…roughly.

i’m having a bit of a hard time focusing my mind (the reasons will become clear) so this post might start slightly jumbled….

the last week, or so, has been great. i had family in town and took all of last week off from work. in itself, a week without work is a pretty great thing, but when i get to spend it in a resort setting with family i don’t see very often, its even better. my dad, stepmom, sister, brother-in-law, and 14-month old niece were all here. i hadn’t seen any of them since last christmas, when my niece was only a few months old. now she’s walking starting to talk and interact. its increadible. admittedly, i know nothing about child development and admit to some bias, but not only is she just about the cutest kid i’ve ever seen, she’s smart as hell. the second bit, at least, can be somewhat confirmed by both my dad and stepmom, both of whom have medical backgrounds and work with kids. yes, she is damn smart.

the week itself was laid back and i don’t know that there’s a play by play worth reporting. i spent the whole week with them: relaxing, eating, playing. i even got a nice spot on the couch (which was marvilous when compared to the fold out bed).

my dad and stepmom have been to visit at least once a year, every year, since i moved out here, so they’re familiar with a lot of the island. the london contingent, however, had never been here and just had a blast. the weather alone made it worth while for them and lounging on the beach and by the pool. but i think the highlight for everyone, was watching baby isis play in the water and sand. my sister had made a trip to florida very early in the year, when isis was still very young, so she didn’t really do a lot of playing. i’m really glad i got to experience her first real visit to a beach setting. aside from the water temperature, which was colder some days more than others, she was completely comfortable and happy in the water. case in point, she LOVED the hot tub. she couldn’t get enough and even got in on her own when she spotted one on our last day.

my sister’s birthday was on saturday and to celebrate we all went to a fantastic japanese restaurant at the resort. for a sushi buffet. they didn’t have a proper sized table for us (even though we had reservations), which actually worked out, because they put us in one of those private rooms where everyone sits on the floor. it was hysterical. as soon as we walked in, isis jane sat right down so matter-of-factly like the surroundings were an everyday occurance for her. needless to say, she was the entertainment for the evening. with all of us sitting on the ground, at her eye level, she had a great time and mixed bites of dinner with laps around the table, playing, dancing, giving hugs and kisses to everyone. it was a great time and a lovely way to celebrate a birthday.

they all headed back to the mainland yesterday afternoon. i was definitely sad to see them go. not so much because my vacation was over and i had to return to work, but because i knew it would be a long time (maybe a year or more) until we all got together again. by the end of the week, isis jane was comfortable with me. she knew who i was (could even say my name). its hard to think that the next time i see her she might not have a clue…. such is life, i guess.

one of the things making it so hard to return to work today was news i recieved nearly a week ago. the bank that bought the agency i work in has decided to sell us off to another agency. as seems to usually be the case in such situations, we’re all having to interview for the jobs we already have (some of the peole here have worked in the agency their entire adult lives). i really believe some of us won’t be ‘rehired’ at the first of the year. i suspect i’ll be one of those ‘let go’.  its a fairly scarey prospect and with the economy in the state its in, there’s no way to tell what will happen if i indeed lose my job. i’m trying to keep my options open and think positive about the whole thing, but admittedly, its a hard thing to do. everyone in the office is worried. one of the older women in the office even said she’s barely slept in the week since we got the news.

thankfully, i’ve been able to sleep, but my own immediate future is untenable at best. i’m honestly not quite sure what to do. i, along with everyone else in the agency, is just kinda holding our breath, waiting to hear the news, good or bad.

i don’t know that there’s much more i can say about this. it was a fine vacation, but as soon as i walked in to the office this morning, my stress level jumped way up. and i expect it will stay there for some time. given the situation, i even admit to having trouble looking forward to thanksgiving and christmas on the north shore. right now i feel like everything is bleak….

on a more positive note, i have lots of pictures from the week (though most of them are of the baby). i’ll try to have them up in the next couple of days. i’ll let you know.