Rejection trouble

Unfortunately, my sister-in-law is in acute rejection, but the docs say it is just a speed bump and they need to tune up her meds and it should be ok. Went to the arthritis doc about my hands...seems it is a common hereditary condition and the pain should fade in time as my body adjusts to expanding nodes...meantime I am taking a med that seems to help with the pain.

Still pretty hot. The big hurricane, Earl, was a no show. I was hoping it would zip through and leave cool weather behind it. Oh, well...maybe it will cool down anyway.

1. Had a nice meal at the crazy diner

2. Ran into a friend from Rhawnhurst

3. Got a lot done at work and had a pleasant but busy day

4. Liking the bigger paycheck now that I am working 30 hours

5. Had 14 memberships today!

I have been slacking off

I haven't been real good about keeping up...again... Work over the weekend was good.Even closing with Laurie. I got the grass cut on Monday and I cleaned the upstairs on Tuesday. Today I saw the arthritis doctor and then I cleaned the sunporch. We stopped by to see Bettyanne but she didn't feel so hot. We are worried that Uncle Walt isn't capable of taking care of her properly. It is a lot of work and tough. Now Spencer is confused about his classes and all I want to do is rush up there and take care of him, fix everything and hold him in my arms and make it all better. Oh, well.

1. The pain in my hands will eventually go away

2. I got a lot done on my three days off

3. Have and early day tomorrow which means early done tomorrow

4 .My schedule seems sort of steady

5. A really good Labor Day movie is on...Picnic

I thought I had posted Thursday????

I thought I had posted on Thursday but I guess I didn't. We are short staffed at work, but I am managing to get done what needs doing. I am enjoying my job again and that is a good thing. Closes still suck, but they don't suck as bad as they used to. I still am a little frightened coming home late at night, but what can I do? If I keep opening on Fridays, I will still be able to eat with Chopper. It means a lot to her. I lost 10 pounds.

1. I found a spot right in front of the house

2. I got the car washed

3. I went food shopping so I have healthy food in the house again

4. Had a nice dinner with Chopper last night at Curtin's Wharf...the weather was perfect

5. The money all came out even...YAY!

Spencer back up at Yale

Coping well with Spencer being back up at Yale. I miss him like crazy, but I am confident that he can take care of himself and his new habitat is awesome. So maybe the helicopter won't have to leave the launch pad too often. Gotta get up early tomorrow, so I will cut right to the happy 5

1. Had a pleasant ride up to Yale

2. Spencer's room is AWESOME!

3. I don't have to close tomorrow night

4. The move in was pretty smooth

5. The ride back wasn't too bad...just one small detour

The body is an amazing thing

Just got back from visiting my sister-in-law, and she looked great considering she had a lung transplant less than a week ago! Spencer got a chance to see her before he goes back to college tomorrow. He is still packing. He has a lot of stuff, but Mike is good at packing it in the car. I will probably be the guard while they unload it into the dorm. Now Chopper wants us to get her some Yale apparel if we get a chance. I don't want to hang around up there to long because I have to go to work early Thursday and a clean break is always the best. I do look forward to writing letters to Spencer again.

1. Saw my sister-in-law and she is progressing nicely

2. Got my shower out of the way so I don't have to worry about it tomorrow

3. Spencer is almost all packed

4. Should be able to get to bed early so I am fresh for the drive tomorrow

5. Watching wipeout...pretty funny

The Bitch is back

Well, I am back as a head cashier, but this time I think I will have an easier time to run the cash wrap without too much stress. The new management is so much more pleasant than the old regime. My main concern now is to get the middle room uncluttered. Once we get Spencer back up to school, I will spend a week cleaning the house. I will be working 30 hrs a week, so that will leave me time to keep things tidy. It seems I stepped back up just in time....our store will be cutting the partimer's hours, so I will be safe. Usually my timing sucks, but it has worked out many times as far as B&N is concerned.

