The Pollen?

Never in my life have I been so affected by Pollen. Before moving here, the only time I ever used the word Pollen was, well, not ever. I think there’s a song in Grease 2 (a classic, you know) that talks about Pollen while referring to “The Birds and the Bees.” And maybe it was discussed during a high school science class. But that’s it.

Now everyone in Atlanta is talking about The Pollen. Pollen count is very important. I had no idea. Apparently a high Pollen count is somewhere around 300. This time of year in Atlanta it’s in the thousands. And that’s a lot. (from what they tell me)

You can see The Pollen everywhere. My car is covered in yellow powder. The patio chairs are covered in yellow powder. The streets are streaked with yellow powder. Doorknobs, windows, and even the credit card thing at the gas pump was covered in yellow powder. And yet, you can’t see it in the air… it just shows up all over the place. Freaky-ass Pollen.

There are news stories about how to combat The Pollen… what to do to protect yourself from The Pollen… and how to prevent it from affecting your allergies and sinuses.

People who were never allergic in their life come to Atlanta and become allergic to The Pollen. It’s some sort of weird regional phenomenon. (do do do-do do —- Sorry, Muppets moment)

I’m afraid to stand outside for too long – I might get covered in yellow powder! Thank goodness we don’t have a dog… I wouldn’t want to go outside and take it for a walk! Even family has told me that during this time of year, you keep your windows shut, the air conditioning on and you don’t go outside… and be sure to change your air filters. You just have to wait it out. (doesn’t that sound a little scary?)

I’ve never been allergic to anything… ever. But the more people talk about it, the more affected I get. All of a sudden my eyes are itchy and my throat is scratchy. Is it all in my mind?? Or is it… The Pollen?

Recruited by Jesus.

My assistant got a job application today for someone looking to work here in Human Resources. The applicant wrote on his application, a legal document, that he had been referred to us by “Jesus.”

I had *no idea* that Jesus had started recruiting for the hospitality industry. I mean, I heard he was recruiting… you know for church and to keep people out of Hell, but I didn’t  realize he was also working on a side business.

Now, with other recruitment companies, you have to pay them around 5-10% of the person’s annual salary… what do you think Jesus would want as a fee?

He’s Ginormous!

I may not have been in Tampa today with Jen & Julie (sniff). I may not have been shopping at (sob) Ruban Rouge today. And I may not have been learning from the awesome (weep) Emily Falconbridge.

But I did get the best gnome photo op evah!

This is how we roll.

Fernando and I… we’re like *this*. <picture me crossing my fingers>

We’re going on a little road trip this weekend – Fernando and the fam. I’m so glad that tomorrow is Friday & I cannot wait for some time to NOT be at work.

Did anyone watch Lost?! WOAH – awesome ending! (finally!) This is the kind of TV show that I LOVE! (who am I kidding? I love all kinds of TV shows.) So many questions… and you know we won’t get any answers. *sigh 

Is anyone else watching American Idol? Howard Stern has decided to jump on the VotefortheWorst  bandwagon to keep the worst singer on the show. I heart Howard, but I hate keeping the worst singer on the show. Bleh. It does make for fun radio… not so fun TV. I’m so torn!

Okay – me and Fernando need to hit the hay. Well, he’s gonna stay in the windowsill… I’m heading for bed.

My Kitchen Window

Kitchen windows make me happy.

Work has been crazy-busy these days. I had a little light bulb moment the other day. A while ago I wondered what would I do next… I had worked for years to get where I was in Orlando – that spot, that job, that position. I didn’t know what I would do next. (I even did a scrapbook page about it)

I’m very goal-oriented, you see, so it’s important for me to be challenged and to have goals to strive for; it keeps me busy and my mind occupied. (’cause my neurosis are heightened when there is none of that)

And then the universe turned my teeny world upside down. My Mom became ill, my hotel was being sold, and I decided to move to Atlanta. Ask and you shall receive.

Um, yeah… this job is totally challenging. Big time.

Mom is still sick, but at least I can focus more on her and less on worrying about having a job, etc.

In between all of that, I’m enjoying the new scenery around me – the landscape and the people…that’s my new goal… to take time and cherish all the little things that make me happy – like my kitchen window.

A Guest Has Arrived

I got a big surprise the other day when I received him in the mail. It made me laugh out loud. 

‘Fernando’ – as I’m calling him – is learning firsthand just how difficult working in a hotel is. So many emails, so many meetings… he’s experienced it all.

Next Fernando will discover the adventure that is my family… and the city of Atlanta.

Just when you thought there was light..

My Mom is in the hospital… again. Yesterday my sister went and visited her at the rehab place. She noticed that my Mom’s right leg (the one that just had surgery on it) was purple. She called the nurse who had her transported to the emergency room.

They have determined that the graft they put into her leg early this month is blocked. They can’t go in surgically to fix it because the wound hasn’t healed (Mom pulled all the staples out of it). If they went in it could cause an infection that could spread to the graft under her arm which could compromise the arm itself & they’d have to amputate it. So they put her on an IV with medicine to see if her body can shrink these clots on it’s own.

If not, they may have to amputate the entire leg.

You know… at some point you start asking WHY? I don’t know if I’m asking anyone in particular… just throwing it out there to the universe. My sister says that you can’t ask those kinds of questions… or say that it’s not ‘fair.’ What’s fair?  She works in pediatrics & see lots of sick little kids… she can’t ask ‘why them.’ There are no reasons, no explanations.

I can’t help it. I’m still asking.

Bloom and Grow

Our first official non-moving weekend in Atlanta. The days have been beautiful. Blue skies and birds chirping. This picture was taken in the front yard of my sister-in-law’s house.

