Quiet Frustration
2005-05-20, 3:47 p.m.

Day 271 Quiet Frustration

Isn�t there a song title similar to that? By Pink Floyd or Supertramp. Some band in the 70�s or 80�s in the heavy metal genre I think.

Plugging along at work. May have corrected this freakin� bug I�ve been working on for a couple of weeks now. Can finally move on to something else. That gets a big fat whooopeee. Been going kinda nuts trying to crack the same problem for so long.

Sure has been a zoo at home. Not all peaceful and quiet like I�ve been used to. Nice having so many people around though. Forcing C to behave herself, or at least not get completely trashed. Think she�s managed to limit herself to 1 or 2 beers a night. Little enough so she doesn�t start tripping over every blade of grass at least. Wonder how long that�s going to hold up. I�m predicting no longer than this weekend. I guarantee she�s 3 sheets to the wind at least once by Sunday, 4pm..

Been kinda lazy about getting to the gym myself lately. Monday was only a run, Tuesday was nothing at all. Managed to go Wed & Thurs, but haven�t been yet today (Fri.) C is chaperoning an event at the school tonight. Won�t be home till 9 � 9:30. Maybe I�ll head over after I get dinner for the gang.

I am so out of ideas for dinner. Finally caved and decided I�d just make up a batch of Jambalaya. Takes about 1.5 hours the way I do it (including all the chopping), but it is SO worth it. Having Z check freezer inventories, we�ll pick up necessaries on the way home.

That�s the other fun development. I have no vehicle today. Victim of the 3 vehicles and 4 people needing to get to work game. I intensely dislike not having a vehicle at my disposal. I am, on occasion, required to go to another site. With equipment. Sometimes rather large equipment. Guess not today. I also hate being tied down to leaving at a particular time. Now, Z is coming to get me at 4:30 (I hope). If I get on to something here at work, that�s too bad. No staying late and playing for me. Guess that�s not a bad thing on a Friday.

Father in law (B) will surely be testing my patience. He�s a super person, nicest gentleman you could hope to meet. But since MIL passed away, he�s been like a lost little puppy. Can�t blame the guy, he�s bored out of his gourd most of the time. His memory issues really prevent him from developing any hobbies. He used to be a photographer (professional for Kodak and all), but doesn�t even do much of that anymore. Consequently, he�s pretty much constantly underfoot, even though that�s not his intention. There are also all the little alterations to ones daily routine. I have my whole morning at home down to a nice system that includes making sure there�s coffee for C to take to work. I get to spend quiet time with the newspaper, eating breakfast, making my lunch. I�m alone till C comes downstairs. Until this week. Now I actually have to talk to someone in the mornings. It�s that or be rude. B tries to help by emptying the dishwasher. Problem is, he can�t remember where anything goes, so sometimes finding a measuring cup can be a challenge. Plus, he tries to do it at really bad times. Like when I�m making my lunch, or cooking dinner, or other high traffic times in the kitchen. I know he�s only trying to help, but one of these days I�m going to turn around with a chef�s knife in my hand and skewer him. Accidentally, of course. Running him to the hospital is going to make dinner late, and I�ll get all cranky.

He flew up from Florida. Brought about 50 floppies with him. Wanted to check what was on them. WTF??? He�s got 3 computers at home. Why drag those things up here just to find out that 2/3 of them are blank, mislabeled or non-functional? He also has the worst luck with anything technical. He can bring it to it�s knees in a matter of minutes. I was very scared for my computer. Looks like it survived though. Oh � one other odd thing he did. Last week, before he flew up here, he sent me a package in the mail. Pretty standard looking 9x12 manila envelope with 3 soft, lumpy things inside. I opened the package to find 3 pairs of dress socks. Nothing else. No note of explanation, nothing. I haven�t mentioned them to him yet, because I bet he completely forgot. I�m thinking that his reasoning was that he doesn�t wear dress socks anymore, being retired and all, and he thought I could use them. Sweet. I really needed 3 pair of super thin, argyle socks. In colors that don�t really match anything in my wardrobe. If he ever does mention them, I�ll just say thanks and leave it at that. I just hope he doesn�t send me his underwear sometime next year. Besides, he�s boxers, I�m briefs.

Well, better get this drivel finished up. The Z man will be here in 45 minutes or so, got some shopping to do, then a little cooking action. If I behave and eat only a normal amount, I can jet over to the gym tonight and sneak in a run and maybe an upper body work out. Save the monster set for Saturday with a 5K run. Sounds like a plan.

271 days down. One father-in-law to beam up. Please.

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