We had a really nice visit with the family back home. It was surreal being there and imagining that place being my every day home again. I haven't really lived there since I left for college 12 years ago and its changed a little here and there but the heart of it remains the same.
The snow hit hard a few days before we got there (24in) but by the time we got there the power was back up and the roads were clear and dry with only a few hairy moments on hill/mountain tops on the interstate. We had a really swell visit. There were a few missing family members this year, but thats ok, we survived. Lilly did great on the trip up and back but her sleeping in between was all over the place. Which means our sleeping was all over the place. Coffee saved my ass this week.
We spent a few hours on Sunday driving around a few neighborhoods, just browsing, where we ID'd homes for sale on the internets. The one thing that we noticed was how all over the board the streets were in terms of property value. You could have a house worth about $250K on the same street as a house worth under 100K. Thats a wide range. So our goal will be find a house that isn't the best house on any given street, but above average. Because the end game is re-sale baby! Oh, and it'll be hard to get used to everything being on a fucking hill! Soooooo not used to that here. Hills and hills and fucking hills. Four wheel drive, here we come.
I was a bit afraid that the snow would scare off my husband from the idea. But he's still game and so am I. I've already started making a mental list of things I need to get rid of and organize this winter and spring. I've also started thinking about the things I'm going to miss, like Whole Foods. I'm really going to miss Whole Foods, with their bulk food section and all the organic goodness. I'm also going to miss the ease of travelling to and from this place. Although my home town has a small airport and there are two with in two hours drive both north and south of there, its not quite as easy a trip.
But there are some really nice elements: being close to my family, a network of old/close friends to hang with, the beauty of spending time with my folks but then having some place else to go afterwards, all the green, the friendly people, the quiet, etc, etc. There are down sides too, but we'll cover that in another post.
Next up: Molly Cooks Christmas Dinner and makes her Grandmap Puke (in a good way...)
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Friday, December 18, 2009
Happy Holidays
The things you see in any workplace the week before Christmas are usually pretty sweet and fun. Today, I handed out cookies to my newish co-workers and it was fun to see the surprise on their faces. Around mid morning, I saw the people who handle finances here (I call them the Money People) do a little gift exchange and it was sweet to see their faces as they traded boxes wrapped in Christmas-y paper. All sweet, humble and full of joy. On my lunch hour I walked down the street to my old office to hand out cookies and got one of those hugs that squeeze all the air out of your lungs and a few tears from your eyes. I miss my old co-workers dearly and it’s always good to see their faces. On my way back I walked over to our little grill to grab a sandwich. The side of the building has a lot of glass. As I walked along it I could see a patient receiving treatment, next window down a group of co-workers happily having pizza and a gift exchange, and then the lobby where patients and their loved ones were waiting and/or eating a quick lunch. Everyone in the grill had on Santa hats. As I walked back to my building I saw a delivery van. The Santa-hat-wearing driver was delivering a tray of sweet goodies to someone in my building. He opened the door for me. Everyone is friendly and a little lighter. The hard part is over. Now we kick around until the holidays start. When the holiday is over, we’ll gear up and start it all up again…bigger and better, as they say. This year was tough and exciting. I know it’ll just get better and better.
This year I’m thankful for my new job, for my beautiful family and for good friends. And for miracles. Because they do happen.
This year I’m thankful for my new job, for my beautiful family and for good friends. And for miracles. Because they do happen.
Happy Holidays
Monday, December 7, 2009
Around and around we go, where she stops, nobody freakin' knows.
I've been waiting a good 6 months or so for my husband to be ready and now is the time. Time for what, you ask? Oh, only the same shit I've been blogging about since I started the first one back in St. Louis. Get ready, here it comes.
The question we ask ourselves every blue moon is: What's keeping us here? Well, there isn't a whole lot keeping us here in Kentucky. Yes, we bought this house just last year, but its only a house. We could sell it if we had to and we'll make a profit either way, thanks to the wonders of purchasing a foreclosure. Where would we go?
He and I have talked alot lately about how nice it would be to live close to family. With the baby and being practically on our own, dude its hard. Now, he's willing to consider moving close to my family, aka, moving to my hometown. I'd consider moving close to his parents too, I'd like to add, but I have no desire to move that far from my roots (or to the desert). This is something that we just haven't allowed ourselves to truly sit down and consider in real life terms before. Before now, there have always been big picture reasons not to move there: jobs, long/hard winters, social climate, jobs, jobs, etc. etc. However, where I'm from is actually a pretty neat little corner of the world. It has its good and its bad, like any place, but the best part is that we would have a network of family/friends close buy. What a world of good that would be for us. Yes, I have good friends here, but none of them have kids and we don't really spend boat loads of time with them socially. So, what we have here is a nice house and full time jobs. Call me selfish, but I want more for us, if possible.
