Pictures and Words

So, I thought Friday: “Hey, that’s weird. I had no comments on my post.”
Then I discovered that I had never hit the “publish” button on my post.
Hate it when that happens.
You’ll see it tomorrow

SG had surgery yesterday. Our exchange via text while out for dinner and beers with a friend went like this:
Him: “Back got worse. Getting it fixed tomorrow.”
Me: “Glad you are finally taking care of it. If I were there, I’d rub it for you.”

Him: “I’ve got something for you to rub. It’ll make me forget my back.”

I came home to find out he had a major ruptured disk in his back – “Worst ever seen” according to his neurosurgeon. Getting it fixed was his way of saying, I’m having surgery in the morning. I called and gave him shit about it.  The thing I love about SG is just how laid back and calm he is. No big deal even if he can’t stand thanks to the pain and his legs not working.  Went to visit him last night at the hospital. His wife was taking care of the kids – sports events and all – so was happy we said we’d go see him. It was great to see him in great spirits. It was funny because he gave me a hug and kiss when I walked into the room and before I left. G laughed and said “I’ll let her kiss you unless you want a kiss from me.” 

I hate hospitals. I spent too much time in them as a kid – and as a teenager visiting my grandpa.  Walking the halls of our hospital in my hometown was a common occurrence for me to visit him while he was recovering from some respiratory ailment.  He had a form of lung disease, so every 6-8 weeks, he was in there.  We stayed with him for a few hours to keep him company. Outside of childbirth, that was a record for me. And for the record, I made my OB release me early both times because I hated being there. 

Was it just me, or did this 4-day work week really feel like a 6-day work week? Holy shit was this a fucking long week. I was 3 hours short of working 40hrs. Good progress is being made in some areas of the project – but the exec leading the charge – well, he’s going to fucking flip out on Monday.  I told a cohort that I was contemplating bringing a flask…or scheduling a lunch at a local pub.  He asked if I would share.

DJ got homework this week – a math story problem:

“Sally went to the grocery store to buy eggs. She eats 1 egg per day and wanted to get enough to last her a 2 weeks. She owes her neighbor 6 eggs. If eggs are only sold in the dozens, how many dozens does she need.”

My daughter’s answer: With the recent egg recall, I would suggest it is safer if she leave the store and go buy a chicken. Not only will she have eggs that are safer to eat, she will have an egg per day for more than two weeks.

I let her write that down.
But I still made her do the math.
For the record, her teacher LOVED it!
And loved me for making her do the math.

G and the girls completed their first week of school. It’s funny to hear them. All are tired. All are out of school shape. And all have been going to bed early.  Nice for me.  I do miss my quiet mornings without the chaos.  Oh well, summer vacation is only 178 days until summer vacation.

I used to work in the burbs. Like for 14 years. Living in the city and working in the burbs was annoying.  Working and living in the city rocks.  I left work Friday and wandered around with camera in hand. These faces? They are the post tops of the rail next to the symphony hall. I had never noticed them before, and should point out had season symphony tickets for 3 years.  They are also not new.  I love walking to the food carts at lunch.  I have my favorites.  I love the bustle of the people walking around the city. I love that atmosphere. I do not wish where I used to work for many reasons.  Not that this job is great. But hey, at least I like the location, right?

This building – a building I’ve walked by a thousand times in downtown Portland has the busts of composers and their names on it.  Kinda made me wonder what that building was before it was a restaurant and some condos. 

My train ride to work in the morning has a stop near a homeless shelter. It has struck me recently how many of the homeless looked like people who lost their homes. They are relatively clean and well prepared for living outside and out of a suitcase. They aren’t the mentally ill or drugged up homeless people that Portland is famous for. This is a group who seem to be a casualty of the economy.  I have watched women put on their makeup and repack their beds into their wheeled luggage. I have watched men restow their belongings and cover it with a contractors trash bag to keep it dry.  It makes me realize how everyone is really closer to being homeless than we may think. 

The local AAA baseball team is no more. Portland acquired a major league soccer team, so the stadium was going to be transformed for it.  When the baseball team tried to find a new home, they struck out. We are lucky to have seen one of their last three games before they relocate to San Diego.  I like soccer and will attend their games, but will miss the baseball. G and I lived two blocks from this field 15 years ago.  We had a lot of great memories buying cheap bleacher seats and cheap beers while we watched the game on a summer night.  Saddens me that it is gone – that they are gone. When I walked by the stadium, it struck me that it was no longer. The field is being torn away. The construction gear is in place.  The old fashion score board – operated by hand versus electronics – was being taken down.  It’s a sad day.

I can’t forget that today is Sept 11th.  I will never forget as I awoke on west coast time to the events in a hotel room exactly 18 hrs from home by car.  The guy that worked for me and I were on a trip to shut down a 300 person office.  We were the grim reapers. I will never forget the look on our faces as we stepped outside of our hotel rooms both looking confused and asking “what the fuck is going on??”  At the time, no one quite understood what was going on.  They were merely reacting. At the office, we learned that one of the employees has a niece in one of the towers. We all watched it collapse and silently prayed she wasn’t in it.  Both my employee and I just wanted to be home – so we packed up our rental car and drove home – 18 hrs straight with only stops for gas and coffee.  And we thanked our chosen deity that we had a rental car as some stranded travelers were not as lucky.

Remember the victims and remember the men and women serving in Iraq and Afghanistan as they are there as a result of this day.  May no more die – and all return home safely.

3 Comments Add yours

  1. Maggie says:

    This was easily the longest week ever.

  2. Just me... says:

    Amen, sister.. This was one long, tiring, sad, aggravating week.. Wishing us all a better one next week.. :):)

  3. I love the pictures and hopefully this week will be a better one.

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