at work, and then off to Sis’s for a week or so. We’re driving, as you know, so we might opt to stay a few extra days. We’ll see. It seems important to have a few days to wind down on the other side of the trip before going back to work, so we may leave (Sis’s) a week from next Thursday or next Friday-ish. Not sure. I do know that these three days at work are NOT going to be much fun. WAY too much to do, and arrived here today to learn that the water is shut off in the building. (we can use the “facilities” next door at Jury’s Hotel, but I ASK you - how comfortable is that?) To add insult to injury, because the besement is apparently flooded, we can’t use the elevators, so going to pee would mean (for me) walking down five flights of stairs and then, for gawd’s sake, back UP again! Now, how well do you suppose this is going to work for someone who customarily eats a breakfast with in the vicinity of 30 grams of fiber, and then drinks HUGE amounts of water throughout the day? NOT OPTIMUM. I may very well end up just packing it in and heading home. If they’re smart, they’ll send everybody home, anyway. You can’t operate an office building with no sanitary facilities or water. I swear these people are crazy. One of the top execs (They’re all away at a conference this week) is flying back to deal with the problem. Seems a little absurd that they can’t declare a state of emergency and send people home until he gets here. Poor management practices, as far as I’m concerned. But I’ll be darned if I’ll take a half personal day because of their failure to plan properly for emergencies. I can wait them out. (I think).

Hot out there. <sigh> Getting hot in here. I am NOT a happy camper, not inclined to work much. Not under the circumstances.

I think I’m actually going to miss DH while I’m away in NC without him. Maybe. He’s already started to look hang-doggish and talk about our being so many miles apart and all. I pointed out that he’ll be up in NH Friday - Sunday, and it’s unlikely that he’ll have much time to be missing me. Monday - Friday might get a little lonely, but he’ll have Yoko and Daisy (the khats), after all. The way I’m feeling is that I’d welcome a week to myself, with no need to interact with anybody if I didn’t want to. I think I would’ve thrived as a hermit. Or not. I dunno. But he (DH) is being awfully sweet, and sweet tends to go along way with me. I’m such a sucker for sweet, I swear! Except I really, really need my “alone” time - something I haven’t had very much of for a very long time, now, and don’t expect to get much of while I’m “on vacation” over the coming week. Oh, well. If I can grab a day or two here and there before summer shouts it’s last Hurrah, and take myself off for a solitary day on the rocks overlooking the ocean at Newport, I’ll get my batteries recharged and be good again for another little while.

Well, it’s later, now - 3:01 to be exact - the water’s back on, more’s the pity, and I didn’t get to go home after all. Got some work done, which is a good thing, and made it through the “dry times” without any serious problems.

Hey! Everybody give Ruby Jean a big round of applause! I mean, that girl is DOING IT!!!!!!! Roo-bee! Roo-bee! Roo-bee! (you’re supposed to imagine a huge crowd of supporters chanting….) Ruby, you are an inspiration to us all! Yay, Ruby! If my math is correct, we’re talking 17.5 pounds, right? AWESOME! GREAT job, Rubes!

Oh, isn’t it lovely - all this great and marvelous web of folks: this web of lovely JEWELS - that we’ve got here together?

Wednesday - and only two more days to go….

I’m back. Never did get a chance to finish this up yesterday. Got home and whipped up a lovely Jambalaya (Zatarain’s - I didn’t have to add a single spice of my own!) with chunks of pork roast left over from Sunday and a pound of lovely shrimp. Delicioso! And healthy! (Who would’ve guessed?). Washed hair and had myself a long soak in the tub after supper, and then it was off to bed. Couldn’t stop yawning. Then couldn’t stay asleep. Woke up three or four times over the course of the night (I should’ve given Ms. Close a call!) and then got up at 5:00 AM and drank several cups of coffee in rapid succession. So far, I’m managing to stay awake, although I’m not too optimistic about how I’ll be doing this afternoon. Right now I’m nibbling on dry oatmeal squares cereal - just ate a big, ripe peach. I’ve been drinking loads and loads of water, and I’m feeling very virtuous with regard to eating. Well, not virtuous, exactly, but just sort of comfortable, I guess you’d say. Not worried about counting anything or measuring anything - just eating good, nutritious foods in reasonable amounts. Of course my exercise program (my non-existent exercise program, that is) is down the toilet, but I’m not aiming for perfection, here - I’m just aiming for being able to handle the sight of myself in a mirror, or in a store window in passing, you know? Perfect is scary. I am slowly growing fond of my “laugh lines”, and if not fond, tolerant of my curves and less repulsed by those secret sags that get hidden by my choice of clothing. The one thing that I never want to do - or be - is that old lady with the make-up plastered on with a trowel, the hair dyed golden blonde, and the wrinkled bosom pushed up and presented to the world on a corsetted shelf like some huge, overripe and mushy pair of melons. I see one of those at the grocery market every so often, and it never fails to send me home loving my wrinkles and congratulating myself on my own good sense in knowing when to give up on the cleavage, and embrace age like a long-lost friend.

Well, I’m off to see the wizard - or more accurately, off to tie up as many loose ends as possible before heading off on my adventure with the children. I did a good bit of packing last night, and will finish up between tonight and tomorrow night. I still may have to cull through what I’ve already packed and remove a few things. I felt myself getting a little carried away with the “just in case” items last night.

Take good care, my web of jewels,

Hugs,

Z