The Recap ... of Nothing

 Not much to say abot anything that happened this weekend. We didn't make it out to look at fence panels. Friday evening, I had the Wife give me a ride up to the pub, and on the way we discussed it. The neighbor's house on that side has been empty for a couple years. She, or her daughter come by every few months and "check on" the property, but mostly it just sits vacant. There have been a couple times we have seen homeless trying to set up in the backyard. She has asked us to call the police if it happened again, but to my recollection it hasn't. Anyways, I guess she had been by earlier in the week, but after the storm. She had lost a tree in the backyard, and noticed that we had very temporarily gotten that part of the fence back up. She spoke to the Wife about block fencing. The Wife shared with me, and I am all for it. This fence is quite aged and weathered, and who knows when the next storm will come through and knock the rest of it down. I don't have the physical ability to get out there and set fence posts and panels.... and financially, we could afford to split the cost of aa block fence along that property side. The Wife will be talking to the neighbor I am sure sometime this week.

The oldest Son came by yesterday! Of course, it was to do his laundry, but still he came by! The laundry facilities at their apartment complex are expensive, as I am sure they are pretty much everywhere nowadays. The middle Son, that shares the apartment, hasn't been by to do laundry in a long time, so would not be surprised to see him be over some day soon as well. But it was good to visit with the older Son. He has plans to meet up with his girlfriend and maybe do a pic-a-nic lunch, then be by here again to pick up the last load of laundry he had left.

Spent part of yesterday watching "Bloodshot", with Vin Diesel. I wasn't impressed. It was one of those comic-book type movies. Then I spent some time playing Warcraft. Later in the evening I ended up on FB and watching videos, which led to YouTube and more time wasted. And I spent all day sneezing and wiping my watering eyes. For some reason, my allergies were just terrible, and I already feel them starting up again today. Which means I won't be trying to go to church. I am sure no one wants to hear someone sneezing and blowing their nose, and wearing a mask while dealing with it? I don't think so.

The title company reached out to me and finally asked for the payoff and an Identity statement for the sale of the old house. I wondered what had taken so long, but glad it is here finally. I'll print those off today, and scan/send them back. Sis said something the other day in a text that the "rehab" that is going on there is almost done. In theory, the contract reads until the end of this month basically, but I do hope we can sell this before then and close. I just want to be disconnected from it.

PeacE

Let's Get This Done

 I am ready for this week to be over. With Monday's storm results, and just trying to make up the missed work time, this week has just felt like it has fragged on and on. Today I will finish up making up the missed time from work, but still means an extra hour today.

Tomorrow the Wife and I will be heading to Lowe's/Home Depot to see about getting some fence panels and posts (plus hardware) to get the fencing fixed. It will have to be delivered as we have no vehicle to transport the 6'x8' panels. Last time we ordered, it took several weeks to get delivered due to the incompetence and miscommunications within the store. Hopefully, those issues won't happen this time.

Sometimes I don't understand some businesses. A few days back, the Wife (who has been working on going through her Mom's things still) had heard of a place that would take in blankets and coats/jackets to be distributed to the homeless. She worked at getting many of the spare coats/jackets stored and also blankets from closets in order to get them to this place. I never realized we had so many blankets. I told her I had no problem with giving them away, as long as it was not any of the quilts that had been made or passed through the family to us. Either way, yesterday she had gotten these items all together (about 2-3 large garbage bags) and loaded them up to take in. She was gone a couple hours. I was on the verge of texting her, thinking she had problems, when she came back home, disgruntled. Obviously, I asked what happened. Seems this company does not deal with public donations. They do hand out those items to homeless, but evidently only when it comes from blah-blah-blah. Yeah. I had quit listening already. In short, they wouldn't take the donation. Try to do something good, and this crap. So looks like the stuff will end up going to Savers/Goodwill.

I admit I have been doing that quite a bit lately. The thing where I am listening, until I am not. It seems my brain takes in the information until it says 'okay not interested anymore' and just tunes it all out. Truthfully, it happens more with my Wife than anyone else. Of course, she has a tendency (in my opinion) to prattle on about things that have nothing to do with the 'story' or explanation - like yesterday's trip. It's like hearing a story from somebody with ADD, that has to explore every tangent and offshoot, while they tell the tale. Sigh. The things I have to work on.....

