Gobsmacked

"Gobsmacked," as Susan Boyle would say. Don't know what that means? Speechless. Don't know who Susan Boyle is? Check out this video. Susan Boyle She exemplifies the precaution of not "judging a book by its cover." Her voice will bring you to tears.

But seriously. Nemesis congratulated my handling of the office during her absence at the store meeting. I was floored. She mentioned that she came back to a clean desk and issues handled or explained for follow-up. Big chortles welling up on the inside. Did she really expect to come back to a mess? But I appreciated the recognition.

They have a different way of doing business down here. I'm running my orientation class and just happened to look up to see the contractors peering in the room. What? I'm on my job...doing my business...why are you here? Did something happen to calling the night before? Leaving a note? And they didn't have (or care) a clue that they were interrupting my job. They wanted to get started on painting the front since the weather was cooperating. Cool...but you really need to take care of our business away from Wally, when possible. Picking up keys is one thing; dragging me away from my duties is another.

We're altering the look of Serendipity. Just a little bit. She's going from white to a pale gray. White trim, black shutters. And the big corbels under the gable (over the dining room window) are coming down. I'd like to get rid of the big diamond piece there and add fretwork to the gable to pick up the fretwork along the front porch.But, as usual, money is tight. And why a pale gray? Because only the front is being painted at the moment and the sides won't contrast so vividly.

The shutters at the dining room had to be replaced. They were a normal size and not a problem but the shutters at the other end of the house? ABNORMAL! 96 inches. Even Lowe's and Home Depot can only get 91 inch shutters. 5 inches too short and entirely too much money. Fortunately, they are in good shape and can be repainted. You won't see the layers and layers of paint from a distance. I'm excited.

I'm off to do a little planting. Can't work at the front flowerbed because they'll be tromping back and forth. But the flower bed along the fence is all mine.

Say a prayer for some coworkers who are battling cancer, please. And, of course, say a prayer for me. You're always in mine.