On living alone...so far...

~I've been here just a little over a month and the Kid's been away at college for almost a month, and I'm trying to settle into a normal routine...just don't know what normal is, yet. Everything is different--my daily routine, my day off, my work routine. Until last week I still felt like I was in transit because everywhere I looked there was evidence of moving. But that's gone now--well, mostly. There are a few things that still need attention, but it looks like I live here now. So I don't have that pressure.

~I'm doing okay here alone. Being really busy helps, no doubt. The first few days the Kid was gone, his absence was palpable (as it was when each of the other kids left home but probably exaggerated this time since he's the last to go). But you become accustomed to it. I still walk by his unnaturally neat room and wish he were there, and I had a little pang last night when I was doing my pathetic grocery shopping for one (more on that). And I miss his music. I don't tend to turn music on (I don't mind quiet and I just don't think about turning on the iPod or stereo) but the Kid would play music, or even better, play his guitar and sing, and I'm surprised at how much I miss that. Overall, though, I'm fine, and as predicted, in some ways it's very easy to be on my own, and really, accountable to no one.

~I would like to settle into a better daily rhythm. Because the office staff works from 9-1 each day, I've adopted those hours plus. So I've been coming home for lunch 1:30-2:00ish, and then either working at home or going back to church for a few hours. And then not getting around to thinking about dinner until 7-8, by which time it feels too late to really cook anything. And I've been staying up way too late has had become my habit. Yesterday after a long week I realized how very exhausted I felt, and how much I need to make sure I get enough sleep every night. So I need to go to be earlier. Sounds simple, but I rarely make it to bed before midnight and it's often 1 am. Must work on that.

~Cooking and eating: Gah. Now I love to eat, but I lost my motivation to cook a few years back. And cooking for one? Seems like a lot of trouble. So I eat a lot of frozen dinners--Lean Cuisine and the like, supplemented with some extra veggies. And easy things like omelets, nachos, baked potatoes, veggie burgers. But real cooking has gone by the wayside for now. I had visions of cooking on the weekends and freezing single servings--sounds like a great idea, doesn't it? But I'm not sure I'll ever do it. If I were in the city, or even in City by the Lake I'd be eating lots of take out, but I haven't discovered that many options that are really close by yet, which may be just as well. And the Kid and I ate out fairly often, but I'm not (yet) motivated to eat out alone.

~As for my work routine: On the one hand it's really easy because I can set my own hours to a degree, and yet at the same time, it's challenging to use my time well. The whole coming home for a late lunch and then getting back to work is okay some days, but others I feel like I'm not being very productive after I come home for lunch. Part of it is working out what exactly my day to day tasks are, and that is becoming more clear as time goes by. And part of it is, as my clergy coach says, working smart.

~Managing my time off is a challenge, too. In my last position I had Mondays and Fridays off. Saturdays were considered work days, but in truth, every other week when I wasn't preaching, Saturday also could be a day off. I knew then I had it good. Ironically, I was criticized by my boss for working too much because I sometimes worked on one of my days off (and very occasionally on both of them). Now I have Monday off, and I suppose theoretically Saturday, except I still write sermons on Saturday and this month I have lots of Saturday meetings as well. And last week I had a funeral on Monday, so no day off at all (but how do you say no to a family scheduling a funeral for a loved one?) So my off time is drastically reduced. I've been encouraged to take comp time, and I guess I could do that by taking some afternoons. off I just don't want that to make me look like I'm a slacker. It's all a balancing act, I guess.

~The whole should-I-get-a-dog question remains in limbo. When I left my previous location, the option was still open for me to claim the puppy, but I haven't had time to go get her. And as time goes by, I wonder if I could do the day-to-day? I have days when I need to be gone all day (tomorrow for instance is Clergy Day) and while I've had offers for pet care, I'm not sure any of them would be able to do mid-day on week days kind of care. Part of me still wants the dog--and I'd like to train her as a therapy dog--but part of me still says are-you-craaazzy??? And the latter part seems to be ahead right now. Maybe a cat instead?

~ETA: I actually did cook a from-scratch dinner tonight: corn on the cob and sauteed veggies (onion, zucchini, yellow squash and green tomato--yummy!) Of course the Kid (were he here) would say, "That's not a meal, that's sides" but it works for me.

