Back to the Grind

I had planned on taking down all the Christmas decorations today but the precinct called and they needed some help today and asked if I would come in and work overtime. That sounded more enticing than the decorations so I went in for five hours. I’m saving up to enclose my garage and expand my laundry room so there’s a little extra for the kitty. I’m working another six hours tonight, riding with the Club Violence Task Force. That should be interesting on New Year’s Eve! I need to find a hard hat to wear to help with the falling bullets!

I’ve only made one New Year’s Resolution in my life that I have kept. Many years ago I resolved never to make one again and so far I have held fast! It also means that I didn’t have to wait until the first to get back to my weightloss journey. I took a few months off at the end of the year and gained back 20 pounds! So, instead of being 20 pounds from my goal I’m 40 pounds away. I’m shooting for 159 by 11/25/09, right around Thanksgiving. I’m going to get back to the plan I was following vefore I took my unwise hiatus.

I’m also getting back to stitching. I worked on Ashlyn’s stocking yesterday for a couple of hours. I do enjoy it and it keeps my hands busy as well as my mind, which helps with those snacky tendencies. As soon as I finish Ashlyn’s stocking I’m going to start on Ashlee’s and then the baby’s. I will probably wait until the baby is born before I start that one just to make sure it really is a boy. I’m very excited about the new baby coming!

And the beat goes on…

Christmas 2008 with the Family

I had a wonderful trip home to see almost all of my immediate family and their kids. The only one missing was my sister and two of her boys and we missed them lots! We really wish they could have come down to my parent’s house in Mississippi but they just couldn’t make it. The kids had a ball with their gifts (of course) and it was fun to watch them trying out their new skateboards, bikes, and scooters. I got to meet my nephew’s new wife and she is really sweet! I can’t wait until they have their new baby in April, which is allegedly a boy. Another two Christmas stockings to add to the list! My family is a little crazy at times but we all had a good visit!

An Interesting Christmas Day

Christmas started early for me on Christmas Eve. I went with Daphne and her kids to Daphne’s parents for dinner Christmas Eve. It was a good dinner and we had a good (although short) visit. I had to get up at 0400 to go to work on Christmas Day, so we went home and opened our gifts. The kids were happy with their gifts and Daphne was, too. I had a great evening! Most of my gifts were for my new truck: Dodge chrome trim for my door jams, LED lights for my interior, an LSU hitch cover and lock, and a cool new flashlight for work.

Christmas morning started early, arriving for work at 0500. I brought my new flashlight and after roll call, I decided to put batteries in and check it out. I put them in but it didn’t work. Figuring I had put the batteries in backwards I tried to take them out. I tried and tried but I couldn’t get them with my fingers, so I took out my pocket knife to do it. Well, go figure, the knife slips off the battery and I stab myself in the left hand, right in the “U” between my thumb and forefinger. It went into my hand about 1/2 an inch, so I had to go to the hospital. It needed a couple of stitches but the doc decided we should try gluing it. Then of course I couldn’t remember when I had my last tetnus shot so I got one of those. That whole event made an interesting injury report for work!

Not long after returning from the hospital, I got sick. I mean really sick. There’s a horrible virus that’s been going around and several of the guys that work for me have had it. Since it was Christmas and lots of the guys have small children, we had let several off to do the Santa thing and we were short-handed. I couldn’t go home, so I put some chairs together in the roll call room and layed across them for a while. It didn’t help much but it was the best I could do. Of course feeling so bad keep my mind off of my throbbing hand so I guess it wasn’t all bad!

Once I got home, Daphne left to go to work so I was at home alone. I fell asleep at about 6:00 pm and felt better this morning when I got up for work. Still queasy but better than yesterday for sure!  I am leaving right after work to go home to Mississippi to see my family for Christmas so I’m just waiting for today to end! I’ve decided to get back to my fitness routine and healthier eating, but that just isn’t going to work being around my mom’s great cooking for almost a week. So as soon as I get back, I’ll be putting my Wii Fit to good use. I also got Jillian’s Wii Fit fitness game for Christmas so I guess she’ll be hollering at me over the next few months!

Soooo, having said all of that, I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a safe New Year’s holiday coming up. See you in 2009!

Almost Christmas!

It’s Christmas week and I am so ready to go to Mississippi and see all of my family! The only one not coming is my sister and two of her boys, and we will miss them! But she thinks it’s best to stay up north in Tennessee this year due to recent changes in living situations with the boys. Hopefully I will be able to see them soon!

The party went well and we had a great time. The painter never did call, so I guess I’ll have to have another party so they can see it when it is finally finished! I think my next goal will be to enclose the carport and have a nice gameroom…LSU-style of course! A pool table, nice HDTV flatscreen, put the video games and stand-up arcade in there, etc. I think it will be fantabulous!

Not much else for now. Work is better as I have finished the special assignment I was on and I’m now back to just my regular duties. After four weeks in there, I remember why I left. Way too much stress!

TTFN!

Life Update

I knew I had been busy but didn’t realize it had been over a month since I posted an update! My how time flies!

The Sunday after Thanksgiving I had to put my oldest dog Baboo to sleep. He was a month away from turning 15 years old and I miss him terribly. I know it was best for him but it was still very hard. After all, besides my immediately family, our relationship was the longest-standing one I’d ever had! He died in my arms and his people got to say goodbye, and that’s all I have to say about that.

Besides that, just working and….working! I’m sure no one is surprised to hear that. But it is the holiday season and there is money to be made to pay for my dive trip to FIJI next November! So, I have picked up extra shifts like crazy at Don’s Seafood and the Bet-R store. Not much overtime right now, but I also picked up some time at the River Center this weekend. I also have to work Christmas day and the day after which are holidays so there’s some extra overtime there as well.

Work has not been pleasant recently. The crime statistics reports for the department are extremely behind and I was “asked” by the Chief to help them out. I tell you what, my eyes literally hurt after doing all that computer work, 10 hours a day, eight days in a row last week and four days this week. I should have slowly re-acclimated to it but as usual, I jumped right in with both feet and now I’ve been having headaches. Hopefully I’ll be through in a few weeks and back to normal.

I got in a fight at work about a month ago and my elbow has been really hurting since then. I’m going to go to the doctor the week of Christmas and get it x-rayed. I have a feeling there might be a bone chip floating around but I sure hope not. The bruise was so deep it took two weeks to emerge visibly so I’m really hoping it’s just still very sore.

The house construction is done except for the painting. The painter was supposed to start last Monday but I haven’t heard from him. I am having a Christmas party for the guys at work at my house next Saturday, so it looks like the painting won’t be done in time. I’m getting a little frustrated about that but he’s a good painter with good prices so I’ll just have to wait it out.

It snowed really hard here on Thursday! There were snowmen all over town and it was beautiful. Of course, on Friday it got up to 60 degrees! If you don’t like the weather in Louisiana, just hang around for a few minutes and it will change!

I think that’s about it for now. Tune in later for the next episode….