New Job, Same as the Old Job

Not really the same, but I'm driving to the same place every day and working around a lot of the same people (for better or worse.)

Having the past few weeks off was pretty great, especially falling in the summer as it did. It meant the family got to spend a lot of quality time together, and do some honest-to-goodness road trip summer vacationing. After my last day with Harris I flew up to Jon's and hung out there for a few days while Carrie and the kids were off on a trip to Leadville with her family. Dad flew out too and we got in some brewery visits before Carrie and the kids came down and joined us. Hung out at Jon's for a couple more days then Carrie, the kids, and I drove back home together.

Summer Vacation, how I've missed you!

Schmerk

Friday was my last Friday off on a compressed schedule. The entire office has been moved to a straight-eight schedule. The reasoning, from everything we can tell, appears to be because upper management felt inconvenienced. Putting that aside, my new work schedule looks like it will go some thing like, M&W: 6am-2pm, T&Th: 9am-5pm (10-6 until the newest shift worker gets up to speed.) This morning, the first week of the new schedule and we're already off-schedule, I don't go in till 10. Even sleeping in, this morning has had an abundance of time. That means on mornings like this I need to get up as early as I do on my early days and get out for a job before work.

Various Whatsits

Since last:

• Ran in a 5k with Carrie, taking turns pushing the twins in the stroller. Did a lot better than I figured I would.
• Went to Miami and Key West for work. Miami was ok, Key West a lot cooler. Wish it had been three days there, and one in Miami instead of the other way around. Ate some good Cuban food though and plenty of seafood.
• Mom came back from her trip to Mississippi with Aunt Nette in tow.  Kind of crazy since it was last minute, but it's cool she's finally come out for a visit. It's meant a lot more trips to mom's house. Which is good since we need to get the kids over there more often anyway.
• Took the kids to the State Fair (Southern NM that is). Their highlight would likely be the funnel cake, but walking them around through the show animals was pretty sweet. Never did find the petting zoo, which was disappointing.
• Allergies have been hammering me since I got back from Miami. Every day all day, and most days I wake up around 4am and have to take medicine.
• Annual switch from light to darker beers is right on schedule. Seems to happen every year right around now, independent of what the weather is actually doing.
• We bought a tree yesterday; a 15-20 foot Modesto Ash, for the back yard. Should get it in the ground Wednesday.
• We're slowly working with a contractor on getting the small side patio turned into a room. Got a bid we like, just need to get some final details nailed down.
• Friday game is a D&D4e game where we're leveling every week, planning on heading from 1-30.
• Next weekend I head out to hike the Grand Canyon with Jon. Kind of a birthday present for his 40th last year. Somewhat nervous given my general lack of exercise of late.
• Went out with Alex, Tony, and Alicia for an early birthday dinner for Carrie. Good company and conversation.
• And in three weeks Owen and Paige will turn two. Crazy.

Blather

Just got over five days (3 of which were weekend) of being sick. Very un-strep-like symptoms with a positive strep culture. Who knows, could be I'm a strep carrier. Long and the short is I spent a long week feeling miserable and worthless, sick and not contributing to the family. Oh, I helped out to some small degree, but man did I feel like a layabout. Carrie may have a licensing exam coming up so hopefully I can make it up to her with some quiet study time soon. That is when I'm not traveling to Miami for work, like I am on Monday.

It Cometh WIth Snot

The past week has been sickness all through the family.  Near as I can tell Owen was our own patient zero, followed by either Carrie or I, with Paige bringing up the rear.  It hit me last Sunday/Monday and lasted till about today.  Still not completely over it but much better since yesterday.

This past weekend we toted the kids out to Carlsbad for Julie and Rosss birthdays.  Was good to get out there and see 'em but also tough what with everyone not feeling well.  Made for a tiring weekend.  So much so that I came home from work after a couple of hours early on Monday.

Managed a session of Flamentations Friday before last.  A mini-dungeon crawl followed by a survival scenario and finally returning to a town beset by chaos.  Next session this Friday.

Pulled a 12-hour at work today.  Surprisingly, not that bad.  But then a 3 hour nap yesterday and staying busy all day today probably helped.

Oh, and I got a new nook.  Carrie was wanting to do more reading so she took my old one and I upgraded to a nook Simple Touch.  Very small, and very nice.  Still working through Dance with Dragons, but taking large chunks out at a time.  Carrie's been reading Bossypants and enjoying it, so I may hit that up next.  Or maybe Ready Player One, not too sure.

Singleton

Paige took another step last night. I almost caught this one, but I was unfortunately one foot away with my head turned the other direction.

Put in a half day at work today. We kept Owen home with some kind of eye infection and Carrie and I split the day, with me pulling the afternoon shift at home with him. We don't get to spend a whole lot of time with just one of the babies, so that was kind of a treat.

Been on a country/americana kick with music lately. Picked up albums by Will Hoge (Number Seven), James McMurtry (Too Long in the Wasteland), and Old Crow Medicine Show (O.C.M.S.). Great stuff in all of em.

Kickstarted Void Vultures. Looks potentially cool.

Seattle, Now!

PNW adventure continues!

Andy came up to Tacoma for a few beers. Been something like five and a half years since we've seen each other. Was great to catch up.

Work rounded out nice and light. Not sure this trip was really necessary but grateful for the free airfare nonetheless. Sage picked me up round 3-ish and we headed out to his place, which is a pretty cute little house over in Kirkland. After Sarah got home we headed out to a seafood place in Seattle called Etta's. Good salmon, but Sarah's crab cakes were better. Spent the remainder of the evening chatting over beers back at their place the hitting the sack relatively early. This morning I woke up around 7 and stayed in bed reading for two hours.

Today we'll likely head down to Olympia for a visit with Andy and Deanna, finally meeting their kids. Been toying with the idea of staying the night down there but not sure. Either way I'll need to be back up here Saturday night since I fly out so early Sunday.

Missing the kids more than I thought I would. Carrie sent me a picture of Paige yesterday and I swear she has grown since I left.

Great NorthWet

Up in Seattle (actually Tacoma right now) till Sunday. Feel bad leaving Carrie at home with the kids but this kind of came up at the last minute and staying through the weekend was an opportunity that may not come again for a while in terms of work. Travel at the new job seems much less frequent even though it had fallen off quite a bit at the old job. Plan right now is a day and a half of work followed by two and a half days hanging out with Sage and/or the Gilberts.