Scotland in Arizona

It is 10:30 am and I can't see the mountains that surround Tucson because of the low clouds -- it is dark, not a blue speck of sky to be seen -- that is why it is similar to Scotland, except the temperature of course... the temperature here is in the 80s ~ with as much humidity, probably... At 11:30 last night the sky was alight with lightening, and thunder cracking right over the house -- truly awesome. When I think the voice of God is like thunder, well, it makes one quiver a bit, eh?!

Its been awhile since I've felt like sharing thoughts that weren't a pity party. I put a little note on the wall above my monitor that says "Stop Whining" - You Asked To Be Busy - be Grateful for so many OPPORTUNITIES! And then posted some time limits on things I need to work on every day for me to fulfill obligations I've signed up for (chorus, quartet, craft class, housework, scrapping, singing for the seniors, block ticket sales for the show in October, booking for Glen for next spring). It has helped adjust my attitude quite a bit -- just need those visual reminders.

The new job is going kinda slowly. There is such a learning curve in the world of insurance -- and I'm sure each company has its own jargon ~ and just learning enough to do my little corner of it makes me so thankful I didn't get that job with Geico a couple years ago. The gals in my office are fun -- the one who is my comrade in the scrapbook addiction was diagnosed with breast cancer last week, and is having her lumpectomy today -- thankfully it is small -- but please say a little prayer for her if you're reading this. I have to admit the job doesn't thrill me, but the steady 15 hours a week paycheck is a nice assurance that I'll have money dedicated to paying my car payment... so I'm so grateful and very blessed to be there. And I do really enjoy the ladies in the office! And I think my little PT Cruiser is just the bees knees, so every time I drive it I'm thankful!

I desperately need to get a hair cut -- it is beyond ridiculous at this point -- but so easy to just stick it up and go without washing it for (more than) a few days.... ewwwweeeeee. And it gets this long and I think what a shame to cut it ~ but ya know, its hot, and a bother, and I never wear it down for those reasons -- I mean, with long hair I always end up getting it stuck underneath whatever bag I'm carrying on my shoulder, which hurts, tears more hair out... and did I mention hurts... so it takes me forever to grab my bag and go... especially if I'm in the car ~ which takes me forever to get out of anyway, *without* any hair issues to add to the time. Does anyone else give such thought to something that is really so very minor?!! And lets not even talk about the gray ~ yikes. Himself's shows up worse because of his dark hair, but there are clusters on either sides of my temples that betray how much I have... and what is this all about when these grays show up in my eyebrows?!

Okay, enough about the hair :-)

I'm going to stay with an old college roomate when I go out to Ontario for Sweet Adelines Region 21 Summer Regional the first weekend in August -- I called her, as I do every year or two out of the blue.. she's not got email, she's terrible about writing or calling, so I'm (she's?) just lucky she doesn't move around a lot and her phone number stays the same. She was one of the roomies - when 3 of us shared a room, but she wasn't there on the weekends generally, and her boyfriend (now husband) would come and stay on our floor on the Friday night before they would go home to Arcadia for the weekend... We teased him about being our 6th roomie...

On the way back to Arizona I'm going to stay with a former expat friend I met while in Scotland ~ haven't seen her since she came out to Arizona last year and we spent a day and 1/2 scrapping in a hotel in Phoenix. It'll be great to connect with her again, too.

Lots of fun stuff coming up with coaching for the quartet, and coaching opportunities at educational weekends ~ we're trying to learn Christmas music to fundraise for ourselves this holiday season, so its nice looking at some new (and easier) music.

Himself's job didn't go where we were hoping it would after his temporary stint in Quicken Beta Testing... he didn't speak up fast enough -- or loud enough, for that matter. He may end up getting something I think will be better... but that still remains to be seen, and it means he still has to be back on the phones for a month or so ~ which is always hard if you've been off of them for awhile. He still loves the company, the job etc... so not complaining at all!!!

We're slowly getting the house together ~ we're obtaining a *free* 3-year old King Size bed this weekend, so we'll have an extra double bed which will eventually go into storage, but we have some work to do before we put it out there, and working in the storage unit at the side of the house in this heat is just, well, stupid. Too hot -- wayyyy too hot. The sleeping in separate double beds in the same room has been a successful experiment, but I think having a bed almost twice the size of the original double bed we were sharing will rid us of some of the issues himself was having with me -- mainly that I'm not a peaceful, easy, feminine or gentle sleeper. Whacking him up the side of the head, or in the middle of his back... well, just par for the course on some nights -- poor guy!! And we'll have the guest bed set up for nights when his or my snoring is just too much.

Gotta get to work now -- a ton 'o stuff to do today!