Nathan has started his new job! One of the things he’s already loving about it is that the hours are 8 to 5, Monday through Friday. With Chick-Fil-A, he was working all sorts of strange shifts, some of them twelve hours long and many of them on evenings and Saturday which is Meagan’s day off from teaching. Also, Chick-Fil-A was forty minutes from home and his new job is just TEN minutes from home so his gas tank is a lot happier now.
Meagan just sent us a few pictures of Nathan getting settled in and I can tell already that he is going to be a valued and efficient member of the team.
(He is such a kidder.)
When he’s not lolling around at his desk, he will be working in this lab. (He is working with the State of Florida testing dairy products.)
One of my long time readers, Trine, had asked if I would post a couple of pictures of Sarah when she was around the age of 13 or 14, since since so many comments on this post said that’s the age she looks right now. So here ya go—Sarah three or four years ago.
Speaking of Sarah, every day this week and next, she is taking Driver’s Ed from 8 am to noon and then working from 1:30 to 5:30 which means she doesn’t get home until almost 6. She’s doing very well with the long hours so far although she was not absolutely thrilled about having to study for today’s Driver’s Ed test which covers six chapters.
I had an appointment with my rheumatologist yesterday.
The visit was extra fun since he had to remove fluid from my left knee AND inject cortisone into it. It wasn’t quite as bad as giving birth but I can’t say I’d love to do it every day. He kept on saying, “Please relax your knee” and I kept on thinking, “Yeah, right.You are poking a needle into my knee the size of the Grand Canyon and you want me to relax?”
When I went to my first rheumatologist,she said there was no RA factor present in my blood but this rheumatologist did the same test and said it was definitely present. He is taking me off my steroid completely (tapering down over two weeks) and is upping the Methotrexate from 4 pills a week to 6 pills.
As usual, once my appointment was over, I stopped by Chick-Fil-A for lunch and then hit my favorite thrift store. Just think! If I didn’t have rheumatoid arthritis, I wouldn’t have any reason to go to Greenville and I wouldn’t be able to have lunch at Chick-Fil-A. There’s always a silver lining! 🙂
What About You?
Since we’re on the subject of Midweek Miscellany, what are two miscellaneous things you are planning to do today?
Going to work? Dancing a jig? Taking a walk? Weeding a garden? Catching a plane? Changing a diaper? Balancing a check book? Doing a surgery? Taking a class? Taking a road trip? Repairing a computer? Moving some furniture? Writing a blog post?
What’s going on with YOU on this lovely middle-of-the-week Wednesday?
let’s see on Wed, i took Popsicles to my sons class for his 9th bday which was Thurs but the 19th was the last day. Then when they all got home from school we went to a placed and picked strawberries to eat and on Friday we made summer oatmeal with them.
Becky,
Any day that includes Popsicles, strawberries and summer oatmeal has got to be a good day!
I worked (just a normal day of clinic), visited my grandparents, bought “lucky bamboo’s” (they are the thank you gifts for the guests at our wedding), put them in jars and filled the jars with marbles/rocks (my husband-to-be and I have a thing for lucky bamboo 😉 ). I made a few phone calls (including booking an appointment to try on my wedding dress!) and now I’m just relaxing in front of my computer before going to bed!
Renee,
Never heard of lucky bamboo. How nice that you AND your husband-to-be both like it so much.
I imagine you’re really looking forward to trying on your wedding dress; what an exciting time in your life!
Started the day off with having to get 6 kids up and dressed and in the van by 7:45 to follow a bus to watch our 9 year old play softball in a town 45 min away. When we got back we had lunch at the local school and then the 9 year old had flute lessons. After that we went swimming for couple hours at our city pool. Our 13 year old had a baseball game from 1-3 and then he went to the pool. We ate dinner and then it was back to the pool until it closed at 8pm and then we stopped for ice cream at our local drive inn. Then it was getting 6 kids to bed and the house cleaned up. It was busy but we had fun!
Sheri,
Alright, you get the prize for the most complex, tiring day. I was already exhausted at the end of your first sentence and your day had barely even gotten going! Kudo’s to you for managing so much so well!
