Diamondback Season

I'll post the details later, but this is what I get for sneaking out for a half hour of fishing. On the way back, I ran into this little fellow. Rocket-Arm-Leo took care of him with a couple of bricks while I went for a scrap of wood. This is the little guy now (his head is nailed to the grass). Whew!

Stormy Weather

I love storms. I really do. I haven't always, though. For years, our house was technically "dried in", but problems with the exterior door installations meant that storms were always an occasion to pull out the wet vac. Today, things are better for us.

On the water-side of our house, our view is about 160 degrees. Because of this, we almost always see the storms coming long before the rain starts. The storm approaching now is the second one of the day. I can see the rain on the water just a few hundred yards away now. It won't be long before the windows get a thorough washing, and it's possible I'll lose my satellite internet connection. Still, I love watching the rains come and go.

Today I got some big news, and I'm still in a state of shock trying to process it all. I was asked to look at a job, with the company I regularly contract for, a few months ago. I really like the site manager, and was hoping to do business with him. It is a long project (800 hours) and would be at a location that I really like. When I got a look at the budget last week, however, I knew that I would just not be able to do the work for the price they were quoting. I hated to turn it down, but really felt like I had to.

Today I got a message stating that the management team had met, discussed their options, and decided to offer me the work at my standard rate. I nearly fainted. A great job for some great folks at a great location...wow! How did that happen?

There are a LOT of preparations to be made, however. I will definitely have to relocate to Houston for the duration of the project, which is something I don't relish, but it must be done. Leo and I will begin looking at apartments in the area this week. Although the cost of an apartment hurts my budget a bit, "living" close to where the work is occurring means I can work long hours, still get all my schoolwork in, and avoid the Houston traffic. And while leaving home is hard, (I'll miss watching the storms, the deer, the dolphins, and the neighbors) it's not the first time, and it won't be the last. Having Leo available to help out (cooking, driving, taking care of things) makes the biggest difference of all.

So...time to prepare for a new battle, a new challenge, and a new "fun time". I'll get over my shock soon, and the real activity will begin. But for now, well now as the rain begins to pelt the windows, I think I'll just enjoy the storm.

That Wicked, Wicked Money

Leo and I are in a spot we haven't been to for a very long time. We have run out of money. I try to work enough to keep us going, and was doing fine for a while. Recently, however, something changed and my primary employer is not able to pay me for services rendered. So, we are camped out here at home, not answering the phone, and not responding to bill collectors. Have you ever been there? I certainly hope not. When we get out of this mess, I will certainly be looking for another job. I really love these guys and they have kept me busy for years now, but I just can't afford any more blunders like this one (which has cost me several hundred dollars in bank fees). So, if anyone knows of work that I might be qualified to perform, I hope you'll give me a call.

Saturday's Wildlife

With a long day ahead, I woke up early on Saturday morning to check my email and look at my homework. Just outside of my window, three does were grazing contentedly. They did not see me, I'm guessing, because of a glare on the windows, so I was able to watch them for nearly an hour while I worked. How peaceful is that!

Later, when I got on the road, I encountered my next wildlife near Palacios when I had to swerve to avoid an alligator in the road. He was much smaller (3' maybe?) than the last one (>6') which I encountered on the way to work a few years back. But, this one was still alive!

Finally, when I reached my destination in Houston, I encountered some of the most unusual wildlife. For a belated Mother's Day present, my girls arranged for themselves and my sister and I to spend a few hours at a day spa in Houston called "Fiori". Okay...even though I am not often impressed by the wealthy and their lifestyles, even I have to admit that it was REALLY nice. Oh yeah...I'm supposed to be talking about the "wildlife"...well, picture this. [And remember, I'm just a country girl!]

Picture a Tuscan villa with lots of wood, tile and stucco, large wooden doors, and gauzy curtained areas. After arriving, in almost every area of the building you encounter men and women walking around in matching brown terry robes and plastic sandals drinking from the ever-present jugs and pitchers of cucumber water or flavored teas. Because you are pretty much "in the buff" in your own robe, you quickly realize that everyone else you see is also naked with just a robe on as well, a thought which places me squarely outside my comfort zone. In each of the client areas, where you receive your "treatment", dimly lit rooms with what is supposed to be "soothing" music piped in (rather loudly, in my opinion) can be found. [Note: After I left, I was frantically searching for some Eric Clapton to listen to on the way home to clear my mind!] Although I am not so uncultured as to NEVER having a massage before, I have to admit that laying naked on a heated bed while some stranger attempts to drive the demons out of all but a few of your substantial (remember...I'm a big lady!) body parts, is still a little bit like living on the wild side. I had a wonderful time with "the girls", and will certainly go again if ever invited by such a fun crowd, but realize that this kind of lifestyle is really a bit too wild for me. Later, reading over some of the offerings in the brochure, I silently thank my girls for not going for some of the more exotic treatments, like the "Massaggio A Quattro Mani" (Four Hands Massage), the "Soin Velours" (Vichy Body Polish using Refurbishing Algo or Citro-Essence) which describes how "following the exfoliation, your new contours will be treated to a marvelous body massage with a rebirthing silky blend of botanical lotion and oils", or the "Arancio e del Canella" (Citrus, Mandarin & Cinnamon Body Wrap) which sounds to me like a good thing to try out on my yeast bread recipe at home.

So much for my walk on the wild side! Still, a fun time was had by all!

One Night in My Own Bed

We just returned from Austin a few hours ago, tired and ragged, but excited about making some team progress. I got to sleep in my own bed on Tuesday, and will get to again tonight. What a WONDERFUL feeling! Tomorrow, sis and I are being treated to a [belated] Mother's Day get-away by my girls. Rebecca, Rachael, Ginger and I will spend a few hours tomorrow being pampered in a spa in Houston. I'm looking forward to a nice massage and facial, but more than that, am looking forward to spending the day with "just us girls" doing something we've NEVER done before. While I plan on putting in some long hours at work between Sunday and Tuesday, the big events of the week will occur next weekend when our final Accounting project (take-home test with restrictions), our KTTA map, and our two Quicklooks (15 pages of in-depth research each) are due. So, tomorrow night I will sleep at my sister's or in a hotel in north Houston, Sunday and Monday nights will definitely be spent at the hotel, Tuesday night I'll get to sleep a few hours in my own bed before spending Wednesday and Thursday nights in a hotel in Austin, Friday night at a friend's house there, and Saturday night back home once again. (I hope you got all that, because there is no way I can repeat it!) Anyway, I just wanted everyone to know I'm okay, although stretched to my limits once again. I feel like I'm on that last roller coaster plunge before the final stop, but the problem is, the plunge lasts a whole year. Oh well...what is it I keep telling myself? "I can survive anything for a year."