1. Our credit card charges weren't as bad as I anticipated...and I paid them in full

2. I had a good check up at the dentist

3. It's supposed to be a clear day on Wed when we take Spencer back up

4. It rained today, so I had a good reason to not cut the grass.

5. Don't have to go to work again till Thursday...and I don't have to close

Took me forever to get back on here...it has been a long yet quick summer. I think I will spend most of this blog time writing five good things that I am happy about each day.

1. My first day back as a head cashier went very well

2. I am going to enjoy working with our new manager

3. I finished all the laundry for Spencer

4. I will be guaranteed 30 hours at work even though they are cutting hours right and left

5. My sister-in-law is recovering nicely from her lung transplant

Getting a handle on it

I feel bad having not posted for awhile, but I'm not sure I am good at this. I feel all over the place. I cut back on my hours at work and stepped down as head cashier. It wasn't that I didn't want the responsibility, I didn't want the pressure that was being put on me by the managers that we have. I also need time to get my life organized and uncluttered at home. I wish I had had the courage to go part time when my mother was still alive, but deep down maybe I used the job as an excuse not to help out my Mom because I didn't like it. I am uncomfortable around illness and even more so when someone you care about is ill or in pain. Now the weather is great and I think, Mommy is missing this...or she would love these flowers. Not an hour goes by that some little thing will remind me of her and then I remember that she is gone. I don't want to get all maudlin. More tomorrow.

I am adjusting...

I will be back blogging...i am just adjusting to some life changes I am making

After difficulty, sweetness

After a particularly trying week at work...and the uneasiness of meeting with our estate lawyer for the first time...this week has seemed especially nice. The weather has been nice...my tooth is finally starting to feel normal and the big thrill...Spencer is home. Chopper and I went up to pick up the Fish on Friday ...a nice ride up and back. Went to see the play at Masterman on Sat. Tomorrow we may do some geocacshing in Asbury Park.

Stress is a mess

Further update on my tooth saga. The cracking tooth was saved, but we need to get to the bottom of why my teeth are cracking. It looks like the stress is causing me to break my virgin teeth. They have no cavities or defects, just the pressure of my clenching at night. It can't just be because of my mother because the tooth was hurting before she started to really go downhill. It has to be work. They expect so much and you have to keep calm or they get mad. All that pent up frustration is being released on my poor teeth. I don't know what to do. I need to work, but I may inherit enough money that I don't have to work. But would that be enough? I would hate to let the others down at work...I do care about the job and Barnes & Noble. I will give it more time and see how things pan out. Retail sucks. I have a lot to think about. I am looking forward to Spencer coming home. I hope he has a good break...Xmas was awful. I am worried about Chopper. She is practically paralyzed with grief. And it is understandable. How hard it must be to go home to that empty house that she lived with Mommy. I know how much I missed Spencer when he was gone to college, but I knew he was out there. I don't know how to help her because I am suffering (albeit not so much) myself.

1. My other cracking tooth has been saved and I am taking steps to keep the others intact

2. I am enjoying my nook

3. I open and close with two of my favorites tomorrow and Thursday

4. I went food shopping yesterday and laid supplies for Spencer's time home

5. Spencer seemed really up the other day with how good the project he was involved in

Toof is better

Had a really rough day at work last Sunday, but I didn't give up and went back in and just worked really hard and things were much better. I will keep on plugging and there were glimpses of why I really liked the job to begin with. I bought a nook. Partly because I wanted one and partly to show them that I do care about my job and that I am sincere about how important B&N is to me. I just seem to have so much to worry about these days even though my biggest concern was my mother and that was the ultimate failure because she died. I am worried about the tooth that is behind the tooth they took out because it, too, is cracking. The dentist will try to save it, but why did it happen? Is it something that I doing that is causing it to crack? I don't know if I can take another pull and bone graft. I am worried about Mr Vallee and what will become of him. I am worried about Chopper and all the stuff that the estate will entail. And our e mail isn't working. Maybe that is why I am grinding my teeth...but I have been stressed out before. I am also worried about Spencer...he seems so melancholy and I so want him to be happy.

