#stepkids — Public Fediverse posts

Empty Nest… Again

We became empty nesters in 2021 when my step son left for college. My step daughter is two years older and she left for college in 2019. She finished her undergrad in 2023 and went to work at the same University in a research lab. My step son finished his under grad in 2025 and started grad school the next semester.

Also in 2025 my step daughter’s contract with the research lab finished. It was time for her to move on. Grad school was next, but she did not yet have anything lined up. She was going to need some time to work everything out so she moved back home temporarily and for a while we were no longer empty nesters.

Like I said though, it was temporary and today is the day that it ends. Next weekend we are flying out to California to help her move into her new University housing. About an hour ago she left the house so she can spend the rest of this week at her dad’s. He isn’t going out to CA right away so she’s going to spend some time with him while she can. 

So technically speaking, she hasn’t actually moved out yet. That will happen, strictly speaking, on Saturday. Still… she won’t be back here until Saturday morning and that will just be to meet up with me and her mother for the drive to the airport.

So now we’re back to being empty nesters again. We also have to deal with the mixed feelings that come with it. On the one hand, she’s moving to southern California to start a PHD program. How awesome is that? She’s about to go through an amazing experience. I can’t wait to see what she does next, and I can’t wait to see what life has in store for her. She is incredible and she is going to do incredible things. At the same time, I don’t want her to go. My wife and I are really sad right now. We miss her already.

I am going to focus on the positives and try to just be excited for her. I don’t know if I can cheat myself that way, but I am going to try.

Empty Nest… Again

We became empty nesters in 2021 when my step son left for college. My step daughter is two years older and she left for college in 2019. She finished her undergrad in 2023 and went to work at the same University in a research lab. My step son finished his under grad in 2025 and started grad school the next semester.

Also in 2025 my step daughter’s contract with the research lab finished. It was time for her to move on. Grad school was next, but she did not yet have anything lined up. She was going to need some time to work everything out so she moved back home temporarily and for a while we were no longer empty nesters.

Like I said though, it was temporary and today is the day that it ends. Next weekend we are flying out to California to help her move into her new University housing. About an hour ago she left the house so she can spend the rest of this week at her dad’s. He isn’t going out to CA right away so she’s going to spend some time with him while she can. 

So technically speaking, she hasn’t actually moved out yet. That will happen, strictly speaking, on Saturday. Still… she won’t be back here until Saturday morning and that will just be to meet up with me and her mother for the drive to the airport.

So now we’re back to being empty nesters again. We also have to deal with the mixed feelings that come with it. On the one hand, she’s moving to southern California to start a PHD program. How awesome is that? She’s about to go through an amazing experience. I can’t wait to see what she does next, and I can’t wait to see what life has in store for her. She is incredible and she is going to do incredible things. At the same time, I don’t want her to go. My wife and I are really sad right now. We miss her already.

I am going to focus on the positives and try to just be excited for her. I don’t know if I can cheat myself that way, but I am going to try.

Empty Nest… Again

We became empty nesters in 2021 when my step son left for college. My step daughter is two years older and she left for college in 2019. She finished her undergrad in 2023 and went to work at the same University in a research lab. My step son finished his under grad in 2025 and started grad school the next semester.

Also in 2025 my step daughter’s contract with the research lab finished. It was time for her to move on. Grad school was next, but she did not yet have anything lined up. She was going to need some time to work everything out so she moved back home temporarily and for a while we were no longer empty nesters.

Like I said though, it was temporary and today is the day that it ends. Next weekend we are flying out to California to help her move into her new University housing. About an hour ago she left the house so she can spend the rest of this week at her dad’s. He isn’t going out to CA right away so she’s going to spend some time with him while she can. 

So technically speaking, she hasn’t actually moved out yet. That will happen, strictly speaking, on Saturday. Still… she won’t be back here until Saturday morning and that will just be to meet up with me and her mother for the drive to the airport.

So now we’re back to being empty nesters again. We also have to deal with the mixed feelings that come with it. On the one hand, she’s moving to southern California to start a PHD program. How awesome is that? She’s about to go through an amazing experience. I can’t wait to see what she does next, and I can’t wait to see what life has in store for her. She is incredible and she is going to do incredible things. At the same time, I don’t want her to go. My wife and I are really sad right now. We miss her already.

I am going to focus on the positives and try to just be excited for her. I don’t know if I can cheat myself that way, but I am going to try.

Empty Nest… Again

We became empty nesters in 2021 when my step son left for college. My step daughter is two years older and she left for college in 2019. She finished her undergrad in 2023 and went to work at the same University in a research lab. My step son finished his under grad in 2025 and started grad school the next semester.

Also in 2025 my step daughter’s contract with the research lab finished. It was time for her to move on. Grad school was next, but she did not yet have anything lined up. She was going to need some time to work everything out so she moved back home temporarily and for a while we were no longer empty nesters.

Like I said though, it was temporary and today is the day that it ends. Next weekend we are flying out to California to help her move into her new University housing. About an hour ago she left the house so she can spend the rest of this week at her dad’s. He isn’t going out to CA right away so she’s going to spend some time with him while she can. 

So technically speaking, she hasn’t actually moved out yet. That will happen, strictly speaking, on Saturday. Still… she won’t be back here until Saturday morning and that will just be to meet up with me and her mother for the drive to the airport.

So now we’re back to being empty nesters again. We also have to deal with the mixed feelings that come with it. On the one hand, she’s moving to southern California to start a PHD program. How awesome is that? She’s about to go through an amazing experience. I can’t wait to see what she does next, and I can’t wait to see what life has in store for her. She is incredible and she is going to do incredible things. At the same time, I don’t want her to go. My wife and I are really sad right now. We miss her already.

I am going to focus on the positives and try to just be excited for her. I don’t know if I can cheat myself that way, but I am going to try.

Conflicted

I am conflicted and I always get into this state when the kids are involved.

When my step daughter moved away to college in 2019 I was conflicted. On the one hand, I wanted her to go away to school and have a fantastic experience and learn a ton and make new friends and start her life and have everything be amazing. On the other hand I wanted her to stay home with us forever.

Two years later when my step son went away to college it was the same thing. I wanted him to go to school and have the time of his life and learn incredible things and have adventures and excitement and make memories that would last a lifetime while also not wanting him to leave us, ever.

In May of 2025 my step daughter moved home. She graduated and worked a two year contract at the University. When the contract ended she came home to live with us while she figured out her next move. The next move was grad school, but she had to work out the details. It took a little more than a year, but next month she is going to start school in California. 

I am so excited for her I could burst… again… just like 2019. Just like my step son in 2021. I fear I might spontaneously combust out of excitement for her future. She’s going to finish grad school with a PHD and then every time I see her I will ask her, “what’s up, doc?” and it will be epic and no one will ever get tired of that stupid Bugs Bunny joke and we will always laugh and it will be perfect.

Also, I don’t want her to move. I mean, I thought moving from Massachusetts to Vermont was bad… California? No way!

