tomorrow.  I attempt to get some work done, but I really wasn't very successful at it until Larry comes over with, hopefully, a fix for something I've been fighting with for 2 months now.  It fixes one thing, but resolving that reveals a bunch more errors.  (Of course, all of this takes lots of time, lots of file transferring and lots of head banging against the keyboard and desk.  And I feel like I'm working half blind because I don't have my "spare" screen to drop files onto with information I'm referring back to in them.)

Gak calls around 10:30 I think.  No, the truck doesn't go into gear.  (The original plan was that if the truck warmed up and started cooperating, he and Boo would come get me, I'd drop everyone off and make an appointment with the garage for the very near future...)  Oh, and when Boo opened his door when he got up, Dragonfly fell off the door again and broke...
Snot in a bucket.

New plan; call Scott to see if he can come rescue me, Gak and Boo stop by Juniper Autoworks on the way to daycare and talk to them and see if they'll come get the car.  They're only about 3 blocks away.

So, the shop comes and gets the car around 11. Scott calls around noon to see when he should come get me.  He says he's got Randy with him and he'll look at the car.

*blink blink* Randy doesn't live in Jersey any more....
Randy doesn't currently have a job....
Randy is great with tools and machines....
*pound head on desk and try not to cry*
(We hadn't called Andy because we knew he had to work and is in the middle of moving Steph's mom to Florida which has its own drama associated with it.)

So, Scott and Randy pick me up.  Scott is having a Monday as well.  Couldn't get the bike inspected because the shop was closed.  I'm having car trouble.  His dad's bike broke down and needed a lift... Yeah... it was one of those days yesterday.

Anyhow, I go home, get set up to work and try and get some more done.  I'm marginally successful.  I never get a call from the garage.  Gak followed up around 4 and they'd started working on it.  We never got a call.  I saw them working on it when I walked past on my way to pick up Boo.  (One small plus yesterday, I got to get a nice walk in and spend some good time with Boo.)  We never got a call that evening and when Gak called it was after 5 and they'd already left.

So, this morning I overslept because I kept waking up last night.  Stupid stress.  It gets boring lecturing yourself that it is X:00 in the morning and there isn't a thing you can do about Q, R or S and to just go back to sleep.  Finally I did go back to sleep for good and then didn't wake up until 6:30.  It didn't really matter that I didn't get up at 5, since without the car I can't really make it to the gym to swim.  Oh, how I needed my swim this morning though.  Oh well, I got another walk to and from daycare in with Boo.  It was enjoyable and both of us seemed to have a good time.

So, now I am trying to work from home and not get too frustrated and cranky at the situation.  If I'd known I wouldn't have the car back this morning I probably would have bit the bullet and rented a car for today, except that Boo's car seat is in the truck.  And I need stuff out of the back for tonight.  And I'm trying really hard not to just go crawl back in bed and ignore this whole mess.

And then I feel guilty for getting so frustrated and upset because I'm not even the one who has it the worst off right now.  Randy is getting himself out of a "fun" situation and has been royally taken advantage of and is out more than I care to think about.  Steve is home from Afghanistan on emergency leave because his baby sister (16 years younger) passed away a few weeks ago.  Probably from an accidental muscle relaxant/pain med overdose.  (She'd been in a car accident a few years back and messed up her back.  She was in a lot of pain that Friday but wouldn't go to the hospital.  The couldn't wake her Saturday.)
So, yeah, a broken car is the least of my friend's problems...

I'd better try and get some real work done.
Peace to all and may your cars work and your troubles be few.

Friday, February 24, 2012

Tonsil Thoughts

Well, I had my doctor's appointment yesterday morning.  It went well over all.  I was reading on my nook when Dr. F walked in.  So, of course she asked me what I was reading and we launched into about a 3 minute discussion of books, reading and how so much of today's scientific theory and law was just stumbled upon by people we would see as crackpots, hacks and quacks today.  (Which makes me wonder a bit how we'll be seen in a couple of hundred years... just looking at the way technology is moving just in my lifetime...)

