reasons to love Monday

I think it's time for me to return to my usual Monday format. I need to remind myself of all the awesome things that can/do happen on Mondays. You can help me out by adding your own... if you can't add it here, add it to facebook. Here goes:

1. No staff meeting this morning as the Big D is on vacation this week.

2. D is on vacation this week... "just take those old records off the shelf"..

3. Austin made coffee for me today! He's trying to get back on a human schedule instead of sleeping all day like a vampire.

4 We haven't found a washer and dryer yet but I'm determined to get them this week.

5. Our trash pick up starts this week and the herbie curbie should be here today.

6. Still have to sort through the multitude of clothes... put away books... find storage places for items that stay boxed up... but we're getting closer to looking like a real nest.

7. We were able to get Austin's bed over the weekend and he worked hard on organizing his room.

8. It's going to be cooler today. We needed a break.

9. I'm packing a lunch today... finally have enough "ingredients" to put together a reasonable lunch. For the past three weeks I've been eating out almost every day.

10. Austin is cooking a roast in the crockpot for dinner.

11. I've hired a housekeeper. Well. Not really a housekeeper... but I did hire someone to come and do the floors (which I can't do and Austin does poorly) and my bathroom because I can't lean over to scrub the tub. It helps me to not have to do the stuff that makes my back worse and it helps her because she's a college student and needs the money.

12. I still need someone to haul away the empty boxes as they are taking over half of my living room. Austin was working on lining that up.

13. In less than twelve hours, Lord willing, I'll be back in the nest!

I went to our community cookout last night although I really didn't feel like it and y'all know how I hate those kind of things. But I thought about my friend Lyn from Brit's Blog and knew that she would give me grief about being a hermit so I sucked it up and went. It was actually a really awesome experience for me getting to know the neighbors. When I signed the lease Sue said, "I think you'll be a great fit for our community" and I didn't really get it... I thought it was maybe a racial thing or something but when I was able to talk to the rest of the neighbors, I realized that I had something in common with almost all of them.

I've talked about our handy man, Maury... his wife is Ellen and they're "late in life" parents. They have a gorgeous daughter, Jane, who I was afraid wouldn't bond with Austin because Austin doesn't like her boyfriend (although he had never met Jane). Jane, bless her sweet heart, led me around and introduced me to EVERYONE at the cookout. She was worried about why Austin wasn't there (he had a bad headache but he was also avoiding Jane's bf). She walked down to our apartment to personally invite him and encourage him to come. He came to the door in his boxers which cracked her up. She knows a lot of the same people Austin does and I think she'll be a good friend for him. She and I talked a lot about Logan and Hillary and their baby on the way and all the drama that surrounded that.

Next door we have James, Maribel and their kids. I never could quite get a handle on how many kids they have. I thought I saw two but Austin says four but... either way... they are young kids to older parents ... Maribel is from Columbia. She was an opera singer - a soprano or mezzo soprano - and she loves opera. She has even worked in production so we had a good time talking about what's involved in putting on a good show. Her accent is as strong as columbian coffee but she's very sweet, tiny and beautiful. She has emphysema so she is no longer able to sing.

There used to be this guy who directed traffic outside Sarabeth and Jamie's school (which is on my way to work) and I would pray for that guy every single morning on my "prayer journey"... I'd pray for his safety and I'd pray for my mama who is also a crossing guard. They got a new traffic guy last fall and I had missed my little traffic guy. Well... he just moved in to our apartments this weekend. His name is Joe and he's a marshall in Habersham County (where I work). He was about 8 beers in when I got there but he said they were ultras so they weren't affecting him. He has a little boy who is my former stepson made OVER. We chatted a bit.

The guy who runs the Magic Shop in Helen lives here. Austin is fascinated with magic tricks so that was exciting.

There's a lady who is a policeman in Helen.

The "heir to the kingdom" as Sue put it, was there. (Sue's son) He was nice and his girlfriend was also really nice... which was kinda funny because when I was introduced I was told that Mark is real nice but the girl introducing us didn't know the girlfriend so she said, "I think she's nice... by association"... as if, he wouldn't date a girl who wasn't. That was a good laugh.

The lady who runs the animal shelter here in White County was here. We talked FOREVER because she loves cats and I love cats and she had some fun stories about things that happen at the shelter. She's from Pennsylvania so we bonded over that since Ryan lives there. She lived in Decatur when she first moved here so we bonded over different places of interest there. She invited us to come by the shelter and check it out which is something Austin has wanted to do since we moved here.

I stayed for a little over an hour but the dizziness and pain was getting to me. Since Austin didn't go I couldn't carry my comfy chair (it's too heavy) so I was sitting most of the time on a picnic table bench which definitely was not helping my already aching back. at that point we had not started eating but... I was dying... so I went to Sue to thank her and make my goodbyes and she insisted on fixing me a plate... and made sure I tried everything and got plenty. She wanted me to fix Austin a plate but I told her I'd have trouble balancing two plates on the walk back to the apartment. (the cookout was held in front of the building beside ours because those two apartments on the front are both empty but it was still a good hundred yard or more walk for me). Sue and Ellen both fussed over me, making sure i had plenty... Ellen stapled another plate over my plate to keep the flies off... I mean, they really have a gift for hospitality!

At any rate... it was good to meet everyone. Later in the evening Austin felt better and he went up there and hung out with everyone. I was sacked out by 9pm and they were still going strong. Lots of these folks don't work or don't work 9 to 5 jobs so they don't have to be up and at 'em as early as I do.

Time for me to wrap things up and start getting ready for work... I am having new joint pain, specifically in my fingers and knees... but I'm gonna make it through the day. I can do this! Have a great day y'all! Love and hugs!