October

HOLY COW--HOW can it be OCTOBER already? Where has the time gone?

Honestly, the last few months seem like such a blur--packing, the relentless packing, then reversing the process, and all while first saying goodbye and processing everything I'd been through, and then while starting a new job. I don't want to do that again for a long time! I am happy to say that after I stayed up very late night before last hanging pictures, now the "moving in" is just about complete. It looks like I'm here to stay, and it looks like home.

And I'm SO happy to be here. Really. I love my job, and so far I like the area. I have STARBUCKS and a FARMER'S MARKET both less than a mile from my house (and if you've read here for long you will appreciate how very happy that makes me). I can drive 10-20 minutes and get to anything and everything I could possibly want in terms of shopping (Ikea, Target, Whole Foods--well in a couple of months, WF). I can take the train into the city. I live in an awesome house, and I have wonderful people to work with.

I know this honeymoon won't last forever, and that little superstitious part of me is almost afraid to be too happy for fear of what might go wrong, but really, right now life is good!

Friday Five~It's Fall!

1. Share a Fall memory.

Walking through big piles of crisp golden leaves on the way to school when I was in 1st or 2nd grade.

2. Your favorite Fall clothes--(past or present)?

I love it when it's time to start wearing sweaters again.

3. Share a campfire story, song, experience...etc.

Sitting around the campfire making s'mores on the shore of Lake Champlain at camp.

4. What is your favorite thing about this time of year?

Fall is my favorite season--I love the changing of the leaves, the cooler temps, the preparations for winter.

5. What changes are you anticipating in your life, your church, family...whatever...as the season changes and winter approaches?

No more changes, please! After packing, moving, unpacking, starting the new job, taking the Kid off to college and having a new grandson, I'm hoping for some relative calm here.

Right on time!

~WW gave birth to my grandson, Baby M, yesterday at 3:21 pm, exactly on her due date. 7 lbs 6 oz, lots of black hair, and beautiful. Pictures to follow.

It's been a whirlwind for her since Mr. WW just arrived from Nepal on Sunday afternoon. They are all exhausted.

As for me, I was supposed to be at a new clergy meeting yesterday, but I begged off. As in introducing myself to the bishop, and then saying, "My daughter is labor, and I really need to leave." He was very understanding, for which I am very grateful.

Catching up, random bits style

~Catching up seems to be the theme of my life. I'm still unpacking, but the end is in sight. I'm off today and plan on a tackling those pesky remaining boxes--but it's the last ones that are the hardest, with all the stuff you look at and say "What am I going to do with THAT?" Which probably means that some of it should just go straight to the trash. Even though I tried to throw away lots as I packed. Ugh. Moving is a pain.

~I took the Kid to college last Sunday. That really deserves its own post, but I don't know if I'll get around to writing it. Suffice it to say that my nest is completely empty, and leaving him there was a bit hard. Tears were shed on the drive home, but I'm adapting and he seems happy at school so far. But when I think about it, I realize it is a huge milestone. I've been parenting for more than 30 years, and not to have a child at home now is, well, different. More about that as time goes by, I'm sure.

~I started work officially on September 1, but yesterday was my first Sunday. It really was a wonderful day. Lots of people in church (including my clergy coach and his wife!) and by all reports people who hadn't been there for a while. I'm sure there is lots of curiosity about the new priest, especially the new WOMAN priest (yes, there is some of that, but it's okay I think) but our task now is to keep them coming back. We'll see. There is so far a very positive feel in this place, and I'm so so happy to be here.

~In other good news, WW's beloved (whom I mentioned briefly here) finally arrived in Vermont yesterday--just in the nick of time since their baby is due on Tuesday--tomorrow actually!! Let us just say that the wheels of immigration move very, very, very slowly. I'm so glad he's here!

~As I was reading blogs last night I realized how many of the bloggers I feel like I've come to know over the last four years now either write infrequently or not at all. Nothing is forever, I guess, but I miss some voices. And I'm grateful for FB where I keep up with some folks I first met here. I haven't joined the twitter fray yet, but I guess the time is coming for that....