She’ll still be here for a few more weeks, but the next milestone in the moving process happened today…

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/55475269896/in/datetaken/

It’s time to start packing. I’m excited and sad at the same time, but what else is new?

That was a Rough Week

I’m still not ready to write about the reason behind all of the insanity last week. It’s not really my story to tell. Suffice to say I drove about 100000000 miles over the last 10 days or so.

First, I was off on Friday May 1st. That day we learned that my step son’s girlfriend had an issue that needed immediate attention. She goes to school in Burlington, VT but her family lives near Detroit, MI. On Saturday May 2nd my wife and I drove from Methuen, MA to Burlington (about three hours) to pick up both kids and drive them back to our house. 

On Sunday May 3rd I drove them both to Logan Airport in Boston (about 40–50 minutes or so) so she could catch a flight to Michigan. Then immediately I drove my step son back to Burlington (3.5 hours or so) and after dropping him off at his apartment I drove straight home (three hours).

On Monday May 4th I went to work, then on Tuesday May 5th I had the day off. I was supposed to be taking my wife to a doctors appointment but that fell through. I was also supposed to pick up my step daughter at Logan Airport. She was on a trip to California. Turns out her flight didn’t land until 10:00pm so it wouldn’t have interfered with work. It did mean I didn’t get home until super late which made Wednesday morning rough.

On Wednesday May 6th I worked from home and as soon as I punched out for the day my wife and I jumped in the car and drove to Burlington, VT again. We picked up my step son and then drove further North, crossing the border into Quebec. We immediately went to a hotel and went to sleep. 

On Thursday May 7th we did some major driving. We drove all the way to Lapeer, MI. It was about 9–10 hours. Almost all of it on highways in Canada. When we arrived we brought my step son to where his girlfriend was and my wife and I got to meet some of her family. Most notably, we got to meet her 18 month old niece who was absolutely adorable. After that we went back to the hotel and crashed.

On Friday May 8th we spent almost the entire day just being there for the kids as they went through everything the family needed to get through. My wife and I were distantly on the periphery, but my step son was more involved. In the late afternoon my wife and I excused ourselves for a while. We drove about an hour North in the hopes of seeing a Great Lake (Huron) up close but when we got to the spot we were looking for you couldn’t actually see the lake. You could see little canals running into it, but not the lake itself. We did catch a glimpse from the highway at one point though. That will have to do.

Saturday May 9th was the super crazy day that just sucked the life right out of all of us. We drove home. We crossed into Ontario again and then headed East. We crossed back into the US at Niagara, NY and from there drove home to Methuen. I think it was about 11 hours on the road. We were toast.

On Sunday May 10th my step daughter cooked a Mothers Day brunch for my wife, which was lovely, and we all just decompressed a little from the insanity of the week. Eventually we drove my step son to a bus stop in Manchester, NH (about half an hour away) and he took that home to Burlington. I went grocery shopping and then proceeded to flake out for the rest of the day. I needed the rest.

Now it is Monday May 11th and I am in the office (an hour drive from home) and it’s not even 11:00am and I am already pretty desperate to go home and go back to sleep. What a crazy week. Just… wow.

Cross the Border

That’s it. I’m leaving the country tonight. Just you wait and see. When I go to sleep tonight I will not be in the United States of America.

That sounds super dramatic but let me assure you it is not. It’s true, but it’s not what it seems. It’s not some politically motivated emigration. It’s more like it gets me where I am going.

My step son’s girlfriend is from Michigan, near(ish) to Detroit. Her family is going through some stuff right now (no, it’s none of your business) and my step son, my wife, and I are heading there to show a little moral support (no I am not sharing specifics. As previously stated, it’s none of your business). 

My step son and his girlfriend are both students at schools in Burlington, VT. The best highway route involves first driving North across the Canadian border into Quebec, and then driving Southwest past a couple of Great Lakes and recrossing the border into Michigan. Staying in the US involves detouring around those Great Lakes which adds hours to the trip. 

So the plan tonight is to punch out of work (about 15 minutes from now), load up the car, drive to Burlington to pick up Harry, then drive to a hotel just across the border. Then tomorrow at the crack of dawn start heading around those big lakes. On Saturday we will repeat the route in reverse.

Given the situation in the fascist states of america right now though… leaving Canada is going to be tough. There are a lot of reasons not to leave once you’re there, you know? I’ll do it, but it will be tough, that’s all I’m saying.

Traveling Folk

My step daughter is at Logan airport. She’s taking a birthday trip out west and I hope she has a great time. Also, me being me, I am worried about her flight. You know how it is, right?

My wife and I are heading to Vermont to help my step son and his girlfriend out with some difficulties. This weekend I will drive from Methuen, MA to Burlington, VT and then from Methuen, MA to Boston, MA to Burlington, VT to Methuen, MA.

Wish us traveling folk some luck, m’kay? Thanks.

She’s Home

My step daughter is home from her academic trip to Europe!

I think the pilot on her flight from Dublin to Boston must have had a date or something. Either that or he has the airplane equivalent of a lead foot. The plane landed over an hour early. How sick is that? Thanks, speedy pilot!

#airTravel #airline #collegeKids #europe #Family #Kids #StepKids #Travel

Congratulations!

Harry just told us that he got his first job offer. One month and six days after graduation. Excellent work, Harry! I think I am going to burst with pride!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54528555968/in/album-72177720326195140

#adultKids #collegeGraduate #congratulations #Family #grownUpKids #jobOffer #Kids #Nikon #nikonZ5 #photography #pride #proud #proudStepFather #StepKids #workForce #z5

Substack

Right folks, what are our thoughts on Substack? I subscribe to a handful of them but I only ever actually read stuff from the guitar player who used to be in The Blake Babies (and I’m just thinking that it is really getting to be time for another Blake Babies reunion record, don’t we think?) and one film photographer from youtube who lives somewhere in the wilds of New Hampshire. Truthfully, I don’t read every post from those two users but I read some of them. Sorry.

My first thought when I learned about Substack was nope, I’m too old for that shit. The Blake Babies guy is older than I am though… he’s also 100 times cooler and a lawyer (yikes) and his cred level is 100000000 times mine… though any number that quantifies your credibility is higher than my complete and total lack of credibility, right?

My second thought was… it’s an email newsletter. Anyone who would be dumb enough to subscribe to mine would mark me as spam within a couple of days of my pointless brain droppings.

Still… am I thinking about it? No… but… yeah, no.

What else, what else… new camera coming soon. The USPS tracking number says it will arrive on Saturday. That doesn’t give me any time to shoot and develop a test roll before I go on vacation, but I had already decided not to bring a film camera on vacation this time. I’m going all digital on this trip.

Part of my initial film camera attraction was using fully manual, mechanical cameras. I didn’t want any automation at all. I didn’t want anything electronic. This time? The new camera has autofocus. Oh praise be, it has autofocus! I’m getting blinder by the minute and manually focusing is a bitch. Wearing bifocals (well, progressive lenses) makes it so much worse. Now I am going to be able to autofocus with film and oh how the heavens will sing in gleeful glee.