I guess that is about all I got to talk about right now.

PeacE

Well, That Happened ....

 The past couple of days have been spent with me trying to get things done. Actually, more things than normal. Monday we had a rain front come through. Not a bad thing for the desert, and it is always good to get precipitation. However, it included some wind gusts, 40-60 mph ones, that sometimes take it out on the scenery. That being said, there was a small micro-burst that happened about a block from my house. Out on the busy street, it dropped at least two power-line poles. Which killed the power for about 2,600 people in the area. The Wife made the call to the power company, and they expected power to be restored by 5:30pm (it went out at 1:45pm). We sat around until about 4 then I hade the Wife drop me off at the pub.

While there, the Wife sent me a pic from the backyard. I guess that micro-burst had also knocked down at least 2 panels of the wood fence in the yard. On the other side, the neighbors tree has partially broken off and was hanging over the fence. Crap! We had just last year replaced 9 panels of the back fence from a storm that had blown it over. Now more. And now it was nearing 6pm, power was not on still. My Sis called and said she heard power was going to be out until 4am. I got busy and booked a hotel room for us for the night. I also made plans for the Youngest and I for school/work since we both need wifi. I already have to make up a little over 2 hours of work with the power outage.

The middle Son came by about 6am to the house, verified power and internet were back up. We checked out and headed home. I saw RM was talking about making some chili, and teasingly texted her asking when was dinner. She was nice enough, and I am sure she loved doing it, but brought by some chili at lunchtime, which very quickly disappeared. The chili took me back a few years, as RM makes it different than I do.

I did put in an extra half hour yesterday at work, and today will try to do that amount, and more. Somedays it is hard to do more than the 8 hours. It truly is a lot of reading, and though I love to do that, the content is sometimes not fun. Our current project was supposed to end this week, but has now been extended to about mid-February.

So at some point this week, I need to order some fence panels, posts and pick up some miscellaneous supplies to fix the fence. Finish making up the missed hours at work. Get another car donated and towed away. On top of the normal life things. I'm tired just thinking about it.

PeacE

Cajun Cakes

 I sincerely hope, that after reading today's post title, that you are not expecting some soft patois, or a recipe for some Down South cooking, or anything much related to that region. Nay, no Creole, crawdads, or 'Deliverance' situations. 

This morning's post comes early for me. I woke up an hour plus before I even wanted, or needed, to be up. With no apparent cause ... again. As I laid there, trying to get back to the land of Nod, the mind turned on and somehow I knew that Mr. Sandman's twinkle dust was of an inferior quality when he dispensed last night, and any possible effect it may have had was gone. I began to think about what am I going to do with an extra hour in my schedule this morning before work, and decided I should put it to use with the possibility of entertaining the one, maybe two, of you readers. So I began to think about what could I write about today.

Aging and Aches. That was going to be the title today. I'm feeling both today, and have the past few days. I mentioned on Friday about my hips (and knees, and shoulders, and back, and hands) all being achey. I narrowed the cause down to the weather - it being suddenly a bit chillier in AZ than the norm, and let's add in some barometric changes and wet weather as well. I know we always seem to need precipitation in any form here in the desert, and last year was like the 6th (I think) driest we have had in many years. But that weather has lingered through the weekend, and I know yesterday evening we had a bit more rain. This morning, it is a bit chillier than normal, or maybe it was just my impression coming from a warm bed. The phone informs me it is only about 47 degrees. My joints feel it.

The overcast and cloudy skies has made it a bit of notice for the Wife as well. Not only does she have migraines from scents (which she hasn't been able to smell much since April) but cloudy weather will kick them off as well. Most mornings she can tell how cloudy it is by how her head feels, prior to even getting out of bed. Yesterday, we both lay in bed, debating if we were going to get up and attend church that morning. I finally admitted defeat, and said I was not feeling up to it, that the aching was just not worth getting up out of bed and fighting to go sit (uncomfortably). So we basically cat-napped a couple hours more.

Back to this morning... By the time I got around about there, laying in bed, mentally noting what I was going to say, and how, that the urge to do the morning absolutions made itself known. Yeah. That 'back to sleep' thing was NOT happening.

