Last week in review

THE JOB: My boss’s leave date is now official, and it’s even sooner than we thought. The 8th instead of the 13th. So I have just over a week to learn everything! They have not named the new acting manager yet. They’ve asked me for a long version of my resume, detailing my project management experience. I believe I’m still my management’s top choice, but they’re having to justify the decision. Now that everyone knows that Carina is leaving, I expect that other managers have put forward their own top employees as candidates. They do not have a formal interview process for the acting position – it’s appointed, but I know that Human Resources is involved.

Later they will go through the full advertising and interviewing process to fill the position permanently. Of course, everyone who has their eyes on the permanent position wants the acting position, because it gives you great experience (assuming you do well).

We have a halloween party tomorrow at lunch. I’ve made a spicy, sour, cabbage-based relish (of my own devising). It probably won’t be as popular as if I’d brought brownies. No brownie points for me. I get spicy cabbage points instead. It’s really spicy. They’re gonna hate me.

THE TOWNHOME: We’ve just been waiting for the new appraisal, which is happening today. Then it will be a few days before we have the results.

THE REMODEL: Turns out not all sandy stuff is sand. Our brick guy said our pink sand had too much dirt in it. But he says he knows an arroyo where he can get reddish color sand, now that he knows that we want. Apparently the distinction is particle size. If it’s too fine, it compacts too much and settles down too far. We want the sand to lodge in the cracks between the bricks and not settle out.

This is the sand that has too many fine particles. He’s going to vacuum it up and go dig up better sand elsewhere.

Also John ordered cabinets – the same ones we’d seen in a neighbor’s casita this summer. He ordered one for the downstairs bathroom vanity too, which is great. All the bathrooms are in terrible shape.

THE MOVE: You all know I’m quite an experienced mover (LOL), but OMG this is the most time consuming move yet! It’s insanely difficult moving into two houses instead of one. I can’t just mindlessly put stuff in boxes. Every single item we own (thousands of things), needs a decision made – which house?