Still Tryin' ...

The weather's been wonderful since we've been here. It was a little cloudier today than previous days, and it rained early in the morning. I was looking a the online news and checking on the weather conditions back home--a high of 17 on Tuesday? Really?

I'm SO glad we're here where the high on Tuesday will be 77 degrees F.

Rough, I know. But we'll suffer it to support Erin.

She keeps having cramping and some contractions, so they decided perhaps if they make some plans it will bring in the Murphy effect. You know that Murphy. I personally like the Peeves effect, but I'll take Murphy when it comes to having a baby.

So, the first plan was to have a beach BBQ and bonfire on Saturday night with Spencer's coworkers.





























We got there first, and everyone checked stuff out while we waited for the others to arrive.



Someone who'd been at the beach earlier constructed a little shelter, which was just right for the children to eat under.



Once it gets dark, the crabs come out, and the hunt begins.

Then it was time for S'mores.


















On Sunday, a family came over to dinner to Erin's and Spencer's house. When dinner was over everyone decided to drive to the shore and see if we could spot any whales. When I was here in June, the whales were all in Alaska. This time of the year they're here.

We really lucked out! Just as we drove up to the lighthouse, we saw three different whales. Erin and Spencer and their friends all said it was the best show they've seen so far because usually you have to wait and maybe you only see some spouts.

Gotta love that sunset.

A Walk

Erin still hasn't started into labor again, though she'd had some cramping and mild contractions. We went on a nice long walk at Lydgate Beach to see if we could get anything going.

We're still on Utah time, which is 3 hours later than Kaua'i, so it was only about 9 a.m., when we got to the beach, and the sun in the distance was beautiful. This picture was taken by our son-in-law, Spencer. The silhouettes are Ed and I.






This picture is from the beach, and the
distant mountain is called the Sleeping Giant.








This is little Madelyn with Spencer on the playground equipment. It's quite a maze built on a hill, and the kids have to hunt to find the openings to the two slides.












This final picture was taken of Ed, Spencer, and Madelyn in the water.


Erin's taking a nap now.

*sigh*

Still no baby.

Grandbaby on the Way -- Or Not...

Erin called last night to let us know that she was at the hospital, and they were admitting her. How's that for timing? Now as long as she's not actually delivering when our plane lands ...

ETA: Everything stopped and they sent her home.

My Friday Off

At work, we have what we call a 9/80 schedule. It's different from 5/8s or 4/10s. Our work week technically ends at noon on Friday, and the next week begins at 12:01 p.m. By staying at the office for half an hour extra four days a week (Fridays that I work are a typical 8-5 with an hour lunch) and cutting lunch down to half an hour, I get every other Friday off.

I love this schedule. My days aren't as drastically impacted as a 10 hour workday, and my Friday off is rare enough that it's still a treat.

Yet I get every other Friday off. A three-day weekend twice a month--guaranteed! And sometimes I get three, three-day weekends. And I like my job. But I love my Fridays off.

So what do I do with my Fridays off? Usually I try to focus on writing. Doesn't always happen, but I try. So what did I do today?

Showered and lifted weights.
Loaded the dishwasher while I ate breakfast.
Took the fingernail polish off my too-long nails that I can't have done until next week since I'm going to be gone for nearly 3 weeks and have no idea if I can (afford) to get them done while on on Kaua'i.
Called Robin about volunteering for LTUE when I get back from Hawaii.
Took son Adam to the college when his scooter froze in the 'let's go as fast as a scooter can' mode.
Critiqued a submission for my critique group.
Did some editing on WIP #1.
Sorted the laundry and did a load.
Did some more editing on WIP #1.
Ate lunch and shifted laundry.
Read some blogs on writing and listened to a podcast from Writing Excuses on pacing (good info. there)--curious that James Dashner (Maze Runner series) who was the guess speaker for the podcast is the Guest of Honor for LTUE mentioned earlier.
Realized after listening to the podcast on pacing that my chapters are probably too long, and I should reconsider where I have them placed.
Picked up Adam from school.
Wrote a blog post here.
Read some blogs on querying. Lord, do I really want to consider subjecting myself to that?

Adam just came downstairs to let me know Ed is working late and wants to know if we're going to a movie or getting pizza. Since my bum is numb, I'm game to whatever. Maybe I should vacuum or something.

Or not.

Davey and the Rest of the Family

We had a family dinner last night, and Robert and his little family were finally able to come. With their schedules, they're the hardest to get to come over, and with them living with her folks now, it's not easy to visit them. I'm not one for just dropping in on people.


Isn't he cute? (I'm not biased.)

On the news front, Robert quit his old job when they wouldn't let him transfer, and he's already got a new one. He starts on the 25th doing phone support at the same place his wife Michelle works.

Paul and Kelsey are taking online classes and hoping to move to Utah County in the spring. They're looking for a small house to rent, since they have two dogs.

Adam's officially changed his major to music with a biology minor. He's taking guitar lessons, which will be interesting since he's completely self taught--and he's amazing.

Erin's struggling through the end of her pregnancy. She's almost to the point where the baby won't be considered early if it comes. And, of course, we've purchased our tickets, so it will cost of $$$ to change them. I keep pleading with her not to deliver until the 28th, but she has no sympathy for me. You'd think she was pregnant and miserable or something. What's with that?

Dave's started his next term in his master's program. By December, he'll have his degree. He was funny in a recent email, when he asked if I'd ever imagined that my oldest high school dropout son would ever graduate from college and get a master's degree.

I say, 'Go you, Dave!' I learned a long time ago that dropping out of school and getting your GED wasn't the end of the world. =D

Ed continues to struggle with pain. They've tweaked his meds again and, in some ways, he's doing better. They've also got him on migraine medication. It's just unfortunate that such a large number of his medications are so expensive. Some of his meds are more than a dollar per pill. He's even got one prescription that's $20 a pill. O_o That's WITH insurance.

I'm hanging in there. At work, we're beginning to pack up for the move of our offices, which is likely to take place while I'm in Hawaii. I feel bad about leaving everyone else to move my stuff downstairs. It's really crazy in the whole complex because we got a $900,000 federal grant to upgrade the lighting and heating/cooling in the city center building. What a mess! One of the reasons our move has been delayed is because they have to move a part of our department into our new digs while theirs is being ripped up--the Mayor is using my office. Then they can move back, and we can move in.

Anniversary

Today is my wedding anniversary; we've been married 27 years. Two years ago today we were on our 25th wedding anniversary cruise to Hawaii, and we spent the day in Oahu at Pearl Harbor. That was a wonderful trip, but who would have thought our daughter Erin and her family would move to our favorite island, and we'd have opportunities to go back again and again? Thanks, Erin. =D

For our special day today, I've decided to do something I've heard about but haven't done. We've got a room reserved at the Anniversary Inn. The rooms are kinda pricey, but with Ed's health issues, I figured I need to make these memories while I've still got him. (Not that his demise is anticipated, but he's just anxious not to deal with the pain anymore.)

Our room is the Enchanted Forest room:

Ummmm ... would it be an understatement to say I'm excited?

We Have The Tickets!

Well, we bit the bullet and purchased our tickets to Kaua'i. We're leaving on the 27th of January and will return on the 14th of February (actually the 15th, since it's a red eye).

Now if Erin just won't have the baby too soon ...

(the above photo is one I took of the NaPali Coast last June when I was visiting them.)