Our lovely vacation to DC and Charlottesville is being involuntarily extended by 24 hours! When we were getting close to the airport last night, we found out our flights were cancelled. Fortunately, we have good friends in DC (who I'd stayed with Tues-Fri, and who had then come down to Charlottesville with us last minute), so we made the best of it and called them to see if they wanted houseguests. They said yes, so here we are!
It's funny because I can work remotely pretty easily for my job, so this doesn't cost me any vacation or put me further behind at work. My husband's job is the opposite -- he can't really work remotely (though sometimes he does emails and paperwork via Citrix from home), so he has to use a vacation day today. Yet last night I was far more unhappy and stressed about the situation. I felt bad he was using vacation to be sitting around while I have to work, and after a weekend full of so much food, drink, friends and fun, I was just kind of ready to be home, back in a healthy routine.
We ended up going to the airport since we were nearly there anyway and since when we tried to call American there was just a recording saying they were busy, try the call again later, bye. Not even the usual "extended hold time over 2 hours". The line at the airport was only about 75 people but it was barely moving. While in line, I kept trying to get through on the phone. Eventually I got through and got in the line to be on hold with an "estimated wait time" of over 1 hour. But it wasn't awful. The people in line in front of us were pretty young (early 20s?) and fun to talk to, both from India originally so we got to talk a lot about that. Eventually my call got picked up (there were still at least 50 people in front of us in the physical line) and the best the AA rep could do was putting us on separate flights out of separate airports tonight -- ugh. But at least we'll get home. Other friends who were at the reunion from Dallas are stuck here until Tuesday!
So last night, I finally got over my pissiness that we really were stuck, and my friend convinced me we weren't imposing, and then we had an awesome dinner my friend was making anyway -- roasted sweet potato and mushroom tacos, and lots of wine (ugh! I was planning on starting a personal little detox, but that is also delayed 24 hours), and so much laughing. And now I'm working from her couch, getting ready to go for a run on an awesome trail by her house, and if I can wrap things up, we may do a memorial or museum in DC for fun prior to setting out for the airports.
Tonight will be as miserable as last night was supposed to be -- just 24 hours later. We will get home late, have to run to the store since the fridge is totally empty, have no clean laundry, etc. Ugh. But whether it was last night or tonight, a small price to pay for such a fun week.
Not bad in the end!
Monday, May 11, 2015
Friday, May 8, 2015
Victory All Around
Happy V-E Day! What a great day to be in DC to celebrate 70 years from the end of the war in Europe!
It seems like just last month we were celebrating the 70th anniversary of D-Day. Of course, that was actually last June, and it's amazing to think about what ensued between D-Day and V-E Day 70 years ago. So many lives lost, so many lives changed, the course of the world shaped, one front at a time.
I was awake and working long before the crack of dawn today because I want to get down to the Mall today to be at the WWII Memorial for the fly-over. At lunch time, a whole bunch of WWII planes including the only remaining flying B-29 will fly over the Mall. So exciting. I imagine a fair number of veterans will be there as well, so I hope to be able to spend some time telling those guys how much their service means to me.
And fortunately, I'll get to see it! My eye is getting better! I woke up on Thursday and the pain scale was at about 2.5. It still looked awful, so red and bleary, but it felt okay unless I was looking right at the sun, which actually kind of hurts even when both my eyes are okay! By last night it looked substantially better.
Today, still a little red, but no pain! Yeah! Allergies? Scratch on my cornea? Not sure, but so glad it's resolving -- and so glad I had packed my glasses. Now it's a vanity question. Reunion cocktail party is tonight, then the big dinner with dancing afterward is tomorrow night. Do I risk contacts for either or both events? If I do, I'll absolutely have my contact case with me so I can take them out right away if it hurts.
It seems like just last month we were celebrating the 70th anniversary of D-Day. Of course, that was actually last June, and it's amazing to think about what ensued between D-Day and V-E Day 70 years ago. So many lives lost, so many lives changed, the course of the world shaped, one front at a time.
