The Mom Report

Mom is about the same as yesterday. Today she seems a bit stressed about my sister-in-law. "Is she waiting for me to beg her to come?" "Well, no Mom. She's happy to come if you ask but if you don't, I think she will stay where she is." "Well, I'll talk to Polly about it."

I do not know whether or not she wants her to come or doesn't want her to come and I spent a good 45 seconds to a minute and a half thinking about it and decided to just butt out. Mom/Polly/Theresa/the sitters/my brother and my sister-in-law are all adults. They can handle it. They don't need me.

Mom also seemed frustrated about not knowing stuff. She thought she was supposed to get her hair washed today and didn't know for sure. Theresa hadn't been in yet and she hadn't seen Polly today and she sounded kind of pissed about it all. Honestly, pissed sounded kind of good. Better than confused. At least she doesn't think they are ganging up on her or doing stuff behind her back. I actually think being worried about her hair is kind of a productive thing to worry about.

What I have learned - control freak that I am - is that if I want to micro manage her situation, I need to move to Charleston. When donkeys fly. When chickens get lips. So. I need to handle the stuff that is critical and leave the rest. Mom is in a state now where I am confident that she will invoke me if she needs me and can manage the others around her well enough.

The Mom Report

Mom is about the same as yesterday. Today she seems a bit stressed about my sister-in-law. "Is she waiting for me to beg her to come?" "Well, no Mom. She's happy to come if you ask but if you don't, I think she will stay where she is." "Well, I'll talk to Polly about it."

I do not know whether or not she wants her to come or doesn't want her to come and I spent a good 45 seconds to a minute and a half thinking about it and decided to just butt out. Mom/Polly/Theresa/the sitters/my brother and my sister-in-law are all adults. They can handle it. They don't need me.

Mom also seemed frustrated about not knowing stuff. She thought she was supposed to get her hair washed today and didn't know for sure. Theresa hadn't been in yet and she hadn't seen Polly today and she sounded kind of pissed about it all. Honestly, pissed sounded kind of good. Better than confused. At least she doesn't think they are ganging up on her or doing stuff behind her back. I actually think being worried about her hair is kind of a productive thing to worry about.

What I have learned - control freak that I am - is that if I want to micro manage her situation, I need to move to Charleston. When donkeys fly. When chickens get lips. So. I need to handle the stuff that is critical and leave the rest. Mom is in a state now where I am confident that she will invoke me if she needs me and can manage the others around her well enough.

Coffee Mug Shelves

My new desk/office set up arrived yesterday... It's in flat boxes all over the living room. John, the fabulous handy man, is supposed to be there today to turn the flat boxes into a desk, table and credenza with overheads! The computer has been relegated to the kitchen counter but I kept it on with the webcams running. It is likely that at some point, he will need to free up the electrical outlet which will shut everything off but until then, we have webcam view.

John is also building the hallway shelves, installing the closet curtains, installing the terrace curtains, replacing the terrace carpet, installing the curtains in the front hallway... And, building the shelves for over the kitchen sink for the coffee mugs. Sheri sent me pictures of the shelves in progress! I'm not sure what will be done when I get home but I think something will!

Coffee Mug Shelves

My new desk/office set up arrived yesterday... It's in flat boxes all over the living room. John, the fabulous handy man, is supposed to be there today to turn the flat boxes into a desk, table and credenza with overheads! The computer has been relegated to the kitchen counter but I kept it on with the webcams running. It is likely that at some point, he will need to free up the electrical outlet which will shut everything off but until then, we have webcam view.

John is also building the hallway shelves, installing the closet curtains, installing the terrace curtains, replacing the terrace carpet, installing the curtains in the front hallway... And, building the shelves for over the kitchen sink for the coffee mugs. Sheri sent me pictures of the shelves in progress! I'm not sure what will be done when I get home but I think something will!

Wohoo!

One of the cams quit firing and I apparently pointed another one into The Land Of The Dark...

BUT, the third one reports that there's a desk in the making!!

Wohoo!!!

Wohoo!

One of the cams quit firing and I apparently pointed another one into The Land Of The Dark...

BUT, the third one reports that there's a desk in the making!!

Wohoo!!!

Desk directions!

It looks like he is absolutely making progress!! I cannot wait to get home to see it.

Desk directions!

It looks like he is absolutely making progress!! I cannot wait to get home to see it.

Lunch rambles

Isn't it time sun dried tomatoes took a rest? When they first hit the foodie headlights I thought they were interesting but that was something like 10 years ago and I'm over it. Pesto finally learned to take its rightful place. When will SDT get the picture? Geesh.

