A lot of things different

A lot of things have changed since the last time I wrote.  I started a new job and moved to a new state.  Both have been very exciting, and stressful too.

I started my job as a nanny, and I absolutely love it.  I take care of a 7 year old boy and a 3.5 year old girl and they are some of the greatest kids out there today.  Some days are pretty tough, but isn't it that way for everyone?  My days are filled with jokes and driving, dancing and music, woodworking and gymnastics, and lots of playdates in between.

I just moved; back in with my roommate from college and it is great.  We are a mile and a half from my work, which certainly makes my life easy, and we got the steal of the year for the apartment.  We still have a lot of hanging of things up to do, but besides that we are loving it.

The Condition

I just finished this book last night and I loved it. The characters in this book feel real, and at times I just wanted to pick up the mother and shake her. The father too, but for different reasons. It made these characters real for me, since I tend to feel that way about many people. I try to fathom what each of these characters is going through/goes through and I just can't do it. I know that the way I am writing this is completely vague, but I can't find the words to say how I feel about this book. I loved it and I looked forward to it every night. I definitely recommend it, but I can't really tell you why.

We bought this book on the outskirts of Rainier National Park this summer in Washington, and I completely forgot about it until mom brought it home from work. I like to read novels, and books of stories don't usually interest me, but this has some really funny stories in it. I suggest to those who enjoy camping, once enjoyed camping, or enjoy hearing about the misfortune/lack of brain cells in other people. The situations, like getting trapped in a boat with an angry rattlesnake, make for amusing stories to put a smile on your face.

Locals

"When it comes to skiing, there's a difference between what you think it's going to be like, what it's really like, and what you tell your friends it's like."

For years we have been stopping at Foster's General Store on the way to Sunday River. And for years we have been talking about the locals, and the area in a less than praising way. On Friday night, I spent five hours behind the wheel to get up to the Jordan at Sunday River. It started snowing as soon as we got into the notch Friday and never stopped. The stop at Foster's was needed by all more so than on a regular drive. The driving conditions were less than prime as we got going again, and shortly after the intersection we started fish-tailing and sliding and shortly were off the road. (Come to find out, we didn't actually drive off the road, we just slid into the unpaved shoulder.) By the time we came to a stop and knocking a reflector down, two cars had already stopped to help us. It is at this point where my comment about locals comes back. One car was a guy from Mass, but the other car was 2 local guys, just stopping to help. Now, keep in mind that they had just finished their own day of skiing and they see a car full of girls stranded on the side of the road (I don't know if this influenced their decision or not.) I do have to say though, that if I had been in southern NH and had gotten in an accident, I feel it would be very rare for one car to stop, never mind the first two. While I felt guilty about not realizing how to get out of the snow bank, considering Karolyn had slippers on, I didn't even have to time to comprehend what had happen before these three guys had a plan for us. They also kept me laughing, talking about where we're from, why we're on the road, where we're going, making fun of accents and other subjects relating to snow and skiing which kept me smiling throughout the whole incident. At this point I should mention that one of the locals was in snow pants and a T-shirt, and the other was in work-boots, shorts and a parka. Within a minute a policeman was also there and helping us. As the guys pushed/pulled the car out of the snow, I was very thankful to the "locals," and how appropriate for the day after Thanksgiving. I wish that I knew who these guys were, because 1) they seemed like fun guys but 2) I wish I had the opportunity to thank them. If you run into guys from Twin Mountain, NH who pulled 4 girls out of a snowbank the Friday after Thanksgiving in 2009, please tell them that me and my 3 passengers want to thank them.

Job Fair

I have just returned from the Pat's Peak job fair where I have been hired to work in the childcare. :) I have never attended a job fair before, but I imagine that most job fairs are not like this. While they are probably set up the same way, this one was, as I have found the best way to describe it, a high school party. While these kids have probably always thought that this is their perfect job for an after school/weekend job (and they aren't wrong), they didn't seem to understand that they are now competing with people who have much more experience than they do, are more professional, and are willing to work for anything, since all they want is a job. The amount of confidence among these kids was astounding. I have to say though, while I say "this is the worst economy t o graduate in," it must also be tough for these high school and college kids to gain experience. Again, return to the first sentence, :)

Silks

I finished the Reader's Digest condensed version of this book this past week and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I have never been a horse person, and I probably never will be, but I do enjoy reading about hobbies which transform your life, where people can be dedicated more than I could imagine. The best way to describe how I feel about it is to say I always wanted to know what was going to happen next. It's a good, let your mind be lazy book.

I'm 3 and I still suck my thumb

As anyone with a job in this current economy can understand, searching for a job seems never-ending. I am one of the lucky ones though because I've been calls and interviews, which is more than can be said for a lot of people. This past week has felt right according to interviews. While my desire to work with an infant will not be fulfilled if I get this job, all other aspects seem to fit what I want. Yesterday I got to play with a 3 year old all day and it was a great day. A long day considering the drive, but other than that, fantastic. A day that started out with "I'm three and I still suck my thumb" along with hugs and dancing and laughing, it was a great fit. :)