So here I sit, waiting for the acetaminophen and daily allergy pill (that doesn't seem to work) to kick in, and trying to figure out if there is anything more to add today. Not really. But I did say something wrong earlier. Once I typed that line, this video stuck out in my head... Enjoy. 

PeacE

Friday Morning Blues

 I'm up a bit earlier than usual today. Seems I woke a bit over an hour before the alarm was to go off, and pretty much knew immediately I was not going back to sleep. I have no idea what woke me. It could have been the cat(s) jumping onto the bed ... maybe a noise of something the cat(s) knocked over/on the floor ...maybe just the pain I feel in my hops today. I am sure the changes in weather we are having this week are setting off the pain sensors in my joints. We have had a some early morning, light showers the last couple days, and according to weather reports, should expect something more come early next week. 

Speaking of weathering the storm ,,, should we talk about the new president? Yesterday was his second day in office, and I truly do not want to know what he signed as executive orders. Just the list I saw from day one were bad enough (my opinion). I only heard one small thing yesterday, and it was that he was "getting on top of" the Covid situation. I'm glad I don't watch news. It may not be smart, but it sure eases my stress level not being informed of stupid crap all the time. Occasionally I will tune into the local news radio, and within the hour I have a good idea of the news around locally, nationally, and if needed, around the world. Good enough for me.

It is Friday, a workday for me. Was another shorter week of work, due to the holiday this past Monday, and next week should be a regular 5-day work week. They offered to let us work 4-10 hour days this past week, but usually after 8 hours, I am pretty done.

Well, off to have my morning cigarette and see if I can find anything for breakfast.

PeacE

Another Hump Day

 Hmmmm. Not sure what to think/say about the Inaugural address given today. "Unity" was obviously the key word used. Talking last night with a friend, who is more politically informed than I am, we had some random thoughts.

Shutting down the Keystone Pipeline. Gas prices have risen here in the Valley about $0.20 over the past few weeks. I think they said this morning the average in AZ is about $2.40. With wanting to shut down this pipeline, prices are going to rise again.

Battling the NRA. I think Dems have always done this, and I am not surprised this will be an issue again (still). Already I know there is a shortage of ammunition across the US, depending on what you use/need/want. Mostly .9MM is what I have heard. I'm still thinking about getting a Colt .45ACP and maybe a 12 gauge. I haven't had the chance to go out and look, but probably will here soon.

Covid and the 'vaccine'. Oh, I don't know how I want to go about this one. Local news stations here state that AZ has a small percentage of the vaccine that we need. It will be interesting how the new regime in office will handle this distribution to states, etc. Personally, I don't know if I even want to get this shot. Excuse, shots, because you have to have two of them. I don't know offhand anyone that has received it, so can't say there are bad effects. I'm just leery about a "cure" that is rushed out to the world without proper testing and procedures. Maybe I am just not properly informed. Shrug.

Enough on that crap... it's depressing for me.

PeacE

The Return

 Today, things are going to return to normal. Well, at least as normal as around here gets anyways. Back to work for me. School for the Youngest. Whatever the Wife is currently doing when she gets up.

So that means, like normal, I don't have much to share today. 

The Presidential Inaug-thingy is tomorrow. I have seen multiple posts across social media (all types) about how everyone should boycott all media between certain times, to show The Media, and the Dems about how we as a People are not happy. I am complying with the request. Mainly because I will be working, and don't access that type of media during the work day. Besides, you really thin the Media is going to notice everyone NOT watching/listening for one hour? C'mon!

Guess I should get on to other things this morning before getting started on work.

PeacE

No Post Title

 It's Monday, again, and I am up and ready to go at 6:30am. Normally that is a good thing as it gives me time to get more awake prior to starting work. Except today. Today is a state holiday being Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, and no school, no mail, and for me, no work. Which means to make 40 hours this week I would have to do 4-ten hour days. That ain't happening. Fortunately, I do not HAVE to do that, though many of my co-workers ask all the time for extra hours. I guess it is good to have a financial cushion and not HAVE to have to do the extra time.

