15-days

The appliance repair guy was an idiot. He apparently never has to dry his clothes because he couldn't read the dial. I tried to explain it all to him I don't remember how many times and he still didn't get it. I gave up after a while and said "I'm moving in a month. I don't care what you guy do." That kind of left him in a bit of a quandary. He decided to leave his card and see if trying to un-kink the dryer hose helps. Stupid.

Can't focus on homework anymore -- said homework is also stupid.

I'm so irritated.

2 Weeks

I'm now two weeks into this new adventure.

The management company is charging me much more than I expected -- much, much more. At least I have my tax return so I can pay it. However, I don't have my car because Andrew's is in the shop and He is at work and I need to get the cashier's check and our note plus both signatures over to the Management company ASAP. They aren't open on the weekends and they have to have it by Monday. Would you put $1900 in a drop box and then trust them to do what they were supposed to with it? I'd rather be there in person. Maybe someone can give me a ride...or Andrew will get home early enough...I'm not holding my breath. I don't know who to call anyway. And no, Ghostbusters will not help.

I think I'll go around and take pictures of the house so Mom and Dad and others who never saw it will get to see what it was like. I took pictures of the yard last fall before Samson had a chance to destroy it. So I guess the inside and front are all that's left. Maybe I'll post some of the pictures so everyone can see.

I don't feel too hot and I'm getting tired. Stupid medicine! :(

Sorry. All I did was complain in this post. I'll try to do better next time.

Day 11

I am so tired! I think it's the new medicine, though. Will have to see as I keep taking it. Could be the staying up until about 12:30 and then getting up at 7:45 to run around to 3 appointments this morning.

I saw the gastroenterologist this morning. The polyp was pre-cancerous so now I get to have a colonoscopy every 3-5 years. That should be fun.
And, my primary care doctor says once I'm settled in Nebraska that checking for endometriosis wouldn't be a bad idea, either. That sounds like even more fun!

Well, I've been online basically since I got home checking e-mails, printing out materials for class and picking up the pieces of Samson's favorite toy which he finally destroyed. Don't know what we're going to use to play fetch now. I'll let him choose.

Day 10

When we hit March I'll start making it a count down instead of up. That might be less depressing.

I'm supposed to be doing homework, but I have absolutely no desire to work on a 700-1050 word paper about enrollment trends...it is, however, due tonight by midnight, so I guess there's no avoiding it in the long run.

The Bible study I lead meets again tonight and then one last time next week. I've already done all my prep, so I'm ahead of the game there.

It's beautiful weather today so I should be outside, but all I want to do is take a nap. I suppose I could put off working on this paper even longer if I did, but that's probably not a good idea.

I'm sick of dealing with the folks at Comtech about my computer and about COBRA insurance. Probably isn't helping my stomach pain.

1 week

That's how long it's been...1 week...this is what I've managed to do in 1 week...
I've filed for unemployment...and then had it fixed because they had the wrong name in their system...don't know how or why, but they did...
I had a colonoscopy...no word on the polyp biopsy yet...
I took Samson and Andrew to the Riparian Preserve in Gilbert...Samson scared some ducks, met some fishermen and some kids and smelled about every bush they had...and we were both exhausted by the time we left...
I got to start a new medicine for the fibromyalgia...found out today I was supposed to be taking it with food...whoops...thing is, it makes me sleepy...I don't want to take it with supper! I'll fall asleep during some of my favorite shows! Then again, I don't know how sleepy it may be making me because I take it right before bed when I'm going to be falling asleep anyway...
What else...oh, yeah...I made peach cobbler yesterday...and chicken enchilada soup...both very yummy I might add...
My friend Leo came by for dinner last night. That was nice...
I did laundry...
washed dishes...soon as I do there are suddenly a whole bunch more to wash! It's like overnight the dirty dishes elves sneak in and fill the sink! So annoying...
And homework -- I did homework...

There's really not much else...except finally made it real by making the decision. Nebraska it is! I reserved the U-haul...yesterday? Wednesday? I don't remember. Now comes the hard part of telling everyone...everyone who doesn't read my posts, that is...I think that's most of the people on my e-mail contact list...and a bunch who aren't there either...

Day...5

Has it been 5 days already? Feels like yesterday. I guess the days are just mushing together.

My final grade for my class was 100%. Perfect "A". Yea! They've scheduled me for a 29-day break after the current class which is perfect.

So, the decision has been made, I guess, though I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it. I'll be moving back to Nebraska after Andrew's graduation on March 28th. I can't think what other solution God would have. Seems short of His calling down from Heaven, lighting a bush in the yard or marking up my walls He's been pretty clear.

Meanwhile I beg computer time off Andrew and try to fathom packing. I'll have to start baking and cooking to get some of the grocery stuff out of the cupboard so I don't have to try packing up all that stuff. We should be eating pretty good 'til the fun ingredients run out...then we'll just eat sandwiches. :p

Day 3

It's day 3 of my new adventure. I know I will have to leave the townhome Andrew and I are renting. It's a nice big place, but we just won't be able to stay...not more than maybe a month or two. I hope I can find some place new where Samson has room to run or near a park where they will allow dogs to run around unleashed to play fetch, etc. He loves to run! It's not good for critters to be cooped up.

My first "real" class for my graduate degree ends tomorrow. So far I have a perfect 100% so I hope it sticks. By now, even if I lost a couple points for some reason, I wouldn't cry about it. :) The next class starts right away on Tuesday. At least I know I'll have time to put in the best effort I can without wearing myself out the way I had been doing. I did, however, find out I didn't get a high enough score in that silly 1-credit course in November/December so they put me on "Academic Probation" -- after one class! A stupid introduction to online courses class! That was irritating. Unfortunately, they won't let me double up on courses until that probation crud is cleared up. My academic advisor says I have 3 more classes to go to prove myself to their automatic system before it will clear. I wonder if I can talk them into removing it sooner.

