Monday, October 24, 2005

Packers are here...

I may lose internet access soon. My packing ladies, Colleen and Mary (no not the PeopleSoft Colleen and Mary! are doing a great job. I was very stressed out this morning, but they put me at ease. They're moving quickly and will be back tomorrow. I'm guessing I may lose internet access pretty soon, so who knows when I'll post again.

I guess it's good I have so much to do, or I'd probably be crying.

Saturday, October 22, 2005

Tragedy in Lafayette

When I saw the news that a 16 year old boy had been held in the Lafayette attorney's wife killing, I looked at the news online, and I couldn't believe it, I knew who that kid! His mother, Esther, co-owned the bagel store next to Erin & Lauren's school. They were very nice ladies. Esther would write Erin's name on her bagel bag every day and draw a special picture for her. We'd even go on the weekends sometimes and Kim and Esther would greet us alll by name. When they owned the store, I sometimes saw Esther's son Scott in the store. Sometimes he helped made the bagels. He was hard to miss as he dressed all in black, with black boots and a trenchcoat.

Other times, he'd just be hanging out at a table with some other kids. They sold the bagel store during the past six months, although Esther had still helped out sometimes. I last saw Esther last week.

Anyway, it's very creepy to know that someone you've encountered might have done something so horrible. My heart goes out to Esther.

Habits

Even though Rene has been gone for what seems like forever, I still put a fork and knife out for him when I'm setting the table.

Jake left this morning, and I find myself moving all food to the center of the table and expecting that he'll eat whatever Lauren drops on the floor. Alas, I may have to break down and sweep the floor or, perish the thought, vacuum!

Jake's in Georgia!

Thanks to help from Jill and Danny, Jake's in Georgia. The girls and I walked Jake in the dark this am. Jill and Danny arrived at 7 am and Jill stayed with the girls while Danny came with me and Jake to the airport along with the biggest dog crate they make, the "Furrari" (no joke).

Anyhoo, I had gotten a mild tranquilizer for Jake, which I tried to sneak in a piece of banana. Somehow he managed to eat the banana while spitting out the pill. I tried a few ways to get him to take it, and then Danny & couldn't find it on the ground, so that was that. I didn't want to over sedate him, so I'm thinking he flew without sedation. Under protest I listed his value as $0. When it was time to get into the Furrari crate, Jake would not go. Finally, I shoved him in. I was very upset leaving him.

Then I was upset saying goodbye to Jill and Danny.

I'm happy to report that Rene called and a very excited Jake greeted Rene in Atlanta.

Friday, October 21, 2005

It's 5:30 am

It's 5:30 and we've been up for 1/2 hour. My kids were born to be on East Coast time! Good thing we're moving.

Wednesday, October 19, 2005

One week to go...

Tick, tock, our days in California are winding down. A week to go. I've been cleaning, organizing, cancelling things, making reservations, and packing (although the professional packers will do the real work). My packing priority is to make sure I keep together everything that should not be packed.

So here's our schedule:

Thu 10/20 Jeanne signs papers for closing on California house.
Fri 10/21 Lauren's music project finale at school.
Sat 10/22 Take Jake to airport. Rene to pick up in Atlanta. Dance class.
Sun 10/23 Sunday school? Halloween party with Lifeworks friends.
Mon 10/24 Packers come. Pizza night at school. Me & girls check in local hotel.
Tue 10/25 Packers finish. Night in hotel.
Wed 10/26 Movers come. Pick up rental car. Say goodbye to folks at school, and go to airport hotel.
Thu 10/27 Fly from Oakland to NY to stay with mom & dad.

The following week, we'll leave for Augusta on November 2nd and finally be reunited with Rene! My friend Robbin will take the trip with us to help us out for a few days. That means Halloween at Nana & PopPops! Hopefully moving truck will be at our new house on November 3rd.

Tired yet? I am. And I have a cough that won't go away. Hoping this is the worst of it and I feel better soon.

Wish us luck!

