The Good and The Bad

 We decided to return home Monday evening from our three-day trip to Tucson. That would leave us Tuesday to 'rest up' and be ready to return to work on Wednesday. The Wife and I talked about the trip, and both said that it was a good one, though we didn't get out and do many things, we did have some quality time with the family. Even the Youngest had some fun playing with his niece, and board games with his BIL and Sister.

Not much happened yesterday. I was so tired from the trip (not sleeping well, and the drive the night before) that I slept until noon. The Wife didn't rouse from bed until 1, telling me she hadn't meant to sleep that late. I told her she must have needed it, and be glad she didn't have to work that day. I took the Youngest to the school (drum line practice) and went to hang out with some friends. I had checked in with work earlier in the day, and see they still are plodding along, so today I am back at it.

Daughter is coming up to the Valley tomorrow, and staying through Sunday. However, she is doing a scrapbooking convention thingy with her MIL, and they are staying on the south side of the Valley. We probably will not have a chance to visit with her again, but she said her family will be back up the following weekend.

Youngest starts his band camp this next week. Two weeks of 8-5 M-Thursday practices. The Oldest and Middle Sons are in the middle of moving this week. They had been sharing an apartment for the past couple years or so, and as their lease expires, have decided to go separate ways. They still are living within a half mile of each other. They have not asked for any help from the Wife or I, which is probably good, as we aren't able to help with heavy lifting. 

Welp, I guess I should get back to the work thing.

PeacE

Time, Time, Time

 It's that time again. Turkey Time! And that means Commercial Holiday Time to follow.... which I hate. Never understood why a holiday to celebrate the birth that is part of one of the world's largest religions, had to be commercialized to a requirement of "giving" presents. Maybe it is just the "shopping hate" I feel about it all. I don't know. No use in analyzing it. I don't know if I will ever enjoy a commercialized holiday.

So I had mentioned how my project was extended. More time to make more money. That helps! We had a meeting yesterday about time - and how the holiday this week shortens our paychecks. We have the option of working Sat & Sun to make up the time, or longer hours M, T, or W. Friday we will need to work, yet they cut the time available for work to a 7 hour period, so even for the hours for 4 days, I would have to work extra on the weekend. I mentioned to the Wife I may work 5-6 hours this weekend, and then just call it a week, though short of 40 hours. The meeting also brought up about if everyone had other plans, since the project was extended past the original set time, were vacations, etc going to beother anyone with getting in 40 hours a weeks still. 

I got some time in with Doodad last night, though, being silly, she didn't want to have much to do with Papaw, until her snuck her a candy. Then we were buds again. The returned to Tucson last night. Probably won't be back until closer to Christmas. The two older Sons are moving today. The oldest needs to be out of his place today, and I guess they finalized on the new one. I know they are getting a smaller U-haul this morning to move the bed. I wonder if they will do the middle Son's today as well. I found this all out last night. I guess them growing up they don't need Dad's help or advice anymore.

Breakfast time for me now. I need to eat something (meaning a couple granola bars) and then get ready to work.

PeacE

Another Football Sunday

 I'm up somewhat early for a day that I normally sleep in. Of course, being how I went to bed at 8pm last night probably helped. That and getting a full night's (plus) of sleep. I don't know why I was so tired that early last night. I had slept in late the previous morning, and pretty much didn't do much of anything most of the day....

Like many, I am getting tired of this election crap about now. I don't know if it truly is corruption in the ballot process, counting what shouldn't be, or whatever, but the number of legal claims being filed is a bit ridiculous. I read something this morning (on the internet so you know it is true) about Homeland Security watermarking ballots to watch for ballot corruption, or some kind of thread woven ballots. Just to avoid the situation that came up this year. Of course, this article also said they can't step in to look at the ballots until a state has completely finished their count. I know when I went to bed last night, some of the states they want to look at are still counting. It's a sit and wait game, not that I think much will change.

I'll be heading up to the pub this morning. It has been a couple weeks since I met my buddy up there for football. Both our teams are playing at 11am (AZ time). I think I will probably stay for the one game and head home about 1pm. Maybe take the family out to pick up some Yoshi's?...Yogi's?.... a rice place that is pretty good... for dinner. We did pizza last night, since one son was out with friends.

