{{{{{Haze}}}}}
If I remember right, I can accumulate up to 160 hours of vacation time, but I also don’t want to, because I would rather use it instead of going crazy with no breaks. It’s a benefit, I’ma gonna use it!
For the first time in several days it looks like it’s going to be gorgeous out, blue skies, fluffy white clouds, around 50F this afternoon…nice. I’ll have to open up. The air up here is sooooo nice.
I have read but retained very little, had a rather emotional few days up here in Scotland. We’re off home tomorrow, which I think 'im indoors is glad about as it’s been pretty rough on him having to deal with his family.
(((((Haze))))) and (((((IB))))) - I really do know how you’re feeling just now. Will be thinking of you both as you make the journey I’m just finishing.
(((((FCM and family))))), I hope things get back to normal for you soon and Daughter starts to reclaim her own life.
(((((Kai))))), here’s hoping your divorce gets sorted out soon, it’s horrible when these things drag on so much. But yay for having admirers!
Right, I’m off to make more cups of tea and organise food for folks who are not in a fit state to do it for themselves. Well, someone as to help them keep body and soul together, right? His father’s ashes were returned to the house yesterday, last night his mum was just sitting here staring at a photo of their dad, it was quite heartbreaking to see, poor woman. They’d been married 49 years and she looks so lost now that he’s finally gone.
Please keep his family in your thoughts and prayers, they are very close-knit and I am worried how they will deal with this in the longer term.
Oh, and belated happy birthday, MrsBusMum!
Sorry to hear of IB’s loss. I’m glad you can do with him–he’ll need you. 
BooFae–your bit about indoor’s mum is heartbreaking. So sad.
I had a very weird dream about some MMPers.** LiLi** featured prominently–she had 2 boys, the younger (not a baby) with some kind of weird syndrome (not diabetes) that prevented him from ever being able to talk, but he could decipher sign language. Then a small girl child appeared. LiLi refused to tell me her age. I learned she was head of a home school organization in her small community that had decided to “end the public school monopoly on education”. My daughter and I were waiting for a bus to come and take us back to somewhere. **LiLi **agreed to drive us to the bus stop, but to do so we had to cross many RR tracks. There was a train coming, a mile long one, destined to cut us off from the bus stop and our way “home”. LiLi was determined to get us to the bus, so she started running (sans car) to beat the train. Daughter wanted to join her, but I kept screaming NO!. LiLi then turned into a horse, racing the train.
Would it help if I told you throughout the dream I couldn’t remember LiLi’s name and kept calling her WhyNot? I didn’t think so. :eek:
(none of it makes any sense at all. LiLi, if you read this, don’t think of it as a reflection on you–it’s just my weird ass brain, processing godknowswhat).
I awoke to a killer sinus headache. I took major drugs, but so far, they haven’t made much of a dent.
I’m not looking for compensation, GT. I’m just looking for fairness for GM. And it’s a long story, but she’s not really in a position to demand it for herself.
(((Haze)))
Ugh, I can not wait to get out of school! I kept waking up and dozing off last night. I know it’s because my sleep schedule is all screwy cuz I keep staying up really late to work. Then my alarm clock decided that it should be two hours slow and thus didn’t go off until I had finally gotten up on my own. I have no idea what happened there - it’s one of those that gets its time from the atomic clock.
But I’ve breakfeasted and now I’m off to get dressed, pick up my room, pack some stuff, and go to my parents’ house.
{{{{{{{{{{Haze & IB}}}}}}}}
{{{Haze and IB}}}. Y’all and IB’s dad and family are in my thoughts and prayers.
BooFae good on you organizing food and tea etc for the family. I’m sure they’ve appreciated your being there to help out. This is the sort of stuff that really helps out in times of grief. Then again, you are a Mumper so natch you jump in in time of need.
StickyBuns yeah it’s always a delicate situation but I like the idea of speaking with the Pastor about ways to delegate more responsibility for big events like that. You may be surprised to learn how people will respond positively to being asked to handle a specific task. My draftin’ style is more on the lines of, “We could really use you to”… and then name a specific task. It works! Oh, and btw you and your baked N.O.T. achieved celebrity status at brunch. I have had several emails this afternoon requesting the recipe. I told YP’s wife that this was not a recipe for the calorie conscious. Her response was, “Well, Duh! That’s why it’s so good!” 
ShinyCat an atomic clock? You want to nuke yourself out of bed? :eek: 
In other news, I have not defilthyfied the cave and ain’t gonna today. Don’t wanna! I will do so durin’ the week however as I do have a bit more time at the moment and all.
Later Y’all!
{{{{Haze and IB}}}}}
It’s the only way to be sure.
I have not defilthyfied my place either. I am working on yet another set of Booster Club minutes. At least I’m being paid twice my normal rate.
