5...6...7.8.9.10. I Love You

It's been a minute since my last post. Whoops. I just want to give a shout out to all the folks that commented on it, and say I really appreciate what each of you wrote. It makes the "sharing" worth it, ya know? From folks who can empathize and understand exactly what's going on to others who just appreciate my honesty, thank you. Regarding my honesty...it's something I've always stuck with. Granted it's gotten me in trouble...a lot, especially with family, I still think it has served me well. Hell, it's who I am.

That said, it's been a blur since I last wrote. February is a short month of course, but it seems to be moving at warp speed. Things have gotten better. Joe and I (for the most part) are back in each others good graces. He's helping out around the house a lot more. Even if he shrank my jeans in the dryer, he was doing laundry, by god! It's a work in progress. Also, last Friday we had a snow day together! I write that happily, yes, but with much respect for all of you who have gotten more than your share this winter. Down here in good ol' west central Georgia, it usually doesn't snow. We just must be good luck, having gotten it two years in a row in a place that had no real memory of snow prior to 2008. The pups loved it, and Joe and I had a pretty epic snowball fight. I guess running around fearless in the snow had some sort of yankee effect on these southerners because no one came out and joined, and this neighborhood has a bunch of kids. One even watched us from his window. Weak.

Now here we are entering that four day weekend I told y'all we'd been given on account of that letter I wrote that was actually well-received. As it turns out, Joe still has to go in tomorrow (of course) to do a damn lay out and then go to an audiologist appointment. Sooo, it's basically a three-day weekend together. Oh well. They tried, just as I'd predicted quietly to myself, to take the whole thing away. Luckily Joe pointed out the fact that after I asked off, the other 1st shift worker got summoned to jury duty, so we pulled someone from the night shift to work in the day and the other hourly to work at night ALL SO I COULD HAVE OFF WHEN WE WERE TOLD WE COULD HAVE OFF TOGETHER. And that was the glue that kept this bitch sealed. Yes, you who offered us half days instead, you can suck it. You who didn't remember anything about this, you can suck it. You who is causing my husband to still come in while I deal with Ron the depressed bug man at 0930 tomorrow morning alone, YOU CAN REALLY SUCK IT.

What else is new? Oh, money update. My student loans now sit at $16,931 and some change. So that's awesome. If you've been tracking this journey with me, in part with my Dave Ramsey Total Money Makeover, you'll know that I (we) have paid down about $12,000 since around last October. It's terribly exciting. Of course, though, when I consider the new(ish) car that I could have if it weren't for those damn loans, it puts a damper on the whole thing. Mmm. So I don't think about it. Go freedom!

Not a whole lot else except that some of the anti-malaria drugs Joe was RX'd upon his return home recently may be responsible for a lowered platelet count. I talked to an internist about it who did some research on the drugs and said fo' sho' - can permanently alter the blood. I guess it beats AIDS. Thanks, Army. For now, though, he's got enough to be good and can still attend his ass-kicking training according to his Army doc. We shall see. I'd hoped the Army would continue to monitor his blood, but Joe says his follow up will probably not occur until he is done with training. God, please do not let my husband bleed out in the woods. So help me, Susan will finally knit that ghillie suit, and I will hunt the rest of them. On that note, think good thoughts for Joey Walnuts and Happy Friday!!