Thursday, January 31, 2008

Let It Snow . . .

It's snowing pretty hard outside, and the wind is really kicking up. This system is a big, nasty one, so this might get pretty interesting before it's all over with.

The College closed at 5 PM today and cancelled all evening classes. If we get the 6-12 inches of snow they are saying we might, and if those winds keep kicking up and blow it all around into mile-high drifts (well, maybe not QUITE that high) . . .

I'm thinking SNOW DAY for tomorrow . . . (keeping fingers crossed!)

I'll keep ya posted.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

WHAT Is Going On With the WEATHER????

TODAY: By early afternoon, it reached a high of 62 degrees.
LATER: By mid-afternoon, we were under a severe thunderstorm warning, and the torrential rains started.
LATER STILL: By the time I left work at 4:30 PM, the temperature had dropped. To 22 degrees. And it was sleeting. And everything was frozen. And covered in ice.
TONIGHT: It is presently 15 degrees, and the winds are gusting up to 45 MPH. It is snowing and sleeting.

WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED HERE? :-(

Sunday, January 27, 2008

I Don't Know About YOU . . .

. . . but I just about spit my Diet Coke all over my monitor!

Funny Pictures
moar funny pictures

Friday, January 25, 2008

All Settled In - - FINALLY!

I am finally moved in and pretty much settled in my new office - - FINALLY! The only thing I have left to do is bring a small chrome shelving unit in on Monday morning so I can finish putting some things away, and then maybe I can actually get some WORK done! (What a novel concept THAT will be!)

My little office is really pretty nice, and my new boss is pretty much moved into my old office, so that is working out well. My poor student workers, however, are not faring so well . . . their space is so cramped, they can barely do what they need to do! We have been told that this is just a temporary thing, until they finish up some other construction and moves around campus, and that we will then be moved to a permanent spot with more room (Gee, maybe they can time it for the first week of FALL classes - - that week is even MORE hectic than the first week of Spring classes! Yeah! THAT'S the plan!)(No, I'm not bitter - - not a bit . . . )

I'm just glad to finally be in my space, have boxes unpacked, and being able to DO something to help the students. That's what I'm there for, and it's been rough not being able to help this past week. But come Monday, that is all going to change - - Lizzy's back in business! :-)

Thursday, January 24, 2008

Good News on the "Dad" Front

Dad went to see his family doctor yesterday, who said he was doing great, and pronounced him "worth a million bucks" - - or "ten million at today's prices" . . .

So we are very pleased with the news!

His next appointment is his recheck with the heart doctor on Feb. 7th.

Yay for my Daddy! :-)

Monday, January 21, 2008

Renew the Dream

I read about this post on another blog, followed the link . . . and - - well, please go here and see for yourself.

There is nothing I can add - - this says it all.

Friday, January 18, 2008

By The Way . . .

Did you notice the new addition to my sidebar??

Over there, on the left - - just under my Profile - - just keep scrolling . . . There! Do you see it?

Eileen Cook, an author who hails from Vancouver, Canada, has her very first book, "Unpredictable" coming out February 5th.

You should check it out. Also, you should check out her blog.

Go ahead - - I'll be here when you get back! :-)

This Week is FINALLY Over!

Thank God!

This has been a LONG week - - lots of hours. And, it's been a ROUGH one . . . and it went just the way I was afraid it would. *sigh*

When I first heard they had hired a full-time director for our Department, and that they were going to have to rearrange our area to squeeze in another office and another whole person, I said, "As long as they don't have everything all torn up during the first week of classes, we'll be okay."

This was the first week of classes.

They started construction on our area Monday morning.

*sigh* Damn.

All week long, we have had to put up with our furniture all moved out, my student workers in a different room than I am (makes it hard to supervise, and also train the new one), the new boss in another room in a whole different area, students trying to come back for help that we are not able to provide because ALL OF OUR STUFF IS SOMEWHERE WHERE DID WE PUT IT DAMMIT.

Along with all this, there is the actual construction process itself - - concrete drills, drywall saws, drywall sanders, drywall DUST, paint fumes . . .

And still trying our best to serve the frantic students coming back for help, trying to hold Orientation sessions ("I can't print out the attendance sheet for this session! Where in the hell is our printer!?!?!?") and just trying to keep some small shred of sanity (NEVER easy for me, even in the best of circumstances).