~I am also grateful for FB--as well as texting and Skype and other electronic media--for making it so much easier to keep up with my kids. Wherever they are! It's a whole new world compared to when my older kids went off to college and we had to rely on--gasp--land lines!! Only we didn't call them that...it was just the phone. And having grown up in a household where long distance calls were a BIG DEAL, I wasn't that good at calling frequently, as my daughters will attest. Electronic media make it so much better.

~Now I must go unpack SOMETHING before the day gets away from me!

We're here!

Actually we've been here a few days--in our new location, that is. Guess it needs a pseudonym. Suffice it to say for now that it's in another New England state.

Packing up was crazy, as I knew it would be. Despite all my best efforts we were up half the night before the packers came finishing up. The movers were great, though, and loaded and unloaded with efficiency and good humor. Even the guys who had to trek up to the attic in my new house multiple times. Turns out the mover needed two trucks--not because I had too much stuff, but because I have so many books that it would've been too heavy for one truck! Go figure. One of the movers carrying in book boxes said "There sure is a whole lot of reading going on in this house!"

My new house is awesome. It's an old Victorian, and it's been well care for. The Kid quickly noted that we have a "cupboard under the stairs" and he claimed for his bedroom the room accessible directly by the back stairs. My only complaint is that I don't have enough storage space in the kitchen. The butler's pantry in my old house along with ample kitchen cabinets really spoiled me. And I don't really have enough furniture, but that is something to take care of over time.

So unpacking has gone slowly so far, but I need to pick up the pace because I actually start work on Tuesday. Not sure that reality has set in yet! I am excited and nervous and happy and scared, but I think that this is going to be a good place. They already gave us a warm welcome--and a delicious dinner--when we arrived Thursday evening.

If you've read here for long, you know that the last year and a half or so has been really difficult, but in the end it's all worked out. I left my previous position knowing that the work I'd done had been appreciated by the congregation, and knowing that I had built good relationships with parishioners, if not with my boss. And now I have a wonderful new position with lots of potential--lots of challenges to be sure, but lots of potential. I am so blessed to be here.

As I was packing I had lots of posts running through my head, triggered by things I found along the way, and things I chose to throw away (including my tenure file, my old syllabi, and most of my teaching materials.) Hopefully, some of those posts will actually get written.

But first I have more unpacking to do!

Random bits of PACKING!

~Five days before the movers come and I'm deep in the throes of packing--I think I've reaching that "it's all chaos" stage. It has to get better, right?

~The books are 99.5% packed and I even managed to give four big bags full to the library. Nonetheless I foresee a shortage of bookcases in my future since there are fewer built-ins both in my church office and in my new rectory.

~As I predicted, it's hotter than h*ll and the humidity is about 99%. Why do I always move in the summer?

~Because it's so hot (and because I hate packing) I stop every so often and go shopping for one more thing for the Kid to take to college. And every trip I say, "We're done now, right?" Remains to be seen if we're really done.

~I'm trying to weed through things that have accumulated, or worse, were moved before (sometimes more than once) when they shouldn't have been. Which slows the process because I take so many side trips down memory lane. But since it's so hot, sometimes that's okay.

~And I've spent a prodigious amount of time on FB--especially playing FarmVille which has to be the biggest.time.suck.ever but I keep right on playing. I guess I need some diversion.

~Remember the puppy? Well, after failing to make ANY decision when the offer was first made, I thought the deal was off. But this week the puppy and her current mom came to visit, and we may have worked a deal where I come get the puppy after I'm safely moved. I'm kind of excited about that.

~I'm getting excited about getting to my new church, too. And nervous. And scared. And happy. Really, I'm looking forward to it, but sometimes I don't think that the reality has set in. I'm going to be the rector!

~Stay tuned. I've vowed to write more and give the blog a new look once I get settled.

Celebrity sightings

~~but not by me....

I live in a relatively quiet place. It is a vacation destination, but people who vacation here tend to keep a pretty low profile and most celebs are pretty secluded. But a Very Prominent Family happens to live here as well, and today there is a funeral for a Very Important Person. So there are lots more celebrities around than usual. Among the Kid's friends there have been a LOT of celebrity sightings, including the governor of a bankrupt state, the world's richest TV host, a legendary blind singer, and the VPOTUS. Wow. I'm a bit envious, I must admit.