What else? This is traditionally the longest week of the working man’s life. The full work week before a vacation. One day down, four endlessly long and painful days to go. But hey, there’s a new camera and a vacation at the end of it! There’s two carrots on the end of this week’s stick. The best part? Both kids are coming on this trip. We’re going as a full family. How cool is that? Both kids are in their 20’s and we can still get them to come on vacation with us. Life is pretty fucking cool sometimes, don’t you think?

I should join Substack and write a big article about it.

#adultKids #blogging #cameras #Family #grownKids #grownUpKids #StepKids #substack #Travel #Vacation

Travel Plans and Parental Controls

Bellana came home late last night. Late enough that I was asleep. I woke up at 4:00am for some reason and checked the driveway and her car was there. Wonderful! My step daughter is home!

By 8:30am though we had dropped her off at the airport. She’s flying to Denver, meeting a friend, and then driving back to somewhere in North Carolina. From there she’s going to Atlanta and flying to Orlando where she will meet up with the rest of us for our Disney trip the week after next.

That’s a lot of traveling!

Her flight hasn’t boarded yet, but according to flightaware.com it is still on time. Safe travels, Bellana! We love you!

On an unrelated note, I think I need to set up parental controls on my computer. I think I need to block ebay. Yeah… I bought another camera last night. What the fuck, Robert? This one is a 35mm with autofocus. It has a 50mm lens too. Bonus! I still don’t think I will take any film on our vacation, but it is pretty clear my self imposed two month film hiatus isn’t going to last more than a few days. Oh well. I tried.

While we’re on the subject of film, I got a notification from the lab I sent the last batch of film to that it arrived. That was Thursday afternoon. I was hope hope hoping that I would receive word that the scans were available yesterday but I gots nuttin’. I doubt they’ll be working over the weekend, so hopefully early next week we’ll have the results. I’m optimistic that the five medium format rolls come out okay. Four of them might at least. One of them might be a smidge under exposed. I had the light meter app on my phone set wrong during one roll. Dumb ass. Everything else (hopefully) was free of user errors or dumb ass fuck ups. Fingers crossed.

#adultKids #destination #Family #filmCameras #filmDeveloping #filmPhotography #GearAcquisitionSyndrome #grownUpKids #StepKids #travelPlans

Back to Normal

The cats were very displeased with us when we got home last night. They hid for a while before coming into the room with us but keeping their distance. By morning they were being super affectionate again. Actually, they seemed more affectionate than usual. Maybe they were just starved for attention. Two days without humans constantly baby talking to them must have seemed like an eternity.

Jen and I are both back to work. We’re both really tired. We were so busy this weekend that it feels like we need a weekend to recover from our weekend. I won’t be getting one though. This week at work has the potential to be pretty rough. Here’s hoping the universe takes it easy on little old me.

We have to put a pause on the celebration of my step son Harry for a day. Today is my step daughter Bellana’s birthday! Happy Birthday, Bellana! WOOHOOO!! A couple of weeks ago I was sad because I had a birthday that moved me from my early 50’s squarely and undeniably into my mid 50’s. Today sees a similar (though less depressing) thing for Bellana. She moves from her early 20’s squarely and undeniably into her mid 20’s. The poor thing. The poor, still very young, thing. Heh, sorry.

Apart from the birthday celebration everything is back to normal. I even looked at the long range weather forecast and as expected, it calls for rain next weekend. Of course.

#adultKids #backToNormal #backToWork #birthday #catRevenge #Family #grownUpKids #happyBirthday #homecoming #Kids #StepKids #Travel

What a Weekend

We are home. Graduation weekend is over. Two things happened. One, my step son graduated from UVM and that is amazing and he is amazing and its all amazing. Two, rain. Constant, never ending, drowning, soaking rain. The whole time. Rain sucks.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54527401537/in/album-72177720326195140

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54528642185/in/album-72177720326195140

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54529218464/in/album-72177720326195140

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54529274693/in/album-72177720326195140

#adultKids #collegeGraduation #collegeKids #Family #graduation #grownUpKids #Kids #Nikon #nikonZ5 #StepKids #universityOfVermont #UVM #z5

Graduation Day

Today is the day! My step son graduates from the University of Vermont! I am so excited, I am so proud, I am just standing here beside myself with glee right now!

Two years ago we sat in the crowd together watching his sister graduate from UVM and now today it’s his turn. He starts grad school in the fall so his academic career isn’t over yet, but let’s not think about that today. Let’s just focus on what a fantastic achievement this is and let’s all just shower him with praise and love and congratulations.

Harry! You did it! Fantastic work!

#collegeGraduation #collegeKids #Family #graduation #grownUpKids #Kids #StepKids #universityOfVermont #UVM

Big Event This Weekend

There is a big deal happening this weekend. It’s been four years in the making. I guess technically it has been 22 years in the making but it’s the last four that really count.

My step son, Harry, is graduating from college! The University of Vermont’s commencement weekend festivities kick off tomorrow and I am so proud of Harry that I legitimately fear that I am going to spontaneously combust. Like, ka-boom and stuff. He has grown up to be such a fine human. Brilliant, kind, a deep seated hatred of donald trump the orange shit clown. He’s a far better man than I am, and this weekend is all about him. A Bachelors Degree in Psychology. Good work, Harry!

We’re heading up to Vermont as soon as I punch out of work tonight. I can’t wait to spend the weekend celebrating Harry and his accomplishment. It’s going to be a great time… even though… the forecast is calling for rain during the Sunday morning outdoor commencement ceremony. That might suck. Everything else though, I can’t wait!

#adultKids #collegeGraduation #collegeKids #commencement #Family #graduation #grownUpKids #Kids #StepKids #universityOfVermont #UVM

Bribes

Remember when bribery was illegal? That was before the nazi in chief of the fascist states of america declared that it was a smart move to let a foreign government give you an airplane as a present. Our new air force one, which will stop being air force one and become trump’s personal plane once he leaves office, assuming he leaves office before he dies.

Yeah, this country fucking sucks. Can you imagine if Barack Obama told the public he was taking a passenger jet as a gift from an Islamic nation? Fucking fascists.

Change of subject. Two things to look forward to this week. First, I have my three year post-gastric bypass surgery check in at the weight loss clinic. I expect them to tell me that I am the greatest patient they have ever had, and that no patient they’ve dealt with has ever had suck overwhelming success with their post-op program. I am hoping for a plaque or something to honor me.

Of infinitely greater importance, my step son Harry is going to graduate from the University of Vermont this weekend. I am so proud I am so proud I am so proud I am so proud. Did I mention how proud I am? We’ll be heading up there after work on Friday. I am really looking forward to it. I don’t know if you can tell by the context of this paragraph, but I am really proud of Harry.

Okay, Robert. Back to work with you.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54514909030/in/datetaken/

#365 #365Challenge #365Project #bribe #bribery #Cat #collegeGraduation #collegeKids #Family #gastricBypassSurgery #graduation #grownUpKids #health #Kids #Kitty #magaIsACult #Nikon #nikonZ5 #photoADay #photoADayChallenge #photoADayProject #photography #Politics #robin #StepKids #trumpIsAFascist #trumpIsANazi #trumpIsEvil #z5

The Visit is Over

The kids left. It was a bit less than an hour ago. Apple’s Find My app tells me they just merged onto route 89. I miss them. I always miss them.

