3/3/20
Wow! Can't believe I haven't been on here in several months! A lot has happened, of course, in the intervening months, so I'll just do a brief recap for now, starting at the top:
The Captain: Is retiring from the Navy and has a super new job that has him going in early and working late, because why NOT work the last bit of blood out of him before he leaves? Anyway, the new job is only a temp position and then he'll go back to a fairly regular schedule, which is good because it was the closest to a normal, 8-5 sort of job he's ever had in the Navy and I was getting spoiled. More spoiled, whatever. Anyway--he is retiring next summer and we don't know what the future holds, which is fun and exciting and scary, all in equal measures. I'm not worried, I know that he will find something amazing and hopefully something that he loves in a place a little more appreciative of his myriad skills. Hopefully.
Me: Still drudging along for The Contractor, slogging all over Fairfax County dragging cans of paint around and occasionally getting to do something fun, like measure a kitchen or a deck or help someone pick out tile. You know, the kind of thing that I'd do for free just because I love doing it...but most days, it's picking up wire or outlet covers or plumbing stuff and ferrying it around to keep the workforce working. It was pretty busy there at the beginning of the year and stuff keeps rolling in for us, both from N$cely D@ne Kitchens (yes, I'm disguising the name for self-preservation) and for us personally. I'm taking a certificate course in interior design that is equal parts interesting and boring because I'm interested more in the construction portion of the deal than in the choosing of textiles and furniture portion, but it's important to have some sort of piece of paper if I ever want to progress in this industry and that's what I'm doing. In addition to all the other things, you know?!
Josiah: Sophomore, still at the same Christian school in Fairfax Station, breaking hearts and annoying teachers now for his second year. I take that back a little--I just got a VERY charming e-mail from his history teacher saying how much he enjoys having Josiah in his class. That may have been the first nice e-mail I've gotten about him since about 6th grade. It is what it is...he is going to be fine. I have to believe that even if he doesn't go to Harvard (which we couldn't afford anyway), he's always going to land on his feet because he's no dummy and deep down in there, underneath all the Old Spice and hairspray, he's a good kid. Even if right now, it seems like he cares more about his hair than anything else...and man, is that kid vain about his hair.
Annika: Just turned 14, thank you to those of you who remembered her birthday, we truly appreciate it! Almost a high schooler too, alternately liking her school and wanting to get away from the sometimes nutty Baptists. She is a skeptic, this one. A wise, mature-for-her-age skeptic. She spends all of her free time drawing and listening to loud Japanese music alone in her room. I try not to panic about that too as I spent countless hours alone in my room when I was her age, though I wasn't doing mature things like coming up with storyboards for my animated movie and collaborating with other people all over the world to design backgrounds and music for said movie. Something tells me she's going to be all right too...
William: A little drama with the 10-year-old. He had this nasty 4th grade teacher--you know the type: about to retire after 35 years of dealing with 9 and 10-year-olds and probably past her expiration date in terms of patience and love. I just had a feeling right of the bat that we weren't going to see eye-to-eye. There were lots of little incidents and small altercations and just a lot of barely concealed dislike for William (though she told us repeatedly that she enjoyed him SO much and had no disciplinary issues with him) until it all exploded right after winter break. In the second week of January, she got upset with William over something and threatened to slap him in the face. Well...let's just say this Mama Bear was all ready for this situation. I wasn't surprised. I turned the car around, met with the principal and 20 minutes later (albeit teary and shaky ones), I had a newly minted 4th grade homeschooler. It's going OK...at this level, I can still manage everything but math. The Captain or Annika handle that for him. He had all his books and he will be returning to school for 5th grade. The teacher admitted to it, but it was the only 4th grade class, so I couldn't send him back.
Of course, we've done lots of stuff in the interim since I last wrote, like travel to Minnesota for Christmas (thanks to those who came out!) and New York City for a little Thanksgiving getaway (lesson learned, NOT the best time of year to go). Now we are just in the school year/work cycle until May. Nothing too exciting to report. We are planning our Great Western Odyssey Part II, this time landing in Denver and traveling through Colorado, southern Utah, northern Arizona and New Mexico on back up to Denver. Fingers crossed that it will be a successful trip like last summer. I think, now I know that we are going to see some amazing things and make lasting memories.
Ciao everyone--I'm off to run out and pick up some grout. Yes, my life is that glamorous!!
