Sore subject

It's back to school time, and that's not the problem. My main concern is that I need to lose weight. I weigh too much and it's embarrassing when I meet people who haven't seen me in a while. One couple I have known for about 25 years had a hard time looking at me. I don't think they would have recognized me if I was not with my DH.

It's not just vanity. I have diabetes type 2, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. On top of that, right now I have become an insomiac. I have to stop staying up late (like right now) and get myself on a schedule. I've said it hear so I can reference it again later.

Some other goals: to obtain work, preferably at home work, but I would love a nice part time job working at the library. I love being there, and I love the Middletown library. Occasionally, they have new job postings that I could apply for, but right now the only one available is for a shelver at 6.81 per hr. I think DD should apply for it, because she could cut her teeth on her first job there. It would be a nicer place to work than McD's or the other fast food places.

Last year I thought about working at the local department stores for the holidays, but they require you to work weekends, which is out, because that is my quality time spent with DH and DD. The stores don't pay much, either - only about $7 per hour. I guess I'd be better off shelving books.

Then there is the local special needs school, which is within a mile of our house. They always need subs and TA's to work about 6 hours a day. I guess I should check that out, because I really don't mind working with kids.

I was going to work as an election judge, but I dropped out of that because of the 14 to 15 hours required to do the job. I know it is necessary for the same people to keep the books all day, but it is really too long a day for making less than $10 per hour. I think I was dead tired when I did it last year, and I felt a certain civic pride for doing it, but I want to take better care of myself this year. That, and I want to be working a regular job.

We are getting by on DH's paycheck, but it would be nice to have money to get my hair and nails done occasionally, to be able to fix some of the problems with this house - it needs new windows, it has never had a deck added off the dining room, and I really would love a sunroom on the deck. I would also like to save for a newer vehicle. The 1995 Plymouth Voyager is not going to last forever, and the windows are starting to leak a bit. I really want a camper van, an to sell the aliner, but DH wants a truck now. We can't afford one yet, though.

We have travel plans for September - to go to Assateague Island during Ocean City's sunfest. There will be kite flying and all kinds of fun. We will leave Friday, arrive about 3 to 4 hours later, walk the boardwalk, sleep over Friday night, and spend the day on Assateague's beach on Saturday.

Then in October, we will go to Swallows Falls near Deep Creek MD for their Autumn Glory days. The leaves should be in full color by then. I am looking forward to that, and we are closer to that area than we ever were when we lived in Baltimore.