Anyhow, she was very happy to hear that my asthma and allergies haven't been bothering me at all.  If I need something for my springtime allergies, I'll call her and she'll send in a script.  (That's what I like about Dr. F, once she knows you and knows you understand your body and your reactions to things, she'll let you manage your own health without having to come in for every little sniffle and trust you when you tell her you need something for your allergies, or your strep came back or whatever...)

We then talked a bit about the fact that I had strep twice (well, I'm thinking that it was just once and that by missing a dose or two of antibiotics, but making them up, I didn't help things...).  I've been pretty susceptible to strep since I was a kid.  I had it 3 or 4 times in one winter the one year and was usually good for a case or two every winter through most of elementary school and into junior high.  I don't even need a tongue depressor when someone wants to take a look (actually, I tend to bite them if anyone sticks something in there...). For many years there it seems like I'd outgrown it, but now that Boo is being exposed to it more often, it seems to be coming back.  (I'm thinking I came down with it because there was a kid in his school who had it a week or so before.  Boo never got sick, but I did within the right time frame for it to have come from there...)  Boo's going to be around more and more kids and more and more strep starting in a year or so when he heads off to Kindergarten. (Gasp! *sob*)  The last thing I need is to be coming down with strep every few weeks throughout the winter.  I also have chronically inflamed tonsils and have since I was a kid.  I don't notice them, and they don't appear to be giving me any problems such as sleep apnea, but they sure as anything scare most new doctor or nurses I see. Sooo, Dr. F referred me to an ENT who now has offices in the hospital where her office is and she likes.  I have an appointment in a month.

Dr. F warned me that if they do decide that I need to have them removed that the recovery time will probably be about a week or so.  Knowing this, that will impact when I have it done, if we do go this route.  I don't mind taking a week off of work now to prevent possible weeks and weeks of missed work in the future.  And since this is something under my control, I will try and minimize the impact by scheduling this not for April, or at least the first half of April.  I really don't want to leave my teammates in a tight spot because of something I could schedule.

I'm still on the fence a bit about having it done.  I mean, it would be nice to know that my chances for getting strep will be decreased to almost nothing.  I never want to go through what I did the first few days I had it this time.  (And I'm betting my husband and son don't want me to either!)  But, I really don't know what other advantages or disadvantages there could be.  If I was suffering from sleep apnea, it would be a no-brainer.  My friend Arlene at work said that once they removed her son's (he was under the age of 10 at the time) that his snoring stopped, his allergies improved dramatically and he stopped getting sick.  those are pretty big pluses.  But, it is surgery and they'd have to put me under and I remember the last time I was put under general anesthesia, when my wisdom teeth were removed.  That was so not a happy thing for days afterwords.

So, we'll see what Dr. B says on the 22nd.  Until then I'll try and stay healthy and hope that Boo doesn't bring any more bugs home from school.

I'd best be getting some real work done, but I thought I'd share some of the mush that's floating around my head.

Peace to all and may you have great doctors and good health.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

*blank stare*

I really haven't had the time to update.  It's been really quite busy around here.  At least since the weekend or so.

Let's see here.  Saturday afternoon the boys got hair cuts and then Gak went to play Warhammer while Boo and I stayed home and watched "Muppets Take Manhattan" and enjoyed the "gooey bars" I created.  (Graham cracker crumbs and oatmeal crust bottom layer, sweetened condensed milk and peanut butter on top and topped with chocolate chips, baked at 350 for about 20 minutes, let cool long enough to not burn yourself.)  Needless to say, Boo and I enjoyed ourselves and our ooey-gooey chocolate.

Sunday was an adventure day.  We went up to Cabella's after breakfast.  I managed to find a pair of jeans that fit.  Not only did they fit, but they look great and were a size smaller than I was expecting!  And even better, they were only $30.  Therefore I grabbed two pair, one light, one dark.  I also got a new fleece zip up jacket and a pair of boots.  We also snagged a new seasoning (needs help...) and a new key chain because my old beaner has a bit of a bum spring.  We then had a nice lunch at Cracker Barrel and came home.  Unfortunately, it was quite a fight to get the boy-o down for a nap even though he was soooo tired he could barely stand.  We also had to run to the grocery store and some other errands.