I didn’t sleep well last night. It’s going to be a long day today. Blah, says I.

#collegeKids #emptyNest #Family #grownKids #grownUpKids #Kids #StepKids

Rain

The kids are at a concert with their father and their step mother. Jen is working. I’m sitting in the living room typing this and looking at a sleeping cat or two.

I want to shoot film at sunrise but I can’t because New England in April means rain on the weekends. Not just the weekends, of course, it just seems that way. Every Thursday or Friday I start looking forward to the weekend and I check the weather forecast and it’s always the same. It is always rain. Rain and gloom. Even the Red Sox have been in a rain delay for the last hour and a half or so.

I wish I could have made it into the city to join in on the Hands Off demonstrations today, but the kids were here and I would rather be with the kids than almost anything so I happily stayed home. One of these days there will be a certain ridiculously tall old person with red hair in one of those Boston throngs, I promise.

Until then, here’s a photo of Lily that I took a few minutes before she jumped up onto the ottoman and curled herself into a ball and fell asleep.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54432778705/in/datetaken/

I think Jen and I are going to do dinner via DoorDash tonight. It’s a special day for us so we need to do something nice to celebrate. 18 years ago today, on April 5, 2007, we went on our first date. As special days go, today is a big one. I love her so much, and it all kicked off 18 years ago today. Our relationship is old enough to vote, assuming the u.s. will still have elections… you know… nazis in charge and all. Oh shit, I just brought politics into my happy first-date-aversary message. Fuck me. Sorry about that.

#adultKids #Cat #collegeKids #Family #firstDate #firstDateAnniversary #firstDateaversary #grownKids #grownUpKids #handsOff #handsOffBoston #handsOffDemonstrations #handsOffProtests #iphoneography #Jen #Kids #Kitty #marriage #photography #Politics #StepKids #trumpIsAFascist #trumpIsANazi #trumpIsEvil

All Quiet… For Now

Despite the weirdness of my previous post, the potentially odd omen of the cat in the sink has not foretold of anything weird happening today… so far, at least.

It’s been a quiet day so far. I’m just getting off of my lunch break so there is still plenty of time for things to go south. I mean, the president placed tariffs on penguins yesterday so… yeah. Anything is possible at any time.

The Red Sox have won two in a row and their home opener (against the Cardinals) is about to start. The Bruins have now lost 10 in a row (one of them in overtime, the rest in regulation). I don’t know what to think. I will focus on the positive trend for the Sox and listen to today’s game while I work. They are 3-4 on the season. It’s too early to worry about things like the American League East standings, but they are currently tied for last place (with Baltimore), two games back of the first place Blue Jays. At least Geddy Lee will be happy.

The kids are coming home tonight. We thought they were coming home last night but there was some miscommunication. Last night’s loss is tonight’s gain. They will be here tonight, go to their father’s sometime tomorrow, and then I think come back here afterward. Then Sunday they will go back to Vermont. I am very happy we’ll get to see them. Very happy.

Okay, it’s 2:00pm now. Time to get back to work. Talk to you all later. Until then, remember that donald trump is a nazi who can’t do math. Loser.

#Baseball #Bruins #collegeKids #emptyNest #Family #grownUpKids #Hockey #homeOpener #homecoming #Kids #losingStreak #NHL #openingDay #RedSox #StepKids

Kids Weekend

Jen and the kids are texting back and forth about this weekend. They are coming home for a quick visit! I love it. I don’t have any details yet so I don’t know when or where or how or what, I just know it’s in the works.

It’s like flashing back to 2007 when we were splitting custody with the kids’ father and we had them half of the time and he had them half of the time. Literally. We alternated days. I think… and I am straining my tiny little brain to bring up these memories… we had the kids on Sundays and half of the day on Saturday… or did we have them on Fridays and then the first half of Saturday… I’m pretty sure we had them for half of every Saturday. The other six days of the week alternated between houses.

That was the schedule when I first came into the picture. The kids were age six and four at that time. I was still in my 30’s (which seems laughable for some reason… youngin’). Eventually we changed the schedule to one where they were at one house for two days, then the other for two days, and then the remaining three days would alternate. That way on any given week they would have five straight days in the same house, and each week those five days would be in a different house. It worked.

Sometimes when I think back over the years I feel sad about the time I missed. Six whole years… why couldn’t I have met Jen earlier and been around to know the kids when they were babies? Then I stop feeling like that and just feel overwhelmingly thankful for the time I have had. What a gift that time has been. What a perfect, magical, brilliant gift that Jen and Bellana and Harry have given me. They’ve let me be a small piece of their lives. I am eternally grateful for that gift. I will never be able to express how thankful I am, how honored I am, how touched I am. Really… being in their lives has been better than anything I could have ever hoped that anything could ever be. Put simply, I am just a dumb ass red head. What did I do to deserve a blessing like this? What did I do to deserve the love of three such exceptional people? I don’t know. If I did I would bottle it and sell it and be a gazillionaire. Seriously.

I guess what I am trying to say here is that I am going to see the kids this weekend and I am really happy about it.

#collegeKids #emptyNest #Family #grownUpKids #homecoming #Kids #StepKids

Weird Week Coming Up

Happy Monday, everyone. Mondays suck, but what can you do?

This week is gonna be a weird one for us here at the Inside the Red Head’s Head family. Yup.

First off, contractors. Yet another contractor is coming to the house today. Just routine maintenance. It’s not even 8:00am and by all rights I should be in the shower right now but I am not because the contractor just told us he’s on his way. He may even be done before I start the work day. How crazy is that?

There are two contractors on the books for tomorrow. One is coming to fix a leak in our dishwasher. I am so mad about that leak that I cannot even think straight, but fingers crossed it will be back to normal tomorrow. The question of whether I will ever trust it again is still outstanding. The other contractor scheduled for tomorrow was for the same issue. I have to cancel it, but it’s the same service that is coming today and I had this nasty feeling that if I cancelled Tuesday’s appointment they would accidentally cancel Monday’s and hijinx would ensue.

Contractor visits are just one of the weird things going on this week. The other has to do with a hotel. Jen’s company is running a conference this week in Boston. They booked rooms for their staff and that includes my beloved bride. I took a half day off of work today so that I could bring her to the hotel in time for whatever they have planned this afternoon. I am hoping that I will be able to squat at the hotel with her at night, though I have to work from home tomorrow (see above) and I have to work in the office for the rest of the week. The end result is, I am going to be doing a lot of Boston driving this week. I am okay with that… I just need to know where to go, you know? Jen has the details so it will be fine.

Other than that… my step son was here yesterday but he’s already left to go back to Vermont. He is on spring break this week but he is scheduled to work a ton. No extended visit this time but I am very happy to have seen him yesterday. I do love it when my step kids are here.

