Journey to the Land of Beef Jerky: Part Two

After arriving at the cottage around one o'clock in the morning on Saturday, Nana, Papa, The Princess, and I all crashed out in our respective beds.

Bright and early in the morning, we all rubbed the sleep from our eyes and ventured outside.  It was an absolutely gorgeous day, and we started out by walking "the road"...which is really the driveway that winds through the woods back to the cottage on the lake.

Now, if this isn't paradise, I don't know what is.  The family walked together up to the road and back, with The Princess taking the lead (of course).

Naturally, there were many texture-seeking stops along the way.

And Nana decided to be the daredevil of the group, walking a fallen tree about half-way between the cottage and the road.

When we all returned to the cottage, we decided to walk around to the front yard, which faces the lake.  I take back my previous claim...perhaps this is paradise.

Journey to the Land of Beef Jerky: Part One

Eight hours.  How did it take that long?  I'm not really sure, but it did.

The Princess and I clambered into the back of Nana and Papa's car and settled in for the haul.  She was armed with toys galore, and I had my book.

She stole my sunglasses, as you can see.  Sometimes I think everything looks better on this kiddo.

Eight hours.  One Pull-Up.  I kid you not.  She didn't wet herself once during this entire epic car ride.  We hit every rest stop on the way to The Land of Beef Jerky, and The Princess tinkled at each and every one of them.  She learned about different kinds of flushers: the button on the wall, the lever on the wall, the dreaded sensor.  You see, she loves to flush the toilet, but she's only allowed to do so if she's actually left something in the pot.

There was a whole lot of flushing going on.

A long evening?  Absolutely.  Worth it?  You bet.  Stay tuned for more on The Princess's Adventures in the Land of Beef Jerky.

Tranquility and Relaxation

Today after work, The Princess and I will journey with Nana and Grampy to The Land of Beef Jerky. We shall spend the weekend hanging out with them and The Princess’s great grandparents in the family cottage way out in the woods.

Having been unemployed for so long, I suppose it’s understandable that The Hubbo Family hasn’t taken many vacations of late…and I’m truly looking forward to this. The cottage is on a beautiful lake out in the middle of nowhere, and I can’t think of anything that sounds better right now.

And…The Hubbs will have a glorious weekend all to himself. The poor guy has been running himself ragged with the start of my new job and school for both The Princess and myself. Being the amazing guy that he is, he sees that his gals have all we need and he takes great care of us. Unfortunately, we can be a bit on the high-maintenance side…The Princess because she is three, and me - well, also because The Princess is three.

Here’s hopin’ this weekend is filled with tranquility and relaxation for all.

T

If you know me, you know that I can count my close friends - outside of my family, that is - on one hand.  Over the years, things have happened, things that were beyond anyone's control, things that have caused one friendship after another to fizzle.

But not this one. 

This chick introduced me to The Hubbs. 
This chick has put up with my craziness for the past six and a half years. 
This chick can make me laugh until I can't breathe. 
This chick sold me her house, and comes back to visit her old stompin' grounds often. 
This chick is a corporate powerhouse. 
This chick should not be messed with.
This chick is a fierce friend.
This chick was the maid of honor in my wedding, for good reason.

T, you are my best friend.  And, as you know, this is a remarkable thing, considering the fact that I've never really been able to get along with other girls.  Being the tomboy that I am, I never thought this would happen.  It took one hell of a chick to break through that wall.

You are strong.
You are beautiful.
You are special.
You are worth everything and more than you could ever possibly wish for.

I love you.  Happy, happy birthday, T.  Fried Twinkies, anyone???

Man Overboard

‘Round these parts, we roll pretty high class. Birthday parties? Psh. No problem! We’ll just head on down to the beach and waste the day away.


On Sunday, The Hubbs, The Princess and I all headed over to Grump Manor for my Pop’s impromptu shindig. Kayaks were loaded into the truck, along with a cooler and some dinkies (PB&J cut into quarters…it’s a Grump Family Tradition, don’tchaknow!), and we all headed to their neighborhood park with our swimmin’ gear.

