Beginning a New Job

It's been a very crazy week. We spent Monday at Parkersburg helping in anyone in any way that we could. Then Ken worked the rest of the week while I was at home preparing for whatever it is I'm preparing for. Starting a new job I guess is what I'm supposed to be preparing for. I was supposed to start my job on Wednesday, but they called and asked that I come in on Monday (June 2) instead. It seems that the people I'd be working with would be in training and unable to work with me. So I got an extra three days of at home time.

We went back to Parkerburg on Wednesday night to help some more. All we were able to do was loan a wheelbarrel to Ken's friend to help clean up debris around his house. All the home owners now have to separate the debris from their house into wood and metal piles so that the clean-up crews can begin removing it. Ken went back for about 8 hours with his sister, brother, and other friends to take care of sorting the debris around Kathy's house. I went to lunch and then bridesmaid dress shopping with my friend Melissa and her other 3 bridesmaid for Melissa's November wedding.

Here is a picture we took on Wednesday night heading out of Parkersburg and back toward Cedar Falls. As you can see all of the power lines had been knocked out by the storm and here were the dedicated power company people all lined up fixing them at once. This was taken about 8:30 p.m. Now that's what I call overtime.

The tornado is all that anyone around here is talking about. I went to church this morning with my mom, sister Melissa, and her family. Tornadoes, bad insurance companies, and where to go in our own homes in the event of a tornado was the topic of conversation over coffee and cake. The truth of the matter is that everyone knows someone who was affected by this. We all have a story to tell.

In other non-tornado news, my post-graduation vacation is somewhat over. I begin my new job tomorrow, and I confess I'm a little nervous. It's sort of like the first day of college. I have a vague idea of what it will be like, but in reality I know it's going to be a whole different world than I've been used to. It's weird thinking about what I should wear, not knowing if I'll be touring the facility or sitting at a cubicle the first day. Should I take my lunch or eat in the cafeteria? What materials should I take with me? Where do I park? Oh, so many things to think about (read here "worry about" since I'm obsessing over all the little details I refused to think about all last week).

On the home front, we ordered furnature which should arrive in about 2-3 weeks or so. Finally...no more futon! We ordered a lovely light brown micro-fiber couch, loveseat and rocker/recliner over Memorial Day weekend. We'll at last be able to enjoy cable TV in comfort. The futon's been good for me these past 5 years and has accommodated many a friend and family member who's come to visit me in Illinois. She was a good futon, but it will be so much nicer to have a couch that people can sink into, lie down on, and stretch out on. Never the ones to throw good things away, we'll keep the futon in the basement for now.

Also on the homefront, we finally put up our living room curtains and Ken assembled our own little charcoal grill. Our Illinois friend Keely had given us a monetary present to purchase one when we had our Romeoville apartment, but we just never got around to getting one. But now we have it and we even tried it out on Saturday night. Here are pictures of Ken in our living room setting up, assembling, and then demonstrating the mechanics of the grill. This is the only real shot of the house I have for you right now. As you can see, we have hardwood floors in our living room but plan to get a large area rug soon to help protect them (hopefully we'll have time to get that when we get our furnature).

And so, just wanting a low-key night on Saturday, we invited Mom over to throw on some brats she had left from camping. She also put some yams in foil and steamed them on the grill. We contributed some chicken a noodle side. In all, a FABULOUS dinner. We hung around for a while after that, and I shared pictures of Parkersburg on the computer with Mom. Afterwards, we took a drive up the road to our little ice cream place called "Moo Roos" (has a great cow theme!) and enjoyed a cone. A delightful evening.

More on the first day of work after it actually happens. Wish me luck.