A Goodbye For Now

So this afternoon I would find myself at Lisa's office at 4:30 PM. Odd place to be for me in the middle of the week to be sure. There already waiting was Sharon and Varsha, but no Balwan. Lisa had asked me to come earlier in the day because she needed to get herself and Johnnie Covid-tested for entry into Hawaii in a couple of days. And then afterwards she said she wanted to have sushi with Sharon and Varsha as a "goodbye" dinner of sorts. They are relocating to Ireland in a couple of weeks themselves. Man, how did this week turn into a couple of goodbyes and forays into the past. Yesterday, it was my Cedars-Sinai family, today it's the Balwan/Sharon connection sans Balwan of course who I'm sure was busy doing his new "business". I'm bugging about that one a bit because he is leaving his family, his daughter for a couple of months! I mean I could hardly stand Johnnie being in Hawaii for 3 weeks! Already he's telling me how he's going to miss me and boy is that already tugging at me hard! But I know that's his deal, their arrangement and really none of my business. Just me projecting is all. It was good to have a break at dinner at Oops anyway, although I knew it would be on Lisa's terms. What does that mean? It isn't just dinner. What else, I'm not sure yet. They walked to Walgreens to get the Covid test while I drove there. And proceeded to find out they weren't offering any and that they had to go through a Walgreen's drive-thru. And although we did make it to Oops, Lisa spent a good deal of time now finding some place where she could get them tested by tomorrow. She is cutting it close. In the meantime, they ordered a lot of food and I was happy to enjoy my chicken katsu and whatever sushi they ordered. And I even had Johnnie's shrimp tempura too. The something else after dinner turned out to be a walk around the neighborhood. I wouldn't have even given it a second thought because I do walk a lot already. Just that I spent extra time walking this morning just in case we didn't get any walking in the rest of the night. By the time we got back I was already at 15,000+ steps for the day, the 2nd day in a row I did 15,000 steps! That has to be some kind of personal record for me right? In the meantime, Johnnie and Varsha race up and down the street even with the dog and Lisa and Sharon walked and talked. That's Lisa's thing that relaxes her the most, just walking and talking. Talking about what who knows. I thought to myself that Balwan and Sharon living in Venice was one of the reasons we were even looking at the Maplewood house. And they proceeded to move out not even a year after we bought it. It just goes to show you never know what happens. Now they're moving to Ireland and I'm glad Sharon at least is doing things on her terms. I know she has to. I will remember seeing them at Easter and doing the egg hunt was a ritual. As was a couple of 4th of Julys. Then again the Richa/Balwan/Lisa group had already gone their separate ways a couple of years ago.  Just as 6 years ago everyone started a family almost at the same time. Life goes on. But as I told Sharon, I hate goodbyes and I'm not giving any. Just... I know I will see you again so... see you when I see you next. 

In the meantime, even as Johnnie was running around with Varsha, he kept wanting to go home. I knew all he wanted to do was go back to watching his Wild Kratts creature adventures. He even made a list of all the animals he wanted to see in Hawaii. I had to let him down easy and told him there were no wolves and king cobras, tasmanian devils, and spitter monkeys in Hawaii. But then again what do I know LOL. As for me the pic of Johnnie eating an ice cream sandwich settling on the couch with me already on it is just about as satisfying as it gets for me. Small pleasures. That IS what life is ultimately about isn't it? This being a Tuesday and all, I did manage to get some work done. Now that I have 3 departments under me it's sort of amusing even to see the activity and today it was all about making sure Shilpa my Senior Data Analyst doesn't go on overwhelm. She got a full 6 new data report requests today. It's a good thing in that those requirements are getting addressed. I have to make sure timeline expectations are managed though. That's my job. At least I am not on overwhelm. That much I need to continue to be self-aware of. I did miss a UDS meeting right after lunch because I thought it was at 2 PM rather than 1 PM. I told everyone I had done an upgrade on my computer that knocked it out for a good hour. Just my bad is all.  Probably thinking too much about when to pick up Johnnie since I had to factor in time for his lunch and getting to Lisa's office. That would be a microcosm of the difference in working from home. No such conflicts if I were in the office. And right now, I would still want to remain working from home. Eloisa had a meeting with all the participating managers about next month's town hall and encouraged us to spend time with one another again. That IS one thing that can't be done with remote work. Those lunches at the FRB, those aren't happening although in the end there, a year and a half later, there is no more Alan <though he would be irritating sometimes>, there would be no more Art and I now wonder what is happening with the JAMA folks we used to have lunch with. Or Mark or Jose who cooked countess meals for me. Ahh, I'm just in a sentimental mood from the Sharon thing I guess. I will stay in the present reminding myself that all anxiety is rooted in future thinking and all regret is rooted in past thinking. Tonight Johnnie has to go to bed early. Lisa again making the decision to do a Covid test at 6:30 AM in the morning. Hey she's gotta do what she's gotta do. She does have first class tickets. Wouldn't want to waste those! Meanwhile I'm calming down my swirl of thoughts with... Candy Crush!