1. I got my room all cleaned and the steps all vacuumed

2. I don't have to work tonight

3. Last week was pretty good at work considering how bad last Sunday was

4. The roads aren't to bad right now

5. I will see Spencer next week

The toof, the whole toof and nothing but the toof

My poor tooth...he took it out, but there wasn't enough bone left to put in the implant, so he did a bone graft. Later I thought it was synthetic, but Chopper says sometimes they use bone from cadavers. I don't want o think about it. The pain was horrible when the novocaine wore off and the stupid percoset didn't seem to work...at least not till the second one did the pain killers kick in. Now it just feels sore and weird, but not too bad. Work was ok, but the talking to the customers made everything ache and feel dry. I hope that Laurie lets me keep some water in the office to keep hydrated. I will talk more about this next time...I am tired right now.

1. The pain has subsided

2. I closed with Kat tonight

3. Had a nice breakfast with Chopper this morning

4. I skyped with Spencer today

5. My stomach doesn't bother me anymore

You can't handle the toof

Saw the dentist...bad news...the tooth is split right in half and can't be saved. I have to go to the folks that took out my wisdom tooth and the will pull it out and hopefully put an implant in right away. Then the regular dentist will build a cap and put a crown on top. Very expensive and lots of visits to the dentist. Me, who had no cavities. At least it will stop the pain. It also makes me miss Mommy because this is the type of thing I would've called and talked to her about. She had five implants and she would know what to expect. Plus, when you are hurt or worried, you want your Mommy, even if your 54 years old.

I was stressing all yesterday about the music count today, but the planogram didn't change, so it wasn't too hard. I had about seven projects in my e planner, but I just stayed calm and attacked them one by one and got them done! We had a good lead meeting and I was done at 5, so I got home and cooked dinner for us and maybe I will turn in early. Its donut day, but I didn't have any donuts. I hope I recover fast from the tooth extraction...I don't want to miss work on Friday...I missed too much work as it is. I want to finish the kitchen, but my next day off is toofday. (Thursday) Oh, well.

1. Music count went really well

2. I got all my e projects done

3. Don't have to close tonight

4. My tooth should be gone soon and the pain will go with it

5. Though it snowed, it didn't cause any problems

Toof or dare

Finally finished my antibiotics for my abcess so I spoke to the dentist and I will see him and then he will send me to someone else for root canal. Yikes! Got a start on the kitchen and then headed to Burlington to help Chopper search for the will...if there is one. My parents were really strange. We found the wackiest stuff in the basement. No one would believe me if I told them. But it made me miss Mommy and Daddy to see their handwriting and all the stuff. we did find my grandfathers ruby ring. If it is real, it is a pretty big stone. It is inscribed KB to NB which are my grandparents initials...so it may be the real deal. Also, we found some real zippo lighters that had my father's signatures etched in them. They will all go to Spencer. It's funny he wanted a zippo and now he will have three. P.S. they still work and one is over 40 years old. But I recognized my fathers handwriting on them.

1. Actually had fun looking for the will in the cellar in Burlington.

2. Got some chores done

3. Finally finished the antibiotics

4. Don't have to close tomorrow

5. Chopper seemed a little less freaked out today

i fell...again

Yeah, I fell again. I had a decent day...Didn't have too much trouble getting to work, despite the record breaking snow. and then as we were leaving...I hit a patch of black ice and went down on my knee...ripped my pants...a pair of my favorites. And our street was in worse shape than when I left it. But now I am home and a good movie will be on soon and I will kick back and relax.

