I've finally gotten a dose of summer the way it use to be. It's been OT like mad up until this week and outside projects and the move have kept me busy. No surprise then that I'd get home after a long day, knock out a few things on the powerbook, then barely be able to keep my eyes open by 9PM. BUT, this week is a 'layoff week' which means, that while I've still got to show up for work, the pace is easy, the hours are short, and the annoyances, few. Seems all I need to put a bounce in my step and shift attitude is some good weather and the prospect of something other than the mind numbing mundane.
Busy weekend. Had to put off the epoxy paint until Saturday due to the rain and humidity that rolled through Friday night. Had a good time down at the PL even though we never connected with Micah and Co. Sat morning the sun was out and the temps fine. Cara and I got a jump on the paint project, having finished the masking and the mopping and the sweeping. As the floor cured we worked feverishly outside through late afternoon and early evening, mowing, hauling, sorting, towing. Still more to be done but things were looking good in the yard. Got back to the apartment to clean up and head downtown to meet my mom's college friend and her new husband as well as catch up with her daughters. Busy place but good food. Stuck around an hour or so amongst the friendly strangers before heading back, but not until an awkward moment where I was momentarily detained as a random girl chatted it up with Cara and I while attempting to "scratch and sniff" my shirt (the pattern looked like cherries).
Even though I had caught a few extra hours sleep Sat and Sun I was still feeling pretty drained, no doubt my body trying to recover from 50+ hours inside a windowless factory breathing in solvent and diesel fumes. That said, I got to the lodge Sunday a bit before Ben arrived, made myself some breakfast and started moving things around. He showed up with tools in tow and we started tearing apart the '85. We made good progress before a) the reality of all the krep in place still holding the drivetrain in sank in, and b) Ben getting a call that he'd be dispatched to Moline shortly. Cara went shopping and I spent the rest of the day moving powertools and furnishings back onto the freshly painted floor as a warm Iowa evening settled in. Sat down outside and cracked a beer.
Around a month ago I took my manager by surprise by setting up a meeting. Her, with my immediate supervisor/manager (we'll call him... Gary), needed to regain hand and attempted a bit of table turning Monday, 8AM. No sweat. All said and done I could tell by the look on Gary's face that he was confident things would play out 'by the book' (go figure), the look on his manager's face whom I set the original meeting up with revealed a far more realistic understanding of the situation. I revealed none of my cards.
Interestingly, the Universe tossed me a few bones that morning . It's not often I buy into the 'everything happens for a reason' argument, but I will say that statistically, there will be times in a person's life that analysis and perception intersects with events, situations and ideas so close to home that it just might as well be crafted by a higher power.
Took advantage of the warm afternoon to pickup some parts and change the oil and solenoid on the '76. With weather so nice it didn't matter that I found myself mopping up thick, black oil off the parents driveway with soaked paper towels in very torn denim...as the sun set.
An even slower day Tuesday but a day to set my own terms had me renewed when I clocked out. Picked up a load of groceries, stopped by Menards for a hefty price adjustment, ordered some parts for the ETC, and filled the Blazer with boxes full of books and yarn and shoes and what-have-you. Cara and a friend from work kept at the packing and we hauled it all out to the lodge as black clouds began to roll in and rain threatened. Got things sorted out and I spent the last hour inspecting the transmission I bought earlier this year and assembling the new mower (swapping motors back) before the spotty rain chased me back inside.
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