Work news, timing and money issue, preparatory play

Today is the day the company I am working for splits into two distinct companies. I am not sure how everything will pan out but I still have a job. I am still working for ConocoPhillips but many of the people I used to work with in New Jersey are now working for Phillips 66. We have a big luncheon today to mark the celebration. Since I am the highest ranking person in this office I get to officiate and pay.


Mama and I are anxious to get back to the farm; not only because the news from Victoria and Grandma of what is happening there but the need for additional help keeps the pressure on us. I am sure everything that needs to get done will eventually get done but Mama is worried that it is too much for Grandpa. Somehow he manages.

We talked last night about going over this evening but I am not sure I can work it out. With all the additional tasks associated with the company split and the loss of my office person here I am pretty well covered up. Maybe we can get over there next Tuesday evening. At least then, my boss would be back from vacation and we could cover some of the items of business he has me working on.

Mama went to the saddle shop yesterday to buy a saddle blanket and to see what else we needed to complete the saddle we bought several weeks ago. She found out that the setup will not be too expensive. They told her to bring in the saddle and they would put everything in place on the saddle to fully equip it. It would be a good teaching experience for Mama. It has been a very long time since any of us saddled a horse – and it is easy to forget the mistakes we once learned to overcome. She is anxious to have things ready for Jake when they get back in June.

I took time to show Mama our finances last night. Putting it down on paper is a worthwhile exercise. I have been cautioning her for several months that we are running very close to living paycheck to paycheck. With the recent expenditures for the mobile home and its set up we spent most of my reserves and even with that it was going to be tough to make the obligations I have for travel these next two months. I have also had to make some drastic changes to our taxes being withheld on each paycheck to meet the tax debt we owe for last year.

The only reason we can even consider the trips for graduations and a wedding is because we will be staying with our children at the destinations and each trip is a day trip – not requiring an overnight stay in a motel. In New Jersey, when Mama goes up to attend Chase’s graduation, she will be staying with friends but I do not think she is fully aware of how limited her spending power will be. Time will tell and time will heal our finances. If we stay the course, by the end of next year we will be in very good shape.

Cori tells us that Grant and Mykenzie were playing house the other day and Grant became quite frustrated with his sister/wife who is much further along on the manipulation curve that he is. Each of them carrying a baby, they exited the kitchen. Mykenzie instructed Grant that they needed to go the way she was going. He did not want to go that way. She was intransigent. In frustration, he threw the baby doll to the floor and marched off to his room. Unphased, Mykenzie continued on her way while issuing the threat of vey limited play for her brother in an ‘Oh, by the way” manner. Later, beaten and remorseful, Grant sidled up to his sister and said, “Mykenzie, you’re driving me crazy.”

Oh, how I echo the sentiment.