Thank you all for the Birthday wishes. I'm still fighting this cold but not too bad, I can still work, etc. I've been sitting in the sauna every night, which makes me feel better but I don't know if it's helping or hurting. D13 has been down for two days. On the couch, pounding water and Gatorade, not eating a whole lot. Her fever goes from normal up to 102 than back depending on when she takes her cold medecine.
Anyway today is "Back to the Condo" day. I called XW around 10 this morning (she's off work this week). She wasn't in a very good mood but I could tell it wasn't snottiness directed at me:
XW: Hello Me: Hey, it's me. What are you doing? (I don't know why I asked. I think it's just a natural reflex) XW: Uh...just making some Breakfast (At 10:00?!?...OK) Me: Hmmm, D13's home on the couch. She's been fighting that fever for a couple of days now but she says she's feeling better. I told her that if she wanted, she could have you pick her up anytime today. She doesn't have to wait 'til tonight. I suggested Noon. XW: Yeah, I talked to her. I'm going over there to get her at Noon. Me: I don't think she needs to go to the Doctor but if you want to... XW: No, I don't think so either. Me: Secondly, on Christmas Day you said she'd be coming over to me around 6:00? XW: No, actually plan on 4:30. I can get her there by then for you. I'll try to get her there even a little earlier. Me: Great, just let me know if it's earlier and I'll pass that on to my people (Bro, Niece, Friends). XW: Sure, I'll let you know. Me: Great, I'll talk to you later then, bye. XW: OK, bye.
Wow, haven't written out dialogue on the board in a while. So, I know her. I could tell she wasn't "herself" but I didn't bring it up. None of my concern. Maybe, the "lump" wouldn't get off the couch and help her make breakfast .
I however, was upbeat on the phone. My boss and I had been talking over the past 3 weeks or so about a new position. Basically separating our Internet business into it's own department. Long story short, I'm going to be heading up this new department effective Jan 1st. I'll be out in the field a little less but not much. The real kicker is if that part of our business grows the way we think, my income could potentially increase 40-70% by the end of our fiscal year. It's set up so as it grows, so does the compensation. I'm sure D13's going to fill her in on it as she's excited about it too.
So I've now got to crank out some work so I can cut out a little early and get the Xmas shooping done. I mean, crap, it is the 21st you know!!!
Christmas shooping???... What exactly is Christmas shooping anyway??
OH!... You probably meant to say Christmas SHOPPING! (Sorry, DMF... The teacher in me likes to point out your spelling errors). Hopefully you were able to get most of your holiday shopping done today. And, I am also hoping you put $800 on your credit card to buy your very kind, caring, and thoughtful friend that cute beagle puppy...
(Okay, DMF... I promise that is the last time I will bring up the puppy ever again... I REALLY promise!) Have a good night! -Kim
Glad to hear you and D13 are feeling better. Congrats on the new job! It sounds exciting and profitable too! It really looks like 2006 will be your year!
Have fun shopping!
WCB
God grant me the serenity,
to accept the things I cannot change,
To change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
- Reinhold Niebuhr
OK, all the Christmas shopping (not shooping) got done yesterday. Finally. Did the "Walk-the-Beagles-down-to-the-Coffee-house" thing this morning which is easy to do because it's an incredibly beautiful December day (it's supposed to get into the mid-80's by this afternoon).
Spending the day getting the house cleaned up for tomorrow. D13 comes over around 4:30 tomorrow afternoon for my 5-hour "window" with her for Christmas. However I managed to get my Brother, Niece and some friends to arrange their schedule around that.
I imagine today she starts her tour of all the different family Xmas deals she has to be dragged to (probably including OP's family). I catch myself actually laughing when I think about XW & that douchebag sitting first at XW's Dad & Grandparents, then to XW's Mom's with all her relatives. I visualize all those family members looking at them and putting on the "good face" but I've known those people for 10 years and I know that inside they are disgusted with her to an extent. It may not come out in the open now, but it will someday.
At the risk of sounding vengeful (when I actually kind of feel sorry for her), when the day comes that things fall apart and her family starts in with the "I-told-you-so's" that is when the hammer will drop. I hope she has someone to fall back on for support, because as of now...I don't think I'd have anything to offer.
On a lighter note, only 53 days until Pitchers and Catchers report to spring training!!! I can already smell the freshly cut grass, see the red, white and blue bunting around the stadium signifying another Opening Day, going off the plan for a day so I can have a Farmer John Dodger Dog, Gordon Biersch Garlic Fries and an ice-cold Miller Lite (or 2...or 3...maybe 4 if I'm not driving). Ahhhhhhhhhhh...
I went over to a friend from work's house yesterday afternoon and did a Christmas dinner with them. He's got a big family so there were 20-25 people in the house and enough food to feed the New York Jets (not that it would help them tonight against New England). D13 called me on my cell at 3:00 and said that the Xmas at the Condo was winding down so she could come over early. I told her to come over at 4:00.
