My "test" this morning went really well. :) I knew I didn't need to worry but... I just can't help it sometimes. I'll probably know where I'll be working and all the rest of that information on Monday... Tuesday at the latest.
As it turns out, the other company I interviewed with called me today and offered me the job. On Wednesday, they told me there wouldn't be a decision made until Monday so I wasn't expecting to hear from anyone yet. Since I didn't want to turn down a job before the other job was all set up, I told them I'd had another offer but wouldn't know everything until Monday and would it be ok if I called them on Monday to let them know which I'd chosen. I don't think they were really happy to hear that but they said yes anyway.
We went to the zoo today as well. It was crazy-humid which prompted us to only see about 1/2 of it before deciding to leave... It's a BIG zoo, though, so even seeing that much took a few hours. It was a good time and, of course, we forgot our camera. We'll take it with us next time and get some good pictures to share.
On an end note: I just got off the phone with my dad. I love talking to him. We discussed the different jobs, the weather- really, we did- what I think of St. Louis, their move from their house to Bekkie's, restaurants... And so many other things. Hanging up the phone, though, I did something that I haven't done since I moved here but will probably be doing a lot in the future: I cried. I miss my daddy and my mom. I miss my siblings. I miss... all the people I love, except Branden- thankfully he's right here with me. I want so badly to share these new things with everyone. I want to take my nieces and nephews to this new zoo. I want to show Rick'n'Abby the turtle park, all the green things and the streams and rivers. I want to mess around at the science museum with Katie and Chantelle. I want to... Show everyone everything. But I can't. They are 1300 miles away and right now I wish I could hug each one of them because I love them and I miss them so much all of a sudden. I will be ok... I knew this wouldn't be the easiest move and I knew I would miss so many people. I guess I'll have to start putting more pictures in my blog because that's the only way I can share these new sights with all of you. Sorry to end this a little sadly. So many good things happened today I'm going to try to think about all of those things and not dwell on the sad.
Friday, July 10, 2009
Thursday, July 9, 2009
A Little Nervous About Tomorrow
It turns out that the company with a job on hold for me is more excited than I knew to try me out and get me going. I talked with my interviewer this morning and he said that, depending on my skill level, they may end up shuffling other people around so I can work closer to my home. That's a nice thought. The scary thought is the whole skill level thing. Tomorrow I will be going to one of the stores, meeting with one of their best cake decorators and, hopefully successfully, completing the tasks she asks of me.
Ok, I think I'm not too bad at what I do. I enjoy decorating cakes and there has been DEFINITE improvement since I started decorating for Macey's seven years ago. Yeah, I get stressed about wedding cakes but I THINK I do a pretty good job of pulling things off most of the time. I will admit that I was quite proud of Rick'n'Abby's wedding cake. I don't have the most experience with fondant but I can cover a cake and decorate it with fondant roses and leaves. I have minimal experience creating gumpaste flowers and marzipan characters- unless you're on Food Network, most stores and bakeries don't expect you to have those skills.
So why am I worried? In all likelihood, I won't need to know more than I did on my final day working at Macey's and I've learned quite a bit since then. I guess I just want them to be... Impressed? Or at least feel satisfied that I really made the cakes in my portfolio... Which I did. GAH! I'm probably worrying for nothing. It's just... The last time that someone inside my profession judged my work- and it mattered and affected my life- was while I was attending culinary school and chefs were grading me... And I got good grades so why am I worried?
Ok, I'm going to bed because I'll only feel better when this is over and it'll come "sooner" if I sleep. Plus, I need to get a good nights' sleep anyway.
Ok, I think I'm not too bad at what I do. I enjoy decorating cakes and there has been DEFINITE improvement since I started decorating for Macey's seven years ago. Yeah, I get stressed about wedding cakes but I THINK I do a pretty good job of pulling things off most of the time. I will admit that I was quite proud of Rick'n'Abby's wedding cake. I don't have the most experience with fondant but I can cover a cake and decorate it with fondant roses and leaves. I have minimal experience creating gumpaste flowers and marzipan characters- unless you're on Food Network, most stores and bakeries don't expect you to have those skills.
