Missouri!

I flew down to St. Louis on Sunday afternoon to attend a short course at the Missouri University of Science and Technology.  The flight was ok, I am not a big fan of flying though!  I picked up my awesome rental car, a 2010 Chevy Impala, and drove to Rolla.  The car is great!  If I had enough money, that would be the new car I would choose.  It rides great and is totally comfortable!  Anyhow, Rolla is a pretty small city, but the surrounding landscape is great!  Not to mention the weather.  I managed to avoid the rain Sunday afternoon and it has been sunny and warm every day!

The class I am taking is titled "Basic Composition of Coatings".  Sounds completely thrilling, doesn't it?  I was under the assumption that this class would cover many types of coatings, however it seems to mainly be focused on paints.  Where I work, we do not make paints so it is difficult to interpret the information to make it apply to my job. 

It is pretty tough to sleep here though.  I am tending to wake up every hour at night.  Yikes!  I can't wait to go home and sleep in my own bed again!!

Just over one week until my surgery.  I have been feeling more and more stressed out about it, but I am really trying to relax as much as possible!  I am very much looking forward to it being over with!  I only hope that the rehab for it is not too bad and that I can get around all right.

Time for me to hit the hay though.  Another full day of class awaits me tomorrow!

Monday Monday, so good to me...

Oh don't you just love Mondays?  I, personally am indifferent today.  Just another day closer to things happening.  Although, the weekend was good so I wish it wasn't Monday yet!  Too bad we can't stop time.

Friday was a great time.  Had a going away party for a coworker.  It was her last day, so we went out to show her off in style!  Saturday morning was kind to me, no hangover!  I went up to my parents' house in Sheboygan and had a pretty relaxing time.  Nothing of consequence happened up there!

I am definitely looking forward to Friday night, though.  I am going to see Ron White with my sister!!  I hope it is great!  Saturday I have to go see my cousins and wish them a happy birthday since I will be missing their birthday party.

I am flying down to St. Louis on Sunday afternoon.  Then I have the pleasure of driving to Rolla, MO.  A city in the middle of nowhere, or so it seems!  I am spending the week in Rolla for a course on coatings.  It sounds thrilling, right?  Then, being so lucky, I get to give a lengthy presentation on the material learned!

I get back to Milwaukee Friday evening with just enough time to unpack, do laundry and relax.  Then I get to head to Sheboygan on Saturday for the Easter weekend.  So much travelling!  I will take it though- after April 8th I won't be going anywhere for a while!

The last three weeks have gone by so quickly, and I feel like the next two will fly by as well.  There is just so much going on!  I hope everyone else has has a great weekend and will have a great week.

What A Beautiful Weekend!

This weekend was just gorgeous!  I couldn't have asked for better in March!  :-)
On Friday night, I got to just spend time with my parents.  It was pretty good, minus the occasional unneccesary remark.  But I guess it should come as no surprise!!!

Saturday I got to spend time with my Grandma.  It was great!  She needed a new microwave, so I took her shopping.  She just turned 85 this past Tuesday and she is still a firecracker!  Although her memory may not be the sharpest anymore, her stories are always wonderful.  Saturday night I spent time with my sister Amy and her boyfriend Timm.  They wanted to go bowling, but I unfortunately can't bowl right now.  Just a bad idea so I just watched.  We went to a couple of bars after thery finished bowling and had a few drinks.

My crazy sister Amy!

Sunday morning brought a new, beautiful day.  The forecasted rain stayed south, making for a sunny day.  I went to church with my Grandma and she was just thrilled!  When I got home, my brother-in-law brought over my nephew Jonathan.  He is gwoing up so fast!  He can sit up all by himself.  I only saw him a few weeks ago and he couldn't!

He is just growing up so fast I can barely believe it!

The only downside of seeing my nephew at my parents' house is that my dad can't bear to let anyone else have time with him!  He is such a proud Grandpa that he can't get enough of the little man!  Ah well, I guess it is something I will understand when I have that experience!

And finally, here is the King of the Castle.  Dakota kitty!  He is the rule of the roost!  My parents took him in as a stray many years ago during a vacation to Rapid City, South Dakota.  He's my baby!!!!

This picture is him claiming a bucket used for foot soaks.  My mom had a pampering party.  The consultant was filling the buckets to soak our feet and he claimed the bucket as his own.  This is typical Kota!

FINALLY FRIDAY!!!!

Ah it is finally Friday.  This couldn't come soon enough!  Just a few more hours at work, then a meeting and then the weekend!!!!  I look forward to spending some quality time with my parents and seeing my little nephew.  Maybe even play catch-up with a few old friends :-).

I have been able to control my stress at work pretty well.  Just keep plugging along seems to work.  I can't help but get worried or paranoid sometimes though!  But when that happens, I stop and take a breath and remind myself why I am here!  The stress of my knee is another story!!  I can't help but get shorth with people or be unhappy when I am hurting.  I hope people understand this and let it slide.

Dum Dum Dum....

Well, even though nobody reads this anyhow, I guess I should share how my follow up appointment went for my knee injury.  After four weeks of physical therapy, with little change, the orthopedic doc said the next thing to do would be surgically repair it.  So following my business trip at the end of the month I will be having surgery.
April 8th is the date!  I worry that it will creep up on me faster than I think.  Right now I think, "gee, that's five weeks yet" but I know it will come and go quickly.  I am not too nervous about the surgery, but I have never had surgery before.  I think once the time draws near, I think I will become more nervous.
So that's that..