Summer Heat

It is so hot! Shawn and I went to the county fair this evening and even HE broke into a sweat (which he never does!) Walking around the area really showed us how blessed we are - most of the folks there are living pay check to pay check with vacations to the lake and no retirement fund. Truly blessed.

Ana had her second baby - Ella Carol Ann. I haven't seen the new one yet and am in no rush to do so. Maybe when I drop Bailey off when I go on vacation - in October. I give Ana till October before she is pregnant again. She isn't going to stop until she gets herself a little boy. And Tom will be supporting all of them.

Not much to report. Work stats are still in the crapper but they are slowly working their way up. The job itself is just as boring and unimaginative as ever. Lost another team member Friday - I'm not sure if she quit or was fired as we just got an email saying she is no longer employed with ACI. I sure hope she quit - she lost her husband unexpectedly a few months back so maybe it made her re-examine her life and decide she didn't like what she was doing. Or maybe she got a big enough life insurance payout that she doesn't have to work any more. Let's hope that's it.

We also had a processor die two weeks ago of advanced skin cancer. That makes everyone re-examine their lives. 

Corks and Canvas

This was a bit different - a lot of fun. Melissa met me at Pirtles Winery this evening for a painting class. We painted our version of Monet's Bridge Over a Lily Pond. I won't be selling art any time soon, but we had a lot of fun pretending to be artists for a few hours!

 

Workman's Comp

For almost two weeks I've had these horrible sharp pains in my right shoulder and bruised-feeling spots on my right forearm. My first thought was RA but decided that wasn't it because it didn't hurt to lift my arm - I just keep getting these awful stabbing pains. So then I decided it's cancer and I'm going to have my right arm chopped off. Took a few days trying to figure out how I was going to manage my hair with only one arm. Then I realized the pain are cramps - my arm is cramping. Instantly thought MS. That brought me to tears. I Googled MS symptoms and the only ones I had were fatigue (common for all autoimmune sufferers and my lack of sleep due to cats walking on me all night) and the cramping, though Google said cramping is usually in the legs (and I know Mom's was.) So I talked myself away from that cliff. Then as I was working yesterday, I realized what it was - my job. I am now using the trackball 7 hours a day, resting my arm on the arm of the chair. I have pinched nerves- I'm practically positive. I have an appointment with a doctor on Monday but I'm thinking I will be filling out workman's comp paperwork. I sure hope the doctor can help me because this is pain is so sharp it takes my breath away.

I sure miss my Correspondence job.

Vacation Planned!

Seems like I just got back from vacation - I shouldn't be planning another one already. But I am!! Come October, we are going to spend two nights at a brand new hotel resort at Universal Studios, spend a whirlwind day dashing through the two Universal parks (including Harry Potter!!!) and then board the Disney Dream for a four-night cruise that includes two days at Castaway Cay!!! I am so excited! No idea how I'm going to pay for it - this will be a summer of no-spending. Our week-ends will be spent at the Weissenbach pool, maybe share a $15 bottle of wine at a winery. Catch a $5 matinee. Watch a lot of TV. Thrifty spending at the grocery store (no impulse purchases, no flowers, no candy/cookies/pastries.) It won't be easy but it will so be worth it!

Next year's vacation will be playing Hawaiian music on the back deck.

Settling Into Summer

Not a whole lot to report - summer has hit us and the boredom is setting in. I can't believe a few weeks ago I was discovering Ireland, and now I'm back in Kansas sitting in front of a computer for 9 hours a day, growing fatter and older by the minute. Heavy sigh.

I am ready to book the Disney Cruise but I can't get Shawn to totally commit. I think I should do it anyway and we can worry about airfare and determine if we want to add a quick jaunt to Universal, later. I just know I will be able to hang on through the summer if I know Disney is my reward!

There's talk of finishing the basement this winter. I still need to get to the Hot Tub place to buy my hot tub. My summer clothes are still in boxes. Did I mention Jackass was diagnosed with cancer (I think it's colon, stage 2)? I'm a good 12 years away from retirement - yesterday marked my 16th anniversary with ACI. Dan has his girls for the next two months. 

Told you I had nothing to report!!

And We're Home

Home again after my Bucket List trip to Ireland. Had a wonderful time, though I shouldn't have dragged Shawn - he didn't enjoy it. The driving on the other side of the street (down narrow, windy roads) did him in, even though he drove for exactly five minutes out of the entire time we were there. He became very critical of my driving, to the point of my telling him to 'shut the f&%! up in front of his parents. All he wanted to do was drive from Point A to Point B without stopping at sites along the way. And once we got to Point B, he went to the nearest pub and drank - a lot. Truth be told, he came close to ruining the trip for me. I told him, and will hold myself to it, that I will never suggest another trip. If he wants to go someplace, he needs to approach me. If I want to go someplace, I will find another travel partner. 

But I loved Ireland - and found Eyrecourt and Eyrecastle! Even got the opportunity to walk around the Eyrecastle grounds a bit (though the cows chased us off!) Walked where my ancestors walked - it was an amazing experience.

Apparently, Jackass has cancer. Don't know the details as I only heard it secondhand.

Breathing Easier

It's hard work, but I am getting my stats back to where they were while I was writing letters. I'm doing it with barely a break and it only works when I hit the simple Beneficiary project work by 9:00 am, but I'm beginning to see greens and blues on my stats chart again. 

Next Saturday I am off to Ireland! I have been dreaming of and planning this trip for so long and am so excited, I'm beginning to wonder if it all won't be just a bit anticlimatic. I realized yesterday that I have three trips in the future - Ireland, Disney Cruise and Disney World - and then nothing. No plans past next year. I've had a far-reaching trip in the works for so long that I don't know what it will be like to NOT have one stewing on the back stove!

I need to finish my scrap booking. I haven't touched it in two years - still have half of the Disney 2011 trip to finish. And then Scotland, Maui and soon Ireland. My goal is to be caught up with the scrapbooks by the holidays. I haven't even plugged in the Cricut scrapping machine. Pathetic.