Top News: Stomach Bug Strikes Home!

Oh boy, and did it.

Saturday morning started early for us, as the youngest had some vomiting and diarrhea issues in the early morning. Thank goodness we have tile throughout most of the house. By Saturday evening he was feeling better, had kept down some food, and said he just felt sort of tired.

Sunday he seemed back to himself, and the family (excluding me) went to church. The Wife picked up lunch and brought home afterwards. I was playing Fallout 3 for most of the afternoon. Then I decided to go out for a couple beers. I had just barely started my second beer, and felt the familiar gurgling down deep in the stomach. I thought to myself, no way was I doing a back-yard run here in the pub...where the stalls have no doors. I proceeded to quickly make my way home. Once there, I barely made it into the bathroom, and once that job was done, literally, stood up, turned and did the other.

I was shaking with cold. I ached all over. I had four covers on me in bed. Couldn't hold down anything. This was about 8pm. By 10'ish, the youngest had started the signs again. At 2am, the middle son is doing the middle of the night trips. At 4am, the Wife joined in the party. Weak, tired, and achey, we waited to see if the oldest would soon succumb.

He didn't. The Wife made it up and ran him to school for zero hour, then went and picked him up about two hours later, because he had a migraine coming on. As of last night, he was still having no symptoms. So one of us may have made it free. I held down a small bit of food and drink last night, But this morning, made a trip to the can for a healthy dose of the runs. I am returning to work today - the Wife isn't - but I hope to not have many episodes today. I am still pretty weak-feeling, and definitely ache all over, but still need to get the job done.

Being sick sucks.

PeacE

Wrecks, Near Misses, and Total Annihilation

Woke up this morning to having a number of texts on my cellphone. Aside from the usual handful (traffic updates from the local news radio) there was a string started by the Reverend Mother. My first thought was she was going to ask some minor detail of me, but there were several from her. Once I opened it up, I realized it was a group text, thus the many responses.

Seems RM was rear-ended this morning on her way to work. She says she is fine, but the van won't power over 40 mph and making a racket. Just now she says the insurance adjuster says the tailpipe is bent over about 10 inches. Could be the cause of the power loss and racket. My siblings told her she should go to the hospital either way to get checked out. I'm staying out of that argument. I guess she is now trying to get someone to pay for the rental car she will need.

Though I am not usually out driving at the time RM goes to work, I do have to occasionally. If I remember right, most of the way to work for her is freeway, and that moves sluggishly, rarely getting over 40 most of the way. But hearing now the tailpipe bent that much... sounds likke maybe they were clipping along at a good rate.

With me driving all over the Valley in a daily route, I think about how many times I have come near to having an accident, be it my fault or theirs. At least twice comes to mind, of near misses that could have resulted in tragedy. I have had spin-outs on the free way at 65 mph happen right in front of me, and missed it. Sitting at a red light and that one guy making a left not quite making it, and getting spun out right in front of me. I still don't know how his car missed me. Let's not forget all the regular stuff that happens: people changing lanes without looking, cutting me off, sudden stops. That 16-foot box truck doesn't stop on a dime.....

Anyways, I need to run. Be safe out there.

PeacE

It's Monday Again

How about them two big upsets in football yesterday? Did I care? No. My Redskins have been out of the playoffs for awhile.

Hung out a bit yesterday with one of my buddies. While together, we went over and visited another friend, one that had broken his hip the weekend before. He'd had hip replacement done Tuesday. Seemed to be getting around good with a walker.

The Daughter and SIL were in town this weekend. The SIL had other plans, so on Saturday we took the Daughter out with us to Olive Garden. The boys love being around their sister, and the three older ones seemed to do nothing but giggle and make fun all night. I guess that is good. Could be worse ways to act with your siblings.

Still trying to adjust a bit to the "new" work hours. I have been starting later, but still finishing up a  bit early. Mainly because I had one tech that was out sick all last week. Hopefully he will be back this week, and I can see how the change in hours should generally affect me.

Guess that's all for today.

PeacE

Making It Later

The other day when I arrived at work, I wondered at how my day was going to go. The first thing I heard was that my Boss wanted to see me. I didn't think much of it, knowing I hadn't messed anything up (that I knew of) and maybe he had some special request of me (special delivery, extra drop-off/pick-up, etc).

