reflections

Ok, first things first. My luggage arrived this afternoon. Once it arrived, I got on the phone to US Airways. I was going to send an email to them, but the website said it was limited to 2000 characters. I'm not sure what that comes out to, but I wasn't taking any chances, so I called. I voiced my displeasure with yesterdays events and the lady said she would send a $150 travel voucher to both Tina and I, good for 1 year. I feel better already.
I was very nice about it too and told her I didn't know if it was a US Air problem or a Philly problem, but it's all US Air staff, and that I didn't expect anything to be done, but wanted to voice my concern. I don't know why I go to Las Vegas. I come back spending way too much money and then beat myself up over it. I really spent a lot this time. I had it to spend, but planned on doing other things with it. I guess I do know why I go...it's the same reason I ride rollercoasters or other rides; to recapture my youth. We rode Speed at the Sahara. We had actually talked to the cab driver about the rides in Vegas. He said Speed was quick and that the Manhattan Express at New York New York was much worse. The Express is a rollercoaster and the last time I rode it, I thought my legs would give out after I got off the ride. Speed is a 45 second ride with a loop or 2 that goes up a pole, stops, then you go through the ride backwards. You can go the website at the Sahara to learn more specifics. My heart was pounding walking up to the gate, so much that I thought it would pop out of my chest. I had Robert feel my chest, you could feel it. I was told the ride starts out like a rocket. So as it starts, I scream like a girl, but then that was it. I kept my eyes open, even through the loops. On the way back through I let out a yell like a 'hell yeah', not an 'I'm going to shit my pants I'm so scared' yell. When we got back to the gate I breathed a big sigh, like pressure was lifted. Actually I felt at the time like a release after sex. Satisfied. Tina and I went to church Saturday night for Sunday, just like I do at home. On Sunday, we switched to The Flamingo down on the strip because I had 2 nights comped there. What a place. There was a huge lobby and a VIP check in and a 'regular' check in for us commoners. I told Tina we were way out of our league there! They had 4 pools and it was gorgeous. We got down to the pool at 9am and there were already lots of people there. The sun wasn't even on most of the pool, but many of the prime spots were taken. They had palm trees on islands in the pool and a waterfall. There were a lot of ledges to sit on in the pool. There were even chairs on some ledges; you could sit on the ledge or up in the chair with your feet in the water. The downside was that those islands with the palm trees had a lot of cigarette butts and empty beer bottles and cups. People walk through the pool carrying beers and smoking. When Tina and I were leaving yesterday, I checked my voice mail at work, just to see how many messages, not to listen to them. I had 9 messages; Tina had 18. Not bad. I talked to my friend Catherine tonight and she told me that on one of my cases, the kids were placed into foster care while I was gone. Most of the time we say good, cuz it was necessary. The bad part is having to deal with the mother. The only advantage, well there's 2....to being on vacation while it happened is simply 1: I didn't have to take the kids out of the home. That's never a good scene, kids and mothers crying. And 2: I wasn't the bad guy who took the kids out of the home. I get to say I didn't do it, I don't know what happened, but let's fix it and move forward. I only have to work 2 days this week, then a 3 day weekend. I don't think they will be 2 good days. Good thing I bought a Powerball ticket tonight.