O the irony!

For as long as I've lived here I've lamented the lack of availability of locally grown produce in the summer. Yes, there is a farmer's market, but it takes place on a day of the week when it was absolutely impossible to get there because of work. Farms stands are few and far between, and until this year, CSAs were pretty rare, too.

Today the Kid and I went to Whole Foods--it's almost a hour's drive away, so we don't go there very often, but the Apple Store is there also and we went to get the Kid a new laptop to take to college (!) and since we were there anyway, I couldn't skip Whole Foods.

One of the things I like about WF is that they tell you where the produce comes from. I really appreciate that. I was eyeing tomatoes from Jersey and peaches grown in this state, and blueberries from Maine and Michigan, when to my great surprise I spied cabbages and potatoes from--yes, you guessed it--the very town I live in. Who knew?

It's sort of like living in Florida and only finding California oranges in the grocery store! Why can't there be more places selling locally grown produce RIGHT HERE?

Argh.

Sorting and filing

In some ways I'm a very organized person. But my organization tends to be internal, and the outside--well, chaos might be too strong, but there tends to be a bit of clutter, especially when it comes to things that need to be sorted and filed. I've tried to be better about it, but still--I just hate dealing with it.

A small metal filing cabinet has moved around with me for the past 20+ years, holding bits of this and that. Every so often I'll take a stab at getting files in order, but it's hit or miss. And since we've lived here, I've filed papers on a shelf instead. Finally last night I decided the filing cabinet--rusty, dented, and not very attractive--had to go, so I unloaded its contents and started going through them.

Of course, it was like opening Pandora's box. Yes, there were tax forms--many years worth, all neatly filed away. And there were birth certificates and shot records and report cards from years gone by. A random paper I wrote my freshman year in college--on Southern food. (Don't ask why--I don't remember.)

Then there were the warranties for things I no longer own, the floppy disks that no computer can read anymore, old canceled checks, Mother's Day, graduation and birthday cards, a newspaper article about me when I graduated from college, random photos (the big box of photos is still upstairs, needing to be repacked!), receipts for who knows what--the flotsam and jetsam of my life.

Some of it was funny; some of it was painful--the divorce decree, the letter my dad wrote to each of us when he knew his cancer was terminal--which I ironically received the same day as my acceptance letter from seminary. An essay I wrote for the commission for ministry and my first ember letter to my bishop, along with his reply were tucked away, too.

I filled a big box with discards, shredded two big bags of papers, and reduced it all down to one neat waterproof file box. It's all in folders, but it wouldn't win any gold stars for great organization. And I don't think I ever will. Because here's the thing: Being able to file everything away into orderly folders, neatly labeled doesn't really match how my life is. It doesn't encompass the ambiguity, the ups and downs, the messy reality of my life. I expect my files, like my life, will always be a bit chaotic. But that's okay.

Random bits of "I'm on vacation now!"

~Even though I have tons of organizing and packing to do, I'm determined to have some vacation time. So yesterday morning I loaded up the car and took off for Vermont where I'll be on child care duty for a few days with the delightful Baby J who has grown so much since I saw her the first week of June that I can hardly believe it.

~Traffic was teh awful yesterday. Where I live, I expect delays at certain points, but oddly, the back-ups were in totally different places yesterday. But they were bad enough that my trip took a whole hour longer than it should have.

~Today I spent with WW, looking at car seats and seeing her new apartment and then attending the shower NSLS threw for her. Boy, are car seats more complicated (and expensive) than they were when the Kid was an infant.

~Alas, I did not leave rainy weather behind. There were torrential downpours off and on all afternoon. Really, all of New England is just going to float away...

~Three of NSLS's high school friends were at the shower this afternoon. They're all married or engaged, two of the four (counting NSLS) are moms, one is a mom of two. But in my mind I still see the giggling ninth graders I used to drive around, the cheerleaders and track runners I watched compete, the girls I saw off to the prom. Where has the time gone?

~The Kid stayed behind for a few days to work and spend time with his friends. Weird going off without him, but preparation for the weeks ahead when he will be going off on his own to college. He's taking the bus up to join me on Thursdsay, and next weekend we'll head off to Maine for a few days.

