I think it is sad but ultimately hopeful . The acting is wonderful. I highly recommend it.
ShawD has started her new job. Very nice place as far as I can tell. She shadowed a doc for a week. They then said, here is your staff: a nurse and a couple of other folks. You need to tell them X, Y, and Z about how you want to work (e.g., when to be interrupted and how, what to do with certain kinds of emergencies), etc. They assigned her the head nurse, as ShawD really never learned anything about how to deal with a staff in her clinicals. They told her, “You are her to do thinking. Everything else someone else should do.” There is a nurse who handles restricted substances. A nurse for PAP smears, etc. A nurse does the histories (though ShawD thinks she will redo). They threw her a welcome brunch this weekend.
She has been overwhelmed with starting a new job and setting up an apartment in a city where she doesn’t know a lot of people. She also is spending a fair bit of time with a boyfriend back in Boston. We are the only ones who have not met him, except that he was in our house once or twice with ShawSon’s contingent of nerds who played board games and Frisbee golf.
ShawSon hosts a weekly board game night for grad students in his dorm (to help the science folks meet the history folks meet the engineers, etc.). Someone else is sponsoring a couples board game night and sent out an invite that asked for new games, except for a game called Set because they said ShawSon was too good. We laughed as in 2005, our family minus me took a trip to Scotland with friends who have two very bright sons ShawSon’s age and parents who have several degrees from Harvard and Penn; plus ShawWife whose visual sense is very good for this game of identifying sets. They would play this game and after a while they decided that the best way to play it was everyone else against ShawSon, who still won.
My kid’s uncle through marriage is really into board games, strategy games, and got my kids into them from an early age. He loved their visits as our kids were born a few years before his kids (who also love board games) and he enjoyed teaching them. He goes to board game conventions and my S2 has joined him a couple of times in the last couple of years. He always gets H and kids into board games when we are visiting. They are all decent players and seem to hold their own with each other. That makes it fun.
I was able to catch most of the last half of the UConn-South Carolina women’s basketball game last night. It was UConn’s 100th straight win (the last loss being on the road in OT). Very cool to see the venue packed, with both genders, cheering on a women’s team. (Of course, it’s not cool to think that that is what a women’s team has to do to pack the venue, with both genders.)
So into basketball that I missed the Flynn resignation the second it happened (I think I was 20 minutes behind on the news.) Escape is nice sometimes!
Great achievement for UConn!
I am afraid the resignation is just tip of iceburg.
Heading to dinner and a hockey game for Valentine’s celebration this evening. H had to make our dinner reservations three weeks ago and got the last two seats in the restaurant! Looking forward to a nice night out and about!
We sent ShawD (and both grandmas) flowers at her work for V-Day. A big bouquet from my favorite store (Costco). She called very happy (as did ShawWife’s M but not mine).
I’m taking ShawWife to Chez Panisse on the weekend for V-Day.
Ha! Valentine’s Day? H and I just had take-out pizza and salad in our hotel room in PA! This is the last stop on our trip home. All this driving is getting old.
Had a great visit with S. His townhouse is a mess of renovations, which has H totally stressed out. I know he’ll get it done. The not so great news is that S will be going on a 6 month deployment. The exact timing is still up in the air, but there’s a good chance he won’t be at D’s wedding. D is pretty upset. I’m holding out for the slim possibility that he’ll make it.
We figured out the logistics with the pup and went to Monticello this afternoon. Great “behind the scenes” tour; no crowds.
Tomorrow we’ll be back home – and be back in snow country. Winter shock!
Oh CBB, I’m keeping fingers crossed that your S will make it to the wedding.
Glad you made it to Monticello, I live in NoVA , have visited several times and it never gets old. The entire Charlottesville area is gorgeous.
Valentines Day was me and the dog. H left for a business trip yesterday AM, but he bought me roses on Monday.
I did get H a couple of little things for Valentine’s day. He took me out to dinner. I would have liked some flowers but oh well. Sometimes he just doesn’t get it and other times he does. I just never know if this will be the year he gets it or not. He has been sick so I guess i need to cut him some slack.
CBB - here’s to wishing that your S makes your D’s wedding.
On the wedding front we met with the florist and have the block of rooms taken care of so making more progress. D and future SIL also had their engagement pictures taken and they came out great. They wanted them to send out for the “save the dates”. Those now will happen soon. Just need to light a fire under D. 
Christening this weekend for GD. Christening Gown has been readied and her “heart” is on the gown. If you all remember I made the gown out of my MILs wedding gown, her mothers and mine. I put a heart on for the kids that use it embroidered with their name and birthdate. Just a little something to hand down.
CBBB, tough that S won’t be able to attend but I guess that comes with the job.
I have learned that flowers that are important many years ago when I was traveling a lot and the kids were young. I would send ShawWife flowers any time my trip was three days or longer. Somehow, it always made her happier. Now, I bring back flowers almost every time I go to Costco (weekly or bi-weekly). We did get a dozen roses on Saturday for Valentine’s week.