After unloading the truck, Pop drove back up to the house and came back on his bike. It’s a small neighborhood with narrow roads, so there’s no parking on the street. Once he rejoined the gang, we all happily paddled around the swimming area for a while before I was convinced that I just had to try out one of their new kayaks.

I’ve never been in a kayak before. And I want to make sure y’all understand that I ain’t a canoe gal, either. The damn things are too tipsy for my liking; I prefer a traditional boat, thankyouverymuch. So, you can imagine my uncertainty about the whole kayak thing after hearing that they’re as tipsy as, if not more than, canoes.

I. Want. One. It was a little goofy-feeling at first, but I got the hang of it pretty quickly. Before long, I was off and paddling, making quick turns, and loving it.

Seeing how much fun I was having, The Hubbs wanted in, so he hopped in the other after a little bit of instruction from Grumpa, and he headed my way. About three strokes in, he flipped right over. No big deal, right? The water was shallow, and there really wasn’t much to worry about.

And then I realized his glasses were gone. My blind-as-a-bat hubby was standing in the middle of the swimming area at the Grump Neighborhood Beach, trying to get his head on straight while righting the kayak, which had – of course – filled to the brim with water.

Now you have to understand, the water around here looks nothing like it does in Hawaii or the Caribbean. Up here, it’s boats galore, churning up all the muck from the bottom of the lake, effectively creating this charming brown sheen that you can’t get just anywhere.

Makes it a little hard for treasure diving. Even with my mask on, I couldn’t see the bottom. No kidding, I actually ran into the bottom with my face a couple of times trying to see what was going on around me. We really needed to find those glasses, but how?

Oh, and I should probably tell you about the stinkin’ zebra mussels, while we’re at it. Somehow, these horrific little creatures have made it into our waterways where they don’t belong. Our previously sandy (okay, mucky, but still not ouchy) swimming area is now infested with thousands upon thousands of these things, all the better to slice your toes open with.

Kicking off our water shoes, Grumma and I began to comb the bottom ever so carefully with our feet. After a lot of rigamarole and a few choruses of “You’ll never find them,” Grumma announced the impossible. She had them, and they weren’t even scratched!

After that, the rest of the afternoon went fine. The Hubbs and The Princess stayed at the beach with Grumma while Grumpa and I paddled our happy little butts all over the place. We ended up veering back into a glass-smooth channel lined with lily pads, coming within twenty feet of a Great Blue Heron who regarded us as though we belonged there. For quite a while, we simply floated in the traffic-free channel and marveled at the bird and his surroundings. It was so peaceful.

Eventually, we had to head back. We’d been at the beach for a few hours, and you all know what water, fresh air and sunshine can do to you. Needless to say, we were all famished (the dinkies having vanished long ago, of course). So Grumpa rode his bike back up to the house to retrieve the truck, and we all headed back for some chicken on the grill (Grumpa’s specialty).

Sure, between K-Bear’s party and this time with The Grumps, we had a busy weekend. But it was oh so very worth it. I wouldn’t trade one minute of those two days for anything…even the whole “man overboard” debacle. Makes for a good story, eh?

It’s times like these, when we’re spending time with family out on the lake, when I am at my happiest. I can’t wait to get back over there and go for round two on the kayaks…after securing The Hubbs’ glasses with a floatation device, that is. ;)

Hot Dog

Two year ago yesterday, a little girl was born. Her momma is The Hubbs’ sister, Jello. Her daddy is Hank. She is K-Bear.


On Saturday, we attended the social event of the season: K-Bear’s second birthday party. It was Mickey Mouse Clubhouse themed, and it couldn’t have been more fun. Hot dogs, of course, were the main dish…in honor of the Hot Dog Dance. Recipes were laid out with all the fixings, explaining how to make a proper Chicago dog, an Ohio dog, and a chili dog. The food was wonderful.