There are a couple of newer techs that I deliver to for the "west side". Believe me, we are still a bit short on techs ... but that is another story. One of the two newer guys leaves waaaaayy, waaayyy out on the west side ... about a mile further than the previously 'furthest west guy'. Due to the way I run my route, and times that I arrive, this new tech can't seem to be home by the time I get there. Unfortunately, I cannot make a return trip to him the same evening (due to distance) so he ended up not turning paperwork in for (according to my boss) three days. So how do we fix this problem?

Boss' idea is to make me start work an hour later each day, thus, making me deliver an hour later. Which also means, I make it home an hour later. So instead of being home by 9'ish at night, it is now 10'ish. Maybe even later. Last night was the first night, and already I don't like the extra drive time I have as I leave right int he middle of rush hour (4:30'ish) and have to cross half the town for the first stop. Not liking having to be home later. I hardly see my boys as it is due to my work hours, and school for them. The Wife was not entirely pleased either. But the Boss and I could not figure out a better way to solve the issue at this point, and per the Boss, it is supposedly temporary - to get the tech up to speed. Though, I did point out to him that the end result was going to be he takes advantage of the "extra time" and not rush to meet me.... which will call more delays in the long run.

So that left me this morning with an extra hour to kill before going to work. Actually, it will be that way for awhile. An extra hour to sit here and wait for time to go to work. Joy.

On the plus side, it has been near 70 most this week....

PeacE

Yup. Figured.

So, I shall share the great news. I didn't win the Powerball lottery Wednesday night. Not even close. I even had the ticket checked yesterday morning, and didn't even win a dollar. Yep. Figured. Now the jackpot resets to 40 million, but I don't want to play. Seems I only play if it gets up over 100 million, but it probably is a waste of money everytime I play. Oh well.

I'm glad it is Friday though. Feeling pretty worn out from work this week, though not because of any specific thing. Maybe it is the stress of daydreaming of winning the lottery, then having those dreams dashed to the ground when I found out I didn't win.... Yeah, right.

No major plans this weekend. Think I am going to avoid doing as much as possible. Crawl into bed and only get out to eat & use the restroom. That'd be nice, because it will never happen.

PeacE

You Can't Win, If You Don't Play

Powerball Lottery drawing tonight. Prize is at an estimated 1.5 BILLION dollars. With the cash option, it is around $930 Million .... I believe they said after taxes (for an Arizonian) it is around $633 million, if you are the single jackpot winner. Wow.

I had posted several months ago about daydreaming about wining the lottery. It was at a high amount back then. A piddle in the puddle compared to this week. Simply said, I have been daydreaming, again.

Last Saturday, at $700 million, I bought a few tickets. Not one, not two, but ten. Yeah, waste of $20, but .... yeah. I heard Sunday morning that there was no winner, and waited until Monday to have the tickets checked. I won $8, and promptly re-invested it into 4 new tickets for tonight. My chances better? Not really.

So I guess the big question is, if I win, do I take the annuity or the cash option? I was just glancing at the website, and I don't see an option on the menu to determine how the annuity works, as far as % of payout, and if it is annually or monthly, etc. It would be interesting to check that out, and how long it lasts. Getting only about half of it all in cash is crappy, even if it is$600+ million I don't have now....

Drawing is tonight .... while I am on the road. Guess I will be checking my tickets when I get home.
If I win the big jackpot, anyone that makes a comment here prior to the drawing tonight, I'll send you a million dollars ....

PeacE

Again?! Already?!

It is Monday once again, and this one is a bit different for me. I usually don't mind getting up and going to work, as I like my job. Today though, I'm just .... eh. Maybe it is because my Redskins lost the first round of playoff games. No. Maybe it is because I drank too much yesterday. No, I didn't go out at all, except to pick up pizza for dinner last night. Maybe I didn't sleep good .... well, maybe but I don't remember tossing and turning much last night. I don't know.

The new year is off to a roaring start. Powerball has rolled over a few times. I actually bought a few tickets this last time, and though I am not the big winner, it looks like I may have wona  few dollars of it. That is, if I read the payoff chart correctly. guess I will check with the clerk at QT this morning when I stop for gas. Always try for Wednesday's drawing ....

Well, guess I stared at the screen long enough. Off to work ....

PeacE