Remember how I was expecting a smooth and short work day on Friday? Yeah…well…it wasn’t. I was stuck dealing with difficult, frustrating people all day long, for a full eight hour day, and then had to field a couple of calls after I was off the clock. I suppose I should be grateful to have a secure employment situation, and I am, but my experience yesterday did not live up to my expectations, so I was frustrated. In nearly all aspects of life yesterday, people I interacted with took advantage of my tendency toward organization and preparedness to make up for their own lack of same, and I barely got so much as a thank you, acknowledgement, or any sort of favorable exchange rate.

I really effing hate that.

Today has been, so far, somewhat better. I started the day early with a quick ten miles on the Virginia Capital Trail, logging my first five of fifty-one-point-seven this summerfor the Capital Quarantine Challenge, an event the Capital Tail Foundation is throwing this summer to encourage people to get out and be active and socially responsible by traversing the entire trail from Richmond to Williamsburg. No need to do it all at once. My usual ten mile out-and-back between miles 40 and 35, which I’ve been doing a couple of times a week lately, became my first section. Maybe next time (perhaps tomorrow morning) I’ll park out near marker 35 and head out toward marker 30, and knock out another section. At some point I’ll have to start having somebody drop me somewhere and pick me up at the other end if I’m going to finish this, but I have until August 31 to finish, and if I do, I get a t-shirt and certificate of completion. Plus, the Trail, which I love, gets some funding.

The rest of the morning was spent out visiting the farmers’ market and picking up the groceries for the week. I also, somewhat surprisingly, left Lidl with a charcoal grill I didn’t expect to come out with, but I spent a little time assembling it, and we’ll probably grill for dinner this evening. Lidl is a neat little German chain that’s moved into this area strongly, and has great deals on staples, plus all sorts of neat revolving stock from international foods to chainsaws (yes, I bought one last year).

Anyway, that’s the news from Lake Woebegone here; hoping for continued peace and quiet for the rest of the weekend.