So why am I worried? In all likelihood, I won't need to know more than I did on my final day working at Macey's and I've learned quite a bit since then. I guess I just want them to be... Impressed? Or at least feel satisfied that I really made the cakes in my portfolio... Which I did. GAH! I'm probably worrying for nothing. It's just... The last time that someone inside my profession judged my work- and it mattered and affected my life- was while I was attending culinary school and chefs were grading me... And I got good grades so why am I worried?
Ok, I'm going to bed because I'll only feel better when this is over and it'll come "sooner" if I sleep. Plus, I need to get a good nights' sleep anyway.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Good News About My Job Hunting
I interviewed for two jobs today and things are looking up. Hooray! :) I feel I will probably be offered the first job... But the second job is currently "on hold" for me.
The only real question was whether or not I felt I could make the drive to the store I'd be working at. I think I can so tomorrow I will call my interviewer and tell him such. If I hadn't wanted to make the drive, he would have kept looking for a job at a store that would be better for me... How great is that!? I wasn't even planning on interviewing at this particular company. I just walked in on a whim and was told that if I went to another of their stores I could be interviewed today. So I did. Turns out the guy interviewing really likes my work and feels I'll be great working for them. I feel I would be as well.
One way or the other, I think I have a very good chance of having a job by sometime next week, if not earlier.
The only real question was whether or not I felt I could make the drive to the store I'd be working at. I think I can so tomorrow I will call my interviewer and tell him such. If I hadn't wanted to make the drive, he would have kept looking for a job at a store that would be better for me... How great is that!? I wasn't even planning on interviewing at this particular company. I just walked in on a whim and was told that if I went to another of their stores I could be interviewed today. So I did. Turns out the guy interviewing really likes my work and feels I'll be great working for them. I feel I would be as well.
One way or the other, I think I have a very good chance of having a job by sometime next week, if not earlier.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
The Water In Hades Is Probably Cooler
The hot water in our new apartment is beyond scalding. I'm not kidding, it comes out of the tap at 180 degrees! (We used a candy thermometer to check.) Who needs water that hot?!
If you forget to turn the cold water on full blast when you are washing your hands the water goes from fine to steaming in less time than it takes to get soap on your hands. I swear I could get third degree burns just trying to get my hands clean. Our dishwasher is running for the first time and I won't deny that I'm a little concerned about our hard plastic bowls melting in there.
Branden is going to go into the basement tomorrow to turn down the water heater. Until then, we just have to be extra careful. I've already burned myself with the hot water- thankfully not severely- and on both the faucet and hot water handle! Maybe I'm just extra accident-prone... Then again, maybe our water comes out of the tap less than 35 degrees below the boiling point.
If you forget to turn the cold water on full blast when you are washing your hands the water goes from fine to steaming in less time than it takes to get soap on your hands. I swear I could get third degree burns just trying to get my hands clean. Our dishwasher is running for the first time and I won't deny that I'm a little concerned about our hard plastic bowls melting in there.
Branden is going to go into the basement tomorrow to turn down the water heater. Until then, we just have to be extra careful. I've already burned myself with the hot water- thankfully not severely- and on both the faucet and hot water handle! Maybe I'm just extra accident-prone... Then again, maybe our water comes out of the tap less than 35 degrees below the boiling point.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Things We Weren't Experiencing in Utah
We've been in St. Louis for about two and a half days now. Here's my list of things we've noticed so far that we will have to adjust to:
1. Humidity. WOW. We are so not accustomed to humidity. Branden grew up in Minnesota and I lived in Oklahoma for a while so we've both experienced humidity before we just haven't lived with it for many years.
2. (Going out to eat at a sit-down restaurant) Hostess: "Smoking or non-smoking table?"
Us: *blink blink* "Umm, what?"
H: "Would you like to be seated at a table in the smoking section or the non-smoking section?"
Us: "Uh.... Non-smoking?"
I didn't know that there were still places that let you smoke in restaurants!
3. Bugs. There are lots of bugs and Branden has never really lived with the threat of roaches. I had the lovely chance to show him a dead one- thankfully not in our apt, but still on the premises- and got to explain to him what we would and would not be doing in an attempt to discourage their moving in to our living quarters. Roaches are not the only bugs, though. We hear cicadas at night, see June bugs hanging out near lights, lightning bugs flash in the dark, lots of flies, um, fly about... And there are other bugs that we haven't even seen yet.
