Early May: Updates & Observations

  It's graduation season.  I LOVE graduation season.  It's not about my son who is in college and will have two more years to go.  (Don't get me started on costs.)  It's about the fact that several large institutes of higher learning have their ceremonies at the Prudential Center in Newark.  It's only a couple of blocks from where I work.  Parking prices go through the roof.  (Can you blame the lot owners?  I may not like it, but I can't diss them for it.)  Traffic becomes even more "difficult" than usual.  As a result (or at least for this day), my manager has allowed the team to work remotely instead of being in the office.  Which for me means that I was able to come back to the Poconos a day earlier than usual and that's a big plus for me.  I was able to look out my office window and see the greenery.  To check on the frogs in the pond.  (Large, Medium, Small and Kermit)  I should be able to move my laptop outside and work in the fresh air.  I am pretty much always up for that.

However, in order to be "here" I first had to be back in NJ.  The drive back in the late afternoon/early evening was tedious as always.  Route 80 is still shut down in both directions.  I'm really tired of us.  Everyone is tired of this.  Everyone wants it fixed and everyone wishes it was fixed already.  With that said, there is no need to criticize those who are trying to fix it.  It's NOT their fault that it's not done yet.  It's a process.  Unfortunately, it's a long process and despite working around the clock (and I have seen them working at all hours), its taking longer than anticipated.  I spoke to someone in my office who has a friend who is working on the project and he and his co-workers are getting slammed with questions and criticisms.  That's not helpful.  They are doing their job and doing it the best they can.  We all want it to be over and done with, but...Can't we at least be kind?  

In addition to work, I had to be back in NJ for my annual physical.  While I had said I wanted to try a new doctor/practice in PA, I ended up back at the practice that I have been going to in NJ for almost my entire life.  (The physicians who started it are no longer there...I miss them.)  My "usual" doctor was booked for months (that doesn't make me happy), so I agreed to see a PA.  It happened to be the same PA my husband sees regularly and I have to say that the PAs that I've interacted with at this practice have been really good. This was my first time meeting him and he spent most of the time talking with me and LISTENING to me.  (Definitely a good thing.)  The general consensus?  I'm (getting) old, I'm overweight (a lifelong thing), but in general I'm pretty healthy.  There are no red flags.  There are things I could do "better" and will try, but in general I'm good.  I also liked the fact that he listened to my concerns about some aches that I had and made a reasonable suggestion that I will try to see if it help.  (He thinks I need to do some stretching...that is something I definitely don't do and let's see if it helps.)  I liked him so much that I've scheduled next year's physical with him already.  And hopefully I won't see him (or any medical professional) until then! 

Since I had a physician's appointment, I got to the office later than usual.  I was lucky enough to take a bus that took me directly to Penn Station, so I didn't have to get off and take the city light rail.  I could have and it probably would have been faster, but it was pouring at the time so I stayed on.  It hadn't been raining when I boarded, but it had been so foggy that I thought that the driver might miss me.  While last summer and autumn had been extremely dry, this spring has been very damp.  While that helps with all the plants (many of which I am still trying to identify in the yard), it is getting a little tiresome.  Especially when almost every weekend involves rain.  

Update:  while I was at office, I got an email from our accountant.  Remember how I had sent him our tax information via UPS?  (If not:  https://bfthsboringblog.blogspot.com/2025/03/stress-filled-saturday.html).  Guess what he got YESTERDAY via UPS?  Yes, he got my package that was shipped two month (to the date) from PA.  I have no words.  I have no explanation either.  

The rain had mostly stopped when I got home from the office.  I had to run some errands that evening and once again ran into some crazy fog.  (I also met with heavy traffic and all sorts of detours...Waze had me doing some crazy stuff that night.)  I wanted to go to sleep early and then drive out to PA when it was clearer.  If you know me (or even if you don't), you can guess that it didn't happen, so by midnight I gave up, got dressed and headed out.  The night was very clear and the moon was bright.  Perfect. But there were challenges on the drive.

First Waze didn't want to connect.  And when it finally did, it said it was off line.  I know where I am going, but with the detour, I do like to have Waze working with me, but...There were more cars than I usually encounter (but then again I'm using driving at 3 or 4 in the morning), but the detour was still pretty easy.  (It's amazing how much easier and quicker it is with limited traffic.)  As I got closer to PA, there were patches of fog.  Made things a bit challenging, but not too bad.  Right before the last exit in NJ, something was being done on the road, as cones were out and only one lane was open.  Unlike the sinkhole work, I couldn't really see anything being done and I was grateful that there weren't many cars on the road because I could see that backing up!

Once I was off 80 and on the backroads, things got foggy again, but I didn't have much trouble.  Amazingly, I followed a car for most of the way, which was a bit strange.  The last 8 or so miles before my "final approach" were good.  Then I reached "the big hill."  Fog enveloped it and it was really hard to see.  Not good as I'm nearly going straight up, but I did it.  As I took the final turn, it was foggier than I have ever seen it.  (Or should that be not see?)  The speed limit is 25 mph and believe me I was doing less as I just crept along.  I had no idea where I was and was surprised when I saw my final turn.  I had no idea I was that close!

I was grateful to pull into the garage, grab my things, drop everything in the living room and then strip down and climb into bed to get a little more sleep (but not enough).  Another successful night drive completed and I'm hoping that I have less than a half dozen to go.  (But don't rush the work guys...we need it done right.)

As I wrap up my lunch break and take in all the lush greens it looks like rain again...sigh.  So much for remote work from the patio this afternoon.  Maybe next week?