He is going to spend the winter/spring working and finishing his thesis and I another pre-nursing course. At some point between now and the completion of those things, we'll both start applying for jobs and see what happens from there. It could very well result in absolutely nothing. Until then, we'll continue to talk, weigh the odds, and make sure we aren't doing something completely insane.
North Carolina, I still love you. And one day, we'll be together. But I just might have to postpone my visit for a while.
The question we ask ourselves every blue moon is: What's keeping us here? Well, there isn't a whole lot keeping us here in Kentucky. Yes, we bought this house just last year, but its only a house. We could sell it if we had to and we'll make a profit either way, thanks to the wonders of purchasing a foreclosure. Where would we go?
He and I have talked alot lately about how nice it would be to live close to family. With the baby and being practically on our own, dude its hard. Now, he's willing to consider moving close to my family, aka, moving to my hometown. I'd consider moving close to his parents too, I'd like to add, but I have no desire to move that far from my roots (or to the desert). This is something that we just haven't allowed ourselves to truly sit down and consider in real life terms before. Before now, there have always been big picture reasons not to move there: jobs, long/hard winters, social climate, jobs, jobs, etc. etc. However, where I'm from is actually a pretty neat little corner of the world. It has its good and its bad, like any place, but the best part is that we would have a network of family/friends close buy. What a world of good that would be for us. Yes, I have good friends here, but none of them have kids and we don't really spend boat loads of time with them socially. So, what we have here is a nice house and full time jobs. Call me selfish, but I want more for us, if possible.
He is going to spend the winter/spring working and finishing his thesis and I another pre-nursing course. At some point between now and the completion of those things, we'll both start applying for jobs and see what happens from there. It could very well result in absolutely nothing. Until then, we'll continue to talk, weigh the odds, and make sure we aren't doing something completely insane.
North Carolina, I still love you. And one day, we'll be together. But I just might have to postpone my visit for a while.
He/She Who Shall Not be Named
I used to work in a place filled with negativity and sadness. I worked there for about 3 years and then I got lucky and managed to claw my way out. I had to leave a few brothers behind, and they deal with being there very differently. One has the ability to shrug it off (most of the time) and decide not to care. Its a great quality to have in situations like these. Its one that I tried over and over, but was unable to attain. The other friend has been there far too long. The negativity is like a cancer that is deep in his bones. He needs to get out of there like there is no tomorrow. So now lets shift this back to me.
I must confess that I find myself, on regular (sometimes daily) occasions thinking about my former manager. I relive conversations, I have imaginary conversations with my current management explaining why they shouldn't hire this person into this department (just in case, I'll be ready?), I practice my attempt to be honest but to not defame this person or "make it personal." Imagine, if you will, all of the energy that is stolen from me by this inability to shake this persons effect on my life. I don't want to think about this person, I don't want to dream about this person and I sure as hell don't ever want to actually see this person again. Ever. It is extremely rare for me to feel actual hate for someone. Afterall, we're all human and imperfect, right? Everyone deserves a fair shake because we never really know what someone else is thinking or feeling in any given situation or what they have just been through in their personal life. But I feel it and it must be so. I'm a hater and that makes me sad.
And so, for my friends that are still there, I'll do my best to listen and support them in the struggle to find employment elsewhere. And although it always brings up all those old feelings and the hating, I can't not be there for my friends. So, I'll just continue to listen and work really hard at stopping those thoughts and moving past them to the things that matter most. Like playing with the baby, and christmas cookies, and whatever is happening right here and now. And eventually I won't remember this persons dumb face and mannerisms (was that too big of a word?) and not think about him/her at all. Ever, ever again.
Happy Hanukah,
Molly
I must confess that I find myself, on regular (sometimes daily) occasions thinking about my former manager. I relive conversations, I have imaginary conversations with my current management explaining why they shouldn't hire this person into this department (just in case, I'll be ready?), I practice my attempt to be honest but to not defame this person or "make it personal." Imagine, if you will, all of the energy that is stolen from me by this inability to shake this persons effect on my life. I don't want to think about this person, I don't want to dream about this person and I sure as hell don't ever want to actually see this person again. Ever. It is extremely rare for me to feel actual hate for someone. Afterall, we're all human and imperfect, right? Everyone deserves a fair shake because we never really know what someone else is thinking or feeling in any given situation or what they have just been through in their personal life. But I feel it and it must be so. I'm a hater and that makes me sad.
And so, for my friends that are still there, I'll do my best to listen and support them in the struggle to find employment elsewhere. And although it always brings up all those old feelings and the hating, I can't not be there for my friends. So, I'll just continue to listen and work really hard at stopping those thoughts and moving past them to the things that matter most. Like playing with the baby, and christmas cookies, and whatever is happening right here and now. And eventually I won't remember this persons dumb face and mannerisms (was that too big of a word?) and not think about him/her at all. Ever, ever again.
Happy Hanukah,
Molly