finally home

Well I didn't find fame and fortune on my vacation. The trip home was terrible. We got up at 3am for our 7am flight. The shuttle was to pick us up at 4:05am, so we had a hour for 2 of us to shower and dress and check out. Ok, check. We were at the airport in time. Vegas to phoenix was ok. Phoenix to Philly left a half hour late and got in an hour late, right when we were to get our next flight. We had to circle in a holding pattern for an hour because we were unable to land due to weather. We hurried to our flight. Tina said to the guy 'please let us on the plane'. He told her he would if the plane was there. It hadn't left State College yet. That was good, we didn't miss it. That was at 6pm. He said an hour. Good we could finally eat something as I hadn't eaten all day. We went back to our gate. They told us the flight was cancelled and we would be on the next flight at 8:40 and sent us to a new gate. Of course 8:40 comes and goes, with no announcements. At 9ish we are told they are waiting for a flight crew. An elderly woman starts trying to recruit crews. At 10:10 we are put on the plane, so I inform our ride we should be underway in a half hour and home by 11:30. Then we sit...and sit...and sit. At 11:15 we are told we may be about 10th in line for take off and in the air in about a half hour. At 11:40, we leave. We arrive around 12:25am. I'm sure you know what comes next. No luggage. No one to be found. I call airport operations on the courtesy phone. He says another flight will be coming in 10 minutes and someone from the airlines should be at their counter soon. I hear someone say the next flight has 9 passengers and 22 bags, sounds promising....but it comes and goes and still no luggage. So we file a baggage claim. They said the next flight comes in at 11 today and they will bring it once they find it. I intend to write a strongly worded letter to someone, somewhere.

the big day

Well it's here. The big day. Technically, it's tomorrow, but I have to get up in 12 hours. Our plane leaves at 6am, and we are leaving the house at 4am, so up at 3 to grab a quick shower and get dressed. Tina and I were out today. We had lunch, looked for shoes and did some girly things. I got to endure the pain of getting my eyebrows waxed. I still have some girly things left to do like shave my legs and polish my toenails. I can tell you, we're all friends here. I don't know what is in my suitcase, but I have no room, not an inch. Tina seems to have room in hers, and mine is bigger. Everyone keeps telling me to have a good time. Now, I'm not one to let others influence me, but for once I think I will take the advice of others on this one.

Hakuna Mattata

I'm diggin' vacation so far and I haven't even left yet. I like this no pressure feeling...isn't that Hakuna Mattata? From the Lion King, no worries...now the song is playing in my head...it means no worries for the rest of your days, it's our problem free philosophy...hakuna mattata. Well I feel better now. I had to re-pack though. I couldn't get a pair of sneakers and sandals in. I rolled the clothes. I knew that trick, used it when I went to Italy, but I got a new suitcase with more pockets and thought I'd get it all in. The more room you have, the more stuff you take. I have 3 books; some have 2-3 stories in them. lots of quilt magazines and even a hand sewing project. I will probably surprise myself if I even get to the sewing and finish more than 1 book. I won't actually get to these things until the 4th day. We will arrive the 1st day around noon, but check in isn't until 3 and you can't get into the pool with out a room key. So we'll drop our bags at the hotel; they will hold them for you, grab lunch and putz around, maybe play a little black jack. Day 2 we are playing in a mini black jack tournament right at noon, and day 3 we will rent a car and go to some usual spots. We go to the Sonic for lunch cuz we don't have one here, and the quilt store, then off to the border of California where there are a cluster of small casinos. Primm Valley Resorts is the place and Buffalo Bills has a water log ride, roller coater, and a mall.

almost there

Tina reminded me, right before lunch,that we only have a day and a half left until vacation. I told her to shut up and that I wanted to punch her. These deadlines are killing me.
We thought it would never get here. I went in at 7am and left at 6pm. But the 22 page court report is done. Too much like school; feels like I had to write a term paper. I spellchecked it, printed it out and brought it home to proof read. I get a lot of 'fro' instead of 'for' and spellcheck doesn't catch that. I do feel like a big weight is off my shoulders.
I have a few appointments in the morning, then I am in the office all afternoon. My major task tomorrow is cleaning off my desk. Gotta make room for all the stuff they will pile on it while I am gone. And they will. I may actually get out on time. I am looking forward to changing my voicemail message that I am on vacation....ahhh the simple pleasures of life!