~ I have pictures to post, but ever since I got a newer version of Photoshop and Leopard I've been having trouble with pictures. I'm not sure exactly what is different, but I need to figure it out. Maybe while Baby J is napping this week...

~And now I should go to bed at a decent hour and store up som energy for baby-watching

All over but the packing

Hard for me to believe, still, but Sunday was my last day at work. It was a fantastic day--with the best going away party ever. I was truly moved by the out pouring of love and good wishes from the congregation. And the presents, and the cards, and the flowers and the food. Totally amazing day that I will never, ever forget. Huge crowd. Lots of tears, too.

So I've spent much of this week packing up my office. It's all done now except for cleaning up my computer--copying all the files I want to keep and then wiping the hard drive. That may have to wait until vacation is over.

And gah--I haven't even BEGUN to pack the house yet. Saturday I'm going north to visit and take care of Baby J since her daycare provider is on vacation. Then we'll be off to Maine for a few days and after that it will be PACK, PACK, PACK. Ugh.

As for the puppy, I still haven't decided. One day I think it's a great idea, and the next I think it's insane. But I must decide soon,

Discerning my call to a puppy*

I've said quite flippantly lately that when the Kid leaves for college I might just have to get a dog. But there is an underlying seriousness in that comment; I've never lived alone, and I think I will miss some sort of companionship at home. I like dogs and I've thought on and off for a couple of years that I should get one--probably I should have done it the first year I was here when I had time to train it and the Kid might have been interested in having a pet again. But I didn't.

Somewhat out of the blue last week, the opportunity to acquire a puppy just fell into my lap. And not just any puppy, a golden doodle puppy--this one to be specific:


Isn't she cute?

As it happens, if I were looking for a dog, a golden doodle is exactly what I'd want--low to no shedding, good temperament, good with kids, smart, gentle. Just what I'd want.

BUT

The timing couldn't be worse. I have to pack and move house and start a new job and get a kid off to college. How would I have time to deal with a puppy? Yikes.

But she's so cute.

And then there's my vacation plans. I can't adopt a puppy and go off and leave her. And I don't see how I can take her with us either, for several reasons. So unless her current owner would wait until I get home, that's a problem.

But the biggest issue is this: Am I REALLY ready for this kind of commitment? For the first time in my adult life I won't have to be responsible for another person. So do I want to tie myself down with a puppy?

But she's so cute...

And I'm torn. On Friday and Saturday I was sure I would take her. But yesterday and today I'm leaning more in the direction of saying no, and at the same time thinking I'll regret it later if I do.

Argh.

Opinions, of course, are welcome.


*for you non-clergy types, a tongue-in-cheek reference to the discernment process clergy must engage in prior to ordination, e.g., "I'm discerning my call to the priesthood"

Back to our regularly scheduled prgramming

It's crazy how I blogged for more than 400 days without missing and then just STOPPED. I didn't mean to stop, but honestly, I got tired of hearing myself complain. Or thinking about complaining. And I've come to realize that there is a fine line between venting (important for mental health) and complaining incessantly (bad for mental health--for mine at least). And there were a few weeks there when I felt just too worn down to think of anything to say. But I didn't intend to quit writing. Over the last few weeks, I've composed many posts in my head--they just haven't made it out of my head...but I'm here to say that I intend to start writing again.

I can't quite believe we're moving into the end of July. Summer was slow--very slow--coming to this part of the world this year, and it's only in the last couple of weeks that it's felt like summer. And suddenly I have one week left at work, and a month before moving and just a bit longer than that before the Kid goes off to college. Yikes.

I'm so happy to be out of the limbo I was in for a while of not knowing where I was going to end up, or if I was going to have a job, but I still feel like I have an awful lot of balls in the air. When i stop and think about getting everything ready to move--and all the packing--I feel a bit overwhelmed. One day at a time, though, it will get done. I hope.

I've been saying good bye at church for a few weeks now..but that's a subject for another post. Next Sunday will be my last day, and how I feel about that is probably subject for another post as well. As is the puppy I'm thinking about getting. Hey, at least I have things to write about!

