Bye, April

It was quite the month

And happy birthday to our dear B! 

Crafternoon

Enjoying some cozy time after work with my dear Miss R.

These white yo-yos make better doors than they do windows

Later: Mother Nature dropped a bit of pea-sized hail

Visit from Mom

Mom popped over for a few hours today. It was nice to see her. Immediately after she arrived, she suggested we go buy some treats at Larsen's Bakery, so we drove over and bought a couple cartons of cookies and an almond pastry ring. She gave B his birthday gift and handed out bags to Little R and Little C of new beach toys, tiaras, tutus, and beads. We had coffee and treats together and enjoyed our time. Quite lovely.

Subaru Surfin'

Major car chillage today. Hubby and I are in Beaverton (actually I think we're in Aloha) for his soccer game, and I decided to get cozy. It's kind of rainy and gross outside and the park where his team is playing has a tiny parking lot, so I found a spot next to the Aloha Community Library.

Life is good.

Later: Pre-birthday dinner for B with all the kinfolk and the friendlies

"Momma! You're alive!"

"Old people.....you have to reassure them"

Heading out for some errands. I have several projects going that need supplies and I'm purchasing a membership at one of the community centers here in our lovely city! 

My brain said to me today, "You know, you aren't stuck here" (at the house, I think it meant). "You could go do stuff." Thus motivated, I'm heading out to cause a ruckus and buy crap. It's been awhile since I had a couple of days off in a row and I'm sort of lost, but figuring it all out. 

I feel like I'm waking up. 

Feeling Okay Today

Look at this girl get old 😊

Sunday Baseball Game

We had such a fun, sunny time today.

Afterward: Larsen's Bakery for treats

Later: R and I took on a tiny redecorating project. We're both very happy with the results.

Rejoining the Living

I mean, somewhat.

After I got sick early Thursday, poor B barfed all over the backseat on the way home from work, and Little C was next to succumb. 

Hubby, C&K, and R are hanging in there so far. This virus is so gross. 

My bodily functions seem to be back to normal, but now I'm tired as heck. It doesn't help that I've been glued to the bed since Wednesday night. But I'm determined to get going today. My guilt is kicking in!

Later: So far today, I've had a lovely bacon Gouda sandwich and a caramel macchiato from Sbux for breakfast/lunch, taken a shower, continued my hours-long vigil of TickTock, and worked on stuff here and there. The red blankie is growing and the yo-yos are piling up! Good job, me!

I finished all the circles I had! Now, what to do with these? I'm thinking of making some white ones, maybe some more green, and putting together a garland.

"AND I'M DOONEESE!" This one needs some Christmas- themed friends.

(N&G's bedspread makes a stunning backdrop, does it not?)

The Barfening

On Tuesday, Little R started things off with a bad case of the pukes, followed by M on Wednesday. 

My early Thursday:

Woke up at 1:30, ran to the bathroom.

Spent the next few hours running to the bathroom, carrying (and using) a big bowl. 

Fell into bed just before 6 AM.

No work for me today.

Can't Help

...loving that shrink of mine. Today she learned all about the Charles situation, which I feel increasingly less guilty about as the days go by - what kind of idiot wastes a second chance at his job the way he did? - and as always, she had amazing insights. Here's a quote:

"HR can't tell you all the reasons he is being fired - they can only talk to you about your reason. And he can't blame you for getting fired. The workplace chose to fire him - all you did was report his behavior."

Also, as days pass by, I hear MORE stories about what a terrible employee he was, everything from being handsy and inappropriate with other female employees, to being caught goofing off during work hours, lounging on the furniture with his shoes off and looking at his phone. Seems like everyone I talk to has a Charles story, and none of them are positive (another quote: "This place won't feel the same without Charles hiding in the broom closet!"). 

You can only do so much to protect a guy from his own stupid choices.

And of course, I felt immediately better after talking to Shrink. Feeling so blessed to have her in my life.

Brunch of Champions

Every time I buy something to eat at work that I could have just as easily prepared at home, I get a little disappointed in myself. But you know what, it could be worse.

Today is the first day that I haven't felt really crappy about the Charles situation. As dear Hubby put it, it grew legs and walked away from me, and now that I have some experience with this, I may do some things differently if this ever happens again (please no, Universe). 

I notice that this has affected the way I deal with men at work. The bookstore guys are completely safe, and the security dudes are all being very kind and solicitous of me right now - they always have been, but it's much more obvious lately. But the students, employees from every other department, people I see walking around on campus, are all a big nope from me: limited eye contact and small talk and warmth, and absolutely NO sense of humor. More than feeling threatened by any of them, I just feel dumb. I thought Charles and I were friends. So, no friending for a while.

But I'm not sad anymore and I'm not really afraid and the anger is fading. It's all good progress.

Talking to the higher-ups about Charles

Here I go. 

Later: That was hell. Charles will probably be let go, and he'll definitely know that I "complained" about him. Great. I just made a guy lose his job, for a terribly stupid reason. 

I went home early, feeling like puking. 

A bright spot: It's not often that I'm a clue on Match Game.