Monday was a really, really long day.  I started by leaving the house at 6:00 to get into the office by 6:30 so I could leave the office at 3:00 and zip home, pick up a boy and then head over to Lowes.  Then I manned a cookie booth from 4:00 until about 8:30 or so.  We did really well.  We sold 57 boxes and raised enough donations for another 20 boxes for Cookies From Home.  (If anyone is interested, we still have plenty of cookies we're trying to sell, or get donations for Cookies From Home).

Yesterday I actually managed to wake up on time and get to the pool.  Unfortunately, I celebrated Donut Day and ate a donut for breakfast instead of eating something with a lot of protein.  Therefore, I totally over ate all day.  I really should know better by now, on days I get a good workout in first thing I've got to eat a lot of protein for breakfast.  Oh well, maybe I'll get it right tomorrow....  Then after work was my regular Girl Scout meeting.  It was craft night because we've got an event Saturday.

Today was an all day school day for the boy-child because Gak had a dentist appointment this morning.  Then after Gak got off work it was run to the bank, grab some dinner and put a boy to bed.

I've been working at writing this for about an hour now because I've been distracted by "Weird Al, Behind the Music Remastered".   (Yes, I enjoy Al.  I think I can thank Ben for that... I'm pretty sure he's the one who introduced Jon to Al's music and therefore I got inundated with it...)

Anyhow, the rest of the week isn't looking any less hectic.  Tomorrow morning I will be taking Boo to school, trying to squeeze in an oil change before my doctor's appointment at 9:15 then off to work and about 2 or 3 meetings.  Friday I get to go in early and probably stay late in order to try and make up some of the time that I'll be missing tomorrow.  Saturday from 9 until 4 I'll be at a Girl Scout 100th birthday party being thrown by the service unit.  I hope it's as fun as it sounds.  I don't remember my service unit growing up doing annual events, but apparently RSU does.  *shrug* We'll see.  Then Sunday will be laundry and Gak's threatening to turn it into "cleaning day".  I really just want to do laundry and groceries and not much else before the next week begins.  We'll see how it all shakes out.

Anyhow, I'm going to wrap up this long ramble.  (Actually, it's probably not all that long... it just seems that way because I kept getting distracted by the TV...)

Peace to all and may your weeks be full, but not too full.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Swimming Thoughts

I just got finished with my first swim in almost two weeks.   That isn't the amazing part.  The amazing part is what went through my head on the way to the locker room. 

I have to pass right past the hot tub to leave the pool area.  There was a young-ish, read older than twenty but not as old as me, guy sitting there, watching me pass.  What went through my head was "go ahead, ogle the cute chi... the fa... the chick."

Yep, that's right.  I thought cute before I thought fat.  I never really thought about it but despite being comfortable with who I am, I always thought that others just saw me as fat.  And yes, I may have been OK with that but it still couldn't be good for my subconscious.

And that thought just now makes me feel pretty damn good.

I'm off to the shower and work.

Peace to all and may your mind be on your side.


Oh, by the way... Love my Road ID in the pool.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

New Training Partner

Yes, you're getting two posts in two days.  There may even bee a third one tomorrow if I can get my thoughts in order...
No, this isn't an ad.  At least not a sponsored one or anything, just me raving about a product that I think could be life saving, or at the very least game changing.  But, I have to share.  Last night I got something really cool in the mail that I ordered, and I love it!

Jon and Becca are runners and very adventurous folks.  A while back they got shoe Road IDs and they love them.  I saw them when they were out here over the summer and commented on how nice they were.  Mom said she liked the idea, especially for Dad.  He's not prone to wandering, but you never know, especially as the Alzheimer's gets worse.  I'm often out by myself, or just with my boy-o (who will be 4! in June...).  Sure, I've got all kinds of contacts in my phone.  Yes, I have ID in my wallet.  And yes, I usually have both of these with me...

...But what happens if I'm in a bike accident and my phone gets crunched?  Or if I'm at the beach and something happens when I'm going for a walk or a swim?  Of if I'm swimming at the gym?  Or if I'm hiking in the middle of the woods?  How will anyone know who I am, or who to contact or my insurance info or vital health information?

