It’s been almost three months……

Since I started working again.  There’s no sign of the 40 hr week that was mentioned in the interview; in fact the owner has cut back the hours, which really isn’t the direction I was hoping to go in.  I absolutely love this job and was really hoping it’d go to full-time.  The owner will be back in the office in about 3 weeks, so hopefully then I’ll have the opportunity to discuss things with him. 

I’m busy counting down the days to the Parental Unit’s arrival.  They’re spending a few days in NYC before coming here, and have no idea that Big Sis & her hubby are going to meet them in New York.  I’d love to see the looks on their faces when they meet up – I’ll have to settle for being on the phone and listening in to the reunion instead.

A busy few weeks coming up!  It should be a lot of fun!

A quick glance….

At the weather forecast has me almost giddy – 80′s being predicted, and so I can say with certainty that there’s some beach time in my future this weekend!  Hopefully this visit will turn out better than my visit this time last year, where I was burned so bad it hurt to drive back to Atlanta!  I must remember that sunblock is my friend!   Hopefully the weather is just as nice where ever ye are!  Enjoy it, embrace it!  Soon it’ll be too bloody hot to do much of anything outside…..except lay on the beach, that is!

Flights are booked……

And Memorial Day weekend will see me heading to Atlanta; a short & sweet visit, but a chance to catch up with old friends and have a good old time! 

I’m very excited about it, if you can’t tell!  While I’m finally starting to settle in here and start enjoying things more, I do miss my friends in Atlanta, and a weekend with everyone will make this happy camper even happier!   Big thanks go out once again to Big Sis, who found a steal of a fare for me, meaning I don’t have to drive.  Every driver who’d planned to be on the road that weekend should probably offer up major thanks to her too!

Curiosity got the better of me……

And so when yesterday turned out to be a beautiful day, I decided to venture out to the St. Patrick’s Day festival.  The tv ads promised Irish music and traditional Irish foods.  Turns out the choice of foods was boiled peanuts, burgers, or barbecue, and the only music I heard was from 2 little girls attempting karaoke.  And they spent the morning attempting song after song, with no intention of surrendering the mic.   Throw in many a stall selling overpriced do-dads, with a mingling of face painters and men dressed as parrots, and that was the festival. 

But it was a beautiful day, and I couldn’t resist taking a quick walk on the beach.  Definitely one of the best perks of moving here – the proximity to the beach!  All in all, yesterday ended up being a pretty good day!

A sickly couple of days….

And I’ve no desire to make any plans for the weekend!  Given the fact that it’s supposed to rain for most of the weekend, the lack of plans isn’t really a big deal.  Also, given the fact that I haven’t had weekend plans in several months, I’m used to doing nothing!    

I’m still toying with the idea of a quick visit to Atlanta, but there’s always the financial aspect to consider.  While I am working again, it’s still not full-time and the pay is nowhere close to what I was making (pre-unemployment!) in Atlanta.   I actually found a direct roundtrip flight from here to Atlanta for $300 which seems to be a fairly decent price, and would definitely cut down on travel time, making a weekend there easier to swing.   But knowing I can drive there for about 1/3 of that is bugging me!  Course the drive can take anywhere from 6 – 8 hours, which is easily the most boring drive ever!   If I was to fly, I could leave on Friday evening & come back on Sunday, but driving would have me leave on Saturday morning & back on the Sunday as I hate driving at night.  It’s a tough decision!!!   Maybe a decision I should let the Finance Gods make for me!

A nice surprise indeed…..

After much googling and finding nothing, I happened across a tax person at the bank, who helped me with my foreclosure issues and all the tax questions I had regarding it.   And so my taxes are done.  Another sure sign that spring is just around the corner!

This weekend marks the annual St. Paddy’s Day celebration at a nearby town.  A very sick and twisted part of me is tempted to go and check it out.  It’s been over 10 years since I last attended the “festival”, but I doubt the years have softened my memory of it!  To go or not to go, that is the question!

Could it be???

Could it be that winter is finally bidding us farewell & shagging off???  Today was a blissful 67 degrees, with not a cloud in the sky.  A little pre-spring teaser to get the blood flowing!  I embrace it with open arms.  Oh how I yearn for lazy days on the beach again, with a good book, my iPod, and fabulous eye candy! 

Today I was full of the joys of summer, even though it’s not quite spring yet!  But soon, very soon, dearies!  Oh it’s almost time to push the boots to the back of the wardrobe and pull out the strappy shoes again!  Almost time to shun the wooly sweaters & thermal knickers! 

