Monday already?

Gosh I love being off work when the weather is beautiful in the spring!

I was out on Friday (as part of my campaign to take the first Friday of every month off to spend down my leave bank) and went down to visit my Aunt Wanda. The drive down was glorious, with a cloudless sky, mild temperatures (60s), the sun was brilliant and everything was in bloom -- the bright yellows of the wild forsythias, whites and pinks of the apple and cherry trees, daffodils and tulips in full bloom everywhere. It truly was a beautiful morning!

Wanda's step-sister (Kay Ann) and husband (Larry) were visiting from Utah and Wanda wanted me to meet them. When I got there, Wanda had a full house with not only her step-sister, but my Aunt Peggy was there, along with the Kay Ann's best friend from high school, Harriet.

We went to The 1812 Store and had a great time browsing all of the crafts and antiques and reproductions. I admired a clock that looked like an old train station clock. Might still have to go back for it, I don't know. We stopped for lunch at a little diner and just had the best time.

Afterward, we went back to Wanda's and sat on the front porch and shot the breeze. It was there that Harriet came to the realization that I wasn't what she originally thought. She asked "So, Lisa is your roommate?" I simply said "No, she's my partner," and Wanda said "They're legally married." You could see the lightbulb go on over Harriet's head. A few minutes later, she said "I don't get it, how does a woman satisfy another woman?" Well, that brought raucous laughter from everyone and I'm told that I blushed. Once my own laughter died down, I told her "Well, let me put it this way. A few summers ago I destroyed a finger and, while that was in a splint and healing from broken bones and stitches, Lisa told me to be careful not to bite my tongue or she'd be out of commission for the summer." More raucous laughter. Another light bulb over Harriet's head.

We really had a great time. It's great to have family so close by. A treat I've never had before.

Saturday and Sunday we putzed around the house a bit here and there. I got the stairs that lead upstairs primed, Lisa put some finishing touches on some mouldings and puttied some nail holes in our newly rennovated areas, I (re)potted some plants, and Lisa went around the yard cutting out all the dead stuff from the fall so new growth can push through. It was a tad chilly both days, but still cloudless and brilliant. Energizing.

Only two weeks of classes left, then a week of final exams, then the semester is finally over. That's when I'll start bringing my knitting to work because the work will virtually come to a screeching, grinding halt.

I found out last week that Terry (our director) sold me down the river as far as the empty position in my department. It turns out that HE got the funds for a new position in HIS department. No wonder he presented those bogus figures to our VP. This guy is a major micro-manager as well. For the past two years now, when it's time to submit our budgets for approval, he hasn't even let me see the materials -- he's just submitted my budget as HE sees fit, without asking me what I need. He has questioned every item I checked off on the Do-it-yourself configuration sheet for our new computers (we get 2 new ones every year). I finally rached a fracture point of sorts last week and sent him a list of supplies that we needed (paper clips, binder clips, post-its, etc.) and asked him to review the list and submit it for purchase, since he wants to be involved in everything I do. I had to chuckle when I got his reply email that started out with "...now that I've gotten past the sarcasm in your email..." Heck, there was no sarcasm in my email, just simple resignation to the fact that he wants to administer everything, even though I get paid to do just that. I'll just sit back and be an overpaid worker bee. But I also told him that if he wants to usurp my authority and my position, then he'll have to take complete accountability for the department as well. Fuck him.

Here's a challenge for all of you ladies out there. Woman Challenge 2006 begins on Mother's Day. All you need is a pedometer and the determination to get out there and do some walking. It's an 8 week challenge with some pretty cool supporting stuff at the web site. Come on! Get off your tookas and walk!