Some Random Things

My trip on the Kearsarge is coming up and anytime I am going to be out of work for a while I like to "catch up".....Sundays are good for that..........so of course the server in work is behaving badly. I have booted the system several times. I also have this crazy problem with my tower. Randomly I will go to power up and it won't come on. I have to get down on my hands and knees, crawl under the desk and flip the switch in the back of the tower. I don't know......voodoo. Whatever, it wasn't easy today because while the knee is better....I can't kneel on it.
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Yesterday I went to pick up some things from the USS Constitution Museum store for my trip. I stopped at the information desk as instructed to pick up my wheelbook from CDR Bullard. No package. The girl questioned me. No package. The girl explained it to a guy. No package. The guy went to get another guy. No package. That guy quizzed me again and called someone on a walkie talkie. No package. Could I leave my email?

Don't get me wrong, I know all this concern wasn't for me. This activity was kicked off because they think they lost a package from CDR Bullard. So I make my purchases and head on my way with the business card of the man in charge for the day.

I head over to the Sailor on watch. I ask him, on the off chance I have it wrong.....nope. He calls someone. Nope. He asks me "A wheelbook? Like the green notebook?" I laugh and make a joke, but yes, I mean a wheelbook. He asks if he may ask why I want one. I explain about the Kearsarge. He asks some more questions, and then points out that I will be in Norfolk and that's a Navy base......light dawns and I laugh and tell him "Good thinking!" He wishes me luck and off I go.

I am walking past CDR Bullard's residence and there are the Bullards strapping children into car seats, ready to head off. I walk up laughing "You forgot about me!" He look over "No I didn't! You are early!" His wife pulls out a package and make it dance in the air. My wheelbook!!!! I thanked them and tucked it under my arm. I waved and talked to the kids for a minute and wished them a good time.
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My mother is 23 years older than I am. How can she so clearly remember some things that I have so completely forgotten? Last night I was going to dinner with Kath (a terrific friend from high school), her son and Beth, she was ahead of us in school, but good friends with Kath. Someone who was friends with Kath more so than with Beth or I was up from Florida and joining us. My mother made a face when I told her of our special guest.....let's call her DB. I laughed and said "Oh come on! She was always entertaining." My mother replied, "No. She was loud and uncouth." There were a few other comments.

I go to dinner and sure enough, the woman was shrill and overbearing. After a bit I remembered lots of unpleasant memories that had faded. Not the least of which was that DB would get us into some scrape that would have nothing to do with Kath and I and leave us holding the bag.

DB nearly picked a fight with a stranger in the parking lot last night. Now I am smart enough to just say "Cut it out!" and not worry about her feelings. So I did. She beefed and I just gave her a look. I am too old to be left holding the bag. Then there was the bad breath....even Beth, the smoker noticed. Why do I doubt my parents?
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Ok, so my father and brother are finally ready to drywall my room. Jen says the sudden push is my father trying to control something because he can't control my cancer. But they want to begin the day I leave for Norfolk. I found this very stressful. This is how I like to pack - I dump everything I think I might possibly need onto my bed and pick and choose until I have the right combo....and the bag zips. Then I leave that mess on my bed.

If they are going to drywall...not only can I not do that but I have to move every last thing out of my room and leave it there until I come back. I am already half out of the room. My hope chest and bureau are in the kitchen. I have boxed up a bunch of stuff and it's in the living room. But there are things that I would not want out and about for a week. Don't get me wrong, I love my sons and their friends are great.....but I will flip out if I came home to a glass on my lingerie chest or something. The thought of not being there to control this stuff was making me crazy.

Plus, while I know that my father loves me, he is also faintly exasperated with me. My choatic life. The thought of him roaming my house randomly looking for something......say a hammer and opening the junk drawer and finding Christmas lights from 1992..........my blood pressure soars. He is soooooo orderly.......I am soooooo not.

So finally I cracked and called my mother this morning. I confessed my stress. My mother is handling things now. Thanks Mum.
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This morning Jen & I went to our favorite Ellis Haven Diner......every morning should start out like this. Good breakfast, nice conversation.....now I am in work ready to take a hatchet to the computers.