Monday, August 29, 2011

Last day of summer break...

The kids' school starts back tomorrow. I can't believe summer break is over. My favorite season gone.

I'm ready for some routine, however. And I'm ready to be by myself a couple of days a week. Don't get me wrong, I love my kids, but they fought a lot this summer. They need a break from each other. Next summer, I will have them in some camps so they don't get sick of each other. Lesson learned. I'm looking forward to wandering around Target aimlessly.

Work was fairly good today. I got to do the gate. I love dealing with people. It had been a while so I wasn't as comfortable as I have been in the past. It seems the ones who know how to do counter and gate just do that all the time so the rest of us never get a chance to learn. Sigh. I'm still wishing some awesome job would come along. I guess I'll stick it out and travel as much as possible.

Speaking of travel, I'm hoping to go to Southern Spain early September. I've always wanted to go there. I studied Spanish in school but have forgotten most of what I knew. Plus, the cities sound so interesting. Fingers crossed it works out!

Friday, August 19, 2011

Today Clayton has his follow-up with the pediatric cardiologist. We'll find out the results from the MRI and whether or not he needs intervention for the pulmonary artery stenosis. He doesn't have any problems while playing and running around.

Tomorrow is my daughter's 9th birthday. In some ways it seems like just yesterday. I was so green as far as taking care of kids. I could have done so many things differently, better. I prefer the ages now over the little babies. But, little babies are so sweet. I think it's the very hard work associated with them, however.

School starts back in about 10 days. We must get school supplies today. I'm afraid if I wait too late the kids won't have choices on some of the things. I'm such a procrastinator.

And---my parents are coming in today if they can get on the flights. It's looking a little iffy for the second leg. I'm keeping my fingers crossed so my parents don't have to stay in a hotel tonight in Detroit. It's going to be a busy few days around here. Yay!



Wednesday, August 10, 2011

I'm sitting in the Detroit airport right now hoping to make a flight to Portland, Maine. The gate agent seems to be a nice guy. The flight is oversold by one, so it's looking iffy.

I love the people watching in an airport. There's the stressed out mom holding her infant in the Bjorn carrier while entertaining her toddler. Been there, done that. I don't envy her. There's the big church group going on some mission trip in there matching tye-dyed T-shirts. There are the business men talking loudly on their blue tooth. Really, there is no other form of cheap entertainment.

My flight out of State College went smoothly. I chit-chatted before we boarded with a Delta pilot who was flying to Detroit. Once on the plane, I took my seat and said hi to the lady next to me but then I read the magazine and mostly gazed out the window day dreaming. The flight attendant was an African lady with a very pleasant demeanor. A nice touch to today's travels.

When we landed, Phil, the pilot, and I walked together over to terminal A until we parted ways. I found my way to Vino Volo as per my husband's suggestion. I had two flights of wine. The first was of some reds and then I had some whites. I also enjoyed some food with dessert. A good way to waste time in the DTW airport.

So, now I wait. If I'm lucky, I'll be flying into Portland around midnight. If I'm unlucky, I'll be spending the night in a hotel in Detroit.

Wish me luck.

Monday, August 08, 2011

I'm watching Antiques Roadshow right now. I know if I had something worth a gazillion bucks, I would sell it! But, I'm fairly sure most of my stuff is just junk.

I worked today and it was, all in all, a good day. I'm amazed at the amount of stress at work sometimes that actually has nothing to do with canceled flights or delays. I know part of it has to do with the fact that my boss cannot multitask and he is always stressed about something. He's definitely not the right guy for the job. Maybe a task-master, but not a leader or someone who inspires those to do their best. My goal is to outlast him. Actually, there are several people I hope to outlast at work. I've never worked a place where so many people are so miserable. I have to keep my eye on the prize.


Speaking of keeping my eye on the prize, I'm planning a trip to Europe in September. Not sure just where yet. And since my sister's husband now works for another airline, my sister and I are going to meet over there. High on my list is Southern Spain. I would have to fly to Madrid and then take a train to Seville. The other place is Nice, France. I've been there (for about a day) before and my sister has been there 3 times, I think. Neither one of us has been to Southern Spain. I went to Barcelona last September. It was an interesting place. I still want to go to a country where I can practice my Spanish. I did speak Spanish in Barcelona and people were very nice to speak back to me in Spanish, but the language in Barcelona is Catalan.


Well, better stop for now.









Wednesday, August 03, 2011

I can't believe it's August already. I'm not ready for summer to be over, even if it meant I netted nothing from my job because I had to pay a sitter when I worked. I'm also not looking forward to the college kids coming back. I like a quiet, sleepy town in the summer. It reminds me of growing up in Fayetteville as a kid.

The job is still just eh. I like the travel benefits and the benefit of being somewhere a few times a week. Yep, work is a social thing for me. I know it's not that way for most. I just don't want to do the mom thing where I work out 3 times a week at a club and volunteer in my kids' school on a regular basis. It's just not me. Sometimes, when work is very stressful, I think, "why am I exposing myself to this?" Oh and it's obvious a couple of people don't like me and that's never fun. Oh well, there's always one woman (at whatever job I have) who can't stand me. I guess I'm too happy or too friendly or too secure. That's life. It's her problem.

Something did go my way at work recently. I requested a permanent shift trade with a guy. He worked Sundays 11am-5pm and I worked Saturdays 5 am- 1pm. Now, I no longer work Saturdays! But, the big hooray thing for me, is he *quit (to go to law school) and the shift trade stayed in effect. A few people kept saying they thought it shouldn't take place. I confirmed it with the boss and it's holding. This is the first thing that has gone my way. I can't wait to sleep in on Saturdays again! Not to mention, have breakfast with the kids!

We had to say goodbye to a colleague of Pete's and his family this weekend. He got a job at Kansas State University. He's a Kiwi and she is from PA originally. Nice family. We had them out for dinner with another couple and a single guy from my husband's work. I like entertaining and feel we don't do it enough.



*of course he wasn't going to stay at this job forever.