2013 - a new year - a new beginning

ok I was kidding about the new beginning except I miss taking photos.  I've bemoaned the last couple of years that Harold hasn't had his camera in hand but a rare few times --- and sadly those have been photos of other people and while fabulous (IMHO) I respect their privacy.

In fact I have one of the best photos of a very good friend that I've EVER taken.

The scales of time - they tend to balance when we're not looking.  For the longest time, Jon was the driving force in our marriage here in Maryland.  He had the great job, the confidence, the power if you will.  Now he is disabled.  While a great many men would bemoan the circumstance and quite probably take it out on their partner, he doesn't.  He throws his skills, his experiences, his drive, behind ME.

IKR?

brb - Parkinsons' ugly head - he's standing on his pants and in a bit of a quandry.

ok I'm back.  Crisis averted.

I found this year for the first time being off Christmas Eve AND Christmas Day and New Years Eve AND New Years Day. While yes I did work part of those days from home - WOW - I didn't have to go to work.

....and that leads to the photo above from the Snowpocalypse.  Not only would I not have to work if that situation arose again, I would not be punished for NOT working.

Jon kept saying if I paid my dues, paid it forward as it were, then good things would happen.

As usual, I think he's right.

though I wouldn't let him know that ;)

Why am I awake before 5 a.m. on a Saturday??

...or in this case awake just before 3 a.m.?

While I'm a long time sufferer of stress induced insomnia, this isn't that.  How do I know?  Well because I'm going for my first manicure in over 5 years.

I'll wait while you try to see where that's going.  No it's ok - I need another cup of coffee.

....

give up?  HA  As some of you are aware, I'm a twice quit smoker, stress eater, stress insomniac, and perhaps don't know but habitual nail biter.  That is unless things are going smoothly.  Well I will still be twice quit on the smoking with hopefully the brains not to try and resurrect my long love affair with nicotine.

Amazing how much stress can be relieved by a simple job change.  Amazing how you learn to cope as the pressure increases and increases until you almost get used to it.  The atmosphere of anger and dissidence becomes - if not tolerable then the norm rather than the exception.  The daily hate spewed talk radio blaring from across the hall becomes oh so much background noise for the stress and angst and anger fueled conversations.

So - the photo above is from Virginia Beach this year back in June.  I see this photo and I want to think "it was a dark and stormy night" but things are sometimes not what they appear.  It was dark.  It was stormy.  It was mid-morning and the last of the windy weather front was finally dissipating.

May we all find blue skies ahead during these dark and stormy times.

Good Morning Sunshine

Yeah and HI y'all

So the 2nd week on new job:  good and not good/pleasure pain/ you know the drill ... what do you expect from an ambidextrous confused individual such as myself?

In this case my confusion has merit.  I'm working for a security company.  Yay - I like security.  Security is good.  Things secure - zero problemos with da Stephanie.

WTF?  you  mean GUNS?  HANDGUNS?

Zero problemos went straight to OMG what? in 6 seconds flat

7 seconds if you're the east german judge


It's tough.  As you may or may not know, I abhor handguns.  They're just too easy to get out of a persons control and then boom the wrong person has it, be a child or a perpetrator or OMG honey was that you coming up the stairs -- too bad I really didn't mean to like shoot and kill you ya know.

A friend of mine reminded me that better trained security than the Barney Fife School of Deputy-ship.

Oh well.  I shall see if this is a hurdle I can overcome.  I think it is simply because my issue always has been the ease of purchase of handguns and of course the the ease of concealment (where concealed carry is legal) and the idiots that leave it on the end table for their kid to find.  I would hope and pray that the persons we employ who are armed are smarter than that.

I will hope and pray.  Because if they're not -- well then my hope for the human race in regards to firearms just took a giant dunk in the toiliet.

and not in a Will Smith "flushed" sorta way.


fwiw - photo above - while looking like a sunset is actually a sunrise at virginia beach - just after I accepted the employment agreement for the place where I currently work.

Places you never thought you'd find yourself

The last few weeks have been something else alllll together.  Last we left our intrepid heroine, we were making room for change.  Apparently we did such a good job it was changes.

and then some.

I'm certain you will recognize the Virginia Beach view from the photo.  We had planned a Wednesday - Saturday mini-vacay end of June.  However, I was contacted by a security company who wanted to interview me so I figured oh well we'll just leave a little later on Wednesday and I'll squeeze that interview in first.

