The memo I've been dreading has arrived...

As I've watched all the local restrictions and mask mandates drop away, I knew this day was was fast approaching and I have been DREADING it.

We have been summoned back to the office in two weeks - masks optional.

Granted, we have been told that the status quo from now on will be that we only have to be in the office two days a week and can work from home (or where ever) the other three days.  This particular bit of news was pleasant and also came as a shock because I never saw THAT coming.  And they aren't even mandating which days - we get to pick and choose.

But...it still feels to early to go back - particularly sans masks - and based on several conversations, I feel fairly confident that there will be a lot of people who will choose not to mask.  I hope I am wrong on that score...

I was talking to my boss the other day on another matter when he asked how I felt about the news.  I was honest and told him I wasn't thrilled - especially the mask bit.  I also told him how I have been told point blank by a few co-workers that they REFUSE to get vaccinated and that I really wasn't comfortable about being in the building with this information.

I know if he had a say in the matter, our little team could continue to work from home.  Sadly, he does not.

I also know - based on several conversations with various co-workers that they are "done" with the whole thing and think it's nuts that we are still being so very vigilant.  But here's the deal - we've avoided it so far and I'd like to continue that trend for the time being.  And the more I read about possible long term effects - and knowing our risk factors - the more I know that I REALLY don't want either of us to get it.

What baffles me is the insistence that we NEED to be in the office.  I mean, I can see having the building open and available for people to come and go as necessary; but what is the point of mandating that we NEED to be there two days a week; particularly since most of use have adapted and don't need to be there very much?  My usual method of madness, during the past two years, has been to head in on a Saturday/Sunday or random holiday (basically when I knew it would be just me and the security guy in the building) to check the mail and do a few tasks that I can't do from home.  This practice opened my eyes to just how much I CAN do from home (basically, 99% percent of my job can be done from home).  Usually, those once a week visits were wrapped up in less than an hour.  I can understand that there might be times where it's an "all hands on deck" kind of situation but that seems like that would be the rare occurrence.

I know things will have to go "back" to normal (no, we will never go back to the way it was, I don't think - some of us have been changed by this shared experience in so many big and small ways) eventually...but it just feels too soon to try to force it right now.

Waffling...it is what I do best

I've been pretty MIA around the blog-o-verse lately.  Sorry about that.

Life has been pretty quiet around here - well, not "quiet" exactly, since The Husband is now home a good majority of the days.  My quiet hours have drastically dwindled to next to never and I miss them.

Last week, I was informed that I am to be a "lab rat" to test a new system our company is hoping to roll out soon.  I haven't started this training/testing yet, but I can already hear the howls from many of the old-timers (of which, I am one now shockingly - just a few years ago, I was still considered a "newbie" even after being with the company for 15 years) at the thought of drastically changing the way things are done.  Maybe it will be a good thing; I've got my fingers crossed.

At any rate, this news finally lit a fire under me and I have ordered a desk and a chair to put in the current guest room - this training/testing will take place over several hours for several weeks; and it just isn't feasible for me to continue to work from the dining room table any more and expect The Husband to disappear or tiptoe around while I am engaged in this extensive training/testing.  

As is my wont, I looked at EVERY.SINGLE.DESK on the internet; narrowed it down to ten or so.  Then left the tabs open in my browser while I waffled about which one would best meet my needs.  Once I finally figured out which one I wanted (this was a DAYS long process, by the way); I then realized I needed a chair to accompany said desk and the whole process started all over again.

At any rate, they have been ordered and, hopefully, I will have transitioned into my new "home office" by the end of the week.

I must admit, I WILL be pleased to have all the office detritus cleared out of the main living area. 

Now I am off to waffle over what I will waffle over next.

Ding-dang it! I did it AGAIN

 Last year, I happily ordered a 2021 planner (knowing that the odds were good it would see little use after a month or two, given my history).  But I love the "idea" of a planner and acquiring one that suits my planning desires and is cute appeals to me every year.  

My working theory is that if the aesthetic of the planner is "pleasing" I might actually use it (friends, this theory has yet to pan out past three months.  Usually, I pick it up again several months later; only to find it at the end of the year - mostly unused).

The "new" 2021 planner I had ordered was, indeed "new", but was a 2020 version. *sigh*

You can probably guess where this going...