4. Humidity. Really, we might die of humidity poisoning. Even with air conditioning blowing directly on you, the humidity makes you feel sticky.
5. Locking our car doors. I'm a lot better about this than Branden is. He seems to be getting better, though.
6. Locking our apt when we're in it. Remembering when we leave isn't hard, it's remembering when we're home that we need to work on. Our neighbors seem ok, but it's still a good idea for our own protection.
7. Hearing people in the halls and in the apt below us at all hours. There are kids in the apt below us and we live pretty much directly above the entrance to the building. We hear people on the stairs going in and out, the kids screaming, parents yelling, music from... Somewhere.
There are more things that we'll have to adjust to, but that's probably a big enough list for now. I'm sure I'll add more in the next few days. For the most part, we are feeling good about being here and are looking forward to the next steps in this adventure.
1. Humidity. WOW. We are so not accustomed to humidity. Branden grew up in Minnesota and I lived in Oklahoma for a while so we've both experienced humidity before we just haven't lived with it for many years.
2. (Going out to eat at a sit-down restaurant) Hostess: "Smoking or non-smoking table?"
Us: *blink blink* "Umm, what?"
H: "Would you like to be seated at a table in the smoking section or the non-smoking section?"
Us: "Uh.... Non-smoking?"
I didn't know that there were still places that let you smoke in restaurants!
3. Bugs. There are lots of bugs and Branden has never really lived with the threat of roaches. I had the lovely chance to show him a dead one- thankfully not in our apt, but still on the premises- and got to explain to him what we would and would not be doing in an attempt to discourage their moving in to our living quarters. Roaches are not the only bugs, though. We hear cicadas at night, see June bugs hanging out near lights, lightning bugs flash in the dark, lots of flies, um, fly about... And there are other bugs that we haven't even seen yet.
4. Humidity. Really, we might die of humidity poisoning. Even with air conditioning blowing directly on you, the humidity makes you feel sticky.
5. Locking our car doors. I'm a lot better about this than Branden is. He seems to be getting better, though.
6. Locking our apt when we're in it. Remembering when we leave isn't hard, it's remembering when we're home that we need to work on. Our neighbors seem ok, but it's still a good idea for our own protection.
7. Hearing people in the halls and in the apt below us at all hours. There are kids in the apt below us and we live pretty much directly above the entrance to the building. We hear people on the stairs going in and out, the kids screaming, parents yelling, music from... Somewhere.
There are more things that we'll have to adjust to, but that's probably a big enough list for now. I'm sure I'll add more in the next few days. For the most part, we are feeling good about being here and are looking forward to the next steps in this adventure.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
We Are Here
Nebraska really wasn't anywhere near as bad as people said it would be. It was beautifully green with real trees growing wild and streams and rivers which were often visible from the road. After driving through Wyoming, Nebraska was a dream. We spent Tuesday night in St. Joseph, MO. Ironically, after declaring that we'd definitely have problems starting my car, Branden couldn't get his truck started yesterday morning. My car didn't have one problem in 1300 miles. :)
We got here around 2PM, signed the lease and started moving in. I knew that it would be humid, but I don't think we were prepared for this. Our apt is on the second floor and by the time we were half-way finished unloading the trailer, both of us were pretty wiped out. Thankfully, Branden's friends, Keith and Matt, arrived right about then so I could stay up here unpacking boxes while they finished hauling things up to the apartment and down into the storage space in the basement.
Our apt is still a complete wreck. It'll take a while to get everything organized but we have our internet, TV and home phone- I haven't lived in a house with a phone since I moved out of my parents' house. We also have our bed set up and the bedroom partially organized. I've been having a lot of trouble concentrating today. I hope things get a bit better once my life is a little more organized.
I think I'll be ok getting a job but Branden's a little worried about his own prospects. I think he'll be fine, but he's feeling like I have an education and a profession to go out and hand to people whereas he has experience in a few fields but no degree. I understand what he's feeling but he's a hard worker and I know he'll be able to get a job. Wish us luck!
