The "Catch Up" post

My last post made it sound like I was at the end of my rope...and I was.

But things have calmed down just a titch since then and I'm feeling a bit more in control.

The house hunt continues - but the intensity of it has slowed down considerably.  I suspect this is mainly due to the time of year bringing very few houses on the market.  We have looked at a couple that could work...with renovations.  In some cases, extensive renovations.  And, each and every time, the Husband has declared that to be too much.

Apparently, he can't deal with the stress of building a house or renovating one.  At this point, it looks like we will be living in this townhouse forever.

Vacation time is now in full swing.  I'm off until next Wednesday and after that?  Well, considering how much vacation time I've racked up and not used, theoretically, I will only be working seven days in December.  I say theoretically because I have offered up my previously guarded cell phone number and have offered to come in as necessary.  *sigh*  There is just far too much going on for me NOT to make myself available.  And truthfully?  With that much time off, it might actually be a relief to go in every once in a while.

I know that the call won't come unless it's absolutely necessary though.

The Christmas cards?  Yes, they are coming along.  In fact, they have taken over my dining room table and I need to deal with that before Thursday.  But, I must say that I am kinda impressed with the results.  Not enough to post pictures, but enough to mail them (so let's call that progress and move along).

And speaking of Thursday, it turns out that it will only be the three of us for Thanksgiving this year.  We had invited friends, but turns out they can't make it.  The Husband is disappointed.  Apparently, he feels that we don't appreciate his efforts as much as outsiders.  (He's delusional.  He cooks.  We appreciate!)

Which calls to mind a subject that I probably shouldn't touch on, but shall we chat for a moment about the spammer that's been hitting my (and others) inbox?  

He(?) claims to be an American man boycotting American women...here's a tip, pal...if you want to spread your so called "message"virus, malware? you might just want to move on to blogs that aren't hosted by American women, or in fact, any woman, because we WILL delete that shit nonsense immediately. 

With all this vacation time looming, I have a feeling that our checking account it about to take a major hit as I begin to seriously whittle down those Christmas wish lists - with a few things thrown in for me.  Of course.

I have told my family that the longer they wait to give me their "reasonable" gift lists the more I will spend on myself, which will result in less being spent on them.  I'm hoping that spurs them along in their gift list assembling...so far?  No such luck (any ideas for a the guys in my life?  Because, seriously, at this point I'm at a loss).

So it appears our Thanksgiving is going to be a quiet one; but after the insanity of the past few weeks, I'm actually kinda looking forward to it.  Whatever your plans may be, I wish you all the very, very best and want you to know that I am always counting you among my blessings, because without you, I'd truly be insane.

No, I'm not even kidding.

Nothing short of insanity.

Yup.  That pretty much sums up my life lately.

If you want to turn away now, feel free, because that title says it ALL.

It has just dawned on me in the past day or two that Thanksgiving is next week.  NEXT WEEK!  How did this happen?

My "plan" this year was to be organized, calm and ready to enjoy the holiday season.  So far, my plan is not going so well.  I inventoried what gifts I had bought and realized that the few gifts I have bought are far outweighed by those that I haven't.  Of course.

Those extra fancy Christmas cards I was all excited to do and send out this year?  Even with the super shortened list; I am woefully far behind.

The "Work Issue That Cannot Be Named" continues.  Which means that I've been getting to work earlier and earlier in a woeful attempt to keep up.  When that failed to produce the results I'd expected I have been staying later and later.  That seemed to have stemmed the tide.

And then Monday came along and threw a curve ball that knocked me silly and stressed me out to no end.  I have approximately fourteen days of vacation that needs to be used before the end of the year.  This coupled with all the extra work had me completely wigged out.  I told one of my coworkers that I would just have to lose the time because there was no way I could get all of this done and take my time.  Until, one of my bosses stepped in and said "Stop."  He informed me that this hot potato that another attorney (who is NOT my boss) tossed in my lap was not a high priority for me; that I had more than enough to worry about between him and one of my other bosses.  He also informed me that I was to take my vacation and not worry about anything.

So despite work being stressful at least it is no longer STRESSFUL.

Heaped on to all of the above we throw in the house hunting.  The Husband is all gung-ho and to be completely honest?  As much as I want a house, I'm ready to throw in the towel until everything else has settled down.

I haven't put my foot down and said ENOUGH yet.  But I may have to pretty soon.  Because truth be told, I don't want to even THINK about moving before the holidays.  Last year we moved into this place right at the beginning of December - and although I had a lot of time off, trying to unpack, buy Christmas, etc. it was stressful.

So I figure, if I can take that stressor off the table and just get through the next couple of weeks, I can take my vacation and try to relax and get back on board with the "plan" I mentioned above; albeit a little behind the eight ball, but still...

At any rate, I thought I'd check in and fill you in.  Now?  Now, I'm headed to bed.  I am so tired for some reason.

