Of Moose And Men
The Best Laid Plans Of Both Often Go Astray

Mostly lazy day. Some packing, lots of video gaming, more packing, etc. Did a grocery run for snacks/drinks for the car so we’re not buying other (more expensive) stuff on the road. Filled the car with gas, pretty much all set. Dropped off keys with the neighbors to check on the beasties. Just need to pack the car and go at this point.

Have the work laptop with me as a just-in-case, though I don’t anticipate needing it. But given the rest of the craziness of the last three months (can you believe it’s only been three months?) I’m not taking chances. Another friend was told to make sure he’s in the office tomorrow, at a different agency, so who knows what that will entail. I’d appreciate it if we could get a moment or three of peace amidst 47’s dementia, but that appears to be too much to ask.

The husband and I have to head to the Boston area next week for a family funeral. Which also, unfortunately, means some suit shopping tomorrow because I don’t have one that fits at the moment. I am once again extremely grateful that the primary practice area for my small agency staffed up well before this administration and that none of them have left, so we have plenty of coverage while I’m out.

The cortisone seems to be more fully kicking in; walking is a bit more normal. But I still want them to go in and see what else can be done.

Easy dinner of eggs & rice tonight for me, mac & cheese for him. We watched The Gorge on AppleTV+, which started out really well, then quickly jumped the shark on the way over the putative gorge. We had fun complaining about how off the rails it went, so it wasn’t a complete loss.

Work was lots of drama today, all of it external to my office, but most of which I was in the middle of. I am forever grateful that I ‘grew up’ legally in a general law group, because I was exposed to a lot of nonsense that can go wrong with agencies, so I know how to spot a lot of crazy issues. And that was definitely at the fore today. Yes, I’m vague-blogging.

Consensus is that my agency’s budget request for next fiscal year is a mixed bag. On the one hand, major cut in funding. On the other hand, we’re still requesting funds, and they’re not proposing to roll us into another agency or abolish us. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

More knitting this evening with the first three episodes of the second season of Andor. Got through another four rows as those suckers get longer and longer. I can see why people like them, especially as they get more intricate. I can also see why people have to put in ‘lifelines’ that they can frog the work back to. This one isn’t that complicated, but I definitely tried to drop a couple stitches before I quit for the evening.

Long day reviewing existing things at work so the new group to cancel them. Whee. Kept having to impress upon career people that this was a vibe check, that we’re going to get sued, and so be it, we just needed to get through it and be done with it.

The husband continues to bake, this time a small olive oil cake. Very tasty.

Regular doc checkup tomorrow, and an appointment with the postal service to pay for and turn in my passport renewal. It’s well over due, so I have to go in person, and this way they can do the photo, too. Getting the little card as well as the book, first as a just-in-case it’s useful, and then as an added, more easily carried proof of citizenship. Because yes, I’m that paranoid.

Forgot to take painkillers with me to work, and the knee was not happy with me by the afternoon. More gross was that the AC wasn’t working well when I got in – whole office was 74 or higher, despite most thermostats being set to 70. My office dipped to 75 at some point over the day, but hovered around 77-78 for most of it. Yuck.

Work is a grind of prepping stuff as best we can while knowing we’re going to get sued. Oh well. Set stupid policies, get sued. I get paid regardless, so long as they don’t fire the lot of us.

Cortisone shot in the knee, which I babied the rest of the day (lots of video gaming, sprawled out on the couch). Back in four weeks to see how it’s doing, and see if we need a referral to another physician in the practice to do a camera scope inside.

Ordered Chinese in, ate way too much for someone who’s sedentary. Oh well.

A big policy document finally shook loose at work, so now we can turn to doing and back away from all the hand wringing. I am so, so very grateful that I recruited one capable, personable attorney from my old agency to work on my portfolio, and he in turn recruited another capable, personable attorney from our old agency for the same. Having backup that I enjoy talking to has been such a blessing, especially on days like today where I needed to be away and resting.

Knee was a mess today, so of course I forgot the three-a-day pain medication. Tylenol had to suffice (poorly). Mainly is when the knee is kept in flexion (bent) for any period of time. In extension (straight out) is fine, but after it’s been flexed it takes a while to recover. We’ll see what voodoo gets offered on Friday, be it anti-inflammatory, lubrication, or platelet replacement. Who knows?

Work was a hot mess of last minute stuff for senior people who finally decided to partially read the lawyers in at the eleventh hour.

As the small gubm’nt agency continues to try and thread the needle of courts versus policy direction, I keep hearing about things and being told that people at senior levels are either asking the agency head if they can read me into something, or they’re telling other people to come ask me questions about some policy they’re developing. In the first case the agency head keeps saying no, which I interpret as him trying to minimize the number of people working on things, but at a certain point it starts to feel personal. In the second case I have nothing to add because I haven’t been read into the policy (see case the first), so I have no clue what they’re doing. So when it all blows up, it’s not my fault, because they won’t let me do my job. Whatevs.

Tonight after work was another stop at the local market, this time for some more zucchini to sauté, and sweet potatoes to boil & mash, to go with the leftover meatloaf, which heated up nicely in the toaster oven.

Managed to move my next orthopedist appointment to next Friday versus a week from Monday, and they gave me a stronger NSAID to start tomorrow. Going back to a bigger brace is helping, too.

Missed lunch because of a last minute meeting, but managed to finish something that we needed to get done for the agency head, so yay? Also, no real news on the budget yet, though other agencies’ plans have leaked to the press and they’re pretty draconian. I would not be surprised if ours was half of our current level, which would be consistent with the public plans that the think tanks announced prior to the start of this administration.

Ordered in dinner as soon as we got home, watched some fun British TV, then read some.

Knee was definitely worsening today; calling the orthopedist tomorrow to move things up. Pain, and more problems walking, which was highly distracting at work.

The plans for next year’s budget request are starting to hit agencies, and from the rumblings I’m hearing they’re pretty bad, as in pretty drastic cuts. We’ll see if Congress lets that happen as the realities of cuts in their states/districts starts to sink in, but given how cowardly this lot has been you never know.