HA.  After 3 hours, they offered me the job and I agreed to start 2 weeks after the following Monday.  That meant we left for Va Beach a bit later and of course that was alllll we talked about on the way down but it did give us 3 days to make plans and such.  As you can see from the photo, it was a stormy windy vacation. Still the ocean doesn't close for wind or rain.

I now find myself doing payroll and general accounting for a union based security firm.  That is definitely not something I ever anticipated.  I find myself driving the beltway to get to work - another thing I thought I would never do again.  Instead of the relaxed atmosphere of my prior employment, I am not in a place that does not even recognize dress down Friday nor are jeans allowed.

However it's room to grow and learn and Jon bless him is sooooo proud.  Also the insurance, while still quite expensive, is a better plan that what I had before.

My darling husband.  Make room for it and it will happen.  Perhaps I need to ask him how to make room for a winning lottery ticket.  Do you give it its own room?  :)

photo taken June 2012 Virginia Beach, VA

Retail Therapy or Planning ahead

...you decide.

I will say this for Jon.  He LOVES to shop - probably more than any man I've ever been with.  He also has good taste.  So since Saturday was a good day for him, off to Lane Bryant we went.

It was cute.  One of the store employees got such a kick out of Jon bringing me this or adding that or sometimes just putting something on top of the stack so that I didn't find it until we checked out.  He was in the scarves.  He was in the jewelry.  I had to run him out of the shoes - smallest size they carry is an 8 and I wear a 6.  He picked skirts and tops and fun things and work things and bangles and baubles. 

Then today we hit payless (disappointing I must say) but of course he ferretted out a pair of shoes that while they weren't what I went in for, were probably the best choice for my long skirts.

Retail therapy?  it always makes me happy to have new clothes and I hadn't went shopping in a long time.  However, Jon said that since I had at least one interview next week (with a possible 2nd one), I should have the tools I need going in.

No I won't wear the maxi skirts and cardigans to interviews:  I have a suit for that (and a lovely scarf as well) but these are For Later.

:)

Sometimes it really is the little things

Like unexpectedly having a guest show up in a photo.  That was taken the last time we were at Virginia Beach.  Barring any large issues or catastrophes, we shall be back next week for a few days.

I've bemoaned to all who will listen that I never get an entire week off.  In the end, that might be a good thing -- for Jon.  I don't know how he'd handle being away from home for an entire week.  He seems ok with our 4 day mini vacation though.  I promised him that if he chose he could just stay in the hotel room and sit on the balcony.  *I* - however - have plans to play in the pool (memo to me - check to make certain their pool is still up and functional), walk on the beach, and take tons of photos.

We have also considered doing small trips to places I've not been like Philadelphia and Gettysburg.  Of course Em you'd be invited if you chose to schlep along with us.  I'm still wanting to do a trip to Salem MA at some point but that will take some major planning.

For now, it's the little things:  4 days and 3 nights.  Who cares if the weather prevails or not.

It's not like they close the beach for rain ....................

Finding the love ......

One of the wicked uglies of Parkinsons is the way the body deals with synthetic LDopa in relation to the protein consumed.  Further adding to the raving uglies is *what* protein needs to be considered, not just how much.

We discovered that Jon doesn't deal well with proteins from red meat.  Pork is becoming an issue as well.  Enter the salmon.

not to be confused with Enter the Dragon.....

Not a big fan.  I love tuna and tilapia and rockfish and cod and tons of others but salmon always was blech nasty.  I've discovered that meant it was over cooked.  So now I embark on a new cuisine - learning to cook fish and embrace a more mediterranean cuisine.

At least it's healthy.  We have a new grill so I foresee many hours of instruction learning to grill things I never tried before.  The one bonus (ok there are two) is that it involves Jon as he has to help me being a novice with fish, and the second I guess is its healthy?

We broke down and purchased an electric mower for the back yard.  I can't swing a weedeater (well not the big one we have) and Jon can't anymore so we went the logical route.  I also foresee more time lazing about in the yard watching the critters.

....but I do not intend on offering salmon to even the most industrious and inventive of our feathered friends....

not unless they ask nicely ;)

Photo above is from one of my recipe sites.