Surviving The Crazy... And Seafair!

Lately around here, it's still a little bit crazy.

1)  We've settled into a routine of working especially hard to get my husband through his next actuarial exam by having him 'teach' his papers to me.  He missed passing the last one by 1/4 of a point!  So this new tactic has got to work- since either he needs to make sure he's a valuable enough employee to keep around after his company's coming shakeup or we'll need all the help we can get in selling him to somebody elses company in Texas.  Cuz' we sure won't be able to afford to be staying here if his company shows him the door.  Either way, we're going to be prepared!

2)  I recently survived a 20 year high school class reunion that entailed a strange trip down memory lane with a neighbor girl who was always my friend at home, but never at school.  She was a cheerleader and I the band geek.  I learned that she is now a lesbian who is super down to earth and still as sweet as I remember she could be and she learned that I am now a blond who it turns out had a secret life of competitive dancing and other things that prove I was never really that geeky at all.  Ahh, the lives we lead when we compartmentalize!  It's so much easier to be real and just one person...  And it wasn't half bad to be lumped into the new clique of those dubbed the 'non-agers' at the reunion.  Thank goodness the attendees were mostly different than those who came 10 years ago, so nobody said a word about how much fatter I was last time around!

3)  It's also that time of year when Seattleites go as nuts as any politically correct people can.  It's Seafair!

Credit: news-world.org

Tomorrow my husband will feel his office building shake as the Blue Angels arrive in town.  Many people will go bonkers, either complaining about all the unnecessary noise and hoopla or joining in.  It's really not summer in Seattle without Seafair- rain or shine, complete with people suddenly tearing off clothes to reveal especially bad tattoos and fishbelly white skin, the wonderfully intelligent combination of drunken boaters all tied together to a logboom and women who only pretend to be disgusted when the pirates drag them down the beach and haul them off at swordpoint.

Here's a sample of the raucousness for the out-of-towners to enjoy:  You really have to see it to believe it! 

Keepin' Busy

Up until this morning, I was super preoccupied with my husbands study efforts leading up to his test today.  I stay as involved as I can, helping him go over practice problems and being a sounding board for him to work out the details of some devilishly detailed math.  Now it's finally the day of the test and I have become super busy doing anything I can to keep my mind off the fact that he is plugging away at his exam even as I type this.  I have every right to believe that he will pass this time.  I really do.  But I thought he would pass last time and he didn't. So I also have this gnawing feeling in my gut that is making me stir crazy.

So far I have done some official work for about 3 and half hours this morning.  Then I stopped at two different stores on the way home.  When I was out the weather was doing this annoying snow/raining thing again.

So I did what any half crazed woman not quite in her right mind would do.  I bought some pretty primroses-

and went straight to work planting them as snowflakes fell into my hair.  I think it was sort of my way of protesting this way too long winter and giving this stressful day a little lift while I was at it.

Now I've gone to work on the laundry even though the bins are practically empty.  I think I'll go and see if I can find anything else that needs bleaching...

In 'high test mode'

There's about 3 weeks left for my husband to prepare for his next big exam, so we are in high test mode.
Things are looking positive.  Keep your fingers crossed for us.

We have again taken a break from almost any extra activities that we ever allow ourselves because there is just no time right now.  We miss our band and our dance club friends thought that maybe we had already moved away without letting them know...
Meanwhile, the one thing my husband allows himself as a 'break' is his bowling leagues.  He bowls twice a week.  He's done it since he was eleven.  He is pretty darn good.  He is currently averaging 221.  This is also a good sign for the upcoming test.  It seems the better he is bowling, the better he tends to perform on his exams.  A funny coincidence? 
Hey, maybe if this actuarial thing doesn't work out, he could join the PBA tour...

Meanwhile, we have put in the word with the recruiters that we would like to look at anything along the gulf coast area that is within a reasonable distance to a beach- no more than about 3 hours for us.
Our first choices are in Texas of course- Houston, San Antonio or Austin.
Also anything in Florida, except maybe Miami because of higher cost.
Finally, anything from Florida to South Carolina.
We'll have to look at details of individual places to see what we think as we go along, but I sure hope this makes for a quicker departure to warmer weather.  Soon!