Back Home with Time to Spare

I left work a little early today (4:45PM) after a full day of work. So far, I've put a number of items up in the attic that I'll get in trouble for when Darla gets home. The nice thing is she won't need them for three or four months and won't realize that the box of scapbook supplies that's been sitting in the corner for four months has been put away. I've also thrown away some newspapers which is heresy around here. I'm running a couple of loads of wash as I get caught up on some piles of laundry that have been sitting in the laundry room for far too long. I'm not sure if it was clean or not, but with the dust that collects in a laundry room, it wasn't clean anymore. I was able to sweep the floor in the laundry room and I cleaned up a couple of the throw rugs that tend to collect dirt and aren't cleaned by sweeping or mopping. This is my own little slice of heaven. Cleaning is a task I enjoy, because the results are so dramatic when you finish. With two overly large and active teenagers, sometimes a full time worker with two extra part time jobs can't keep up.

Darla continues to work for Lighthouse, which is a foster agency and she works with several families. She also sells Silpada jewelry, her own jewelry and Creative Memories scrapbook supplies. She used to sell Pampered Chef, but has given that up now that she has all of their gadgets and supplies in her kitchen.

Darla did Not get the supervisor position and she took it kind of hard. In truth, all of the signs pointed to her working for this particular boss as heavily negative, but she is itching for additional challenges in her job. Take it from me that managing people will be one of the biggest undertakings she will ever try. I have five salary reviews and two Manager's reports to finish by the end of the week. I'm going to try to knock most of that out tomorrow as I have a massage planned for Wednesday afternoon at 4:30 PM. Darla ended up buying me a massage and I wanted to use it after a particularly hard day of work, which tomorrow will be. I have to tune out, close my office door, shut off the phone and just concentrate on doing the reports and salary paperwork. Darla will continue to seek additional challenges at work and will leave to go to work for another agency if need be. With the boys grown up, she is able to take on more at work.

Daniel's Dad is finally seeing the light and is ready to buy Dan a truck. He has his eye on a 2001 truck with 149,000 miles on it. The owner just installed a new transmission and Steve thinks its a bargain. Daniel was all bummed out as he wants to pick out the car and I counseled him about looking a gift horse in the mouth. If his Dad is ready to buy him a vehicle, shut up, sit down and enjoy having wheels. We'll see if Steve is blowing in the wind or whether he is really going to step up for his son.

I mentioned the link for Jennifer's Thailand pictures. It is: http://www.flickr.com/photos/johnswan81/sets/72057594098501362/

Well, I've prattled on enough and it sounds like the washer is ready to be unloaded. I probably have four loads of wash to do. The boys won't appreciate having their clothes folded and sitting on their beds as Darla usually hangs it up and puts it in their dressers, etc., but I'm more concerned about teaching these guys to be men and not boys. I'll write more, Same BAT time....etc. Ciao.