Working Woman or Lady of Leisure?

For years I have been campaigning to get the "copy girl" job up at the high school.  They actually have had a full time position that does nothing but make photo copies!  I mean, what a sweet job!  I've told everyone - secretaries, teachers, Mr. Huckestein - the principal, even the copy guy himself.  I told him if he ever left to let me know.  Well... I found out at the end of last year that copy guy had been fired and the job had been cut to part time....Sweet!  I began putting the pressure on.. I made copies - in color, with staples and I gave them to Mr. Huckestein, as examples of "my work." :o)  I reminded him at every opportunity.

So....the job came open, he called me to tell me and I applied.  The only problem is I'm not sure I want it now.  The hours are M-Fri, 7-1200.  I would like to continue working in the Spiritwear store on Fridays from 1000-1230.  I'd also like to be able to occasionally Sub so that I can keep my credentials current.

Yesterday I went in for an interview, which is really awkward when you know the person and socialize with them.  It ended up not being much of an interview, mainly him telling me about the job.  Then, I broke the news that I'd love the job but with different hours.  My ideal - M-W 7-1130, Th 7-230pm and Fridays off.  He wasn't as keen on that... so we came to a compromise, that he said he'd "think about".. M-Th 7-1200 (if I need to leave occasionally at 1130 to sub I could), Fridays 7-10am, do the SW store and then check in with the secretaries and see if they need me to make more copies.

Now I guess it's just wait and see what happens.  Secretly, I hope he decides to go with someone else and I can continue my regular routine.  I'm a little worried about fitting my runs, walks, errands and crew stuff in.  If he decides to go with someone else, then I can at least say I tried! :o)

As of right now... my vote....Lady of Leisure!

Buffalo Trip in Pictures

We made our annual summer pilgrimage to Buffalo a couple weeks ago.  We just went for a long weekend.  I dragged my feet the whole way. I like being in Buffalo - I just hate that 9 hour drive with an all consuming passion!  Hate it! Hate it! Hate it!  This time I vowed to take a whole Valium and sleep the entire way!
As it turned out Brenna didn't get to go with us.  She had an opportunity to go to Georgia with Karen, her school advisor, on a bat research trip.  They paid for all her food, gas and lodging - plus she got $100 a day for the work!  She really couldn't turn the opportunity down, her professor asked her personally and she was getting paid.  It was a real job.  This was her first time having to make a real adult decision... do you give up your fun trip for work.  I'm glad she decided to go to Georgia, I think it was the right decision.
So, it was only John and Zack and I.  I planned to take my Valium first thing, but the Brenna got her freaking Reckless driving ticket the night before, so I had to be on standby and wait for her to call when she woke up to give us all the details and since I didn't want to be high on Valium when we were discussing her future, I held off.   If the truth be told,  it was a Valium free ride and it wasn't that bad.  Zack slept the entire way except for 30 min when we made him eat some lunch and John did not irritate me as much as usual! :o)

Buffalo was fine.  We got to see almost everyone, heard Gary's band, I ran everyday so I didn't feel like a slug and John and I slept in the twin beds instead of on "The Rack" so we actually got a good night's sleep each night.  We made Zack sleep on "The Rack" and he was just fine with it.  We had a big BBQ on Sunday where we got together with everyone.  We got to meet Adam's partner Mario.... who PROPOSED to Adam in front of us all!  It was actually very touching!  He's a great guy and makes hands down THE BEST guacamole I've ever eaten in my entire life, so I say KEEPER!

Here is the trip in pictures:

Zack has now taken the "tallest cousin" title

Don't drop that baby!

Camped out by the guacamole

Caitlin, Geoff and the newest Hyzy - Mirielle!

Rochester Hyzy's

Adam and Mario

Bryants

Our family, minus one :o(

Bestest Godkids ever!

Seems like saying goodbye isn't getting any easier.

Due to the "Great Reckless Driving Car Loss" Debacle... I had to drive Brenna down to Radford to go back to school.  So it was Road Trip day... We actually had a very nice drive down - we were testing her insistence that she could make it to Radford in 4 hours without going more than 5 miles over the speed limit.  It has always take John and I more like 4.5-5 hours.... so the science experiment was on.  And..... Brenna was right.  We made it in exactly 4 hours and then driving home same thing.  She was vindicated.

     I got to see her new little house.  It's little bitty, but actually pretty decent - especially if you view it as your first college house.  She's living there with 4 other girls.  They each have their own room, she has to share a bathroom with 2 other girls, but that doesn't seem to bother her at all.  There are 3 bedrooms upstairs and 2 in the basement.  They have a really nice big backyard, a cute front porch and Brenna's room overlooks the front porch, so she can climb out her window and sit on the roof.  She loves that, not sure how I feel about it, but whats a parent to do.
The only funky thing, is there are not closets in the rooms???  One of the upstairs rooms has a closet and there is one hall closet for the 2 other rooms to share - including Brenna.  We made the requisite $200 trip to Walmart to find some creative storage solutions and stock her pantry.  Got a portable closet to go behind her door, some under bed bins and an additional set of drawers to go at the foot of her bed.  I think she'll be able to make it work.  She loves it and that's what matters.

