2024 Project 365 – Week Twenty-nine

People. It is Saturday night and I did not work today. And I don’t plan to work tomorrow! I thought about it. I could have brought my laptop home & got a lot done. BUT I DID NOT. I hardly know what to do with myself. (Well, obviously right now I’m doing this.)

Sunday, July 21st         

I’m just going to leave this right here.

Monday, July 22nd     

Went through some complicated hoops to get my mom’s diamond pendant onto this necklace Dr. M gave me because I wanted to wear them together. It kept flipping up, so I decided that it was a fashion statement. Or a symbol to summon a demon. Who even knows the difference these days?

Tuesday, July 23rd   

It was the 35th anniversary of our 1st kiss so you get another look at my lovely flowers. Mwah sweetie!

Wednesday, July 24th   

Got my hair did. And boy did it need it!

Thursday, July 25th    

Dr. M had this fabulous idea of putting Laughing Cow cheese on corn on the cob. It was delicious! And I ate it with my usual decorum. (Also, just noticed while I was putting this post together that I my hair is stuck in the cheese on my face. I’m ridiculous.)

Friday, July 26th     

Posted this on the socials asking if this is how an influencer poses. 

Snuck away from work to go to my Uncle John’s service at the National Cemetery about an hour away. This is a photo of his wife and remaining siblings. My dad is the only one looking at me. 

Meanwhile, Dr. M took his Pop on a ramble.

Saturday, July 27th     

About a month ago someone I followed talked about getting something from The Happy Givers. I was in the mood to spend money, so I checked it out & decided to get a mystery order called the Surprise and Delight package. It came today and oh my goodness! I was so thrilled with all the things! It’s especially satisfying because 100% of their proceeds go to help folks in need (rebuilding houses in Puerto Rico, community garden, social kitchen, etc.). Happy Givers indeed!

Not only has work calmed down, my body has calmed down (my BP was down from 170/90 at my doctor's appointment on Tuesday to 129/74 yesterday). And now it feels like there is hope in the land once again. There’s so much excitement and determination to harness this new Democratic momentum. I’m thinking about getting some Chucks. Although at my age I’d need to add some orthotics to them. Maybe I should just wear pearls. (No, I don’t have Kamala fever - why do you ask?) What are you thinking? Will this momentum last until November? Do you think we can win?

2024 Project 365 – Week Twenty-eight

I have worked so many hours this past week, including yesterday and today. The difference is that instead of freaking out about what went wrong with the last payroll, we’re cleaning up glitches & getting things back in order. LET’S CROSS ALL OF OUR FINGERS AND TOES THAT THIS WEEK’S PAYROLL IS DRAMA FREE. 

Sunday, July 14th        
No photo. I did go to church, but that’s all I remember. Ha!

Monday, July 15th    

The only photo is me showing myself where the makeup stain is on my dress so I remember to Shout It Out when I wash it (it’s the same color as that peachy one in the dress - hard to find, but that’s no reason to not try to get it out).

Tuesday, July 16th   

Dr. M had a colonoscopy in the morning, and found this random flower growing in the yard this afternoon. The colonoscopy went well  - we’ll see what that biopsy reports say, but we’re feeling optimistic.

Wednesday, July 17th   

Dr. M says: Wild muscadine grapes, a staple food for many a Carolina cotton mill village. The juice was canned and used to make jam or jelly, a sweet treat served with fresh biscuits. (And the Bug says that they make a lovely photo against his Pop’s shed.)

Thursday, July 18th    

Feeling just a little bit overwhelmed by it all.

Friday, July 19th     

Dr. M got me random flowers! Isn’t he swell?

Saturday, July 20th     

For some reason Dr. M felt compelled to order this book. I wonder why? Ha!

People keep saying that they’re ready to live through some precedented times. ME TOOOO!!! I don’t even know what to think about Biden stepping back from the nomination - all I know is that I will vote for the Democratic nominee no matter what. Used to be you might think, well, the other party has different ideas than I do about how to best run the country, but if they win they won’t mess up TOO much. Not anymore - if any part of Project 2025 gets to be implemented then what does that mean for the future of democracy? Not to mention the future of marginalized people, women, the elderly, the people in the armed forces… Oof. It’s a lot. What do YOU think?