1. Even though it was slow, I still had two memberships

2. So glad I have four wheel drive!

3. Good Ethel Merman movie on soon

4. As long as no one steals my spot, I should be good shape for getting to and from work

5. I don't have to close Sunday

Poor Chopper

Chopper finally went back home today and she is having a rough time of it. The overwhelming task ahead of her is daunting. and on top of it all she misses Mommy terribly. It breaks my heart because she was all she had. I miss her, too, but I have my family...she had only Mommy and now she is gone. I have gone back to work and everyone is being nice to me. It is good to be back to some kind of normalcy, but I, too, miss mommy. I will do something and think, Mommy taught me how to do that or she always said a certain thing. Sometimes I forget that she is gone, and then it comes back to me and the sadness floods through me. I also wonder if we could've done something more that would have maybe saved her. Like insisting that she go to the hospital sooner to address the swelling in her legs...maybe they could've given her the lasics sooner. Or if that mold hadn't gotten so bad, she wouldn't have gone into respiratory arrest and wouldn't have had the heart attack that ultimately led to her death. At least she didn't die alone.

1. Had a good day at work

2. Sold 4 new memberships

3. Had no trouble driving in the snow

4. Jaw is feeling a little better, even without advil

5. Got one load of laundry off to Spencer

Snow Day!

Was mentally prepared to go back to work, but mother nature had other ideas. Got the call that they weren't going to open...so I could relax, even though my jaw and the surrounding teeth are still hurtin'. Mike dug out my car so I am prepared to go in tomorrow, I just don't know what time because I don't know my schedule for next week. Oh, well, I will call in the morning. It will be tough to catch up as it is, but now it will be even weirder. Spencer should be able to catch up fairly easily, so that is one less worry. I can't believe that more than a week has passed since my mom died. I keep thinking that we have to call and check on her. It just seems so strange that she is not out there some where. I feel fragile.

1. Snow day! Was told not to come to work, so I may still get paid.

2. Car is all shovelled out and with the four wheel drive I should be able to get out

3. Chopper is here so I don't have to worry about her

4. Got a nice shower and feel pretty good (except for the jaw)

5. Spencer seems to be on top of his work even though he lost a week because of the funeral

My heart is broken

I glanced at my last post because it had been a while and I noted that I had said I can't see how she can survive this...well, she didn't. Sadly, my mother passed away on Friday, January 29, 2010. When they called us in the morning and told us she had been intebated again, I still thought in the back of my mind that she would pull out of it again. That it would just be another long haul like it had been in 2003, but she would in the end pull through. I will write more about it as the blogs go on, but there is too much to say now. I wanted it to be over, but for her to be better, not to have died. So much drama with my sisters. They have been good to me at work, but it will be tough when I go back. Now we are facing a blizzard and I am supposed to go back tomorrow. Chopper is staying with me still, and we are getting on each others nerves. I still am going to try to come up with five good things.

1. My mother looked terrific at the viewing, she would've been pleased

2. We managed to get Spencer and take him back without to much trouble

3. It is supposed to snow a lot and my car is parked right in front of my house and the tank is full.

4. My car has had it 5000 mile oil change

5. All the services and even the selection of the marker is done before the big blizzard that is baring down on us right now

The Rollercoaster Ride Continues

Well, after another meltdown at work, Mike and I worked out a deal where I take a week off of work without pay and try to get things together. I wanted to get a family meeting and work out some kind of schedule so that I could help out with the care of the Gator and still be able to work and keep my house. Well, we got together and it was productive and I was able to get back to Mike and tell him what we worked out and that it shouldn't affect my schedule with them and I would still be able to take care of myself. I would use this week to get my house completely clean so that I would have a nice tidy sanctuary to come to after a tough day at work or Gator tending. Sounds like we worked it all out, right? Well, the Gator just kept going downhill, so we spent till 2:00 am in the ER. We think things might actually work out...then they screw up and then send her to the ICU that she was in 6 years ago. But a lot has changed since then and perhaps things will be better this time. Chopper is staying with me...which is good so that she doesn't have to face going to the house without the Gator. Sometimes I think she will pull out of it and other times I just can't believe she could possibly survive this.