Work, weed, wash (car & clothes) cross stitch, read
Linda,
Work, weed, wash . . . you had a good string of W’s going there for a minute! How nice to get so much done and then have time to read at the end of it all. (Reading is my reward after a busy day.)
I tried to post this yesterday, but was unable to post.
I wanted to continue on with the w’s but they were all the things I “had to do”…cross stitch and reading are things I do for me. I agree with reading as a reward. I try to read something every night, if only a chapter. I also sometimes “cheat” and listen to an audio book while cross stitching. But it isn’t the same as holding a book & reading the printed word
I am frantically getting ready to leave for D.C. late tomorrow night. So… two things. Only two? OK:
– trying to find and buy some ‘businessy-like’ clothes that won’t make me melt in D.C.’s heat and humidity
– making arrangements for my dog to stay with friends while I’m gone
No, procrastination is not my middle name. I don’t know why you’d say that.
Kristina,
How fun to get to take a trip to D.C! I must admit I’m a little jealous of the trip but not quite as jealous of trying to find non-melting business clothes. Good luck with that!
Well, I am taking my 18 year old to have a mole removed from her eyelash line. It’s driving her crazy when she puts on makeup. And I’ll be canning fresh tomatoes later. It will be the first time I have done this without the help of my sweet mother-in-law. she got married last summer (after 23 years as a widow who never dated) and is spending the summer in Ohio.
Lisa,
I LOVE the thought of a widow getting married after 23 years of not dating! I bet there’s a wonderful story behind it!
I can’t quite imagine having a mole removed from my eyelash line; that would be a tricky procedure! I can only imagine how much it must bother your daughter though, and how happy she’ll be to have it gone.
Enjoy your tomatoes! I keep on threatening to learn how to grow my own since Steve loves fresh tomatoes but haven’t gotten up the gumption to do it yet.
I didn’t grow mine. I went to a local grower and picked my own. If you figure out how to grow them, post a blog so I can learn too. 🙂
Sarah has always been a beauty, even when she was bald and on the chemo. Such classic, perfect features. But it’s her demeanor and outlook on life that has always made me admire her and her parents. You’ve done a great job with Sarah, and she is beautiful even if she grew two more noses.
I love her hair dos. Such nice hair. Wish mine were conducive to all she can do with hers.
Congrats to Nathan! I always feel badly the way retail places schedule their workers. Makes it difficult for them to schedule anything else in their lives and to have a second job which many need to make ends meet at what the pay for those things are.They make it obvious why unions are important. Businesses have little regard for the life quality of their workers. I am so glad that Nathan found something different. It is very difficult for young people these days trying to find a living wage, life quality job.
Cath,
Thanks so much for your sweet words about Sarah. And I agree–she has always been beautiful but to me at least, even MORE beautiful when she was bald and sick because that is when her courage shone so brightly.
And yes, she does have wonderful hair for doing a ton of styles. I’m jealous!
I went to an amusement park as well as a water park. I have a season pass so I can get into both parks. 🙂 It was fun!
Kristi,
A season pass? Sounds like you get a lot of fun opportunities to enjoy! I’ve actually never been to a water park but the amusement park sounds like great fun.
It has been years since I have been to the amusement park. My family and I went the first year it opened in 1973. I think that the last time I went until now was in 1989. I had never been to the water park until this year. Definitely love it!
We are having a mini family reunion. My aunt and uncle are here from Minneapolis and a cousin from Phoenix. Yesterday, us girls had pedicures. Today everyone except me went for a tour of “The Ralph” (The Ralph Englestad arena, where the University of North Dakota hockey team plays.) You may or may not know that hockey is very popular here!
Fun times with family!
Krista,
No, I did know that hockey was popular there. Learn something every day! I guess your winters are especially conducive to those wonderful cold weather sports. And having a pedicure is always a good way to spend the day. 🙂 Enjoy your family!
Work and homework.. no fun times for me 🙁
Jennifer,
Well, now that your “work and homework” day is behind you, hopefully you have a teensy bit of fun planned for today? 🙂
Congratulations, Nathan! Having that extra few minutes on your hands by working closer and a regular schedule will be a real help in a few short months when that baby arrives, too.
