She'd filling in, trying to buy mental space. I'm pro no-drama-or-stress. Also, why were emergency vehicles going the wrong way down my street? Um, should go gawk and find out.

She'd filling in, trying to buy mental space.

It was not a critique of her. In my mind, msbelle is such an exemplary employee, hard working, smart, pleasant and conscientious, that if she is not weighing her offer letters by the pound then it is entirely the fault of the market.

Is that more clear?

Anyway, it was a joke. A throwaway joke.

Thanks for the updates, everyone. I"m so glad Sass has been spotted and tracked.

Because the job market is so good down there?

David, I am going to apologize in advance because I can't remember, are you working now or looking for work? I ask because the job market in California blows. I have spent the last 3 months looking for a new gig and my friends who have been laid off or displaced are finding it equally grim. Maybe you don't know how bad it is HERE if you aren't looking?

I could understand a jab at DFW if California were thriving (or on 1,000 other issues) but that's certainly not the case.

I would consider DFW, except the only grandparent it gets us closer to is the craziest one. She, a retired teacher, found a job in pretty short order in Dallas. But she wasn't looking for something that would allow her flexibility to raise a kid.

We tossed it out, unopened before we moved. We figured if we didn't need anything in it in 9 years, we never would. It was sort of liberating.

I've been doing that with the old files I've been going through the last few weeks. If nobody's needed the stuff in these folders in the fifteen years since the project was done, probably we don't need to save it, right?

This morning I shared a lane with P, a guy I see swimming all the time. Well, he's there when I am there. He's also there when I bring Noah to lessons.

I asked him if he swims every day. He said, yes sort of. On Tues/Thurs, he said, he only swims for an hour with the masters group. But on Mon/Wed/Fri/Sat/Sun, he swims for 2 hours and 30 minutes following this long, but slow workout. Said it kept his cholesterol down and was better than meds. GOOD ON HIM I say! Amazing.

I am not much of a tchochke person, so I don't have trouble with that, but paperwork is my bane. I did a few purges at points, and now I'm wishing I'd kept a few of the (work-related) things so that I could say what exactly I worked on--stupid porous memory! (I had an interview at a place I've worked before and they went "what is this on your resume about xyz?" and I ...couldn't remember. I wrote that right after I left!)

My next-door neighbor (who has the other half of our duplex) is planning to sell next spring. She told me I could have dibs if I wanted it. I'm considering it. The chances of getting another neighbor as good as she is are slim. If I own it, I can vet whoever I rent it to. And then when my BFF G. is ready to move here (in about five years, according to her plan), she can buy it from me. OTOH, owning a rental property wasn't in MY plan until I paid off my own mortgage, which will be a few years yet. I don't know. It's uncomfortable owning half a house if your neighbor doesn't take good care of his/her half. I really don't want to be stuck in that situation.

So, any Buffistas want to move to Charlottesville in the spring? Hmm? I'd be an awesome landlord. Except I'd probably kick you out in about five years.

also, ita, did you see this picture: [link] I haven't seen recent pictures of Mandela in a while (I know he's been not in great health) but I love this picture. Malia is so TALL!

Anyone want to magically find my cellphone? I can't figure out where it is, and have a sudden fear (after combing the house several times) that it got stolen while I was at the gym. But would someone take the phone and not the kindle or the money? (it's on vibrate so I know it's not going to ring...I tried calling and it went to voicemail, so no one picked up saying "Hey, I found your phone!")