Friday, October 14, 2005

Now he's really gone :(

Rene finished his training & early Thursday morning we all took him to the airport. We didn't bother calling a cab this time. :) We all miss daddy very much. Erin's teacher called me Thursday morning at 10:30 am. She said Erin was very sad & missed her daddy. So we both agreed that Erin could probablly use some one on one mom time. So I picked up Erin at noon (carefully sneaking past the baby room so Lauren wouldn't see me). She got a haircut (she loves haircuts), we had lunch out (quesadillas), and then a nap together. When we woke up, we took Jake for a walk and then we picked up Lauren. Erin seemed to be happy with her afternoon with mommy.

Today, Jake had a deep teeth cleaning appt at the vet, along with a spinal xray. He needed anasthesia for both of these. When I picked him up, he was out of it. He could barely get into the car, and I practically had to carry him out of the car. Lifting 88 pounds of golden retriever is a bit of a workout! : ) He spit up a little when we got home, and he's been sleeping ever since. I did manage to give him a little rice with a painkiller in it. The vet warned me that Jake might drink too much water since he might be dehydrated. He barely lifted his head to eat, and had no interest in the water.

The girls and I had a good evening, watching Barbie Swan Lake and eating popcorn. Lauren is starting to talk more. Like Erin was, Lauren seems advanced in some ways, can communicate very well, but is stubborn to talk. But we're seeing signs of improvement. When the popcorn was popping, she kept saying "pop!" She can say "Pooh" for Winnie the Pooh, and can say "Ella", one of her friends at school. This in addition to her standard repertoire of Mommy. Dada, Nana, baby, bye bye, etc. We're making progress!

I'm suddenly feeling stressed out because of the move, probably because I only have a week to organize things before the packers come. So, I'm guessing these posts will not be too frequent.

We put Jake on the plane on October 22nd. The vet gave me a mild tranquilizer for Jake. Rene will pick up Jake in Atlanta. He'll either put Jake in a kennel or might approach a co-worker who has a few dogs if Jake could stay with them for a week.

The packers come on Monday October, 24th and then again on the 25th. The girls and I leave on Thursday, October 27th. We'll go to NY and have Halloween at Nana & PopPop's. Then we'll fly to NY with my friend Robbin on November 2nd. Hopefully, we can get into the house November 3rd.

Yikes! Lots to do.

Monday, October 10, 2005

Now he's really back

Rene arrived Saturday morning after Erin's dance class. He had a long day and was tired, but we were all glad to see each other. We wrapped up some details of our house sale, so it looks like a go. We watched Cinderella, and on Sunday we went to the pumpkin patch in Livermore with Mark and June.

Today we drove Rene to his training class (which is in his old building where he worked, so he gets to have lunch with his old pals).

The girls and I are off to buy the fixings for pumpkin pie!

Wednesday, October 05, 2005

He's back...

Well not yet, but he will be. Rene somehow managed to sign up for a training class near here, so he'll be coming back to California on Saturday and then he'll return to Georgia on Thursday. We're very happy! :)

Officially retired!

Yesterday, I became an official member of the PeopleSoft Alumni Network. Yes, I was working for Oracle, but when I think of my working years, I will always think of PeopleSoft. Farewell, from employee 485.

Now I begin my job as project manager for the Schmidt family move.

Sunday, October 02, 2005

We survived!

The girls & I survived our first weekend without Rene. Even though we miss him very much, we had a pretty good weekend: dance class for Erin, a trip to a park with Mark, June, Nathan & Lauren B. (and lunch out too), movie night, Sunday school, a visit with Jill in her classroom, shopping at Safeway, and a few more distractions. Oh, and the daily "drive to nowhere" so the girls napped.

Rene reports that he met the current owner of the house we're buying and her maiden name is Schmidt. She told him that the neighbors across the street are also named Schmidt, and the across the street Schmidts have a daughter a little older than Erin. Hooray! I predict some mixed up mail in the future...