Weather, Dates, Scruffiness

As I stood washing my hands after using the restroom at work yesterday, I happened to take a look at my appearance in the mirror. I am not a vain person so usually don't do much more than make sure I don't have some dirt on the face, and make sure my cowlick isn't sticking up. But I paused while looking. I think the grey in beard caught my attention. Or maybe it was how long the beard is getting. I have been growing it out (again) for around 3 months now, and in my opinion it is starting to take on some character now. I have had a few compliments about it this past week. Maybe that's what made me stop and look. But while gazing on my amazing chin-hair, I noticed the 'wings' I had by my ears, being pushed out from the sides of my hat. I need a haircut.

With the Daughter's wedding coming up in May, I had thought I would just let my hair grow until about April, then go get it cut, giving it a good couple weeks or so to "grow in" so it doesn't look fresh-cut for pictures. But I don't think I can wait that long. It is getting long enough now that even with gel, I can't get it to stay in the style I keep it. Just too thick and heavy. The barber I go to, John, always botches about cutting my hair because it is so thick, it takes him twice as long to cut it. I tell him it helps him earn the tip I give him.

Desert temps are extreme. Over the weekend, we were having freezing/near-freezing temperatures for the outlying parts of the Valley, with daytime highs in the low 50's. I know, for you in the colder climes, you mock my bitching about the "cold". Monday was mid-60's. Tuesday high was 71, and today, last I heard, the expected high was 73. RM posted on her blog that PT said it was to be 80 today, but I don't see it, and surely do not know where he heard that weather report. I would stop listening to that one for sure. It's been nice with the warmer than usual temps for AZ, considering we still have snow in the high country just 2-3 hours from the Valley. No, I have no plans of going to "see the snow" though we have been invited on any given weekend to visit a BIL's family that lives up north. I do enjoy wearing shorts more than long pants, and have not yet had to wear jeans to work.

A couple weeks or so back, the Wife was looking at calendars on one of our short trips to the store. She was trying to think ahead and get a couple for 2015, and since we were at the 99 Cent Store, it was worth the price. Of course, being the woman, she had to go through EVERY SINGLE ONE to make sure she like the picture theme. OF course, there is at least one (of the 3-4 she bought) that has cats on it. Could be used for target practice later, I guess. But while she was flipping calendars, I came across a skinny, book-sized monthly planner that I decided was going to be for me. Simple. Efficient, Portable. No damn pictures of cats.

Anyway, I was just sort of flipping through the months last night, putting in the kids' birthdays, marking the Daughter's wedding date, days off from school for the boys, etc. Then I sat for a minute, and realized how empty the year looked. There were no days marked for a family trip. Nothing for just me, like a vacation day. Nothing specific for the Wife planned out. No schedule of meetings/events/classes for anything. I have seen the wipe-board calendar that RM keeps on their fridge, and it seems they have something put down for damn near every day, between church stuff, grandkids stuff, birthdays/anniversaries .... they seem busy. Too busy if you ask me.

So maybe not having so much filled in for the year is good ... or, I can just take it as it comes. Surprise trips are kind of nice. A random day off for no reason could be enjoyable, though I would probably spend part of it thinking about work. Maybe I will talk to the Wife about doing a 3-day weekend to Cali for a family trip ... and do something there less expensive than the trip to Disneyland was when we went last.

Eh. Who knows?

PeacE