Good week!!

Yeah, it was a good week. The new job is working out really well. I get to do what I am good at, without someone watching over my shoulder every second, and micromanaging. This group understands that I do know what I'm doing, I have been doing this stuff for a lot of years now.

Getting on the bus was interesting, seeing some of my prior aquaintances and renewing conversations was fun. It was so surprising how I got right back into the groove. The morning rush of getting the dog out/fed, making my lunch and finding the lunch bag, then a fast breakfast, get dressed (damn, having to wear hose and heels again, takes a lot more time than throwing on jeans!) and get out the door around 6:50. The cat was so pissed off, he decided to hide. I thought he had zipped out the door, so ran around outside until I realized I was going to be late on my first day. When I got home, he was still not responding to me. Then JJ decided to saunter up from the basement, demanding his dinner... stupid cat, just trying to drive me nuts.

Went to lunch with folks from the former firm. It was so good to see them all again. And then today went to lunch with my friends up here... and we really should have done what we keep threatening to do. One pie, 4 forks... Forget the balanced meal crap!

The Phelps slime have crawled up here to Minnesota. These pathetic excuses for human beings dare to picket the funeral of a young soldier, calling his mother names and spouting their bigoted rubbish to those coming to remember a fine young man. The only good side to this, is the appearance of some very brave and honourable men and women in the Patriot Guard, who go to the funerals to protect the families.

Been emailing with a news anchor on a local channel. His daughter graduated with Son. We've had some decent discussions, and last night his opinion piece was on the Phelps group. He equated them with the KKK. I think he got THAT right. Then of course, our neighbour to the west (So.Dak) decided to put women's choice to a vote... not a referendum, that would mean that everyone would have a say. No, the cowards decided that they had the stacked votes in their legislature and could take a woman's choice away from her, even if she had been raped or was a victim of incest. Sanctimonious assholes! Next thing to be outlawed.... well? what do you think? Some of these idiots have decided that birth control pills are a form of abortion... so that's next. These are the same jackasses who will vote FOR a war and FOR the death penalty. The only life they seem to care about is the unborn one. The born folks... nah... they don't need affordable health care, or decent food, or affordable housing... The rich need their tax rebates, don't forget!

Sorry, got on my soap box there.... but hey, it's MY blog! So I get to say what I want!!! HA!

Talk to you later.

~LAW~

Another picture of the loveliest child in the world. She is, isn't she???

I got a real job! working at a plaintiff's firm, doing some real paralegal work, for LARGE litigation medical device mass tort stuff.. they came up with my $$. So I'm a happy camper. It's downtown, so it's back on the bus. I drive about 35 -40 minutes to the park and ride, then get on a bus for another 30 minutes or so. That's the fun part, that's my time. I get to read, crochet (cross stitching is NOT possible... too bumpy) and chat with fellow worker bees. I'll be back to walking the skyways for lunch (maybe I'll see about getting a YMCA membership) and I hope this will also help me stop eating... constantly!

And folks, IT'S COLD. MINUS 6 was our high. and that didn't count the windchill! that was about minus 20. One of my co-bloggers on BIO tells me he loves Minnesota.... hm... makes ya wonder, don't it? I can't wait to get outta here. Even the dog was not happy to be outside today. She loves to play outside, but we've cancelled BALL today. Tomorrow morning's windchills... - 50!!!! oy, gevalt.

If you have been following the saga, you'll know I disconnected the outside wood boiler and have been relying on the electric boiler to provide my heat. The electric company called today, to find out if everything was ok, was I using an electric space heater (well, in the bathroom yes...) but it seems my bill is quite a bit bigger. Well, yeah, I'm not on dual fuel, which really cut my bill by more than half, anymore, and the electric boiler is on duty full time. But I was really impressed with them calling me!

This means I have to start doing everything on weekends. grocery shopping on Sunday mornings, whilst everyone else is in church.. and then laundry and make some real dinners, so I can have left unders for during the week. My neighbour is going to be my dogsitter. Because of Lexi's medical problems, she can't wait for more than 7 hours without going outside to do what she has to do. I usually use the vet tech from my vet's office, but my neighbour could use the money, and she's nice and close. If I'm going to be late, or need to shop, I can ask her to do it again without worrying.

Another chapter starts. Wish me luck!

Talk to you later.