For lunch I had what was undoubtedly the result of a bad dream of some guy in the kitchen. Penne pasta, barbecue pork - kinda pulled but with cut squares, too - cheese - at least a couple of kinds melted into a white sauce with garlic and some parsley and SDT. It would have been great without the SDT. But, with, it was ok and a little annoying especially since it could have been a kinda fun dish. Oh and the sign said Texas Barbecue Penne Pasta! Musta been from the Italian section of Texas.

John's making great progress at home and I finally got a list of everything left to do from Sheri. Many items have no completion date but she has promised to fill that in and now that she's actually done the list, I'm sure she will.

I can't wait to get home and see my new office. I took the early bus in so I could take the early bus out. Stephen is with the rest of the non-contingent staff in an all day meeting. I'm sure he'd rather I gouge his eyeballs out with a fork. These are the days that I wallow in the goodness of my contract-ness.

The website that I updated last week now needs about 3 days of solid backend work - cleaning up files and folders and changing the code that you cannot see. It is ugly, tedious and thankless work. But, now that I know this website is mine for another year, these three days will make the next 12 months ever so much more easier and less perilous.

Back to the code. But, first, I think I need a cookie or a candy bar to get rid of the taste of sun dried tomatoes.

Lunch rambles

Isn't it time sun dried tomatoes took a rest? When they first hit the foodie headlights I thought they were interesting but that was something like 10 years ago and I'm over it. Pesto finally learned to take its rightful place. When will SDT get the picture? Geesh.

For lunch I had what was undoubtedly the result of a bad dream of some guy in the kitchen. Penne pasta, barbecue pork - kinda pulled but with cut squares, too - cheese - at least a couple of kinds melted into a white sauce with garlic and some parsley and SDT. It would have been great without the SDT. But, with, it was ok and a little annoying especially since it could have been a kinda fun dish. Oh and the sign said Texas Barbecue Penne Pasta! Musta been from the Italian section of Texas.

John's making great progress at home and I finally got a list of everything left to do from Sheri. Many items have no completion date but she has promised to fill that in and now that she's actually done the list, I'm sure she will.

I can't wait to get home and see my new office. I took the early bus in so I could take the early bus out. Stephen is with the rest of the non-contingent staff in an all day meeting. I'm sure he'd rather I gouge his eyeballs out with a fork. These are the days that I wallow in the goodness of my contract-ness.

The website that I updated last week now needs about 3 days of solid backend work - cleaning up files and folders and changing the code that you cannot see. It is ugly, tedious and thankless work. But, now that I know this website is mine for another year, these three days will make the next 12 months ever so much more easier and less perilous.

Back to the code. But, first, I think I need a cookie or a candy bar to get rid of the taste of sun dried tomatoes.

Betty is helping...

Betty is helping...

Holey Moley

Would you look at that fat book of Insert Tab A into Slot B??!!!

On the up side, it looks like John will be there when I get home and I can finally meet him!

Holey Moley

Would you look at that fat book of Insert Tab A into Slot B??!!!

On the up side, it looks like John will be there when I get home and I can finally meet him!

Whew...

The new desk is in ... There are a couple of problems - like not having any access holes for cords on the side of the U where the monitor needs to be. So the keyboard drawer is in front of me and the monitor is off on my right. This is not going to work long term. But, generally, it is a good setup. Solid and a perfect color for the room.

John did not finish up until about 5 and then I had to move the computer and that was not as easy as it could have been. I should have been able just to plunk it down and save the pain until later but no. I had to unplug nearly everything and replug. The webcam software is still not happy about one of the webcams but I think most everything else is operational.

But it is unusually humid here today and I have worked up a sweat crawling all over this thing. And my living room is in disarray again. I think it's going to stay that way tonight. I need to find something to eat and wash my hands and clear a spot and a cat off the couch.

Whew...

The new desk is in ... There are a couple of problems - like not having any access holes for cords on the side of the U where the monitor needs to be. So the keyboard drawer is in front of me and the monitor is off on my right. This is not going to work long term. But, generally, it is a good setup. Solid and a perfect color for the room.

John did not finish up until about 5 and then I had to move the computer and that was not as easy as it could have been. I should have been able just to plunk it down and save the pain until later but no. I had to unplug nearly everything and replug. The webcam software is still not happy about one of the webcams but I think most everything else is operational.

But it is unusually humid here today and I have worked up a sweat crawling all over this thing. And my living room is in disarray again. I think it's going to stay that way tonight. I need to find something to eat and wash my hands and clear a spot and a cat off the couch.