Update on Mom: She’s still in the rehab/nursing home place. They removed her stitches  & are doing physical therapy.  She hates it there – it’s filled with lots of old people… really old people. She hasn’t walked in over three months. They’re going to fit her for a prosthetic this week & I know that will be difficult for her. Dad says that once she gets out they’re going to come up here to visit. I can’t wait.

I’m talking to her more often these days. She’s much more coherent. It’s made me realize how much I missed talking to her all the time. I used to call her at least every other day… and see her at least twice a month. The past few months have been so hard on so many levels, but most of all I missed being able to talk to her.

I’m not sure what the plan is for the cancer treatment. One thing at a time right now.

She saw the kids on our way up to Atlanta. Skylar thought there were dead people in the hall… no Skylar, they’re just sleeping. (really old people) Seeing the kids was good for her – reminding her how much she has to live for. It also upset her… reminding her of how much she may miss. Being so coherent, she’s very aware of how sick she is.

 ** The picture above is a Dogwood Tree. I’m in love with them. I’ve never seen them before – ever. They’ve bloomed all over town & are so striking with their snow-white blooms and dark bark. I love seeing flowers blooming!

I remember Marti telling me that Spring is so much more noticeable around here because of the lack of green during the winter. That’s something I’m not used to. It’s green year-round in Florida – there’s no discernible seasons, you know. Marti’s right - the flowers that are blooming stand out so much & make you appreciate them even more!

I am loving Atlanta!

Okay… back to unpacking. (or supervising… whatev)

It can only get better, right?

This was my morning:

• woke up late (stayed up too late watching ‘Lost’ last night – why the hell did they change it to 10:00?)
• wake up sleepy kids (this hour-early-for-school business is kicking all of our butts)
• get clothes for sleepy kids & make sure they brush their teeth
• get myself ready quickly (woke up late, you know)
• make a bagel for breakfast & wrap it in a napkin to take in car
• kiss everyone good-bye and proceed to walk down to basement to get to car
• decide not to turn on the lights while walking down the stairs (what for? I know where I’m going)
• miss a step or two and fall ever-so-gracefully (yes, again) down on my knees on the lovely cement floor
• cuss a lot (that freakin’ hurt)
• notice the heel on my shoe is broken (cuss some more – I liked those shoes)
• go back upstairs to get different pair of shoes, throw broken shoes in garbage (cussing under my breath)
• walk down the stairs s-l-o-w-l-y to the car (in pain)
• get in the car and realize I have to stop for gas (cuss some more; I’m already late)

So now my knees hurt, I’m tired and I’m trying to focus on my tasks for the day…. when I’d rather go home, put my legs up on something comfortable (as in I’d like to be laying on the bed or couch watching some sort of fluff TV show) and be in my pajamas.

Oh – and last night (or early this morning) I had a dream that the heel of my shoe broke off.

Do-do-do-do <<twilight zone theme here>>

I think I need a “do-over.”

Birthday Cake Ice Cream Rocks.

The kids’ school starts an hour earlier here than it did in Orlando. I have a longer drive to work here than I did in Orlando. That means I have to get up at 6:00 in the morning. That’s reallllly hard for me. It’s much, much too early. I think 7:00am is early enough, thankyouverymuch.

Anything earlier than that and it might as well still be the middle of the night. And with the time change, that’s exactly how it feels. Now I’m leaving the house at 7ish & the kids leave about 10 minutes later. And it’s pitch black outside.

I need a nap. 

Seriously.

~~~~ Okay -  I’ve had a cup of coffee and feel much better.  Ahhhh… the sweet lucious taste of coffee, cream and sweet-n-low… it makes me so happy. (and much more alert)

Last night there was a fundraiser for the kids’ school at the local ice cream joint. Since it’s for the kids’ school, we decided we could make this huge sacrifice and go eat some ice cream… if we had to…. okay, twist my arm. My sister-in-law and her kids met us there too… since they live just down the street! (how freakin’ cool is that?)

I had birthday cake ice cream…in a waffle cone… with rainbow sprinkles.

It was deee-licious.

They were selling coupon books for $10 – half the money would go to the school. Oh, okay… if I have to. I mean, it’s for the kids. I guess we’ll have to go back there now…since we have the coupon book… not because I want to or anything.

There were about 50 other kids there with their parents all eating ice cream. My kids saw other kids from their classes. (They just started school yesterday.) It was cute.

As we’re sitting there eating ice cream, I hear a Mom talking to her kid – “Sam, did you have a new student in school today?” Sam says yes. “What’s her name?” Sam says, “Mindy… um, Mindy I think… Minn… Mmmm… um, Mimsy.” He then points to Mackie and says, “She’s right there.” His Mom says, “And her name is Mimsy?” I interrupted and said, “Mackenzie.”

The Mom told me that Sam came home from school one day and said there was a new boy in class named San Diego. San Diego? The Mom later learned the child’s name was really Santiago. Ha!

I’m thinking we should’ve nicknamed the girl Mimsy. I may start calling her that just to get her attention.

So… the parents introduce themselves to me (I can’t remember their names). The Dad is asking me questions – why we moved here at such an odd time? What do you do, etc. Then he asks what area we moved to. I’m telling him the cross streets and he says, “Oh, those estate homes?” I’m sure I looked like someone who lived in an estate home simply by how elegant I was dressed… hair in a ponytail, scrap shirt, jeans, sneakers and a blue hoodie. “Uh, no,” I said, “we’re not *that* big.” I described the other neighborhood just south of those estate homes… that’s where we live.