I was awake and working long before the crack of dawn today because I want to get down to the Mall today to be at the WWII Memorial for the fly-over. At lunch time, a whole bunch of WWII planes including the only remaining flying B-29 will fly over the Mall. So exciting. I imagine a fair number of veterans will be there as well, so I hope to be able to spend some time telling those guys how much their service means to me.
And fortunately, I'll get to see it! My eye is getting better! I woke up on Thursday and the pain scale was at about 2.5. It still looked awful, so red and bleary, but it felt okay unless I was looking right at the sun, which actually kind of hurts even when both my eyes are okay! By last night it looked substantially better.
Today, still a little red, but no pain! Yeah! Allergies? Scratch on my cornea? Not sure, but so glad it's resolving -- and so glad I had packed my glasses. Now it's a vanity question. Reunion cocktail party is tonight, then the big dinner with dancing afterward is tomorrow night. Do I risk contacts for either or both events? If I do, I'll absolutely have my contact case with me so I can take them out right away if it hurts.
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
Bleary Eyed
Operation Ten Semi-Vacation Days in May is underway!
I woke up this morning in DC at a friend's condo. She goes to work early. And I mean EARLY. She gets in at 6:15! Not crazy. But she has a desk job, so I find it very crazy. She could work 9-5. Instead she works 6:15 to 5. Haha. Guess not all government jobs are 8 or 9 hours a day.
But I woke up bleary eyed.
My contacts were bothering me a lot mid-April. So I switched to a new pair, it was time anyway. But then the new pair hurt almost immediately in my left eye.
Went to the eye doctor Saturday (weird story, I actually walked to the eye doctor and met a woman who lives near me and walked and talked with her the whole way; very bizarre because it's a pretty long walk, and no one really walks in Dallas, and we only started talking when some jack@ss nearly hit her).
He said my eye was okay and ordered a new brand of lenses for me.
Wore the contacts Saturday, no issues.
Ran a half marathon Sunday that felt hot and sunny. (Weird story, the guy who I think is the most popular runner in Dallas introduced me to someone he'd just met, who was super-interesting and I spent a lot of time talking to, she was in town for the race because her husband is on a project in Dallas so she visited for the week from ... Grand Cayman!) (Very weird because I feel like I never meet strangers, but two over the weekend!) I think the temp was only in the low 70s, but it was oppressively sunny with no shade. While waiting around for my AG award (very small race), I thought I got bit by something. I was itchy all over. Arms, legs, face. I felt like my lips were swelling a little but it was no big deal. I have tons of food allergies and if it just makes me itch or swell on the outside, it's fine -- the problem is when my throat swells on the inside, which is just a few foods that I'm well aware of. I got home and my eyes were swelling a little. Took out my contacts right away.
Wore the contacts Monday, no issues.
Wore the contacts yesterday, and by about noon, I could see my left eye was pretty red. I took out my contacts again. I left for the airport early and got in to see the eye doctor on my way. He checked it again and confirmed all the blood vessels had broken, but there was no apparent issue.
Well, last night I could barely sleep because it hurt so much. Tears from the eye were running down my face.
Today it's red and watery still. Hurts. Not sure what to do. Keep waiting to let it get better? Urgent care? ER? Find an eye doctor here? Ugh.
Did I mention it's my law school reunion this weekend and I'm going to see a bunch of people I haven't seen in 5 or 15 years? Double ugh...
I think I'm going to give it today and see if it gets better on its own.
Happy to be in DC though! Going to lunch with my college mentor today.
I woke up this morning in DC at a friend's condo. She goes to work early. And I mean EARLY. She gets in at 6:15! Not crazy. But she has a desk job, so I find it very crazy. She could work 9-5. Instead she works 6:15 to 5. Haha. Guess not all government jobs are 8 or 9 hours a day.
But I woke up bleary eyed.
My contacts were bothering me a lot mid-April. So I switched to a new pair, it was time anyway. But then the new pair hurt almost immediately in my left eye.
Went to the eye doctor Saturday (weird story, I actually walked to the eye doctor and met a woman who lives near me and walked and talked with her the whole way; very bizarre because it's a pretty long walk, and no one really walks in Dallas, and we only started talking when some jack@ss nearly hit her).