Obviously, work seems to be going well. I have at least almost two weeks left on this project. Hoping to be able to get into another one right away, to just stay busy. There was a Quality Control done on me this past week, and my team leader said I was dong better than expected (considering I just started). there were only two small mistakes found - one I was getting too much info, and one was an email address I missed. So not bad out of 500 spot-checks. I was talking to my friend that recommended this place to me, and he thinks I could be a QC checker within 6 months - though I dunno. In fact, this friend also just signed up for a 30-day project with the company (he does attorney stuff though - whereas mine is basic data-breach).

I think I had mentioned about the two older sons getting an apartment together here at the Nov-Dec mark. I have that in the back of my mind in worry. I have never inquired about their finances (income, etc) so I worry about them being able to afford the place, the utilities (as needed), gas for the vehicles, food, etc. The Wife and I briefly talked about it last night as we went to pick up the pizza. We both decided to just wait it out, and see what they do. If they run into trouble, they will need to figure out how to fix it. But I am going to miss another Son out of the house.

The Wife and I talked about Christmas. I'm screwed. I have no ideas for anyone. We have gotten a few things for Doodad, and a couple for the Daughter. Nothing for anyone else. Everyone doesn't NEED anything, and some don't have room for anything else. Myself included. I have no idea what we are going to do....

And with that thought, I think I am done here this morning.

PeacE

Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

I remember back in the day when the first stay-at-home order came in. It was just as the two youngest boys were starting their Spring Break from school, approximately March 15th. The youngest son had just broken his wrist a couple days before the "break" started (see what I did there?). Well, yesterday that final cast came off, and pins were removed. One could say he is almost back to normal/ Obviously, his left arm is a bit smaller than the right, due to two months of a cast.... but at least it is pretty much all done now. He does have a brief follow up in three weeks, but the doctor said the breaks appear to be healing fine, especially the one they had to re-break and pin. It'll be nice to get him to help out more around the house without using the excuse about the cast.

Other changes... The middle son officially graduated from high school last week. We went and picked up his diploma. I actually had a good laugh at him later that same day. The district had called my cell (automated call) about checking their website for details for summer classes.... and I faked that they were calling that there was an issue with his diploma and they needed it back. The confused look on his face was priceless. Moreso, when I said that means he hasn't graduated and may need to make up some courses over the summer. Either way, he is ready to move on to other things, and I suppose I will allow him a couple weeks free time before starting to push about a job or school.

Speaking of graduations, it has been 10 years since my oldest graduated HS. I don't know who feels older, me or her....

The Reverend Mother is going through many changes right now. The past several weeks (months?) she has decided that they need to down-size their living accommodations. I am saying it this way, because it the best way I understand it all. Now RM and PT have lived within 5 miles of me for years, and at times that was good... other times not so good. Guess it depends if I had to be the one to help with something or whatever. No offense meant Mom! Anyways, the Sis and BIL have been helping them get things fixed around the house, or "spruced" up so there is better appeal. 

This is where I start treading on dangerous grounds.... Because they are "down-sizing" the normal things one accumulates over time has to be gone through, and gotten rid of/distributed/donated - whatever you want to call it. For years I have been telling RM that there isn't anything I could think they have that I would want.... but she still asks. Do you want these old school papers...art projects...watches...certain pictures. I know these items pertain to me more than my siblings, and she wants to be sure they were offered to me prior to making whatever decision (trash). I just get frustrated a little. I have actually said yes to a couple things she has offered up. My siblings seem to have been more anxious and excited about these offerings than I have been. Maybe I just am not materialistic or something. Or maybe there really is some sort of mental disturbance in my head.

Either way, it looks like whenever they do find a place to move to, it will be further away from my place. I'm sure it may be closer somewhat to one of the siblings, but just further from me. Not sure how I feel about that. Just one of those things I've taken for granted I guess. It's big for RM to be doing this... having to go through and decide what to keep or not, the move itself, actual thoughts of not working anymore some time soon (I wish I had that problem sometimes).

I don't know if I'll come back and edit this or not... but there it is for now.

Last change.... looks like Blogger is changing my "dashboard" appearance and functioning. I switched over to the "new" one, and I see how it is supposed better if you were doing this from a phone or tablet. From a desktop not so much... but it is what it is. If I don't like it, I can always return to LiveJournal or some other site I am sure.