Random bits of catching up...

~I haven't blogged in 4evah! Or so it seems. It's not that I haven't had things to say; I just haven't had the energy to say them. BUT

~(As many of you know from FB) the good news is that I have a new position starting September 1 and I am VERY excited. I have accepted a call to become the rector of a parish in a nearby New England state--must come up with a pseudonym for this parish soon. My last Sunday here is July 26 and I am taking my vacation in August. Much of which will be spent packing, packing, packing.

~And did I mention that this new parish has a sweet rectory? Big old Victorian, wood floor, fireplace. Awesome.

~The Kid is all graduated and hanging out for the summer. The only downside is that the weather is so crappy he's not getting to work much. He works at a seasonal restaurant and if business isn't good, they don't need as much help. And the weather is teh sucky.

~Seriously, the weather is teh sucky in the extreme. It rains almost everyday. And it is cold. I read other peoples' FB statuses about being hot and needing a/c, and I can hardly believe it. I've had the heat on here twice in the last week. Yesterday's high was 59 and today wasn't much warmer. What happened to summer?

~So what's new with you?

Friday Five~Grocery shoppong

This week's Friday Five is all about food shopping.

1. Grocery shopping--love it or hate it?

Hate it. But honestly, it's not the shopping per se; it's the whole meal planning thing. I've just lost the knack, I think. Cooking real meals has been very hit or miss around here for a while.

2. Who is the primary food shopper in your household?

Me. There is no one else to do it.

3. Do you have a beloved store like Trader Joe's which is unique to your location or family?

We have a TJ's and two conventional chain groceries. And that's about it. I have to say that I'm not nearly as excited about TJ's as other people seem to be. Maybe it's because our TJ's is very small and probably doesn't have quite the selection that larger ones do. Or maybe it's just me and my general disdain for grocery shopping. I really wish we had Whole Foods. That's my favorite.

4. How about a farmer's market, or CSA share, as we move into summer? Or do you grow your own fruits/veggies/herbs?

My area is short on farmer's markets and the like. Just this year a new CSA has started up, but I didn't join b/c I wasn't sure if I'd be here all summer. I hope wherever I move will have more of both. One of the great features of the last two places I lived was the wonderful famers' markets and availability of good fresh produce, locally grown--yes, even NYC has wonderful greenmarkets.

5. What's the favorite thing you buy at the grocery store?

Diet Lime Coke; blueberries and kefir for my cereal; oj. I'm boring, what can I say?

Friday Frive~Moving and changing

Since I've never, ever lived on place longer than 8 years, and since I will be packing and moving (somewhere) before 2009 is over, this one is right up my alley!

1. A big move is looming, name one thing that you could not possibly part with, it must be packed ?

Furniture and such can always be replaced, but I have a few things that I am attached to--most of the things hanging on my walls have meaning to me, a trunk that reminds me of my grandmother, things that belonged to my dad and to my mother-in-law, family pix and the like must be packed with care.

2. Name one thing that you would gladly leave behind...

I've kept things pared down over the years, so I don't have too much. I did at one move leave all my old living room furniture behind, and was quite happy to do so, even though I didn't replace it for a whole year.

When I leave here, however, what I most want to leave behind is all the negativity that's clouded my life over the last year or so at work. I want to shake the dust off my feet and move on.

3. How do you prepare for a move

a. practically?

Packing, packing, packing. I've done this enough that I am good at it, and I like my stuff to organized when I unpack it, so I take some care about how things are boxed up. And I have LOTS of books to pack. At my next move, though, I hope to negotiate so that the movers will pack my china.

b. spiritually/ emotionally?

Saying goodbye is hard, but important, so I try to do that. And mentally prepare myself for a new place, thinking about what I have to look forward to.

4. What is the first thing you look for in a new place?

Grocery store, coffee shop, bookstore, hardware store.

5. Do you settle in easily, or does it take time for you to find your feet in a new location?

I have to unpack quickly and get the house in order--I can't stand living with unpacked boxes, and I'm a fast unpacker usually. How long it takes me to acclimate over all to a new place has varied. A couple of places I've felt at home right away, and a couple of places it's taken a year or more to feel like "home."

