Slow Return

A few rambles, as I slowly return to blogging.

Life has been busy-nuts, but that is traditional May.

Partner has been incredibly hyper, and with rain each day this past week, it hasn't helped matters much. Rain both exacerbates his chronic pain as well as his frenzy for yard work that can't be done.

I was able to use the Fred Flintstone lawn mower yesterday between downpours to scythe through the grass that began to eat small pets and children, it was so high.

I haven't ridden my Harley all week due to the rain. Friggin' feelings of confinement again in a cage (what us bikers call a four-wheel vehicle.)

New boss at work has rescinded permission to telework, so now I'm doing the regular 5am to 3pm at the office ... every.friggin.day. Oh well, I really should not complain, because it's the best commute I have had, with free indoor motorcycle parking as well. 20 minutes to get there, and about 30 to get home (due to heavier volume once the rest of the world is awake.)

Life in a cube farm is such joy. Thank goodness for Bose noise-cancelling headphones. While I have a fairly high-ranking position, I am but a lowly serf as a newbie, so I look at it this way: at least I have a real desk and office space with two computers and other facilities that I need. However, I have to say that my home office is better equipped. It's common that I have to do some things at home for work because restrictions on resources (such as not being able to download, install, and use certain software. Doing that isn't permitted and is blocked.) If I had to explain further, I'd have to shoot you, and that would be awfully messy.

I did have an interesting opportunity to brief a visiting delegation from China about content related to my profession at the headquarters of my professional association yesterday. That was very interesting, and is one reason why I remain so active with that association. Lots of opportunities for learning and professional development, networking, and sharing.

This coming weekend will be incredibly busy. Partner has a list in his mind of "gotta-do's" that I can only imagine. I still can't read his mind. I will, however, take a brief respite for an early morning motorcycle ride on Saturday morning that has been organized as a memorial for a friend's son who was killed tragically a year ago by a drunk driver.

I also had a wonderful experience in meeting a family whose mother I touched through service years ago. Their Mom died last week, and left a substantial bequest to support future work on the "seniors safety" projects that I do. I didn't really know their Mom that well, but she was one of the early-on benefactors of our work to provide better lighting, grab bars, smoke alarms, CO detectors, and other safety features. She thought so highly of our voluntary efforts that she left money in her will for our work. So now I'm setting up a non-profit foundation to receive the money and disburse it. Gotta love the bureaucratic processes required to make that happen.

Otherwise, as I always say: life is short -- keep living! Be nice, be good, have fun, wear boots, and always, always, SMILE!

Best wishes,

BHD