PeacE

Give It Away, Give It Away, Give It Away, Now!

I have never been able to stand the music from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, but this song title of theirs was just a good post title for today.

Taking it, giving it, donating it, gifting it, throwing it (away) .... I am sure there is going to be quite a bit of that going on over the course of the next few weeks.

 Reverend Mother brought it up on her blog (again, over there on the right-side ------>). Basically, she mentioned about going through the years of accumulation of items that many of have to some degree. It doesn't really matter the reason, though some are better than others: boredom, death of the person, down-sizing/moving. To share a bit personally, and I am not bitching, but RM has been saying she is going to work on it ... for years. Yes RM, I can see you shaking your head in agreement.

The need to "clean it out" has never been more seen than on a "forced" home-stay for many people. Yes, that includes my hoarder with the mostest, The Wife. Let me give you some of my crappy scenario. To start, we are still moving from one house to a new house ... for the past year basically. It has been a struggle, for me more than most (I feel). One of the biggest, time consuming issues has been "going through stuff". We had inherited the MIL's house after her death last year. Nice. It is mortgage-free, larger than our current home, The Wife's childhood home... so we decided to move there. It's only about a half mile from where we lived, bear in mind.

Have you ever tried to quickly move into a home, that still has everything that previous owner has amassed over the previous 40 + years still in it? Yeah, there is no room for your stuff, until you get their stuff out of the way. Forty plus years of it... and hoarding. It was bad... and still is a bit. The Wife would not let me help go through things to get rid of, as I wouldn't know if they had personal value to her or her brothers. I think a box marked "misc lids with no bowls" and it truly is that when opened, is a pretty good sign to get rid off. but let me back off that part of the topic.. it gets me infuriated.

Going through things. Sunday night The Wife mentioned to me that our 'bulk trash' pick up was coming up soon and we could start setting it out street-side in two weeks. She continued on that there was quite a bit this time around (meaning she got into some of the storage her Mom had, and got through the junk). She also mentioned she couldn't get much farther into the storage stuff, because she had at least 10 large garbage bags of clothes that needed to go to Goodwill. But she can't take them because they are closed, so she has to store them until stores are allowed to open again (talk about a catch-22). The good news is, even the The Wife has been able to get through things to throw away, or donate. Last night she even mentioned she had found a bit of her maternity clothes (they are so going to be out of fashion) that she is going through for a family member that is pregnant. So she is giving away stuff, too!

So, The Wife has gone through quite a bit since this all started. RM is talking about it, and trying to figure out where to start. I don't have anything to go through (I do this all the time). I'm just happy if we clear out enough space so we can get the rest of the hoarder mess from the old place here, and sell the old place.

PeacE

July 4th

I don't like it when a holiday I have off from work is in the middle of the week... or in such a way I don't get a 3-day weekend out of it. This week is one of those. Back to work tomorrow... for one day. Better off than the Wife though. She had to go to work today.

Not much happening. I got in touch with the other guy's insurance. Was able to get an appointment for my car at a dealership actually for yesterday. Got a rental car. I was told I should hear from the insurance by Friday about my car. The rep at the dealership said in his opinion the insurance will just total out my car. I kind of hope not. Final word is tomorrow, and I will probably take the money, versus buying it back from them. Then I'll have to find a new car. Maybe can get one on Craigslist for under $2000....

Will be going over to the other house today to try to get more stuff done. Yee haw.

PeacE

Sunday Morning Chill

Well, it's been over a week since the accident, and nothing has been done. I spent half the week waiting for my insurance rep to contact me. Last Saturday I received an email from her stating she had tried to contact me (I had no call) and gave me her contact info, plus her work hours. Unfortunately, her hours were Tues-Sat. By Tuesday evening I still had not heard from her, so I sent an email asking for a call or text with an update. Thursday I get the call late in the day, and there is nothing they can do. Now, I had a previous incident last August, and my rep contacted the other insurance, but this gal didn't even try. So Friday I spoke to my Buddy Jeff, who is my insurance agent, and an attorney, and he said to just call the other guy's insurance and get things going. It was too late Friday to call, and I was busy Saturday. That leaves today, but I doubt anything will get done. So now it will be tomorrow afternoon.

