Josh's Great Day, and Other Tales

Once upon a time, long, long ago - last week, in fact, Josh had a telephone interview.  Not only did this go far better than he had reason to expect, he shortly thereafter received a call from Boeing, informing him that he did well on his testing, and was accepted into their class.  If I have been remis in educating you as to the details of this class, I appologize.  It is training to do shift work on a line at Boeing, but if one performs well in the "class" and shows up on time, etc, one is nearly certainly hired by Boeing.  So, as I was saying, Josh not only did well at his Round One Elimination, but he also succeeded in getting into the class - 2 wonderful options for escaping his current employers.  On the heels of these intoxicating prospects, he arrived at work and cheerfully (well, I am assuming about the cheerful part) worked half of his shift, until a co-worker arrived, ready for his overtime.  Except....there wasn't any scheduled for that day.  Since the co-worker did not want to have made the trip for nothing, and since Josh had already worked overtime that week and could still leave without going below his requisite 40 hours, they sent Josh home early! 

Not a bad day.

Then, the next day he was offered yet another job.  My, but it's good to be Josh this month!

Not so spectacular to be Rosie, though.  No matter which of the three options he takes, I will have to quit work.  But why, you ask.  Well, I started several months ago on the search for someone to watch the kids while I am at work.  Day Care centers will charge me the whole day, even if I only need a few hours, and they charge more for 2 kids.  Paying them, and then the babysitter on Tuesday and Thursday evenings while I'm at taiko, would pretty much take my whole check, or at least make it so small that I couldn't really see it being worth going in for.  We also ran through our entire list of friends and family - no dice there.  And the babysitter (the "new" one) is available, but aside from my not wanting that, she makes a dollar more per hour than I do, so paying her to come 2 hours a day is actually more expensive than my leaving early 2 hours a day.  So, it was decided that I would do that for the month of June at the very least.  Can you see a problem with that, though?  If Josh takes a new job, which seems inevitable, he will no longer be home until 1 every day.  And since we've already established that I can't afford child care on my pathetic salary, my choices are to get more money, or stay home for the summer.  I choose the latter, since there are music and swimming lessons to be arranged and added to the schedule, and because I like my kids, and want to spend time with them while they still like me back.

You will have to forgive my creative spelling, as the spell check option seems to be out of commission.

And since Josh's Great Day, we've had even more fun.  Friday was our 10th Anniversary.  Josh picked up the cake, as scheduled, and it's a good thing I asked him to please photograph it before he put it in the car.  There was a slight marring of the icing on the way home.  Really, it was a small thing, but I am happy to have a photo of the beautiful and unblemished icing.  (Especially as the icing was very expensive.)  My mother came and got the kids for the weekend, too.  Then - off to Columbia.  We had called to see if the Howard Johnson had DVD players.  They did not (not complaining - it was very cheap and clean!) so we brought our own, and watched movies.  Fun!  Saturday we went to the air show at the Columbia Regional Airport.  It was great.  I used plenty of sunscreen, but was getting burned, anyway.  We left after just over an hour.  It doesn't sound long, but we saw all the planes there, and watched bi-planes flying, and a stunt pilot, and some really amazing parachuters.  Just right!  Then, we went to the mall.  Columbia's mall is GREAT!  Even better than when I was there.  We also had lunch with Sky at Shakespeare's Pizza.  So great seeing her.  We were there for a lot longer than I'd planned, but it still felt like we were cut short.  Good visits are like that.  We had time to nap and shower before a very fancy dinner in Rocheport. 

Perhaps you don't think we ate that cake....you would be wrong.  Although, we do have leftovers, even after bringing it to my mom's house yesterday.  We had a good time at Mom's.  Dad and I sang, and the kids played, and Josh fixed Dad's computer, and my mom made one of her fanciest recipies.  It was delicious.  (Pork and fancy sauce.  Delish.)

And now we are back home with all the upheaval of change staring us in the face.  Josh has a second interview on Friday with the company he likes best, and until they have a decision, we don't really know which potential future we shall be stuck with. 

Oh, well.  I am going to just keep doing the things I need to do, such as getting a Violin rental for Abbie, and a keyboard for Grant, and driving to taiko and tee ball practices and going to work.

