Birthdays 2009 & Miscellaneous miscellany…
This year for our dual birthdays, Neil and I decided to be more practical rather than whimsical since funds are limited. We both decided we could benefit from upgrading our home desktop computers. Rather than replacing, which would be much more costly, we’ve decided to upgrade. Nothing really major, just some tweaks. I decided to upgrade my RAM and Neil really needs more HD space. His 120GB is nearly full, so it’s time to think of more space. Upgrading has become much more economical than it was years ago when I paid over a hundred dollars to upgrade my RAM. (I kid you not!)
I honestly gave no thought to a present this year, since I had already received what I had wanted most-Neil and I being able to live under the same roof again. After almost eleven months of being separated, that’s what I wanted more than anything else. This eliminates the stress regarding our home in Tennessee. All of that is gone. *Poof* Plus, I get my quality snuggle/cuddle time since we are living under the same roof again. This makes me a very happy camper. It’s been a win-win situation.
Neil is settling into the new position fairly well. It’s still a bit soon to tell, but everything looks like it is going to work out well for him. Still keeping my fingers crossed though. He now works out of the home office in Kennesaw, GA. However, his immediate boss is located in Florida, but he does have a co-worker in the GA office. This entails that Neil drive to Kennesaw several times a week. It’s approximately an hour and fifteen minutes each way, depending on traffic. Not ideal, but much better than what was going on previously. Plus, we are hoping with some time that he will be able to work from home (he already has a work phone set up in the office) most of the week, and only drive in once or twice.
His previous crew from the site in bfe, VA, enclosed a signed good-bye card inside a large manila envelope containing the last of Neil’s personal mail that had arrived for him at the site after he’d already left. We read through it, and it was nice that they thought of him. Some very nice sentiments were expressed, and it’s obvious they miss him. That seems to be the consensus wherever he goes. He’s always greatly missed. Neil’s former boss (who happens to be based out of Kennesaw) remembered his birthday and arranged for cake and a Happy Birthday serenade. I thought that was awfully nice of Dan to remember Neil’s birthday. Neil even brought home some cake to share with me. (Notice I’m romantic, and didn’t bake one myself) Sometimes I suck as a girlfriend. It just didn’t occur to me, so many other things were on my mind.
The mass departure of the hair upon my head seems to have finally come to an abrupt and screeching halt. YAY! This is a very good thing. Although I occasionally enjoy the pure aesthetics of a shaved/bald head on many, it’s doubtful that my noggin would be nearly as appealing. I’m convinced I have a lumpy skull, so it’s better covered in hair, or at least a hat. It’s a bit strange that my hair would fall out from stress, as it’s never done that before, and it’s not like I’ve never had stress in my life before last year. It finally appears to have settled down to “normal” parameters, and that’s just fine by me.
I have discovered a new food lust: Honey Crisp Apples. I blame hvw for this. It was at her suggestion that I tried them. She was absolutely correct. They are delicious. I have not had a lot of them, per say. (If 500 were a lot.) But, every single one that I have eaten, has been the perfect combination of sweet/tart with that crisp snap, bite after bite. I have not had one single cottonmouth, mealy, flavorless overripe brown piece of what was supposed to be apple, rolling past my molars in several months. In the apple family, these are my new favorite. They have replaced my long time favorite, the Braeburn.
The older I become, the more I realize that I can no longer expect to find clothes that I would buy to be on sale in the Sunday adds. This distresses me somewhat as I’m too old for the new hip fashion style that’s been popular for the past several years. I’m also too young to be considered a muumuu buying fool. I do not want to be matronly just yet. I’m also too short to fit comfortably in most women’s clothing, and it bugs me to no end that buying something in the petite section usually means I pay twice as much. It’s all too annoying, and this is exactly why I seldom go clothes shopping. This is why my wardrobe suffers so.
*Mini rant to parents of fiendish children.* Having children does not automatically exempt you from behaving as an adult. Nor does it excuse you from accepting responsibility for your actions or the actions said children. It also does not exempt you or your children from having manners or common consideration for others. It does not entitle your children to behave in a manner that would cause others within a fifty-foot radius, to cringe and seek shelter. You, as an adult, and as their parent, should have some sort of control over their behavior. Having a little bit of public decorum makes a significant and visible difference within a crowded room. Having children also does not automatically entitle you to special privileges or exceptions to be made by others at your request that would normally seem unworthy or frivolous. Having children is a choice. It was your choice to have children, not mine. Do not subject me to your children’s unruly and heathen-like behavior and expect me to take it kindly. I won’t. Just my 2 cents.
I have recently been entertaining the thought of purchasing a reciprocating saw. Of course this purchase will wait until I start working and the necessities are taken care of before the wants. (Like new brakes and rotors.) Justifiably, it could perform double duty as a household item as well as a handy kitchen utensil. Probably much safer than a cleaver for those stubborn butternut and spaghetti squash I’m always wrestling with.
This year marks the thirty-year anniversary of my father’s death. Thirty years my mother has been a widow. She was younger than I am now, when my father died. This is a big deal, but also, it’s not. It took me a while to actually remember that fact. I’m sure there are things I wish to say on that subject, just not right here and now.
Since we now know we are staying in TN, I am planning on planting a garden again this year. Tomatoes will definitely be included, as well as more herbs, I think. I cannot wait for that first batch of home grown tomatoes. There really is nothing better than tomatoes right off the vine along with some fresh basil to make a quick pasta dish.
I also need to go back to work. Which is not as easy as I had previously thought it would be. I have already applied to several places, including my former employer. I even called them, again to verify that I was indeed labeled as “re-hireable.” I am. But, they once again told me to go to the web site and apply just like everyone else. *sigh* I’m also thinking of maybe applying at the gourmet food grocer right down the street, as well as the Greenlife Grocer downtown and the new Publix. Then once I’m working again, and have saved a few dollars, maybe I’ll go out and plunk down a bid on Candy’s place. That way, I can hone up on my mad bowling skills.