Daily Archives: January 25, 2012

Songs

Everything is more acute now that my husband and I are together 24/7 under stressful circumstances. I switch in my head from the lovely Etta James’ “At Last,” Linda Ronstadt/Nelson Riddle “Someone To Watch Over Me” to Peter, Paul and Mary’s “That’s What You Get For Lovin’ Me.”

Perhaps I always had songs in my head but now they’re overt and different medleys several times a day. One is Joan Baez’ haunting Waltzing Matilda/Gallipoli.

I can’t remember the rest right now but will take requests! Songs of love and loss, death and dismemberment will give way to happier thoughts. They’re beautiful songs and my mother always said I had a penchant for dirges, after all she named me after Deirdre of the Sorrows.

In the meantime we have much to do and keep busy all day not spending money. Perhaps this weekend we can afford to go to the movies, matinee, of course, to see what the real world is doing. And it’s waltzing Matilda, waltzing Matilda, Dee

Sisyphus

For anyone who eschews the Greek/Roman gods and stories, such as tales of Odysseus, shame on you. They’ll let you make comparisons and stories of your own throughout your life!

Sisyphus rolled a heavy rock uphill, and every time he got near the top, it would tumble down again. So his fate is to push that rock every day and wait for it to fall. That was me today. I’m dealing with bureaucratic, procedural, and emotional fallout following a layoff.

Many of the things I had to accomplish today are partially done, were horrible and I stood on my tippy-toes and made things 50-75% right. I’m exhausted and still have to pay bills and make dinner.

For example, the former employer sent information that during the past few years when he was hired full-time he went eight months without health insurance. The original administrator said that was our last healthcare program and she can’t provide proof of prior insurance under the same employer, insurance that we were paying for through regular payroll deductions since day one.

So I talked to boss-man, who found six of those last months and is working with HR to reconcile the rest, that they both proved WE paid for, in order to get a revised certificate of continuous healthcare that may allow us to get insurance after next week. So that may mean the employer stopped payment?

All the information that HR gave us on one sheet was either misinformation or outright lies. I’ve called every number on that page and only one has not gotten back to me. And here I go, pushing that rock up the hill day by day.

 

New Tastes

I looked through my mother’s 1970′s and 1980′s recipe cards and a few things caught my eye. In 1973 we moved, again, in a temperate climate. The first few days there I met a good friend who shares the same birthday.

We hung out, mostly at her house, for the two years we lived there. Her mom was so cool. Warm with people and easy with entertaining. She introduced me to eggplant and pomegranate. No, not together.

I love eggplant and make a very traditional Greek moussaka. As to pomegranate, I make a lemon-berry trifle over the holidays and on special occasions and if pomegranates are in season, add berries for taste, visual appeal and crunch.

This one’s for the oboe player and her family. Cheers, Dee