WOW - shame on me...

3 days without a vacation excuse - what was going on... oh wait I actually remember...

(cue the way back music)

Sunday... up, showered and moving and on my way to the other side of the beltway for my friend Cindy who lost her mom on Labor Day. It was a lovely service and remembrance for Charlotte and the pictures were great. It was another side of a woman I liked very much and will miss. Cindy Mom would be pleased and probably a bit embarrassed by all that but as you said - she took great pride in her girls, you did her well.

Then home, and in pop the parental units. They left the beach because it was raining... yeesh to be retired. But it was nice to have the company and to have dinner out. Also I got the watch the Steelers muddle their way through that football game on Sunday... NFL Sunday ticket - one weekend only. Nice to see my black and gold boys but not worth the $$$ for the rest of the season - plus I get to go out Sundays with Bubba and not cook! Always a bonus.

Plus always nice to sleep with other folks in the house - I don't hear things creak as much - although last night I probably wouldn't have heard a thing - I was out! Busy day.

Monday... ah Monday what a mess. Started out nice, Mom was here, made me breakfast, had coffee cooked it was very very nice. Got on the road.... and sat there... and sat there... and TWO HOURS LATER - I arrived at the office. That is not an stretch for comic relief or rant - that boys and girls is the actual door to door time, left Germantown at 8:20 AM and arrived at the office parking lot - 10:20. I emailed my counterpart and kept her appraised of my inch by inch progress. There are days I wonder if it wouldn't be faster for me to walk to work. Not that I would - but that random stupid thought does dance through my head.

Of course with breakfast and a nice cup of to-go coffee - not counting on a two hour tour (anyone else hear music?)... Aunt Ing's bladder was full and letting her know - LOUDLY. I am very very grateful that no one else was waiting for the elevators, or in the elevator - because it's not cute when a 40 something year old woman does the 5 year old gotta-pee dance. And its really not cute when she goes running from the elevator to the ladies room, tosses all her carry on luggage (purse and computer) on the shelf and finally is able to say aaahhhhhh. And oh yes so very very grateful that there were no witnesses to her - um - dance and dash.

So with that kind of start one would have the misguided hope to have a less eventful day... and as they say hope springs eternal.... Boss man in town... staff meeting... then a visit to the new office... that was interesting. The smell of new carpet - an office I now must share, and one - count 'um ONE network cable... for an office for two people. AND that plug is on one side of the room.... who came up with this mess???

We get that issue tended - we put in an IT ticket with corporate IT... with any luck I will be working at home for a large number of days... yeah yeah wishful thinking. Oh and did I mention there was no desk, two chairs that won't be comfortable for anyone to sit in... and a view of a gas station and Radio Shack. Change is so not my thing. But I will make do.

Then we arrive back at our office to find....THE OFFICE MOVERS ARE HERE... ah - gang 2:30 PM is NOT COB (close of business). With my afternoon now shot in the fanny I finish packing up my office - and while I'm doing that the movers kept poking into my office -- I'M NOT READY GO AWAY. After all it takes time to gently carefully roll up and tend to certain movie posters that cover up the institutional beige that adorns my office walls. Have some respect for the Glad-GoodYear-RHood poster wallpaper - seriously people. (and only one person will get THAT reference).

With things gently rolled and tucked safely back into their protective coverings, the docking station packed way, the monitor wrapped and labeled and all boxes labeled, sealed and ready. I was a sweaty mess and not thrilled with the idea of a meeting tonight... but leaving early was a definite bonus. So I hauled all my stuff outta there, got on the HOV road with 2 minutes to spare (before the must-have-a-rider time clicked on) got home in less time that it took to get in, loved the pups, relaxed, cleaned up, dressed up and headed out to my meeting.

It was quick it was good, and I got home, loved the girls and went to bed and died....

And here we are conference call Tuesday. Most are done for the day, one more to go ...

Bubba is on his last trip to the West Coast - of course he had a trip to Vegas with the boys from high school first -but it keeps his keel even so we don't say much. He will be home Friday - after I'm gone to girls weekend with Mom, Sis and Baby M.... so can't wait!

Stay tuned for more exciting times and life - and perhaps I may start tossing in a dose of No-doz... ;-) Stay cool.