K-Bear never ceases to amaze me. She is so very articulate, and maybe I notice this because I’m not used to it, but I swear it’s for real. This little sweetie pie has never had a problem telling it like it is, and I admire her for that.

In addition to the play room at Nana and Grampy’s suburban house, Jello thought to bring a kiddie pool with a slide. Brilliant! When The Princess began to go into overload, we changed her into a swimmer and she splooshed around outside to her little heart’s content.

Okay, I know I already mentioned the food. But the cake was fabulous! Jello and Hank made this amazing home-made frosting that tasted like a cross between butter cream and cream cheese. Nana decorated the cake with Mickey Mouse Clubhouse characters, and it was just adorable.

Oh, the presents! Everyone in the family seems to enjoy buying for little girls, and K-Bear got quite the haul this year. Between her Disney Princess tea set, her new library of books, the adorable hand-made (ahem) stuffed Gromit, and the other toys I’ve already forgotten, I’m sure she’s going to be busy for a long time.

It’s always nice to see the family, and I have to give a shout-out here to Jello. No matter what is going on, she always remembers to include some way for The Princess to get away and have her alone time when overload becomes imminent. Not only was the pool a godsend, but my ever-prepared sis-in-law even thought to put bubbles in the goodie bags. Needless to say, this was a humongous hit with my little girl.

All in all, it was a fantastic day. And, though this post is a day late due to my Pop’s birthday yesterday, I want to take this opportunity to once again wish K-Bear a very happy second birthday. Hot dog!

He Is

Fifty-four years ago today, a man was born. He is not in the history books. He is not rich and powerful. He is not famous. None of these things can even begin to hold a candle to what he is.


He is kind. Never in my life have I met another person whose kindness could rival his. He’s that sleeper guy, the one you'd never expect, who brings a smile to the heart of every person he touches.

He is loving. He got married in 1977. Once. That’s it. And he’s still head-over-heels in love with his wife. I hope that The Hubbs and I can have that kind of track record. Sure, there have been hurdles along the way…scratch that…they’ve been more like mountains. But you should see the way he looks at her. His kids have no doubt that they are the most adored offspring in the history of the world. And you should see the way his face lights up when he’s around young’uns now. Mostly the grandbaby, but others, too. After watching him for five minutes with a kid, you’ll be able to tell beyond the shadow of a doubt that this is a good man.

He is funny. I’m talkin’ class clown, life-of-the-party style funny. Everyone loves to hang out with him. So what if he’s a couple of decades older? This is one cool cat.

He is special. In so many ways…if I were to list them all here, you’d be reading a Tolstoy-length novel. Actually, I’m not sure even that would do him justice. Beneath the class clown exterior, you’ll find the sweetest teddy bear of a man you could ever imagine.

He is my daddy.

Happy birthday, Pop. I love you more than you could ever possibly know, and nothing I write could ever get all those feelings across. I am the luckiest gal in the whole wide world to have you in my life, and I thank God every day that you are my daddy. Remember “God’s Greatest Creation?” I read it a couple of weeks ago when I was over doin’ something with Momma. I think I was in junior high when I wrote that, and every single word is still true. The only difference is that now I have so many more wonderful memories that have you in them. And they’re wonderful because of you. I you, man. I you.

Old-Fashioned

The Hubbs' sister (aka Jello) and her very own hubbs (aka Hank) have the most precious little gal outside of my own house.  Sorry, y'all.  I gotta be biased...what momma doesn't think her little gal is the best?

Anyhoo...

K, this wonderful little peanut (who, by the way is probably dwarfing The Princess by now) is turning two on Monday.  So why am I mentioning all of this today, you may ask?

Tomorrow is her party.  Jello, Hank, and K will be in town throwing the shindig of the year.  I hear it's gonna be Mickey Mouse Clubhouse themed, and I can't wait to get my Hot Dog Dance on.

It'll be great to see everyone.  I feel just a little like I've been goin' 240 with my hair on fire this past week, and I haven't even started school yet!  I could use some good old-fashioned family time.