Where DOES one begin? Dickie (gimme another Deferment)VEEP shoots a lawyer.. and for a while it was funny. I mean, lawyer jokes, texass hunting jokes, Cheney jokes, as my husband says "too easy"! but now it's serious. The poor man had a heart attack. But for some reason, the neo cons have decided it isn't anything that should be discussed, it's not important. The Imperial Presidency continues. Tomorrow's hearings with Chertoff could be very interesting as well. I am hoping to read something about the Veteran's Affairs Committee hearings from today. The VA is so overwhelmed, underfunded, and cannot keep up with all the new cases they are getting from this insane war. Rumblings of trying to make PTSD harder to file for and trying to say it was a Pre existing condition triggered by stress or something equally ridiculous make me nervous.

As for here at home. The "kids" are doing fine, may already be looking at buying a house! Son got a raise/new job at same company, which is great after less than a year. DiL is job hunting, may be thinking about doing home day care, which makes an awful lot of economic sense, if you think about it. The price of daycare is so high for a baby, that it may not make sense for her to go back to work at her previous job and get day care for Little Princess, and getting to stay home with LP and making some $$ at the same time, would be so wonderful. They are also thinking about and looking at going into the National Guard. I am nervous...scared...but understand why they would think about it. The $$ is decent, the training that son could get to change careers would be great, and they miss the Army stuff as well.... Not all of it, of course, but there are good things about being in the service. But Mom here is of course seeing the worst. What if they are deployed? What would happen to LP? Would they be deployed at the same time as husband? That would be truly f**king awful.

Getting quotes from carpenters/contractors for my basement and cupola work. One is a neighbour, but I'm not sure who I am going to have do it.

Job hunting also continues, one possibility is a Case Assistant job I will interview for some time this week. I took a Case Assistant job at this firm a year or so ago, only because I was taking a class at the time and needed some flexibility, and therefore accepted less $$. But now I don't need that flexibility and won't take less than I want. Sorry... ain't happening.

Continuing to make reservations for the South trip. I'd like to find another fun place, got us into a Plantation style B&B on the River Road for one night, maybe we'll try a casino type place another night. Husband just says: I drive the car, and we are "going thataway". And I really really want some decent down home barbeque, for a little roadside dive. The food up here in the midwest is truly awful. They seem to be scared of taste up here. Pepper is the "spice" of choice... erk.

Sorry, don't have new pictures, kids sent two camera's but my local Target's machine is out of commission until Thursday. Think I'll run down to another one and get them done tomorrow.

That's about it for me this time.... Talk to you later.

Let it snow, let it snow... etc etc. and it is, quite nicely. It's pretty too, covers up the Snert and the yellow snow... Don't think we'll get more than a couple of inches today.

Last day at work yesterday, it was wonderful to realize I wouldn't have to put up with that level of crap anymore. Of course, the two pains in the butt were up to their usual shit. Sheer nastiness and juvenile behaviour.

Now, I know I told you before, to go to Bring It On. But this time you HAVE TO! You must read the following post.
http://www.teambio.org/2006/02/a-troop-weighs-in-on-the-debate-of-whether-political-dissention-by-the-left-hurts-the-troops-and-their-war-efforts/#comments
Written by a troop just recently (in the last 2 weeks) returned from the Big Litter Box. If you want to know how a lot of guys think, read that.

Baby news: (well, that's what you come for, so here goes) She's doing well, eating up to 4 ounces at a time and only occasionally spitting it all back up. Just got one of the disposable cameras back from Son and DIL, so I'll get that done tomorrow, and post at least one of them for you.

Having carpenters in, to give me quotes on the work I need done in the cupola and basement. One is my neighbour, one of the others is an older gentleman.. nice man, I think he'd be great. Got a couple more to talk to, I also like the dog to meet them. I trust her opinion too.

On the Job Hunting Front: I have an interview on Monday. I was hoping for two, but one of them is a no no, due to conflicts with a prior job/case. Ah well. It would have been fun. I am, however, going to hold out for a certain amount of $$. No, I won't just take anything (again) for a lesser amount of money. I also am going to be helping whichever carpenter I hire, being "GoFer" again. Did that a lot when we were building the dome originally. After all, changing that basement junk room into a nice bedroom and getting the cupola finished will add a lot to the price of the house when we are ready to sell.

