Where's Karen?

Sorry I haven't been here much lately. Things should get back to normal (what's that???) soon. I have been away for positive reasons, though. My eldest has been back home visiting from New York for the past week and it has been GREAT to spend the time with him. He is here without his car, though, so I have been doing a fair amount of playing taxi driver----which I don't mind, but it does take up considerable time. We have also been down a car the last few days as two of ours are in the shop. We rented one but it's still doing triple duty. At least #4 can walk to work unless of course the weather continues on it's present trend of 37 degrees and rain/snow. Then again....he could still walk....and be able to tell his future kids how his parents made him walk to work in the snow, uphill both ways.

The other distraction has been a positive as well. Earlier this year, my husband was laid off. It was the end of a very long and horrible situation. The place catapulted him into an upper level position and provided a lot of opportunity for him but so much of what went on there I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy. His leaving there was closing the door on a bad chapter in many ways. As difficult as the whole 'ending' was, it created a 'beginning' by necessity. It took three months to find something suitable. (yeah, that good old Michigan economy) He started working again in August. It's funny....as soon as he took this position, he heard again from another place that kept bringing him in for interviews. Then he heard from another place where he had never even applied. His reputation had apparently proceeded him. That and the Lord was providing opportunity. He told one group "no" and kept interviewing with the other, all the while doing great work for this new place. He then heard nothing from either place for about a month and then, boom, all in a week's time, both of these places called back again. He went in to both places again to talk to the powers that be. He said "no" yet another time to the one, and finally accepted an offer from the second. He has given his notice at the present company and starts with the new one in about two weeks. It should be a good fit. In Michigan, there are some 'slim pickins' when it comes to opportunity, so it was nice for him to be a little 'in demand'. I'm excited for him!

I probably won't be that active in blogworld for the next week because my son is still around until Monday, at which time #5 and I will drive him back to upstate New York. It should be fun as #5 has never seen the house that we and all her brothers used to live in back there. None of my NY friends have seen her either.

Well, enough of my personal stuff for now. I haven't forgotten about Harold and I will do that puzzle soon. Starting next Thursday, I should start posting again regularly.