"I knew I should have listened to Artemidorus. Cassius is watching me like a hawk, and Brutus says I scratched his new Portia. And I can't decide to have roast chicken for lunch, or just a salad. If only I could combine them somehow..."- Julius Caesar
Well, the ides of March are here, and I believe there are forces conspiring against me too. Gail and I had a nice weekend, watched the St. Pat's parade downtown and went for a short flight Saturday. Sunday evening things started to fall apart, though, starting with me. Hungry after our walk around Lake Scranton, I dipped into a dish of very old hard candy, and broke a tooth. No pain, since I had had a root canal on that one; but a sharp kick in the checkbook, as I will have to get a porcelain crown. Damn. This on top of car, garage and fridge repairs over the last few weeks.
And yesterday my mother went in for a minor surgery. So I took the day off from work to take her to the hospital and get her checked in, and Gail and I and my mother's friend Dave waited there until she was out of surgery. I slipped out for an hour to get my tooth looked at, since I had a dentist appointment scheduled anyway. I'm happy to report that the surgery went well and that Mom is recovering; today I'm at work trying to chip away at the backlog of projects on my desk.
Tonight I will be on the treadmill again - race up to my mother's place to feed her cat, swing by the hospital, then go home and change into my uniform for the CAP meeting. I'll have to wear my dress blues, because we are having a change of command ceremony; my squadron commander is stepping down after six years due to career considerations. Who's the lucky stiff to take his place on the hot-seat?
Yes, that's right, me. I have successfully fended off two previous attempts to install me as a squadron commander, but this time there is no escaping it. (Gads, didn't Caesar refuse the crown three times? This metaphor is getting scary.) I'll take the reins and do my best to keep the squadron running, but it's just awful timing what with everything else I'm trying to juggle. I expect to do a lot of delegating! Hopefully the officers won't slip me the shiv straight away; ambition should be made of sterner stuff, indeed.