Well, now I have something that can (but will hopefully never have to) speak for me if I can't.

Jon and Becca gave the family Road ID gift certificates for Christmas.  Mom ordered hers and dad's a while back.  She loves hers.  She got the version that velcros to her laces.  Dad removed his and tried to throw it away.  (I have no idea if Becca convinced him to put it back on or not... I'll try and be sneaky about it next time I go over...)  I got a pretty blue wrist sport version (see the picture above, but imagine it in a nice bright blue and with my info on it...).  I'm wearing it right now. Yes, I'm in the office and my wallet is right here and my phone and I don't expect to fall over any time soon.  But honestly, it's very comfortable and very comforting.

What I really love is the fact that they have an "interactive" version where you create a web page filled with your information that first responders can get to with a serial # and pin on the back either over the phone or on the web.  This means I can keep everything up to date and not have to worry about the info laser engraved on the tag being inaccurate.  Yes, it'll cost me $10/year for the account, but if you ask me, it's well worth the price.  (The first year is free with the purchase, so that's pretty cool.)  I also picked up a shoe strap so that way if I decide to put it on my shoes instead of my wrist, I can.

These things are great looking, very high quality, made in the US and could potentially save your life.  I'm thinking that I really should order one for Boo as well.  I mean, he's a typical little boy.  He doesn't often wander far, but there is the one time that he does.  Or what if both of us get hurt on a ride or a hike?  He's also not quite 4 and doesn't exactly have my, or Gak's, phone numbers memorized.  (And we don't have a home phone any more, so he really should have both memorized...)

So, I invite everyone to go look at www.roadid.com and read some of the stories and look at their stuff. And if you don't use one of theirs, make sure you have some kind of ID on your person. (I don't know how many stories say "I had ID with me, but it was in the bag on my bike and no one looked for it...) Especially as we become healthier and more active and more prone to doing silly things like going for a bike ride at 6:00 in the morning before work on busy roads, or taking long hikes in the middle of nowhere with just your kid(s) and things like that.

Peace to all and may you never have a time when you need something to speak for you because you can't, but may you have it if you need it.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Clothes Crankiness

This may seem kind of random, but it's not really.
I honestly can't remember when I've had an entire outfit fit correctly and look good.  Back a few years ago, it was because I was so overweight and in denial about what size I should be wearing, that nothing in my closet fit right or looked good.
Now that I've lost about 75 lb, give or take a lb or two, you'd think that I'd have all kinds of clothes that fit.  Well, I don't.  I've got some shirts that look great, but then I can't find pants that fit right.  Or if my pants are looking good, then my shirts or sweaters are doing something weird, or, like on Friday, nothing is right.

I know I've talked about it before, and I'll say it again.  If you don't feel good in your clothes, you won't look good, no matter how good the clothes are.  And lately, I haven't been happy with my clothes.  They're both too big and too small at the same time, often in the same garment.  (Don't get me started on jeans, but I'll probably end up going there anyhow...)  If I could afford to just throw everything out that didn't fit very nicely and start from scratch, I probably would at this point.  I've been dissatisfied with my wardrobe for over two years and haven't had much that's fit right in many, many more years than that.

I don't understand sizing or cuts.  I mean, I've got some pants that fit fairly well and are one size, the jeans by the same company are a size bigger and hit my waist at the same point, but seem to be cut like low-rise (read no actual waist per se... just the same cut through the hips... you're kidding right?).  And it doesn't seem to matter if you're paying $100 an item or $10, nothing is cut right.

I'd love to make more of my clothes, but I just don't have the time, money or skill.  Sure, I can make all kinds of things both crochet and sewing, but I'm just not the great tailor that Mom is.  I'm a very good technician (sew this seam... cut here... things like that), but I'm not so good at creating new designs from scratch or even adjusting sewing patterns to fit.

