Weekly update, late.

Last week another storm swept through the cities. I was working my late Thursday and when the tornado sirens went off, supervisors herded us into a center room which was open on both sides. Glass from the windows could easily have blown in on us, not to mention we were on the fourth floor. I would rather have gone to a lower level or at least into the bathrooms. Unfortunately the stairs also have windows along one side, so it would be dangerous to do even that. Twice the sirens went off and when that happens, we are to tell callers we are having an emergency weather situation and hang up, log off the phone and huddle together in the unsafe safe room. It was actually kind of fun since most of my last hour of work that night was spent chatting with coworkers instead of taking calls.

Meanwhile, at home, hail that looked like this fell (that's a quarter next to it.):


It didn't cause any damage, but it wouldn't matter if it had because we've already received an insurance check and estimate for repairs from our insurance company for an earlier storm.

We met with a contractor last week and discussed the work we need done: replace roof, siding, gutters, soffits and facia, windows and two doors. Also, I want to cover the support beams in front of our house with material much like guttering material so we'll have white columns rather than weathered rough wood beams, which look tacky. By the time all is said and done, the exterior will make our home look brand new.

At work, I swiftly fell into a groove and began feeling unchallenged. I emailed my supervisor to ask if there was anyway I could be promoted sooner than December (my eleven fellow trainees and I were promised we'd be promoted mid-December.) She said she'd check into it but she already knew plans were in the works to promote all of us as of this October! So only two months at this job and I'll be promoted into a more challenging position - with a pay raise, of course! I'm very pumped!

As for The Spider (aka The Dung Beetle), I have had no interaction with her and I hope to keep it that way as long as possible. My husband continues to wait with our daughter for the bus each morning. I've been seeing a counselor and explained the whole Spider situation to her, how it messed me up. She's been very supportive, offering helpful suggestions and we're working on improving my confidence away from the workplace (because for some reason, I am super confident at work with no self-esteem issues - what's with that??)

This weekend my husband will be at my parents house in Kansas - he's going to the Nascar race. My daughter and I are going to a farm that has a corn maze. I'm excited - I've never been through a corn maze.

That's the latest and I hope things continue to be smooth. I'm enjoying life so much more now.