The Captain: Is retiring from the Navy and has a super new job that has him going in early and working late, because why NOT work the last bit of blood out of him before he leaves? Anyway, the new job is only a temp position and then he'll go back to a fairly regular schedule, which is good because it was the closest to a normal, 8-5 sort of job he's ever had in the Navy and I was getting spoiled. More spoiled, whatever. Anyway--he is retiring next summer and we don't know what the future holds, which is fun and exciting and scary, all in equal measures. I'm not worried, I know that he will find something amazing and hopefully something that he loves in a place a little more appreciative of his myriad skills. Hopefully.
Me: Still drudging along for The Contractor, slogging all over Fairfax County dragging cans of paint around and occasionally getting to do something fun, like measure a kitchen or a deck or help someone pick out tile. You know, the kind of thing that I'd do for free just because I love doing it...but most days, it's picking up wire or outlet covers or plumbing stuff and ferrying it around to keep the workforce working. It was pretty busy there at the beginning of the year and stuff keeps rolling in for us, both from N$cely D@ne Kitchens (yes, I'm disguising the name for self-preservation) and for us personally. I'm taking a certificate course in interior design that is equal parts interesting and boring because I'm interested more in the construction portion of the deal than in the choosing of textiles and furniture portion, but it's important to have some sort of piece of paper if I ever want to progress in this industry and that's what I'm doing. In addition to all the other things, you know?!
Josiah: Sophomore, still at the same Christian school in Fairfax Station, breaking hearts and annoying teachers now for his second year. I take that back a little--I just got a VERY charming e-mail from his history teacher saying how much he enjoys having Josiah in his class. That may have been the first nice e-mail I've gotten about him since about 6th grade. It is what it is...he is going to be fine. I have to believe that even if he doesn't go to Harvard (which we couldn't afford anyway), he's always going to land on his feet because he's no dummy and deep down in there, underneath all the Old Spice and hairspray, he's a good kid. Even if right now, it seems like he cares more about his hair than anything else...and man, is that kid vain about his hair.
Annika: Just turned 14, thank you to those of you who remembered her birthday, we truly appreciate it! Almost a high schooler too, alternately liking her school and wanting to get away from the sometimes nutty Baptists. She is a skeptic, this one. A wise, mature-for-her-age skeptic. She spends all of her free time drawing and listening to loud Japanese music alone in her room. I try not to panic about that too as I spent countless hours alone in my room when I was her age, though I wasn't doing mature things like coming up with storyboards for my animated movie and collaborating with other people all over the world to design backgrounds and music for said movie. Something tells me she's going to be all right too...
William: A little drama with the 10-year-old. He had this nasty 4th grade teacher--you know the type: about to retire after 35 years of dealing with 9 and 10-year-olds and probably past her expiration date in terms of patience and love. I just had a feeling right of the bat that we weren't going to see eye-to-eye. There were lots of little incidents and small altercations and just a lot of barely concealed dislike for William (though she told us repeatedly that she enjoyed him SO much and had no disciplinary issues with him) until it all exploded right after winter break. In the second week of January, she got upset with William over something and threatened to slap him in the face. Well...let's just say this Mama Bear was all ready for this situation. I wasn't surprised. I turned the car around, met with the principal and 20 minutes later (albeit teary and shaky ones), I had a newly minted 4th grade homeschooler. It's going OK...at this level, I can still manage everything but math. The Captain or Annika handle that for him. He had all his books and he will be returning to school for 5th grade. The teacher admitted to it, but it was the only 4th grade class, so I couldn't send him back.
Of course, we've done lots of stuff in the interim since I last wrote, like travel to Minnesota for Christmas (thanks to those who came out!) and New York City for a little Thanksgiving getaway (lesson learned, NOT the best time of year to go). Now we are just in the school year/work cycle until May. Nothing too exciting to report. We are planning our Great Western Odyssey Part II, this time landing in Denver and traveling through Colorado, southern Utah, northern Arizona and New Mexico on back up to Denver. Fingers crossed that it will be a successful trip like last summer. I think, now I know that we are going to see some amazing things and make lasting memories.
Ciao everyone--I'm off to run out and pick up some grout. Yes, my life is that glamorous!!
Comments
I'm just thinking about how much our world has changes since you wrote this post.