Miscellany for today include checking the Smithellanoues blog for updtes and moving the trampoline to make room to finally get the pool up for the grandkids for the summer.
Have to note that in the photos posted today of Sarah at the actual ago of 13 or so she looks older than in the first photo posted earlier that folks guessed on! Congratus to her, too, for her hard work and efforts in drivers ed and her new job!
Janet,
You know, I was thinking the same thing about Sarah. It must have been the certain angle or lighting of that picture in her uniform that made her look a little younger. Enjoy your grandkids and your trampoline and your pool!
It is a gorgeous summer day for the Midwest. I have been working all day – just about to finish up – then will go home and cook some pasta and chicken and a cool cucumber, tomato, mozzarella salad for my daughter when she gets off work. I will take some time to enjoy the summer breezes from my deck as I water plants and feed the birds, squirrels and bunnies that have adopted by backyard as home this summer. I love that. Thanks for asking, Becky.
Mary,
Yum. Can we can come for dinner? Sounds like an absolutely perfect afternoon and evening, especially after a long day at work. Plants, birds, squirrels, bunnies and summer breezes . . . ahhhh.
So happy for Nathan, looks like he thinks so also. You did not mention your thrift store finds, anything good?
Beautiful day in MN but the heat and humidity is coming, so Lucy(our dog0 thought we should do our walk early. I will comply with that request. Dinner made, laundry done, dishwasher running and so I get to quilt after that!
Deb,
So glad you asked about my thrift store finds! I was needing a new pair of tennis/walking/exercising shoes but wasn’t happy about spending $75 for them. Found an almost new pair for $4. Fit great, feel great! Glad that Lucy got you out early for your morning walk and that you got to look forward to quilting after getting those (never ending) chores done!
It’s a beautiful day here on Cape Cod (MA). Middle of the week means less tourist traffic! I am heading to work for my 3-11 nursing shift. I will try and catch some of the Bruins game tonight on my residents’ TVs 🙂 Also, I will run my dishwasher.
Lesley,
Nursing. Bruins. Dishwasher. A pretty variety-filled day! 🙂
Working, knitting, working out after work and hopefully visiting a friend at her home as she continues to recover from surgery.
Nicole,
I admire anyone who knows how to knit. I tried it when I was in the 7th grade but was Miss Fumble Fingers. I know your friend appreciates your visits–the world needs more friends like you!
this morning I sewed jumper #95 for a little girl in Nicaragua. My goal is 100 dresses
(25 each of sizes 5-8). I have until the end of June, so that goal should be realized.
I will soon watch the taped Cardinals game from last night.
Wow
Mrs. Pam,
Your jumper sewing amazes me. What a sweet, compassionate, life-changing gift to give to those precious girls in Nicaragua.
Getting my hair cut and colored. No need to do anything else! Lol
NONNY,
Now THAT is a day well spent!
I will be picking up my great niece at noon from ballet lessons and taking her back home (just found out an hour ago). I will also be going to the PO to mail a letter regarding a purchase we made while at the beach to FL for legal work. Then tonight a birthday party after church for our Pastor!!! Pray for the Hall and Hodge family as they just found out our Pastor’s father-in-law has lung cancer.
Ann,
You always amaze me with the things you fill your days with. (Since I’m friends with you on FB, I gets lots interesting peeks into your days!)
compared to every one else I am doing very little
going to clean up the apartment a little, then spend the rest of the day crocheting. I am working on a few prayer shawls for a friend for her church.
Sharon,
Another talented person who knows how to create things with your hands! Love it! And it’s especially wonderful to see that you are using your gifts for other people.
Help my sister move…they are leaving Georgia heading for Tennessee. Sad 🙁 Also need to buy a full mattress for my 4 year old so she can get out her crib. We painted her room last week and she is very ready for the big-girl room makeover to be completed with her big girl bed.
Heidi,
What a sad/exciting rite of passage when a daughter is ready for her big girl bed. (sniff) I hope she makes the transition well.
