The Week (And a Half) In Review

I was gonna post a week in review earlier this week but events took a turn and my mind was on anything but my blog. You'll soon understand why.

Last week I kicked my job search into overdrive, knowing that J was no longer employed at the company he'd been working at for over 25 years. I knew that, even if he had another job getting paid more, he would want to do everything possible to cut my alimony payments. I prayed and asked others to pray with me and for me. I was especially moved by the pastor of the church we're now attending, who reached out and asked for my resume in case he knew of any openings anywhere. Tuesday I had a virtual interview with a local company. It was unlike anything I'd done in the past; there were assessment tests, but also recording myself on video answering questions on different customer service scenarios. I recorded myself as best I could and sent it in. I also applied to several other companies over the next couple of days, though I didn't hear from any of them.  

My daughter started feeling sick around the weekend. She's been working at a preschool over the summer and is scheduled to start teaching elementary art and Spanish this school year. One of the children in the preschool was clearly sick. The mom said he'd tested positive for Covid but was asymptomatic. Within days half the faculty was sick as well as several children, and my daughter tested positive. A couple of days later her husband began feeling the symptoms and also tested positive. It was breaking my heart because they both felt terrible, but she was especially affected with coughing fits and was starting to have trouble breathing.

My son-in-law works for a doctor who advised them both to get the antibody infusion. Saturday they went to the local hospital for it, and by Sunday my son-in-law was a bit better, but my daughter was not. Her oxygen levels were low. Monday morning he took her to the hospital where she was quickly admitted. My poor son-in-law called me in tears. She hadn't slept because of all the coughing, and now because he tested positive he wasn't allowed inside the hospital. I was heartbroken as well; driving down was futile because they put her in isolation so no one can be with her, and I couldn't stay with him because he's Covid positive. I waited a couple of hours while they ran tests and x-rays. The dreaded news came later that morning: she had pneumonia. 

I began texting and emailing everyone I could think of that would pray for her. Churches, bible study groups, friends, family, all my prayer warriors were put on high alert. The hospital immediately started her on antibiotics and oxygen; thankfully she didn't have to be intubated. By God's grace her fever was gone by the next day, and while she is still in the hospital receiving treatment she seems to be getting better by the day. The infectious disease doctor gave her a good prognosis. She doesn't have anymore Covid symptoms; if it weren't for the pneumonia she'd be cleared to go home. I know it'll be a long road to recovery but I'm trusting God to bring complete healing.

In the meantime, E and I went and got our first vaccine on Sunday. I know it's controversial, and I believe each person needs to individually decide if the vaccine is right for them. We got it because my daughter begged us to, and I didn't want her stressing over it. I'll say this, my arm was in pain for days. Man I hate getting shots :-(.

With all that was going on I had trouble focusing on anything else, but I got a call from the company that had done the virtual interview. They wanted to interview me in person. I went in on Wednesday and again had several assessments along with the interview. I was glad that the company is only 15 minutes from my house. The interview seemed to go well, and the interviewer told me he'd give me an answer by next Friday since there were several others he needed to interview. The very next morning I received a call with a job offer.

To say I was surprised would be an understatement. I'd been applying for jobs for months whenever we were living in the townhouse and I only got one interview. I knew right away they weren't interested. It was like God didn't want me to get settled there because He had other plans for me. I've now been in Central Florida for 3 months and I've landed a full-time job that's not only close to home, it's currently remote, so I won't even have to leave my house. The company will provide whatever equipment I need to do the work from home until they're ready to come back to the office. 

Even in the difficult, trying circumstances of life, God shows me that He is good. When I'm in need, He provides. When I'm hurting, He comforts and reassures. He puts people in my life that stand in the gap for me. I say as King David said, "Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me." (Psalm 23:4). I can be secure in His love because He is always faithful. If you're reading this, I hope you have a relationship with Jesus Christ. If you don't, I hope you will reach out to Him now. He is waiting, and He is good.

The Week In Review

What day is it? Thursday? It's taken a while to recover from last week, LOL! VBS was A-mazing! I didn't realize how much I'd missed working with the kids and doing Vacation Bible School till I was back in the game. 

I'd done VBS in the past, whenever my son E was young and later with my niece and nephews. I had been an assistant leader, worked registration, and did snacks for two years. I hadn't done VBS since 2014, though. My last church had VBS in the evenings, from 6:00 - 9:00 pm. I was working from 2:15 - 8:15 pm, so I wasn't able to be a part of it. So whenever this new church we've been attending asked if I would consider volunteering, I immediately said Yes! And it was meant to be: they assigned me to the snack room, so I had experience! There were three of us in the snack room teaching on missions. I met some of the loveliest and most encouraging people. We got the 1st and 2nd graders, a wonderful and well-behaved group of children that were eager to learn (and eat!). It was a joy-filled, rewarding experience that I would do again in a heartbeat.

