Sunday, June 30, 2013

The Calm Parent

Where was this training program when I was parenting. Are you asking why am i listening to the cd's while driving to WV. The WV trip is a 7 hour drive on open highway with only a few areas with traffic and most people stay close to the tolerance level for speed, very few aggressive drivers, so it is a great trip to actually listen to more than music.

Anyway my once a month rabbi had gotten the program from her therapist and she said that while we did not have children at home and many of the examples no longer applied, the theory was worth considering. I'll let you know what I learn.

Friday, June 28, 2013

West Virginia bound

Sunday, Monday or Tuesday we are heading to WV. It is a Cardos family reunion to visit Mom and the two dogs and a cat whose ashes were scattered on the mountain last year.

We haven't been to WV in nine months. We had a long term renter working on the power plant refit. I would like to go up in time to restock the basics of toilet paper, Kleenex, salt EVO, Tide etc. The basic staples for the house, and to be sure everything was ship shape. But the selfish side of me wants a few more days at home. Once I leave I won't be back until Mid-week the following week since I have to report for work in DC the Sunday after the 4th.

I loved the WV house, it was the one place I slept soundly and felt totally comfortable sitting on the porch in my pj's drinking coffee. But everything changes with time. Zed is older and the walk around the circle in the gravel is harder on his little paws. I still have about 40 hours of work to do before I head to DC. Decisions, decisions Guess we will go Sunday if I can race around tomorrow like a crazy woman stocking up on provisions, packing for two lifestyles, working on menu's so I bring the essential parts and guess what I can find at the Shop and Save.

Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Blessed be the direct flight

Recently I have been doing a lot of business travel. For years most of my projects were close enough to drive to meetings and then followed up with conference calls. Not sure what changed but for several months it seems like it has been non-stop travel. Tonight the inbound flight was late arriving but we were assured that if we lined up promptly,stowed our gear,gate checked extra luggage we would be on board and in the air with hardly any delay. Like good little soldiers most of us complied. We were all on board, getting ready to shut down our electronic devices when the voice came on and in a very comforting but authoritative way said "due to weather in Charlotte" we were on a 20 minute delay, then updated to an hour and you could get off but...stay close we could leave on a moments notice. My choice was to sleep. Nice nap!

But I realized that no matter what the delay as long as the plane finally got in the air, I would be sleeping in my own bed tonight. Around me people were scrambling to check connections or make alternate flight plans. So no matter how tired I might be, how much I grumbled about schlepping luggage across town by metro, taxi and train to get to the airport on time, all I had to do was take a nap and hope the plane eventually shut the doors and headed south because my car was waiting , my bed was freshly made and tomorrow I would wake up in my own house and pad downstairs to make a cup of coffee in my pj's and peruse the newspaper that had only the news that was fit for the delicate constitution of a southern lady to read!

Monday, June 24, 2013

Does this mean I am getting old?

I have always tried to present an understated but professional appearance even when working on the floor of the data center. I try to coordinate, my sneakers are clean, I always wear earrings. The last few months I have been working in downtown DC. This should have been easy. Everyone in the client site is VERY stylish, most are European but it is a very cosmopolitan group.

Now the problem. I walk about 3/4 mile from hotel to metro and then three blocks from metro to the office-carrying my laptop,100 lb power pack, and stuff in my stylish leather over should bag. Woe to me if I throw in a water bottle! My shoulder is killing me. I have brought my pull along but that is less than wonderful on the sidewalks and escalators and I still have to carry it on and down the aisles of the plane. And it does not hook onto my luggage. Hey folks I am not feeling the sympathy. So I broke down and bought an unstylish laptop bag that is light, hooks onto the handle of my luggage and I can hook my hard hat on with a bungee cord. I always said when I abandoned fashionable I would soon lapse into sensible shoes and cut my hair to a practical length!

Today the guy who took my car - who knows me by now - says wow I like a girl with a hard hat. And the TSA agent tells me I am the envy of all the little girls. Who knew. Women check out the handbag, look to see if the briefcase is leather and a tote. Men they are all about the hard hat.

Sun jealousy

My favorite season is summer, especially summer days at the pool or even better the beach. This year I am living vicariously through my youngest grandchildren. They are spending hours and days at the pool and ocean. I was sure that as a consultant I could finagle my schedule to work from the beach or at worst at home with liberal mid-day breaks paid for with later hours in the evening. Not so this year. Guess I had better become a better project manager ; >

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Look at me

Eyes. Think of all of the sayings about eyes. Look at me when I talk to you. I couldn't look him in the eye. The eyes are the windows into the soul. I never really thought about how important a look could be until recently. A few weeks ago I got to spend a week with my grandson. Day 1 I was focusing on the "schedule". Breakfast, lunch, snack, nap - well you get the picture.  I even had alarms on my phone to keep me on time.  That is until story time when after the stories he stretched out across my lap in hopes of a song and looked up at me with hopeful eyes, eyes that weren't clouded by other thoughts, waiting expectantly and when I had no magic songs he looked gently at me and said that is ok. They were eyes that looked into your soul. Eyes that break your heart.  A few weeks later I spent some time with my granddaughter. We play wrestled.  And then she looked up at me with these clear unshielded eyes and I fell in love again.

Look away, look away for fear your life will change.  I remember sitting for hours holding babies studying their tiny features, listening to their breathing, smelling their baby smells.   It is the time you fall in love, the time that bonds you to them in a way that can never be broken.  I think they become imprinted on your soul.  As much as you love your spouse it can never be the same as the irrational love you have for the children who capture your soul.  If you aren't sure you can endure the challenges of loving one more person so totally - look away.  Don't feel their gentle breaths, don't breath in their sweet sweaty baby smells, don't look into their eyes or you will be lost.

Vanity the ultimate gotcha.

Vanity 1. Heels, shoes. They were my addiction. I loved being able to wear heels, sandals, cute shoes. Even if they were slightly uncomf...