January recap

In the spirit of trying to get back in the swing of things, here are some pictures from a little "minication" Eric and I took two weeks ago. I had a Friday thru Monday off, and he was on vacation Friday thru the following Saturday, so we went to Frankfort KY for a few days, leaving Friday after my doctors appointments were done (the reason I took Friday off) and drove back Sunday afternoon.  Our "excuse" for visiting Frankfort was a shop called the Woolery, which sells weaving looms, spinning wheels, fiber, spindles, and rughooking supplies. The key here is the number and variety of products sold. I am interested in getting a spinning wheel and this was a way to see and try a variety of them, including the brand I was considering.

This is the wheel I have my heart set on. Hopefully it will be mine sometime this year.

The Kentucky River and an old bridge. We walked the river trail, had a snack at a college coffee shop, spent a good hour or more in the shop, where we met other fools who drove from out of state just to shop there (we met couples from Florida, Ohio, and Tennessee there, along with us who traveled 5 hours to get there); we went to a local winery, had dinner at a local restaurant, and enjoyed two nights in a very nice best western. On the way home we explored the shorter tour of the Marengo Caves in southern Indiana. That was awesome!

And I did buy a new lace drop spindle because it was pretty, and some fiber to spin up because I liked the colors.

We came home and I immediately worked the next 11 days straight, sometimes 9-10 hour days, and I got slammed with cases (5 cases per day the last 2 Friday's when a normal day is 1-3 cases max per day...) I began a writing day on Tuesday with 40 open cases and was able to close 16 of them by the end of Wednesday (most were close to being closed, just no time to finish the paperwork until this week), but then added back in 9 new ones, getting 3 emergencies on Friday plus two 24 hour ones... Needless to say I am exhausted. I spent yesterday reading for a bit and relaxing, and playing everquest with Eric now that the desktop is working and we can enjoy playing together again. Today I plan to do as little as necessary too, because Monday it begins all over again.

I find my job challenging and sometimes stressful, lately even overwhelming because of the sheer volume of the cases coming in. We have some new people who will enter the rotation soon, as they finish up training, but have been running short staffed for what sounds like forever. Some positives of my job are seeing newborns and sweet little ones, going into old houses and imagining what some of them were like in their heydays, and being in and out of the office. Most cases aren't terribly "serious" although all need to be addressed, and for that I am grateful too. It's just how they seem never ending sometimes. There are times I think there but for the grace of God it could have been (or was) me once upon a time, and there are people who leave me humbled by their strength and their faith. I was touched by one woman who said to her adult child "you can talk to her, she's one of the good ones who really care." I think every one I work with really care, but sometimes there isn't much we can do. I do a lot of praying.

Aurora is back from Costa Rica and had the trip of a lifetime. Brie is struggling with a loss of hours and lack of security in her job situation. Patrick is in the process of moving out and into an apartment. Reimond is looking at a possible promotion of sorts at work, and his girlfriend has been accepted to Penn State,her dream school, next fall. Classes are resumed/resuming for the college kids for spring semester, Eric is back on overnights, and life is trying to find what passes for the new normal.

I still have not mailed out Christmas gifts, despite their being done. Not home when the post office is open... So kids will get gifts in February I guess. I am hoping Eric can mail them Monday before he heads to bed.

That's the update! Now time to get another cup of coffee and the next item on the list.