A New Month

For some reason, I'm having trouble processing the fact that it is now December. Christmas is a few weeks away, and I'm not even close to being prepared. My blogging this year has been a bit sporadic. I am keeping ridiculous hours these days, so for the moment I've decided I'm OK with it. I'd love to be able to post more. As it is, I've got about 10 posts I really need to do: at least 4 book reviews, some challenge reviews, some wrap-up posts. I'll get to it. And after the 1st of the year, I'll do better. Things will slow down. But for now, I guess we will just have to take things one day at a time.

The last week has brought some really tough stuff. Mike, Chad and Belle all succumbed to the "plague", as it is now known at our house. This flu is one that hangs on for it's life, that's for sure. I'm still, even after 2 weeks, carrying around a bit of a cough.

I'm also looking for a new job. As much as I like my job at the Red Cross, I don't see any way I'll be able to get off 3rd shift. After 2 years of nights, my body is starting to feel the effects. I am truly a night person, but for my sanity, I really think a day job would be better. Of course, times are tough, and finding something else might not be as easy as I would like to think.

Finally, as part of my job, I work with a fleet of drivers. Both paid and volunteer, our drivers carry the blood/blood products to the hospitals in are region. There are over 42 hospitals and the distance between them is high. A drive can be over 300 miles. Because the work is sporadic, most of the drivers are retired gentlemen. It is hard sometimes to call these older men in, to put them on the road late nights. I love them all and their willingness to help out night/day whenever they can. But I lost my favorite driver to a horrible accident the other night, and it's been a hard few days for all us at the Cross. The guilt of someone dying on our watch is a bit more than we can handle. Jesse was the sweetest guy. He always had a smile and loved to sit and chat. If I was on my own, he would come in with an "extra" apple fritter, because he knew they were my favorites. My heart just breaks for his family at this time. Because his Red Cross family has been just a bit destroyed by all of it.

I may be back later today with a review. But if I don't, just know that I will. I'm getting tired of writing posts that say, "I know it's been a while but ...." Like I said earlier: At the moment, I'm OK with being sporadic. I'm hoping to change that a little when the New Year hits!