Happy New Year! We are almost through January already. Ghost had his neuter surgery on the 4th and is doing well. He had a hard time trying not to jump and play. He’s a playful, adventurous pup! We hiked 5 miles yesterday with him at Hanging Rock State Park. He does really well climbing over rocks and fording water. If you look at the picture on the right, you’ll see our beloved Pilot Mountain in the background. You’ll also see that Ghost has gained a little weight. My middle son weighed him yesterday and he’s gained 5 pounds in the two months he’s been with us. The vet told me back in November that he is 15-20 pounds underweight, so 5 pounds is a start in the right directions.
The doctor updated his health history in the vet app after his neuter surgery. I found out his birthday is June 13, 2020! I was so excited that they put all of the information in after they scanned his chip!!! Marty sent in the request to have his microchip transferred into my name and now we have to wait for the owners to reply or 30 days. I saved the text messages just in case anyone ever doubted they asked me to take Ghost. He’s such a good boy and I have enjoyed every minute of fun I’ve had with him in the last two months.
2022 ended with my fridge dying. I got it back in 2007, so I guess it was time. 3 appliances in 6 months is a but crazy, but thankfully, I am blessed. I really blessed. I’ve got a great job that I love and I know that whatever 2023 brings that I will make it through with God and hard work. I work a lot — mainly because I am a type A personality and I worry a lot about being able to make it since DW left. My last pension check was January 1st, but I have done the math and I’ve got this! I keep reminding myself how far God has gotten me and He didn’t bring me this far to let me go now.
I rarely make New Year’s resolutions. I find they last about a week or two and that’s about it. In year’s past, I’ve said I’m going to blog regularly and get back to my more interesting blogging. Then I don’t. I DO make a yearly milage goal of 2,500 miles and I have been able to do over 2,500 — but I have not made it to 3K yet. I do set home projects that I want to complete. This year it’s the back yard drainage problem and a gravel parking spot. Of course, all the other random things that break always need to get fixed.
This year, I need to focus on my relationship with God. I feel like I have been so focused on working, surviving and paying bills that I forget to build a better relationship with He who has blessed me through it all. I got my In Conversation with God books out so that I can reflect on the daily Mass readings. I haver been working on my morning and nightly prayers. All things I sometimes let go when I get too busy. It’s funny that in Father’s homily today, he talked about calendar management. Calendar management is a HUGE thing at the company I work for. All of us in operations are always working on mastering calendar based management. Our President/CEO sends us articles on the topic and in all of our meetings, including out one on ones, he reminds us! He will ask, “Who is in charge of your calendar?” OOOOhhhhhhh sting!
I have also been working on calendar based management since I was promoted last spring. It still seems weird that I can take time during the day for a hike, a walk, or time to think. We set our own hours, however the big “putting out fires time” is from 5am-8am and 3-5 pm. With all of the travel I do for work, the after hours work and work on weekends, I am setting the goal of not feeling guilty for taking time to exercise during “normal” working hours. I love my job and I love our company values. It is truly a great place for me to work. I have learned quite a bit about Deming’s philosophy of management and calendar based management. While I still have a lot to learn, I am proud of how far I’ve come in the last year. That’s another goal I have– to work out every day. I know it is unrealistic to think it will happen every day, but my goals at least 4-5 times a week.
All this to say that I am also going to work on my calendar management harder than I have been. I am going to work on working less over the weekends. It’s okay to be a type A personality, but sometimes it takes its toll when I can’t stop working. I’m trying to focus on their silver lining of being in charge of an entire state and all the travel to all its corners. I sometimes wish this was like my last job where my dog could travel with me. That’s the hardest part of running the roads of NC. I am also going to add prayer and devotion time to my work calendar– to ensure that I take time to build my relationship with Jesus.
I am off to Fayettenam for work in a few minutes. I’ll miss my pups and cats, but I’ve got to work to earn the kibble.
My Little Red Bike 