Random Selections
What lies behind the cut is recent everyday stuff.
We had mom and dad over last night for dinner. This is a fairly rare occurrence, considering they live just a short drive away. Dad’s 60th birthday was last week, and we didn’t make it to the family get-together at Cattlemen’s on Friday. (I’m sure the food was good at the restaurant, but they said no one could hear anything. They all apparently got to see how poor, deaf RoRo feels most of the time.) Anyway, for mom and dad we made tri tip, broccoli with browned butter and mizithra cheese, black-eyed peas, brown rice, salad, and corn bread. I confess I ate a piece of cornbread; it was very yummy. We gave dad a print we bought in a gallery in Maui; it’s a pretty island and ocean painting.
Last week was something of a work nightmare. I worked all week on a project for Former Employer that should have been done and printed last December. Thanks to the licensor’s penchant for reaming us, the whole book had to be remade–not because of any fault of mine, or anyone else on the project. They simply changed all the data without telling us. I’ve been talking with Former Employer all along about how such remaking is well out of the scope of the original project agreement, and thus, I’ll have to be paid to do the book over again. (It is hard to be bold and brassy enough to demand payment for extra, out-of-bounds work, but to have to do it four or more times really sucks!!) Unfortunately the issue is not resolved yet, but I’m sticking to my guns. I worked more than 40 hours last week on said nightmare book to get it to the printer on time. Former boss also worked hard and helped to make it happen, but that doesn’t diminish the work that I did or reduce the amount that she owes me. “Sorry, dear. You have to pay for services rendered. That’s the way it works. I don’t take it for the team anymore. We’re no longer in the same Former Employer boat.” I worked all week and the stress of feeling like Former Employer would like to screw me out of my dough has made me really angry and bent out of shape. I learned a lot on this project. I don’t think I’m going to go forward with similar projects without getting a lot more down on paper first, including the consequences of “change orders.”
Lucas’s roster of brothers and sisters is expanding. Now, not only is Kimberlee his baby sister, but Tasha, Ella, Laurel, and Ambrosia are his sisters too. (It is fairly remarkable to me that he now includes Ambrosia in this list, as they have had a challenging relationship until fairly recently.) The little brothers are fewer: Xander and Henry (and sometimes a kid named Rocco–who I gather is the baby brother of another kid at preschool).
Recently Lucas told me that when he grows up, I will be his wife. (Freud was so right.) I tried to explain to him that I’m already married to Ian, so I can’t be his wife. He was not amused. I distracted him by telling him that no matter what, now and forever and always, I will be his mommy. He’ll have to be satisfied with that.
Other Tidbits
* Lucas (and dad and mom) got a great report card at his latest dental checkup and cleaning. We are doing a great job cleaning off all the “sugar bugs.” Lucas was very brave, but he also doesn’t know yet that some people are scared about going to the dentist, or why.
* We’re really enjoying attending services at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento, which kinda blows my mind a little bit. But since the pagan thing is on hiatus, I need something to get me thinking of stuff beyond myself. Ian and I are considering becoming members. We are making friends there.
* Ian’s spooky fundamentalist freako step-sister is coming to Sacramento for a visit. Fortunately, we’ll only have to see her for an hour or so. The woman gives me shivers. I wish she would stay in stupid Oaklahoma.
* Tomorrow afternoon, on Valentine’s Day, we are going to the Sacramento Waldorf School for an interview with the Red Rose Kindergarten teacher. We are hoping that this will help us to determine whether Lucas is ready to go there next fall.
February 14, 2006 at 1:15 am
I am interested in checking out the Sacramento UU services. I can’t make it this weekend (I’m touring UCSC) but maybe after that. I’ll talk to you about it.