Warm!

Since that last time I blogged it was REALLY cold, I guess I should lead off with the fact that it's supposed to be 55 today. Unfortunately:

a) I'm stuck inside in a training class*
b) It's overcast
c) It's windy

Nevertheless, the snow is melting and it's warm!

*Monday morning around 11am. I'm sitting in my office at home. I haven't showered yet. My phone rings. It's my boss.

Boss: Where are you at?
Neal: Physically? In my office at home.
Boss: How fast can you get to Waukesha (where my office is)?
Neal: Uh, about and hour.
Boss: Are you presentable?
Neal: Yeah, I guess?
Boss: I have a training class I want you to take. It's a half day today, all day Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and a half day Friday. The class starts at 1p.
Neal: Is there anyway that I can get out of this? Okay, I'll get up there.

So yes, I'm sitting at my lunch break in Waukesha. This week has been a bit crazy. We've had some major changes to what we expected this week to be like:

• Laura was sick last weekend so she and Gow couldn't take their weekend away over the weekend. They're down in Chicago as we speak. Daisy and Sally have been with us since Tuesday around 8am. Laura and Gow should be back around dinner time tonight.
• I have the training class, so I'm having to get out of the house by 7am, and not arriving back home until about 6pm. Quite a different day than when I work at home ... 2 extra hours in the car, and no flexibility in my schedule.
• (probably the biggest one) My folk's house was flooded on Saturday morning. The condo upstairs (empty, being foreclosed upon) had no heat on and had multiple breaks to water pipes. It's a long, drawn out story, but my parents were the victims (even though they had reached out to the condo management company multiple times trying to ensure this did not happen). It looks like things are going to be handled, but it's been a major inconvenience for them, that's for sure. All the drywall in the kitchen, dining room, and living room was messed up!

Why is that last one a disruption to the Wildwood DeVries? Well, because throughout all of this, we've been trying to get the empty side of our duplex ready for my sister Jane to move into next Tuesday, and my folks are my head painters. I'm very thankful that despite the major disruption in their lives, they've put in a lot of time over at the duplex. I definitely have not been able to be over there as much as I had planned (prior to the training class). Friday morning, the carpet goes in, so we've been trying to get all the painting done that is over carpet. We ended up removing all the carpet, and having to paint (scent covering) Kilz on all the floors. I think it's going to be pretty nice when we're done, though. And we're very excited to have Auntie Jane move to town!

So, whew, it's been a crazy week. But (I hope) spring is on the horizon!!!