Priceless

Day Two of school seems to have gone well for The Princess.  Unfortunately, she's not used to this new schedule yet...in fact, she's so un-used to it that she slept where she fell at 3:30 yesterday afternoon until after 7:00 in the evening.

There's always a period of adjustment when her schedule changes.  We know this.  We deal with it.

But how do you deal with a hyper 3-year-old who's risen from a dead sleep only two hours before bedtime?  Stick her on the treadmill, of course!  The Princess marched her little body on that thing for twenty minutes yesterday evening.  I just can't seem to get over the cuteness of this particular activity.  She walks and flaps, sometimes doing her patented "bird face" at the thing while flapping.  These are the times when The Hubbs has to be on high alert.  He catches her before she hits the wall, and the whole process starts over again.

It's priceless. 

Her First Day

Yesterday was The Princess's first day of school.  We woke her early and got her set up with some grub and juice, dressed her, and set about our morning routine.  She didn't miss a beat...grabbed her shoes and she was ready to run out the door.

It never ceases to amaze me how she can jump right back into the swing of things. 

She was excited on the bus, and she had a great day at school.  The note from Mrs. G. informed us that she arrived happy, matched the year for her calendar job, ate animal crackers and had juice for snack, and played with a variety of toys. 

My only regret is that I didn't think to take a picture (sorry, Nana!).

Open House

Yesterday was the open house at The Princess's school.  Naturally, I had to work so I couldn't go.  Fortunately, Grumma was willing and able to swing by and take The Hubbs and The Princess to school.

This was the first time Grumma had seen the setup, and she was really impressed.  Starting today, the kiddos will be split into two separate classrooms: one will be headed by Miss A, and the other - The Princess's class - will be led by Mrs. G.  There are six kids in each class, and (from what I hear) they were all very excited to be back in their old stompin' grounds.

Oh, I almost forgot to tell y'all the big news!  The Princess is no longer the only girl in the program - she will now have a partner in crime.  According to The Hubbs, the second little gal in Mrs. G.'s class is almost the same exact size as The Princess.  My prediction: they'll be ruling the roost side-by-side before you can say "Mine."

I'm so very sorry I missed it, but The Hubbs and Grumma gave me some pretty detailed accounts of the one-hour open house today.  The Princess practically dragged The Hubbs back to her classroom, and she was very excited to see Mrs. G. again. 

As soon as the motor room was opened, she took off like a shot for the ball tent.  For those of you who don't know what this is, it's brilliant.  The school has a small camping tent set up in the autism motor room, and it's filled with ball-pit balls.  When it's not in use, the zippers are closed.  This allows for minimal cleanup and easy moving if needed.  Seriously, I think it's the best idea ever.

I know I'm beginning to ramble, and that's because I'm pretty stinkin' tired.  This whole workin' thing is gonna take some getting used to, but I can see that I'm going to love my new job.  Between the new gig, The Princess starting school again today, and gearing up for my fall semester that starts next week, we've got a lot on our plates around here.  I'm excited for all of it; I really am.

But for right now, the only thing I can think of is sleep.  ;)

Happy Birthday, R!

The Princess is growing up. Over the weekend, she, The Hubbs, and I attended our very first birthday party for someone to whom none of us are related.


As I’m sure you are aware by now, The Princess started school the day after she turned three. She entered into the autism program through our local special education district at a school about fifteen minutes from our little yellow house. Of the eleven children in Mrs. G.’s class, The Princess was – and still is – the only girl.

This, however, hasn’t turned out to be a bad thing so far. She’s something of a novelty to the class. At least a few of the boys have sisters, so they know a little bit about being around girls. I’m sure I told y’all about the one particularly adorable incident when The Princess’s allergies were acting up, causing her to be a Faucet Face, and one of the little boys in her class sweetly followed her around with tissues, wiping her nose like he does for his little sister.