The Wife, Youngest Son and I went to Applebee's last night for dinner. Wanted to try someplace "different" than our regular out to eat spots. I had the BBQ brisket tacos, with fries and cole slaw. I have been spoiled, and noticed right away with one bite that the slaw was terrible, and dry. Fries were lightly seasoned and not bad. The tacos were pretty good, having bbq brisket meat, and some fried onions on top, in a flour tortilla. But there were only three small tacos. The Wife and Son had did their $22 for 2 special, and then my dinner, plus drinks the bill wasn't bad, but overall the prices vs serving size isn't that great. Maybe that was why it had been several years since we ate there. I think our last time was about 2-3 year ago when our friends Mike and Leah came out. I think they picked the restaurant then, as well.

Today I am sure I won't be doing much. Playing some Warcraft. Maybe watch a few more episodes of "Yellowstone". Maybe a movie I got saved on Netflix. I got all day to do nothing.

PeacE

Another First ....

 The Middle Son had a 'First' happen yesterday. It was a bit of a learning experience, and hopefully, one he won't forget. He had a car accident.

Everyone in both parties were fine. Minor damage to the other vehicle (siding dented) and a little more on the Son's car (broke the headlight casing, though lights work, bent in the fender and partially the hood). Both cars were still drivable, and after exchanging some info, they went their separate ways.

The police were not called. The son took a picture of the insurance card the other driver provided. The other driver did not have his license on him. The Son also took a picture of the damages, and the other's license plate. The Son came by that afternoon and we talked a little about it. He sent copies of the pics to the Wife's phone, for future backup in case something happens to his phone. I told him we would wait for the insurance to contact us, as the accident was purely his fault. At least no one was hurt, and both cars are drivable.

The Wife was looking at the pics last night, and happened to notice some funny things. The insurance card - it was expired, and also for a car, not a minivan. The license plate had expired tags on it. The driver didn't have a license (on him), and recalling that the Son said he had a Mexican/Spanish accent.... yeah. Sounds like an un-insured driver. un-licensed, un-insured, un-registered, maybe even illegal. I doubt there will be a claim filed with our insurance.

The Son had a first, and hopefully last. Glad everyone was okay and no medical was needed.

PeacE

Not Today

 I got nothing. I sat here for a good half hour, trawling through other blogs, news sites, etc, but could not find anything worth sharing my meager opinion about. I don't know if I am just not in the mood, or if things going on in the world just don't matter to me right now.

Finally got the old van at the old house towed away yesterday. Seems I am pretty much in the mode of sitting here waiting for that to close escrow. That will be a huge burden off my shoulders.

Work is settling in for now. This project has a life expectancy of two more weeks.

Yeah. I really got nothing.

PeacE

Sometimes It's the Little Things

 The other night, RM finally brought me over some cookies she had baked. She had been mentioning for several days, on her blog mind you, about making some white chocolate chip macadamian nut cookies, specifically for me as she knows I love them. Of course, she talked about other things, like the 21-Day Fast she and PT had started. Being the RM she is, of course talking about fasting and giving things up for Christ, she asked her readers what they are willing to give up. I frankly told her in comments I was going to give up talking to my mother for 21 days because she kept teasing me with cookies. I got them the next day.

Yes it is funny. And I meant it truly in a teasing way, which I am sure RM took as such. But I actually thought about it. I don't speak much to RM. Or text. Or call. Usually it is because I don't think there is much to talk about. I post things here, she posts thing on her blog. If there was stuff to catch up on, it'd be family stuff that neither of us posted. But maybe I should do that. Just send a text to say hi every now and then. I know she wouldn't argue about it. Of course, I'll still try to do the lunches every few months when I can.

I was over at the old house a couple days ago. There have been some changes from when we lived there. Tree out front is gone. Front and back lawns are stripped to the ground, I am guessing they are going to re-seed and fertilize. I did sort of walk-through and see where some wood paneling had been removed, and the shelves from the storage room were removed. All to get it prepped for paint, etc. Whatever it takes to sell it. Went back over last night to move the van that doesn't run. Had to "tow" it back down the RV drive a bit towards the street so the Kars4Kids will be able to pick it up. The tow service won't do it if it is too far up the drive - they aren't allowed to back up the drive to pick it up. I donated online last night, and expect a call sometime today from the tow to  arrange a time. One more thing off my mind once it is picked up.