more dreams

I'm still sitting here thinking of that awesome drive. Remind me in the winter, with the lake effect snow, how great a drive it is. I love to go along and look at the lake, then the incredible houses and dream.......I imagine what the massive houses might look like inside, and think how romantic it would be to be there with a lover on a sultry summer night, sipping wine and falling in love....or raising kids. There are many houses for sale along the lake. I hear some go for a million bucks. One near town had a sign for sale with some flyers hanging off of it to take. We grabbed one. It goes for under 300 grand, not as pricy, but it only has a view of the lake in 3 seasons....odd description. A few weeks ago, the Powerball was over 200 million. I certainly didn't win it, but dreamt about the houses along the route. It's not my time to win, and I know this because of the following. Anyone who knows me at all, knows it is my dream to own a quilt store. If I won the lottery, then subsequently bought the lake front property, I'd want to spend the summer there; how could I run this store? I want my paws in it, I want to run it. I want to pet the fabric and be inspired by books, patterns and fabric. I want to visit with customers and see what they are working on and hear their stories. I want to share my craft. I used to get a high when we would go to Lancaster and I would buy fabric. I would have butterflies in my stomach, I have that feeling now as I talk about my passion. So that would be the dilemma of wanting to be in 2 places at once. The solution is not to open a store in the lake area, I know my market. No solution tonight, just dreams.......

why can't they all be like today

I had to go to a facility to see a kid today and it is near Skaneateles Lake. What a drive, I wish everyday could be like today. It was a picture perfect day; big billowy clouds that you just want to fall in to and bright sunshine all the way. I went with another casework who also has a kid there and we took the intern. It was also the intern's last day. Ahhhhhhh, to be so young and full of ideas and wanting to save the world. I remember those days. Well the other caseworker got pulled into an unexpected meeting there so we told her we would wait in the car since it was so nice. We waited almost an hour, but sitting there with the breeze flowing across my face was heaven. I am so looking forward to vacation. When I got back to the office at 4, there were 14 messages. Those I can live without.

let the anxiety begin

I'm not sleeping well. I dream about work all night. With vacation coming up it's a mad dash to get in my contacts and court reports. I was supposed to go to Syracuse to a facility to meet a kid on the new case I got. 2 crisis erupted and that trip was cancelled. Tomorrow is Auburn. Then there's the two 18 page court reports due by Friday. I am on page 8 of the 1st one. I think I need something else to occupy me before I go to bed...good thing vacation is coming. I need the break and a little of what you were thinking wouldn't hurt either.

to the future

My dream is to own my own quilt/fabric shop. And on this road to my goal, I need to pay off some debt. A friend offered a loan to me to pay off all my bills. We have been friends for 15 years and he has money; enough money to back my business. He started a business about 5 years ago and has expanded into 3 more in other states. This week, all bills will be paid off; the checks will be sent in and officially on paper I will look debt free. Can you imagine how many offers of credit I will get. Also, I am to send him half of what I would pay a month and bank the other half to show I am serious about this. When I come back from vacation the checks will have cleared. I am so excited. My plan had been to seriously start researching things to the point of writing a business plan. I am hoping that in the next 3 years I will have banked enough to do this. A quilting friend will be retiring then and we'd like to go into business together on this. We shall see.

what a dummy

I tried to add a site meter today. I am computer illiterate at times. I couldn't figure it out. But that's ok, I don't think there's anyone out there listening anyway!

Tina told me that she went out with some of the idiots from work last night. Sometimes I wonder if I will ever meet anyone, especially if I don't get out to meet anyone. These 'idiots' from work consisted last night of a girl who is married who made out with some guy in the bar and another one who really made out with a guy in the middle of the parking lot, she then left with him. She told Tina that her date ended about 7am this morning. This is according to Tina. I tell you what, I'd rather sit home and be happy than be associated with a bunch of hoochies. I have too much respect for myself to let people assume that if I am with them I also engage in those behaviors....that is, for this week...talk to me after I return from Las Vegas!