When she came over she showed me the wallet and t-shirt that XW got her. Now money isn't everything but c'mon, she's your daughter, a wallet and a t-shirt? She cleaned up in Cash and Gift Cards from the rest of the clan to the tune of around $260!! Anyway she told me that the "family" Xmas was at the Condo (it's usually at XW's Mom's house). So inside the little condo was XW, OP, D13, XW's Mom & her Husband, XW's 85-year-old Grandmother, XW's Brother, SIL & their D15. How cozy!!! D13 goes on to tell me that everyone told her to tell me Hi and wanted to know how I was doing. She also said that her Great Grandma kept talking about my Beagles and how she missed them. How are the Beagles doing? Let me see the pictures, etc. So I've got to wonder how loser OP felt sitting there, without his kids (as his Ex gets them on Xmas in odd-numbered years--don't even ask how I know this ) while me and my dogs and my house start bouncing around in conversations. Not to mention how XW was taking it...
We had a good dinner here with my peoples and then I dropped her back off at the Condo at 9:00. I must say I went through a minor setback emotionally from the time I dropped her off until I went to bed. I was thinking about all of the in-laws that I don't get to see anymore and I miss that. I miss joking around with them, hanging outisde with my BIL while he has a smoke, opening packages, you know, the usual sh*t...
Anyway, D13 went off to BioDad this morning until Saturday. He called me this morning to again invite me up to ride the go karts with them sometime this week (D13 brought it up 3 times last night!!). I'll probably go up there Thursday for the day.
A girl that used to work in one of our stores in LA but quit recently is coming out here this afternoon. I'm going to throw a bunch of songs on her new iPod Nano and then we might go out to dinner. I got to know her a little over the past couple of months before she quit and we seem to get along pretty well. The rest is up in the air.
Other than that, I'm just going to try and relax here for a couple of days before heading up to my buddy's place in Vegas on Friday for NYE festivities. I hope everyone got through the Holiday OK. Nothing extensive, just minor cuts and bruises, yeah? ...
Glad to hear you enjoyed Christmas. Getting extra time with D13 was great! She just sounds like one terrific young lady!
Anyway, D13 went off to BioDad this morning until Saturday. He called me this morning to again invite me up to ride the go karts with them sometime this week (D13 brought it up 3 times last night!!). I'll probably go up there Thursday for the day.
Have fun on the go karts! Are you one of those crazy drivers who goes all out when 4 wheeling?
A girl that used to work in one of our stores in LA but quit recently is coming out here this afternoon. I'm going to throw a bunch of songs on her new iPod Nano and then we might go out to dinner. I got to know her a little over the past couple of months before she quit and we seem to get along pretty well. The rest is up in the air.
Your social life is really heating up. This girl, El-train, etc. Good for you! You deserve some fun now! Enjoy!
BTW, D11 got a Nano for Christmas. Would you like to download Hillary Duff et al for her?
Other than that, I'm just going to try and relax here for a couple of days before heading up to my buddy's place in Vegas on Friday for NYE festivities. I hope everyone got through the Holiday OK. Nothing extensive, just minor cuts and bruises, yeah? ...
Have a great time in Vegas. I did survive the day relatively unscathed. You'll have to drop by my thread for the long-version. Very interesting!
Is it still 80 out there? We might hit 45 tomorrow - a heat wave! WCB
God grant me the serenity,
to accept the things I cannot change,
To change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
- Reinhold Niebuhr
Well, since I haven't posted since Monday... It has been kind of a strange week. Monday afternoon the ex-employee (J) I spoke about came out. We spent time loading up her iPod, went to dinner at a local Teppan place then came back here and watched a DVD while I finished with the music transfers. We interact like weve known eachother for a long time. It feels very comfortable for lack of a better word. We seem to be alike in many ways. I'd like to slowly see where this could go, but I'm not sure yet if she's down with it (although she did drive 100 miles each way to come hang out with me ). I'm going to go like molasses.
I wound up not going up to BioDad's this time because of impending weather. He lives in the mountains between L.A. and Santa Barbara and we're expecting 2 big storms to roll through here this weekend, so they aren't going to be doing much go-karting.
In addition, the Vegas trip fell through. Turns out that my buddy up there has an "old friend" (female) coming out from Boston so I didn't want to go up there to be the 3rd wheel. I called "J" and left a message on her cell Thursday but as of now have not heard back from her. I was going to see if she wanted to do something for NYE.
So, here I am unexpectedly with no plans for tonight. I just want to get through it. Once tonight is over, I think things will be better. Tomorrow promises a normal Sunday. Laundry, Groceries, a full slate of NFL games. Monday: Rose Parade (probably wet for the first time since 1950), Bowl Games, then back to work Tuesday--after I shave off my "vacation goatee".
I am looking forward to meeting up with my "Chicago friend" Wednesday. I only saw her for 20 minutes on the Blue Line back in Chicago last September so I vaguely remember what she looks like. If we hit it off, we'll probably do something over next weekend too. We'll see how it plays out.
The one constant in my life right now--other than the smart & lovely D13--is exercise. I'm extremely committed to staying on track at the gym. While I've been going for 8 months now, I've been extremely serious (Kim might say obsessive ) for about the last 6 weeks. It is really starting to show and more importantly, I feel better physically and mentally. I know I've said it before but I HIGHLY recommend it. I really think that it is what has kept me off the Zoley for 6 months now .
Anyway, it's 1:00 and I've got some hours left to find something to do tonight save for staying home and watching the ball drop in Times Square at 9:00 PM .
DMF OUT
Wow, I made it through a long post without referencing XW or OP once!!...
.
Have a good night! -Kim 
) while me and my dogs and my house start bouncing around in conversations. Not to mention how XW was taking it...
). I'm going to go like molasses.
.