1. I don't have to worry about work for this week and I can concentrate on my housework and still be able to visit the hospital

2. Got all the curtains washed and ironed in the living room, dining room and sun room

3. Spencer got the classes that he wanted this semester

4. Things seem to be under control at the hospital for the time being

Making some progress

Yesterday I completely cleaned the sun room...I even washed and ironed the curtains...I also did the curtains in the living room...there mustv'e been a ton of dust onf those valances...they look so clean and fresh now. I wouldv'e put them back up, but I promised Chopper I would spend the evening with the Gator to give her a break... She is so labor intensive and hard to take care of! She is so exhausting and I was only there for a few hours...poor Chopper. I don't think she is going to get better. I think she may last a long time, but it will be a matter of keeping her as healthy as possible and as comfortable as possible. But it may be too big a job for us to handle. Chopper is probably already on the road to losing her job. But if teh Gator went into assisted living, she would probably give up altogether and quickly fade away...and nursing homes make you sign over all yoyur money and assets and that is just too much money to lose. Almost every minute that I am not at B & N I am either cleaning or helping with the Gator. And now Chase wants me to go to the B & N downtown to see how they do their journal wall...on my day off...so I lose more time.

Busy but productive day

Well, I did it! All the christmas stuff is away! Now on to the cleaning. But it won't be quite as speedy as I would like. I am going to spend the evening In Burlington tomorrow so that Chopper can get some work done. I am worried about her and her career. They claim to put family first, but at CHOP they don't seem very understanding. I am torn...I really do love my job, but I love Chopper,too and I want help her and my mom. The home health aid is nice, but she is burning through their money. I am going to relax for the rest of this evening and play with Pinkie and read for awhile...and then get a good nights sleep. Daddy and I had a nice dinner and a few laughs while we watched tv and I took advantage of his being home to help me set up the tv in the kitchen with the converter to HD that we have had for months. Now we can watch tv in the kitchen again. So we got a lot done today...and I intend to get a lot done tomorrow! Who knows when I will have two days off in a row again.

1. The christmas stuff is away

2. I got some chores done

3. I don't have to go to work tomorrow

4. Got a really funny thank you from Spencer's roommate

5. We have tv in the kitchen again

Rainy Sunday

Well, my motto of Keep calm, stay dry and carry on, held me in good stead at work today. We were short handed yet busy and we are expecting a visit from the district manager which means everything has to look perfect. And tomorrow will be worse because that is when the real work will be done and I have o get up extra early the next day to go to Burlington to help take care of my mother till the home health care lady gets there at 10 am. Then I will come home and try to do more packing of the xmas stuff. I am off Wed, too, and I hope to kick some organizing ass then. I was supposed to take my mother for a doc appt, but it would be to hard to transport her. She really needs to try to help herself. I am worried about Chopper's future and her career. She is getting bogged down taking care of my mother and it just isn't right. My mother needs to let her go.

I struggle to come up with five good things to cap off my blogs. It does make me feel better though.