Work still sucks. More applications out last week with no replies yet. The Boss is realizing more and more that the new gal doesn't know her job. Which is adding more work and stress to me. Plus, new procedures they are trying to increase productivity is causing an increase in orders, which creates more work for me. And more physical lifting so here I am off two days and still hurting from stiff muscles. I really just want to quit.

The house moving is still going on. The Wife doing inventory and getting rid of things is going slowly, so getting stuff from the old place is taking forever. I was able to get a dresser out yesterday I gave to a friend for free. Maybe a fire can be set to the old house and we won't need to worry about the rest of the stuff.....

July 4th is this week. Whoopee. I get the day off, but have to go back Friday. Same with The Wife.

Finished watching "Yellowstone" season one last night. It was interesting enough that I am waiting season two to come out on dvd. I know it just started on television, so it will be several months. First television show I have seen in awhile that I have liked.

That should do it for now....

PeacE

Ugh....

Started off the weekend in a crappy way. About 5 miles from work, on my way home, I got rear-ended. I am fine, and so was the other driver. Most of the damage is cosmetic, except the back hatch is bent and won't open. I am hoping the frame isn't bent, but hard to tell as I am not a car specialist. It was drive-able home and I did not notice any particular noises or leakage before or after. This morning though was an adventure. The back is sore, and the base of my neck. The Wife gave me a nice back rub (physical therapist spouse) that helped quite a bit. Now am waiting for my claims rep to call, but with it being the weekend, it may not happen until Monday.

The water heater in the newer home will not keep the pilot light lit. There hasn't been hot water for a day plus now. I watched some videos on youtube, and see the low cost and easy way to replace thermo-couplers, etc. But found one really good one about cleaning the air filter area under the unit. With the Daughter and Doodad in town, the ladies are going shopping and will pick up the dust wand they video suggested (cheap one from a dollar store). Hope that works.

Work is crappy. The gal I worked with had her last day the previous Friday, so this was the first week without her. My work load has increased, to keep up with the normal work flow of the department because the new girl is crap. The boss asked me how I think it was working out, and I let him know even with 2.5 months of training, she still doesn't know the job. He was not happy with what I had to say, but it had to be said... especially because he asked. Still looking but no lock yet.

Guess that's about all I got for now.

PeacE

Just... Blah

Still not feeling back to normal. Able to keep food down, but still doing a trip to the restroom at least once an hour.... for 5 seconds of work. The Wife mentioned she is starting to have to make multiple trips to the bath now today, and that leads us to think a stomach bug versus something that was eaten. Great. Just need that to go round and round the homestead for weeks.....

Moving is still in progress and will be for the next forever. This inventorying before removing at the new house is a pain, but will prevent future squabbles. At least the phone is changed over and the internet will be in place by Wednesday, which means I will be moving the computers over then.

Not much else happening...

PeacE

Summer is Here?

Usually by June 1st, here in Arizona we have had around 20 days of triple digit temperatures. This year we have only had two. And that was in April I think.Next 100+ day is supposedly tomorrow. I have enjoyed the spring this year, even if the rest of the country is having extreme rainstorms, flooding and tornadoes.

Was off the week before the holiday to try to move the majority of the large items from the house.... but that didn't work so hot. I moved probably 95% of my personal stuff (clothes, items, desk items, etc) and at least the king size bed. The Wife, Youngest Son, and I stay at the new home, and the two older Sons are staying at the older home... at least until we get more of the stuff from the MIL cleared out for room for them.

Work is sucking. My co-worker is on short count until she is gone... probably by mid-June. Since March she has been training someone to replace her. The trainee is a twat. She doesn't seem to catch on complete procedures, missing key details and when pointed out to her, all you get is a small "Oh, I'm sorry" before she goes back to doing whatever wrong she was doing before. Mentioned it to the Boss, but he and my co-worker are ecstatic about the Twat's work. And no, she is not a young hot babe, she's in her 50's and married. Should I add on while I am ticked off, she is supposed to know how to do my job as well.... but has not even begun to learn it as she can't do the other stuff (which I do do and know how to do). Frustrating as Hell... which brings up job searching.

Still not having luck finding a job yet. Sent out several replies to Indeed.com jobs with no answer. Have had a couple offers that requested additional information through their website applications, which I completed, but the declined my application. One because it paid too low, and the other because they wanted some one with a college degree. Been nice to know that before I applied and got my hopes up when they asked for more information.