I got my taxes done yesterday. My friend Carol is my heroine!! She found all sorts of things for me to get a good refund. Thank God, too, 'cuz I can use it!

Well, I have a box to sort. Samson chewed through the corners, so the box is useless now. :p

Good bad news?

Well, I was laid off today.
Yes, that is bad.
I like eating and having a place to sleep at night. I'm partial to being able to support myself. So, now come the hard decisions. What can I have shut off to save money? How can I reduce utility expenses (that reminds me -- I need to pay the electricity today)?
My biggest concerns are rent and health insurance. Pre-existing conditions are going to be a bite in the butt (to use my mother's lingo). It will cost about $1800 to get out of the lease early. My final check/severance was...let me look...almost $3K?! I didn't notice that earlier...
More tough decisions...that could probably get me to Nebraska...but I'd need a job and living with my brother and his brood...that would be, um, trying.
What's 3000 less 1800? 1200? f*ck! That's about a dollar a mile back to my family in Nebraska...
Oh my God...I've been wondering lately what God thought about me moving back to Nebraska...
What do you think? Is this His answer? ...I'm going to cry now...

Happy Thursday

I'm so glad the week is practically over...and then I remember what I get to do with my 3-day weekend (we get Monday as a paid holiday).
There's been a lot of layoffs at work. So far it hasn't affected my department, but my co-worker is a little over-achiever and I'm expensive and not able to work my full 40 hours. So, I worry it's only a matter of time. Two people I used to work with in my old department were let go last night and today. Someone else I know was let go last week. I'm sure there are more (60 last Wednesday I was told) but I don't know for sure who or what departments. Makes for a nervous situation around the office.
I'm in my last week of my current class. The next one starts the day after this one's done, so no break this time. We have our final group project due tonight and I'm the one under the gun for turning in the final version. Lucky me I have one who isn't done yet and another who made a crazy typo I can't fix myself -- at least not for sure.
Oh, and how am I going to spend my 3-day weekend? Saturday and Sunday on a liquid diet and Monday having a colonoscopy. Yipee. :/
So, while I wait for other people to finish up I'm watching CSI and eating the pizza that just arrived. Samson is dying for some crust, so I'm going to go spoil my puppy.

So excited!

I'm so excited! Even after the drama of last week, my professor gave me a perfect 100% for all my work last week! I have a perfect score for the whole class and we are in the last week! I'm so excited I've even been bouncing around the house clapping for myself. I didn't expect that at all. It's so awesome!! :-D

Rainy Monday

Monday has been Monday...which makes sense since yesterday was Sunday and tomorrow is purported to be Tuesday. I'll believe it when I see it. :p

It was back to work today which, as always, was thrilling down to its very core. Bible study was tonight too. It was fine. We studied Cappadocia. "Drive Thru History" -- gotta' love it! I had crackers with spinach dip...and a cheeseburger from McDonald's. The cheeseburger was better...less healthy, but so tasty!

It's been raining cats and dogs...or at least a lot of water. Per usual with heavy rain we got a flooded patio. Maybe you can't see it very well in this photo, but, I don't know...use your imaginations?

About half an inch of water on the patio makes Samson give a second thought to going outside.

Well, I've checked e-mail, done homework and now I'll post this little note and watch "Paranormal State" without interruption. :)

Oh yeah...

And then there was a semi on fire in a construction area of I-40 (east bound).
Horrible! You could see the smoke for miles...

Home again!

Well, I made it home from Nebraska. Despite the circumstances it was good to see family. I got to love on my nieces bunches and bunches. Samson was a very good puppy...in the car and at Uncle Dave and Aunt Cindy's house. Maybe his craziness at Mom and Dad's was due to sensory overload. He wasn't quite sure what to do with so many people!
The drive was beautiful! It's something else to drive the roads less traveled in Colorado. Peaceful, really since there's pretty much nothing out there. Did you know there's such a place as Last Chance, CO? It's one intersection with a 2-way stop. There's one to two buildings on each corner. One corner has a little homage to some kind of trail to Texas and has two "portable facilities".
Funny thing I noticed this drive was that in Nebraska, town signs include the population and generally nothing else. In Colorado it gives the elevation and maybe the established date.
Got home just after nine last night and set right to cleaning up after the havoc the cats caused. That was super fun. Now I'm trying to do homework, check e-mails and prep for Bible study...well, "trying" might be an exaggeration. :p

the church it's at

I figured as much, but I checked to make sure. The funeral is at St. John's -- the church my family's attended for years. Three generations went to school and were confirmed there. There's no ramp for wheelchairs or anything like that so getting Grandma and any other elderly or otherwise mobily disadvantaged into the church will be interesting.

Funeral

For those who are keeping track. The funeral is Wednesday, the 4th at 2:00. I forgot to ask mom to be sure if it was at St. John's, so I'll have to add that info later I guess.

Andrew and I are leaving tomorrow afternoon.

And Samson killed the internet. If Gore can create it. Samson can uncreate it, right? He chewed through the cable. So, you may ask, how am I managing to be on the internet? Yea for the expensive Verizon Wireless doohickey. I will be getting my money's worth out of it this week. :p

Dad called...

My grandfather has passed away. I think it was still Saturday here. Andrew and I will be driving back to Nebraska. Samson's about to learn the joys of a 24-hour drive cross-country. I will have to find someone to take care of the cats...then there's work to deal with, appointments, school...I'm writing this more to organize my thoughts than anything else...