Tuesday didn’t start off like most of my Tuesdays. I’d spent the night before at my sister’s to watch my niece and nephew. I slept surprising well, considering I was a little worried about getting up and making sure the kids got off to school on time. Turns out, there was nothing to worry about! Both of them got right up and set about getting dressed and brushing their hair. In no time, they were downstairs, ready for breakfast.

I know they are growing up. I mean, it’s hard to miss. But every once in a while it really hits me. Like when my nephew went to get a bottle of water out of the fridge and didn’t need any help. I was struck by how independent he seemed all of a sudden. Until moments later he asked me to help him with his shoes 🙂

There was the briefest scuffle over Pop Tarts for breakfast. There were two packages left- one strawberry, the other the coveted s’mores. Fortunately, there are two in each package so I gave them one of each. Auntie (and common sense) to the rescue. But one of them had more icing than the other so several minutes were spent putting out that fire.

Right on time, we headed out the door. I had to be at work before the school bus came by, so I drove them down the street to a friend, who made sure they got to school safely. I live just moments from my sister, so I didn’t bother packing a bunch of stuff. I drove home in Monday’s clothes and got ready in my own home.

I’m not much of a girly girl. I hate shopping (unless we’re talking about scrap supplies or books), I only wear dresses to weddings, and my routine is fairly simple. I pretty much do my hair and makeup the same whether I’m going to work or going to a formal- not that I go to formals, but you get my drift. The only time I vary from this is on the weekend when I don’t plan on leaving or when I go camping. Those days I’m pretty much a chapstick sorta girl.

A rainy drive to work. Don’t worry. I came to a complete stop on the deserted country road to take this photo. I’m getting a little worn out by all the dreary days. I don’t mind a good thunderstorm, but the gray, overcast skies make it hard to get motivated. I feel like I should be curled up on the couch in my pjs reading a good book.

 

We are in the middle of a huge software transition at work. Much of the prep work is being done over conference calls. The guy in the blue shirt is our Service Director and across from him is our Parts Manager. I’ve been working with these men for almost twenty years and I think it says a lot that I could pull out my phone, snap a couple of pictures, and they didn’t even bat an eye. They’re cool like that 🙂

Feeling like I hadn’t had a vegetable in days (shriveled lettuce on a burger doesn’t count!), I bought a chicken salad from Arby’s. Yes, the chicken is fried. And I know that honey mustard dressing isn’t exactly low calorie, but it’s a step in the right direction. I’m very particular about how I eat my salads. Ever since I was a kid I’ve been a save-the-best-for-last kind of eater. When it comes to my salads, I prefer to set all the good toppings aside, eat the majority of the greens, and then add the goodies back in. Weird, but not as bad as when I was a kid. I used to eat in groups and hated for my food to touch. How I became a self-proclaimed foodie, I’ll never know!

After I eat lunch, I can often be found relaxing in my car, listening to a podcast, watching a video, or just plain napping.

Another night closing down the Service Department. I have a very specific routine when doing this so I don’t forget anything. Some nights it feels like there are garages doors to lock as far as the eye can see, but now that I have it down to a science, it doesn’t take long at all.

We close at 7:00 and by the time the LOF techs are done with their chores and the cashier cashes out, it’s usually 7:30 before I can leave. It’s so much better now that it stays light so much longer. Winters are tough- get to work in the dark, leave in the dark. I love that I still have a few rays of sunshine when I get home.

This is Ari. I have three geckos and two of them are the friendliest, mellow, sweet geckos who love to be handled. Ari is not one of them. From the moment I brought him home, he has always been a little crazier than the others. He’s a jumper and has a wild look in his eye. He’s never once tried to bite me (he was the size of a quarter when i got him and couldn’t be less intimidating), but I get the impression that he’d rather be left alone. I take him out every night for a little love in the hope he becomes less skittish, but I’m not sure its working. Hard to say who’s going to give in first.

So, that was my Tuesday. I’ve realized I don’t take many pictures in the evening, so I’m going to try to work on that the next few days. As each day goes on, I find myself looking more and more for the things that blend into the background, but have their own story to tell. What stories have you documented? What have you been proud of and what do you need to work on?