Happy New Year!

This last year did not start out too well, but the last few months have really changed a lot of things for the better! Since Tom & I have started dating things have gone wonderfully well. He is a wonderful man and I truly feel blessed and lucky that he loves ME! We have had some fantastic adventures together exploring Southern California and I know that there are many more to come!

Here's a sampling of the things we have shared since meeting in October 2010: Laguna Beach, Phantom of the Opera, Oak Glen, Downtown LA, Griffith Park, Temecula, San Diego, Coronado Island, Disneyland, and of course our favorite location, the Mission Inn.

Things on the home front are great too. I really have enjoyed being here with Mom & Dominic. I see the beginning of a wonderful year!!

What a Difference 1 Month Makes

This last month has really been something special! Exactly 1 month ago tomorrow I met someone that I had been talking to online for a bit. We met at the Mission Inn, a favorite place of mine, and we clicked very quickly. With so much in common, we spent the next 5 hours getting to know each other. We have many things in common and some differences too. During this past month we have been to Laguna Beach, Corona Regional emergency room, Phantom of the Opera, Oceanside, La Jolla, a San Diego Harbor Dinner Cruise, Oak Glen and several local restaurants. Oh, and we have returned to the Mission Inn at least 3 times. WOW! And it keeps getting better. Thank you Mr. Tom Anderson for a fabulous month!!

Relief!

For the 1st time in a few months I really got a good night's sleep! Stress is all but gone thanks to some changes that I have recently made in my life.

Work was incredibly stressful - not always the job itself, but the fact that I'm driving almost 30 miles to work only 32 hours a week. That does NOT pay the bills for Nic & I! After a series of negative financial events and our lease on the apartment coming to an end, we gratefully took Mom's offer to move in with her. As we will be paying a nominal amount for rent I will be able to put aside some for emergencies and pay off those things that got behind. Also, Mom was stressing out about money, so our rent will help her too - a real WIN/WIN situation!

Sydney was so excited to be back that she was rolling around on the grass immediately and the cat is quite happy too. I LOVE my Mommy!!

Fun Weekend!

Had a great weekend! Kim is in town from Albuquerque for her Bellflower reunion & I was her date. We started the weekend with a party at her brother Steve's house and everybody showed up! Jeff & Debbie Smith, Kathy Fish, Cristy & Mike Pierce - too much fun! The next evening was the reunion and that was fun too. There were as many people in the bar downstairs as at the reunion-lol. Recovery time from a long weekend is longer as we all get a little older;)

A Light At the End of the Tunnel

This last week has been extremely stressful to say the least! The light at the end of my tunnel is that Mom asked if Dominic & I wanted to move back with her. That seems like such a good situation right now and I jumped at the chance! This way I can pay off any remaining bills, save money & take care of business. We will be paying her a nominal rent that will also help her out financially. Yay Mom!

Good Memories & Frustrations

Saturday night I attended a celebration in honor of Cindy Chalfant who passed away on Father's Day from colon cancer. She was one of those wonderful, special, fun, people that I worked with at Disneyland and she had a lot of wonderful, special, fun friends. Watching the slide show was like stepping back in time to a slice of life that we all shared together.

So far, it looks like my interviews last week went nowhere. The interviews themselves went well but my understanding is that there are so many people going for the same position that they can pick & choose someone with the exact skills and experience they need. So far I don't have enough of one or both.:( I wish that there was a position opening up within the company - anything to get more hours!!

I just found out that a wonderful, sweet lady who I am privileged to call my friend has colon cancer & went into the hospital today. Paula Palmer Cerney has been a friend since our daughters met back somewhere around 1995. She is a wonderful person, friend, mother, daughter,and wife. All I can do is send up prayers for her and visit her tomorrow before I go to work.

The Job Hunt

Even though I enjoy working where I am now (Casual Male XL) They have not been able to provide me with more than 32 hours on a consistent basis. In fact, at 32 hours I am being paid LESS than I made on unemployment. So I have continued to put out applications and go on interviews as they come up. I have interviewed for a couple of places where I would love to work, but haven't made it past the 2nd interview.

Yesterday I had an interview for another place where I would love to work. It went very well and I will be interviewed again on Friday morning. I also got a call yesterday for another interview for a place that I would be so excited to work for! That interview is Friday afternoon. Neither job is close to Corona - one is in Costa mesa and the other is in Temecula. I would be thrilled with either at this point.