Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Ho, ho, ho!

'Tis the season to be jolly, and I rather am! I've been in a baking frenzy recently, well, baking up bread only. Tonight, we are trying some yeast rolls that allegedly can stay alive in the fridge for up to 5 days. so far, they've been "rising" half an hour, except they haven't moved at all. I'm highly skeptical ot the whole idea, but we'll see.

Meanwhile, i've been very successful with white bread recipes, and so far, our favorite is the one on page 603 of "The Joy of Cooking."

All of the gifties I've gotten for Chris require the participation of members of the community, and they are delighted, and so am I! Because of the Internet forum, Twenty Peaceful Minutes (har har), we have a much better sense of community here in Forney, and that's a truly cool thing.

It's cold out, and Chris is making a from scratch soup tonight and God willing and the creek don't rise, we'll have home-baked from scratch rolls to go with it!

Tuesday, November 6, 2007

Last day at City Hall...

…and it’s pretty weird. Every time I turn my key in the lock, I wonder if it will be the last time. This morning, when I pulled into my parking spot under the building, I realized it was the last time. Got my last Diet Dr Pepper from the cafeteria just now.

All of this is interesting, and I keep wondering why there’s not more emotion tied to it. I don’t really feel anything, except a vague sense of relief.

I’m planning to lay around for the rest of this week, and then get busy. I have a business to build, and I’m VERY excited about that!

Friday, November 2, 2007

Survived it!

I actually got through my farewell party this afternoon, although nobody has ever been less up for anything than I was for this. It was a pizza party, and they gave me a lovely little momento of my time here at City Hall.

I'll miss the building. I've been proud and happy, working at City Hall. It's an impressive building, just like it's supposed to be, and I've been here a long time --- dark, quiet nights when I felt alone in here (except for the rats and roaches) --- and through times when I really cared about my career here. I've worried here, celebrated here, and met people who have meant a lot to me here.

Two more days ------- YAY!!!!!!!!!

Thursday, November 1, 2007

Soooo close!

Tomorrow, the nice folks in the GIS group at Dallas City Hall are throwing me a farewell party, because I'm retiring. There's just about nothing that could bring me down at this point; things are looking so good.

Tomorrow, I'll sit there and look at all these people, and maybe there will be some nostalgic talk, but really, there aren't all that many people still here from my halcyon days. As usual, my friends here are all older than I, and they are all gone.

I have no real interest in my job and won't miss it a bit. But it's strange to think about leaving City Hall. I've spent so much time here --- late at night and on weekends, too. When you give so much of your life to a place --- a physical place --- you can't just chuck it, just like that.

So I'm guessing folks will come and be uncomfortable, and I'll be uncomfortable, feeling like a kid in church --- is it over yet? But my mind won't really be there. It will be in the future, a future I'm very much looking forward to.

The good news, the really good news, is that I'll be going through this part of my life as I have so much of the rest of it, with my husband and very best friend. Now, more than ever, I'm aware of how lucky I am to have him in my life!