Two Months Gone

Today marks two months since Hubby officially left home on his journey to the sandbox. What has happened and changed over the past month?

- Number of meals cooked this month: 0 
   Running total for deployment: 0 
   (Note that I do not count frozen pizzas, chicken nuggets or baking a hamburger 
   in the oven as cooking.)

- Scrapalooza continues! 70 more pages brings me through July 2003, and to the end of my third and final book-bound album. I've reached a bit of a stopping point until I start getting paid at my new job and have a bit of extra money to order more prints from Shutterfly so that I can let the scrapping continue. In the mean time, I'll be scouting supplies (black 12x12 cardstock and suitable 3 ring binders) so that I have them on hand when I can get more pictures.

- Went on a hay ride through a beautiful neighborhood to look at Christmas lights. It was put on by a girl at work, and was lots of fun. Made me wish that Hubby was here to go, too.

- Keeping my new job a secret from my current employer was killing me! Finally got concrete confirmation on the new job - my background check came back squeaky clean (not surprising!) and I started on Jan 2. Gave my current boss clearance to announce my impending departure, which was met with a healthy balance of congratulations and "we're sorry to see you go." Made me feel really good. I work with some great people, and I'll miss them.

- Got a chance to visit with a cousin of mine that I haven't seen in something like 8 years! She was visiting a friend out this way and they drove down to Fresno to visit. It was lots of fun, even if she was only here for an evening. It was nice to catch up and share stories about our crazy family. Especially since I haven't really spent much time around them in so many years and hardly know anyone back there anymore.

- Did a victory dance when that silly tree out front finally lost its last leaves. I can see a love-hate relationship forming here.

- Freezing weather has claimed my coleus. L I'll get more in the spring. My red rose bush has allowed a branch to topple over, meaning a bit of a loss there. The cold weather has taken a toll on my heat loving marigolds. My Mexican Heather is gone, too. Guess they really do prefer the warmer weather of Mexico! I'll buy more and plant in a pot in the spring. And, oddly, one of my pots of tulips has sprouted shoots, and my freesia is starting to emerge. Isn't it a bit early for that?!?

- Finished all of my Christmas shopping super early and got what needed to be mailed off done so in a very timely manner. All I have left to buy is Hubby's gift, and I've got time for that. I'll need the extra income from my new job to get him what's on his list, anyhoo.

- Have discovered the Christmas Music channel on cable. In an attempt to be all Christmassy, listened to it non-stop through Christmas. I now have Christmas tunes stuck in my head whenever I go anywhere. It borders on both annoying and quaint.

- Survived Christmas! Revisited the grocery store for another yummy pre-cooked turkey breast and sides. Fred and I can definitely get used to this lifestyle. Was invited to spend the holiday with various friends, but faced with the prospect of spending the day with a bunch of strangers, I opted for spending the holiday at home with Fred and the fatties.

- Survived the office Christmas party. Had to attend stag, due to Fred not having mastered "party manners." Can't have him running around randomly sniffing crotches, knocking drinks over with his tail or helping himself to the buffet without using utensils.And now for your moment of awkwardness…was consistently introduced to people as, "This is Brenda, her husband is in Iraq." Yes…there it is…the look of shock and awe on the other person's face. Conversation ensues where the other party feels the need to go on about (1) their time in the military, eons ago (2) Vietnam/Iraq similarities (3) What a mess, and our poor troops having to endure all of this. After assuring them that Hubby is indeed there as a civilian which changes the "rules of engagement" to "non engagement" for him, I politely smile and nod through the excruciating conversation that follows, looking for an out. Would excuse myself for a drink, except that I have to drive myself home. Damn Fred for not being able to come along! If I could train him in "party manners" and how to drive, I'd be set! I remain convinced that it is his lack of opposable thumbs that is holding him back.

- Mechanical Emergency Number 2. My car's brake light came on and started dinging like crazy. The brakes seem to be working fine, so Hubby's suggestion was to top off the brake fluid. (MyJody diagnosed the same thing. I have mechanical masterminds at my disposal!) Disaster averted. No new car for me…darn. Mechanical Emergency Number 1 Update - Hubby's car is leaking something black and gunky from under the steering column. Could it be the Power Steering Fluid? That would explain the annoying "Hicas" light always being on. Hmmm…

- Speaking of extra income and new cars, I have declared 2008 to be my year for a new vehicle! Hubby got his Z, now it's my turn. I'm finally going to get the Jeep that I've been lusting after since the days of the Summer of '97 (such a great summer!) It'll be brand-spanking new and fully loaded…including butt warmers!  2008 - The Year of the Jeep!!  Woohoo!!

- Mailing Hubby his footlocker full of tools turned into more of an ordeal than either of us anticipated. I'm not going to name names, but somebody's failure to leave an inventory of contents lead to having to break the metal bandings securing the footlocker in order to list contents on the appropriate customs form.  With the ends of the footlocker now "securely" duct-taped shut, I attempt to attach the lock that Hubby provided me, only to find that the lock has a plastic ridge on it that won't allow it to fit through the hole in the footlocker. GARRR! So the footlocker has now been deposited back with the guys at the National Guard to have the ends banded again, and they're going to try to ship the darned thing for me so that I don't have to pick it back up and go through this ordeal again. I just know that the phone will ring at any minute…it'll be them asking me to pick the footlocker back up and ship it…

- FOUND A MOUSE IN MY GARAGE!! Holy yikes! Immediately purchased sonic blasters to keep the hairy little rodents away and called Terminix. They're a wily bunch (the mice/rats, not Terminix) and I'm constantly changing my tactics to stay on top of things. I lump mice with spiders…can't take it!!!

- Survived the marching in of the New Year. I genuinely wanted to sleep through it, but was awoken at 11:30pm New Year's Eve by Fred…nervously pacing the floor. He does this at the sound of firecrackers, and that is what set him off. I felt really bad for him - he was literally trembling in fear at the noises outside! Rather than kick him out mercilessly as I have done in the past, I tried to comfort him as best as I could, considering the whole language-barrier thing. (His grasp of English seems to be limited to a handful of commands. My grasp of Dog remains at feverishly attempting to decipher the meaning behind various forms of pacing, licking, grunting, barking and wimpering. Throw in the occasional dog-stare and you can see why I'm so baffled half the time.)Fortunately, it was all over by 12:30am and normalcy was restored to the Sullivan household. Sleep came again, and I was able to sleep in on New Year's Day.

- LOVE the new job! Day one was all about information overload - this goes here, this is how these get processed, input this in the computer, etc etc etc. Also signed about a gazillion different employment forms - as is always the case when starting a new job. But this place is going to keep me busy, and I really think I'll be happy here! (Also think that I made friends with the police chief's secretary when I confessed that I am the sort of person that sorts my paperclips by size…)