alexpgp | What's REALLY happening...

As I sat in the store last night waiting for the minute hand to do its thing toward the vertical, a nagging little voice in the back of my head finally became articulate and reminded me that yesterday was mine and Galina's wedding anniversary.

Yikes!

Thoughts of closing the shop early (10 minutes, big deal, but still...) crossed my mind as I outlined a bare-bones damage control plan. Flowers... check. Champagne... check. Anniversary card... check. The fact that Natalie was cooking a sit-down dinner was a big plus, either due to serendipity or the fact that my kids are sharper than I am. I suspect it is the latter.

The dinner went off well, though by the time it was finished, we were all too stuffed to open up the champagne, which is now scheduled for consumption for the New Year.

Galina and Natalie left for Albuquerque a little after 10 am today, and ought to be getting to the Sunport about now. It was really nice to have had Natalie visit (something that does not occur often enough). I'm already missing her.

I've finished one crate, only to find that I need to use longer screws to assure a stronger structure. The other two crates have the box part constructed (pending the use of longer screws there, too), but I didn't buy enough 1x2 stock to finish the covers to the two remaining boxes.

So, as far as that job is concerned, I need to:

finish the crates

pack/wrap the paintings

put the paintings in their respective crates

screw on the lids

get the crates down to the store for pickup

I don't think this will happen today, but do expect to have it all finished for pickup tomorrow.

My Houston client is sending me two documents for completion by the 3rd. I now have a fairly respectable pile of stuff to work on, and I better get working on it pretty soon. I figure if I do half the 7K job tomorrow each tomorrow and Saturday, and each of the 3K jobs on Sunday and Monday, I can maintain a pretty even strain and get the job done without going crazy, and even start off the year with a nice invoice.

Speaking of my Houston client, the company renews its freelance contracts every four years, and this is the year for renewal. I've got all the paperwork printed out and signed, and I feel like going down to the store and sending the items via courier (even though there is no rush to do so; the renewal date is February 1). As far as rates are concerned, nothing has changed since the last go-round, which is remarkable in itself.

For sure, I ought to send along the expense reports for the past couple of months (that's what's probably got me wanting to send a FedEx), though I think I will send those reports via fax in a few minutes and then send the originals along with my contract paperwork.

I need to figure out how to coordinate all of this.

Cheers...

P.S. Oops! The two additional documents have been withdrawn. No biggie. I still have some glossary work left to do.