Finally got in a good 8 hours of work yesterday. Will probably try to do up to 10 today (max I can do) just to try to make up some from Monday.

Can't think of much else.

PeacE

Thoughts and Whines for a Monday

 The alarm went off this morning, set for the usual time when I know I have a project in which to get started. Feeling a little tired still, I shut that one off, knowing a had a second (and third) set for 15 minutes later. I 'dozed' back off, only to wake 13 minutes later, and decided I might as well get up. As habit for me, after the morning's requirements, I checked my emails to find one regarding the new project starting today. Our initial meeting to go over the protocols isn't until 11:30am, so now I am up roughly five hours before I needed to be. Sigh. At least it is work though.

Might as well go through my regular daily routine, rather than go back to bed for a few hours, I went and read RM's blog. Then a couple other favorites. Seems the "talk" of civil unrest, and much about "end times" comes up. Yet, I can't recall seeing anything about Covid for once. Saturday night I had decided in an alcohol-induced intelligence to deactivate my Facebook account. My buddy J, an attorney, and I had been talking about some of the crap going on this last week, and said he doesn't do social media, mostly to stay uninvolved in the comments/spoutings of the 'raving public'. Aside from that, the only family he has to stay in touch with live locally, and he speaks/sees them almost daily. So I did it. But come Sunday morning, it was re-activated, as I just felt the ability to stay in touch with family was easier through this platform than any other.

As I browsed through FB last night, the sheer number of rantings I saw was ... somewhat embarrassing. People I had considered having normal, rational behavior/responses were copying posts from others about the end time. Other posts were of the Cabal of Rich. A time of Martial Law. Arresting of the corrupt politicians. Electrical black-outs (though did not specify where, how many, or why). The start of a Civil War. And of course, let's not forget to add about Trump staying in office, as the leaders of the Dems would be jailed, and proof would be acknowledged (don't know by whom) that this last election was rigged, tainted, destroyed by other countries. Whew! I wonder if I should have waited until next month to re-activate that FB account. Sigh.

Either way, what's done is done. In all things. Que sera sera. Should our city/state become so lawless, as the old days of the Wild West, I'll deal with it to protect my family to the best of my ability. Several friends and I have discussed possibilities, and possible actions we would take to do this, including "banding together" in a remote area. I truly hope it dies not come to that. Sigh.

Everyone seems to be getting in the game of sharing their viewpoint. The Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, the unknowns - I even saw a couple videos that had self-proclaimed biblical prophecy teachers (is that a thing?) saying how this all ties into the Bible. Could be. In just my short 49 years, I have seen that one used quite a bit. Anytime something doesn't go right, or match a certain person's views, it is end times. Revelations coming to pass. Verse after verse is quoted that match the current day events ... only, the verses are sporadic, and are taken out of context (my opinion). Sigh.

I don't claim to know what may lay ahead. I don't claim to be unbothered by the events unfolding on a daily basis. Concerned? In many ways. Jumping on the proverbial band wagon(s)? Not a chance.

In the meantime, I still have bills to pay, a life to live, and a family to love.

PeacE

Prepping for the Week Ahead

 It has hit the mellow part of the Sunday Afternoon. I made it up and to church this morning to hear the "new preacher" (to me). I figure I will have to go a few times to finally be able to make a decision if I like his style of talk/instruction. So many of the past ones have just not clicked for me. Maybe I am being overly choosy. Don't know, don't care. Afterwards, the Wife and I went to Golden Corral, a buffet that is actually open during the Great American Plague. Of course, one cannot serve themselves, and the workers do it from behind the counter, but you can still choose what you want form the selections. I ate too much, had to rush home to take care of Mother Nature's after dinner call, and then we laid down for a short while. Full belly, tiredness, but couldn't sleep. So here I am at the computer.

Back to work tomorrow. New Project. Supposed to last almost three weeks. Will see about that. At least I now know the next level, so maybe can stay on the project longer.

See how lazy today is? I got nothing else.

PeacE

It Rears Its Ugly Head .....