It’s the moments like these, and the way I see her look at her teacher, that assure me she’s fine. All of you other mommas out there know where I’m coming from; when they can’t tell you what’s going on, you just plain have to have faith in the human race and hope like hell that your little ones are enjoying what they’re doing.

Well, today is R’s sixth birthday. He and The Princess have been in the same classroom together since April, and his momma was kind enough to invite The Princess (and, by extension, The Hubbs and me) to attend R’s very first “friends” birthday party. At first, we weren’t sure whether or not we should go. Three years in, we know what a challenge crowds can be. We know that any amount of structure can cause a meltdown. We know chances are that there will be at least some misery associated with such an outing.

But.

This was for one of her classmates. One of the boys with whom she spends tons of time on a regular basis at school. And the other attendees would also be her classmates, each and every one of whom is in the autism program. Each and every one of these sweet little boys has parents who get it.

So, on Saturday, we ventured to the fitness club where R’s party was to be held. Holding hands and lugging swim suits and diaper bags, we made our way past the reception area and back to the party room. The Princess, of course, wanted to run. Then she wanted me to fling her around. She couldn’t keep her busy little butt still while we feasted on pizza and cupcakes made in ice cream cones.

And no one said a thing. They got it. Each and every parent in that room understood. There was not a sideways glance, not an under-the-breath remark, not even the hint of anything but understanding and grace under the fire that was coming non-stop from the troop of little whirling dervishes in that room.

After lunch, we hit the pool. Each kiddo had at least one parent along for the duration. We drifted around the pool, playing in the kid area that had the coolest layout I’ve ever seen. Some of the more daring boys went to the (slightly) deeper area and climbed out, only to jump right back in, splashing everything in sight.

Naturally, The Princess took one look at this and wanted in. We joined the daredevils at the edge of the pool, where The Princess launched herself into my arms again and again. Eventually, she started climbing out almost completely on her own. She’d scoot herself to the edge, give me the look, and drop herself into the water. Completely into the water. On purpose. I’m talkin’ holding her breath, plunking herself into the pool – where she couldn’t touch, mind you – and coming up giggling when I dragged her to the surface.

We walked all around the areas where she could touch - the laps added up to miles, I'm sure. We played in the spray from one of the (I guess you’d call them) water features. We splooshed and splooshed until we couldn’t sploosh any more. We talked with the other parents. And it was all so relaxed. So natural.

This is the first time I’ve felt this way. I couldn’t be happier with our choice to start The Princess in this program at school. Meeting her classmates and their parents is an experience I’m not likely to forget, and it meant more to me than I could ever hope to convey.

R, you sweet, wonderful, little boy: thank you. Thank you for wanting a party with your friends from school. Thank you, and your mommy and daddy, for including us. Happy birthday, buddy. We hope to see you and the rest of the crew again very soon.

Better Late Than Never

Okay, so I should have posted something this morning.  The problem is that I went to bed earlier than normal last night, and we all slept in today.  The day got going, and I totally forgot about my blog until now.

Seeing as how it's Friday the 13th, I thought I'd just give a shout-out to my buddy, T, who lives in Arizona.  His grandmother, Juliet, loved the number 13.  It was her lucky number, and Friday the 13th was always her favorite day. 

This tradition was passed along to T, who has come to love this day as well.  Not being a superstitious person, I have no reason to think poorly upon Friday the 13th.  And, being a glass-is-half-full kind of gal, I prefer to focus on the positive anyway.

T, buddy, we're thinkin' of you today.  Give your wife and the Little Man a hug from us, and enjoy the day, dear.

BNL's Magic Raisins

How many of you have the "Snacktime" album by the Barenaked Ladies?  If you don't know what I'm talking about, head to your local library and snatch that sucker up to load into your iPod.  Or, if you're less broke and therefore less worried about where your money goes than I am, go ahead and buy it.

Best.  Kids' CD.  Ever.

Come to think of it, this is one that we actually shelled out the money for.  No, I'm not even a little sorry.  Totally worth the $10 we paid.  I get the songs stuck in my head all the time.  And they're not even annoying!

