Help, Heart, Heat

 Hi! It seems like I've been away from this computer for a long time. Things are busy and by the end of the day, I'm just too tired to write. But today is my day off - with no appointments or deadlines - so I'm taking time to post. It feels good to be 'talking' with all of you again.

 

A little over a month ago I met with our Executive team at work and told them I needed to step back from the Custodial Manager position. This position was added to my Admin duties (I accepted it) and I've been trying to do both for more than four years. Now that I understand the scope of the job I'm realizing it's not a good fit for me. I've never managed or supervised adults before and now I know I'm not really cut out for it. It has been the hardest thing I've ever done. 

 

The Executive team said yes to me remaining as Facilities Admin (been doing that position more than 10 years - on staff more than 20) so I'll keep working there. (I'm relieved! I had to prepare myself for the possibility of them going in a different direction. It was highly unlikely but still.) 

 

Yesterday I learned they hired a pastor to oversee the facility/custodians and he now needs to be ratified by the Board and approved by the Pastoral Staff. The job is his but this has to be done according to our bylaws. So, I'm hoping in the next month or two I will have more time at home, more time to take walks, read, make cards... I can literally feel the stress beginning to float away as the day gets closer!

 

 

While at work a few weeks ago I got a sharp pain in my chest, like someone was poking me with a sharp knife. My left arm was sore and I felt light headed. A couple of co-workers prayed for me and I began to feel better. (I love working in a church! 💖) 

 

The doctor did an EKG and found I have Right Bundle Branch Block. That's a blockage in the electrical current in my heart. I didn't know the heart had electrical currents! I don't think I've ever had an EKG before so they don't know how long it's been there. Possible causes are previous heart attack, heart disease... and since I have family history of heart disease, I go in next week for a full echocardiogram. 

 

I think I told you our furnace went out back in December. Our gas fireplace has been a God-send! We've gotten bids from three companies and finally today we decided on which one to use. There's a lot that goes into it, a lot more than I expected. But we'll sign the papers when Chuck gets home tonight (on-line of course) and hopefully soon we'll have a new furnace!

 

 

Beth and I spent a day shopping last week so I'll write about that next time. I hope you're all doing well. Sorry I haven't been writing or reading. I hope to get back to it soon! And now I'll leave you with a picture of Adelaide, a little over 6 weeks old ~

 

Rain, Snow, Otters

My Saturday mornings are usually spent sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast, reading, drinking tea, and watching the world go by outside. As I sat there yesterday the snow began to fall! We certainly weren't expecting that! It only snowed a few minutes and nothing stuck but it sure was a fun surprise!

 

I got ready to go pick up some pictures from the shop. Do you still print pictures for photo albums? Every once in a while I'll sit and relive the vacations and the memories. As I was headed out the door I got a call from a custodian at work telling me the power had just gone out. I had him make sure no one was stuck in the elevator, then I stopped there on my way to the photo shop. As I pull up I see an accident right across the street that had knocked out a power pole. The power came back on not long after so I continued on my way.

 

 

The shop is right near the waterfront so I made sure to bring my hat, scarf and gloves and I told Chuck I'd probably go for a walk while I was down there. It was definitely high tide! I've only seen the water that high one other time. Usually you can walk on the sand but the water was about a foot up the wall!

 

 

 

I always thought this was high tide...

This is low tide!

Anyway, I went out to the pier and saw a few people pointing and taking pictures. Turns out there were a few otters out in the water, playing on the rocks. We stood around for a long time watching them, they were splashing and one even caught a fish! 

It's a little hard to see him but he's just left of center, on the bottom rock with a fish in his mouth. Then you can see two of them swimming in the water just below the rocks.

We watched them for so long, we didn't realize it was pouring rain! It was cold!! And rain is dripping off our coats and noses but we didn't care! We were laughing and watching these little guys playing in the water.

I decided to get a picture just to remember the moment. But you know me and selfies. First with the left hand...

'No. Don't want the piling in the background.'

'That's better but I want more of the water.'

Maybe if I turn my phone...

Nope. More pilings, and part of the ferry launch...

Maybe I'll switch hands... 

