>This week seems to be zooming by in comparison to the last few weeks. At this very moment I am sitting in The Bombay Club waiting for dinner. The food is wonderful, but best of all–the air conditioning is cold. 🙂

>Woke up this morning after being up most of the night with a headache. Blech. So in my infinite idiocy I decided to take a day off. That lasted precisely 2 hours and one bowl of spaghetti breakfast. Had some samples to complete on a rush basis. Seriously though, the spaghetti breakfast was *really* good.
Those of you who know me may be aware of my jovial nature (I know, shocking). The people I get along with best are, without a doubt, what my last performance review called, "blue collar workers" although I must tell you I feel creepy saying "blue collar" cause to me those are normal-type (ish) people and the folks in the dressy clothes with clean nails Freak. Me. Out.
Wow, okay, went of on a random tangent there. Back to my point, I tend to give a lot of the guys shit. In particular one insulator who brings me samples every day and talks about his yard with a bazillion kinds of local fruit; to him I say–bring me some dang fruit. I have been teasing him about this for a month. Well, today (the day I attempted to miss work) he did. So, besides feeling less guilty for missing work I also got a great fruity prize. My bounty included: 2 young pre-cut coconuts (1 gone), 1 giant soursop, 2 perfect ripe mangos (gone already), a few bananas, 1 sugar apple and approx. 10 carambolas (aka starfruit).
I am rich in fruit. 🙂
Goodnight folks!

>There is nothing so boring as reading someone say how they are sorry they haven't written more–that being said, people, I am sorry I haven't written more.
I have been swamped. Not with work, not with my husband being here (although both of these things take serious time), but I have been swamped in stress. I have been spending so much time panicking and worrying about the when and the if "they" are sending me back to Chicago that I have ceased enjoying what I have in the here and now. I am so lucky to have my husband here. I am so lucky to get to swim in the Caribbean sea every weekend. I am so incredibly lucky to be up in the coker unit and be able to see miles out into the Caribbean. I am blessed–and instead of embracing and loving my life I am clutching at it–fearful of letting go. So. As of today I am living my life fully, enjoying as much as possible, and unless something changes–I will be shipped back to Chicago at the end of September.
One step at a time, one day at a time.
With hope,
Heather

>My husband was in the bathroom (I know, good start to a story, right? 🙂 ) and he pops back out after what I know to be after 7 years of marriage–WAY to short of a time. Holding his pants together and up with one hand he points back into the bathroom and says (in a manner best described as put out), "there is a teeeny tiny toad in the bathroom". I leap to my feat to investigate such an anomaly (I have removed many a baby lizard, metric-crap-ton of spiders, and am currently planning on chemically eradicating a mess o' ants which have colonized my vanity. The ants seem to have bitch-slapped the termites into submission so I have mixed feelings on the buggers).
Inside my bathroom on the ledge leading into the shower is an ADORABLE white tree frog. Fyi: these are TOXIC (yet still cute)to dogs (cuter). So, the little bugger needed to be removed from the domicile (before Life ate it, she has a thing for reptiles). Husband and I debated various methods (tissue box–cause we are lazy and that was in the bathroom–or hands). I went with hands. I carefully leaned down, placed my hands around it, gently scooped it up and it FREAKED. Leapt from my hands while leaking out liquid like a sieve. I, the calm biologist who used to deal with a ton of reptiles on a daily basis yelled (loudly), "YOU PEED ON ME–I HATE YOU!!!". Then washed my hand. Once I retrieved some gladware from the kitchen I caught it and let it go outside. I then tossed the gladware in the trash like the environmentally irresponsible person I have become (I drive an SUV now!!! I retired my "green" shirt–I feel like too much of a hypocrite), then the husband went back into the restroom only to come out defeated. The little frog had scared his poop away.
(And he would be SO happy that I said that)
Goodnight all!

>This economy sucks.
I am so tired of hearing about budgets, cutbacks, lay-offs, and all of the associated depressing crap. Today at the refinery there was a stand-down. A small amount of time where they encouraged people to remember to keep their minds on work. I think everyone should take 5 full minutes and really dwell on it. Dwell on the horror of people you know losing their source of income, their future completely uncertain. Dwell on the fear of your own security. Know that nothing is secure, that everything is scary. Seriously, time it. 5 full minutes.

Alright, now that the 5 minutes is over. Stop. Focus on what you are doing. Leave all the fear and insecurity at the door. Feel confidence that things will get better (eventually). Do your work the best that you can. If you start to feel freaked again, give yourself permission to take a 5 minute break, but then focus and get back to it.

Failing that, watch this video…it is freakin’ adorable. My favorite part is the pure joy on the brides face as she walks down the aisle. Enjoy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0