Saturday, July 30, 2005

the weekend

I haven't really had a Saturday for six years. I know it's funny to say that, but if you work odd days and odd hours, Saturday loses its magic. This morning, though, I slept in. And it feels like Saturday or summer vacation used to--a blessed still silent hot afternoon with the paper read and no work to speak of done. I'm going to go to the pool, just to top it off.

Thursday, July 28, 2005

not a good thing

Joseph was diagnosed today with Type I Diabetes. They caught it very early--his psycho high blood sugar showed up in his football physical. But he looks fine. (He always looks fine, two days after his appendix ruptures or twenty minutes before his lung collapses. He radiates good health. But he's spent a lot more time in the hospital than I have.) The upshot of it all is that he's getting a large supply of hypodermic needles and a new iguana.

So everyone should probably send Joe a card. Hallmark may have something. ("Sorry to hear about your diagnosis. But look at this picture of pretty flowers! It will make you feel better!") He did get bumped from football practice this week and EFY next week, although he's taking it philosophically.

back at the ranch

It's swimming pool day for Small Child, which means that we are now at my house. Small Child and Eddie are playing computer games. I just finished painting my nails. This is not onerous full-time employment. Gwyn's working on borders and decorations for the wedding cake. (No, we haven't forgotten the wedding cake.)

Yesterday at 2:30 in the afternoon, the sky was clear and deep blue and the temperature was 74 degrees. The weather is amazing.

Tuesday, July 26, 2005

chapter fifteen

Yes, Virginia, there is a Chapter Fifteen, right after the newly-completed Chapter Fourteen. I expect fulsome congratulations.

Monday, July 25, 2005

chapter fourteen

I cannot express how tired I am of Chapter Fourteen. Does anyone object if I just skip it and go straight to Fifteen?

Sunday, July 24, 2005

twenty-nine is a big number

Happy birthday, Alden! As a present, we paid off a bunch of international bike racers so that Lance Armstrong would win. And our wicked plan worked.

Friday, July 22, 2005

employment: what, more?

And, this morning, my final job interview (I hope) for New Job, which has been promising to hire me since, oh, December 1st. (Checking watch.) They called yesterday.

Thursday, July 21, 2005

employment: not too bad

At ‘work’, ‘working.’ Small child is drawing heart patterns and telling me in a solemn voice that books are better than movies. They’re so easy to indoctrinate at this age! I’m eating artisan bread from the farmer’s market and waiting until 10, when we’ll go down to see Eddie and play on the trampoline. We will hit the pool around noon, and after the pool comes naptime.

It was suggested to me last night that I should look into working at a dentist’s office. While the pay is better, let’s compare: lounge by the pool v. put hands in people’s mouths. Let me think.

Wednesday, July 20, 2005

employment, cont.

The child is charming and very easily amused, especially by Eddie, who's assisting me. We're at home playing on the trampoline right now, and later there will be some quality library and duck-feeding time. Six years old is a charming age.

Tuesday, July 19, 2005

spoiler

I want to talk about something related to the end of Half-Blood Prince but I don't want to spoil said ending for anyone who hasn't read the book. The discussion will therefore commence in the comments area, and I advise those of you who aren't yet finished NOT TO OPEN THE COMMENTS. Is that clear? No complaining that I spoiled it for you if you disregard this warning!

Everyone else, come on in.

change in status

No longer unemployed. I'm keeping an eye on a six-year-old for the rest of the summer. An opportunity to pick up spending money and hang out somewhere air conditioned. This sounds like great fun, although I will keep you posted on said child's temperment and behavior.

ouch

The tree got me. I'm covered in scratches. I picked two buckets, though.

Still no word from (theoretical) job. What is wrong with these people?

I am stuck on hold, trying to secure medical coverage. What a pain. At least twenty minutes, and they apologize for the delay . . . . On the other hand, why not? I'm unemployed. I have time to burn.

jamming

A kindly-meant neighbor has offered the fruits of his apricot trees to us. This means that we're stuck picking all day and Mom will be making apricot jam in the kind of quantities that are usually reserved for Smuckers. It's supposed to get to 96 degrees today, even without the boiling sugar in the kitchen.

On a more cheerful note, Amanda and Jon are officially engaged. The ring is beautiful.

Saturday, July 16, 2005

stupid moment

Yesterday--I don't quite recall how this happened--I agreed that Christin and I would make someone's wedding cake. The details are a little fuzzy, probably due to the massive amount of crack I must have been smoking to make such a rash promise. Now, I am aware that I have promised a number of people wedding cakes, including Sharon and Christin. That's not the problem. The problem is that the wedding in question is August 12th.

So this morning, I woke up at a quarter to six and went shopping. I came back with parchment paper, eggs, and a lot of vanilla. And I whipped up a lovely sponge cake, layered it with lemon syrup and blackberry jelly, and covered it in a rather fabulous cream cheese frosting. It was very good, although my first attempt at piped decorations was a little on the pathetic side. Fortunately, I have twenty-eight days to perfect it! (Gulp.)

I will post a picture of the pathetically frosted cake within the next few days.

I have to note a few things here:
- While I was promising to come up with a wedding cake, Christin was standing at my elbow screaming, "Nooooooo!" So it's not her fault, except in that vague and cosmic way that everything is the little sister's fault.

- The bride does know that we've never made a wedding cake before, and she doesn't seem stressed about it. She must be truly unstressed, in fact, since she didn't have anyone lined up for the event a month before it's to take place.