It’s now 8:00am. The contractor called about 25 minutes ago saying he was on his way. Here’s hoping he gets here soon and can wrap up the job quickly. Fingers eternally crossed.

#busyWeek #collegeKids #conference #contractor #Family #grownUpKids #homeMaintenance #hotel #Kids #maintenance #routineMaintenance #springBreak #StepKids #toDoList #work

Still On… So Far

First, allow me to say thank you to Lily the cat for sitting still this morning so that I could take a picture of her in the mostly dark room without the iPhone’s low light functionality turning her into a blurry mess. Thanks, Lily Pad!

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54375418885/in/datetaken/

Next, all of my Sunday plans are still on. Fingers crossed it stays that way. No word about canceling band practice. No one has backed out, and our meet time is less than two hours away. It’s never going to be back to normal if we can’t get at least two weeks in a row in, know what I mean?

Fingers crossed.

My step son is coming over today. He’s not here yet. I hope he gets here before I leave for practice, but if he doesn’t that’s fine too. I’ll have the whole day post-practice to hang around with him.

#Cat #collegeKids #emptyNest #grownUpKids #iphoneography #Kids #Kitty #lily #lizardfish #Music #photography #StepKids

Good Day on Tap

There’s a good chance that tomorrow, Sunday, is going to be a good day. My step son is coming home tomorrow morning. We’ll spend nearly the whole day with him. I have a band practice that I am looking forward to but trying not to be overly excited about. See my post on the subject from earlier.

I just had one of my sugar free bakery cookies and it was goooood.

Yeah, Saturday was super busy and stressful. Sunday, I hope, should be a little more relaxing. Fingers crossed at least.

For now though, I’m going to bed. G’Night, Moon.

#BandPractice #collegeKids #Family #Kids #plans #StepKids #Sunday #toDoList

Saturday Plans?

Normally, one of the first things I do when I get up on a Saturday morning is start to make a list of things that need to be accomplished over the course of the day. Well, it’s Saturday now and it’s about quarter past seven in the morning. Time to make that list….

You heard me, red head… time to make that list…

Whenever you’re ready…

Yeah, I have nothing. Nothing on the agenda today at all.

The good news is, tomorrow we’re going to have a visit from Harry. I guess the agenda today is to just get ready for his visit. I can do that.

#agenda #collegeKids #Family #Kids #plans #StepKids #toDoList #visit

It is Going to Snow

We had plans to go to Vermont My step son celebrated his birthday on Tuesday and we were going to go see him for a slightly belated birthday lunch.

That was before the winter storm warning was announced and the forecast started calling for maybe 10 inches of snow.

Eight days ago we were in Florida and it was 88 degrees out.

Winter sucks.

#birthday #collegeKids #Family #forecast #Snow #StepKids #stepSon #Weather #winter

RPM Challenge Day 4/28

Nothing.

I had a really bad day and went to bed early, thinking I would get a good night’s sleep, but then I woke up super early and spoiled the whole plan. Shit.

I did get to wish my step son a Happy Birthday. I think I wished my nephew a Happy Birthday too. I sent him a text, discovered he has a new phone number, got his new phone number, sent another text, he didn’t respond. We called my sister’s phone to wish him a happy but he wasn’t home so we called his phone because my sister said his voicemail was setup but his voicemail wasn’t set up. I speak now directly to my nephew… I really hope you got that text. If not, Happy Birthday!!

That’s my whole day in a nutshell. Birthdays, back pain, stomach pain, first day back to work. Yippee. Today is an in the office day so it’s going to suck on so many levels.

Happy Merry and shit, everyone! WOOHOO!

#birthdays #collegeKids #Family #Guitar #Kids #Music #nephew #Recording #RpmChallenge #rpm2025 #SongWriting #StepKids #textMessages #voicemail

He’ll be Proud

My step son, Harry, will be proud of me. I just finished watching Better Call Saul. He really wanted me to watch it. He was raving about it all the time. Now I’ve watched the whole series and he can finally talk to me about it without worrying about spoilers.

FYI, it’s as good as everyone says it is. Go watch it.

Subject change. I mentioned that I bought a few new guitar pedals over the last week. I haven’t had a chance to try them out yet. I’m debating whether I want to integrate them into the board I use at home, or should I make a brand new pedal board instead. I’m leaning toward a new board. Just for a while at least. Just for schnitzengiggles.

Subject change. We have a couch delivery scheduled for this morning. The delivery window they gave me is pretty long. It extends into my work day and it overlaps two scheduled meetings. Here’s hoping we get lucky and the truck gets here early enough to not mess anything up.

Subject change. Our mouse hunting cats had a target last night. We woke up in the middle of the night to see them chasing a gross little teeny tiny rodent around. At the time, the little bastard got away. We don’t see any signs of the prick this morning, but the cats are clearly still on high alert. We live in the woods. One of the biggest rivers in New England runs smack through our town. Mice are a part of life. Still… go get the little home invading asshole, cats. Do your job. Protect your house.

Okay. Time to go start the day. That delivery truck is going to be here… eventually.

#adultKids #betterCallSaul #Cat #Cats #collegeKids #couch #delivery #effectsPedal #effectsPedals #Family #furniture #grownUpKids #Guitar #GuitarGear #GuitarPedals #Kids #Kitty #mice #mouse #mousers #newCouch #newFurniture #pedalBoard #StepKids #Television

The Day So Far

The car has new breaks and new tires.

A couch has been purchased and a delivery has been scheduled.

My step son is home safe and sound even though I’d much rather he were still here with us. The nest is empty once again. Boo.

All that remains is to go grocery shopping and to cook dinner. I think I’ll get started on that now.

#adultKids #collegeKids #emptyNest #Family #grownUpKids #Kids #plans #saturdayPlans #StepKids #thingsToDo #toDoList

Good Morning

My step son is going to be leaving us pretty soon. I’m sad. The potential for a bummer mix of a day is pretty high. I’ll try to make the most of it. We’ll see.

We had plans for today but I think we’re going to scrap them, or completely alter them, or flat our replace them. I don’t know. Maybe I should just go back to sleep. That would be fun, eh? It’s almost 8:00am. Time for a nap! WOOHOO!

#adultKids #collegeKids #Family #grownKids #Kids #plans #StepKids #toDoList #weekend

Missed Opportunity

Today is our last full day with my step son Harry in the house. He’s heading back to Vermont in the morning so he can go to work in the afternoon.

I’m sad that he’s leaving. I’m even sadder that today is an in the office day and I’m going to be away from home until dinner time.

Crud.

#adultKids #collegeKids #Family #grownUpKids #Kids #StepKids

Plans Change… or I Got Them Wrong

I thought we were going to have both kids at the house until Sunday. Why did I think that? I was wrong.

Harry is leaving on Saturday. I’m not sure what time of day. Bellana’s leaving today. Boo. Sometime this morning she’s going to head back to Vermont to go to work this afternoon.

As always, I am sad when one of the kids leaves, but also really happy that they were here at all. They are adults now and both live their own lives and I respect that. I just love them both so much that I selfishly want them around all the time.

