Friday, September 25, 2015

Updates: Overwhelmed, but Excited and Hopeful


Searching for an apartment 1350 miles away is not easy.  I just want a decent apartment, but apparently in Vermont, apartment complexes are few and far between, at least in the part of Vermont where I will be living.  Luckily, my new place of employment has some resources to help with locating a place to live.  Internet searches seem to just scratch the surface of what's out there.  I'll call tomorrow and get into the university's system and then I can use their resources.  I may have to fly up next week and do some searching.  The other option is to pack the car, drive up, crash at the house of my new boss or my coworkers (they all offered me a place to crash), and then find a place.  

By the way, if I haven't said this before, I will be working with an amazing group of people.  Each has told me how excited they are that I will be joining them as part of their team, and each has offered assistance in any way possible.  While I have only met them in person for two days, I feel like I already know them. They welcomed me from the very beginning.  Apparently, when the committee (which is the whole museum staff of four) voted, the vote was unanimous in my favor.

The logistics of everything will be worked out in the next week.  I feel sure of it.  I'll find out tomorrow when my probable start date will be.  HR would like for me to start at the beginning of a pay period, so I'm guessing that means I will likely have one of two dates to choose from since the university has pay periods starting every two weeks. As soon as I get home from my doctor's appointment, I'll give HR a call.

Have I mentioned that all of this is a little overwhelming?  Very exciting, but overwhelming.

Also, I wanted to thank all of you for your prayers.  Miss E pulled through the surgery better than the doctors could have hoped.  She's a truly remarkable woman.  At 101, she's got spunk.  I saw her yesterday, and she was giving them hell.  Not in a mean malicious way, but she wants to do things her way.  She's nice about it, but she lets them know nonetheless.  When they attached the blood/oxygen monitor to her finger, she did not like that and removed it four times.  She finally gave up trying to take it off when I told her that she had to have it on and that they would just come and put it back on.  She didn't believe her daughter when she said that.  The pain medication had her a bit disoriented, but she had amazing moments of clarity.  When I left, she asked me when I would be leaving for Vermont.  

She is elderly and fragile, but I'd never call her weak.  Of course she isn't out of the woods yet, but we will keep praying, and I hope all of you will as well.  One of these days, God willing, she's going to break the record for the oldest living woman. Of course, she will never admit it.  She hasn't been truthful about her age for over 80 years.  You see, she was a few years older than her husband.  In her day, women didn't marry younger men, so she shaved off a few years.  There is no doubt what her age really is, but she'll tell you she's 98.  At her 101st birthday party, she admitted that she might be 100, but like her driver's license she claims that is wrong.  Her version is that they put the wrong date on her birth certificate.  On her 100th birthday she claimed for weeks leading up to it that she was only 95, then she remembered that she'd already had a big celebration for that milestone, so she changed it to 97.  So we through a huge 97th birthday party.

I'm so glad that she made it through the surgery and as long as things continue to improve, then she is likely to make it through this.  The fight will come from her not wanting to go to rehab for physical therapy.  She will insist that she go home and they come to her.  She will get her way too, because at 101, you've earned the right to have it your way.  Besides, she can afford it, she owns one of the largest cattle farms in the county.  Her late husband collected land like some people collect stamps.  Honestly, you'd never know it. She worked all her life, as did her late husband.  I doubt she knows her true monetary worth, but for all who know her, she is priceless.

5 comments:

Michael Dodd said...

We are in the middle of trying to find an apartment in Madison, which is only fifty miles away, and that, too, is a challenge. Part of our problem is not knowing when we plan to move, but knowing that it is at least six months away. Most places don't know what will be available until two to three months before the move-in date. Minor problem, but we both would like to know where we will wind up.

Glad Miss E came through her surgery well. Don't necessarily dismiss reports of errors on birth certificates. My father and I were both born in Georgia. His birth certificate said he was born on September 17, 1921 although his mother swore all her life that he had been born on October 17. The government -- for tax purposes, etc -- eventually declared he was born in September, but that was because there was a piece of paper from the state that said so, despite the contrary claims of his family members. My mother and I both continued to believe the family, but my father took advantage and celebrated two birthdays for the rest of his life.

When I was born, May 19, 1950, for some reason no birth certificate was ever filed. When I started school in September of 1956, the delayed birth certificate the same state of Georgia issued arrived with a birth date of September 1, 1956 -- the date the certificate was filed, not the date I was born. Had that been true, I would have started first grade when I was less than a week old. Fortunately both doctor and attending nurse were still around to testify as witnesses, and my parents were able to get the documents corrected.

Susan said...

Excellent news about your neighbor, Joe. So glad she had a successful surgery.
As for you, your plate is very full. But how reassuring your coworkers and others are there for you to help ease the way. In the end I know it will all work out. I love the way you just casually say, "I may have to fly up next week and do some searching." This, from the guy who hates to fly! How times have changed. :)

JiEL said...

Only good news: your new job and move AND Miss E. being saved and will go better.

I understand her because I tend to cheat on my age. I'm 64, going on 65 on Nov.14 but as I have all my hair, not much grey ones and totally hairless on my face and body, I look much younger. I fooled many men in the past... LOL!!

For your apartment search, just let those nice people help you and take your time to find a place you'll be happy to live in after your work. That was an advice one of my best friend told me in 1999 when I divorced. Live in a nice place that will comfort you and that you like to live in. Home sweet home.

I'm sure they will also give you good advices on where is the best part of that town.

All is going to be settled in time and, as I told you: wait until you get to the bridge to cross it.... Time will make it clear and good...

I'm excited for you and I wish you ALL good things in your future life.

Amanda said...

I'm glad to hear Miss E is doing well. I continue to pray she keeps improving. How exciting about the move! I know it's stressful too but it's a good stress to have. It sounds like you have nice coworkers and that means a lot. I'm sure you'll find something that suits your needs and is comfortable too. It's nice to know you have people that can help you up there too.

JR said...

Good luck on the change!