 It's almost 2AM and I have not been up this late, or early depending on how you look at it, in quite awhile. Well, at least in the sense that there was no alcohol involved. I had closed my eyes for sleep around 10:45PM last night, and I don't know if it was noise the cats/dog made, but here I am awake, unable to fall back asleep. I sincerely hope it isn't that ugly thing Insomnia coming back.... seeking revenge after I finally shook its hold a few months back.

I didn't work yesterday. But, I did get a few work emails. One of which was for the next project, starting Monday, that I replied I was available to start on. Also, I guess there were some last minute documents come in on the project we just finished, and they requested for anyone to work a few hours (11-4) today, to get them done. I offered up for that as well. A few extra hours isn't bad considering I was not near the 40 hours for the weekly total.

What to do until then? I am not sure if I feel like Netflix/Disney+. Not even sure if I feel like popping in the last disc for season two of "Yellowstone". Maybe I will just play some Warcraft, and hope I get tired enough to get a few more hours of sleep prior to working. Let's see what happens.....

PeacE

Bright-Eyed and Bushy-Tailed

 Not.

I am not a morning person. I think everyone in the world, that has seen me in the mornings, knows this for a true fact. I've been called a 'grouchy, old bear' at times, and the moniker is fairly accurate, as I grumble and shuffle sleepily about the start of my day. There are a few mornings, that I actually wake up (to the alarm or whatever) where I am just.... awake. I cannot think of a morning I was ever happy and joyous to awaken. I am sure as I get older, that may change. Being alive on a daily basis alone may cause that.

So yesterday didn't go the way many of us planned. I am sure there will be many blogs and Facebook posts about how happy/sad people are of the outcome of the final confirmation of the Presidency of the United States. I know over the past few weeks, friends of mine (who just happen to share my opinion) have spoken of social unrest if this were to come to pass (and now it has). I even state the possibility of a social unrest, better called a civil war. Believe it or not, a select few of us have discussed getting our families to safety should the population of our area go into severe unrest. We have talked about what we are willing to do if things get that bad. I don't like to think about it, but better prepared than not.

Started work a bit later than usual yesterday. Also moved onto the next level of the project. Much more detail-oriented, and time consuming, but once I got through the first part, and the Team Lead said I was doing fine, then I got cruising. It feels like it has been a long time since I felt so unsure of my what I was doing. At times yesterday, I felt I was "thrown against the wall" just to see what sticks with me, and what I would do. Evidently, I passed. Though, I am saddened again thinking about the amount of work on the table for this phase, will probably run out today, and then who knows where I will be shuffled off to.

Guess I should get out of here, and see to what other things I need to do prior to starting work.

PeacE

Drinking and Early Don't Mix

 I finished out the workday yesterday around 5pm, on a separate project than I which I started the day. The one we ended up on, was told to be a VERY short one, and in actuality, finished up this morning. More about that in a minute.

So I finished the workday, and decided I would go out and have a few drinks with my buddy. We met up, had a couple, then another couple we know shows up. We have a couple more drinks. Next thing I know it is midnight, and I need to get home. Get home safely (Uber) and getting up this morning was no fun. I did make it up before 8am though, and logged into work.

I see there are a couple pieces of work that need to be finished on yesterday afternoon's project, so I start in. A half hour into it, and I am done. I did receive an email this morning stating we are moving into the next phase of the previous project around 10:30 this morning. I have never been on the "next phase". Talking with my buddy last night, that referred me to this job a year ago, and he thinks that this project group I am in this time (about 10 people) may be being groomed to learn the next phase(s). Sounds good to me! Longer on a project and more work to do!

Other than that, not much else to write about today. Middle Son stopped by yesterday on the way to the 99cent store. He was nice and bought me a couple packages of Little Debbie brownies (which I love) and a 2-liter of Mountain Dew (also love). He visited a bit with the Wife, and headed home for bed (he had worked overnight). Glad he stopped by even if I could only visit for a minute or two. Gifts are always nice.

PeacE

Shall We Try Half-Asleep Writing?

 I just awoke about 15 minutes ago. I've done my morning jaunt to the bathroom, and had the morning cigarette. I've jumped online, as  like to go over and read RM's blog first thing in the mornings. Well, most days when I am up early. She has a better habit than I do, of writing in hers early, that I thought, maybe I should too. I'm just wondering how scattered my thoughts may be, since I am just waking up.

