Many minis

I've had lots of little ideas toss around in my head with none of them amounting to much. Many minis.

I got bored with Jon & Kate Plus Eight a while back when the show seemed less about a family of ten than a couple who must be making bank going on "field trips" and purchasing new homes. Talk of exposing the kids to new experiences rings hollow when you realize it mostly involves money being spent and tourist spots being plugged. So tonight I'm watching because it looks like there could be some kind of trouble in the relationship. Give me a good bit of dish anytime and I'll fill 'er up.

I accomplished and solved TWO tasks at work today that have been troubling others for some time. I researched, tested and resolved an issue with damage deposits that were affecting balances due on the student's bills. I worked on the issue after my boss told the housing department to go ahead with a plan to change how the damage deposits are released and I said I thought we'd better check to see if the problem that the same deposits caused five years ago had been resolved. He said, "I'm sure it's fixed by now," and I reminded him that it was possible it hadn't been fixed and we should find out first. After testing we found it wasn't fixed, so we then spent time figuring out how to fix it, and I made him wait (again) on the go-ahead until after it was tested. Clearly I'm the responsible adult here. Then I wrote a proposal to reduce the vault balance to a more manageable amount and pushed my boss and his superior to give me feedback and eventually sign off on it. Today they finally did, so tomorrow the extra will go into my deposit, taking care of a problem that has been plaguing our cashiers when they have to count the vault bill by bill. Also, my boss is supposed to conduct monthly (or so) counts but has only done that once. Now there is no excuse.

I e-mailed photos of my living room and dining room to a co-worker today. She loved my rooms and my color choices which made me feel good. I enjoy my house and think I do pretty well as a "decorator" so I love gathering up those kind of compliments. But then I see houses in magazines and in pictures and I realize I'm not even in the same league. Still, I think I don't stink. That's how I self-compliment: I don't stink.

We enjoyed a trip to the zoo on Saturday. We're having more nice weather days than sucky winter days. R cleaned out my flower beds over the weekend and even spread grass seed on some bare spots. What a guy. Now if it would just rain, dammit!

Know what I accomplished this weekend? I had some time to clean and I chose to vacuum the coils on the fridge. I'm still sore from the acrobatics that little job involves. I also worked a ridiculous amount of time repairing a marble-topped plant stand that was hazardously wobbly. I've been worried a grandkid would pull it over and get hurt. It's fixed now, so our canary is also in a less precarious position as his cage sits atop it. Before you think I didn't really do anything, I dusted and swept the upstairs so the whole area with the clean carpets is now fabulous. When I go upstairs I take a deep breath. Know what I smell? Nothing! Now that's clean!

Headlines in the paper over the weekend talked about layoffs and pay cuts at my university. I had more than one person contact me with concerns about my job of seven months. I thought that was sweet of them to be concerned for me. I'm not concerned and I have no idea why. I'm either supremely confident or magnificently stupid, and it's entirely possible I am both. I don't stink at delusions.