And I’m so sorry that your sister is moving. There should be a law that sisters have to live right next door to each other. (Or at least those sisters that get along well.) 🙂
Good to see some pictures of Nathan It soudns like a great job he has got 🙂 Good luck with your test Sarah 😀
It was interestering to see the pictures. My first thought is that you always really had a nice style of clothes and it kind of reminds slighty to what I like wearing. Well looking on the pictures I think you can tell that Sarah has become older (something about her face to me 🙂 but I can still see why people can guess her to be 14 today since she really looks so young 🙂 I have the same even now people seem to be better at guessing my age but I am glad that I look young hehe 😀 Even when I was younger I hated that people would guess me younger. I remember once when I was 13 I was going to the zoo and the woman whom I went to wanted me to be quiet and not saying anything about my real age so I could get the ticket for children (Up to 12) but I wasn’t thillred Becky I remember i felt quite offended keeping saying but I am 13! 13 was a big deal to me.
Trine,
Well, being thirteen IS a big deal so I can certainly understand why you wanted to let people know! 🙂
Shuttling kid 2 to summer school, shuttling kid 3 to sailing camp and watching kid 1 drive off in his own car. (sniff, sniff).
Jan,
Sounds like Kids 1, 2, and 3 have quite the hold on your heart!
Today: grocery store with my five-year-old, who requested that I “please wait until the morning so I can go with you.” How do I say no? Tomorrow: Having seven moles removed from my torso and various limbs. That’s a lot of little stitched areas! But after that… a weekend with my mom. Just the two of us.
Kristen,
Ouch, ouch and ouch. Sarah, Steve and I have all had various moles removed and we send you our Smith Sympathy! So glad you have a weekend with your mom to look forward to as your reward.
Having the sand changed in the pool filter (I’m just watching!) and then maybe going to lunch with my hubby if they are done with the pool before lunch. Then I’ll go pick my grandson up at daycare and have some fun with him before his mommy is done working. 🙂
Gayle in AL
Gayle,
Sounds like Grandma Life is treating you well! 🙂 I know your grandson enjoys his one-on-one time with you and I know your daughter (or daughter-in-law?) appreciates knowing he is in such good and loving hands. Enjoy!
Daughter. 🙂
Going to the neurologist, fighting w/ my out of state medical team about my pacemaker (love the doc it’s his nurse that’s going to cause me to have a breakdown) and because the first two aren’t exciting enough I will probably spend the rest of the day on the phone w/ the insurance company! I live a very exciting life! So much so, with the exception of the doctor’s appt., its the same thing I did both Monday and Tuesday!
Jodi,
I wish I had the money to hire for you a full time “phone call maker, dealer with the paperwork, fight with the doctor’s office person” to do all that hard stuff for you! So sorry you have to deal with all that on TOP of not feeling well. Hugs to you today.
I’m going to get a haircut after work. Then hubby and I are going to dinner with some very dear friends to celebrate our wedding anniversaries. We were both married on May 9th and have been doing the dinner celebration every year together for many, many years now! (Either 29 or 30!!) Although it’s way past the 9th, we managed to find a date that would work for both of us. Looking forward to spending time with them!!
LeeAnne,
What a gift you have been given, to have such a long standing couple friendship. I hope you never, ever lose that tradition of celebrating your anniversaries together–so sweet!
Same thing, different day. Working. Glad Nathan has his new work place. Good luck Sarah on your test. Becky in NC
Becky,
Yep, working is one of those things that just seems to crop up on a pretty daily basis, isn’t it? I hope you can get a little rest (and find something fun to do) when your week is over!
Getting an estimate for daughter’s car.. hail damage!
voting on our proposed new contract for work.
fun
Michelle,
Hail damage. Not a good thing! And while I don’t know what all voting on a proposed new contract entails, it doesn’t sound like a great deal of fun. Hope you can find something to do soon that you really enjoy!
Going to work and mow 3 yards. Exciting life going on right here in Iowa!! Hope your day is great. Thanks for always sharing I so look foward to your posts. Tell Nathan Congratulations how wonderful for him!!
Marjie,
You mow three yards? Under an Iowa sun? My hat is off to you! Thanks for saying you look forward to my posts–that means a lot.