That being said, there isn't much on my mind I want to share today. Enough other people have griped about politics, and it seems many of those I read share many of the same opinions that I have seem to have. Makes me think of a song by Tool called "Aenema" that has the one lyrical line of: "It's a bullshit three-ring circus sideshow of freaks". Yeah, sums it up well.

I just checked my email for any update regarding work. Wow! I had an email in there from this last Project Lead! Basically it says that this last project is not ready to move to the next level, and that they may move us to another smaller (yes it did say smaller) project. Further details would be sent later today. In other words, it looks like I won't be working today.

I remember back nearly a year ago, when I first did a phone interview with this company. She had explained that sometimes there were "a day, sometimes more" between projects, and if I was looking for full-time constantly, that this job would not be the one. I understood that, and still do. I just wish the projects were longer, so the small time between wouldn't be so much "downtime" and be taken as "relax time" between projects. I know, a company can inly do the business that it gets. Still....

So that's about all I have this morning. Guess I will go play some Warcraft since I am not working right away today.

PeacE

Starting to Catch On to the Info

 Today started out as a good one. I awoke refreshed and ready to get in front of the computer, and get to work. That did happen. At the earliest start time available to me on this current project, I logged my start time, opened the needed programs, gave a notification I was online thru Teams, and started working. This project was given a time period of 1-2 weeks for completion.

About 3pm, with still an hour to go for my 8-hour workday, I noticed the 'batched' files of information we go through was starting to dwindle down. If it was just me working, there might have been another couple hours of work, but with about ten others (though, admittedly they are much slower than I) it wasn't going to last an hour. I mentioned in Teams that we were getting low, and were there going to be more added? They sometimes do that. I was told that when we were out, that there would be announcement about our next step.

Within 30 minutes I was done, and the final items were signed out, meaning there was no work for me to do. No announcements were made. I decided to mark my time I finished, and hang out for a bit to see if I could still get in another half hour, if something were to come up. Finally, 20 minutes later someone else mentioned that there was no more work, and were we wrapping up the FLR (my current job). Then there was the announcement, that this was it for FLR, and to watch our personal email accounts for updates if we were continuing to the next phase of this project, or being re-assigned. I have been re-assigned at least 6 times now in the past 3 or so weeks. 

So now I am beginning to realize, the 'Project Duration' is for the ENTIRE project - not just the First Level Review. So a shorter project of 1-2 weeks means maybe 2-3 days of work at my level. Sigh. I need to get into a higher level of review, so I can be used longer on these projects. But with only barely 2 months under my belt, I am sure it will be awhile before they see my stats and are willing to 'bump' me up.

Looks like I will be waiting now. Joy.

PeacE

I'm Still Here....

 I went to church this morning. The lightning bolt didn't appear. I didn't catch on fire, nor melt away, now disappear in a blinding flash of light followed by the musical horns of God's orchestra. Not sure why I went. I think it was because the night before I had gone out and had a few drinks, and for some reason offered to go in the morning with the Wife if she wanted to go. Either way, she woke and we went. Took the youngest Son as well. I had basically quit attending many years ago, due a few different reasons. I'm not going to get into that right now, but one of the main reasons was because I didn't like the pastor. Specifically, the way he shared the message/lesson/passage interpretation. It is the typical 'sometimes you don't can't understand what the teacher is explaining, but another one makes it crystal clear'. I would go once in awhile, usually when they had a new preacher start up. This was no exception. It was one I had not met/heard yet, and thought it couldn't hurt to go. They are starting a small series regarding marriages, and today's sermon was pretty short, but I may have to go a couple more weeks to make a determination if I like this guy or not. Though the church has down-sized quite a bit from my teenage years, this morning there were maybe 20 people there. No one I recognized, though the Wife said there are several that do attend that I would know, just with the holidays and Covid, maybe it wasn't this week. We decided to do brunch afterwards, and went to a place near home called Ronnie's Cafe. Real good food portions for a good price. It's 8pm now, and I am still not hungry from the food I had this morning.