Friday 5 on Saturday: The big to-do

1) What home fix-it project is on your Big To-Do?

~Actually none. I live in church housing, and since I will be moving out sometime this year, the church has postponed any more projects on the rectory for now. (Last summer, if you recall, we had the great-new-floors-leads-to-new-plumbing job.)

2) What event (fun or work) is on your Big To-Do?

~Find a new position; pack and move. That pretty much says it all for now.

3) What trip is on your Big To-Do?

~My vacation plans are on hold (see #2 above) but it would be great if we could make it to Maine (although there are lots of what-if factors in that this year) like we've done the past few summers. I'd also love to spend some time in Vermont.

4) What do you wish was on someone ELSE's (partner, family member, celebrity, etc...) Big To-Do?

~Offer me a position?
~And the Kid must sort through all of his stuff as we prepare to both move and send him off to college.

5) Getting inspired? What may end this summer having moved from the Big To-Do to the Big Ta-da?

~Who knows? Everything seems to be up in the air at this point!

The times, they are a'changing

Way back in January I wrote that this would be a year of changes, and those changes are in full swing. The Kid took the big yellow school bus for the last time today, took his last exam, and finished his high school career. Tomorrow night is the Senior Prom, and a week from Saturday he officially graduates. I am feeling a bit dazed by it all, even though I've been thinking about it for months. It seems like just yesterday that we were going to kindergarten orientation, and he was talking about riding the bus for the first time.

This also marks the first time in something like 28 years that I won't have a child in public school. Does that make me officially old? It just feels weird. Of course, having my kids spread out over a 16 year period meant that I was parent to a school age kid for longer than most. But I have to say, it's hard to imagine not having a kid to get off to school in the morning, not buying school supplies in the fall, not doing all those school related things.

But that's not all the change, oh, no. In addition to the ones I expected, there's more: I'm going to be a grandmother again. NO, NSLS isn't pregnant again; it's WW. I've actually known this for several months, but between not posting much lately, and waiting to see if she'd blog about it, I haven't said anything about it. But now I will tell the story. It seems that last year when WW spent some time in Nepal before returning to the states she met someone. I don't know all the story but apparently their attachment grew and that is one of the reasons she went back to Nepal for the winter, where she fell in love and they decided to get married. Her quick trip home earlier this year was to do all the visa paperwork so that he could come to the states with her, which is no simple matter. And they are having a baby in September! If you know me on FB you probably know that WW returned to the states a couple of weeks ago, and hopefully her beloved (who needs a pseudonym) will join her by the end of the summer. Very exciting.

Meanwhile, I'm still in limbo, with only 2 months left in my current position. The job search is agonizingly slow, but I am hopeful that something will work out sooner rather than later.

True confessions

~Y'all know (at least if you 've read here for a while) that I haven't had a TV since...oh, 1996 or so. There are whole TV series that came and went and played a huge role in pop culture that I never saw, and really never minded not seeing.

~Two years ago now, the Kid borrowed the first season of Grey's Anatomy on dvd from a friend I was hooked. I bought the 2nd season when I found it on sale one day, and the 3rd season I got on iTunes. Then last year I discovered abc.com and it became my Friday routine to watch Grey's while I ate lunch--my day off treat.

~Every once in a while I would start watching something else, but nothing really caught my fancy unitl last fall and I watched an episode of Dancing with the Stars and loved it. It is a pure feel-good show for me--makes me smile. So it was added to my routine.

~One of the reasons I was glad not to have a TV is because it is soooooo addictive. I was pretty picky when I had a TV but I still watched too much. And over the last couple of months, as my stress levels have gone up, so has my TV watching--Grey's, DWTS, Castle, Private Practice, Brothers and Sisters. The last two are really cheesey and I can't believe I've been watching them, but there you go. Keeps my mind off other things.

~I've always been a sucker for a sappy love story--I remember in high school reading Love Story ("Love means never having to say you're sorry....") and crying so hard my mother came upstairs to see what was wrong. Grey's Anatomy has had that effect on my this season...I cry just about every episode, and never more than this week, which I watched twice tonight. What a dweeb I am!

~I'm still glad I don't have a TV....I guess I'd be a total junkie if I did.