Monday, July 18, 2011

A lot of water under the bridge...

since I last made it here!

Literally...figuratively...

I spent June working 5 day weeks, picking up an extra day to cover someone who was out injured. I thought I was putting money ahead for our 4th of July party; instead I ended replacing a hot water tank. We still had the party and dinner (fireworks are still legal here); though things are "tight" I'm glad to be back to a 4 day week! Though I'm down 40 pounds and a lot of inches since I rejoined the work force, it takes one to feel like doing anything after 4 and 5 left me still aching when I went back after 2 off, lol.

There is much to do around here still before fall finds its way to the Plains as well, though with the current heat wave I'll be doing it in early mornings and back in by noon. Right now it's 100F. (37C.) on the north side of the house in the shade...the humidity adds about 10 to that right now and I don't deal with it like I used to! (There was a time I'd have gone out and fished all day when it was like this and not even noticed...of course, that time was about 100 pounds ago!)

So for this afternoon it's inside projects...there are always enough of them as well!

I hope life is being kind to each of you!

alan

Wednesday, June 01, 2011

The months fly by...

and the whirlwind keeps on spinning.

Since I was here last, my son and his family sold one house after a lightning round of repairs after the inspection; moved into temporary "digs" with my sister, splitting all their belongings out into 3 storage facilities; then bought a house. That latter meant that spare time was moving their stuff a pickup or vanload at a time for 3 weeks, followed by a final 26 foot U-Haul truck to clear the last of the storage places.

My work weeks take a lot out of me; juggling the rest of my life is about all I've had time for of late. I never intended to let 6 months slip by without finding a few moments here; the only reason I made it today is I had to get up early to take care of a few other things that went more quickly than usual.

I hope that life and the world are being kind to each of you...

alan

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Keeping my nose to the grindstone...

has paid off; I was asked to become "permanent part-time" instead of being a "seasonal" employee the other day.

I'd have never thought working 4 days a week could shoot such a hole in my life (with some 5's thrown in through the holidays)! Dottie and I finally had our first day off together between our schedules since before Christmas this last Sunday!

That said, we got through the holidays, managed to make all the family parties and survived both our birthdays, along with a couple of seasonal bugs and rounds of anti-biotics. The 5 year Delco battery in her Malibu died on schedule, replaced of course, by a Die Hard Gold...we've shoveled as much snow so far this winter as we got all last winter...

Life is pretty much keeping on keeping on!

One nice thing about the holidays being over is I have to take hour lunches now instead of 1/2 hours, so I'm taking books to work to read. I put away a history of Chicago Jazz from 1904-1930, a book that didn't just deal with King Oliver going up the river and Louis following him, but the socio-political-financial stew that made it take hold and grow before it migrated off East to New York as the "social reformers" and gangsters battled it out for control of the city.

That led me into a well written biography of Glenn Miller, because Miller, along with the Dorseys, Benny Goodman and others all played there in the days before Swing became King. I'm 2/3 done with it, and my Amazon list is growing accordingly...

Now it's time to put together some potato/bacon soup for dinner. Sorry I let things here sit for so long before I found my way back...

May the week be kind to each of you!

alan