Coping

This separation has been hard on me, but it’s almost over. That makes it a lot easier to deal with what’s left of it, and the last few days have been better. Not great or anything, but better.

Alan should be back tomorrow, possibly late. OPSEC says I can’t actually post the date, but I think that’s stupid. If I say my husband is coming home on Tuesday, that’s not exactly illuminating, is it? If I were to say that he’s coming home on Delta Flight #4567 out of Podunk, Louisiana at 2:47 PM, that’s different (yeah, totally made those numbers up, Mr. Terrorist). But I don’t even have that information. All I know is when his flight is supposed to leave Louisiana. I don’t even know where in Louisiana. So OPSEC can kiss my ass. I get that it’s important to play things close to the chest, but really?

I’ve been thinking lately that I want a Kindle Fire. Of course, I probably wouldn’t be thinking that if my computer were working. I’d probably just be thinking that I want a regular Kindle. Because I’m getting fed up with never being able to find the books I want at the Ft. Carson library. And Amazon actually does have a lending library, so you can borrow ebooks. I think that’s kind of cool. But still, if I weren’t having computer problems, I’d be looking at the $79 ereader instead of the $199 tablet. Still, I’m tempted. I guess we’ll just have to see.

Obviously, I haven’t been able to participate in NaNoWriMo this year the way I wanted to, thanks to all the computer cock-ups. That’s life. I may just hold onto my story idea until we get to ScriptFrenzy, since I imagined it in movie form anyway, and writing a screenplay is on my list of 101 Goals. I did have to come in here to the Business Center to copy down that list because it was getting frustrating trying to remember everything on it. Without a computer, I have a lot of time to kill, so I might as well get some of those things done, right? Even if it means my hand gets cramped up writing long hand.

I’ve also been occupying myself with cleaning. The bathroom got a very thorough scrubbing and I replaced the shower curtain with the hookless kind they usually have in hotels. I’ve always quite liked them and I especially like the fact that the inner lining snaps on and off and I can throw it in the wash once a week to keep it from getting mildewy. Unlike the plastic liners, which, while washable, aren’t exactly easy to wash and if you really want them clean you have to lay them out on the floor and wipe them down with Simple Green. I also got a bit of a freak in my brain and ended up cleaning the kitchen at 7 last night. Today is laundry, dusting, and vacuuming. That leaves tomorrow for a bit of sewing and last-minute stuff.

Today is also my mom’s birthday, so I have to call her. And I was going to make English muffins. They come out so yummy and I end up with a lot more than I would ever get out of a package of Thomas’s, so it’s worth the fact that they take time and attention to cook. I have to pick up some more green beans too. Cassie is having a holiday dinner at her house on Wednesday and Alan hates showing up anywhere empty handed for some reason. So I’m thinking of roasted green beans, a recipe I found in the Penzey’s Spices catalog. I bought some on a whim over the weekend, thinking they’d suit some meal or other this week, but I’m not sure I have enough to feed everyone who’ll be there.

Weirdest thing happened while I was at the grocery store, though. My phone rang and by the time I heard it and went to pick it up, I’d missed the call. But it was from an 802 number. That’s the area code for Vermont. So I’m sitting there in the freezer aisle waiting for the voicemail and hoping that it’s not some Vermont state trooper calling to tell me that something’s happened to my parents. Turns out it was just the new Point of Contact for the S2 shop since Charlee gave it up. I think I met her at the last FRG meeting I went to because Alan and I talked to a woman from Vermont after the meeting broke up. She’d noticed his Red Sox hat. Scared the crap out of me though! I keep forgetting to call her back. Oops!

Anyway, good stuff: Baby Bean is kicking a bunch and Alan will be home tomorrow and the house is looking awesome. Bad stuff: my computer is still unusable so until Wednesday at least, I’m stuck using this one. I hate walking up here.

Again, if you want a Christmas card and haven’t left me your address, leave me a private note.

~Liz