Tomorrow starts the regular work week routine of Monday to Friday. School starts back on Tuesday for the youngest, though they are still doing the 'at-home login from the computer' learning still. No word on when that will change. Basically it based off the "safe/green" levels of "covid infection" and that is always two weeks behind (here at least) and has been in the yellow since November. My guess is that they will finish out the year online schooling...though that is five months long.

I read RM's blog before writing this post, and now she has me craving cookies....

PeacE

Damn Cats!

 We have the extreme (dis)pleasure of owning four cats. In fact, I would almost go to say that the Wife is a Cat Lady, except for the fact that one of the cats is mine. One, mind you. Several years ago, the Wife started her collection with a random stray she found, wandering blindly across the road, its kitten-sized voice meowing its hunger, and its eyes all matted shut with gunk from being sick. It may have been better if she had not seen this kitten and just ran the damn thing over.

That orange furball became Rusty, aka Crack Kitty, Loudmouth, F*cking Cat, and many other monikers I have used for him. This is the one that can laze about in the backyard grass, but will try to bolt "for freedom" every time you open the front door.  I can't count the times he has made the escape, and someone drops whatever they have to chase and grab him before he gets too far. I don't. I say let him run if he wants. Maybe he won't come back. Except that one time... Once he got out, and I don't remember if no one saw, or what, but he was gone. The Wife noticed it that evening, and I made the comment "Good. If he wants to come back, he will". I hated being right. Three days later, I was sitting at my computer in the front room, and hear the front screen door rattling, a little loose when latched. I thought it nothing more than the wind might have picked up. Then noticed there was a regular rhythm to the noise. Three rattles, and a pause. Three rattles and a pause. I went and opened the door to see Rusty there, paw batting against the door to make it rattle. I gave him the stink-eye (though not as good as the Wife is able to do) and said "Well, at least you knocked" and let him in.

Crack Kitty.... man, this cat is nuts at times. When the Wife brought him in, he was sick. some kind of cat-cold. Ended up spending around $400 taking it to the Vet and getting medicines. I think the meds screwed up his head, or the cold was just too much. He will be nice and sitting there being petted, then get up and race through the house, literally up the walls when taking corners. Along with the mood swings, he just will out of the blue to do weird stuff. Plastic shopping bags are nirvana to him. Anyways, following Rusty, the Wife thought he needed company and we got the "runt" dog, Daisy.

I missed somewhere ion the beginning to mention, prior to Rusty, we had had a family pet, a dog named Spunky. After about 17 years, she had decided it was time and passed away. I was somewhat happy, at the chance to say "No More Pets" as the kids were getting older, and if we wanted to travel, we wouldn't have to make arrangements for a pet(s) to be taken care of. That lasted about 6 months, if that.

So now we have a cat and a dog, when I wanted no pets. The Wife never listens to my better judgement. When the MIL passed away, now almost two years ago, not only did we inherit the house, we also got her two cats, Scampers, and Nimbus. Both of them seem to have neurological issues as well. Then about a little over a year ago, I brought home Lucius, an all black stray that would not leave me alone. He's cool though. Lucius stays out of things he shouldn't be in, and enjoys some attention, then saunters off. He guards the house front well, from the guard perch at the front window.

So what brings up the story about the pets? The middle Son came by this morning after work - that means sometime around 5am probably. He had left his set of house keys for the old house on my desk in our study. Somehow, he didn't latch the door to the Study completely. Now, the Study is basically "My Domain". We have the computers set up in there, so I spend quite a bit of time between work and leisure in this room. It is a NO PETS ROOM - even for Lucius. 

I had heard a crashing sound at one point that had woken me. I figured the cats, probably Rusty, had knocked something off of somewhere. The second crashing sound I opened my eyes, and realized I was seeing a light on off the hallway. I got up to investigate and found the Study door wide open. I flipped on the switch and found Rusty, the POS cat, on my desk, knocking random items off the edge. I chased him out and shut the door, and started the clean-up. I looked over at the Wife's desk. Not a thing seems to be out of place. That butthead of a cat was only knocking things off my desk. Nothing was broke, thankfully as some were glass. 

Think the furball knows I don't like him? Damn cat.

PeacE