Weekend Wrap-Up

Cold and drear, more so after a sunny and bright week, the weekend was not so much fun. I have some lilies of the valley coming on, and I notice my bleeding heart is getting ready to bloom. I want to get out and clean up, but it was just too cold.

Just not fair!

We did stop briefly at the Farmer's Market for it's first day...all bundled up, with promises of ending the excursion if I was too cold. But guess what the Market had Saturday?

Roving! Jacobs roving from a local grower (breeder? shepherd?)! How exciting for me! Almost as exciting as the almost for real tomatoes I bought.

Yeah. I know...I know...blah blah blah...more buying than knitting/spinning going on lately. So much for that little goal.

Also. We have a new addition.

Behold. The Pergola. Three years in the thinking, we finally took the plunge and it is built!

From below.

Side views.

Artsy effect with gloomy sky background.

As the day comes to a close, and I am winding down and gearing up for Monday, I hear Wonderful Guy remark that he hopes the birds don't abuse it. Now we didn't think about that part of it.

Spring!

Last weekend we had alot of snow slushy rainy stuff puddling up all over the place and getting in my shoes whenever I went out.

This week...high 70's, low 80's.

I have one word to say to that.

Green!  I think if I had something other to do that keep my head above water at my new old job, I would be out watching stuff grow, because I swear I could see it.

One of the things about where I am now working is the close accessibility to a great walking trail, which I frequented often during the times of trial and despair during the dee-vorce.  And again, during the courtship of Wonderful Guy and Best Dog Ever.

When I feel like I have things a bit under control, a bit more under control, I am so back there!

Unfortunately, it does not look like we will be enjoying lilacs this year.

I did have a nifty new laptop sitting in my cube after some training today!

Schweet!  I am back online!

New Routines

I am a creature of habit.

I have a morning routine that I like to follow without much deviation, at least until I have had my first cup of coffee, and exercised (most days).

I follow pretty much the same sequence of roads to work and home everyday, changing lanes to turn almost at the same place.  A detour will cause a flare of chagrin!

So here I am now finding myself...in between.

Not in between old routines and new habits, but old habits and older routines!

I follow an older route to work now, and park in the same place in the same parking lot.  There are different lab notebooks used...than used to be, but completed request forms are still the same, and filed the same place the same way...in the same useless manner!

New old co-workers are warning me about the new electronic document control system, but it is the same as at my recent previous employer, so I am one up on them.  There is some construction of walls redoing labs, painting, etc, so we are all on a level playing field there.

So much is familiar, but I am still outside my comfort zone.  I still don't have my routine.  I don't know what all is going to be expected of me.  I NEED THESE THINGS.

I NEED A COMPUTER IN MY CUBE!

Nothing for it, really, to get in the groove, except to keep at it.  The rest will come.

I'm Baaaaack!

Sort of.

I'm temp, so kind of a there, but not feeling.  I mean, how much do I really settle in?

But it's good to be back.

I know the bathroom!  I know the hallways!  I know half the people who I work with! (Which for someone who struggles with names is such a blessing!) I know which doors to come in and out of!

There has been and is some remodeling of the labs going on, but still...some of them are like....Home!

No computer yet.  A few days for that, but I bet it will be a new one, and not a thrown together leftover.  No badging to get in either.  All new techie fingerprint scanning opens the doors.

And when I got home...I found this!

Hand for scale.  This is my most tee tiniest and earliest birdiest iris!

Two days after snow, and I have a bloom and two buds!

I am one happy camper!

PS  Thanks, thanks, and thanks for all the well and good wishes from everyone!

Weekend Wrap-Up

"What am I going to wear for my first day on the new 'old job'?"

That occurred to me while Wonderful Guy and I were on the Bandit, motorcycling a bit to enjoy the beautiful day, after our spring snow storm of Friday and Saturday.

See. That's my problem. It's the same job, but not quite. It's with mostly the same people, but not all. It's not the same company, and certainly my status will be different.

Nothing like uncertainty to keep one on her toes. Keeps the mind sharp and focused. The senses alert. The stomach churning and the nights sleepless...

There is just enough familiarity to lull me into a false sense of calm. Then comes a wave of panicky lightheadedness...of thinking "You are starting a new job tomorrow, and you are not even getting READY! YOU NEED TO MAKE PLANS"

The place has undoubtably changed...what if what used to be the breakroom was part of the remodel? AGH! There goes my lunch routine...better plan to grab a bite out tomorrow at least.

What should I take? Mug? Periodic chart? Family photos? Chemistry books? Better to wait to see...

...where will I be sitting? As a temp, will I have my own computer? Probably. Surely. I hope so.

And what if the dress code policy has changed? Well. They should have told me! That's the rebel hippie in me coming out. I am wearing jeans. I do a fine job in jeans, and if they have a problem with jeans...well, then....I will wear something different on Tuesday...

Dear and gentle readers, you had no idea how neurotic I could be, did you? Except for Dearest Sister, that is, and Wisest Sister has surely had her glimpses.

I have had two dreams in the last four nights that I have been on my way to work on my first day, and could not get there. The roads were changed, or closed, or under construction. To my credit, I did not make Wonderful Guy follow my route to work on the Bandit today to assure me that I could get from here to there...