We got here around 2PM, signed the lease and started moving in. I knew that it would be humid, but I don't think we were prepared for this. Our apt is on the second floor and by the time we were half-way finished unloading the trailer, both of us were pretty wiped out. Thankfully, Branden's friends, Keith and Matt, arrived right about then so I could stay up here unpacking boxes while they finished hauling things up to the apartment and down into the storage space in the basement.
Our apt is still a complete wreck. It'll take a while to get everything organized but we have our internet, TV and home phone- I haven't lived in a house with a phone since I moved out of my parents' house. We also have our bed set up and the bedroom partially organized. I've been having a lot of trouble concentrating today. I hope things get a bit better once my life is a little more organized.
I think I'll be ok getting a job but Branden's a little worried about his own prospects. I think he'll be fine, but he's feeling like I have an education and a profession to go out and hand to people whereas he has experience in a few fields but no degree. I understand what he's feeling but he's a hard worker and I know he'll be able to get a job. Wish us luck!
Monday, June 29, 2009
Stopped At A Motel 6 on the Way To Missouri
Hello from Sidney, Nebraska!
Saturday was a bit of a hard day with Branden and I both stressed and snap-ish. We decided to leave behind our couch- something Branden didn't want to do- but there's NO way we could have managed to fit in all that stuff AND the couch. As it is, our mattress is strapped on top of the things filling the bed of Branden's truck. This wouldn't have been quite the case except that U-Haul has redesigned their trailers in the last couple of years and they are now shorter in height... Which means that, while you can still stack to the ceiling, the ceiling is about 6 inches lower than it used to be. It used to be possible to fit a king sized mattress in a U-Haul trailer but it isn't anymore! So we made some decisions about what had to go and what had to stay behind.
Katie and Sharon were great inside helping me get the rest of things in boxes and getting boxes out to the trailer. Katie even cleaned my bathroom! Branden and Rick packed the trailer. Rick's amazing attention to size, shape, etc., was the only reason we got so much in there. That trailer is PACKED. Abby was the best! She feels like she didn't do anything, but she kept Josh busy and happy all day- not an easy task once nap time has come and gone- which freed everyone else to focus on packing. Chantelle and Jeremy came later in the evening and Chantelle helped me get everything out of each room systematically. Jeremy was great about lifting and moving anything. Thank you, everyone who has helped us move these last few weeks and especially Saturday. Things wouldn't have gone so smoothly without you!
Sunday we finished the cleaning, packed the last few things into the trailer, took two loads of garbage to the dumpster, packed my car and the bed of the truck and then I had to direct Branden in backing the truck up to the trailer. Let's just say that I'm really bad at it and, after a VERY long day, neither one of us had a lot of patience with me. It didn't help that the sun was pretty much set before we were trying to do this and that I didn't have much light... But I would've been bad at it in broad daylight. We left last night just after 9 PM and drove only as far as Evanston, WY. Yes, it was only one hour from our house, but it was better for us to just get started than for us to sit at the house for one more night. We spent the night at a Super 8... Not the nicest place but we're moving on a budget so... We're ok with not the best.
We left Evanston around 9AM and drove for nine hours today. We've decided that it would be best to reach St. Louis mid-day on Wednesday so we're not killing ourselves to make it there tomorrow. We've been getting better-than-anticipated gas mileage (my car is getting over 30mph!) so we're feeling pretty ok. Also, the cats are doing really well with both of them sharing one crate! We figured that the worst thing that could happen from this experiment would be that they'd fight and we'd have to separate them. So far, it's been mostly the best-case senario: Very little whining and yowling, a little hissing, a lot of sleeping and cuddling. :) SUCH an improvement over past moving experiences which involved listening to "crying" the whole trip... Yes, Jiminy will cry for over twleve hours straight if he's riding in a car.
So far, we're doing ok. Oh, we're tired and sore. Last night we were snapping at each other and didn't get to bed before 1AM. This morning we were in much better moods. Tonight, we stopped before we got to that point and have been getting along quite well... On the other hand, that COULD have something to do with the Vivran I took around 2 or 3PM. Yes, I will admit to taking caffine pills on occassion. They were essential to my making it through culinary school. I'm not going to bother with trying to defend it. I rarely take them- it's been about a year before today- and they help me when I do. Period. Think what you will.