1. I sold ten memberships today

2. I stayed calm and cool at work and I was less stressed

3. I found out that Spencer's spring break is long (makes up for the short xmas break)

4. I got the new washer and it fit through the doorway easily

5. One of the manager's that I don't like to work with is off this week

Four closes in a row coming up

Yup, I am looking at four closes in a row, but my day off was pretty productive. Packed up more Xmas stuff, went to the bank for the Gator, got a nice shower and changed my bedclothes...fired off another letter to the Fish and now I have a minute to play on pinkie. Had to stay over in Burlington last night. Chopper had a meltdown again. I don't like to go there, but i know that Chopper needs a break now and then and if I can help, I will. I wonder sometimes if we are able to properly care for the Gator or are we doing more harm than good. I suppose she would completely shut down if we put her in an assisted care facility. Mike can't understand why someone as intelligent as my mom doesn't seem to understand that she needs to help herself to get better, but even my cousin said that old people tend to do that: stop taking nourishment of fluids. Maybe its natures way of bringing an end to life. But Chopper will not let her go. We will fight as hard as we can until her quality of life is really bad. Even though ours sucks right now. Anyway, I know that I will feel much better when I get my house in order. I have two days off in a row next week and though I have to watch the Gator early on Tuesday but I should get home by noon and start more packing. and I will have some time in the mornings before work to do some stuff.

1. My tooth stopped hurting

2. Helped Chopper and the gator last night

3. Made some headway with the Xmas Packing

4. Got a nice letter from the fish yesterday

5. Am closing with Danielle tomorrow

Spencer, if you read these posts, please leave a comment so that I know

Not such a bad Tuesday

Went to work all keyed up about the music count, but the plano didn't change and there were no additions, so it was easy to do...it still took longer bthan they allow for it. The rest of the day went well. I lioke when I don't have to close. And next week I am off Tuesday...so I don't have to worry about the music count. Got more laundry done, but not too much progress on the xmas decorations. I will have two days off in a row next week and I want to maximise my time. I still have to clean after it is all put away...The kitchen and bathroom as well as my room and Spencer's room. AHHHH!!!!. Anyway, my mother is still making things hard for Chopper and I worry about her. I think my mother is clinging to her and it isn't good for Choppper. Or any of us. I don't know what to do to make it better. There just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the day. Oh, well.

1. The music count went easily today!

2. I didn't have to close

3. I got an appt. right away yesterday for my tooth, even if it didn't cure it

4. I have a decent schedule next week so I may be able to get a lot done

5. I am going to go to bed early so I have more energy tomorrow so I can get more done when I get home from work

Spencer is back at Yale

Well, he's gone. I miss him, but it isn't as bad as the first time he left. Probably because we aren't going to try to breal off communications like we did the first time. I can't wait to skype with him on my net book. I am trying to give him advice on improving his social life, but I am not so hot at it myself. This pain in my jaw is really starting to get on my nerves and frankly it scares me a little. Every day of my life I am in pain somewhere or other, but I usually know what it is. Sore knee? I was standing too long. Same goes for the feet. Fingers ache? It's the arthritis or I drank something with sodium benzoate. But this jaw thing has me stumped. I mean the dentist couldn't find anything and he really looked. Now I have to run around to different doctors and try to figure out how to stop the pain. And get all the Xmas decorations down. And do the laundry. And go to work. And help Chopper with the Gator. Anyway...that is what is on my mind now...I am waiting for the advil to kick in so that I can go to bed.

1. At least I have a way to relieve the pain

2. The trip up and back from Yale was nice and smooth

3. We had a few laughs at breakfast and lunch and generally had a nice time together

4. No "steps back" for the Gator today

5. Had a nice shower and managed to do a few chores after we got back from taking Spencer back to Yale

So far 2010 hasn't been so hot

I am stressed out as usual over the mess in the house and the daunting task facing me in getting all the xmas decorations down and stashed away. I am also worried about my poor sister who is stuck taking care of my mom. My mother is a very selfish person who isn't really exerting any effort to help herself get better and is putting all the burden on Chopper. She has a home health care lady there to help mher, but she will waity for Chopper to come home to things for her. My tooth (jaw) is still hurting. The advil helps, but I hate depending on it so. Work hasn't been too bad because I have a new attitude...I don't sweat the small stuff and it seems to be working for me. I am getting done what I need to get done. I just wish my aches and pains would go away. I will miss Spencer but I would rather he be in a more stimulating environment at Yale than here either stuck up in his room or stuck visiting my mom. And he will get a decent meal up there, too. I feel bad that I didn't cook one meal for him in the three weeks he was home. Mom~fail. I wanted to write a letter to Spencer so that he would have a letter waiting for him when he got back, but my thumb has split open because it is so dry and it hurts to write. But that won't stop me. I love to write to him and I know he likes to get letters. I better get to bed.