At that point with the phone lifted high above my head it almost slipped out of my hands, I fumbled with it and began to laugh!

 

Okay, that'll do. The day was actually really fun! Haven't done anything like that in a while!

How about you? Have you done something spontaneous lately?

Just... Life

Grocery shopping, laundry, Adelaide, karaoke... just our day-to-day stuff going on around here. Lots of changes coming but I'll write about those another time.

 

 Well, for some reason Blogger has changed my layout to Center Align. Spent the last 10 minutes trying to correct it. Oh well.

 

Chuck and I took a drive out to the Maltby Cafe, we've been hearing stories of their breakfasts and their cinnamon rolls. Both were so good! 

 

 

Under the little awning on the left front and down some stairs is where you enter.

 

 The place was packed so I didn't take pictures inside but we'll definitely go again.

The cinnamon roll had to weight a couple pounds, it was huge! I forgot to take a picture of ours so I got this pic off the internet...

 

 

We brought it home and it took the three of us a few days to finish it! 

 

I'll leave you with one more photo of Adelaide...

Life After Christmas

 Beth and I did a little shopping recently. I had to return some things to Kohls (for work) so we wandered around there. They had a lot of Christmas stuff on clearance so we got a couple of shirts. She looked at overalls but decided not to buy any. She loves to wear the one pair she has but hasn't bought any more.

 

 

For years she did karaoke and art at All Aboard and then when covid hit in 2020 everything was closed. When they opened up they slowly began adding classes so she joined a dance class and a group for games. I think like board games and stuff. But they recently added karaoke back to the mix so she asked me if she could switch her days. She's now back to karaoke, art, and bowling during the week - her old schedule is back. I think she's very relieved!

 

Now that the holidays are over we're trying to make better choices at the grocery store. I bought a big veggie tray and we'll see how much we can eat before it all spoils. We're so bad when it comes to eating our vegetables.

 

I think I mentioned that Peter's family came out from New Jersey for Christmas and birthdays. Well, we took them down to the waterfront and out on the Edmond's pier. We have such a good time when we're with them!

 

 Both Diana and Peter have birthdays right after Christmas so we went over to their house for cake, pie, and gifts. Can you guess which is which - who the cake was for vs the pie? 😄

 

 

And then this precious baby. I will probably be showing pictures of Adelaide for a while.

 This is her Christmas picture. Look at that face!

Being a grand parent IS. THE. BEST!!

Barely Made It

Christmas seemed to sneak up on me this year. I usually have my cards done and sent out the first week of December, all the presents bought by week two... but my cards went out really late and I was still shopping on the 23rd! 

 

There were doctor's appointments, and dentist appointments, and one of the busiest seasons at work, and a new grand baby, and snow, and ice... but we were able to get everything done just in time.

We ended up getting a good amount of snow (for our area) on the 18th, then more on the 21st. Then the temps dropped into the teens and everything was covered with ice!

 

Beth had a party to go to and after DART picked her up they called to cancel her ride!

 

Chuck helping her out to the bus

 

Too late! So we ended up canceling her return ride and we just picked her up ourselves. Chuck drives city buses in this stuff for a living so this was nothin' for him.

 Our yard and street covered with a layer of ice. We had it very mild compared to other parts of the country!

 

We went to Sharaya's on the 24th to give Ally her traditional Christmas Eve pajamas. It's been a tradition in our family for more than 30 years.

1994

2013

2022

Chuck, Beth and I had a quiet Christmas morning. Beth was a little concerned about the change in the Christmas routine this year but she was pretty happy when it was all over. She even played Santa and handed out the gifts.

 

 

 

You can see what I got on the coffee table, a turntable! I had one quite a few years ago but it died. I'm so excited to be able to play my records again! Oh wait, they're called vinyls now. I'm excited to play my vinyls!

 

 

New slippers!

 It was around noon when we headed to Diana and Peter's. We played trivia, opened a few gifts, had a delicious Italian dinner and everyone held Adelaide! 💖

The Brunos and the Andersons. The Brundersons!

 

 

 

 

Peter's mom

 

Ally and Sharaya. And Poppy

Me and my granddaughters. It was the best day!!