#adultKids #collegeKids #Family #grownUpKids #Holidays #Kids #StepKids #vermont

New Years Eve Bonus!

The plan was to have dinner with the whole family after Jen and I finished work for the day. Then my step daughter, Bellana, was going to head back to Vermont. After that we, meaning me, my wife Jen, and my step son Harry, would ring in the New Year together by probably watching a movie or something. Harry was planning to go back to Vermont on Sunday so we’d have him here for the rest of the week.

Now things have changed! Bellana’s Vermont plans have fallen through and she is staying with us until Sunday too! BONUS!

Our Happy New Years Eve plans just got happier! Both kids are here for the holiday! Awesome!

#adultKids #collegeKids #Family #grownUpKids #Holiday #holidayPlans #Kids #NewYear #newYearsEve #StepKids #surprise

Merry Christmas

Santa Claus came. Mostly. He still has a couple of things to finish before the kids wake up, but it’s 6:30am and there are presents under the tree for the kids.

The kids are both home. Bellana got here a smidge before midnight last night. We’re all here now and all is right with the world.

HoHoHo! Merry Christmas!

#adultKids #Christmas #christmasDay #collegeKids #Family #grownUpKids #Holiday #Kids #StepKids #xmas #xmasDay

Last Christmas on Film

Just prepping myself for tomorrow by looking at some film photos from last year.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/52663792848/in/album-72177720301306543

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/52663792893/in/album-72177720301306543

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/53090300138/in/album-72177720301306543

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/53090214090/in/album-72177720301306543

#adultKids #collegeKids #Family #filmPhotography #FUJISUPERIA400 #grownUpKids #KENTMERE400 #Kids #PentaxK1000 #PentaxM1250mm #photography #StepKids #xmas

Xmas Eve

Are we all ready? Tomorrow is xmas. It is xmas eve. It’s time to get the last minute details wrapped up. Dot those holiday i’s and cross those holiday t’s.

I need to hit a couple of stores. One being a gas station and another being a grocery store. Good times. I don’t expect humongous, insane crowds or anything*.

My step son has been here for days. My step daughter will be here tonight, but not until super late. Maybe even after midnight. She has a gig in Vermont and can’t come home until after. Both kids will be here for xmas morning though and that’s what counts.

Now that the holiday is actually here, can I start feeling a little xmas spirit? I mean before it’s too late? I don’t know… tomorrow will suffice if that’s all I get. HoHoHo and shit.

*Yeah, that’s sarcasm. You could tell that by the context, right?

#adultKids #collegeKids #emptyNest #Family #grownUpKids #Holiday #Kids #StepKids #toDoList #xmas #xmasEve

Cellar Dweller

My step son, Harry, is home! He was here when I got home from work last night and it was wonderful having him around. Having kids here makes me happy.

Him being home today means that I am working from the office desk in the cellar instead of the desk in his room. I am a cellar dweller again while he’s home. Today is Friday and I am working from home. Next week I will be in the office on Monday and then I am off for xmas eve, xmas day, and I took a vacation day for the day after xmas. So one day working in the cellar is all I need. I can handle it. Not that there’s any difficulty working in the cellar, I just like being upstairs more. That’s all.

I do have one thing planned for my lunch break down here in the cellar where no one can see me…

https://www.flickr.com/photos/robj_1971/54216645274/in/dateposted/

I setup a gift wrapping station. Let’s see how much of the remaining pile of presents I can get through while I eat my chicken patty and fries. Bring on the work day so I can get to it. Two working days left before Santa comes. Still much to do in that little amount of time. Let’s do this thing!

#adultKids #collegeKids #emptyNest #Family #grownKids #Holiday #iphoneography #Kids #officeSpace #photography #StepKids #workFromHome #workSpace #wrappingPresents #xmas #xmasGiftWrapping

My Eye is a Jerk

Today is day three on the antibiotics. I thought things were improving yesterday, but then it got even more annoying for a while last night.

It’s a stye. I had one on my right eye. It was on the outside of the lower lid and it didn’t bother me at all. Now I have one on my left eye on the inside of the lower lid and it’s driving me bonkers. It hurts a little. It’s itchy at times. It stings now and then. Sometimes it is all three at once. It feels a little better when I dunk a face cloth in hot water and put it on my eye for a minute or two. That’s nice.

The antibiotics they gave me are a cream that I have to put onto my lower lid and then blink into my eye. Four times a day. Don’t humans blink to get stuff out of their eyes? I can’t tell if I am getting any of the goop anywhere near where it needs to be. I put some on 57 minutes ago and my eye is bugging the hell out of me. Is that the sign that it’s working? Maybe.

It’s Monday. I am working from home. I am still exhausted from our weekend on the road. The concert on Saturday was wonderful. Yeah, my step daughter singing with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra. On my “things that you will be so proud about you will nearly explode” bingo card that they gave me when I was a teenager, I never in a million years would have expected to hit on that square. She’s amazing. Enough said.

My step son is about to go into finals week on his first semester of his senior year in college. Once he gets through the next week or so he will be one final exam week away from graduation. Talk about being proud. Words cannot describe it.

Yeah, both of our kids are amazing. How can you be pissed off about a stye in your eye when you have two kids like this in your life? Amazing!

#antibioticCream #antibiotics #blink #collegeKids #eye #eyeHealth #eyes #Family #grownUpKids #health #Kids #StepKids #stye

Today’s Agenda

So Robert, what’s the plan for this fine December Saturday?

Oh nothing…

First I pick up the antibiotic cream stuff that was prescribed for the mess that is my left eye (ouch). Then I put some clothes in a backpack and maybe some gas in the car and maybe pack up some protein bars and snacks and water bottles. You know, like you do.

Then Jen and I hop into the car and mosey on up to New Hampshire to pick up my mother in law. Then we mosey on over to Vermont to meet up with the kids.

Then, later tonight, it’s nothing special. We just go to see my step daughter, Bellana, perform with the Vermont Symphony Orchestra again. They are doing a string of holiday shows this weekend and tonight’s the night for us. She’s in the chorus. You know, the Vermont Symphony Orchestra Chorus. Nothing special.

(Your humble narrator takes a moment to squeal with pride and glee)

I mean… is your step daughter in the Vermont Symphony Orchestra Chorus? No? Oh. Groovy.

Road trip!

#adultKids #classicalMusic #collegeKids #Family #grownUpKids #Kids #Music #orchestra #roadTrip #StepKids #Travel #vermont #VermontSymphonyOrchestra #vso

I Foresee a Bad Day Ahead

I don’t know what’s going on with me today, but I have a bad feeling about this. About everything.

I am working from home for the first time this week and it feels glorious. I have a deadline today that I should be able to meet easily. Why then do I feel this sense of impending doom? I went through all of the email from my half day out of the office yesterday and I just sense that I am going to be pecked to death by the universe today.

