Redbug Rendevous

Going Back to Work

 

So tomorrow brings another change in my working life... yes, I'm "going back to work" ~ for someone else!  As I keep telling Dan, I already DO work ~ for myself!  But the livelihood of a Self-Employed Interior Designer in today's economy, is, unfortunately, a bit like NOT working at all!!

So the time has come for me to let someone else tell me what to do for awhile!  It actually won't be so bad... I'm going to work for Thomasville Furniture, as a Designer.  This is what I did for  Ethan Allen as well.   It's basically doing what I do now, only getting paid for it!  The cons ~ restrictive hours.... I'll have Thursdays and Fridays off, but will work the other 5 days, including every Saturday and Sunday.  But Sunday is only 12 to 5, so that's not too bad.  The pros ~ getting a regular paycheck (!) and also, getting benefits, which start immediately!  Medical, Dental, and 401K with a company match ~ you can't beat that!   So I'll transition out of "my time is my own" ...into, "my time belongs to someone else".... but hopefully, it will be worth it, and this decision will be a very good thing in the lives of Dan and Lynne ;-)  Wish me luck, and I'll certainly keep you posted on how it goes....  

"IN OTHER NEWS" .... Wow, what an active couple of weeks it has been!  Many of you know my sister Jan and I travelled to AZ to meet up with sister Chris, and the 3 of us gave a serious facelift to our Mom's kitchen.  I"ll post a photo album later today (hopefully) with lots of pictures, but here's a quicke "Before and After":

  Stripping wallpaper, new paint, light fixture, window treatments, art, ... it all added up to a good time and a great "new" kitchen for Mom!

While I was gone, we got an e-mail from Jake and Rachel, letting us know that poor Luke ended up with a broken ankle when Rachel took a slip on the stairs while holding him!  Rachel got a nasty bruise on her back as well.  Hopefully everyone is mending nicely, and Jake wisely sent a picture to calm our hearts with this news... look at that cute kid, he's a trooper!   Finally, we had friends over last night, we figured it might be the last time

we entertain for awhile, until I get used to  my new hours on the job.  Plus, we have that great fireplace, and it's been raining for 3 days and in the 30's here!!! Where is SPRING?

But we are making the best of it with fires in the fireplace.  We had a nice time last night, it was good to enjoy each other's company.

 

Dan, they all promised NOT to talk politics!

In Like a Lion!

That's how March began in Raleigh, NC!   After cold, dreary, rain for 2 days, it switched over to snow last night.  The snow is heavy, wet, and "powdery" ... no big flakes floating through the sky, instead it's been like a fine mist of white powder.   It snowed all night, then off and on through mid-day.   Now we have a brief period of sun, which is so awesome, everything looks so beautiful!  But there's been some melting, temps in the 30's, and down to 15 tonight!  So all that melted snow will freeze... tomorrow morning will be dicey as well, but into the 40's by afternoon and clear sailing after that.  And just to show how volatile March can be around here, it's supposed to be 70 by Friday!  Here are a few pics to document yet another "Snow Day" in NC!

 I actually got out and took a walk around mid-day, when the sun was coming out.  I took lots of pictures from inside, but the light was so pretty, I thought I just had to get out there and check things out!   Dan still had to work... he's got that big truck, after all! ;-)

   

 

   

 

I walked up and down the street, but then got adventurous and actually walked around the tennis courts and the park in back of our house.  There were some awe-inspiring sights....  sun and blue sky, shining on snow laden branches... beautiful light & shadow... snow and ice drops melting...  it was a lovely walk!

 

       

"In Other News"... we went over to Jan and David's to celebrate David and Dare's birthdays on Saturday night... I'll let Jan fill you in on the details of that, but here are a few pics from that evening.... what is it about me that makes kids want to jump on me?!

     

I told David, Dare, and Brett (who's 40th was last week), that  we were giving them "Recession Gifts" - meaning low-cost, but  creative!  Each got an airplane-size bottle of their fave beverage, and Candy to reflect their personalities... Dare got "Smarties", Brett got "Goobers" and David got "Hot Tamales'!   It was good for a laugh, anyway!

So it was an event-filled weekend, as most of them seem to be.  We haven't had significant snow this late in the year, though, for as long as I can remember.... I'm ready for Spring!