Forward Movement

The non-automatic clocks in the bedroom and kitchen have been moved forward, I stopped by the local farmers market for the first time this year, Robin has officially put away the shovels and salt, there's baseball galore on the TV, and the temperature reached at least 66 degrees today. I'm a happy camper.

Spring Thing

It's coming, I can feel it. Tonight the clocks move forward an hour, and I can't stop thinking about errands. I just wasn't up to taking the car in to be serviced or doing taxes this weekend, but I think both are in my near future. Today we just did food shopping and relaxing, and that was enough. Oh, and baseball, lots of baseball. Loving the World Baseball Classic so much I haven't even missed watching Premier League footie, not that it was on this weekend anyway (FA Cup break). It's the reawakening of hope, and we need that desperately in today's world.

Money Matters

I took a long lunch hour today so we could get Robin's prescription then go to the local branch of the bank I've chosen which operates in both the US and the UK (and isn't open on weekends) to open an account where I could deposit the checks I've received so far from Mom's estate. The process apparently takes a few days, so I couldn't actually do anything yet with the checks, but fortunately there's another branch near my office so I can do that part in the coming week when I'm in Manhattan. We got home from our sushi lunch (because of course) well before I'd anticipated, so I only wound up taking two hours PTO. Now that the snow is finally melting there are a lot more PTO days to come as I get into the swing of medical appointments. But for now I'm able to tick off one more thing from my Estate To-Do list; next up is organizing all the various beneficiary IRAs and other assets which I'm told are coming my way. Maybe this weekend, although to tell you the truth I'd just rather watch the World Baseball Classic, which I'm quite liking so far.

In-Office Day 3 of 3

I do like our new offices, and helping folks when I come in, but the lack of substantive breaks other than lunch tends to wear me out, especially when it's such a dreary day (but better fog and rain than ice and snow!), my emails dwindle a bit and I have a bit of downtime. That's always much nicer at home! But as I got in early and worked through much of lunch, and my partners weren't around today, I left a bit early at around 4, got seats on both the subway and local bus right away, and arrived home about 15 minutes before it started pouring. Home now for the next four days!

In-Office Day 2 of 3

Maybe I'm practicing for when the PCAOB inspectors come around and the liaisons want me there every day even though there's an onsite person to take care of things. But this was my second day running, and walking and standing just about everywhere, in the office. I do get a lot done even though it exhausts me. But I'd always rather be busy than bored. Hope I can stay awake tomorrow (although the coffee machines are pretty good) as it's supposed to rain all day. Which I guess is good as it'll get rid of more snow.

In-Office Day 1 of 3

It wasn't too bad today, but my presence in the office seems to expand to fit the space, as it were. If I'd have been home I'd probably have had much less to do, but two notarizations today plus meetings with partners and IT stuff and the day just flew. I left my backpack contents in my temporary storage locker and came home with just my laptop, in case I honestly can't get up tomorrow. But I know I will.

Spent

I think I finally got most of my act together today. Forward movement on work things like scheduling quarterly meetings and researching travel, speaking with various people about money matters (even catching up on my checkbook), and I'm all packed and ready for Manhattan tomorrow, even though that will include a heavy winter jacket again. Ah well, maybe it's the last time I'll need it. If all goes well I'll be in the office three days in a row this week, to make up a bit for not being there a lot last month what with the snow and the storms and the bitter cold. Lots of stuff to do in the office, so I'd best hit the way whilst I still can.

Iran So Far Away

White Rabbits! We finally got out this morning to see my uncle at the assisted living facility a few blocks away from us, but we were too optimistic about the temperature and froze our tushies off between the parking garage and the building where his apartment is. In any case it was a lovely visit, I passed along the matzoh blanket I'd gotten Mom for her 94th birthday (the last and best birthday gift I ever got her), and it appears the power steering belt has finally quieted down after giving off one last screech when the car was stopped by the entry gate. I still need to take it in for an oil change at the least, which may be the coming weekend if the weather holds up. Now we're watching the Actor awards (the new name for the SAG awards) and it's actually an enjoyable show. It doesn't hurt that host Kristin Bell has a lovely set of pipes; I kept listening to her and picturing Ana from Frozen (and Frozen II, probably my fave Disney animated movie of recent vintage), but I don't consider that a bad thing. And Samwise Gamgee makes a terrific new SAG president as far as I'm concerned. But what's with the sculpted fronts of those gowns? A way to show boobs without having to use clothing tape? Ah well, have to occupy my mind with something given the current events horrorshow...

Out of the Woodwork

As the thaw continues and February finally ends, I'm starting to get just a teeny bit restless to get out and Do Things. Mostly those things are obligatory stuff that I've been putting off because of the storms and the cold, like visiting my uncle in his assisted-living facility three blocks away from us (but down a big hill so we have to drive), taking the car in for a much-needed oil change and a look-see at the noise my power steering assembly is making (we've had that before so I know what it is but I can't do anything about it), and finally getting to the bank that's only open on weekdays so I can open up a new account with the checks from Mom's estate. But I do miss socializing with non-work friends, of whom I have too few nowadays, it seems. Lo and behold, I got texts from two of them today at the same time - my friend Marjorie who lives in the Hamptons and shares a birthday with me, and my friend Terri who's the mother of my godson. So confusing for this one-fingered texter to go back and forth between the two of them! I hope to see one on Monday or Tuesday evening and the other possibly this coming weekend but that's all dependent on whether I can get the above necessar tasks done. At least my usual Saturday stuff is accomplished (food shopping, pills, comics sorting and ordering) so I'm making incremental progress.

Switching Hats

OMG, glad that day is over! I've been up since about 4 AM, with a loop playing in my head about the conversation I'd be having with a firm-directed financial advisor. I figured fine, it's going to be a quiet day. The day was not quiet, it was pretty easy to pack my entire eight hours, during which I actually spoke with two different financial folks, the firm-recommended one and the one who's been working with my family for decades and called to discuss Mom's estate. The latter was infinitely more helpful (which makes sense as my dad was a CPA as are both my brothers, so they're up on financial stuff, unlike li'l ol' me who just works at one of the Big Four firms). I'm beginning to formulate a plan going forward now, but it wasn't easy to keep switching between work, planning my future, and domestic chores like washing up. Especially on such little sleep. I expect I'll sleep better tonighr, I got a new Vellux blanket and there's no alarm to worry about for the next couple of days. Off to read comics and watch vet shows!