Thanksgiving recap

I hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving, if you celebrate.  Ours, thankfully, was uneventful; particularly after last year.

This was the most unorthodox Thanksgiving for us though.  For the first time EVER, it was just the two of us.  Man-Child spent the holiday with his girlfriend's family and our friends two doors down both had to work.  So Thanksgiving dinner was salmon and asparagus and it was lovely.  We had agreed to meet up with the friends two doors down for dessert.  I made an apple crisp which, according to my friend, received HIGH accolades from her teenage son who said, "This is really good, Ms. Gigi." in monotone.  According to her, he never comments positively on food or anything else, really. 

Once again, I am skipping the stores for any Christmas shopping; relying instead on online shopping.  So the majority of the day yesterday was spent scouring the internet for deals and was finally able to make some sort of headway on my list.

Usually, my Christmas gift buying is pretty much a free for all but this year, I downloaded Gift List (I believe it works for Apple or Android).  So far I am loving it.  You can password protect it, if you'd like.  I decided against that because, dear God, do you know just HOW much of my brain is dedicated to remembering passwords?  At this point, I'd say 90%.  I also like that I can track just how much I am spending.

I *think* you can have multiple lists (Christmas 2021, Birthday 2022, etc.) but I haven't figured that out yet as I am currently focused on Christmas 2021.

And speaking of gift buying - if you have someone on your list who would appreciate an item from Dick's Sporting Goods, they are ON it with the shipping.  I ordered a certain something for a certain someone sometime Wednesday afternoon and it showed up on my doorstep today!  I figured it would at least be a week before it would arrive.

Also, can I take a moment to express my absolute adoration of curbside delivery?  And the fact that I think it should always be an option, even after this never-ending pandemic is over.  

I decided to decorate the porch yesterday since it was positively a balmy high 50's kind of day.  And, of course, the new-ish, pre-lit garland refused to light.  *sigh*  So, I hopped online and ordered two new strands of pre-lit garden from Michael's and was able to drive up and have it deposited into the trunk of my car (which I was floored when I drove down the, usually heavily trafficked, street to encounter NO real traffic...on Black Friday.  The lots were full - but not as full as they usually are.  It was so astonishing that it bears mentioning.)  

Of course, today and tomorrow are colder (and windy) but the forecast for Sunday looks promising, so I will take advantage then to decorate the porch with garland that, hopefully, will light.

The Husband is not aware yet but the tree is going up tomorrow.  I'm ready for a little Christmas cheer.

How was your Thanksgiving?  Score any deals today (or yesterday - which, thankfully, it seems most stores were actually closed yesterday)?  Is your tree already up?  Spill all the details in the comments below.

Also, I would like to take a moment to let you know how very grateful I am that you have found your way to this corner of the internet and I to yours. xo

An announcement and the reason I'm fretting today

The Husband turned in his notice to retire December 10th.  This is huge and exciting! 

It's also a little unsettling - as this is a BIG change in our lives.  One of my concerns is having him here roaming around while I work.

I got a small taste of how it may play out this week - as he took another vacation (he's trying to use up his vacation since he has somehow got the idea that he won't be paid for those days that he doesn't use.  Dear reader, he will be paid for unused time.) this week.

***

Thank you all for your kind responses to my last post.  I did indeed end up working the majority of the week.  Last Friday, I sent my boss (you know, the one who actually signs off on my paycheck and not the others that I was "volunteered" for) an email that basically said, "Hey, I ended up working for the majority of the week so I'm only going to count two days as vacation, if okay."  He was more than okay with it (as well he should since he was the one doing the "volunteering" on my behalf), so those days are back in rotation and still need to be taken.

I think the biggest frustration in this whole scenario isn't necessarily the work itself but the uncertainty of it all.  First of all, I was thrown in headfirst into already developing situations.  Big meetings that somehow needed to be scheduled globally.  There were a lot of emails back and forth about one particular meeting.  And every morning, I wake up already woefully behind as the emails that zipped across the world while I was sleeping; so I'd wake up and think "What the hell is going on here?"  Do you have any idea how stressful it is to wake up knowing you are already behind?  Before you even had your coffee?

Luckily, that meeting was finally nailed down on Friday - so that is behind me for the moment.  Except, for the fact the CEO expects me to be in the office for three days next week - I can only assume she thinks my presence will somehow magically make that meeting a successful one.  

I can't stress enough how much I am fretting over this issue - I truly do not want to be IN the office with these people.  Yes, there are precautions in place, masks are required, etc.  I keep telling myself it will be okay but honestly, there is a giant ball of anxiety sitting like a rock in my stomach at the mere thought of it.

For the past eighteen months, I have avoided spending extended periods of time surrounded by people.  Yes, I realize that it will not be a building chock full of employees but there will be more people than I feel comfortable being around.

I'll get through it somehow but that doesn't mean I have to like it.

I do know that she has interviewed at least four potential possibilities - let's all cross our fingers that when I wake up tomorrow (already woefully behind again) I will find that someone has been offered the position, has accepted and is ready to start immediately.