I could do that

Every time I don't get a job I interviewed for (and every time I have PMS according to DeuceDad) I start an introspective on my skills, my goals, my job search, and the hopelessness of it all. It usually comes back around to the fact that I have a very specific degree and skill set and unless I pursue formal training in something else there is nothing I can do for much over minimum wage. As long as Deuce needs day care, we will actually lose money if I go to work for minimum wage. And I'm not talking about losing money relative to unemployment. I talking, it will cost us money out of the bank to pay for daycare, pay our taxes, and work for $7.ish. How sick is that?

It hasn't stopped me entirely. I just applied for what could be a cool tech support job with a big chain of auto mechanics. We'll see.

In the meantime, I'm playing the "I could do that" game. See a job, read a news story or drive down the road while unemployed and you start to see people working doing things you took for granted. Mowing the median on the highway. Folding shirts into perfect rectangles. Cleaning houses, walking dogs, delivering beer to the grocery store, the list goes on and on.

When it comes down to it, I'm still just scouring the websites. I haven't lost hope that I'll find a software engineering job and life will go back to the way it was. Working days, having time as a family, having pocket money. There is a time limit on that hope, and you might just see me stocking shelves on second shift. I could do that.

Ready for spring

Deuce is ready to see some green.

Spring Eating

I love buying in bulk, and it shows.

I don't even have a picture of can-cabinet part deux and the spice cabinet!

One of my spring cleaning/moneysaving tasks for the week is to use up some of the food we have. Did I mention we have a chest freezer too? My goal is really to have one cabinet with canned goods (instead of the second overflowed one), no food on the top of the fridge, and bulk storage in some of the useless recesses of the cabinets (have I mentioned this kitchen is poorly designed? No? Oh, well it is.).

The situation isn't too bad as is, but there are still boxes of kitchen items to be unpacked, and there is nowhere but nowhere to put anything addtional in this kitchen.

The best part is that when we've used up some of the old stuff, I get to buy fresh new pantry-fodder! Don't say it. I know ;)

Year 1 Scrapbook

Deuce's first year scrapbook is in the binder! All 92 pages...


There are two odd pages that I need to fill due to 2-page LOs that offset some of the single page LOs. I'm sure I'll think of something, with the hundreds of photos I have left. I need to be much more judicious when ordering photos in future.

Anyhow, a few people have seen the finished product and I think it's a success. So many memories went into each page. Some have wordy stories, but some tell the story all by themselves.

Sharing

Just because you're sharing doesn't mean it's fair.

Whoa

It has been so long since my last post - not for lack of things to talk about.

I do want to say that EFT is the bane of my existance. I haven't been going to Jazzercise much because of some pain in my heel (plantar fasciitis by all accounts). So it's time to cancel, right? Well, God forbid you ask to cancel on the 16th rather than the 15th of the month. "Too late." Bullshit it's too late. Bullshit. Well, I guess I'll need to start taking that anti-inflamatory and get my but there for one more month because I'm paying for it, like it or not.

In the time I haven't spend playing phone tag with customer service, and receiving firm encouragement from DeuceDad to not be a pushover, I've been creativity-ing it up. Lots and lots of outside play with Deuce and Gunny, I have Deuce's first year scrapbook in the covers and only needing 2 odd pages, cooking food, crocheting and knitting.

I keep meaning to start spring cleaning/projects, but where's the fun in that? I had to do some cleaning today because my friend buzzed Deuce's hair in his highchair, and when the hair stuck to the jelly/syrup/tomato sauce coating I had to take it outside and take the hose to it.

A quick reread sounds a little whiny, but no real complaints here. My crocuses are sprouting and DeuceFamily's feelin' fine.

Meet Gunny!

Meet our dog!! We decided to adopt a dog yesterday - not out of the blue, but off schedule. He was just a random find on craigslist. He is 7 months old, and is mostly chocolate lab, but he has a little bit of something else too. Maybe pit bull, maybe weimaraner. I've also hear American Lab. The vet seems to think mostly lab with some mystery mutt, but of course it doesn't matter b/c this guy's getting neutered next month!


The first night with him went really well. He slept on a dog bed on the floor in our bedroom. I just can't get past my bed-hogging enough to consider sharing with a 45 lb animal! How will I stretch out?

I'm so glad the weather has gotten nice today because this guy needs a lot of exercise. Deuce is only good for about 20 minutes outside when it's below 30 degrees, so today I'm looking forward to a really long walk.

I am a little torn on one thing - his name. The previous owner was a former Gunnery Sargeant in the Marines - Gunny. I really don't like the name, but he responds to it. I don't want to totally wreck his world, but I would like to consider changing his name to Sarge. I changed Claude's name (from Applehead - yike!), but that's different since a cat doesn't listen no matter what they think their name is.

As for the creativity project - well I adopted a dog yesterday so that was enough there, and today I creatively managed a toddler and puppy at the vet at lunch time. If I don't collapse soon I'm making this for dinner.