Blah, blah, blah, deck, blah

Yes, more on the deck. It consumes my every waking moment lately.

Yesterday, I was positively vibrating with unspent energy. I wanted to get my hands on the deck and stain it! But the morning was wet. Then it cleared up and dried out and got real sunny and nice. And I was going nuts thinking I should get started. I read the label on the stain can and it said, Do not apply if it’s going to rain in less than 24 hours. So I didn’t. But look! Today it’s beautiful and sunny and it hasn’t rained yet. I could have done it yesterday and it would have been fine! Damned weatherman!

I’m so frustrated.

So we went to L0we’s to shop for stuff. They had 75% off patio furniture!! But there were only a few crummy pieces left. So I got some copper post caps and adhesive, and installed them. They look real nice. I also bought one that has a solar-powered light in it. If it looks nice at night, I will buy a couple more.

Right now, I’m going to search online for patio furniture. I imagine it’s a good time to buy some. And I plan to have the staining, sanding, and a couple of small repairs done by the end of the long weekend.

Then you won’t have to hear about it anymore.

Party time!

Hubby’s and my niece is getting married next month.

There’s nothing more fun than a family wedding. Nothing better than dancing and drinking with the family, the kids running wild, everybody dressed up, celebrating a joyful day.

After much wrangling and negotiating, all of us are going: Blondie, her boyfriend, Bro, The Princess, O’Baby, Bubba, Hubby and me. It’s gonna be great! Maybe we’ll even get a picture of all of us dressed up together. I hope so. Family portraits are so expensive.

The only bad part will be missing Gram when they play a polka.
(Funny how missing her still floods my eyes at times.)

But I betcha my kids will do it with me. We’ll have to teach Bubba how.
I can’t wait.

A partial sigh of relief

I finished my CAP III profile and self-review today. It was hard, tooting my own horn and making it sound interesting. But it’s done.

I sent copies to my manager and two coworkers who are on the selection committee, just to get their feedback. I should see at least one of them tomorrow, so I hope they have some good suggestions for me. I wonder if they’ll pick me for advancement? Or if they’ll just think I’m full of myself.

The stuff I’ve been doing for work is not easily evaluated or measured. It’s mostly presentations and information dissemination. Oh well, we’ll see I guess.

So I’m breathing a half-sigh of relief. I still will not allow myself to start reading a new book until Sept 4th is done and gone. That’s the deadline for official filing of my CAP III profile stuff.

After that, you’ll hear my sigh from Chicago. Then I’ll just have to wait for the committee’s decision. And that won’t be until November, I think. Yeesh.

A wholesome family Sunday

So we got up this morning and went to church.

Somebody pick Amy off the floor please.

Ahem. So Hubby, Bubba and I went to church. I’ve been feeling guilty that we’ve been making him go to CCD and he’ll be making his first Communion next spring, and we never (never) go.

So we went and it was nice. There is comfort in ritual, something familiar about the words and songs, a feeling of community that surrounds you when you all sit and stand and kneel at the same time.

And that’s about as far as it goes for me.

But the church is brand new and different. It was just dedicated this summer, and I can’t say that it is beautiful, but it is interesting. I have never been in a Catholic church that does not have a big Christ on the crucifix behind the altar. This one didn’t. And since they’re offering tours and detailed explanations of the church decor next month, I’m going. My curiosity is piqued.

After church, we came home, did laundry, ate lunch. Then Hubby, Bubba and I went on a long bike ride to a local park. We hiked the creek, then did the hilly walking trail, played on the playground, then rode the long way home. It was a real workout, and so much fun. It was just the perfect weather too – not too warm, with a cool breeze. How wonderful.

When Bubba gets big, and I’m sitting around missing him, I will remember our bike trip. How strong he was on the hills, him standing in the middle of the creek, us sitting on a parkway having a drink and a rest. I’ll think of those things and I’ll be so glad we had this time with him.

He’s our last one. And we had a very good day together.

CAP III

I’m going for the next rung on my clinical ladder at work.

I earned my RN II in June, and I’ve been working on activities that would make me eligible for my RNIII for the past few months. Each advancement comes with a raise, and since they have frozen all other raises system-wide, this is my only chance to make more money this year.

I need to fill out a comprehensive profile and self-assessment that will be reviewed by the selection committee, and it’s due to my manager September 4. Nothing like cutting it close, huh. But it’s weird to toot your own horn – to the point of braggadoccio – so I’m having a tough time of it.

And the fact that I asked two of my coworkers (who are on the selection committee) to review my profile before I submit it makes it that much harder. I hate the fact that people I work with everyday will read this crap I have to write.

But I better get to work. The baby’s sleeping, Bubba’s at a friend’s house, and Hubby is napping, so I have a little time to get this stuff started.

Wish me luck.