Now I'm going to take a shower and get a great night's sleep. Tomorrow is another long day... But I think we'll make it through just fine.
Saturday was a bit of a hard day with Branden and I both stressed and snap-ish. We decided to leave behind our couch- something Branden didn't want to do- but there's NO way we could have managed to fit in all that stuff AND the couch. As it is, our mattress is strapped on top of the things filling the bed of Branden's truck. This wouldn't have been quite the case except that U-Haul has redesigned their trailers in the last couple of years and they are now shorter in height... Which means that, while you can still stack to the ceiling, the ceiling is about 6 inches lower than it used to be. It used to be possible to fit a king sized mattress in a U-Haul trailer but it isn't anymore! So we made some decisions about what had to go and what had to stay behind.
Katie and Sharon were great inside helping me get the rest of things in boxes and getting boxes out to the trailer. Katie even cleaned my bathroom! Branden and Rick packed the trailer. Rick's amazing attention to size, shape, etc., was the only reason we got so much in there. That trailer is PACKED. Abby was the best! She feels like she didn't do anything, but she kept Josh busy and happy all day- not an easy task once nap time has come and gone- which freed everyone else to focus on packing. Chantelle and Jeremy came later in the evening and Chantelle helped me get everything out of each room systematically. Jeremy was great about lifting and moving anything. Thank you, everyone who has helped us move these last few weeks and especially Saturday. Things wouldn't have gone so smoothly without you!
Sunday we finished the cleaning, packed the last few things into the trailer, took two loads of garbage to the dumpster, packed my car and the bed of the truck and then I had to direct Branden in backing the truck up to the trailer. Let's just say that I'm really bad at it and, after a VERY long day, neither one of us had a lot of patience with me. It didn't help that the sun was pretty much set before we were trying to do this and that I didn't have much light... But I would've been bad at it in broad daylight. We left last night just after 9 PM and drove only as far as Evanston, WY. Yes, it was only one hour from our house, but it was better for us to just get started than for us to sit at the house for one more night. We spent the night at a Super 8... Not the nicest place but we're moving on a budget so... We're ok with not the best.
We left Evanston around 9AM and drove for nine hours today. We've decided that it would be best to reach St. Louis mid-day on Wednesday so we're not killing ourselves to make it there tomorrow. We've been getting better-than-anticipated gas mileage (my car is getting over 30mph!) so we're feeling pretty ok. Also, the cats are doing really well with both of them sharing one crate! We figured that the worst thing that could happen from this experiment would be that they'd fight and we'd have to separate them. So far, it's been mostly the best-case senario: Very little whining and yowling, a little hissing, a lot of sleeping and cuddling. :) SUCH an improvement over past moving experiences which involved listening to "crying" the whole trip... Yes, Jiminy will cry for over twleve hours straight if he's riding in a car.
So far, we're doing ok. Oh, we're tired and sore. Last night we were snapping at each other and didn't get to bed before 1AM. This morning we were in much better moods. Tonight, we stopped before we got to that point and have been getting along quite well... On the other hand, that COULD have something to do with the Vivran I took around 2 or 3PM. Yes, I will admit to taking caffine pills on occassion. They were essential to my making it through culinary school. I'm not going to bother with trying to defend it. I rarely take them- it's been about a year before today- and they help me when I do. Period. Think what you will.
Now I'm going to take a shower and get a great night's sleep. Tomorrow is another long day... But I think we'll make it through just fine.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Moving Jitters
I woke up feeling freaked out... So I'm blogging first thing this morning. Today we get the U-Haul. Rick'n'Abby will be here around noon to help us pack big stuff. Katie and Josh may be coming as well and Chantelle says she'll be here but not until later in the evening. I've said tearful good-byes to everyone else in my family and I will be crying at the end of today.
Quite a lot has been packed. The kitchen cabinets are nearly empty, the laundry room shelves hold only cleaning products, the spare room is almost cleared out. The living room is a maze of packed boxes, empty boxes and things that haven't been labeled trash or treasure yet. The fish and the shrimp are dead and the tank has been gutted. Today we'll load as much as possible, tomorrow we'll finish and clean... And maybe even make a start on driving. Monday morning at the latest, we will no longer be residing in UT.
