img 6832 scaled New job, new problem

New job, new problem

I got a job a few weeks ago with a graphic design firm in Fredericksburg, which was exciting, but less exciting is the state of the garden.

The past two weeks we’ve had lots of rain from big storms, which has caused the tomatoes to grow too fast and split. It’s been hard to adjust to working 8 hours a day, and I’m tired, which makes me not motivated to go pick the rotting tomatoes. Sydney hasn’t been able to help because of her PT and work schedule, and Jared doesn’t want to go out there either. I confess I’m thinking of pulling all the tomatoes out, so I can stop worrying about it.

What I really need is a schedule, I think. I have been to the gym just once in the past month while I try to get used to the new schedule. I went Tuesday this week and planned to go the rest of the week, too, but an office mate tested positive for Covid — unvaccinated and unmasked, of course. Arg. I quarantined out of an abundance of caution. Fortunately, I’m negative, and so far I think all of my coworkers and the children who were in the office are also negative.

I was concerned about working from home because all of my files are on my computer in the office, and I wasn’t certain that I’d be able to get everything moved over. When I realized that Creative Cloud actually did sync up properly (what???), I was able to get some work done on fixing the SEO on our company website, which was very, very bad, and I did a little work finishing up some client sites. My computer was running slowly, and I was having trouble with colors on my monitor, so Jared got me some more memory and a newer monitor. I had not realized my monitor was ten years old. The computer is four years old — is anybody else having trouble keeping track of time through Covid? I’ll think something happened two years ago and realize it was actually four. It’s almost like life is just on pause this past year and a half.

Anyway, I figured we’d go ahead and get things situated for working from home now. With Covid rates like they are, I think we may be heading back at shutdowns, and I need to be sure I’m set if we get sent home.

I’ve been writing an article on SEO for my coworkers that I will break up into several posts for our company blog and publish them over the next few weeks. I’ve also spent a lot of time reorganizing the content on the website we have with our intern for better SEO. She is a better writer than I am, and we are a good team.

The friend group has had so much drama lately. I think I’ve been able to help some of them get through a few things this week. Little F. Burt invited me to her baptism this weekend, and I was excited to go. I’ll do anything for these littles — It’s so touching when they ask for an adult to come to their special stuff, especially when I haven’t taught her in several years now. That’s one thing Mormonism does well: building inter-generational community. I wish they’d get the LGBTQ+ stuff together. It’s a blot on us collectively.

Anyway, things are good, except for the tomatoes. At least my sunflowers look pretty good.

Posted by Jenny Smith

I'm Jenny Smith. I blog about life on the 300+ acres of rolling farmland in Northern Virginia where I live. I like tomatoes, all things Star Trek, watercolor, and reading. I spend most days in the garden fighting deer and groundhogs while trying to find my life's meaning. I'm trying to be like Jesus -- emphasis on the trying.