11:39 p.m. - 2006-01-19
I'm Baaaaaaaack!!
Damn, I can't believe it's been September since I've written. Where does time go?
I survived the postal holiday season with relatively little stress. Things aren't as busy as they once were. There is talk of consolidation, and other rumors involving relocating workers so it's really an uncertain future for us. I think Hubby and I are senior enough, we won't be affected. He is a disabled vet (mind you only 10%) so that would also protect him I believe. It could be a real shake-up for alot of people. Or at least a big inconveniece.
Nothing monumental happened over the last few months. My Ebay enthusiasm faded pretty quickly. Kids are all doing well. Nothing much to report.
Except.....Mom booked our Europe trip. She kept pressuring me to make a decision and I finally got out the brochures and decided. We are taking the Heart of Europe tour through Globus Tours. It's going to be a real whirlwind, 13 days visiting London, Amsterdam, Munich, Paris and Switzerland. I'm particularly looking forward to Amsterdam. I have done my research and believe I have found the best coffeehouse for us to visit. I can't miss this rare treat. I'm trying to talk Mom into a space cake. I can't miss this rare treat!
As for the rest of the trip.....I don't think I can even begin to fathom the beauty I will see or how this trip will affect my relationship with Mom. I haven't spent more than a couple nights with her since I was 17. I'm hoping for good things.
I just got back from a trip to AZ. Dauther #2 got her proposal around Christmas. We spent an afternoon during my visit looking at wedding dresses. Amazingly, she decided after trying on only four dresses. She had seen the dress on the internet and already liked it. I was relieved. And hungry. And if she hadn't decided so quickly I would have had to leave and get some sustenance. A night out before had left me rather hung over.
Daughter #2's fiancee more than meets my approval. He is charming, sweet, a bit anal....but at least he is organized. He has taught her alot. He had near 100% approval rating before the last morning of my visit. As I lugged my 60 pound suitcase down the three flights of stairs at their apartment, knees crying the whole way, I cursed the young man who was so blissfully sleeping in the bedroom. He had mentioned getting up early with to see me off, but evidently 10 hours of sleep was not enough. I didn't wake him, except to tell him goodbye. So he lost about 10% approval rating on that note. At least. But if he can put up with my high strung, sweetheart I guess that alone is worth alot. We aren't the easiest women to be around at times. I cornered him and talked with him about that. He assured me he can deal, and also assured me that she had grown alot since they met. I would have to admit she has.
Sedona was about the most beautiful place I've ever seen. Liked it even better than the Grand Canyon. I loved the contrast of red/orange and the green surroundings.
So many cool shops too that I would have loved to visit but time was limited. My trip was not perfect though. My luggage didn't make it in Phoenix. Attempts to contact the delivery people, after being notified that they had found it, were somewhat of a cluster-fuck. Finally at 7 p.m. the next day, after wearing the same clothes for two days with the exception of underwear that I washed by hand....my luggage and I were reunited. It was a beautiful thing.
Didn't take my medication the whole time I was out there...(Yeah, I know, I'm a dumbass) and I really plummeted. By the fourth day I was crying almost uncontrollably. As I checked my luggage at SkyCap, the gentleman who helped me promised that his girlfriend would pray for me. Midday I started to feel better....after taking the meds and probably working out all that emotion. I got back around 10:45 p.m. and just wanted to go HOME. I got to my car and the battery was dead.
I spent a considerable amount of time looking for my vehicle since I didn't follow the directions and write down the aisle number. I thought just knowing that it was directly in front of the elevators would be enough to remember. But, I didn't know at that time that there were TWO elevators on that level. So, 20 minutes later most of the people on my flight had already exited the garage. I was pacing looking for someone to give me a jump and just as I was about to call the motor club, my knight in shining armor appeared. In no time I was on my way.
Did I say that Sedona was AMAZING??????
I can't wait to see Europe!
Hope the two of you that read this (Maybe? haha) are happy to see I'm alive and well. Or at least alive. Sometimes I'm not so sure about well.