Good job with helping, BooFae, I’ll keep them in my prayers.
{{{Haze and IB}}}
Good on ya for helping, BooFae.
I got some bad news today. My BFF from work who I’ve known for 14 years - his son died from an overdose last Thursday. I just found out today. The funeral is tomorrow.
I only have two dresses. Do you think it would be gauche to wear a springy flowery one- it’s blue and green pastel? My only other choice is a black suit w/skirt with a matching dark blue paisley shell. I don’t have any acceptable shoes for the black suit. I guess I could run out and get some at lunch tomorrow. (The funeral is after work.)
Maybe that’s too strong a line, but I think it might be helpful to make it clear to him that a lot of work is going into this. Perhaps you should just share with him how much an event like this would cost if you catered it. And then maybe either you or GM or her husband could share some volunteer-wrangling tips. (Or maybe GM could just implement some volunteer-wrangling tips.) What swampy suggested has worked really well in my experience. Even if you just add a couple of people at a time, it would take a great deal of stress from you and GM, I think.
So sorry about your co-worker’s son, Rebo. Around here, people don’t seem to care much about what you wear to a funeral as long as it’s a reasonable level of dressy. It’s more important for you to just be there.
And good on you BooFae for pitching in. Will there be someone there to help comfort 'im indoors’s mom for a while?
Off to a friend’s house for plant planning stuff AND dessert. Yay!
Hugs.
GT
I’m very sorry to read about **IB’s **Dad, Haze. Hugs to both of you.
BooFae, sometimes just doing the “little” things are what help people get through the day in the face of such painful times. It’s nice that you’re able to do that for your **'im indoors **family.
It’s been a rather non-productive day for me. I did manage to get a work out in, but other than that, I haven’t done a damn thing. The day just kind of slipped away from me. It seems to have flown by.
We didn’t get home until after 3:00 in the morning. I should have just stayed up, but made the mistake of going to bed. I didn’t get out of bed until well after 9:00 am and spent too much time just goofing off.
Always something… Daughter’s car appears to have a major alternator issue. As in, it appears to be dead. However, since it’s a diesel, all we have to do is get enough battery charge to get it started, then we can drive it to our car guys.
I planted/transplanted 6 forsythia and 4 peonies. What dirty, sweaty work that was! But it’s done, and we’re supposed to get rain tonight, which is good. We had a good supper, and the dishwasher is running right now. Scruffy is whining to go out. So I’ll let her out, then assume the knitting position. And I’ll catch ya in the next MMP!
MWAH:heart:
Good points, GT and swampy. I’m going to compose an email to the her (female pastor) tonight.
I’d also like to apologize for not passing on my condolences to BooFae and** 'im Indoors **and Haze and IB sooner. It’s been a bit hectic 'round these parts.
ETA: Swampy, I’m glad that the potato salad was a hit. I haven’t made it here in a looooong time.
Rebo the most important thing is to be there. I don’t think what you wear will matter at all. Don’t worry about finding shoes for your black outfit. Unless you’re someone who sees this as a good reason to buy shoes. In that case knock yerself out. Sorry to hear about your bff from work’s son. Those kinds of deaths are always so hard to deal with. I’ll keep him and his family in my thoughts and prayers.
We have received an invite to dindin tomorrow. A friend of ours who is not known for cookin’ is makin’ homemade lasagna. It’s not that she can’t cook, she just doesn’t. My response when she called was, “Must be sump’n wrong with the connection here. I swear I just heard you say you’re cookin’.” Her response? “Bite Me!” I have a feelin’ part of the reason for the invite is so she can vent/stress out a little bit over the preparations for the rehearsal dinner she has to give next month for her son’s wedding. Hey, that’s part of what bein’ a friend is, right? We can do that for her.
Peace to IB and his family.
{{{{{{{Haze&IB and BooFae&'ImIndoors}}}}}}} - you are in my thoughts and prayers, as are your families. And Rebo, so are you and your BFF’s family. So sad.
Grocery shopping for the week is done, mostly. And back to work tomorrow (shhh!) Hoping for a good week for all.
I just spent the last hour writing and rewriting my letter to the pastor. Hopefully I was clear enough in my words and intent.
How old is the pastor, Pie - or how long has she been a pastor and what other types of jobs has she had? Could be she doesn’t have enough experience to understand how to get volunteers to pitch in.
Back to work tomorrow as well (after 4 days off). But I’m off again on Wednesday and maybe one day next week as well.
There was something else I wanted to say, but I can’t remember what…
Anyone want to get us started tomorrow/tonight?
GT
My clock isn’t atomic, it just talks to the one that is!
I did it: Hope no one else was on deck.
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=12409869#post12409869