A few days ago, I happily ordered a new (eventually to be ignored) planner.  Guess what arrived yesterday?

A very cute, 2021 planner. *smacks head to desk*

Honestly, how is this EVEN possible?  I open the website, I type the words "2022 5 x 8 planner," skim the results, looking for something that appeals, find one and click "buy".  

WHY on earth are 2021 planners EVEN showing up in the results??

Can I blame this brain fog on COVID?  Even though we haven't had it (thank God; knock wood)? I think I can and will.

Because what else could account for me doing this TWO years in a row?

Christmas 2021 and the aftermath

 Hello!  We made it to the other side; to that weird, quiet period between Christmas and New Year's.

I hope you (if you celebrate) had a wonderful Christmas.  Ours was wonderful.  We had Man-Child and his girlfriend for Christmas Eve AND Christmas morning.  Our friends, two doors down, joined us for a full on seafood feast that The Husband presented us - and it was perfect and delightful.  

The littlest of our guests was delighted when he discovered the exact Transformer he wanted was under our tree - watching the delight on a child's faces as they open a gift that they had their little heart set on is the best gift ever, don't you think?

Since Christmas Eve was a late one; we got off to a slow start on Christmas morning.  But, in the end, we were all ridiculously spoiled and felt very blessed.  I did feel a bit bereft after the kids hurried out the door to the girlfriend's parents but I also understood - I know how stressful it can be for them to balance the "important events" between her parents and his - it's just life.  And I am grateful for every minute we had with them.

After Christmas, my mind then turned to the issue I had been avoiding thinking about...Man-Child had surgery scheduled for the 27th.  Back surgery.

Yes, it was an out-patient surgery but still...a mother worries.  

It was scheduled to begin at 5:45 pm on Monday.  All of Monday had me in a snit due to my nervousness.  His pre-op was scheduled for 3:45 pm - that's when the anxiety really began to ratchet up.  We were not able to be at the hospital, as they only allowed one guest in and he chose, you guessed it, his girlfriend.  Luckily, she agreed to keep us updated and let us know when he was discharged so that we could meet them at the apartment to see him for ourselves and, more importantly, help get him up the steep stairs that leads to his apartment.  The surgery was then pushed back to around 7:15 pm due to a prior surgery going longer than expected.  Which made me wonder...when is it too late for a surgeon to operate after a full day?!  They finally arrived at the apartment around 11 pm, we got him up the stairs somehow (we were all in a row, clutching the stair rails hoping he didn't fall - he didn't).

The surgeon said that everything went really well and our fingers are crossed that this surgery will give him some much needed relief.  In the meantime, I'm happy to report, he is recuperating well.

New Year's Eve was a quiet one here.  The Husband created a beautiful, tasty (although too large for just the two of us) charcuterie board to give us some nibbles.

That will be (one) of his challenges as we move into the new year; learning how to scale DOWN in regards to food.  As I expected, we still have more nibbles for the next few days.

I went back into the archives to see what I had to say at this time last year - and I'd have to say it pretty much still rings true.  Yes, this was another hard year.  But, we have each other to lean on as needed; and that is a true blessing. 

Happy New Year, my friends.  Let's face it together. xo

Last minute Christmas bits and bobs

 Well, we are down to the wire now, aren't we?  As of tomorrow, we only have a week until the big day.

For the most part, I think I'm ready.  I've got one gift left that I would love to track down but, so far am not having any luck.  Yes, Amazon has it.  But for a price that I am not willing to pay.  At this point, I think, I'm willing to let this one go, if I can't chance upon a local store that carries it.

Currently, I'm knee deep in Christmas candy/baking (peanut butter fudge? Done.  Almond bark?  Done. Peppermint Double Chocolate Chip cookies?  Done.).  The spritz cookies still need to be done...probably tomorrow.  Today, I just could not face wrestling with the cookie press.  And I am still deciding whether or not I need to throw another candy/cookie into the mix for the neighbors.

Short aside, the friends two doors down, just sent over a home-made peanut brittle that is out of this world.  No one else in my family cares for it (the ogres) so it's all for me!  And then I wonder why I am not pleased with the scale lately.

I bought generic Christmas cards, since we have ZERO pictures of us this past year, about a week ago with every intention of sending at least a couple.  The cards are sitting on the dining room table, glaring at me.  Hopefully, tomorrow...but I'm beginning to think this may also just go by the wayside.  