*sigh*  I'm sorry for this rant.  I don't really have much of a point.  I just am tired and frustrated with everything in my closet.  Well, maybe not my socks.... and a few T-shirts and some button down shirts, but 95% of what I own frustrates me on one level or another.  And I'm not sure what I can do to fix it.  Or even if I should try that hard to right now, as I'm still trying to figure out if I'm going to actually try and loose another 20 lb or so or just be content with drifting downwards for now.  (I really would love to get down to 150, if only because that puts me only slightly above the "healthy" range for my height by BMI and despite what I may say most days, I really do want to loose that #%#@^ obese tag....  I can tell you I'm 100 times more fit and trim at this weight now than when I was last here 10+ years ago...)

Anyhow, I have a boy-o to go tuck in.  Oh, Boo and I went down to visit Amma and PopPop today.  Amma is doing very well.  She seems to be walking about as well as before her surgery and keeps forgetting that she is supposed to be using her cane.  She's mostly got to remember that her knee actually does bend and to actually bend it and use it.  Her incision looks great, all of the swelling has gone down and her spirits are still very high.  She starts 3-day a week PT tomorrow and will be doing that for up to 6 weeks.  I haven't seen her this happy or feeling this good in a very long time.  I'm so glad!

On that note, I bid you all peace and only minor battles with your clothes.

Friday, February 10, 2012

Brain Goo

I don't seem to be doing a very good job of updating lately.  It could be because work's been pretty busy.  It could be that I've been sick.  It could be that I've been pretty busy outside of work.  It could be that I've been pretty darn tired in general.

Or, it could be that I just can't figure out what I want to write about.  I know there are all kinds of things going on that I can and probably should talk about.  There are several things that are going on that I'm not going to talk about here because it is more or less airing things that are private and wouldn't do anyone any good.

Overall things are about status quo around here.  I was sick last week thanks to Boo bringing strep home from school.  Nope, he didn't get sick.  There was a kid there who had strep, so I'm guessing that's where I came in contact with it directly or not.  I'm not happy about that... I seem to be a little more susceptible to strep than the average person.  So not looking forward to Boo bringing this home more often...

Gak's had a rough two weeks at work thanks to computer and network issues.  I'm just staying out of the way where that's concerned.

I had a customer come visit the office on Thursday.  It went well and we got some good work done that was much easier in person as opposed to over the phone and email and getting nowhere.

Anyhow, that's about where things stand.  Becca headed back to California on Thursday.  Mom's doing well.  We're all doing well.
I'm tired and could use a vacation, or at the very least a nap.  Anyhow, I've got to keep on keeping on for now.

Peace to all and have a good evening.

Monday, February 06, 2012

New and Random.

Well, it's been almost a week since I last posted.  I'm feeling a million times better than I was a week ago.  I can swallow without cringing and have most of my energy back.  So, I'm just about back at 100%, give or take.

Mom's doing really well.  She's being worked really hard in therapy and doing really well with it.

Saturday was actually pretty cool.  We had our normal Saturday morning/afternoon, but then after Gak got off work, we headed down to visit Amma.  We had a very enjoyable visit and Boo got lots of Aunt Becca time.  We (the "kids") got sent out to dinner because Dad was getting a big overwhelmed by all the people in the house.  Anyhow, it was a very nice chance to hang out with Becca for a bit and just talk a bit about both family stuff and general stuff.  I really love her and Jon and it really stinks some days that they live on the other side of the country.

The highlight for me, other than getting to spend some wonderful time with both Becca and Mom, was the fact that our income tax return cleared and I was able to take a bit of it and splurge on a new computer.  Well, I wouldn't call it much of a splurge.  It has been almost 6 years since I got the Beast.  He was a good machine, but living on borrowed time.  His power supply fan has been going for about 2 years now and if it went, the whole system would be shot.  It was actually going to be cheaper to replace him than to fix him, I'm sad to say. This new girl is pretty nice though.  She's a bit better than the $200 base models, but she's not a $2000 Alienware or even a $1000 Dell.  I did upgrade her video though, not top of the line video, but about as much as her power supply could handle.  She's a cute little HP and so far she's handling nicely.  Windows 7 Home Premium seems mostly harmless and fortunately hasn't changed up too many things.  I feel like they've hidden some key things that I'm used to being able to see/do, but I'm not your average user.  I spend a lot of time mucking about with software and doing things "behind the scenes" and troubleshooting issues for other people.  I'm used to being able to get easy access to certain parts of the OS, which Windows 7 hides from users because it's safer that way.  I'm sure I'll find what I want/need when I need to.

