First day of work...

Yesterday was an odd day.  Mom and I got up early so that I could take her to the airport for her departure.  It took about an hour and twenty minutes to get there and it was actually pretty easy once we figured it out.  

My mother is a special lady for putting up with my crabbiness and trying so hard to keep things in my place just the way that I like it.  She gets that I can be more than a little particular about certain things and knows why I am the way that I am, after all, I am partly her daughter!  If my mom had not been here to help me, I would bet that I would be stressed and unpacking my place through all hours of the night just to get it  done.  I so appreciate everything that she did for me this past week.  And my dad too - he's my on-call AskJeeves.  I can send him an email from anything from Consumer Report rankings to my mothers poor movie choice (sorry, ma!) and he always comes back with an answer.  My parents are the coolest - be jealous.  I'd keep em around even if we weren't related! :)


Today was the day that I've been awaiting... the first day of work.  I'm not quite sure how it got to be 5pm, but inside the walls of my new work the time flies.  It was just about everything I expected it to be.  My next few weeks are all mapped out for me - meetings with various individuals, webinars, videos...the whole 9 yards.  It will be challenging and hardwork -- and something to fill my days here in C'ville.

Pair all of that with some 90 degree weather and dense humidity and you've got my day.  Only part of my day will be spent at my desk in the AC while the rest is out on the floor with everyone else sweating it out.  But I do get to retire to the coolness of my semi-stinky house.  It could be much much worse.

So today I found out that many people that I work with do not live in town - some drive up to an hour and a half each way just to get there.  I suppose when you are married and have other considerations it is better to live close to civilization.  But the people are just so nice out here.  A lady at work offered to introduce me to her son and daughter-in-law when I expressed my love for cooking. She described them as hippy farmers.  I love them already.

My evening will be spent making a list of all the things I didn't do during the day and thinking about buying a washer/dryer.  Aren't you so jealous?  I'd be.  

I would like to buy a bicycle and take off down one of these country roads.  They are nice and flat and some of them don't get too much traffic.   If anyone has any knowledge of bicycles and can recommend a good starter bike, please let me know.  I'm not looking to spend a fortune, but I would like something to do other than make beer runs to the next county.

I was going to try to take a picture of the rainbow today while I was driving home, but thought it was a safety hazard.  But it was just perfect.  Driving home after yet another run to Walmart, the thunderstorm had just ended and just over my house was a bold, beautiful half rainbow.   While I'm not the most religious person, I certainly do believe in God and believe that there are so many signs each and every day that we miss because we are too busy with our own self-created chaos.  I'd like to think that this was one of those signs to reassure me - not sure that I even need it right now (maybe in two weeks) - that I am where I am supposed to be.  It's not going to be easy, but nothing worth it ever is. 


So we'll wrap up this one with some pictures of my place.  There are some pre-unpacking and post-unpacking. Maybe this weekend I will make a video walk thru of my place.  I know the suspense must be unnerving, but hang in there.  I promise more pics of the locals soon.  

 These orange flowers are from my grandparents old house.  When they moved about 4 years ago my grandma asked me if there was anything in particular that I wanted.  I remembered sitting in my grandmas kitchen watching her make dinner or eating a snack of fig newtons or lorna doons and seeing these bright orange flowers hanging in the kitchen.  And now it is a part of my kitchen, even all the way down here.

 There is a good sized lake about 20 minutes away from my place.  It has a small beach area with water blocked off for swimmers and the rest is for boats, jet skis, and houseboats.  It's pretty amazing.  Will definitely be back there.

   And last, but never ever least, is my little Mo man.  We were playing on the couch and he broke out what I like to call his crazy-Mo face.  He's really quite priceless with his ear tufts and his crossed eyes.  The cats have transitioned pretty darn well and are quite a bit of company...sometimes too much.  But I love this little guy dearly.

Happy Monday, ya'll!