Deadlines

Being on call is officially over. I am so glad. I was out for 4 hours last night, then came home to write up the notes for another 2 1/2 hours. One call I went out with the police, who actually should have been with me on the 1st call. I thought being on call during the week was better than the weekend. Things can usually wait till morning, but not the weekend. I logged 13 hours in 3 days, that's a lot.
The best part of today is that I have 1 more week till vacation, 5 more working days. The worst part, I only have 5 more working days! Yesterday I learned I have to write a 17 page court report on 6 children by next Friday. I will be out of town Monday and Tuesday seeing kids at facilities, and have pretty much the rest of the week booked up. I foresee some late nights at work this week, and I already racked up 20 hours of comp time in the past 2 weeks, in addition to the overtime of 13 hours on call.
So do I celebrate one more week or freak out.
I would like to disappear from civilization for a week and leave the cell phone behind. Make that 2 weeks please.

what a job

I was in family court yesterday and a law guardian asked me if I was involved in the case of the girl, a dog and a sex act. I won't give you all the wonderful details I had to hear. I left court thinking that we see and hear about the strangest shit; things that most people would be appalled to hear about or know that go on. As caseworkers, we go into the field not knowing what we will face on any given day; especially the CPS workers. At least the police get guns, not us though. I am on call this week. Monday night I had 3 calls. None last night thankfully. Tonight I get to return a child home after 2 years in foster care. I went to the home near the end of July while the child was home on a visit and gave them the news that she is coming home for good. Mom cried, I cried, the child hugged me. I guess this is one of the few rewards you get; to actually see a family put back together. The foster mother is very emotional. I'm sure it is hard to let a child that you have raised go after 2 years. I hope she can make this return home tonight as easy for the child as possible. Funny I have been waiting for this day for a few weeks, but I also dread it. I will be going on vacation in 13 days and I am struggling to get everything done before I go. It seems that the body and mind get to a point where they know vacation is coming and say I can't take anymore. It could also be the fact that I have 32 vacation days and haven't used any yet. I have had some time off but it has been comp time. We don't get paid overtime; we get comp time, and I have about 9 days of that. That is a lot of extra hours working. Vicious cycle though, you take the time off then spend so much extra time getting caught up on what you missed. This coming vacation will be 8 working days off...that is a long time in this business. I need it and am looking forward to it, but dreading going back and I haven't even left yet!

dreams

I have been having what I call 'stalker dreams' again. Someone is chasing me or I am running from someone. We go on vacation in 16 days (but who's counting?!); 10 more work days! I think I need it. I haven't used a single vacation day yet this year, it's been comp time I used. I earn it pretty quick, seems like at east a day a month.
Friday I had 2 appointments after 3, hoping they'd be short and I'd stop by the last house real quick, it's near my house. Problems at both places. We are on summer hours 8-4, but I go in at 7 because it's quiet and try to get some work done. This would mean I should be out at 3. Nope, doesn't happen. I finished Friday at 5:30 and Thursday at 6. Comp time is earned at time and a half, so those 2 days earned me over half a day. Of course when you take the time off, you get behind. I will be off for 8 work days and with weekends, that's 12 days! I am looking forward to it.
My friend wants me to go on an 18 day transatlantic cruise with him. It leaves from Italy and we would want to take a few days before to spend in Italy. I'd really like to do it, but it would be suicide at work. I think it would take months to catch up.
I better go check my Powerball tickets and see if I can go!

the good samaritan

I meant to write a few weeks back, in fact I did. Once I wrote it, I closed it. I said what was on my mind, but didn't share it. I did a 'good deed' this week, but looking back now, it was kind of stupid on my part. I was out on home visits all week. I picked the hottest days of the year to be out. So yesterday it starts pouring like crazy and in a matter of seconds it is hailing. I tried to pull under an overhead walkway for some cover because I thought the hail was going to break my windshield. As I am waiting for the hail to stop, I see a man huddled under a tree trying to take shelter. He had a cane in his hand. After a few minutes the hail stops and I am ready to get to my next appointment. I think about the man in the rain. I thought about giving my good umbrella to him but then thought, no, I like that umbrella. Should I just go? Then I think, what if I am being tested here? What would Jesus do? So I roll down the window and ask him where he is headed? He tells me the name of a street which is just a few streets away. So I ask him if he wants a ride. The stranger gets in. There is really no discussion, I get him to his destination and he says, thank you ma'am and gets out. In my rearview mirror I see him run across the street to get out of the down pour. Lisa, you idiot, what were you thinking, he's running and carrying his cane, he could have beat you with it. I thanked God for getting through my good deed unscathed.