Another Week!

Whew! This week is over, finally. I was in the office by myself on Friday. The Legislative Breakfast was in Santa Fe on Friday morning, so Jn, Jo and Ch were all there. I got lots of things done. On Monday evening, the Evangelism Conference starts, so we'll be busy through the Senior Adult banquet Wednesday at noon. The special session to vote on our new executive director is Tuesday night. Pat will be taping off things for me on Monday and Tuesday nights, so I can catch up later.

We've started watching "Dancing With the Stars." We also like "Skating With Celebrities." Dancing is really good, we've been enjoying it. We missed the first couple of weeks, but it has really been interesting (and entertaining) to watch. Skating doesn't have the call-in to vote for your favorite like Dancing does, but skating is a lot different than dancing.

Have just over 200 miles on the car now. I'm going to have to get the digital camera and take a picture of it and post it. We got it with a full tank of gas, need to fill it up after driving it to work and back all week. I should get a reimbursement check on Monday. I'll fill up with gas after work before I go over to Hoffmantown.

We're doing a Lord of the Rings marathon today, watching Fellowship of the Ring (extended version) now. The three of them will take us a good part of the day. It may get windy later today. We'll probably build a fire in the fireplace, if it's OK to burn. With the wind, there shouldn't be any restrictions.

E was hired at McDonald's at Menaul and San Pedro, so he can go from there to Wendy's. He'll be training next Monday through Thursday and then start work on the next Monday. He'll be able to save up a little faster now.

Doing some laundry today. Need to get some clothes ready for work and school next week. May try to do some ironing, too.

We had some snow on Wednesday morning, but, of course, it was too warm for it to stick. That's the first moisture we've had in quite a while. We could sure use some more! TTFN

More Pictures!

OK, the filing cabinet is now where my desk used to be. I got tired of being behind that wall, I felt like I was hiding. Jn said he didn't mind it, though. This is the only arrangement that would work to get everything in. I had no say about moving into the corner office, either, it was Jn's decision. He said everybody would naturally go to my office to see him. I think he just wanted the view. Even looking out the office door, I can't see much, but it's better than just looking at the wall.

Well, I hope this works out with the vehicles. We now have a Hyundai Elantra, color is teal (green). Why is it we have ended up with so many green vehicles since we live on Mint Pl.? That's another story. They took E's truck on trade-in for $500. I was surprised, but they said they would take it, even though it's not running. It's seven years old, but the van should be a good vehicle for E and his growing family. At least he is going to stay here until mid-June and save up some money to build a nest egg. So P will be driving the Neon. He'll be glad to have something to drive, instead of being without transportation for the last seven months.

M and I will have our eyes checked tomorrow for new glasses. She wants to get contact lenses, but P says she's going to have to pay for them herself when she gets a job. I think I'm going to go back to regular bifocals instead of the progressive lenses. Maybe that will work better looking at the computer all day.

P wanted to get out and play some golf this weekend, but it didn't work out. We were at the car dealer half of the day, and the football games were this afternoon. But now that he has a vehicle, he can go after school. Golf team practice starts sometime next month, so it's nice that P will have transportation.

E went out with S yesterday, came down to the car dealer when we needed him to, then they went back to the flea market for a little while. E had to go to work last night. He's working tonight, too. He's been working a few more hours, but not enough. He's been putting in applications at a few places around, but nothing yet. TTFN

New Look!

Here's a look at my new office. The bottom picture is of my office door (of course, it used to be Jn's office). The wall on the left, just inside the door, is what I was hiding behind. About 8 inches of the wall is going to be taken out to make the entry a little wider. The second picture is looking in from the doorway. I think it looks a little "homey." The top picture is looking into the rounded corner from the doorway. I tried (on a scale drawing) several different arrangements in order to fit everything in, but the only other way put my back to the door, so that wouldn't work. More to come.

There are a lot of things to come at work: Evangelism Conference, special-called session to vote on a new executive director, editors' and executive directors' meeting (they'll be gone a whole week) in February, and Ministry Leadership Conference (a combination of two or three different meetings in one) in March.

Still having cold weather, in the 40s this week. Today was a little warmer, but there is another front coming through, but no moisture in sight.

There was a construction worker killed in an accident on the Coors-I-40 interchange project. I don't know if that is going to slow down the work for any reason. They had reported on TV that the project was a month ahead of schedule.