Have I told you my Uncle Pete is in Missouri?  I tried to see him, but it was not to be.  Sadly, he had to attend a memorial service, and then it was time for his class reunion (the reason for his visit) and I could have today, except that Josh had to work.  We invited him and my grandmother to breakfast in Columbia, but they were too tired from the unexpected memorial (it was in Colorado!  They stayed with Brother).  Maybe if I am really unemployed soon, I can make a trip to visit my grandmother, at least.

Cross your fingers that the good job wants to hire Josh and pay him a huge salary!  I am wishing you all a happy memorial day, and a happy week.

Sun-day (Where's my RAIN?)

Right now, I am cooking battered fish wedges and ramen for dinner.  It was supposed to be Oriental flavored, but we seem to be out, so it will be pork.  Still yummy.  Yesterday, I made chicken wings marinaded in teriaki sauce, corn on the cob, and that super yummy 3 bean salad from Aldi.  And then we got out punch cups and filled them with blackberries and whipped cream for dessert. 

Am I the only one who gets a flashback to the Gwyneth Paltrow Emma when I talk about punch?  "Please!  I couldn't enjoy it if I knew you had hurried."

Like science?  We do!  I recommend programs by NOVA for any young scientists, and more recently I discovered some exceptional lectures for science by TEDTalks.  My kids really enjoyed them, and even mostly paid attention.  That's saying something when you are talking about lectures.  We were particularly searching for ones about robots, but the Chickenosaur guy was pretty great, too.  It brought up a lot of questions that I didn't go into in front of the kids, but that happens a lot with science.

Josh and I are still planning the anniversary.  Hermann is pretty much booked for that weekend (You see?  And they laughed at me for trying to plan it 3 months out!) and our other locations of interest are a little far (Chicago, Hot Springs, Leeds England...)  I've just about got Josh convinced to spend the weekend in Columbia.  After all, that's where we met.  And there's just something about the idea of dinner at Shakespear's and then watching movies with a bottle or two of wine that sounds comfy.  Should I suggest we bring rollerblades?  (Master Awesome, I hope you get my little joke.  The rest of these guys have no clue what I'm talking about.)  However, one point is definitely taken care of:  There will be cake.  I ordered a cake made of the same yum as our wedding cake, and it will be ready for pick-up at 11 on Friday!

Tomorrow I am going to do my best to make someone tell me when my work contract ends.  Wish me luck.

Weren't we supposed to get rain?  Where's the rain?

Grant wasn't feeling great at the tee ball game on Friday.  It was a make-up game.  We won, though.  Yay for feilding practice!  The husband of the coach finally got frustrated and kind of took over.  Now Abbie's not feeling great, but it's different when you're at home.

We had lunch yesterday at the Chinese place in town.  Some of the staff came out to a table with a pile of green beans and were doing the ends with spoons.  I never thought about not using a knife, but now I'm embarassed that I didn't!  Abbie went up to say a very uncharacteristicly shy hello, and they let her help. 

Josh has another phone interview on Tuesday.  Total kiss of death = it sounds perfect.  Wish us luck anyway, will you?  We could use some.

Also, it looks like I will be making a stab at substitute teaching in the fall.  At the very least, it can't hurt my chances at getting on with the staff at some point, even if it wasn't in time to get my kids out of this school district before August. 

Free and open to the public on June 1st:  Shakespear and Taiko in Forrest Park.  You know you want to go.  Starts at 6:30.  Bring a chair, a picnic, sunscreen....

Hope this week is good to you!

Well, what do you know?!  It's raining.

HA! ^_^

Well, you knew I would snap back eventually.  It's great what a random day off work can do for one's outlook. 

Here.  Listen to this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kMMZEiRp78&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL25BFF4C0BC611FB5

Wish I could edit out the noisy crowd.  She's got style, folks!  I dig it.


How about this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XX5Dan0VE7w

Better than the original, if you are asking me.  Very serene.  Very intimate.  Can you picture him trying not to wake the other person? 


And, another favorite of mine this week:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEgro1M6hM8

Lyrics - straightforward and powerful.  Music - emotional and magnetic.  This song accomplishes it's goal, and leaves haunted and longing.  Just a tiny bit unusual.  Two thumbs up.

In just a sec, I'm going to clean house a little, and then get ready for kids/dinner/taiko!

I have a taiko performance tomorrow, and I have every intention of being extremely awesome.  Take THAT, crappy Wednesday.

Dishappy

Dishappy = disappointed + unhappy, and it is how I am now, and how I have been for the bulk of this week, even though it has hardly begun.

