Three day weekends

It's a holiday weekend which means I have three days off from work. The thought of having three days off after the week preceeding those three days off was exciting.

My office is undergoing construction. And while you would think everyone in the office would be suffering due to the noise, dust, various workmen, multiple construction comments and questions, dirty boot prints, mysteriously loud cell phones that play country or rock or surprisingly techno....everyone is NOT suffering. But I am. It seems that all the construction and destruction needs to occur to the left of my desk. It is very stressful. Who am I kidding? It is driving me nuts and not in a funny, we'll laugh about this later way either.

So the idea of a three day weekend has tempted me for months. I thought of all the projects I could complete, or at least start, around the house. I could prime the walls for painting, organize my paperwork, re-arrange my furniture, read extra chapters for class, run each morning, learn german. Yes, yes, I think of ALL the things I can do in three days and the thought of accomplishing one or four of those things is so exciting. I get exciting just thinking about finally having the time and energy to all these unfinished projects.

It's nice to dream.

It is. Where would we be without dreams? So, rather than doing any of the projects that have been taunting me for some time there's a hurricane brewing in the Gulf that forced my entire family to leave New Orleans within days of the anniversary of Katrina. Each of my family members have gone to different locations. In the midst of all of this my great grandmother passed away early Saturday morning. So I woke to a morning filled with hurricane plans mixed with calls from family members each having the other contact other family members with the news.
I spent HOURS online and on the phone finding a hotel with any available rooms. I've sent enough texts to go nuts. I won't count the phone calls in and out but I've used more minutes this weekend than I use in a whole month.

And my great grandmother is gone. Last year we all got together and celebrated her 100th birthday. In October she would have been 101 years old - thinking of this makes me sad. But I remember something she said to me and my mother at the ripe age of 96 years old. We had gone to see her, something my mother did often, and she asked me to comb her hair. This terrified me since I don't even comb my own hair. When it comes to hair and styling it I am clueless. But she told me what to do and I followed her instructions. I was terrified I'd hurt her.
As she talked she said that she was tired. We thought she was ready for bed, but she explained that her mind was alert but that her body was tired. I didn't take her seriously because she was really alive and present and not senile. How could she be tired of living? She explained and it helped me understand as much as I could comprehend living that long when so many people you loved had passed away. Yes, her son, my grandfather and her 90 year old sister are still alive, but so many others she's loved have left. And she was tired herself of course.

I don't know. I'm sad that she's gone but happy that she is no longer suffering. I think about her seeing my aunt and cousin. I know from my mom that in recent months she'd spoken about seeing her mother again. My great grandmother was 100 and her mother died when she was an 11 year old child.
That's 89 years of waiting to see your mother again. I'm sad, but I pray that my great grandmother is free of pain and has seen her mother again.

Bedtime series

In some ways I'm a creature of habit.
I'm spontaneous too, but there are some rituals I like to keep including when I go to bed.
I go to bed early.
There - my secret is out. But I wake up early and don't usually sleep the whole night through so going to bed early is a must.
I go to bed and the cats go to bed. It works for me.

Each night within seconds of me getting into bed Noona got into bed also. For 12 years he curled up behind my head and snored until it was time to do it all over again. I thought he and I would sleep that way forever. I miss his snoring and watching him dream.

My Noona cat is unfortunately now gone.

Boo has taken over his bedtime job with a slight twist, he sleeps in front on me. I decided that I'd take photos of this for one month.
Of course taking these photos means you get to see me just before bed. Hold your excitment please.

Are you sure we're already in mid-August?

Where does the time go.
Specifically where do the months go? I feel like I'm on a hamster wheel trying to keep track of the day or month or year and this month is no exception.
I feel like just yesterday I commented on how it was August already and now August is on its way out. I know, I know, you're thinking that I'm old if I've somehow lost track of time, but I was the same way as a kid. I have already had trouble with time and yes, often I'm a few minutes late to everything. At least I'm consistant, right?

I'm trying to enjoy this time. I'm between classes and work is somewhat quiet this time of year. While I'm grateful for the end of summer course and getting a 4.0, I'm also tired and not ready for the fall. But this will be my last fall as an undergraduate. I have three classes to graduate. (With working full time this will take both the fall and spring semesters.) Fortunately these are my last three classes and I have a scholarship that helps pay for this coming year. I'm both excited and terrified....because now I'm applying to graduate school. I'd like to get my PhD or PsyD but that will certainly mean moving away. Or I could get my Masters right here in town and then later work on earning a PhD.
But - there's always a but somewhere.
I'd like to get my doctorate now and I worry that not doing now may mean that I never earn one. No, it won't be the end of the world and yet I don't want to not earn one. I'm applying to schools now so we shall see what happens.

One of my best friends is serving in Iraq. She's left her most prized item in my care, her cat Gabriel who I call Gabzilla, Gabby the Hun or GabbyTabba. (He's an orange tabby who is on the blond side.)
Anyway, here are some photos of him and my kitty Boo. Yes, I do need to get a life.