1. The pain in my tooth (jaw) is a little better and can be controlled by advil

2. Work was pleasant

3. The snow, if it happens, should not be too bad or interfere too much with our taking Spencer back to Yale

4. I don't have to close tomorrow

• 5. Spencer helped me with some chores

Tuesday, bloody tuesday

Well, another music count done and Mike was supposed to show us how to do it so that it goes faster....I don't think we shaved off much time, but I will find out next Tuesday because I do the music count. My jaw is still killing me and i was hoping that the dentist would find out what was wrong and fix it but he doesn't know what is casing the pain either....so I have to keep suffering. We had a nice dinner at the Olive Garden and then we stopped by to visit Mom mom Katz. We had a pleasant time and now I'm home waiting for Spencer to e mail me a copy of his report. Then I will read awhile and go to bed...I close the next two nights.

1. Got a lot accomplished at work today

2. Had a nice dinner at the Olive Garden with Spencer and Mike

3. Had a nice visit with Mom Mom Katz

4. My cold is getting better

5. My mom got her nutritional drink today and hopefully that will help her

Already missed a day

I was going to try to write every day, but already I missed yesterday. But by the time we got back from Burlington, I was too tired to fire up Pinkie and post. But I got a reprieve from work today, so I will take advantage of the unexpected time and write.

If there is one thing I hate to do and that is to call out sick...but this time the boss took one look at me, deemed me contagious and sent me home. I didn't protest too much. I still feel pretty crappy and the more time I can spend with Spencer the better. Even though he spends most of his time in his room, at least I know he is in the house and I can talk to him if I feel like it.

The holidays are winding down and now the daunting task of finding a place for all the new stuff begins. And then putting all the decorations away. I am not going to rush it, but I can't wait till things are back to normal. Neat and normal. I am going to take advantage of the empty rooms before I bring back the pictures and plants and things to clean stuff really well.

Lets get back to the 5 good list.

1. I don't have to work today after all

2. Mike is going to his sister's tonight so I have Spencer all to myself

3. I am probably starting to get over this cold.

4. I have a good book to read and a good old movie on tv

5. It is really cold outside and I am inside where it is warm

Happy New Year (not)

Well, this year isn't starting out so hot. I have a terrible cold...my tooth hurts and my mother is sick with no sign of recovery. Christmas sucked and Spencer is having a crappy holiday. He is probably counting the days to when he can go back to Yale. I was supposed to close tonight but I feel too crappy. And my voice is shot, which makes it hard to talk to customers. But Spencer got me this great little netbook for Xmas and now I should be able to keep up with my new year's resolution to keep up with my blog. He had it all set up and ready to rock on Christmas morning. He and Mike went to the Mummer's Parade. It will give them some bonding time and I can relax and try to get better. I don't go back to work till Sunday and if this cold follows its usual course, I should be ok by Sunday. And i close with one of my favorite managers, so that is good. Chopper has me worried about my toothache...she says it is probably abscessed and that I have to see a dentist immediately. Like I have time for that...I hope I can hold out with the pain till my regular checkup in February. Also, Spencer may have to have his wisdom teeth out. That will be addressed in the summer, but I don't know if I can stand to see him in that kind of pain. Happy 2010. I will still try to find 5 happy thoughts or things that happened this day.

1. I have this wonderful netbook!

2. I had to call out sick and I spoke to the best manager that I could have.

3. Spencer and Mike went down to see the parade, so I don't feel as bad about causing everyone to have a miserable New Year.

4. I did some ironing already today, so that I can sit back guilt free and watch the Mummers and read a book

5. Even thoguh the official grades aren't in, it looks like Spencer did well his first semester at Yale!