I have to say, having The Husband home all day every day (yes, we are wrapping up his first full week of retirement) is putting me off my game.  Okay, FINE!  That is the excuse I am using for why so many things are going by the wayside.

On another note, it's probably too late to order this for a Christmas gift but I ordered this shirt for myself that arrived the other day.  It calls itself a sweatshirt but it doesn't look like a standard sweatshirt.  It has a boat collar, is a nice weight and has a curved hem; I do love a curved hem.  Currently, it appears to be mostly out of stock but if you are on the search for this type of shirt, I highly recommend this one since I fell in love with it as soon as I opened the package.

Yes, I am a person who can fall in love with an article of clothing.  This shirt will be worn on repeat for the majority of this "winter." (Can we call it winter when it is currently 70 degrees Fahrenheit?  Why do I have a feeling that February is going to knock us for a loop regarding winter weather?  That being said, the remainder of those damn pine trees need to figure out how NOT to fall down in my yard; I simply cannot deal with that again any time soon.)

The other last bit of Christmas that I need to deal with is stocking stuffers.  Particularly for The Husband.  For some reason, this year, I am running into a road block with stocking stuffer ideas.

How about you?  Are you all set and ready to go?  Have any stocking stuffer ideas to share?

Back to the regularly scheduled chaos

 As you know from my last post, I had to go to the office this week to "train" the person who has released me from the nightmare I'd been living in for the last three months or so - and so she wouldn't be sitting in an office by herself (her new boss was traveling for company business).  You can't really "train" a person for this particular job so I spent four days trying to show her the ins and outs of the way we do things around here.

She seemed pretty quick and capable but only time will tell whether or not she will stick it out (please God, let her stick it out because I don't think I can go through that again).  

She did come across with an "I've done it all and I know best" attitude but I'm hoping that was just nerves on her part.  Other than that, she seems nice - which is good because we will be working closely (via Internet mostly).

And I am SO happy she came when she did.  As of last Monday, the torrent of emails from her boss just stopped.  Now, I am back to my regularly scheduled chaos, finally!

Just in time to start my Christmas vacation...which...really isn't a "vacation" but it means I'm not tied to the computer all day every day.

So now it's time to start thinking about Christmas baking; Christmas shopping, wrapping, etc.

I did get my mother-in-law's gifts bought, wrapped and mailed on Monday.  Shockingly, she received it this morning; I was so afraid it wouldn't make it time.  She was so pleased; of course I could find a rock in the backyard, paint it and send it to her and she would still be pleased.  As usual, she called to thank me first because "I know you did all the work."  I informed her that The Husband actually mailed it, so he could get a little credit too.

The Husband's last day on the job was today - so next week brings a new chapter to our lives.  I mentioned quite some time ago that we were trying to fix up the guest rooms (which have pretty much been ignored the whole time we've been here) for guests that were supposed to come in October; which they didn't because of - surprise - COVID.  It's actually a good thing they didn't come because the guest rooms, once again, fell off our radar.  So now, we are pivoting and thinking that one of those rooms is going to be turned into an office/guest room after Christmas.

Working at the dining room table has been fine (except for the office clutter that litters the table every day; which makes me itch...but I need it nearby) but with The Husband being home while I'm working...that's just not going to work.  And our company has announced that if/when we ever go back to the office we will be doing a hybrid model where we need to be in the office at least two days a week and can work from home otherwise.  A move I never saw coming but am very happy to embrace.  It only took a pandemic, that's coming up on TWO years (!!) for the powers that be to realize, "Hey...we don't have to micro-manage these people.  Not only are they getting the job done but they are also working more hours and thinking outside of the box to make it work." Duh, powers that be, I could have told you that years and years ago.

At any rate, between the work thing being resolved and quite a few presents landing on my porch in the past few days, I can feel my shoulders relaxing and my panic easing off a bit.  *sigh*  I think it's about time to pour a glass of wine, crawl into my bed, read until my eyes/arms get tired and luxuriate in the fact this short period of insanity is over.

Boosted (after minor triage) and panic and a wonderful Christmas gift...

Friday I went to our local pharmacy to get my COVID booster.  In typical Gigi fashion, when the in-take person handed the forms I needed to complete around the clear, acrylic barrier, I somehow slammed my hand into said barrier.  I remember that it hurt but didn't think much of it.  Until after I filled out the form, handed it to the nurse and realized that my hand was bleeding profusely, because of course it was.