So good, but sooo bad!

We also found time to hit Sonic for pretzel roll chili cheese dogs and onion rings.  I mean if I'm going to be sitting in the car for 8 hours, no run or walk, then it might as well be total cheat/free day!!  I also consumed a more than significant amount of fruit snacks on the way home!  Pretty much drowned my sorrows in fruit snacks!

I must admit, it was almost as hard to leave her this time as it was the first time!  It certainly is easier to have her drive herself off to school, while we stay home and wave!  Something about leaving her is very hard.  I almost cried... no tears actually fell, but I was very sad during the first part of the drive home.  I think part of the problem is that I don't just love my baby girl, but I really and truly like her.  I like hanging out with her, I like going to the pool with her, I like talking about stuff with her and I think that makes it harder to leave her.  I'm leaving my baby girl and my friend.  That just stinks.  I'm sure we'll adjust to the new normal with her back at school, and she's certainly excited and happy to be back so there's no reason to be sad.  But I guess when you are leaving your baby... reason doesn't really factor in.

Sometimes making the hard parenting decisions really sucks!

       On Brenna's last trip down to Radford to go batting - she got another freaking speeding ticket, actually reckless driving again!  For going 88mph!  What the hell - even John and I don't go that fast.  Even worse, she was driving James and Charlotte's truck.  The day before her truck broke down on the highway and to save me from having to drive her down to Radford and then driving back and heading to Buffalo, the Price's graciously offered their Durango.  Even more worse... as she drove out of the driveway, I said "Here's the cruise control, make sure you use it." and John said, "How do you drive in someone else's car?" to which Brenna replied... "Like a Grandma."  And then.... she gets a freaking reckless driving ticket....AGAIN.

     What a total cluster this has turned out to be.  We decided we needed to hire a lawyer, because there is a small chance this could be ruled a felony or she could have her license suspended.  Either way she's definitely getting 6 points on her license and a hefty fine.  The lawyer doesn't think it will be a felony, since no other lives were put in danger, but it's 50/50 on the license suspension.

Our main problem is that in the last 2 years she's had 2 reckless driving tickets and 2 accidents both her fault including one that resulted in her totalling her car!  As sad as it makes me to say, she is not a safe driver and we are both worried that she is going to kill herself or someone else while she's driving.  She's just not getting it.  She's such a good girl, I just don't get why she can't understand how dangerous this is.  88 freaking miles per hour.... I don't even like to drive 75, it makes me feel out of control.

So, we had a long talk with her and tried to make her aware of just how completely she could have fucked her life up.  If she had been going 2 mph more or if the radar gun had clocked her at 90mph - that is a mandatory felony conviction and 2 weeks IN JAIL!  MANDATORY!  If she's convicted of a felony - no federal jobs (no park ranger), no federal grants, no graduate school, no passport, no voting... I mean...fucked up!  Fortunately, that has not happened and it doesn't look like it will.  Her court date is Sept 10th.
Anyway, we talked to her for quite awhile and I think she understands how much trouble she is and could be in.  She seemed receptive to all that we said.
Bottom line, we decided to take her car away from her for a semester in the hopes that she will understand the driving is a privilege and not a right.  And that she'll also understand, what would happen if she didn't have a car.  She'll have a semester to ride the bus, bum rides from friends and experience the inconvenience of living without a car.
Hopefully it will make an impression and get her back on the right track.  She's such a good girl in all other aspects of her life, we just need to help her get control here.

8 down only 4 more to go!

Finished 5K #8!  Brenna and I drove up to Leesburg to run in their town 5K.  It was actually the only 5K I could find even remotely close by.
We had a GREAT run!  I actually PR'ed my 5K!  It was my best time ever!! But even more importantly... I DID NOT STOP AND WALK AT ALL!!  I didn't stop even one time!  I felt good, I felt strong and it was a great race!  I'm so excited!  My time was 29:15!  I think I was like #9 in my age group!
Brenna did really great as well.  She didn't stop and walk either and was number #14 in her age group.  We were both pretty pumped up at the end.  Then we stayed a little while and watched the 20K runners finish.  My gosh, those people are amazing!  The winner ran the 20K in 1:07 or something crazy like that.  Wow!
Pretty happy that my resolution is still intact.  Next month, 20 of us are doing The Color Run in Richmond and then October is the big one... the Run for Your Lives Zombie 5K!  Neither of those are timed runs, so I'm glad I squeaked this one in.

Finishing strong!

#8

We did it and we rocked it!

Let's do another!