VBS ran from 8:00 am till noon. Once I got out I took care of everything I needed to do around the house: grocery shopping, yardwork, laundry, the usual. I also applied to jobs whenever I found anything. Which is a good thing too, since I got some shocking news this weekend. My ex-husband J quit his job of 25 years. 

J has been telling me for years that they are going to fire him "any day now". Even when he told me the company had been sold a little over a year ago, I didn't believe him because I'd been hearing the same story for such a long time. So when I got the text message on Sunday saying Friday was his last day working for the company, I couldn't believe it. Then I looked at the message again. He didn't say they'd fired him; he said that Friday was his last day. That was suspicious. So I texted back asking what had happened, but I got no answer. I was left to ponder the meaning of his text.

Monday he finally called. I asked him point blank if he'd been fired or if he'd quit. He started yelling and cussing up a storm, till I calmly told him there was no need for him to fly off the handle like that. I'd only asked a simple question; there was no accusation or judgment. He finally did calm down and told me the new administration had been firing all the employees that were there from the old owners and bringing in new people. They called him in saying they would no longer need him in his position and offered to demote him, cutting his salary. So he walked out.

What does this mean for me? It means my job search had been moved into high gear. J still has to pay alimony but he's going to try and give me as little as possible. I'm thankful that my expenses aren't as high as they were whenever I was living in South Florida, but that doesn't mean I have no expenses at all. I'm applying and interviewing as much as possible, but so far there haven't been any offers. Still, I put my trust in the Lord. He who has provided in the past will continue to provide. I put in a prayer request at church and the pastor kindly emailed me requesting my resume so he can forward it to anyone that might be looking. I am beyond thankful for that gesture.  

If you have a moment, say a prayer for me. Ask that God would guide me to the right job. That I wouldn't be anxious for anything, but that in all things, through prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, I make my desires known to God (Philippians 4:6). I am filled with His peace now, and I don't want anything to take my focus off of Him. 

That's it for this now. Have a blessed rest of your week.

The Week In Review

 I have to admit, this past week wasn't all too exciting. I did my weekly grocery shopping, cut the grass (which is already growing by leaps and bounds thanks to the rain we got yesterday), went to church...oh, and I got my first haircut in 7 months. 

I know, yikes! It's one of those things I constantly put off, partly because of time and partly because y'all, it's expensive to get a haircut in South Florida. I had my favorite hairdresser that I've gone to for 15 years, but clearly I'm not driving four hours one way to get a $70+ haircut. Instead, I took advantage of the NextDoor app and looked at who was popular and being recommended. I found a place that's very close to home and was able to make an appointment online.

Now, I'm not gonna lie, it's a very simple cut. Nothing fancy or elaborate. But in South Florida, the cheapest I ever paid for a haircut just like this was $54. Plus tip. Here in Central Florida, I paid $27. That includes tax and tip. At that price, it doesn't hurt my pocketbook if I want to go to the hairdresser more often.

I never heard back from the company I interviewed at, so the job search continues. It's disappointing whenever you're sitting around waiting and all you get is crickets. But I prefer not to dwell on it and trust that God has it all planned out. 

The temperatures have taken a drastic turn. We moved to Central Florida in April, and the weather was absolute perfection. Lows in the 50's, highs in the 70's. Humidity was low; we could go for walks in the park and come home not dripping in sweat. Then June came, and not only have our temps climbed into the low to mid 90's, the humidity (especially the dew points) has risen, to where it becomes oppressive to be outside for too long. I'll be glad whenever this summer weather is over. That, and hurricane season. Ugh.

That's about it for this week in review. Hope everyone has a blessed week.   

The Week In Review

If there's one thing everyone has in common when it comes to moving, it's how busy life gets. Between packing and unpacking and finding places for everything and getting used to a new house and (at least in my case) learning a new town...it feels like there's no getting caught up. I'm happy to say the house is completely unpacked and it's mostly organized. It's taken awhile to get used to the house but I feel much more comfortable now than I did whenever we first moved in. I don't find myself getting nervous whenever the television is "too loud" (which it never is). I don't think as much about the stalking and harassment I escaped whenever we left the townhouse. My neighborhood is quiet, peaceful, and the neighbors are friendly. Each day it feels more and more like home.

I've thought about my blog everyday. "I'm gonna get to it today, even if it's just a quick post," I keep telling myself. But then I remember something else that needs to get done first, and something else that is priority, and the blog gets pushed aside. I could get upset and discouraged, but instead I'm just gonna go ahead and post my week in review (or two weeks in review at this point) and try to get back on track. Progress over perfection.

My daughter and son-in-law were supposed to come visit Memorial Day weekend but my son-in-law pulled a muscle in his back the night before they planned to drive up. They had to cancel because four hours in a car with back pain wasn't in their plans. Thankfully my son and daughter-in-law did come up a couple of days so we enjoyed spending some time with them. 

