BACK TO WORK

It's been interesting going back to work.  I went back on Monday feeling great.  There is so much work to catch up on having worked at the McPherson Branch and then being off for a week on vacation.  But I've been nibbling away at it and I think by the end of the week I will have caught up on everything.  Just in time to go to McPherson next week.  Then I will be behind on everything again.  *Sigh*  

I knew I was back to work when on Monday an older woman told me I was stupid because when she didn't have her library card I looked her up by her license.  Her name on her license was Elizabeth and her name on her library card was Betty.  I couldn't find her in the database.  I should have known she only used Elizabeth for legal purposes.  OK...

Then on Tuesday I waited on a guy who was so high on drugs he was manic.  He took out movies, put some back, changed them to ones I hadn't checked in yet (even though I told him they were not available), took out too many, put some back...  And then he said his name was John and he was pleased to meet me.  He asked what my name was and I said "Mrs. S...."  He said, "Aren't you going to tell me your first name?"  I said, "My first name is Mrs."  Ha, ha.  But I wasn't going to tell him my name.

Wednesday Joe had a doctor's appointment at the VA Hospital with his neurologist.  He got Carole to take him down so that I wouldn't miss any more work.  But when he got there, his blood sugar was low (even though he had eaten breakfast) and he almost passed out.  He had to have a volunteer take him to his appointment in a wheelchair.  Thank goodness Carole was with him.  She was such a big help.  The nurse there gave him some graham crackers and ginger ale and his sugar went back up.  So we will be keeping an eye on his levels more closely.  Since he lost so much weight he may be taking too much medication for his diabetes now.  I am going to get him to go to the doctor to get that checked out.

So that has been my interesting week.  Today I am going to the dentist to have the beginning of my root canal.  I still have to go to work afterwards because if I don't there won't be enough people to open the branch.  This should be fun.  NOT.

SISTERS' WEEK -- DAY NINE (SUNDAY)

Sunday was the last day of Sisters' Week 2013.  It felt surreal knowing that a week before we had been going to the British Chip Shop and the week was just beginning.

We began the day attending Elaine's church.  I have been there so often that I know many of the people.  It was so nice being there.

After church we went back to Elaine's house and had a wonderful brunch.  Then it was time to pack up and leave for home.  How is it that I always come back with way more than I go there with?

It wasn't a bad drive back, but there was lots of traffic and still took me 2 1/2 hours to make it.  I was sad to leave Elaine but glad to be back with Joe and in my own home.  Isn't that the way it always is?

I didn't realize until later that night just how much I needed that vacation.  I am feeling so much better both physically and mentally.  Being able to sleep whenever I was tired and not having something I must do NOW helped me so much.  It makes me look forward to retirement that much more.

I hope you have enjoyed coming along on my Sisters' Week.  It was probably the best one I have had in YEARS.  And I have to wait a whole year for another one!

SISTERS' WEEK -- DAY EIGHT (SATURDAY)

I had planned to go home on Saturday afternoon, but once again the weather worked against me.  It poured rain most of the day.  After talking on the phone with Joe we decided that I would stay another day and come home on Sunday afternoon when it would be better weather.

In spite of the rain, we went to the Farmer's Market near Elaine's house.  We got a little wet, but got beautiful produce.  Look at these tomatoes Elaine got.  There's nothing as good as a Jersey tomato.

I got a lot of nice produce too.  Everything looked great.  It was worth getting wet to get these veggies.

Peaches, tomatoes, 8 ball squash, summer squash, eggplant, and onions.

 In the afternoon the rain let up some so we went to Barnes and Noble.  I do not need any more books, but I love looking.  And, of course, I end up buying.  But I didn't go overboard.  In fact, this whole week I really didn't buy a lot.  I just don't have the money this year and I am not going in to debt.

We had just gotten in the store when Elaine said to me that my purse was saying "hello".  Here I hadn't locked the keypad to my phone and had accidentally called my Aunt Alice.  I answered the phone and went outside to talk with her.  We both laughed and laughed about it.  She told me it was nice talking to me even if my purse did call her.  Ha, ha!

Next we went to Marshalls.  I was looking for a particular mug that I know they sell in Philly, but I couldn't find it.  They had everything but.  But I did find a vegetable bowl to replace one that got broken and paid only $3 for it.  I also found a birthday gift for a friend, so it was a profitable trip.

Going home Elaine asked if there was anyplace else I wanted to go.  I said no, but when we were near Cracker Barrel, I said I'd like to look in their gift shop.  After we parked, we decided to have an early dinner there.  We got seated right away and had what I called a "last hurrah of the vacation" dinner.  Elaine got the trout and I got the grilled pork chop.  Everything was good.

The scenery where Elaine lives in New Jersey is so completely different than it is down the shore.  I got this shot from the car which is just one part of all the great scenery.

So that was it for Saturday.  We went back to Elaine's house, played with her dog baby, Cody, and just chilled out the rest of the night.  It was a really relaxing day and just what I needed.