The Husband had a birthday and we celebrated by going to look at a house...and, it's obvious, his resolve is cracking.

The Husband had a birthday yesterday (happy birthday, you handsome devil!) so we both took the day off.

The Husband actually went to spend the night up in the mountains with Man-Child on Sunday and didn't make it back down the mountain until lunch time - which kind of cut into the whole "spending the day together" that I had planned.  But that was fine.

He had actually found a house online, in a very desirable neighborhood and we had made plans with our realtor to look at it yesterday afternoon.  I was kind of shocked that he wanted to look at this particular house; mainly because it was MUCH larger than what we had agreed upon, although the price was suspiciously low for the area.

After getting into the house, I saw why.  The house is apparently in foreclosure.  And while this house COULD be beautiful; it would take a LOT of work.  As in, if we were in the market to flip this house it would have been perfect.

But seeing as we don't have that kind of cash just sitting around we had to pass on it.

I've been watching a lot of home improvement shows on Netflix lately (and by extension, have coerced the Husband to watch a few as well) and even though I KNOW in my heart that we could have snapped that house up, gave it some love (and a BUNCH of dough), turned around and sold it for a very tidy sum; I also know that we just don't have that kind of energy and wherewithal to cope with that kind of project.

But this whole exercise has made me wonder....does the Husband protest too much when he says he is too old to get involved with a building a house?  I think so.  Because why would he be dragging me to look at a house that would require MUCH more energy than a new build?

He's cracking folks.  Slowly, but surely he's cracking.

Now, he just needs to hurry up and do it before someone else finds that particular lot that I've got my eye on.

...and hi, how are you?

Yes, I know....I've not been the best blogger-friend lately.

It's hard trying to blog in this tiny space.  The Husband is right there, constantly asking, "What are doing?  What are you looking at?"  And if he's not questioning me, he is watching whatever he is watching on television and making comments - actually expecting me to be listening and getting miffed when he realizes that I haven't been listening.

Plus, there has been a whole host of other things going on, which I'll share via a list...because who doesn't love a list?

* Still looking for a house.  Or trying to talk the Husband into building a house.  He's still not there yet.  So, in the meantime, we wander from house to house.  I don't even have to say I don't like it; because he pipes up with what is wrong with it long before I can start listing my complaints.  Although, I have asked him on a couple of occasions if he really wants to deal with renovations....so far, the answer has been a resounding NO.  Which makes me wonder why he is dragging this out.

* Work stuff that I can't/shouldn't really talk about.  Let's just say everyone is on pins and needles.  And, despite the fact that I'm not happy about it, I think it will be okay.

*  The fact that work stuff is going on while I'm in the middle of talking my husband into building me a house looking for a house to buy is stressful.  Seriously, couldn't they have waited to have that stuff going on until AFTER I'm settled.  So rude.

*  My dearest, dearest friends in North Carolina are moving.  To Arkansas, of all places!  While I'm sure Arkansas is very nice, and I know their family is there, I'd much prefer if they'd just stay here.  So far, they aren't willing to listen to reason.

*  Man-Child.  Need I say more?  Well, I suppose I should clarify - it's not that he's been in trouble or causing trouble - but he's been here a lot lately (or I've been there) and requiring some attention.  It's a good problem to have, I'll admit.

*  Since I've last blogged, I've been to see 39 Steps.  It was a wonderful play that I enjoyed so very much, if it comes to your local theater - go.  I've also been to see the movie, St. Vincent.  It was a fun movie, that may or may not have had me tearing up a time or two - who would have ever expected that from a Bill Murray movie?

*  My phone.  Dear God, my phone!  You know how much I love my little, smart phone.  Well, it has been quite persnickety of late.  Some days it refuses to charge.  And then others?  It charges like nobody's business.  During one of the days it refused to charge, I took myself off to Target to buy a new cable - because SURELY that was/is the problem since if you even bump the cable the tiniest bit, it stops charging.  After getting the stupid cable home, it still wouldn't charge.  So I took the new cable, the old cable, the phone and the plug in part back to Target where we (me and the guys in the electronics department) all played with it for at least 20 minutes and it still wouldn't charge.  Although, the new cable would charge their phones with no problem.  The Target guy apologized and said the problem was probably with my phone...how can that be?!  This thing isn't that old.  At any rate, I took the phone and paraphernalia home, with plans of hitting Verizon eventually, and - of course - my phone has been charging like a champ.  Until today.  ARRRGHHHH!  So, despite the intense distaste I have of visiting the Verizon store, it looks like I have an imminent visit looming.

*  The Husband is planning an overnight visit to Man-Child on Sunday and I'm almost giddy about the prospect of some quality alone time.  Not that I don't love him dearly...but jeez.  It's getting a little, cramped in here and we could both use some breathing room, I think.

So...that's what's been going on with me for the past few weeks...what about you?  What have you been up to - tell me, I'm all ears.