Busy, busy, busy

 A lot seems to have happened in the last 2 weeks.  Let's start with the FSOT.  I drove to Casper on June 1st so that I wouldn't be freaked out about getting there on time for the test on June 2.  I went to lunch at Jimmy Johns (beach club unwich with bbq chips and a soda), then I went to Best Buy to get a computer.  I had the email with the specs for the computer I would need, found one, bought it, and was out in about 10 mins.  Seemed WAY too easy.  Then I went to Target for fun.  Found some cards for some people, priced out some snack foods, walked around the Eastridge Mall (a LOT has changed since I was a kid and that was THE place to go in Casper), then I checked into my motel (Motel 6).  I checked around for a good brewpub to go to.  The motel is really close to Gruner Bros brewing, who make a beer called Devilito that I really like.  Unfortunately, all their food was about $20 so I decided to try Wyoming Ale Works, which had a much larger menu and was a little less pricey.  It took me a while to find them, because I didn't realize how much Casper has expanded past the mall.  I decided to have a whole table to myself (the waitress said she didn't mind), and I was there in time for happy hour.  I had 2 good beers, a side salad, and a BBQ chicken pizza (individual size).  The whole tab was about $20, which I deemed acceptable.  Then I went back to the hotel, read more in my history book that I was using to study, took a sleeping pill so that I'd be refreshed in the AM, and went to bed.  

Ze pizza!

June 2nd I woke up, packed up, checked out, and went in search of coffee.  Found a drive-thru only Starbucks, so I got a black eye (black coffee with one shot of espresso) and a cold brew (also with a shot of espresso).  I then drove to the Pearson testing center building and hung out in the parking lot reading my book until it was time to go in.  I went in, went to the 3rd floor, signed what I needed to sign, put my stuff in my locker, and went back to take the test.  Three hours later, I came out of the testing room, chatted with the people working there, said I hoped I wouldn't be back next year, and left.  I went back to Target for some snack foods for home, stopped at Ghost Town for snack foods on the way home, and headed back to Riverton.  

Protecting my arm from the sun and waiting for traffic to start moving due to road construction.  I assure you, I AM driving... you can even see the steering wheel in my sunglasses!  LOL... this pic lead to a long convo with my older sis about how I really WAS driving and no, no one was with me.

Wyoming looking rather more green than usual.  There are a LOT of beautiful drives in this state... this one isn't one of them.  Boring is the word.  Tho I did see an antelope laying in a field of tiny purple flowers - that was fun.

The other side... it wasn't a long wait, but I had to keep myself entertained somehow!

My proof I'm driving pic.  Mo says it looks like I'm driving on the left side of the road... silly lady.

When I got home, I decided to have a beer with dinner.  I was trying REALLY hard not to freak out about the FSOT because I didn't feel good about it.  I ran out of time during the English portion of the test and I second-guessed myself about who takes over if the pres and vp can't serve.  It is the Speaker of the House, BTW.  Always go with your first answer.

When Mom came home, she gave me these.  She said, "Pass or fail, you deserve 'em."  The paper I got said that I'd have my test results in 1-2 days, and to check my email to know when they would be in.  I was still trying not to freak out, because that's what I do with tests like these.  For proof, a memory popped up on FB the other day about when I took my GRE to get into grad school.  I get nervous when it's my life plans at stake!

Anyway, on June 3 I checked my email and BOOM!  The email came in at 10:50pm on June 2nd.  I followed the link, clicked the button, and found out that... I PASSED!!!  So I went to work that day relieved that I no longer had to worry about it.  Now they are reviewing my essay and my personal narratives (that's the qualifications evaluation panel) and in 7-8 weeks I'll get notified if I'm going to be invited to the next part of the hiring process.  That's the day-long interview kind of thing.  So step one is done, and I'm super stoked about the possibility of going on to step two!  It would be another trip to Washington DC for me.  If I'm not invited for step 2, I'm not sure if that means the end or if I can try again next year.  I guess I'll find out.

So work this weekend was good.  I had to laugh because we got some new shooters in... and they are a bit pricey.  

I can't imagine someone paying $25.99 for a SHOT of tequila.  But I guess you never know.  People do funny things with stimulus checks.  My job is a lot of moving 30 packs of Busch light from the floor to the fridge.  Same thing for 24 packs of Michelobe Ultra (beer water... WHY DO SO MANY PEOPLE DRINK BEER WATER?!?).  I am usually pretty chill at work, but this weekend got me stressed a little.  I think it was because one of the sloshie machines was leaking, so I had to drain it to find the problem.  When it's the middle of a rush and one of the machines is down, it sucks because you're trying to fix the problem around a bunch of people and it feels like everyone is running around like chickens with their heads cut off.  I took my 2nd dinner break on Friday and was able to relax again, which was good.  The hours are long, but the people I work with are pretty great.  Even when they do give me a lot of shit about my fasting days.  M has threatened if I ever pass out, they are going to shove jerky and Mountain Dew down my throat.  LOL.

My Saturday lunch companion - Mom had to work and I was only having salad, apples, nuts, etc, so I did not share my lunch with Levi.  He was pretty adamant about it, though.

Sunday after work I came home, had dinner and then sat in the hot tub with Mom, then I took a shower and poured myself some Slow n Low over ice.  Lucy gave me this look - I think she was judging me.  

Me and my drink of choice.  David introduced me to this and it is SOOOO good.  It's a rye with orange flavoring.  Mom says it could be really dangerous... past hangovers confirm this assessment.  I do find that one glass does help me sleep thru the night, so that's nice.  

Otherwise, I found out that E is going to be able to retire so that's exciting!  He's been talking about coming up when he gets back and possibly going camping, which would be fun.  I haven't been camping in ages, so I told him to be patient with me.  He said he's camped when it was 9 degrees before... I don't think he's going to be prepared for a WY camping experience in the fall cuz it gets WAY more cold than 9 degrees (F for my international readers) in WY.

So my life at the moment is working, working, working.  I'm going to be getting my computer set up so that I can work remotely for GRMC, and I need to stop by Dad's to get my check for when I helped him with the concrete.  I am a lot of things, lazy is generally not one of them.  Being a manager is interesting, I'm trying to learn how best to work with everyone - some I can leave alone, others need more direction.  Anyway, I've certainly landed on my feet here and I'm enjoying being back.  Much love to all, MUAH!