Heard from an old and good friend, who is now at Bagram AB in Afghanistan. Says it's a REAL pit.

"If any are interested, we are living in plywood "hootches", and my living space within that hootch is about 10' x 10' and everything is covered in dust - constantly. Lovely place. There are derelict/destroyed armored vehicles, shot up buildings and large areas of the base are still off-limits due to land mines. And just think, this base is considered to be the place to be."
Sounds awful... so I am off to bake oatmeal raisin/craisin cookies for him. Husband is out of phone contact, so I have no news from him to impart.

Take care of youse. Talk to you later.

I did it. I gave my notice today. It was simply the wrong job. and for so little money, I couldn't handle the stress level. This weekend, I could have made a great deal of $$ if I had been able to do a temp job doing some discovery responses. In fact, I could have made more in those two days, than I will make from the last 2 weeks at the other job. But I was scheduled to work... so had to miss out. That was the last straw.

And some of the staff are showing the lack of class and breeding that I have come to expect. Nasty, sullen and bitchy, and that's in front of other staff and customers... So I just need to get through the next couple of days, then cut loose. I have some plans for what I want to get done in the next couple of weeks, such as getting lots of comic books put on e-bay.

Ok, one stressor out of the way, and hopefully the FRG out of the way... so stress should be less, and my back and migraines will get better.

Whew.

Talk to you later.

There are times I despair, really I do! A person at a higher level of the FRG hierarchy has been sending out generalized emails, including invitations to "Couples" events. I responded to one of the emails saying that my other half was in the South. That is literally all I said. (see below) To which said person sniped back, saying that she had all the FRGs on a general distribution list, and that even those units that are mostly deployed have some stay behinds that could use the information. And then she told me she was offended by my tone. Well, kiss my royal blue behind. Offended? Here's my first message to her, with her name deleted.

"One problem *****.. our other halves are in Louisiana!!!"

What tone? because I was trying to make light of the fact that he's not here?

I got pissy, I'll admit it. Told her that I was offended by being sent information concerning Couples events, which just re-inforces the fact that I am alone, again... Then I told her that She was not permitted to lecture me, ever. Tell me, is it so hard for them to set up a separate email address list for those of us who are alone, and a separate one for those who aren't?

When I told the husband about this crap, he agreed that it was insensitive and obviously ridiculous. The friends I have discussed this with are amazed that someone who is supposed to be trained to HELP family members is this dumb. Why is this bothering me so much? It's just the latest little niggly thing, in a pile of niggly things that has been piling up. Between the FRG crap, the crappy job, my back is killing me, the dog is being a real pain, and today is the last day the husband will be able to call, they are going into a "lockdown the phones" part of training. So he'll be out of touch for two weeks, yeah of course over Valentines day... Just another niggly thing to piss me off. AND I need to lose weight over the next month, but when I'm pissed off, or cranky, FOOD is my crutch. And carrot sticks don't cut it. And then I watch the ridiculous reactions to a couple of cartoons.... dumb, dumb, dumb.

Sorry to be so crabby. Talk to you later.

Winter has returned to Minnesota. It is 3 degrees outside this morning. Luckily I had the heat system checked last week, and sure enough, the on demand hot water heater WAS having a problem. Hopefully, it's fixed for the winter. The little wood stove inside is crackling beautifully and the kettle on top is steaming.

Baby news: She's eating well, and sleeping enough that Mom & Dad can get some too. And her grandma has got to stop shopping for her! But I find these cute little outfits.... Crocheting more blankets too.

If you haven't been to Bring It On http://www.teambio.org/ you are missing some great discussions, as well as being able to contribute to the Bake Sale for Body Armor. A great cause, so hop on over and take a look.

I am supposed to be at an FRG meeting, but I have come to realize that I have little in common with the other family members, especially with the little clique that seems to be running things. They have, as always, known each other for a long time, and the rest of us are barely tolerated as interlopers. Plus, I cannot put up with the "rah rah" rightwing attitude any more. My temper is getting shorter, the longer I listen to them, so I think I'll just make a clean break, keep in touch with those family members I would like to, and forget the organized group.

The job is making me nuts! But hopefully there is some improvement in the future. Of course, I am still job hunting, and hoping that some of the applications I have been sending in will be responded to. Lots of hoping here, huh?

Talk to you later.