The Volvo is no more. Wednesday afternoon, the monster car decided to be very sick. Check engine light was back on, and the engine started skipping. I dropped it off Thursday night at my favorite place, and Friday, Addie called and told me she was very sorry. The amount of work that needed to be done to make the car safe was more than the car was worth, and she couldn't guarantee that I wouldn't need to do more (plus she was afraid for me to drive it to take it some where to trade it). [And now I don't trust the car to take me to OVU and back safely.] They were able to get it running enough for me to drive it to the Honda place to trade.
So, I am now the new Mom to a little black Honda Civic 2 door (Coupe?) with a stick shift. It has the new car smell. My cheap soul wouldn't upgrade to the Accord for leather and heated seats., but I did get power windows and the beepy thing that opens the doors. [Again, I miss the monster car.] This is the 3rd new car I have had in my life and the first one in this decade. It is a large step up from the 72 Ford Pinto that I drove in High School/College. But most importantly, it will get me where I need to go safely and reliably when I run up and down the roads, or into the office in the middle of the night. [I am still trying to talk myself into this car. I really loved the monster car and had hoped to drive it another few years. It was the perfect car when Mom was sick. I had room for everything and it ran the roads without a problem. It was the super Mom tank monster car.] My ultimate replacement car would have been a convertible C70, but I just can't swing a C70 and OVU and sleep at night.
This has been a really stressful week. Zach at school this week, the entire power issue at work, the monster car giving up the ghost, and another little piece of me ended up in a jar at some lab.
Monday, I got a call from the Dr's office that one of the biopsy's from a couple of weeks ago wasn't great, and I needed to come back in to have the area removed to a clear margin. I am sitting here this morning trying to remember the last time I had stitches. Everything is fine, but this was just more stress on an already stressful week. [On a side note, I can't move heavy stuff until this heals. I am certain that includes any type of cleaning.]
I am in and out of the office this weekend trying to get caught up and seeing if I can put a dent in the house.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Thursday, August 28, 2008
I'm Only Happy When it Rains
(Title Complements of Garbage)
We have been dealing with the remnants of Fay. When I walked into the office this morning around 7:00 AM, there were members of my group that had been at work since 1:00 AM. We lost building power, one of the Monster UPS systems blew and our generator failed to start. The batteries were so hot that they were swollen. We are back up, with a few issues related to the servers coming down hard. Friday will be the never ending day as we clean up the mess and deal with the normal end of month stress.
Everything that could have gone wrong did early this morning. Two separate recovery systems failed at the same time on something that we normally drill weekly. We pulled out drop cords and moved users to alternate power sources. We brought in a fan to clear the air of the batteries trying to cool down.
And maybe that is how it is supposed to work. A crash so hard that you need to stop and evaluate your recovery systems. A crash so complete, your first priority is to get functional, and then figure out how to stop this from happening next time. You really never know how your backup systems will support the load, until you make them bear the load. And if they can't bear the load, you plan differently for the next crisis.
We have been dealing with the remnants of Fay. When I walked into the office this morning around 7:00 AM, there were members of my group that had been at work since 1:00 AM. We lost building power, one of the Monster UPS systems blew and our generator failed to start. The batteries were so hot that they were swollen. We are back up, with a few issues related to the servers coming down hard. Friday will be the never ending day as we clean up the mess and deal with the normal end of month stress.
Everything that could have gone wrong did early this morning. Two separate recovery systems failed at the same time on something that we normally drill weekly. We pulled out drop cords and moved users to alternate power sources. We brought in a fan to clear the air of the batteries trying to cool down.
And maybe that is how it is supposed to work. A crash so hard that you need to stop and evaluate your recovery systems. A crash so complete, your first priority is to get functional, and then figure out how to stop this from happening next time. You really never know how your backup systems will support the load, until you make them bear the load. And if they can't bear the load, you plan differently for the next crisis.
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Clear Margins
I keep thinking each day I will feel better. In my head, I have an internal clock running, counting down the 29 days until in theory, the concentration of happy drugs in my body will magically be at the pharmaceutical level required kick me out of the funk.
I wonder what this will feel like. Will I wake up one day and not be sad?
I feel like a big stupid head whinny butt. My body hurts, I want Zach home, I want my Mommy, I hate my hair, I want to sleep. I want to stand on my tip toes and have a dancing hissy fit.
What I miss most right now is being able to call Mom on the phone. I have forgotten what she sounds like. I have forgotten what she smells like.
I wonder what this will feel like. Will I wake up one day and not be sad?
I feel like a big stupid head whinny butt. My body hurts, I want Zach home, I want my Mommy, I hate my hair, I want to sleep. I want to stand on my tip toes and have a dancing hissy fit.
What I miss most right now is being able to call Mom on the phone. I have forgotten what she sounds like. I have forgotten what she smells like.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
The Heart of the Matter
When I came home this afternoon, there were no socks under the computer table, no clothes in the bathroom, no hardened pizza on a plate wrapped in a towel, no 8 pairs of shoes beside the door, and no Zach. I could go for a couple of days and not see him, but I always knew he was here. I spent most of yesterday cleaning up his room. Did you know that Corn Pop's will eventually turn white and cats will not eat Pop Tarts off the floor? (If you have stumbled on this blog by accident and you are getting ready to go to school... CLEAN YOUR ROOM BEFORE YOU LEAVE. Do not make your Mom put on rubber gloves to pick up the stuff behind your bed. She may put it in a plastic bag and send it to school baked in your favorite cookies.)
