Working hard for my money

So far I really like my new job! I'm busy and the days go by fast. Of course I'm learning a ton of new things and it takes me a while to get through the work since I'm not familiar with it. The people I work with are really nice and very helpful with my millions of questions.
I think, in the past two days, I've done more work than I did in a week at my other job. Seriously. It's great!

Oh, and I hit 20lbs lost!

Mama needs a new pair of shoes

So I bought four.

I needed shoes for work.

At my last job I wore jeans and tennies most days. While I can wear jeans everyday at my new job, I feel I shouldn’t wear tennies quite yet. I got all for less than $60 - booyah!

Water park

Monday I went to a water park to visit with my good friend and her kids. It's a really neat park. Instead of a wading pool the area is full of different fountains for kids to run through.

Shoot 'em up

This past weekend I went shooting with my dad. I haven't been since I was about 10 years old. I shot a .357 revolver and a .45 Beretta.
I've had this phobia of guns for the past several years and this kinda helped me a bit. I am a horrible shot but for the most part I hit the paper... not always the target itself though.
I remember the revolver having a lot of kick and I was prepared for it but holy shiite! My hand was tired and starting to shake. My wrist was sore for two days. I was trying to hard to control the kick.
It was fun, I'd do it again. Next time I'm going to shoot a .22 and I think I'll pass on the .45.

I may have just saved my neighbors' lives.

This could be the one thing that saves my sanity... my life. I got ridiculously happy when I watched this. I saw hope. I heard birds sing. I did a happy dance. This could change my life and those of my upstairs neighbors. Ohhhh, watch the whole thing. It's so beautiful!

How to Repair Squeaky Floors Through Carpeting Video Floors This Old House

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Dad was in a sentimental mood

The other day I posted the toast my dad gave my sister at her graduation party. Later, as I was saying good-bye to him he puts his arm around me and started saying things like:

You are the best big sister. Really. Libby is really lucky.
and...
Since you were nineteen when she was born, you’ve kind of helped raise her. You did a great job.
and...
She really loves being with you. She loves you a lot. I love you very much.
and...
You truly are very special to me; you're my little girl.

There was a mild panic building in me. Oh god dad, don't cry. Don't cry.

My dad and I have grown closer over the past 10 years or so. Before that I was extremely intimidated by him. In recent years he has had these "episodes" where he tells me how much he loves me, my dad is still learning, at 64, to express his feelings to those he loves. For me, at 37, it's good to hear.

Toasting the grad

My little baby sister graduated high school on Saturday. The family sat in the balcony which were good seats but bad for picture taking. In the crowd of purple gowns and caps below us, I see my sister's face looking in the balcony for us, beaming. I waved, she waved back and her smile took over her face. I felt my throat catch at the sight of her. This is a very happy day.

This is more or less the toast my dad gave my sister this weekend at her open house.

I realized this morning that this will be the last graduation of one of my kids. (Libby interupts. Libby: What about college? Dad: Let’s hope so) I forget how important of an experience this is to a young… and naïve person. It’s exciting to think about how much life you have ahead of you to experience and how much you’ll grow and learn.
When Libby was little, about a year old, I started telling her, “don’t get fancy”. This meant don’t go running off. Stick where I can see you. When she was about 2 ½ or 3, we were at McDonald’s and she stood up and said to me, “dad, I want to get fancy”. She wanted to run out one entrance door and back in the other door. Anyway, what I'm saying is now I guess I’ll have to let her go and get fancy.

Cheers!