I'm back for a while

[ClingingToHope]

Wrapping up the basketball season this week. We've had so many snow reschedules it's created a marathon of games at the end. I won't complain though. I'd work EVERY game if I could.

I am looking forward to having my week nights free in March, April and May. The year has a bit of a rhythym to it now. In April and May I make my extra money umpiring on weekends. In June and July the weekend tournaments stop and I work on week nights and have my weekends free.

Then August, September and October are pretty dead -- unless I decide to do UPS again and start in October.

Then basketball season again.

Anyway, D14 as a freshman has the No. 3 role in the junior/senior play. She's spending lots of time at the senior campus and getting to know several upperclassmen.

This morning after rehearsal she said things "are just starting to pop."

She really is doing well. She even had her second boyfriend. It lasted a week. He was a junior. They agreed it wasn't working and that was that. She wasn't broken up at all.

She's also filling out her first job application.

D11 is building a strong friendship with this new girl who comes from troubled circumstances. I can't put my finger on why but I need to watch this friendship closely. I'm not totally comfortable with her yet.

The professor came with D14, D11 and I for a family dinner with friends. The dinner went very well. The professor didn't say much even though she knew most at the table. One is even one of her students. I've had so much basketball that I'm not seeing her much. But at the end of the month her daughter goes away for two weeks at the same time my schedule clears up so there will be a lot more time.

For Valentine's Day she wanted to do this couples massage class and I said yes and then she got really apprehensive. It sounded better in theory. It turned out to be three couples and we were the youngest ones. I actually learned a little bit. The "teacher" just made some bizarre comments that made the professor uncomfortable.

Hey, I played along and put my time in.

Have had a good extended stretch of not having to see XW. I'll have to see her for D11's IEP meeting next week. She's due sometime in April/May and it's still playing on my mind.

Part of me remains jealous. I love kids and I miss having small ones.

Part of me is angry because this just adds another family variable. I'll have to -- and my daughters -- will have to put up with this other family forever.

Part of me is happy because for the past eight years I got blamed for all of her unhappiness. Well now she'll have an infant and a new husband and it won't be easy anymore. Being a boyfriend/girlfriend is easy. Being a husband and father takes work. And I worked at it.

Work ... I'm still here and now I'm reporting to someone who was my intern back in 2005. I like it though. I respect her opinions and she understands my various conflicts.

Really, time is marching on and I'm marching on as well. If anything, I'm getting too settled. I somewhat miss the times in 2009 and 2010 where I was pushing myself to get back out there. I need to get out a bit more the next few months.

That about does it for now.