Highlights, Lowlights

It's Saturday night, and I'm exhausted after all this went on this week:

- I started my new job on Monday with a 3-day orientation. I was really dreading this class but ended up enjoying it. I hadn't foreseen how much I would like reconnecting with smart, professional people again. Sadly, there were so few of them (none, to be exact) at my most recent job.
- I got the unofficial nod by the women in orientation for 'best shoes' in the class. Nice, but now I have the pressure of a shoe reputation to uphold.
- On day three, I was asked to be a mentor. Wow. Someone decided they wanted me to help guide them in their career. I feel honored and yet so completely unworthy of that.
- I ate very badly this week. Lots of snacking, poor choices, too much food. I think I needed to emotionally balance out the discipline of being tied to a new job with some form of freedom otherwise. So it came out in the food area. I felt free to eat whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. No more of that going forward.
- I was given a rose today and wished 'Happy Mother's Day', even though I'm not anyone's mother. I wonder if that's some form of cheating, somehow. I feel a bit guilty. *sigh*
- The television in the master bedroom went out.
- I closed out my furniture consignment. The store sold most of what I took in, but they didn't get much money for it. It is potentially enough, however, to replace the dead TV mentioned above, so I guess that's something.
- I saw two children in a cafe at lunch today who, from the back, looked like my estranged niece and nephew at the ages they were before we became estranged. I wanted to go into the ladies room and cry, my heart ached so. I can only imagine the heartbreak of their father (my brother) who lives with that void each and every day. I sometimes wonder how he can function with that weighing on his heart. I don't think I would be able to.
- I bought pink petunias and planted them around my front tree.
- Last night, we strolled the neighborhood, had some gelato, sat on a park bench, people-watched and had great conversation with total strangers.
- We ate at a new Korean/Japanese bistro this evening. Outstanding. Food and service. I left the waitress a sizable tip. She deserved it.
- About an hour's drive from here, Jenna Bush (the President's daughter) has just married her beau, Henry. This afternoon, we had rain and hail. I hope it cleared up in time for Jenna's wedding at the ranch. I wish the new couple all the best.