a little of this, a little of that

Well, we officially have a new person in our office. Or we will have on Monday. And I didn’t even have to wrestle her to the ground and force her to take the job. I actually didn’t even get to meet her other than to say "hi" as she was leaving. When she came in, supposedly to have me talk her into taking it, she and New Boss vanished into New Boss’ office for quite some time, and emerged with the news that she was taking it. Which is GOOD, of course, but I kind of wish I’d had a little say in the whole entire thing. Oh WELL. At least I’m getting rid of student teaching! I’ve been so focused on having to share my office with some stranger  and obsessing over how horribly wrong things can go and so worried about, oh, EVERYTHING, that I haven’t been giving much thought to the positive side of this development. Like, I get to get rid of student teaching!!! But, hey, that’s SO me. Obsess over all the zillions of things that could possibly go wrong, and ignore the happy stuff.

She’s considerably older than I am – I’d say she’s well into her 60s. So I do hope she’s not taking this job just to bump up her grade and then retire. She does appear very calm and quiet. Lots of gold stars for that. She is also very short. So now I will be towering over everyone in our office – K and New Boss are quite short too. New Boss and I are nearly on eye level when I’m sitting down.

So. Today I have moved most of my stuff to my new corner, and here I sit. I actually like it. It’s kind of a weird recessed spot that looks like it was probably a closet at one time – seriously – and so it’s kind of small with close walls. I feel oddly protected. And that’s pretty darned odd. I’m also out of the line of sight of the main doorway, which is a great improvement.   And when New Boss’s door is open, I can see right out her window. Of course, I’ll also be looking directly at New Person pretty much all the time.

Well, look – thanks to the miracle of modern technology and having my camera with me as always – here is my New Spot:

This is the view New Person will have, from my old desk. That’s the back of my monitor, which really should be turned towards the wall as the return is facing the wall – but I can’t sit here with my back to everyone who comes in. Neuroticness aside, it would also put confidential information like people social security numbers – and my diary – in full view of anyone who wandered in. I’ve got a gargantuan bookshelf on the right and the copier room is to the left so you can see the doorway to that. The big bare wall is going to be turned into a little art gallery – I’m going to get some photos enlarged and put them up there.

Yep. Trying to make the best of things.

This desk is weird, and nothing fits and there are cords everywhere since I don’t have the computer where it’s actually supposed to go, where there are holes for the cords to vanish into. But, oh well. I suppose I’ll live.  I’m getting rid of student teaching, I must keep that in mind.

This weekend I visited the parents. Well, Sunday and Monday. My mother had an appointment at the Memory Clinic on Monday. Which went very well – she’s still scoring the same on the tests they give her, so she’s not getting any worse. The very nice doctor told my father that they need to start walking again, which pleased me no end. They both complain constantly about being tired all the time and having no energy and I KNOW if they’d get a little exercise it would really help. They used to walk some – and my mother used to do water aerobics regularly too – but they hardly do anything at all now. Because they’re too tired. I think it’s mostly my father, who is the one who especially needs to get some exercise. He’s not changed a thing after having the bypass operation a year and a half ago, other than to sit around even more than he already did. To be fair I think some of the ten zillion drugs they have him on make him tired – and he IS about to turn 80 –  but walking a little would help, I’m certain. And the doctor told him that so maybe he’ll listen to her. Because I’m tired of hearing him complain about being tired!!

So I got to do all the housework that hasn’t been done since last time I was there – Daddy’s too tired to run the feather-light vacuum and the Swifter! – and sit around at doctor’s appointments (he also had one at the VA which was supposed to take 10 minutes but in reality took an hour and a half) and write checks for the bills. And go through the usual "can’t find the bills" ordeal:

 Daddy: I don’t know WHERE that electric bill is, I KNOW we got it!

Mama: What are you looking for?

Daddy (shuffling through Paper Mountain): The electric bill. I KNOW we got it!

Mama: Every time Beth comes down here, you make her work! What are you looking for?

Me (trying to concentrate on writing checks): They draft it out of your account, I can just call the electric company.

Daddy: I know we just got it! I don’t know where it got to!! (Shuffling through Paper Mountain)

Mama: What are you looking for?

Daddy: I can’t find the Dish bill either! I know we just got it! (Waving a flyer from Geico at me) Is this important??

 AAAGGHH!!

We did go out for breakfast at the legendary Hot Shot Cafe in Biltmore. Always legendary to me, as my parents used to go there way before I was born – before they were married, even – and it’s just one of those places I’ve heard about my whole life. And I know Daddy took me and my brother there at least a couple of times when we were kids. It’s just a little diner, although apparently now it’s getting all trendy. It’s in Biltmore Village, which has been very trendy for years (and here’s a link to the Biltmore Village Official Website, which is hardly worth clicking on as it may be the worst website EVER) and just gets trendier all the time. But happily the Hot Shot still has the 80 year old chain-smoking waitresses who call everybody honey, and the grill is right there behind the counter and the prices are really cheap. And no website at all, which actually pleases me. The parents have taken up with the Hot Shot again, since they seem to eat out constantly and it’s cheap. I did enjoy going, though. History!

So, here’s the Hot Shot:

And the building beside the Hot Shot, which looks considerably more historic but is probably not much older (the Hot Shot was built in 1925):

And finally, the view out the parents’ back door in the morning:

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