First of all, it was very disappointing to find out that I didn't get the job we really need, and the fact that I called them a week before, and they could have been helpful but weren't, just makes that worse.  And, "Well, who wants to work for someone who can't even answer a simple question?!?" sounds so petulant. 

Secondly, after saying goodbye to the babysitter (new) last night, I found that my vacuum was out, but the floor wasn't clean.  Plus, my son was asleep on the floor....in day clothes.  And there were about 6 pair of sandals strewn around the floor.  Anyone else get the feeling my kids ran wild unchecked last night?

Thirdly, and speaking of my children, I just had a heart to heart with the bus driver.  My kids....are the bad kids.  Excuse me for a moment while tears fall painfully from my broken Mommyheart.  If they are seated together, they fight.  If they are seated with other kids, they cause trouble.  They are going to be written up if it continues.  How should I feel about that?  I think the other bus kids are scum, and then mine are the ones causing trouble?  I'm not sure I can handle it.

We've just had a huge fight, of course, and it is as per usual:  Grant burst into whiny tears of abject guilt, and Abbie went to her room and started singing and playing.

I am a terrible mother.

Today wasn't my best.  I got hit in the face with a rubber band.  I was wrapping a batch of credit cards that I was counting, but it broke, and lashed me from my left eye all the way to my right ear.  I had to excuse myself.  My supervisor came to see if I was okay (Of course I said I was) and tried to convince me that the welt wasn't very noticeable.  Unfortunately, she attempted this when I was standing in front of a mirror...  I got some ice and took some Motrin, and three hours later, when I next saw a mirror, the big swollen red line was mostly gone.  You can only see it under my eye.  My upper lip is still swollen a little, and there is a strange bump under my ear.  Far less gruesome.  No damage to my eye, except for a little bright red dot, but you can't see it from a few feet away.  I was still able to work the rest of the day.  It wouldn't have mattered much if I wasn't....I carpooled with Pat and she drove.

Okay, well....it's time to put the past behind me.  Time to feel the mean children and take them to t-ball.

Hope that today liked you better than it did me.

Glum, but undeterred..I think

Well, I didn't get the job.  The one that would have made everything acceptable.  Not wonderful, just acceptable.  Now what?

Still don't know what I will do with the kids during the summer, which is only a few weeks away.  Meghan's mom is going to watch the kids on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

At work, the supervisor says she wants to get away from my being the resident expert on corr, but whenever she wants to talk about corr, she looks to me.  Always.  Even the check lady reports to me, like I am the lead, only just for corr.  It's gratifying and insulting and appropriate and INappropriate and....frustrating.

I have a performance this Friday.  I hope it goes well.  I'm looking forward to practice tonight.  I need energy and a change of scenery and something to hit. 

GO, TAIKO!

How are you all?  I hope that you are having a good week.  I hope that you are happy and healthy and secure in your future and achieving your goals. 

I suppose I'm going back to buying lottery tickets.

Getting late.

I really should be in bed.  I still had a thing or two to get ready for tomorrow....and then did this instead.

I just finished a book.  Night Circus.  I really liked it.  In some ways, it's somewhat impersonal, but still a strange and elegant journey.  The beginning has parts that are startlingly rough, but it's all part of the experience.  I found myself very caught up in much of it.  I intend to recommend it to several people.

We just came back today from my mother's house.  Sadly, she has a cold and has lost her voice.  We still had a fun weekend, though.  Josh and I went with my uncle and aunt to see my cousin graduate from the university formerly known as UMR.  What do you remember about graduations?  Hot, long, boring?  Well, then this was a good one!!!  The graduate herself was itching to escape, and when escape she did, we cleverly drove to Luigi's in St. Roberts instead of eating in town.  Even with the drive, I'm quite sure we took less time than those who opted to brave the crowds in Rolla.  And I had a tortellini alla panna that was just SO good! 

And...we camped.  Yes, camped.  In my mother's front yard.  It was sort of a dress rehearsal for a plan we have of camping later in the summer.  We didn't get to test out some of the equipment we brought (I don't even want to talk about the amount of sh** that Josh stuffed into my car) but I slept much better than I anticipated.  Better, in fact, than I often do when sleeping inside my mom's house.  Even though I used to live there.

I really must get to my preparations now, if I'm ever going to get to sleep and I really am tired.  Hope the weekend was wonderful to you all.  Take care.