I don't know if it's my imagination or not, but it seems to me that #1Boss has been treating my differently lately.  He's visibly annoyed with MJ and had her in his office behind closed doors for nearly an hour this morning.  She's not doing her job effeciently and she has been letting projects slide.  I have seen him scowl at T when she starts her "poor me" routine. 

Yet with me he seems patient.  I don't know how to describe it.  I feel as though he is treating me more of an equal than a subordinate.  He gave me my annual review a few weeks ago and it was good.  Not glowing, but above average and above what I had expected.  The Emerald City has a 4% cap on raises, but he gave me 3 1/2%.  It's not much money given my salary, but at least I know that he tried to give me more.  I now have 3 bids out on positions at the Emerald City, 1 with the State of CT, and I may send 1 to that bank in a nearby town.  I have never heard back from the temp agency.  I've given up on that for now.  Until I find something new, I'll hang tight where I am.

I’ve also been busy making phone calls concerning Dad.  Later this afternoon, he is being moved from the hospital to a convalescent home for rehabilitation.  The woman at this center seemed confident that he would be feeling better eventually.  I have to take a day off of work at the end of next week to fill out forms for him for Medicaid.  I can’t believe that he has never applied for it.  The same woman told me that they have counselors to help with the forms and documents.  I’ll need to gather his bank statements but that shouldn’t be too difficult.  He doesn’t throw anything away.

I’ve got to check on him this weekend and get into his apartment.  He will need some more clothes to wear at the center and he’ll possibly want some other personal items.  I’ll head out there tomorrow and see if he’ll hand over his keys.  I wish I had my own set of them.  It would save time and driving.  It’s going to be a busy weekend and I’ll have to do it all by myself as Dennis sick.  I’m tired just thinking about it. 

It’s been bitterly cold all week with temperatures hovering just below freezing during the day.  The nighttime temperatures drop down into the teens.  We still don’t have any snow and our annual precipitation for this area is 10” below normal for the year.  It could mean another drought this coming summer. 

I’m still fighting my cold.  My head is congested although I do feel better.  Dennis has it bad now.  Poor fellow can’t breathe.  I know he feels bad when he walks around the house with a box of tissues tucked under his arm.  Real men normally don’t use tissues.

I spoke with Ryan today over at GK’s.  He had a good holiday and they bought him a new bike for Christmas.  He’s been riding it all over town this week.  They live up in the center of town and not out in the woods as we do.  He enjoys the bit of teenage freedom to ride to the store and buy a soda even though there is soda already at the house. 

He started guitar lessons tonight too.  His father had promised him these lessons but he must improve his grades or they will stop.  I asked him when he was coming home and he said probably Tuesday, just in time to go back to school.  I shouldn’t complain that he’s been over there so much.  We’ve saved a fortune in groceries.

Today I am thankful for:

1:  Orange juice.
2:  Bird seed for the bird feeders.
3:  Cedar lined boxes.
4:  Duke Nukem (the computer game).
5:  Hershey's Kisses.