We are going to Vermont tomorrow to see the kids. Maybe that’s the reason I feel off today. Maybe my heart is already driving North and as a result the rest of me is just pissed off that we still have a full day to go. I don’t know. We’re going to meet up with the kids for an NCAA hockey game. UMass Lowell (both my and my wife’s alma mater) at University of Vermont (my step daughter’s alma mater and employer, and my step son’s current school). It’s going to be fun, assuming Lowell cleans Vermont’s clock. Both teams are doing well in the early going. I am hoping for a fun game. Unlike the Bruins game last night where they lost in Dallas 7-2. I am just going to make pretend that game didn’t happen, m’kay?

I don’t know about this sense of impending doom. Hopefully I work myself out of it. Wish me luck.

#collegeKids #deadlines #doom #Family #Hockey #IHaveABadFeelingAboutThis #ncaaMenSDivisionOneHockey #StepKids #telecommute #umassLowell #universityOfVermont #work #workFromHome

Why is it that missing a day of work makes things 100 times more stressful when you return the next day? I was out Friday and it seems like nothing really happened in my absence, but here we are today and I am stressing out over every tiny detail?

I thought this week would be a normal two-days-in-the-office week but now it’s three. I have three pieces of paperwork that I need to have done by (probably) Thursday. It should be super simple. In fact, there were four pieces of paperwork and I’ve already cranked out one of them. I’m freaking out over the remaining three though. Why? I have time off booked for Monday and Tuesday next week. I thought they were going to be music days, but now will the be spent with dad in the hospital? I don’t know. Maybe. Part of the time at least.

Seriously. Stop freaking out over nothing, Robert. You’ve got this shit covered. You can handle it. Stop stressing. Work is okay. Dad is going to be okay. Calm down and just get it done like you always do.

I think I might just be reacting to being sad that Bellana left for Vermont this morning. No clue when we’re going to see either kid again. I’m guessing that’s the real root of my struggles with this particular Monday.

Over all it’s not a bad day or anything, I am just stressin’ like ya do. May your Mondays be easier on the ol’ stomach, as it were.

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/08/19/stress-4/

#bellana #dad #Family #freakOut #harry #health #Kids #MentalHealth #paperwork #StepKids #Stress #work #workProjects

Bellana is back in Vermont. She left last night and stayed over one of her friends’ house in order to cut down on her morning commute today. At our house she was three hours away from work, and today is a work day for her. I get it. It makes me sad to see her go, but I am also really happy we had her for a few days. Even more so as we had Harry for a few days before that, and their visits overlapped so we had them both for a day. That made me really happy. That was an extra good night.

Jen is working from the office today. I am working from home. That means I am here by my lonesome, just me and the cats. I have a podcast playing on my MacBook and it’s streaming to Home Pods scattered all over the house. I don’t have to pause the podcast if I need to get up and leave the room. Heh heh. Technology is cool. When Jen comes home I’ll shut off any streams that are anywhere other than Harry’s room/my office space.

The Great Heatwave of 2024 is going to become official today. The forecast calls for the temperature in my little city to hit 99 degrees. That will be three days over 90. Heatwave: Confirmed. It is 9:10am right now and it’s already 83 degrees. It’s going to be fun.

The forecast for the rest of the week? Rain and clouds and awful. Back to normal, I guess.

After complaining about crappy sleep for the last week or so, I finally topped six hours last night. In fact, I topped 7.5 hours. It was broken though. I fell asleep at 9:30pm. Not by choice. I just couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore and zonked out. Normally I try to eat something before I go to sleep out of fear that my stomach will get so empty over night that it will hurt. A snack at bedtime avoids that problem, but I didn’t have one last night. My last bite to eat last night was at 7:49pm. I woke up with a bit of a stomach ache at 2:30am. I had a little snack and felt better, but I couldn’t fall back to sleep until well after 3:00. Oh well. I felt really tired when I woke up today (almost an hour later than I had planned) but I feel okay now. Here’s hoping I won’t be totally exhausted today.

Okay, red head. Back to work.

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/06/20/empty-nesters-again/

#90Degrees #99Degrees #Apple #emptyNest #emptyNesters #Family #gastricBypass #gastricBypassRecovery #gastricBypassSideEffects #gastricBypassSurgery #grownKids #health #heatwave #HomePods #Kids #Podcast #Sleep #sleepSchedul #sleepStats #SleepWatch #StepKids #streamingAudio #tech #Weather #workFromHome

It is Monday again. Blah.

We had both kids here last night for the first time in ages. It was wonderful. Talk about a full heart, right? It’s over now though. My step son, Harry left for Vermont this morning. He’s on his way home. I was on a conference call when he left, but I got to say goodbye. I’m happy about that at least. My step daughter, Bellana will be here for a couple more days. She’s going out to do some stuff during the day today but she’ll be back this evening. I’m happy she’s here. I was happy that Harry too. I just really love them both and I love having them around the house.

Work has been busy so far today. It will continue for a few days at least. I am planning on working from home tomorrow but I have to go into the office on Wednesday. I’m not sure what my second office day will be this week. I hate the idea of going in on a Friday, but I think this week it will probably happen. I just don’t want to commute two days in a row this week. Especially after doing it four days in a row last week.

I haven’t taken a picture yet today. The photo a day challenge is still open. Where are the cats?

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/06/17/monday-blues-2/

#collegeKids #emptyNest #Family #grownKids #hybridWorkEnvironment #Kids #StepKids #telecommute #work #workFromHome

On this day in 2008, 16 years ago, Jen and I moved in together. We rented a duplex in Methuen that had three bedrooms. Well… one bedroom might have started it’s life as a big closet, but it was a bedroom in theory by the time we moved in.

I don’t have a lot of pictures of the building. Why? I have pictures of people hanging out in various rooms, but very few of the external. The only good one I could find is actually the back of the house. The left half of this building was our half.

Note, the neighbors who lived in the right half of the duplex had access to that third floor, and rumor has it there was a hot tub up there. We didn’t have any access to the third floor at all. I think it was actually the attic. The other tenant also had a lot more basement space, but what we had was enough. I recorded a lot of RPM Challenge stuff in that tiny little basement space.

We moved in on April 19th. One month and one day later I proposed to Jen, right there in that tiny little back yard by that very gas grill.

Good times. Good times.

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/04/19/duplexiversary/

#bellana #CasioEXS10 #duplex #duplexiversary #Family #harry #Kids #ourFirstHome #photography #StepKids

First there was a plant that belonged to my step kids’ step mother’s mother. When she passed away, their step mother took the plant home with her.

When my step daughter, Bellana, got her own place she took a clipping of that plant and used it to grow a new plant for her apartment. She named the plant Burt. I don’t know if the original plant had a name or not.

During the early days of the Covid lockdown Bellana took her plant, Burt, to our house. While it was with us, Bellana gave us a clipping to grow another plant. We named ours Bertha. Bertha is now gigantic and still growing, but much of her early growth is dying off. The plant is alive, but it doesn’t seem terribly happy. I got nervous about the plant’s prognosis so I did a thing.

