Just Doing My Job

Early on in my evening shift at the library, I helped an older gentleman with his requests. We didn't actually have the book he desired, but I found something else for him and we had a nice chat and a few laughs in the process.

Later, just before the library closed for the night, the same gentleman returned to the reference desk and presented me with a gift card for a local coffee shop: a thank you gift for my help. Frankly, I was stunned. I was just doing my job.

Thank you, sir, for your kindness and generosity.

Exceeds Expectations

Life since my ex left me has had its ups and downs, but lately things have been up, in general. There have been problems, like my 13-year-old daughter wanting to live with her dad (a decision fueled, I believe, by the fact that discipline in his house is considerably more lax than in mine) but I'll get through them in time.

My performance review at my full-time day job took place on Friday, August 8th. (08-08-08 if you're superstitious and believe in the Asian "lucky number 8".) My overall review rating was "exceeds expectations". I was thrilled.

This past month of my life has also exceeded expectations. I have met a wonderful man who understands the mess my world has been recently, yet he's interested in me anyway. He's not scared off by the existence of my four children: he has met them a number of times; they like him and he likes them. I'm sure my friends will think of him as the "rebound guy", following so closely on the heels of the dissolution of my marriage, but neither he nor I think of things that way. I warned him when I met him that I had enough baggage to fill a transatlantic airplane. His response? "When you're ready, I'll help you unload that airplane one bag at a time." My rating for him is, for obvious reasons, "exceeds expectations".

UPDATE: A photo taken by this wonderful man:

Words to Live By

Seen on the back of a dump truck while driving the other day:

"Do Not Push"

Summer Adventures

I was fortunate enough to join a friend on the weekend for a walk in the mountains with our dogs. Most of the time I take our amazing scenery for granted, but it's eye opening to see the landscape through the eyes of one who was not born in this country.

The one downside: my "city girl" of a pooch has a blister on her paw from the longer walk and rougher terrain than her usual jaunts.

Five Feet, Four People

The DNA results are back from the feet found off the west coast of Canada. Two of the feet match, meaning they are now only looking for four missing people.

Waiting

My garage door still isn't fixed. Thankfully it's summer and the weather is nice. If it were -30 with ice and snow, I wouldn't be quite so relaxed about having to park my van in the driveway.

The door guy has been, done some repairs and maintenance, and gone. We're waiting for a part so he can fix it. I'm hoping it will be done in the next day or two - we shall see.

UPDATE: The door is fixed! I got the call at work today that my door man had been to the house and fixed the overhead garage door. He asked if it was OK if he didn't invoice me until next week as he doesn't have the exact cost of the part he picked up from his supplier. Hmmm, my door is fixed and I don't have to pay for it yet? Sounds good to me!

Bested by a Machine

I have spent the last three hours fiddling with the settings on my overhead garage door opener without success. The mechanism thinks the floor is four inches above its existence in reality and when it doesn't meet resistance, stops and returns to its fully open position.

I've backed Moby (my big white whale of a van) into the driveway for fear that my twiddlings will break the motor and then I'll be stuck with not only a broken garage door, but also no access to my vehicle.

As much as it pains me, I've had to admit defeat and ask for help. My friend's son-in-law runs an overhead garage door company and I've put in a call for assistance. Of course, it's Sunday.