My personal favorite is track #4: "Raisins."  It has a bazillion lyrics and a fun little beat, paired with some most excellent whistling.  It's in my head, like, all the time.

Why, you may ask, does this matter?  Because, my friends, "Raisins" is a magical song.  I kid you not.  No matter what has happened to make The Princess sad, upset, grumpy, what-have-you, this song makes it all better.  All I have to do is pick her up and start singing "Raisins," and by the time it's over, she's all better.  Smiling.  Laughing, even!

I can't think of a cooler (or catchier!) remedy for sad-mad-grumpy kiddohead.

***



Raisins come from grapes;
People come from apes;
I come from Canada.
I came in first place
in a nonexistant race
to rebuild the parthenon.

The parthenon's in Greece,
but what's in Grease 2? 
I can't keep my movies straight.
When I make mistakes,
I use a lot of salt,
'cause salt makes mistakes taste great.

I don't want to be a bother, but I think you're in my seat.

[fun whistling verse]

I've got orange pants;
I wear them when I dance,
but I don't get out that much.
You are just too loud;
I passed you in a crowd;
Thank you, and keep in touch.

I don't speak Chinese,
not even words like "please," "thank you," or "how are you,"
but I can parler (sp?) Francais;
I parlered it today...
it seemed like the thing to do.

I don't want to be a bother, but I think the phone's for you.

[more fun whistling to the end]

Check

A couple hours of working from home?  Check.

Lunch with T?  Check.

Textbooks for fall semester?  Check.

School supplies for The Princess (and some office stuff for myself)?  Check.

Library?  Check.

In bed incredibly early?  You bet your ass.

Unmistakable

There's a moment, an unmistakable place in time, when there's no longer any doubt about The Princess's state.  She'll be happily playing with one of us, and - BAM! - all of a sudden, without warning, her bottom lip juts out to form a pathetic little frown.  Alligator tears form in her eyes, and you've never seen anyone look more pathetic or desperate.

This, my friends, is how we know it's bedtime around here.

Connection

Sookie has an unbelievable attachment to The Hubbs' best friend, Uncle D.  In our infinite maturity, The Hubbs and I tend to talk in silly little voices for the dogs (and The Princess) sometimes.  Okay, you caught me.  All day, every day.

Anyhoo, from time to time Sook Sook will begin "talking" about how she misses her Uncle D.  Inevitably, within a week of her "whining," we get a visit.  I'm beginning to think our puppy is psychic.

Whatever the connection is, I'm glad it's there.  It's always nice to see D, and - as an extra added bonus - Sookie got to sleep behind his knees.  Now, what could be better than that?

Thrilled

This week has been a whirlwind.  I started training for my new job on Tuesday, and since then I've spent time in the Big Bad City and one of the suburbs a little over an hour away.

I can't recall if I've told y'all very much about this job yet, so here's an overview.  I'm working for a concierge company that caters mostly to healthcare workers in hospitals and other treatment centers.  It's a benefit provided to the employees by their locations, and we do some really cool stuff.  Need an oil change?  We'll arrange to have it done during your shift.  Shoe repair?  Bring it in and we'll get it taken care of for you.  Dry cleaning?  No problem.  We'll let you know when it's ready.  We also offer discounted movie tickets, discounted tickets to Great America, and lots of useful coupons.  Forget to buy a present for someone, or just don't have the time?  We sell all sorts of gift cards.  Hell, we'll even gift wrap anything for you, any day of the year.  And it's all free of charge to the employees.  All they pay is the price of the service through the vendor.  Which is usually discounted for our users, by the way.

Pretty stinkin' cool, eh?

I've been in customer service since my high school days.  I have lots of experience.  After a couple days of training, I can see that this job is going to be a great fit for me.  It seems to combine my favorite things about all of my previous jobs all into one neat little package.

Day one of training was a broad overview.  By day two, we'd completed week three on the training schedule, and I was taking actual orders and helping customers.  Today, I'll be back in the suburbs again, practicing the system and working with the site manager and her customers again.