I have a nervous/stressed/excited knot in my stomach and a little sadness in my heart. I will be more than happy to leave this particular house- my landlords have been great but the house is tiny, the rent is high and the cost of living up here is just below break-the-bank- but I will be sad to be so far from my family. I have no delusions about people visiting. I say, "Come see me in St. Louis," but I know how often we visited Bekkie in Oklahoma and I know it's unlikely that I'll get many visitors. On the bright side, I am getting married out here and will need to visit a couple times before the big day just to work out some of the specifics. :)
I really feel like everything will be fine. I just need to make it through today... And tomorrow... And the rest of the week... And maybe a little longer before things settle down.
Quite a lot has been packed. The kitchen cabinets are nearly empty, the laundry room shelves hold only cleaning products, the spare room is almost cleared out. The living room is a maze of packed boxes, empty boxes and things that haven't been labeled trash or treasure yet. The fish and the shrimp are dead and the tank has been gutted. Today we'll load as much as possible, tomorrow we'll finish and clean... And maybe even make a start on driving. Monday morning at the latest, we will no longer be residing in UT.
I have a nervous/stressed/excited knot in my stomach and a little sadness in my heart. I will be more than happy to leave this particular house- my landlords have been great but the house is tiny, the rent is high and the cost of living up here is just below break-the-bank- but I will be sad to be so far from my family. I have no delusions about people visiting. I say, "Come see me in St. Louis," but I know how often we visited Bekkie in Oklahoma and I know it's unlikely that I'll get many visitors. On the bright side, I am getting married out here and will need to visit a couple times before the big day just to work out some of the specifics. :)
I really feel like everything will be fine. I just need to make it through today... And tomorrow... And the rest of the week... And maybe a little longer before things settle down.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Hornets, Bees and Other Stingers in My Laundry Room
I am allergic to hornets.
I learned this fact on my drive home from my last day of working at Maceys... Which was about two weeks before I moved to AZ to go to culinary school. Thankfully, it's not a severe allergy. A little Benedryl, a lot of ice and A LOT of sleep and I got over things just fine. Or fine-ish if you consider that my arm was still a little swollen for a day or so.
I haven't been stung since, which I can only see as a good thing. I read somewhere that if you have an allergy to one stinging insect then you will have a sensitivity to the others. I've been careful to avoid any unnecessary contact with bees, yellow jackets and the like just to be on the safe side. However, this spring/summer the "wingers with stingers" seem to abound, particularly around my house.
Back at the beginning of May, a bee got into my laundry room through a hole between the window and a board that is normally taped shut. This hole never got sealed up again. I suppose that there have probably been more bees, hornets, etc., in there than I've known about. As it is, at least once a week since the beginning of May there has been a stinging bug in my laundry room. Often, I quickly close the door when I discover them and they find their way back out again. Sometimes they don't and I find a dead one on the floor. Recently, we've been getting two or three a day in there. I've gotten to the point that I'll go out the front door, walk around the house, open the back door and wait for them to leave. This doesn't always work- like the hornet that's in there now who seems to have no desire to leave- but when it does I am able to get back to laundry or, in this case, packing.
For now, I will just finish packing the spare room I suppose. I've totally emptied that closet and I hope to have to whole room empty by the end of today... Well, empty except for packer boxes stacked neatly in the corner and a couple of bags waiting to be filled with clothing for the trip.
I learned this fact on my drive home from my last day of working at Maceys... Which was about two weeks before I moved to AZ to go to culinary school. Thankfully, it's not a severe allergy. A little Benedryl, a lot of ice and A LOT of sleep and I got over things just fine. Or fine-ish if you consider that my arm was still a little swollen for a day or so.
I haven't been stung since, which I can only see as a good thing. I read somewhere that if you have an allergy to one stinging insect then you will have a sensitivity to the others. I've been careful to avoid any unnecessary contact with bees, yellow jackets and the like just to be on the safe side. However, this spring/summer the "wingers with stingers" seem to abound, particularly around my house.
