Early in the Morning

Some of you might be wondering what a day in the house is like. These are some of the Daily Tasks the staff must do each and everyday.

6:30 - 7:00 Breakfast prep and service for early risers
7:30 Walk the dogs
7:45 Feed the dogs
8:00 - 8:30 Breakfast prep and service for Mr. P
9:00 Walk the grounds
10:00 Clean coffee service
11:00 Confirm lunch plans
12:00 Walk the dogs
12:30 - 1:00 Lunch prep and service (if required)
4:00 Confirm dinner plans
4:30 Feed the dogs
5:00 Walk the dogs
5:15 - 7:00 Dinner prep and service (if required)
7:00 Take the trash out, close the gates
9:30 Walk the dogs

The rest of the day is filled with Administration, Housekeeping, Culinary, Clothing & Laundry, Entertainment, Maintenance, Property & Grounds, Travel & Transportation, Safety and Protection and Personal Care for the Ps, their guests and pets.

For instance, I market for each property once or twice a week (culinary). House bills are recorded and paid once per week or more (administration). The houseman is tasked with priority projects once per week (maintenance). You get the point.

Title by Robert Palmer

Thank You

Ma Chère,

I don't know the last time I stopped to say thank you.

Thank you for being my best companion through all our crazy paths.

Thank you for our wonderful children. Their love for you, their talents and their faith are all testaments to you, to your love and to your many many sacrifices.

Thank you for standing tall, shoulders back and facing our challenges not with a "why me?" but rather with a "how do?" attitude.

I love you for so many reasons in so many ways. You are intelligent, sensitive and caring. You are beautiful.

Most of all, thank you for being my wife.

TMTT,
Mr. S

Title by Dido

American Anthem

It is Veterans' Day. It is my favorite secular holiday. Independence Day is close, but that just celebrates a single moment. Granted, it is a great moment; however, Veterans' Day is a celebration of 30 million moments of commitment. 30 million men and women that had the conviction to do what is necessary to protect that one moment 231 years ago.
God Bless You All. Thank You.
Title by Norah Jones (check out the video, it favors the Ground Pounders, but is poignant none-the-less)

Birthday

It's pouring rain and 40 degrees. I heard somewhere that, "God is in the rain." I'm not sure what that means, but it is a reassuring thought.

It reminds me of a story. A Buddhist monk was challenged by a journalist to give an example of where to find the Buddha. The monk offered in response a challenge. He asked the journalist instead show the monk where not to find the Buddha. "The Buddha is in the rain."

It is my birthday and I am drinking, alone. It is every bit not as fun as advertised. No pity party for me, though. I did have a rather fun mobile text birthday party with 4 people. Thank you Mr B, Ms S, Ms L and ma cherè. It was brief, but very enjoyable. It sounds like all the girls took the challenge to the fullest and partied well into the night.

Title by The Beatles

Finest Worksong

Changing careers is a difficult task. It is easy to think that once you have stepped on the path, the rest of the trip follows naturally. In my case, that has been mostly true. There have been, and of course will be, points where I reconsider the decision to change careers. Like just about everyone else, I ask myself if I should be working at what I am working at. I am confident that the decisions made in April are still valid.
That is not to say that there are not difficulties in my work. Some people get confused when they hear me speaking of the challenges in my day to day. It is, after all, still a job. There will be difficult times, challenges, conflict, etc.
I also have to be careful to separate the work challenges from the challenges of relocation and separation. Am I having a bad day at work because of issues there or am I carrying too much of my personal life (or severe lack of it right now) to the job with me? This question is relevant for anyone that is working; however, up until now, I have been blessed with a relatively stable personal life.

Title by R.E.M.

On the Street Where You Live

The goal is to sell the house before the end of the year and move the family between school semesters. We listed the house 4 weeks ago. There has been a disappointing goose egg for showings.

I know this is normally a rough time of the year to sell a house. I know it is a soft real estate market. I know that credit is hard to get for the people that would move into our neighborhood. The collapse of sub-prime lenders has been in the news for at least the last 3 months.

We have to sell the house before the move. Thankfully, all the facts above can turn to our favor once the house is sold. I should be able to find a place to rent rather quickly here once we have a firm date to move the family.

Ma cherè and I agreed at the beginning of the school year that once the Things start a semester, that is where they finish the semester. We might have to reconsider that decision if the house does not sell until the spring.

Title by Lerner & Loewe

Irresistible Targets

I finally got home again this weekend. It had been a long time, 4 weeks. It is so hard to get out of the van after only 44 hours on the ground with the family. I know someday soon there will be a time where I will not even have an escape from them and that is a good thing because Ms. L assured me so. The day cannot come too soon.

Title by John Stewart