I know I may be celebrating too early.  I know the weather gods will decide to piss on me some more.  But I don’t care!  Today was beautiful.  Today was not a day to be stuck indoors.  Today was the kind of day that makes me happy to have co-workers who smoke as much as I do!

One month in

It’s been about a month since I started my new job; I’m pleased to report it’s going quite well.  Eh, who are we kidding?!  They fucking love me!!! Mostly cos I’ve been entertaining them with my accent & choice of slang words, but that’s ok.

In Atlanta, I was just one of many Irish people milling about the place.  In this particular part of NC, I’m probably one of two Irish people milling about the place!  Am I playing  up the Irish card?!  Ya bet your sweet arse I am!  And it’s great!!

Aren’t friendships great?!!

If you’re like me, you’re just not the best at keeping in touch with people.  Of course you’ll have the one or two that you talk to regularly, but the other friends kinda slip into the cracks.  You say you’ll call tomorrow, and when tomorrow comes you put it off again, til finally weeks or months have gone by without a phone call.

If you’re lucky like me, you’ve got the type of friends who get that you’re hopeless, and when you finally talk it’s like all that time never went by.  It’s good to have friends like that.  Those friends are the ones to hang on to.  I just need to get better at hanging on to them.

Superstitions….

Most of us have a lucky this or that, be it number, outfit or whatever.  Does anyone have an unlucky day?  And for once I’m not talking about Friday the 13th!

March 3rd hasn’t been on my side for the last two years.  March 3rd, 2008 was my car accident.  March 3rd, 2009 my house was foreclosed on.  So it’s with a sense of foreboding that I await what surprises March 3rd, 2010 has in store for me.  I was hoping things were getting back on track for me, so let’s hope that whatever happens it’s just not too bad!

During my many dealings….

With various people in town the same questions always pops up “So how do you like it here?”.  My response has yet to change “It’s different…”.  The person asking the question is usually another blow-in like myself, and they always agree with me.  They quickly follow up with “It’s not Atlanta”.  No shit Sherlock! 

I’d like to give ye an insight into where I am, but I’m afraid I just won’t do it justice.  As you may remember from earlier posts (if you’re a return visitor) I’m now close to a military base.  Thousands of single men milling about the place, and not one of them desperate enough to glance in my direction……but I digress!  The one thing I’ve noticed so far: the car of choice is definitely the mustang.  Unless you favor a pick-up truck, in which case you just have a hard time parking with all the gobshites in their mustangs who like to take up 2 spaces at a time.  And I take back every bitchy statement I ever made about Atlanta drivers (even the SUV-wielding soccer moms), because the drivers here have definitely accomplished what is the worst case of ”scaring-the-fucking-shit-out-of-you-itis” I’ve ever come across in all my driving years. 

When I found out I had a job (finally), I was talking with the bro-in-law, asking what time I should leave each morning and he informed me that my schedule meant I’d be dealing with base traffic 2 days a week.  He rolled his eyes, gave a hefty sigh, and said he dreads base traffic.  Now granted he’s pulling a trailer loaded with equipment, but having lived through Atlanta rush hour, when he said “base traffic” with such dread and foreboding, I must admit a shiver ran down my spine.  How overjoyed was I to realize that “base traffic” is about a mile or so of traffic, interrupted by 4 stop lights, that has added mere minutes to my drive?!  Now having said that, I stay on the main road and jump on the bypass to avoid what I’m sure is the worst of the traffic.  But it still makes me giggle whenever I sit in traffic on that road.

A new start??

So do I just pick up from where I left off?  Is that possible?  Am I still the same person I was back then?  A little maybe, but with a lack of friends here I feel shyer somehow, and more inclined to spend a night in front of the tv or curled up with a good book.

What’s happened since I was last here?  Well with the ups and downs following a foreclosure and the endless unemployment situation, I bade farewell to Wonderpooch, friends, and Atlanta and headed to NC to stay with Big Sis.  I’m happy to report that I’m now gainfully employed, still a part-time position but I live in hope that will soon change.  I’m still living with Big Sis and though I don’t say it, I’m eternally indebted to her and her hubby for opening their home to me. 

But I miss my friends, and I miss Atlanta.  Why am I never happy??  When I was surrounded by friends in Atlanta I missed family, and now that I’m with my family I miss my friends and Atlanta.  I know it’s not that far away and I could make a weekend trip, but now that I’m working, it’s hard to justify to myself making a 16hr drive round trip for one night.  I’ll just have to sit tight til Memorial Day Weekend and see if the Finance Gods are going to play nice with me.  Mr Taxman looms in the background too – a 1099 for the remaining amount on my loan from the mortage company has me panicking over doing my tax returns this years.   Eh, it’s always something!