The kind nurse treated and dressed my wound before giving me the booster.

After Suzanne's last post (HI SUZANNE!), my back of the mind, slow burn panic blossomed into a full blown panic (it's not your fault, Suzanne - I promise) as I looked at the calendar and then looked at the list of gifts thought about and/or purchased. 

I have so unbelievably busy/stressed these past months, coupled with the absence of our regular Thanksgiving completely pushed Christmas off my radar.  This weekend has been an epic push to get gifts landing on my front porch.

Man-Child and his girlfriend came to celebrate "Thanksgiving" yesterday...again salmon was on the menu and it was delightful.  The Husband asked about their Christmas plans.  It seems they are planning to be here for both Christmas Eve and Christmas morning - which is a treat...BUT I was assuming it would be the same as last year - both here for Christmas Eve dinner and her going to her parents after.  With Man-Child following later on Christmas afternoon.

Cue the utter panic of  - I still have my usual people to buy gifts/stocking stuffers for and now I have to add in her? (I would have gotten her a gift, of course, but since she will be here for the opening of gifts on Christmas morning there needs to be several more with her name on them, obviously.  Does Man-Child know her sizes or anything helpful?  He does not. *sigh*).  I'll figure it out.

In the meantime, the person who left me high and dry and supporting way too many people has been replaced!  She starts tomorrow! YAY!  The downside?  I'm expected to be in the office to train her next week...for the entire week.  Which, of course, puts me that much further behind in the Christmas department.  And, honestly?  An entire week?  Luckily, I think, for the most part, it should be just the two of us.

Here's where we all pray, "I hope she is a quick study, capable and not prone to jumping ship after she figures out what she signed up for (I WILL hunt her down if she does)."

Are you smug and all set for the holiday (YAY if you are!) or are you, like me, in full on panic mode?

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.

Yet another "stay-cation"...*sigh*

 At this point, I can't even remember the last time I went on a "real" vacation.  2019, maybe?  Who knows?

At any rate, we are getting down to the wire, as far as using up vacation time before the end of the year.  And I have a LOT of time to use.  Considering The Husband decided to take this week off, I did too - simply to avoid having to shush him while I was working.

The result has been a mixed bag.  Yesterday, I worked a "bit" (maybe an hour?) but today?  Well, today I have to admit, I worked a good majority of the day.

Generally, when I take time off I can actually BE off for the majority of the time (truth be told, I usually check in just to keep from being overwhelmed when the vacation is over - but for the most part am on vacation).  But this time around is different.  About two weeks ago, I was "volunteered" to assist the new CFO (the jokes on them...haven't they heard of my dismal mathematical skills?) - to date this hasn't been an issue; he "seems" to be fairly low-key.  But he hasn't "officially" been on the team until yesterday. Time will tell.

Last week, I was again "volunteered" to assist the CEO, as that admin had put in her notice - and they foolishly told her to go ahead and go - rather than waiting until the two weeks notice was up and getting a replacement.

I actually really LIKE our CEO - but I knew from the moment I met her that she was a HIGH MAINTENANCE kind of person.  Which is one of the primary reasons I did not want that job when it first became available.  I knew without a shadow of a doubt, that between the HIGH MAINTENANCE aspect and the extensive travel that position entails that I wanted absolutely nothing to do with it.

And yet, here I am.

Dealing with the very same issues I didn't want to deal with - while on "vacation" no less.

As of this moment, I am juggling four attorneys, two paralegals, two other folks that I'm not really sure what their titles are - but somehow they ultimately report to my "official" boss, a CFO, a CEO and, apparently, somehow in the last year or so, this other random person who has close ties to the "Mother Ship" - so it is in my best interests to "be nice"; and the Go-To Person for various other people who can't seem to get the help they need from their own departments.

Honestly, I don't mind being helpful where and when I can - as most of these people are genuinely nice and very appreciative of any assistance I can offer; but let's be real - ELEVEN people to manage seems to be asking a bit much, doesn't it?

Here's hoping the rest of the week will have more of a "vacation" vibe...although I will be HERE (and NOT at a special destination), with the computer ever present AND contemplating whether or not I should vacuum the rug; etc.

*sigh*