Week 34 - Jam Packed Week

I was looking forward to a normal week but it was jam packed so I’m not sure how normal it was. It was the week before classes start so no swimming, which you would think would mean more free time but it didn’t work out that way. Go figure. There were some really long days in store this week.

Monday was knitting, which is always fun but is a long day nonetheless – work all day, pick up pizza then knit at the club. By the time I get home it’s pushing 9:00 so it’s 14 hours away from home. Long day. Then on Tuesday I had to take my car to Honda because the hatch was jammed again. Since Honda is way down south in Lincoln and the shuttle leaves at 7:15, that means I have to be on the road by 6:30. It also adds a bunch of time at the end of the day because I have to get down there then it’s an hour home from that far south. Another long day and let’s not discuss the $99 charge to tell me it’ll be another $430 if I want it fixed permanently. Nope. I’ll take my chances. Wednesday was our annual water aerobics get together, which we always do the week we have no classes. Unfortunately I didn’t remember to bake until after 9:00 on Tuesday, when I threw in a pan of brownies and called it good. The cookout was also down south at Rene’s after work and was fun, as always, but I was one of the first to leave and still didn’t get to Wahoo until almost 9:00. I had to pick something up at Denise’s or I would have been later. Yet another long day. Thursday was book club. I did get to go home and eat dinner beforehand. Since the library is completely closed pending reopening at the real location after Labor Day, we met at the Vets’ Club, our home away from home these days. We had a good discussion but Connie, whose husband died recently very unexpectedly, didn’t come so I decided to stop at her house after dropping knitting needles at Donna’s in the same neighborhood. We had a lovely talk but I didn’t get home until after 9:00 again! Between the crappy sleep because of disturbing dreams (I blame the book – Destiny of the Republic – that I’d been listening to in every spare minute, including to and from work in the car) and these long days, I was toast. At least Friday was here and I had no plans for the weekend.

I had been waiting with baited breath for the state fair results to be posted online. I’d entered my two best socks, including the gorgeous pink pair I’d only gotten a red on at the county fair. The fair was open on Friday but the results didn’t get posted until late afternoon. How the ribbons work at the state fair is only a maximum of 5 are awarded for each division so of all the socks entered from the whole state, only 5 would get ribbons. I was thrilled to hear that I got 2 of them – 2^nd and 5^th place. I don’t know which sock got which but I was happy happy happy! Not enough that I’d be driving to Grand Island to see them but I have friends going who will take pictures. Yay!

Another wonderful thing happened on Friday. Andrea had found a cleaning lady who was taking clients and she had called me back and would be coming for a meet and greet on Sunday morning. If all went as planned, she would even be able to clean next week before Connie arrived. I was so excited. It did mean I’d have a big day of slogging through stuff on Saturday but I’d have had to do it before Connie came anyway and now with a firm deadline, it wouldn’t fill my entire weekend. So that’s what I did Saturday – sorting, moving, purging… All good. I was done by supper time and was looking forward to an early night. I had showered and was in bed reading when I heard my cell phone ringing. I decided to ignore it but then my landline rang. I picked it up and it was Cornelia. Her husband had died on Thursday. While it was a blessing that he didn’t linger longer, it was sad news regardless. I was on the phone a long time, making for another long day but that’s what friends are for. Corn has big changes ahead and I’m 1300 miles away so the only help I can really give is moral support. I can only hope she makes it through this OK.

I had planned to get up early and finish the dishes but was up so late that that didn’t happen. I hid all the dirty pots and pans that were in the sink in the dishwasher and called it good. Trisha arrived at 10:00, agreed to take me on as a client and then the rest of the day was mine. I still had laundry, the hidden dishes and cooking to do but there was also some sock knitting between the chores so it was all good. It was a relaxing day after a very busy week and I was so grateful for all my busy-ness, my friends and my wonderful life. I went to bed Sunday happy and hopeful for normal in the coming week. I live in hope.