— 1 —

It’s been a long week. Several 12 hour days at work, the Patriarch had to take the Spare to the dentist and the doctor for his checkups. The Heir started bowling practice for his high school team and we got notice that our research office would have its audit by the national cooperative group at the end of October. I’m very glad it’s Friday.

— 2 —

I’ve been feeling very, very isolated lately. Nothing but work, work, work. But I find that when I try to connect with others, its difficult. I want the life that I see on TV, or the life that others seem to have; friends coming over to play cards and have dinner. But, we are isolated. 20 years of the Patriarch working 6 days a week in his business, we’re older parents (I was 39 when our youngest was born) so we don’t have much in common with our children’s peer’s parents. The Patriarch is very vocal in his religious and political beliefs so, not everyone wants to participate in those conversations.

— 3 —

So the Heir had a girlfriend his freshman year in high school. What a mess. We are very, very middle class, she was very firmly upper class. Parents were nice enough, huge house, lived on a golf course up north (took 30 minutes to take him to pick her up for homecoming and Prom). Anyway, the relationship went the way most high school relationship do and cooled off. Her father, however, had colon cancer and her mother and I talked about him occasionally and I saw them at work every once in a while as I was walking through the cancer center on my way to our clinic. I would periodically ask the Heir how he was and would always get the replay, “I don’t know.” So, of course I ran in to her on Wednesday at the high school senior night and was chatting for a few minutes. I know you know where this is going. I asked how her family was, she said “fine.” “Great,” I said, “and your husband?” She stared and me and said, “he died on Memorial Day.” Oh yeah. So that’s how my Wednesday went. Of course, I’m sure her Wednesday was worse.

— 4 —

I used to perform another function in my office, I worked in the administrative side and also worked as a medical transcriptionist. A very technical job that requires a very specific set of skills. I liked doing it (I used to teach it at the community college) but I don’t do it now because I’m done with that part of my life. Of course, it’s difficult to find someone to do this and there was a deadline coming up for our division chair and I had to step up and do this for another worker who took my place but is not trained to actually do the job, hence the 12 hour day yesterday. I told the Big Boss, he needed better help—he agreed. I also said I could do every job in the office—he agreed to that also. The downside to doing your job well is that it’s difficult to say no.

— 5 —

It was supposed to cool down this week but we’ve had several days with temps over 100. I’m ready for summer to be over. The yard is crispy brown.

— 6 —

I’ve been having dreams about the economy collapsing and having to live in a huge metropolis with anarchy around me. Too much convention watching. I can’t wait until this election cycle is over. And then depending on the results I may have an excruciating 4 years listening to various people complain. It doesn’t matter who wins, I know plenty of people who will be complaining.

— 7 —

I have nothing else. I’m struggling to get into my final graduate class, get through this week. So, go see Jen and enjoy lots of other blogs, much better than mine!

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