Ok, I admit, I get wrapped up in my own stuff and forget everything else, sometimes for long stretches. Also I got frustrated because I couldn’t download any pictures from the new camera that my sister Robin sent me for Christmas. There are no drivers for Win2K so I have to upgrade to a newer OS. I finally ordered Windows Vista but I still haven’t got it yet. I resisted it for as long as I could because I hate changing OSs.
But you’ll all be glad to know I am healthy and reasonably happy. I am still working as a counselor (floor staff) at SOASTC. I am much more comfortable in my role, but getting a little burnt out with the job… probably need a vacation. The work is tough, mentally and sometimes physically. Generally we are on our feet most of the day supervising the kids, taking care of everything from food, chores, meds, laundry, opening doors (lots of that), or going on outings. We also spend a fair amount of time playing games with the kids, running around outside, or watching movies with them. That’s when things go well. When someone starts to act out, everything else gets put on hold. And the paperwork doubles. That’s one reason I have been avoiding getting on my computer when I get home. You wouldn’t believe how much we have to document. On the evening shift, which ends at 11 pm, we sometimes don’t get to leave until 2:30 am because of all of the typing we have to do. So, please forgive me if I have avoided my computer (and this blog) when I got home.
There were also a lot of colds and flus going around this last Winter and I filled in on a lot of shifts for folks who were out sick. Not that I didn’t get sick myself, but I bought several boxes of Theraflu and just kept going. So, the long and the short of it is, I’ve been very busy and when I was not working I have been generally catching up on sleep, trying to relax, or occasionally working on repairs here at the cabin. It’s been a while since I’ve taken a walk around the property or spent much time outdoors.
Actually, for a little while, in the Spring, I went several times to try panning for gold. The rivers here are beautiful and, even though there is a lot of river traffic sometimes, peaceful. And, no, I didn’t have much luck panning for gold, but I just have a pan, not a sluice box, and I was just out to have fun anyway.
Looking further back, we had a freak blizzard in February. I say “freak” because all the heavy snowfall had been in December and we got almost nothing in January, or for the first half of February. Then we got about a foot of snow in one evening. I almost got stuck on the back roads driving home that afternoon. A tree had fallen under the weight of the snow about 10 miles from my place. I had to turn around and take a back way into town, and from there to my place. About a mile into that alternate route, I had to stop to put on snow chains. While I was doing that another tree fell across the road in front of my car about 100 yards away. Luckily the top of it just crossed the opposite (left) lane about half-way, so I was able to drive past it, brushing the right side of my car. It was a little scary because the snow was heavy and wet and soaked my gloves immediately when I was putting on the chains. The wetness carried away heat and my fingers quickly lost all feeling. I had to stop and clear packed-in snow from the wheel wells of the car several times because the tires were losing traction, even with the chains. But I made it!
During the Winter I was also busy cutting wood during my off-time, as you might imagine, and the cold lasted well into April with a few cold days in May as well. Since then I have been trying to get repairs done on the cabin in my spare time and I have been making progress. The scaffolding in the living room is down… finally! That part of the ceiling is done and painted. All of the other “repairs” to walls are basically done, and the ones in the bedroom upstairs are painted over (looks great). I still have some drywall to put up, but the hardest part is done. I have some shelves up and I am starting to put books away, taking them from the boxes and piles all over the rest of the upstairs area. Some messes that had been piling up all Winter are now gone. Slowly but surely it is coming together.
So, life goes on. I wish I was spending more time out hiking and exploring, but that time will come too. Right now it is more important to get some other things done and out of the way. Certainly it will be a big relief to get all of these projects cleared away. Write and tell me how you all are doing too!
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