I also began applying for jobs that week. I still receive alimony from J, but I prefer not to. I have to deal with his complaints and whining whenever he has to send a payment, and I don't need any guilt trips. So I applied to three different companies and actually was called in for an interview the following Monday. It was a good interview in my opinion, and I hoped I would hear good news by the end of the week when I was told they'd get back to me. Friday afternoon I called, since I'd heard nothing from the company, and I was told they hadn't made a decision yet. So I'm still waiting to find out if they'll give me an offer. The waiting is, of course, the hardest part.

In the waiting I got the "itch to switch" and decided to rearrange the furniture in my bedroom. I wasn't sure how it would look but I actually really like it.

The wall where the bed was is now the office area, and the wall where the vanity was is where the bed is. The vanity fits better on the shorter wall. The best part was that I didn't have to move any of the artwork on the walls. I hate having to make more nail holes.

Another project I tackled was the garage. I got a $200 gift card from AT&T for being a repeat customer or some such thing, and I used it to buy shelves for all the totes and stuff in the garage. In my usual neglectful fashion I forgot to take a before picture, but here is the after, and I'm loving it.

 All those totes had been on the floor, some against that wall, some against the other wall, piled on top of each other and looking like a hot mess. Now they're all on shelves, neat and organized. I was able to move the lawn mower into one corner and the Christmas tree bag into the other. The garage looks clean and spacious, not like I just moved in less than two months ago (though that part is true!). By the way, I absolutely love my electric lawn mower. It works so well, and it doesn't tire me out like the big clunky gas mower used to, plus it runs 40 minutes at the most and forces me to stop so I don't wear myself out.

Let me end with this beauty: a sandhill crane that decided to stay in my yard for hours on Memorial Day. It's breathtakingly beautiful. E and I could have sat at the window all afternoon watching it. God's creation which declare His Majesty. Enjoy!

The Week In Review

I'm so far behind on my week in review post! I think I'll blame Thanksgiving and all the preparation for the upcoming holidays. So many distractions!

On Monday I went to TJ Maxx to see about some bottlebrush trees for my Christmas village. I'd seen some at Hobby Lobby but I wanted to see if I could find them cheaper anywhere else. I'd already confirmed that Amazon had them but for more than double the price. No bottlebrush trees, but I did find this:

I have been wanting a floor lamp for ages, but they are pretty expensive. I'd found one on Amazon for $86 but it was out of my budget for that month. I waited till the next month, when the price rose to $130! No thanks. I waited again to see if the price would drop, but it never did. I saw another one at Target that I liked, but it was $119, still more than I wanted to spend. As I went around TJ Maxx, I spotted this lamp all by itself, with no price tag anywhere. When I inquired, I was told it was $69.99. I knew that price was way better than anything I'd seen anywhere else, but there was a bonus: Mondays are Senior days at TJ Maxx, and I could get an additional 10% off my purchase. So this lovely came home with me for $62.99! It is a perfect addition to my office.

I spent the week cleaning and preparing for Thanksgiving, while at the same time placing orders for Christmas presents. As soon as they come in, they get wrapped and hidden. I've got a neat little stash, but there's still more to go.

Another thing I've been doing is applying to jobs. I haven't worked since we moved to the new house. My old job was part-time, and since I live about 45 minutes from my old digs, it didn't make sense to keep working there. It was my intention to start looking for work once we were settled in this house. Then a pandemic hit. I've put off looking for work but I really can't anymore. Of course there isn't a whole lot out there, and there's a lot of people looking for work. I'm leaving this in God's hands; He has always come through for me, and I know He will come through again.

Friday was grocery shopping day, and time to get everything I needed for Thanksgiving. I took my weekly trip to Walmart with shopping list in hand.

I'm making the Pioneer Woman's Green Beans which are my favorite, so I bought a big bag of fresh green beans. The chocolate pudding, Oreo pie shell and Cool Whip are for a chocolate cream pie, the boys' favorite. I also got potatoes for mashed potatoes, fresh herbs for the dressing, and yes, a jar of turkey gravy. I'm perfectly capable of making gravy, but with so much food to make, I'll take a shortcut here and there. This is one of them.

There were regular groceries to get as well. Most of it was salad fixings and fruit. As I run out of stuff I like to pick up whatever else I need.

I didn't buy the turkey till Sunday. I don't have a lot of freezer space and I didn't want to try and stuff a big turkey in there (pun intended). I always get my turkey from Publix, and I was so glad to see them at $.49/lb. I got a nice 15+ pounder for under $8. While I was there, I also picked up some sweet tea because Publix sweet tea is the closest to homemade I've ever had. And yes, I'm perfectly capable of making sweet tea too. Shortcuts people, shortcuts. Besides, it was BOGO - can't pass that up!

Oh, and I went to get my hair cut on Saturday. I should have taken a selfie but I didn't think about it. Us older folks forget about those things because we didn't grow up with a phone attached to our hand. My hair was getting really long - it was all the way down to my shoulder blades. It's just on my shoulders now and I'm enjoying having it shorter. It grows like a weed so it won't be short for long.

And that was my week. I've started decorating for Christmas - can't wait to share that! Stay tuned!