Just let that light turn green already!

Me in my office, Friday, Nov. 9. Moving to another desk over the weekend.

The past few days. Well. Learning some stuff about how to do the jobs I am taking over Monday. Talking to a couple of different people about taking over jobs I have been doing for years. Doing my current work. Cleaning up and sorting stuff out from my desk. Trying to figure out why my office phone number will be on Monday (it is changing to 812 331-4349). So, all this was going on Friday, when the computer guys said "Hey, Lynne, we want to use your computer as a guinea pig and see if you can set it up at the new desk and see if everything works ok..." And Carol got teary-eyed, and so did I, at the thought of having shared an office for the past four years and now, not. And I had spaced out that I had to drive to North high school to pick up Abby, who had had to stay late to make up stuff from being sick this week. And Jordie was still sick with bronchitis at home. So, I'm racing at 4:45 p.m. to get to North, get Abby, get her to Alice's house, get to our house and pick up my dish for the potluck at Beth Shalom and stop by my friend and neighbor Laura Gottlieb's to pick up her disk (which she generously was contributing even though she could not attend the potluck) and then to Beth Shalom. And I got stuck in a huge long line of traffice on Patterson Drive! I had to really focus on breathng slowly! I was about to panic! Luckily, beautiful Phyllis Dumes was there at Beth Shalom, totally gracious and setting up, and Mike and Jen Simpson, busily getting table cloths on...and it all turned out so well -- lots of smiling faces, new people, by the time people walked in at 6 the wine was poured, candles were out on the table, challah, dishes, silverware...and even though Anne Steigerwald was sick, she still sent over her Adam with two big jugs of juice...and Michael Simpson set out ice water. Much good food on the tables. Much fun visiting around. Convivial and kind and home-y. Just the way a Shabbat dinner should be.

But I am so glad this week is over. I know next week is going to be challenging and a little sad. No more editorial page work for me, and that's been my baby for years. But new challenges are good and I'm already making lists of what I have to do...

And I am so going to be more observant about Shabbat. I am thinking of it lately as a golden shining space of bliss and I'm not going to let errands and laundry and stuff to do take it away from me any more. I am going to give myself Shabbat. That's a promise.