Back at the beginning of May, a bee got into my laundry room through a hole between the window and a board that is normally taped shut. This hole never got sealed up again. I suppose that there have probably been more bees, hornets, etc., in there than I've known about. As it is, at least once a week since the beginning of May there has been a stinging bug in my laundry room. Often, I quickly close the door when I discover them and they find their way back out again. Sometimes they don't and I find a dead one on the floor. Recently, we've been getting two or three a day in there. I've gotten to the point that I'll go out the front door, walk around the house, open the back door and wait for them to leave. This doesn't always work- like the hornet that's in there now who seems to have no desire to leave- but when it does I am able to get back to laundry or, in this case, packing.
For now, I will just finish packing the spare room I suppose. I've totally emptied that closet and I hope to have to whole room empty by the end of today... Well, empty except for packer boxes stacked neatly in the corner and a couple of bags waiting to be filled with clothing for the trip.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
A Blessing In Disguise
I will never write this with dry eyes so I may as well write it now and hope for the best.
Went to Ogden to celebrate Father's Day Sunday afternoon. The moment I pulled up to my parents' house and turned off my car, a hose that carries coolant from one part of my engine to another decided it was finished and began to spray antifreeze under my hood. Of course I heard it, saw the steam, saw the antifreeze dripping into the gutter and assumed the worst. My dad was good enough to come right out to look at it was able to find the leak quite quickly- while the antifreeze was still dripping out. Thankfully, it was a small hose at the top of the car so he figured that with the right tools he could get it off and we would go from there. He couldn't find the tools- apparently his tools walk off in the hands of others and never walk back- so I said I'd be willing to purchase a pair of pliers as I should probably keep some in my car anyway. But, being as how it was both Sunday afternoon and Father's Day, it was determined that I would spend the night at their house and we'd fix my car in the morning.
Sunday was to be the last time I'd see my dad before I leave for MO. As baly as I felt about my car deciding to break, I would purposely let it do the same thing again just so I could spend that time with him. Dinner was great but there were so many people, it was hard to get to talk to my dad. After dinner- and after some of my family had left- Katie, Mom, James, Chantelle, Jeremy(Chantelle's boyfriend) and I played a few games. Then Katie and Dad sat down for fun with Sudoku and Mom and I played Rummikub 'til it was time for Katie to leave. Dad took Katie home while Mom, James and Christina went to bed. This was when I really got time to talk to my dad. He came home and we sat at the kitchen table and talked until "far too late," according to him. We went to bed near 1 AM... And I will never regret the lost sleep.
Monday morning I ate breakfast with Mom and Christina then took Mom to work so we could have use of her car. As it turned out, there wasn't a load for my dad to take out until the afternoon so he and I were able to spend the morning together getting the tools, removing the hose, purchasing new parts and putting things back together. I was really only good for holding tools and keeping the sun out of Dad's eyes while he worked- I can make such good shadows! Dad got everything put back together and even secured my battery while he was under the hood. What a great Dad!
Katie came over with Josh and Dad picked up Mom so we could all eat lunch together. After lunch, Mom had to go back to work and Dad had to get ready to head off to work as well. In some ways it felt like all the Mondays I have spent over at their house in the last almost two years. But underneath that feeling was the knowledge that this wasn't one of those days. I gave Dad a hug good-bye just as I normally would but I didn't want to let go. When he walked out the door, I took a minute up in the bathroom to compose myself a little bit. When I walked back downstairs, there he was waiting for me to give him just one more hug, just one more time before he left. It was the first of all the hard good-byes I will have this week. I almost want to thank Bekkie for letting me say good-bye to her a couple weeks ago when she moved back to OK and thank Carrie for living in AZ so I don't have to tell her good-bye as well.