Taping off the new program on FOX tonight, Skating With Celebrities. I told Pat I'd like to see it. We never really watch Dancing With the Stars until last week, watched just part of it, but it was interesting, to say the least.

Mom's doing pretty good. When she went to the doctor last week, she had gained a few pounds, so that was good news. It's just been too cold for her to do much but stay inside.
TTFN

All Done

The moving is over. Got everything moved and put back in place. Had to reorganize a few things because of space constraints. My workspace is now on the narrow part of the desk and my hutch is on the wider part. Had to take some files and put them back in my drawer, otherwise everything else is pretty much in the same place on my desk. There is a window from my office out to the other office which looks out the east windows. That is, if C would open the blinds, but she doesn't want to open them, simply because it would give me some outside light. I do have the high spectrum lights in my office, which really helps. Of course, yesterday, being there by myself, I had the blinds open. She came in during lunch time for something and closed the blinds. When E and I got back from lunch I opened them again and left them open when I left. She will just have to close them when she comes in Monday morning. But I love my new arrangement. I am no longer behind the wall and feel like I'm hiding. Monday is committee meetings, new board member orientation and board meeting in the evening.

Some of the wall will have to be taken out so that entry into my office isn't so narrow. But I think this arrangement will work just fine.

It sure is quiet around this house without R, but from what I can get out of E, R is doing pretty good. E is planning on being here for about another 4 1/2 months, it sounds like. I still wish it would be longer.

Just going to take it easy today. Football is on later today. Need to put in some laundry, maybe iron something for work next week. E and M went back to her room to play cards. P and I are watching Inside the Actor's Studio. He is interviewing Michael J. Fox. It just started, but it looks like it will be interesting.

We may not go to Sunday school tomorrow, it is Sancity of Human Life Sunday. But the lesson looks like it is about caring for the elderly, so it might not be too bad, but I'm sure the discussion will turn to the other subjects.

We have a cold front moving in this weekend, so it's going to cool off. They say we might even have a chance of some precipitation. We need some terribly bad, it is so dry! I know we live in a desert area, but we still need a certain amount of moisture.

We're settling into a routine, like I'm sure many people are. There are always things that come up. I'll be at the Evangelism Conference the end of the month. There is a special called session of the convention to vote on the next executive director. So I'll probably be at all the sessions. Then we'll have a time of transition when he starts on the job.

E is looking to work more hours at Wendy's or find a second job. He seems to be settling down into a definite plan, and preparing for possibilities. I hope things work out for him and D. If not, then I hope they'll both grow from this experience and do what's best for R and the baby.

TTFN

Moving Day!

Yea! Moving Day is finally here. I'm rearranging my office this afternoon. I'm in the office all by myself today, so it's a good day to move. There are only two or three of us in the building! When MM comes in at lunch time, he will come and help move things. E is coming in at 11:30 and we'll go over to Burger King and have lunch and he'll help move.

It's so quiet, being the only one here. It's nice, I can actually get some things done! I am the only one of the support staff that is not on the flex schedule. But when it was first started, we talked about it in our office and agreed that it might not work with our work load. I don't plan on going on the flex schedule. The other two felt left out because on Fridays it's so dead. Of course, there are two different schedules, so every Friday there's a group of them off. JL went to Nashville today, otherwise he would probably be here.

The news last night said that Montaño has been approved for four lanes all the way from Coors to 4th St. They just have to wait for the Army Corps of Engineers (feds, because federal money was used to build the bridge) to approve the bridge being four lanes. The mayor says the barrels making it two lanes will come down by Feb. 2. Hooray!

Going to start unloading things to move this afternoon. I'll be so glad to get out from behind the wall! TTFN

Normal Monday

Monday's almost over, thank goodness! Came home on Montano tonight. They had orange barrels up between 4th St. and Rio Grande to make it two lanes again. The mayor did it to cooperate with the government and everybody that's complaining he jumped the gun. This is so stupid! Most people, I think, are in favor of making it four lanes, so what's the big deal? If the feds would go ahead and approve restriping the bridge for four lanes, that's all that's needed. What was restriped wasn't even part of the bridge, so what the crap are they complaining about?! There's always somebody that has to complain about something, and you can't please everybody all the time.

