I once was lost....

I have no sense of direction. I can get lost in my own town, which is a pretty good trick since it's less than two miles across. I get it from my father, I think, who blames it on being left-handed, although I don't quite see the connection.

So FINALLY I broke down and got a GPS. It's not a good one, I mean it's good enough, but not a top of the line, name brand-y type of GPS.

Sometimes I don't understand why it routes me the way it does - for example on a trip back to New Jersey from New England it took me on some kind of meandering tour through all of the Bronx - but it gets me where I need to go one way or another. It gives me a lot of peace of mind because getting lost is something I find very frustrating and sometimes frightening.

But mostly it's just SO FREAKING COOL! The fact that this little hunk of metal and plastic can know where it is at any given moment and can tell me how to get wherever I want to go, and how long it will take nearly blows my mind. I feel like Buck Rodgers or something with a little sidekick that actually talks to me.

The future is here...and it's saying take a left in 500 ft.

Lawn Care and the Single Woman

Yeah, I've been gone a long time.
Longer than I've been away from this blog, that's for sure.
I haven't felt like "Ask Shifra" in well over a year but slowly I'm feeling more and more like myself.

My husband and I separated in February... it was a long time coming I guess but no less shocking somehow. When I tell people about it I compare it to this cartoon I had on my fridge for many years.

In the first frame there is a snail about two feet away from a banana peel.
In the second frame it's about a foot away from the peel.
In the third frame the snail is right up next to the peel.
And it the fourth it's yelling "WHOA!" as it slips way up into the air.

You know it's coming but it doesn't seem possible until it happens.

Telling our kids was the worst, telling my grandmothers wasn't great either.
"Who's going to mow the lawn?" asked my grandma, clearly shaken.
"I will" I said "I've always mowed the lawn."
"Couldn't you pay a neighbor boy to do it? There must be some boys around who can mow the lawn?"
"Grandma, it's not a problem, I've always mowed the lawn, I can mow the lawn..."
"Maybe you could hire a service, I don't think it would cost that much..."

So now I'm very careful to keep my lawn looking good.
The appearance of my wellbeing depends on it apparently.

For those of you left hanging from my last post, I'm pleased to report that in week seven of my job search I had three excellent job offers. I chose the company that seemed the most flexible and well organized because that's really what I need right now. It was a good choice, and I am very happy there.

I'm busy but not too busy to crank out a post now and then if anyone is still interested.
Is anyone?