I was anxious at work all day. I spoke to Eric this morning and he was in Arizona. Then, I called him a few hours later and he was just entering Needles, California.
I was distracted most of the afternoon, because today was the firm’s Health Fair, which was held in the ballroom of the Marriott Hotel, which is right across the street from the office.
One of the HR girls was in charge of the whole event, and the whole department was there working from 12-2. We had about 150 attendees in 2 hours. It was really a great event with about 30-40 different booths. They had two different massage booths (I got a 5-minute massage, but – boy – was it good!), a diabetes screening, tests for cholesterol, blood pressure, antioxidant levels, sun damage, spinal exams, foot exams (I got one of those), and many others.
There were dentists, teeth whiteners, cooking utensils, optomologists, health care providers, health clubs, juicers, a golf swing test, chiropractic exam, and even a booth with contractors promising a “green renovation.”
There was a company called CALIFORNIA FRUIT COMPANY, whose business card was so pretty. They deliver fresh-grown fruit to your office. I went to their website to learn more.
They also had “snacks.” Little sandwiches, hummus and pita bread and bottled water. I had my salad, so I didn’t have anything. They ran out of food pretty quickly, so they went to a local restaurant and brought back a giant Greek salad and fresh-baked hot garlic breadsticks! I had one breadstick and some Greek salad. It was so good!
There was a company called DRIVETIME YOGA that had an audio book for sale that you could listen to while you drive in order to calm your nerves and reduce road rage. The girls were laughing, imagining someone doing yoga while driving. I figured it was more about about breathing, but when I went to their website, I saw pictures of a girl stretching! I think that's probably as dangerous as talking on your cell phone!
They also had tons of raffles – Starbucks cards, Shell gas cards, 3lb. hand weights, duffle bags, coolers, yoga DVDs, gift certificates for services, etc. The food and the raffles really gets everybody in the door, although I told the girls that whenever PwC had any event where you could get away from your desk for a few hours – I was there!
We had a great turn-out. I manned the door for a while, getting people to fill out and deposit their raffle cards, and making sure they got a “goodie bag.” The bags come with brochures and pamphlets, but then you walk around and collect tons of “swag.”
They had sunscreen in little packets, toothbrushes, floss, pens – lots of pens – soft squeezy balls, tote bags, shopping bags used to replace the plastic ones at the supermarket (I already have two, and now I have three!), emery boards (advertising different companies), pencils, and mints. People love free stuff!
When we got back to the office, we all stood around and took turns picking raffle tickets out of the box and seeing who won what. It was a lot of fun. These girls are a lot of fun. They make everything an adventure!
After that was done, I walked around from the 3rd floor to the 8th floor taking down all the posters I had put up in every kitchen (there are two on each floor). First, I had put up a small flyer announcing the Health Fair in each of the two kitchens on 6 floors (for those of you who are bad in math, that’s 12 flyers). Then, I took those down last week and put up the posters with all the information for the Health Fair. Then, today after the fair, I went around and took all the posters down. I guess it was good exercise!
From 3:30pm – 5:00pm I worked on the database project. We’re really getting it done. There’s a soft deadline for August 1st and I really think we’re going to make it!
When I got home, there was Eric’s RV in the parking lot. I was so excited!
He was home – after just four days on the road from New York. I know! It’s hard to believe. I can hardly believe it myself! He was gone only two weeks! He thought it was three weeks and I had to show him on the calendar that he left on Friday, July 11th, arrived in New York on Tuesday, July 15th, stayed in NY until this past Tuesday, July 22nd, and made it home in FOUR days! It’s hard to believe. Someone told me they knew someone who made it across the U.S. in four days, but there were two people driving! This was Eric – all by himself!
He was home and had almost everything out of the RV and back in the apartment by the time I got home at 5:15pm. He was working so hard that his shirt was soaked through and he was sweating so much it looked like he had just doused himself with water! He lost 10 pounds in 2 weeks. He didn’t eat much and even though he was sitting all day, I guess he burned some calories just driving!
He’s exhausted. He took a shower, and we went to HAIKU for dinner. We had a delicious dinner and then drove over to GELATO VERO for gelato, which we brought home.
We watched last week’s episode of MONK, and then started this week’s episode at about 9:30pm and he was out like a light.
It’s really good to have him home. On the one hand, it feels like I haven’t seen him for a year, but on the other hand, it feels like he never even left! He doesn’t seem dramatically different to me yet. Yes, he’s more positive, and he seems to be in a better mood. I don’t know what I was expecting, but I have to keep in mind it’s only been two weeks. It just seems like a lifetime in a way, and I thought that he would be a “changed man.”
He keeps telling me he’s so happy to be home, but then he tells me that he wants to move to North Carolina. It’s very important to him that I promise him we’ll move to North Carolina in 2009.
I don’t mind promising him, but I told him he has to keep his promises, too. He has to get his act together, get a job, and make the best of life in San Diego. If he does that, then I can see us planning a move for next Spring. I’m going to talk to the manager about signing a one-year lease, and I’m hoping they‘ll let us sign from when our lease ended in May, so it would end in May 2009, instead of ending next August. Otherwise, maybe they’ll let us sign another 6 month lease. I just don’t want to commit to stay longer than next Spring, and I’d rather not break a lease.
Anyway, that’s not something we really need to worry about now. We have plenty of other stuff to worry about. I just want him to be happy and healthy and enjoy our life here for the next year. I want him to relax a little and take it easy, but I know he wants to get everything unpacked and back in order. I just can’t believe he went through all the trouble of packing everything up and bringing it to NY, just to come home two weeks later and have to unpack it all again!
I’m pretty exhausted myself. I haven't been sleeping well, and between working all morning, running around at the Health Fair, then walking all around the office pulling down posters, then the reunion with Eric, and dinner out, I’m ready to hit the sack, too.
I know you were all worried about Eric, as I was, traveling across the country by himself. I’m so grateful that he’s home, safe and sound, and I thank you for all your thoughts and prayers. Traveling 6,000 miles in two weeks is a dangerous thing to do, and he’s lucky he made it back and forth with nothing more than a flat tire!
We have to take it day by day now, and just make sure things are different – and better. I want Eric to be happy, and I know he wants to be happy, too, but it’s up to him to make it happen.