I took another clipping and put it into a glass of water. Nothing happened for what seemed like a very long time and I was afraid that I was going to fail in my attempt to keep Bertha alive forever. Then, late last week, a new root grew! Then a second new root! Excellent! The new clipping is alive!

A few minutes ago I put it into a pot full of potting soil. Will it survive the transfer? I hope so, but I have no way to know. It has plenty of soil, food, and water. I will watch it like a hawk to make sure it doesn’t lack for anything until it proves to me that it’s thriving. After that I’ll just treat it like a normal plant and let it grow like crazy the way Bertha did.

Say hello to the new baby plant. I have decided to name it Bertie Botts Every Flavour Plant Clipping, which I will probably just shorted to Bertie Botts Every Flavor Plant… or maybe just Bertie.

Wish our new green friend luck!

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/03/19/bertie-botts-every-flavour-plant-clipping/

#bellana #bellanaSPlant #bellanaSPlantClipping #bertha #bertie #bertieBottsEveryFlavorPlant #bertieBottsEveryFlavourPlantClipping #burt #collegeKids #Family #iphoneography #Kids #photography #plant #plantClipping #StepKids

The head cold persists. Today will be the fourth full day with it and I think it might be the worst day yet.

Yup, I’m still sick.

My wife had it last week and I have it this week. For both of us, with the exception of our one experience with Covid-19, this is the only real bug we’ve caught since the lock downs started four years ago. We have no idea where it came from, but it has turned out to be a persistent little sucker.

In four days I have plowed through two full boxes of tissues. I just started on box number three. Last night before bed I casually mentioned to Jen that I wished when I blew my nose that something substantial would come out. Well, I got my wish. What was the nasal equivalent of an annoyingly dripping faucet yesterday has turned into a gushing rush of snotty awfulness today… too much information? Probably.

The upside to this is that Harry is home! Bellana has been home since Tuesday and has already gone back to Vermont. Harry is staying with us today and heading back to school tomorrow. I’m really happy to have him here, I just wish I wasn’t so sick so we could hang out together. As it is I am keeping my distance from everyone. I don’t have Covid, but we’ve learned some things since the lock down started four years ago, and hopefully I’ll be able to keep Harry healthy. I’d hate for him to be sick when he starts school again next week.

Okay, there’s your update. My box of tissues and I are going to sit in the corner of the living room in our vegetative state for a while. I have a couple of songs that are ready to mix. Maybe I’ll mess with one for a while.

Too paraphrase U2, Achoo-babie.

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/03/16/still-sick-no-end-in-sight/

#bellana #bug #Cold #collegeKids #Family #harry #headCold #health #Kids #runnyNose #Sick #sickness #sneezing #StepKids #stuffyHead #virus

Happy Friday, everyone. Hopefully Friday has meaning for most if not all of us. It has extra meaning for me this week. Starting this month my company has changed it’s hybrid work requirements. Where it used to be that we had to be in the office for 20% of each pay period (basically one day each week), as of March 1st we have to be in the office for 40% of each pay period (basically twice per week). Today is my first, second day of a week. None of us our happy with this, but it’s a whole ton better than being back 80%, which is what we had prior to the pandemic shut down. Oh well. I’ll deal with it. I am still coming in every Wednesday. My group has Wednesdays as a mandate and the second day each week is at everyone’s personal discretion. I am sort of planning on making Mondays my regular second day, just to get it over with, but that didn’t work this week due to the contractors working in the kitchen. Friday was the only day that worked for me. Fortunately there was zero traffic today. I made the 40 mile drive to the office in 45 minutes. If only it were like that every morning.

In other news, the kids are on the ground. Bellana’s flight landed in Georgia (the US state, not the European country) before I went to sleep last night. Harry’s first flight landed in London well after I nodded off for the night, and his connecting flight landed in Scotland before I woke up this morning. All is well on both of those fronts. Here’s hoping they both have a great time on their trips.

I am taking advantage of the fact that I am 40 miles from home right now to make my way to IKEA after work. IKEA is about 60 miles from home, but only 20 miles from work. I will head down there as soon as I am free and go to the returns department and bring back a great big pile of stuff that IKEA included in our kitchen redesign blue print that we didn’t end up needing. There is a lot of stuff to return. A lot of stuff. If I get it all done tonight then we don’t have to worry about it, and with the money we get back maybe I’ll be able to afford a hair cut this weekend because damn, do I need a hair cut!

Anyway, here’s today’s photo-a-day picture. I took it before I did my workout this morning at about 5:40am. It’s only 9:14am now but it’s already felt like a long day.

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/03/08/happy-friday-4/

#collegeKids #commute #commuter #es335 #Family #Gibson #gibsonEs335 #GibsonES335Pro #Guitar #homeImprovement #hybridWork #hybridWorkSchedule #IKEA #Kids #kitchenRedesign #kitchenRemodel #kitchenRemodeling #morning #Nikon #nikonZ5 #photography #returnToTheOffice #springBreak #StepKids #Travel #trips #work #z5

Harry in focus, Bellana out of focus….

Bellana in focus, Harry out of focus….

Happy 21st birthday to Harry!

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/02/04/focus/

#21stBirthday #bellana #birthday #Family #harry #Nikon #nikonZ5 #photography #StepKids #z5

My step son opened his 21st birthday presents in the car because they were too big to bring into the restaurant.

https://robertjames1971.blog/2024/02/04/presents-in-the-car/

#bellana #Family #harry #iphoneography #photography #StepKids #Travel

No word from the guitar shop today. The guitar looked finished in the pics he put on the bookfayce yesterday but I couldn’t really tell. There was likely some finishing work that needed to happen (file down, polish, adjust the new frets maybe?) that I don’t know anything about. Hopefully I will hear something tomorrow. I can’t pick it up on Wednesday as I’ll be in the office. I don’t even know if he opens his doors on any other days. His website books appointments on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Let’s see what happens, okay?

Two things that I need to do today. One, call a plumber to look at a leak in the old bathroom. Two, I have a doctors appointment after work. I also have 3.5 hours left in my work day. I am just wrapping up lunch now.

Harry is coming home this weekend. How awesome is that? Looking forward to having him around. Also really looking forward to Thanksgiving. The actual holiday we will travel to my sisters’. The following Saturday we will have Thanksgiving Part II (electric turkey boogaloo) with the kids and Jen’s folks. I am really excited about both. Not that I can eat like I used to, but I’ll still love every minute of both days.

When are we going to go Christmas tree shopping? We usually try to do that while the kids are home for Thanksgiving, but I don’t know how the schedules will work out this year. We’ll have to figure that out too.

Have I mentioned that I am absolutely freezing today? Stupid cold. Stupid winter (even though we’re still over a month away from the first day of winter, it’s basically winter already).

Okay. Lunch break is over. Get back to work, Robert. You have some custom code to deliver. Get to it.

https://robertjames1971.blog/2023/11/13/no-word-yet/

#autumn #bellana #ChristmasTree #Cold #collegeKids #doctorsAppointment #fall #Family #harry #Kids #neice #nephew #nephews #plumber #siblings #StepKids #Thanksgiving #winter