Yes, but still sad. Folks miss out on so many family events. Even if they’re never in battle, it’s still quite a sacrifice.
RM, you’ve got a lot going on!
H and I were both home last night. I sent an email giving him options of what we could spend our Valentine’s evening doing. I hope this isn’t TMI, but I sent him a link to an article that was something like “The Steamiest Movies on Netflix” and told him to pick one for us to watch. He admitted that he hadn’t even clicked on the link and we watched more of Veep instead. Ah, that 28th Married Valentines Day!
We actually bought an $8 heart shaped pizza, because the pizza place was next to our gym. Yes, we were the only couple there, spending our Valentine’s evening working out…before the Veep bingeing…yes, that 28th Married Valentine’s Day!
We just started watching Veep a couple of weeks ago. I now know what they mean about the current administration being more dysfunctional IRL than the satirical administration in Veep.
^i could use some escapist political comparative sanity…maybe I should check out Veep 
Shananigans around here as usual. My hard-luck-Winnie-the-Pooh kiddo managed to have his rear brake calipers seize completely…but tried to continue driving a block, which then ate the time belt on, yes, you guessed it, an inference VW engine (and completely wore the tires flat to the belt.) So the repairs are worth more than the car, a topic we’ll be discussing at length in the near future, I’m betting…
He’s trying so hard at this life game. He must learn to turn his juju around
Well, we’re grown people and our VW Passat failed completely last year, unexpectedly. Belt, engine. Our car repair guy said they had seen it before. We got $500 for it on trade in , even though the body was still great. Just wasn’t worth paying $7,000 to replace the engine. Sorry that happened !
Everyone is so busy.
I hope the deployment is changed.
I am in a hotel. I had a late class tonight, and an am class tomorrow. I had a test tonight and one tomorrow bright and early. with my 2 hour commute thought it best to stay overnight in the city.
My valentines, hmmmm. we gave each other cards, then we ate Rotisserie chicken and like geeks watched Jeopardy. Then I went back to studying and he went to the computer to do work. And that is 32 years of married valentines.
We did get the dining room table, the chairs I had went well, so we bought just host chairs somewhere else, In the summer I will look for a server/
Shaw D is being thrown right in. I know she will do well.
Well back to studying!
Our Valentine’s Day was burgers delivered from a wonderful local place, then we watched the Westminster Dog Show! It was perfect. Our 34th Valentine’s Day together!
H heading out of town for work so I am looking forward to meeting a friend for lunch. She is just back from 5 weeks in Florida. Last year she was there for 6 weeks and next year she said they will be going for only 4 weeks. She said it is too hard to be away from their children and grandchildren whom they see daily. I wonder if I will feel like that when/if there are grandchildren here.
H returns late this evening, but sadly his cousin passed away yesterday (she had ALS), so I will be dropping him off at the airport early tomorrow AM. I have a 3 day weekend home alone. No problem finding things to do.
Sorry about your S’s car kmc.
Back home in our “winter wonderland” in the Boston area. I can’t say that our 5 weeks in FL was too long, a la your friend, @NorthMinnesota. I may change my mind if there are grandchildren in our future, though.
When we got back last night, H unloaded the car, packed an overnight bag and took off again – in my car. He had a board meeting in NH today and was concerned about the snowstorm last night/this morning. I’ve got lots to do today to get resettled, so being without a car isn’t too bad – but, I’m not sure this bodes well for the future. He has 2 (count 'em, 2!) sports cars, but needs to take my car in “iffy” weather? His newest “toy” is in the garage here. H said, “If you need to take my car, remember to …” As if! There’s no chance in he__ I’m going to drive that car and risk being the one to get the first scratch!
D’s save the date cards were mailed out a couple weeks ago. She needs to find a florist ASAP, and settle on the color for bridesmaids. S is definitely being deployed (which is worrisome enough); the question is the exact date. If it turns out to be the weekend of D’s wedding, I’m holding out hope he can go a day or so later … But, as an officer (he’ll be a Captain by then), he most likely has to go when his unit goes. Fingers crossed.
CBB - when is your D’s wedding? I forget.
KMC- ugh on the car issue!
NM - I have 2 grandkids and I see them at least weekly most of the time and I would have no issues being gone for 6 weeks to FL in the winter. Heck they could come visit. That being said I adore them but H and I do our own thing as well.
FallGirl - so sorry about your H’s loss. It’s difficult losing a family member.
Woke up this morning with a bit of the start of a cold. I can feel it coming on. Just need to keep it at bay. Christening is Sunday and I do have a lot to do between now and then.
@RochesterMom – September 23. That’s a week after your D’s, right? (Actually ours is a weekend affair, Fri - Sun, since it’s at the family camp we go to in NH.)