OK, I'll get off my soapbox. TTFN

Back in the Routine

Well, the first week back at work and school is over, even though it didn't start until Tuesday. Doing some reorganizing, making new files, looking forward to rearranging my office this week. The guys downstairs have my cable, so I can move whenever they bring it up. I'm tired of hiding behind the wall. Got my supplies I needed, so I'll get reimbursed for them Monday or Tuesday. The other two girls in the office started on the flex schedule, so they come in early and work late and will be off every other Friday. Fridays are kind of quiet anyway, because so many of the others are off on flex. Oh well!

Went to church this morning. When we were walking out, P said he wanted to go get R. It sure has been quiet around here without him. When I asked E how R was doing, he said that D told him that he has picked up another couple of words, "eat" and "bowl." I think the older he gets, the more he'll pick up.

I wish E would stay here and start some classes at TVI, but at least he'll be here a little longer to save up some money to buy another vehicle. Maybe time will be a good thing and something will develop to have him stay here.

Have a fire in the fireplace. It's still gets pretty cool at night, but warms up fairly nice during the day. I think that is why Mom is having a hard time. She doesn't do well in the cold.

Balanced the bank statement today and found a duplicate entry. That gave us a little more than $100 extra. Usually it's the other way around, I find something that I didn't record. It's nice to find an error in my favor for once.

Got the sensor replaced in the van this weekend. I hope our car repair bills are over for a while. It's been pretty expensive lately! Pat found the paperwork where we put a new battery in a couple of years ago. I thought it still had the original battery in it. It's good to know that won't be a problem. And gas prices are going back up!

E just came home a little bit ago. He is going to start working some more hours at Wendy's starting Wednesday. He said he will be opening that morning. I'm glad he's staying a while longer, I just wish it would be more permanent. Oh well, we can only hope for the best.

Desperate Housewives is on, just finished watching West Wing. Need to fold some towels I washed and stop spending so much time on this computer. TTFN

Begin Again!

Whew! Glad that first day back at work is over. Just trying to catch up on all the e-mail and get started working copy for the next paper. Will need to go buy some office supplies this weekend, things that Nancy doesn't get for our supply room.

E dropped off Mom's prescriptions this afternoon and then Suzanne picked it up later. She'll get started on her steroids tomorrow. I hope she can get a good night's sleep tonight. She was really tired today. After the wind settles down, maybe E can go down and rake leaves again. The last bag of leaves from last time is in the dumper for next Monday's trash pick-up.

E is going to have to scrap his truck, work a little longer and save up money to buy himself another vehicle. I think he misses R, but he enjoys having a little freedom and not being tied down with him. He will either see if he can work more hours at Wendy's or see if he can get a second job at Wal Mart.

The fires in Texas and Oklahoma look bad. Now we have fires in New Mexico. They said it moved pretty fast, but only about a dozen homes were burned. The wind comes up in the afternoon and stirs up the fires again.

Played Skipbo with P and M tonight, watching the Orange Bowl. I rinsed out some hose and got my pj's on. P and I both are tired tonight. We'll probaby go back in a little while and watch the news, a little bit of Jay Leno and go to sleep. E might be home about that time.

I guess(?) he'll start calling around tomorrow and see what he can get for his truck. He keeps busy around the house, doing his laundry, watching a little TV, doing dishes, etc. Once in a while P has a little job for him to do. We'll miss him when he's not here anymore. It sure has been quiet without R, but I'm glad we didn't have him underfoot with everything else that was going on lately.

Time to relax a little. TTFN

Good News!

Well, Mom was released from the hospital today and went home. They checked for diabetes, and did all kinds of tests. They say she has COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). Sent her home with steroids (I think) and Advair. P can probably tell you all about it. She ate good while she was in the hospital and got a good night's sleep.

Cooked our other turkey this morning and had some tonight after we got Mom home. It was good, especially still warm. Guess we'll eat on that this week. Going back to work and school tomorrow. Get used to writing 2006!

E got called in to work tonight, he should be home anytime. He was supposed to work until 8, but he may have gone to see S. He called for E while we were bringing Mom home.

Back to the old routine tomorrow. Have to get up early and get ready to go to work and school. Ironed a denim skirt today, guess I'll wear that tomorrow. This will be a short week for me, so it will be busy, trying to catch up from being off for two weeks

Hope everyone's doing fine! TTFN