I cannot put a number on how much I love my dad. I can't tell you, "I love my dad 5," and have you say, "Oh, I know what you mean. I love my dad 5, too!" It doesn't work that way. But no matter if I can measure it or not, the love I feel for my dad makes it extra hard to say good-bye. I think my little sister, Chantelle, put it well when she told me, "It's hard to say good-bye to Dad because you know you are saying good-bye to a truly great man. Other dads are good, but our dad has to be one of the best." I can't argue with her. He's not perfect but he doesn't need to be. The respect he has for our mother is amazing. He has been willing to sacrifice for his wife and children time and again. Even his current job is a sacrifice he's making because he loves his family and wants to support them. He has helped me out with everything from fixing my car to moving to just letting me cry on his shoulder. I know that he worries about each and every one of us. And I knew, while I was crying on his shoulder yesterday, that this wasn't going to be any easier on him than it will be on me. See, my daddy can't put a number on how much he loves us, either.
Went to Ogden to celebrate Father's Day Sunday afternoon. The moment I pulled up to my parents' house and turned off my car, a hose that carries coolant from one part of my engine to another decided it was finished and began to spray antifreeze under my hood. Of course I heard it, saw the steam, saw the antifreeze dripping into the gutter and assumed the worst. My dad was good enough to come right out to look at it was able to find the leak quite quickly- while the antifreeze was still dripping out. Thankfully, it was a small hose at the top of the car so he figured that with the right tools he could get it off and we would go from there. He couldn't find the tools- apparently his tools walk off in the hands of others and never walk back- so I said I'd be willing to purchase a pair of pliers as I should probably keep some in my car anyway. But, being as how it was both Sunday afternoon and Father's Day, it was determined that I would spend the night at their house and we'd fix my car in the morning.
Sunday was to be the last time I'd see my dad before I leave for MO. As baly as I felt about my car deciding to break, I would purposely let it do the same thing again just so I could spend that time with him. Dinner was great but there were so many people, it was hard to get to talk to my dad. After dinner- and after some of my family had left- Katie, Mom, James, Chantelle, Jeremy(Chantelle's boyfriend) and I played a few games. Then Katie and Dad sat down for fun with Sudoku and Mom and I played Rummikub 'til it was time for Katie to leave. Dad took Katie home while Mom, James and Christina went to bed. This was when I really got time to talk to my dad. He came home and we sat at the kitchen table and talked until "far too late," according to him. We went to bed near 1 AM... And I will never regret the lost sleep.
Monday morning I ate breakfast with Mom and Christina then took Mom to work so we could have use of her car. As it turned out, there wasn't a load for my dad to take out until the afternoon so he and I were able to spend the morning together getting the tools, removing the hose, purchasing new parts and putting things back together. I was really only good for holding tools and keeping the sun out of Dad's eyes while he worked- I can make such good shadows! Dad got everything put back together and even secured my battery while he was under the hood. What a great Dad!
Katie came over with Josh and Dad picked up Mom so we could all eat lunch together. After lunch, Mom had to go back to work and Dad had to get ready to head off to work as well. In some ways it felt like all the Mondays I have spent over at their house in the last almost two years. But underneath that feeling was the knowledge that this wasn't one of those days. I gave Dad a hug good-bye just as I normally would but I didn't want to let go. When he walked out the door, I took a minute up in the bathroom to compose myself a little bit. When I walked back downstairs, there he was waiting for me to give him just one more hug, just one more time before he left. It was the first of all the hard good-byes I will have this week. I almost want to thank Bekkie for letting me say good-bye to her a couple weeks ago when she moved back to OK and thank Carrie for living in AZ so I don't have to tell her good-bye as well.
I cannot put a number on how much I love my dad. I can't tell you, "I love my dad 5," and have you say, "Oh, I know what you mean. I love my dad 5, too!" It doesn't work that way. But no matter if I can measure it or not, the love I feel for my dad makes it extra hard to say good-bye. I think my little sister, Chantelle, put it well when she told me, "It's hard to say good-bye to Dad because you know you are saying good-bye to a truly great man. Other dads are good, but our dad has to be one of the best." I can't argue with her. He's not perfect but he doesn't need to be. The respect he has for our mother is amazing. He has been willing to sacrifice for his wife and children time and again. Even his current job is a sacrifice he's making because he loves his family and wants to support them. He has helped me out with everything from fixing my car to moving to just letting me cry on his shoulder. I know that he worries about each and every one of us. And I knew, while I was crying on his shoulder yesterday, that this wasn't going to be any easier on him than it will be on me. See, my daddy can't put a number on how much he loves us, either.
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