Anyhow, I know I didn't talk much about our visit with Mom.  There isn't much to tell really.  She was very happy to see her Boo, and he was very glad to see her.  He was extra gentle with her knee and so very cute.  Becca and Boo had a good amount of fun looking at "Cars and Trucks and Things That Go!" and playing with some finger puppets and just generally enjoying each other.  It made me happy to see everyone enjoying themselves.

It also really sunk in how much Becca has been doing for Mom and how much of a good thing that it is that she was able to come out here.  I could have done a lot of it, but nowhere near what Becca has done.  I wouldn't have been able to stay with Dad as much.  I wouldn't have been able to do all the running around.  I would have had to take vacation time and then still try and juggle Gak's work schedule and a boy-child.  And not to mention the mere fact that I came down with strep just 2 days before Mom's surgery and I sure as anything wouldn't have been able to take her to the hospital, let alone be able to stay with her or anything.

I am so very, very thankful for Becca and the fact that she's as good to Mom as she is.

Anyhow, I'm gonna wrap this up and go play with some new yarn that I just got.

Peace to all and may you have great weekends and wonderful family to spend it with.

Wednesday, February 01, 2012

Ups and Downs

Today has been a day of ups and downs and a little bit of in-between.
Up: I feel almost back to normal.  I can swallow without it hurting and am not feeling miserable in general.  Just feeling a bit wiped out in general.

Small down: because of awake boys it was a little chaotic for me to get out the door this morning so I forgot to take my morning dose of antibiotics.  Oh well. It's not the end of the world, just means I have to take it a little bit longer...

Small up: I actually got a few things accomplished at work.

Big down:  Today was Dud's funeral.  There were some good things about it.  I saw several people who used to work with us who we haven't seen in ages. It was nice to chat with Rick for a bit and see some other friendly faces.  If the measure of a life can be told by the number and the kind of people that go to your funeral, than it just proves that Dud was as wonderful a human being as I thought he was.  The church was nice and full for the service, and that doesn't count everyone who just came for the viewing and didn't stay for the service.  With every kind word that was said I could totally relate to several instances from work.  And then I began to think about my own Gram and how much I miss her.  And a little voice in the back of my head kept whispering that we'll have to be saying goodbye to my own dad sooner than anyone wants.  I kept replying "we don't know that!" but the mere fact that it was there can't be ignored.  Dad isn't getting any younger or any healthier.

But, the service for Dud was beautiful and wonderful and simple and honest, just like the man himself.  He carried himself quietly and reservedly and let his actions speak for him.  And anyone who knew him for long had at the very least a soft spot for him, if not downright love for the man.  I will truly miss his quiet presence at work.  (Especially since his area is right beside mine.)  I will miss the quiet of the office before 7am when we'd be the only two in the office and the friendly "good morning"s we'd trade as one or the other would walk by.  I'll miss his quiet, calm confidence when faced with urgent customer problems.  I'll miss the calm way he'd put his opinion in at meetings without any fanfare or back-patting or self promotion.  The world is a slightly duller place without Dud's presence.

Big up:  Mom came home from the hospital today!  She was pronounced "patient of the week" by her doctors. She's walking really well and able to do stairs and has a nice "even gait".  She sounded better than I've heard her in months.  She's feeling very good and not in much pain as long as she remembers to stay ahead of her pain meds.  She is not just feeling physically good, but emotionally good.  As she said, she needed to do this, she needed to do this for herself.  I'm so thrilled that she has.

Normal roller coaster: The evening getting a boy-o fed and in bed.  Yep, normal 3.5 year old stuff.  Of course, I'm getting more and more frustrated with the whole potty training thing.  One day he'll be really good and seem to be actually attempting to listen to his body and figuring it out, but most days he just doesn't care.  He realizes that it's easier for him to just keep using diapers and making us deal with it.  He's so smart, I'm really not sure on how to tackle that... And I have yet to find a big enough, good enough bribe to make him want to work at it. *sigh*

So, I bid you peace and may you have more ups than downs.