PS - I haven’t even glanced at blogs for days now. Eventually I’ll get caught up!

2024 Project 365 – Week Twenty-seven

Well, this past week was pretty stressful. The payroll functioned as it should for the most part. There were some issues, and we all spent a lot of time talking to employees answering questions. It might be wishful thinking, but I think this next week will be a lot better. We shall see!

Sunday, July 7th        
I got this lovely book today. I’ve been ordering random children’s books as I run across them for my great-nephews. I have quite a stack. Some of them are kind of…weird. Imagine that!

Monday, July 8th    

I had the worst acid reflux attack I’ve ever experienced Sunday night and even though I went to work I looked so bad I got sent back home. I decided to make myself some chicken noodle soup. I only had a few ingredients - chicken broth, spaghetti noodles, & canned chicken - but it was pretty tasty. I did run into an issue - did you know that spaghetti noodles don’t stay on spoons very well? Ha! I chopped them up a little bit with a meat chopper. 

Dr. M found a butterfly!

Tuesday, July 9th   

No photo.

Wednesday, July 10th   

No photo.

Thursday, July 11th    

Dr. M says Beauty and the Beast!

Friday, July 12th     
Went to visit Dad and Sue after work & looked through some of my uncle John’s photo albums. He was a handsome devil!

Saturday, July 13th     

I saw the meme on the left on Friday & it gave me a great idea for breakfast! Surprisingly delicious!

Because my week was stressful I never have recovered from my “attack.” I went to our work clinic and got a med to help calm things down, but it hasn’t really helped very much. I thought I was better yesterday, but then Trump was shot & that just ramped things up again. I have always carried any stress in my gut and I am NOT handling it very well. I just have to hope that when things calm down I will calm down. How do you react to stress in your life?

2024 Project 365 – Week Twenty-six

If you came here to hear how the new system is doing you’re going to have to wait another week. We’re having our first payroll run next week, and there are a lot of moving pieces that have to function correctly so that everyone is paid and there aren’t any glaring issues. It might work or it might be a disaster. I don’t think I even know at this point. Woo?

Sunday, June 30th       

I honestly have no idea what I did Sunday morning. I know I didn’t go to church. Did I do some work? In any case, in the afternoon, my dad and I went to my Uncle David’s 85th birthday party. It was a lovely time. My uncle Bill showed up and it was great seeing my dad, David, and Bill hanging out together again. Bill and David are the remaining siblings from my mom’s family. Mom’s been gone 19 years and we lost her other brother Bob a few years ago. 

Monday, July 1st   

This is a photo documenting that I finally went to get my oil changed. Go me! 

Tuesday, July 2nd   
I was feeling just a little maniacal at work. The cupcake helped. 

Meanwhile, Dr. M visited the Old Gray Cat Berry Farm. 

Wednesday, July 3rd  

Some early fireworks!

Thursday, July 4th    

I worked from home for quite a while and was just thinking about knocking it off for the day when Dad & Sue showed up! It was so great to visit with them for a while. One of the things we talked about was that Dad’s older brother John passed away that morning - the first of his siblings to die. I don’t have a photo of our visit, but here is one from the last time all the siblings (and spouses) were together. John (seated) and his wife Irene are on the left, Dad & Sue are on the right, and the four sisters (Emily, Marilyn, Vivian, and Lila) are between them. 

Friday, July 5th     

After work I visited my Aunt Brenda who was in the hospital. This week was another reminder of how fragile the generation above me is.  

Saturday, July 6th     

Heard while I was cleaning the bathroom (I was talking to myself): As soon as I finish here I’m going to take a little lunch break & do the floors. For half an hour. Or longer! I’m not the boss of me!

Dr. M says, “Summertime supper: bibs optional but recommended.” I put a fried egg on my mater sammich. Yum!

I’m feeling a little ill about how things will go next week. I’m only a part of the team, but somehow it feels like it will be all my fault if things go sideways. It’s a bit of a moral failing. Do you ever take responsibility for things that aren’t really your fault?