Someday soon, Life is going to get better. We'll be all moved into the new home, and the old one sold. A new job will come along that is closer to home and pays better. That's all I want for the next short period of time...

PeacE

Still In Recovery Mode

Last night was the first night of real rest I think I have had in three days. And I had to ruin it by getting up about an hour earlier than usual, to go to the dentist for a crown. An hour and a half later, here I am. Let's catch you up on how my weekend went...

Friday, around 1:30pm, I get a call from U-haul. According to my online reservation I put in place about 2 weeks prior, that the online reservation was not a guarantee of equipment being available. This guy confirmed it. I reserved a 14 foot truck in Tucson to be ready 8am. I was to drive the Wife's van down Friday night. Uhaul tells me they have absolutely NO TRUCKS OF ANY SIZE available, in Tucson, for Saturday morning. There was one 14 foot available, but not until 630pm, if the previous users turned it in on time, which was not an option for us. No trucks at all. So we started brainstorming, the uhaul guy and I. He said he might be able to find something in Phoenix (where I am) and I could drive it to Tucson, load it, then go to Safford and unload, then leave the truck there (the whole one way trip for the truck as I had planned). He threw in that they would upgrade me to a 20 foot truck, and they doubled the amount of miles they allotted as I was driving twice as far. I explained that the van I was to drive to Tucson was to be our ride back to Phoenix from Safford, so I needed to find out if the Daughter would be willing to drive the 3 hours one way from Safford-Phx, twice in one day, as she would need to return home. Got his number, would call him back in 15 minutes.

About 17 minutes later I call back, and of course the guy I was talking to has left for whatever reason. Explained the whole situation, the upgrades I was getting, and that I needed to know where in Phoenix to pick up the truck. She has to transfer me a different uhaul phone system as they don't have the Phoenix area (different than what the first guy told me) so I spent another 20 minutes on hold before someone answered. Another time explaining what was going on, but this guy was pretty good. he saw they had added the perks to my online rental contract. Spent another 15-20 minutes on the phone with him as he searched for any truck in Phoenix available. In the end, we did find a 20 foot truck, about 30 minutes drive from my house. Preacher Tom was kind enough to drive me there when they opened at 8am on Saturday, and I headed to Tucson.

So, already 2-3 hours behind the original time schedule I had in my head, we are loading the truck up. The Daughter and Fiance are coming out of a 1 bedroom on the second floor, so stairs. And I couldn't get the truck close, so we had to walk about 40 yards to/from the stairs. Any closer, and I closed off traffic to the complex in that area. Five of us. That was all there was for most of the time. They had one friend show up, and he helped for a bit, but then needed to leave. There was no way a 14 foot truck would have held the amount of stuff they had. *This is where Reverend Mother says something about how God made our plans be all messed up so he could make sure we had the bigger truck*

By near 8pm, everything was loaded, apartment was cleaned, and we were getting on the road for the two hour drive to Safford. They had got this apartment through word of mouth from his parents, and it was a converted building/warehouse south of the actual town. The drive, I was told, was marked by some reflectors on posts on either side of the drive, and if you saw the Church of Christ, we went too far. Luckily, having had much experience with directions like these, I found the place (they all were behind me, I was int he truck). Being about 10:30'ish, we unloaded just enough to get out their mattress. Then they gave us a ride into one of the local hotels I had picked out from online for a room. The oldest boy stayed with the Wife and I in town. Sunday we had it all unloaded in a matter of about three hours. Dropped the truck off at the location I needed to, and spent the night at the hotel again. Monday morning, the Fiance started his new job, and as soon as he was gone, the Daughter picked us up and drove back to Phoenix. Made it home about 9:30am, in time to change shirts, get in the truck and go to work for me. The Wife had the day off.

Needless to say, the hotel we stayed at wasn't 5-star, but their beds had much comfort to be desired. I had seen sheets of paper that were thicker than the pillows, and lain on boards that were softer than the bed. But it was decently priced, and in a close location the the apartment. What is important is that they got moved, even if I had to do all the hard stuff to make sure it got done (drive the truck, make the truck rental, deal with the arranging of the truck). I am sure we spent a pretty penny in costs that the Wife offered to help with in the move too.

I feel more tired now having to sort of relive that while typing. Ugh. Almost time for work.

PeacE