Shockingly I let the 3 year anniversary pass me by without noting it. But better late than never right? I've been in Chicago 3 years, 1 month and 5 days-actually. Kind of shocking. I think I'm one of the few who hasn't moved from the first place she moved in to. A lot of people move around here. I don't like to move. It makes me sad. All that packing and I end up getting rid of stuff. But it's also a physical manifestation of the past years into boxes. An odd representation of who you are or what you've become-those boxes. Well, only if you let them be.
Work: State and Elm is an interesting and challenging store. Could be challenging for many reasons-but not because it's busy. After OO nothing seems busy. But it's a funky city store with crazy customers, a difficult at times, set up (as far as merchandising is concerned) and well-there's always crazies in the city. I kind of miss driving to work, and I'm pretty much tired of the crazy people on bus. It's sad to say that-I've become jaded to a lot of it-and that worries me. I don't want to look past someone who is truly in need. But it's hard to figure out the legit from the not here. I will say, though, that I'm extremely proud of my holiday set. And I know it won't stay the same for the whole season-but I like it. And this store isn't some pretty box that you can just follow the map-but I think I did a decent job-actually I think I nailed it. But that toughest critic besides myself has not been in yet. So I will let judgement wait until then.
Looking forward to a trip to D.C. I'll be chaperoning Anthony's class trip. Me and a some parents and a bunch of 13ish year olds, tearing up the D.C. I'm actually really excited-it's been so long since I've been. Spring of senior year in college. I can't wait to go back and see everything that's changed. It's like going home-I love the place. If Deb didn't live there I might move there-but the farther away from crazy former roommates the better.
I'm having Thanksgiving at my house with friends. And although I'll be missing the family-especially little Chloe-she's growing so fast! I'm excited to have a holiday here with my Chicago family. It feels like a turning point for me. Like a point where we all realize that this is my home now. This isn't an extended stay in a nearby town. This is home. It's kind of weird-but I'm adjusting.
The knee is almost there! I'm done with PT as of a week ago. I still have to schedule my doctor's appointment and then hopefully, keeping all fingers crossed, he'll discharge me. I still have some swelling and soreness-but that can last for up to a year. And the numbness on part of it may never go away. But I'm moving a lot better, taking stairs up and down. Driving still seems to get me-I'm not sure if it's because it's bent or what. Tomorrow we're going to head out to the lake front and try a little jogging on a surface that doesn't move. I kind of miss the tred mill at PT-though i'd never admit it outloud. But I'm afraid that my energy level is going to drop if I don't keep up with the aerobic stuff-and I have to keep strengthening the quad so the doctor will discharge me.
Looking forward to the holiday season-been listening to some Christmas music already. Love it! Not sure I'm completely ready for the cold weather-but I guess if I want one, the other pretty much comes with it.
A little worried about Grandma E. She's been in and out of the hospital every 3 weeks or so. And she's in her 80s and I just don't know how much more a human body can take? Congestive heart failure every few weeks because of all this fluid in her body that then surrounds her heart. But this has been going on since at least August-that I know of anyways. She's not in good health, she's old, she's had heart attacks. I just don't know how much more she can handle.
Reconnected with Tom through facebook-and that made me pretty happy. He looks good and I'm hoping there's an opportunity at some point to see him in person. Sean posted about them coming to see me when he gets back in the states in December-and that would be pretty cool. I haven't see either in years. I was a witness for Sean's and Maureen's annullment and that was odd for me-but I've only seen her and not him since the divorce. So it would be good to them and make sure I'm still the person I've always been.
I do feel like sometimes I've kind of lost myself out here. It might be because my circle of friends is so much smaller, and the no family thing, but it's nice to regroup. I got to do that when I went home for Chloe's 1st brithday. Played cards with Ray, Brad and Blaise (although Blaise being old enough to drive himself around kind of throws me). And Steve was randomly here last month-and that made me extremely happy. But I do miss them all. And I worry. So it's always good to be able to see and touch.
See and touch. Yep on that note-goodnight.
