In anticipation of some camping on our vacation, we set up the tent in the backyard today. We bought the tent last year and never used it, and figured that we should give it a trial run. Of course, the kids asked if they could spend the night out there. We just saw them off, each equipped with a sleeping bag, pillow, flashlight, and stuffed animal. Yes, even the 12 year old. We'll see if they last the night...
Click here to continue....July 17, 2008
July 16, 2008
Dog days
Not much to blog about lately. We've been busy working away at getting bedrooms painted and furniture moved around. No one has any organized activities going on; the kids are just hanging out with friends. When we can't take any more drywall patching, sanding, scraping, or painting for the day, it's too hot and windy to enjoy ourselves outside, so we just collapse in the house with a cold drink. I've been putting in extra time at work, too, trying to get caught up for the vacation we're taking at the end of the month. There is some unbloggable political maneuvering that's going on there, too, which is affecting a good friend and has me feeling pretty powerless to affect.
All in all, it's enough to make me envy the dog, who stays stretched out on his cool and comfy bed while I'm running around being busy.
July 08, 2008
Fire season
Having always lived in the west, and reasonably close to rural areas, I don't remember a time when I didn't think of summer as fire season. Usually that wasn't at the forefront until sometime in August, but this year is scarily different. My beloved home state is under siege; the county where I grew up had three major fires before June was even out. Another place I called home is still threatened by a fire that started last week.
Tonight fire season has arrived here. When I drove home from work I saw a huge plume of smoke on the other side of the river. Now that it's fully dark, the red glow is visible from my upstairs window - a few hundred acres so far, mostly brush and no structures as yet, but it's not far from some housing developments and extensive wheat fields. I'm glad the wind seems to have died down for now. It's a long time until October's rains.
July 01, 2008
Today was a good day
I finished four projects at work and my new staff person was as good as I had hoped in her first presentation to the executive team.
I found out that I got a raise. A REAL raise, not the minuscule COLA the legislature granted but something I will actually notice. And I didn't have to ask for it. [As exempt, non-union employees, we do not get any sort of systematic pay increases other than COLAs, so this is unusual.]
My only other staff position was shared with another department. The person in that role was recently promoted and I got permission to have the vacancy split so I can hire someone with the qualifications I need instead of compromising on only the skills that are relevant to both departments. This will be a huge help given the workload I have coming at me over the next year.
I have the house to myself for the night. I can't remember the last time this happened. I cooked exactly what I wanted for dinner (ravioli with butternut squash and sage) and no one is angling for the TV remote or the computer.
I can look forward to sleeping in tomorrow, dropping the dog off at the kennel, and heading back up to the lake for three more nights.
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