He said my eye was okay and ordered a new brand of lenses for me.
Wore the contacts Saturday, no issues.
Ran a half marathon Sunday that felt hot and sunny. (Weird story, the guy who I think is the most popular runner in Dallas introduced me to someone he'd just met, who was super-interesting and I spent a lot of time talking to, she was in town for the race because her husband is on a project in Dallas so she visited for the week from ... Grand Cayman!) (Very weird because I feel like I never meet strangers, but two over the weekend!) I think the temp was only in the low 70s, but it was oppressively sunny with no shade. While waiting around for my AG award (very small race), I thought I got bit by something. I was itchy all over. Arms, legs, face. I felt like my lips were swelling a little but it was no big deal. I have tons of food allergies and if it just makes me itch or swell on the outside, it's fine -- the problem is when my throat swells on the inside, which is just a few foods that I'm well aware of. I got home and my eyes were swelling a little. Took out my contacts right away.
Wore the contacts Monday, no issues.
Wore the contacts yesterday, and by about noon, I could see my left eye was pretty red. I took out my contacts again. I left for the airport early and got in to see the eye doctor on my way. He checked it again and confirmed all the blood vessels had broken, but there was no apparent issue.
Well, last night I could barely sleep because it hurt so much. Tears from the eye were running down my face.
Today it's red and watery still. Hurts. Not sure what to do. Keep waiting to let it get better? Urgent care? ER? Find an eye doctor here? Ugh.
Did I mention it's my law school reunion this weekend and I'm going to see a bunch of people I haven't seen in 5 or 15 years? Double ugh...
I think I'm going to give it today and see if it gets better on its own.
Happy to be in DC though! Going to lunch with my college mentor today.
Monday, May 4, 2015
Hairy Lunch
Weird set of circumstances today, but our assistant ended up having to bring food to me, my boss and one of my colleagues today. My boss emailed her what he wanted her to pick up for him. My coworker said she had a sandwich in the fridge and a cup of soup that needed to be microwaved. I asked her to heat up my usual -- a frozen meal with an added individual serving of (frozen peas).
Food came in batches. First she brought my boss's carry-out. Then my co-worker's sandwich, then the soup. Then my meal.
It looked exactly like it does when I make it -- a straight up frozen meal, topped with peas.
I should remind you that I have detailed my distaste for my assistant in the past. I don't want to link to the post, but suffice it to say, she's not my favorite. Her competence has improved in the last few years, but she still skeeves me out a little (flashback to some TMI stories she shared with me, verbal diarrhea about actual diarrhea, blech!).
So I started eating my lunch. After about 3 or 4 perfectly normal bites, I realized there was a hair in my food. A relatively long hair. I tried to inconspicuously spit the bite into my napkin, and in doing so .... ewwww ... I realized it was my own hair. And ... ewww ... it was still attached to my head. Yuck!
It totally grossed me out -- the thought that it was hers, then the realization that even though it's mine, it's still hair in my mouth that was mixed with food. It took a lot of self-control to not shudder or freak out and try to pull all my hairs away from my face or make some other kind of scene.
Food came in batches. First she brought my boss's carry-out. Then my co-worker's sandwich, then the soup. Then my meal.
It looked exactly like it does when I make it -- a straight up frozen meal, topped with peas.
I should remind you that I have detailed my distaste for my assistant in the past. I don't want to link to the post, but suffice it to say, she's not my favorite. Her competence has improved in the last few years, but she still skeeves me out a little (flashback to some TMI stories she shared with me, verbal diarrhea about actual diarrhea, blech!).
So I started eating my lunch. After about 3 or 4 perfectly normal bites, I realized there was a hair in my food. A relatively long hair. I tried to inconspicuously spit the bite into my napkin, and in doing so .... ewwww ... I realized it was my own hair. And ... ewww ... it was still attached to my head. Yuck!
It totally grossed me out -- the thought that it was hers, then the realization that even though it's mine, it's still hair in my mouth that was mixed with food. It took a lot of self-control to not shudder or freak out and try to pull all my hairs away from my face or make some other kind of scene.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)