To make matters even worse, I am now on Facebook (and Zach actually accepted me as a friend.) I don't plan to really post here, but it is nice to have a different way to talk to each other. Stan and Zach are more phone, Zach and I are more Text/Email during the week. How did parents survive this without web access?
Zach starts classes in the morning. The bulk of his classes are MWF from 8-12:35 with a couple of classes from 1-3 on Thursday. The best thing about the Friday is that he could leave after class and be most of the way home (at least in NC by dark). We will know more about his practice schedule soon.
I remember when I went to State. August 23, 1983 - I have a letter that Mom wrote me the day I went to school. We have passed that letter back and forth over the years and added notes. The more things change, the more they remain the same.
To make matters even worse, I am now on Facebook (and Zach actually accepted me as a friend.) I don't plan to really post here, but it is nice to have a different way to talk to each other. Stan and Zach are more phone, Zach and I are more Text/Email during the week. How did parents survive this without web access?
Zach starts classes in the morning. The bulk of his classes are MWF from 8-12:35 with a couple of classes from 1-3 on Thursday. The best thing about the Friday is that he could leave after class and be most of the way home (at least in NC by dark). We will know more about his practice schedule soon.
I remember when I went to State. August 23, 1983 - I have a letter that Mom wrote me the day I went to school. We have passed that letter back and forth over the years and added notes. The more things change, the more they remain the same.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Fighting Scots
We are back home from taking Zach to OVU. (http://www.ovu.edu/ - If you look at Move In Day, you will see Stan in the pictures. Tan shirt moving a TV.)
My child almost didn't make it here. I rode with him up on the 6 hour trip. 1. We couldn't run the air conditioner because he didn't want to burn up HIS gas. Hot Mom. 2. I almost tossed his phone out of the truck several times. He didn't get the "It is illegal for you to text or talk on the phone when you are driving." 3. We played Punchbuggy on the way up. 19 - 3. (I am the 3).
We made it up late Friday night. Move in day started at 9:00 AM. What seemed like a ton of stuff (we made a huge pile before we loaded up), didn't seem like enough stuff when we unpacked it. Zach claimed the bear blanket when it made it to my house for Mom, so he is using this for a bedspread/blanket. Mom had a small TV in the other bedroom that also made the trip. (But when we hooked it up, it wouldn't change channels w/out a cable box - One of the many trips to Walmart for a TV.) 8 million pairs of underwear. I will probably be sending a care package out this week for whatever we forgot. His dorm room has Cable TV, wireless access, a shared phone w/voicemail, air conditioning and a small fridge. [I could live here.]
We had a cookout Saturday night, and we actually sat with the Dean of Students. I cried all over her and Zach's coach.
There are a ton of things around Zach. McDonalds, Old Navy, Walmart and a huge mall down the hill, so worse case, I will send him shopping if he needs something.
Zach's address:
Zachary Boraski
Mail Box 445 (Updated 8/26/08)
Ohio Valley University
1 Campus View Drive
Vienna, WV 26105
He kept his old email address: bengalboy2418@hotmail.com
They will be playing a small number of games this fall. We don't have a schedule at this point. I will let you know when they post the team pictures/biographies up on the OVU site. I need to take the film to get developed and then I will post a few pictures of the weekend.
My child almost didn't make it here. I rode with him up on the 6 hour trip. 1. We couldn't run the air conditioner because he didn't want to burn up HIS gas. Hot Mom. 2. I almost tossed his phone out of the truck several times. He didn't get the "It is illegal for you to text or talk on the phone when you are driving." 3. We played Punchbuggy on the way up. 19 - 3. (I am the 3).
We made it up late Friday night. Move in day started at 9:00 AM. What seemed like a ton of stuff (we made a huge pile before we loaded up), didn't seem like enough stuff when we unpacked it. Zach claimed the bear blanket when it made it to my house for Mom, so he is using this for a bedspread/blanket. Mom had a small TV in the other bedroom that also made the trip. (But when we hooked it up, it wouldn't change channels w/out a cable box - One of the many trips to Walmart for a TV.) 8 million pairs of underwear. I will probably be sending a care package out this week for whatever we forgot. His dorm room has Cable TV, wireless access, a shared phone w/voicemail, air conditioning and a small fridge. [I could live here.]
We had a cookout Saturday night, and we actually sat with the Dean of Students. I cried all over her and Zach's coach.
There are a ton of things around Zach. McDonalds, Old Navy, Walmart and a huge mall down the hill, so worse case, I will send him shopping if he needs something.
Zach's address:
Zachary Boraski
Mail Box 445 (Updated 8/26/08)
Ohio Valley University
1 Campus View Drive
Vienna, WV 26105
He kept his old email address: bengalboy2418@hotmail.com
They will be playing a small number of games this fall. We don't have a schedule at this point. I will let you know when they post the team pictures/biographies up on the OVU site. I need to take the film to get developed and then I will post a few pictures of the weekend.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)