- Test cake #1 was excellent, probably one of the best cakes I've ever made.

I will, of course, keep you aware of developments.

Friday, July 15, 2005

threats and promises

I have to say that Alden had the very best threat of all. Congrats, Alden! But if you write my book and I write your code, does that mean that I get to live in Saint Genis and make googly faces at Marian? Just askin'.

Chrissie has a couple of friends here for the weekend. (I wish MY friends would come visit for the weekend. *blinking back tears*) I will be the tour guide, driver, major-domo, etc. When I'm not working on Alden's programming, anyway.

Wednesday, July 13, 2005

help? please help?

So the well of creativity, she is dry. The muse, she is gone. The self-discipline--you're kidding, right? In a nutshell, folks, I can barely manage to get myself out of bed and decently dressed before I decide that the day is far too advanced for any serious intellectual work. Nothing is getting done.

I need help. I solicit assistance from you, my faithful readers. You are welcome to send me chocolate and encouraging cards, but what I really need is a good kick in the pants. So please put them in the comments. I'm looking for the following format: "If you don't [do whatever], [bad thing] will happen to you."

Examples:
"If you don't send Christie Chapter 14 by the 17th, ravenous lions will hunt you down and rend you limb from limb."
"If you don't sit in front of your computer writing for at least two hours today, your library privileges will be revoked and Mrs. Nafziger will track you down and force you to surrender your card and sing that annoying 'Fifty, Nifty' song with all the states in proper order."

Please be very specific with goals and very specific with potential consequences. I need something to hang above my desk and look at when I am tempted to slack.

he's baaaack

Jon is coming home tonight. The fiancee will be here this weekend. We believe they are getting married on August 19th, but I understand that the date is not yet set. This will be marriage number three in the last 9 months. I don't know what to say about that. I should probably find some nice young man and round out the year, while my mother is in practice.

Sunday, July 10, 2005

home

I spent the last ten minutes trying to fight my way through the crowd and shut my bedroom door, deaf to the cries of, "I adore you! You cannot go to bed!" "We will miss you!" "You can't go, you just can't!" "How can you leaaaaaave me until the morning?" My brothers and sisters are hilarious, and probably insane. I'm glad to be home.

Saturday, July 09, 2005

last day

It's real. After 5 years, 2 months, and 13 days, I am working my last shift. I suppose I should be sad, but instead I'm a little numb. I'm tired. I don't want to drive ten hours tomorrow. I wish I didn't have to sleep on my sister's floor tonight.

I'm transient at the moment, although not in the strictest technical sense. I feel unmoored. I have a room waiting for me in New Mexico, but it's unpainted and filled with boxes. At the moment, I have 24 hours worth of plans. I'm going to finish my shift, sleep, and drive. After that, though, I don’t know. What will I do? Where will I work? How will I support myself? Who will I hang out with? Are there hot men there?

I've been a dispatcher for six years now, and my identity is shaped (well, misshapen) by that job. It informs the way I talk, my sleep schedule, the landmarks I remember, my sense of humor, and the kind of books I write. I have been a useful person in my little community--responsible and capable. But now, I’m seized with anxiety. What if I prove to be incompetent at lying by the pool? A feckless and irresponsible driving instructor? Crappy at making canapés for my brother’s wedding?

Sorry, guys. I’m feeling my sympathy base melt like snow in May.

But where will I find a job in which my coworkers and I can discreetly diss the rest of the world in a complicated number-based argot? Or where I can decide I want to come to work at three in the afternoon and rig my schedule in such a way that I actually can, nearly half the time? Or where I have a three day weekend every week, except when they call me and insist that I come in, right away, because staffing is short?

Oh, wait. Maybe I won’t miss this job, after all.

Friday, July 08, 2005

back in town

Oh, man, it's been a long week. I left Geneva at exactly 5:36 on Tuesday morning (those Swiss trains run on time) and traveled seven thousand miles in the next three days, culminating in an orgy of dental work and tetanus shots on Thursday before work. You should have seen me stagger through the motions that night.

I know, I know. You're all so sorry for me, what with the European vacation and all.

Also new and interesting this week: the long-awaited job has actually contacted me with a start date, although my clearance is not yet finished. And, as we know, that means that anything can still happen. I don't believe in this job until my first paycheck is in my hand.

Tomorrow is my last day, except for those days I might work, just out of the goodness of my heart, at the beginning of August. (Separation anxiety. I know you're not surprised.)

Sunday, July 03, 2005

born on the third of july

Happy birthday to Joseph; I'll bring you back something chocolate-related.

The Internet's been down, so you'll just have to imagine the last week. All-day tours of cheese factories . . . swimming . . . lots of chocolate . . . quite a few diapers to change (new baby niece) . . . and about forty million books read to the young Stradlings (version 1.1 and 1.2). Aubrey has my number. She quickly figured out that her aunt is good for one thing and one thing only: to read aloud to her until laryngitis sets in.

And it has been an educational week. I have learned that: 1) there are ticks in France (gross); 2) wallpapering is fun, and less messy than paint; and 3) Arthur the aardvark's last name is Read. Also, that cheese has to be washed in salt water once a week and is stored with a slight spray of ammonia. Mom and I have discovered Diet Orangina, which is a passable substitute for Diet Coke. No one fall over or anything, but my detox has worked. My last caffeinated beverage was consumed on the morning of June 21.