But the construction is FINALLY finished, the furniture will get moved in next week, and hopefully we will all be together in the same area and all settled in soon. The new boss will get into the swing of things, and we will finally be working together as a team. And, it will be good to FINALLY be able to help the students like we need to!

But right now - - I'm heading for some well-deserved rest!

Sunday, January 13, 2008

Oh His Way Back Home

Dad has been doing great! He finally decided he was ready to go home, so this afternoon, that is what he did.

It was fun having him around for awhile, but I understand his wanting to get back to his own house, sleep in his own bed, play on his own computer . . . and not have darling daughter watching him like a hawk! (Actually, I'm not THAT bad!)

I'll still be keeping a close eye on him for the next six weeks or so, because that is when the second procedure will be scheduled. Once he has that done, he will probably spend a couple of weeks in the hospital, then a couple more in a rehab facility, then a couple of weeks more with me.

Keep you all posted . . .

Saturday, January 12, 2008

One Down, Three To Go . . .

Dad had the stent placed in the one heart artery that was 90% blocked this past Thursday. The Doctor proclaimed the procedure 'smooth as silk' when he talked with me after it was done, and that Dad was doing great!

They admitted him to stay overnight, as they wanted to monitor him for 24 hours, but by 8:30 the next morning, the Doctor told him he could go home anytime he could get a ride.

Unfortunately, both Dear Hubby and I were at work, and had not anticipated this . . . *sigh*

SO - - Steve took off work at 1:00, came home and showered and changed, and headed on over to Springfield to pick up Dad. I left work at 2:30, headed to the store to pick up a few things, and then went home to make sure everything was ready.

Actually, they beat ME home! Dad was already discharged and sitting there waiting for Steve when he got there! They headed down to the car and back to our house.

Dad is staying with us until Sunday, just to make sure he's doing okay. So far, he is feeling and doing very well.

Dad goes back to the heart Doctor in 4 weeks for a recheck, and if all is well, he will be looking at having his second procedure - - repairing his abdominal aneurysm - - about 2 weeks later.

2008 is going to be a L - O - O - O - N - G year . . .

Wednesday, January 09, 2008

My Dad

My posting may be a bit sporadic for awhile - - my Dad is having some procedures done, and between work, running him to Springfield for his procedures, doctor appointments here in town, and having him home with me for some recuperating time, well - - getting on the computer and having time to blog has not been possible.

Dad had a heart cath done last Friday, and then stayed the weekend with us, because they did not want him doing any driving or much else for 48 hours afterward. He went home Sunday afternoon.

Tuesday we went to the doctor here in town, and discussed what will be done next.

This morning, he found out that he will have a stent placed in the main left heart artery to clear a blockage that is at 90%. This will be done tomorrow afternoon. They will keep him overnight, and will then come to our house for a few days.

There are a couple more procedures he will have to go through, but they will be spacing them out every 2-3 months or so.

SO - - 2008 is off to a rolling start! (*sigh*)

It sucks already.

I'm hanging in there - - wish me luck.

And if you are one who prays, please say one for may Dad - - appreciate it.

Tuesday, January 01, 2008

Happy 2008!

So - - do you make resolutions?

I do, but only if I know I can make a serious effort to achieve my goal. I try to be realistic about my resolutions.

That being said, here is what I resolve to accomplish in 2008:

(1) Continue the "year of un-dieting"
I learned this from reading Crazy Aunt Purl - - she resolved to never diet again, but to walk for exercise, and watch what she eats, and the results were fantastic. I decided to give it a try, and it worked for me also. Therefore, I will continue this for 2008.

(2) Sell our other house
It has been on the market for a year now. I know the market is not good for sellers, but it WILL sell. We just have to keep working at it and get the job done. Fortunately, we have excellent professionals working for us, so we are not in this alone. I would hate to be trying to do this ourselves - - what a nightmare that would be!

(3) Remember to take my meds and vitamins every day - - even on weekends or when I'm on vacation
I try to remember to do this - - honestly I do - - but I tend to get busy on the weekends or when I'm on break, and the next thing I know, it's bedtime and I haven't taken them. I will do better in 2008.

And last, but certainly not least - -

(4) Tell my Dear Husband Steve, the best man in the world*, that I love him. Every. Single. Day.
Well, I do that anyway, so that will be an easy resolution to keep! :-)

I hope 2008 is good to all of us!

* He really IS the best, and I'm the luckiest woman in the world having him in my life!