This month, I'm going to be all over the place.  I think I'll have worked at four different locations by the time I settle into my permanent home - fifteen minutes from where I hang my hat.  If you ask me, one month of hoofin' it is more than worth the fact that I'll be so close on a permanent basis.

I really like everyone I've worked with so far, and I'm excited to learn more while meeting other site managers. 

In case y'all haven't figured this out by now, I tend to be a glass-is-half-full kind of gal.  I realize this, and I wouldn't change it for anything.  And at the moment, I couldn't be more thrilled with where I am.

The Princess and the Spoon

For three and (almost) a half years, The Hubbs and I have catered to The Princess's every need.  The most prevalent need, the one she began communicating before anything else, is food.  She waves bowls, wrappers, plates in the air, flapping frantically in a desperate attempt to receive sustenance.

At almost three and a half, The Princess is learning to use a spoon...slowly but surely.  From time to time, she'll grab a spoon and actually feed herself.  She's even started using a fork, stabbing chunks of chicken and guiding them into her pie-hole before going all chipmunk-cheeked.

She's always so proud of herself when it works.

My favorite story, though, happened on Wednesday morning of this week.  The Princess slept in again, rolling out of bed just before 11:00.  The Hubbs was making Cream of Wheat for breakfast, in which The Princess has never shown the slightest interest.  He and I sat at our places on the couch and loveseat, spooning our cereal into our mouths as she watched.

And then.

And then she climbed up in her Da's lap and took the spoon.  Interesting, no?  Since she doesn't usually care for this breakfast, we didn't immediately understand what she was getting at.

And then.

And then she guided the spoon - flawlessly, not a drop spilled - into Da's mouth.  She proceeded to feed him the rest of the cereal in his bowl, never spilling a drop.

Yep, I do believe this is my favorite story to date about The Princess and the Spoon.

I You

Me: "I love you, baby."

The Princess: "I you."

Me: "That's right!  Great job, sweetie!  I love you!!!"

The Princess: "I you!"

'Nuff said.

First

First thing this morning, I will wake up to an alarm clock buzzing...that is, if I don't wake up earlier than that on my own.  I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve, anticipating this new job. 

Today is my first day of training.

How will it go?  Rest assured, y'all will be the first to know.

Last

The last meetings of my on-campus summer school classes are all this week.  Presentations, finals, done.

The last time I had a job, it was last year.  The last thing I thought I would ever get a chance to do is to spend eight months at home with The Princess...unless I was seventy-something and she was taking care of me.  This is not to say that there have not been hardships since losing my last job, but we've managed to survive, even to have fun along the way.  How many people do you know who are effectively able to retire for a year before their thirtieth birthday?  It's the last thing I would have ever expected, the last thing I'd ever consider changing.  These months have been wonderful.

Today...today is the last day of my "retirement" before I start training for the new gig.  Tomorrow, I'll head back down into the Big Bad City and spend the day with one of the site managers, who will be training me.  The plan is to transition me to my permanent location (15 minutes from home - yippee!) by September first.  I'll be part-time there to begin with, transitioning to full-time when the existing site manager retires for good.

I was afraid that the last job I had would be the last one I'd be excited about.  Things were so good there for years, but - inevitably - the office politics began rearing their ugly heads, much more publicly than was absolutely necessary.  I'm a look-on-the-bright-side kind of gal, and it took a lot...but I found myself at a point where I severely disliked my job.  I didn't want to go into the office.  I didn't want to deal with the corporate bigwig clients.

I'm glad my fear was ill-founded.  Here I am, on my last day of freedom, looking forward to this new position with unrivaled enthusiasm.  I'll be working face-to-face with actual people again, helping them through an uber-cool position with everything from daily chores to party planning.  The Hubbs and I were talking about something earlier, and I said something about what I needed to bring to work tomorrow.

Work.  It sounded so foreign on my lips.  But I'm excited about it, and I think I'm ready to go back.  At last.