{"id":21118,"date":"2026-05-20T00:57:45","date_gmt":"2026-05-20T00:57:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.annemettehowland.net\/?p=21118"},"modified":"2026-05-20T05:59:31","modified_gmt":"2026-05-20T05:59:31","slug":"chapter-169-citrix-synergy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.annemettehowland.net\/?p=21118","title":{"rendered":"Chapter 169 Citrix Synergy"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Monday, January 1, 2018<\/strong>

I have decided that since I can’t be the best grandma ever, I will be the best Preschool teacher that I can be. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the Christmas break, I put my heart and soul into preparing for the lessons I will be teaching this month. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I replaced the shower curtain in the bathroom that the preschoolers use.

I always thought it was dumb to have curtains for all occasions.

Here I am, excited for the preschoolers to see it.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

I printed out their names and made 7 snowmen with their faces on them. I put them in a basket by a showman’s poster. When they come, they can find their name and their showman, and then put it on the poster when they walk in the door. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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To be the line leader is a big deal. I will put their picture and name on the snowman so they will know who the line leader is for the day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Friday, January 26, 2018<\/strong>

In my preschool, I work on a different letter each week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I put a picture of the child on the paper that they are going to color that day.

It’s so fun to see their faces when I give them their worksheet.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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I turned the puppet stand that Johny helped me make into a place where I write what letter we are working on for the week. <\/p>\n<\/div>

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I turned the playroom into a hospital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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To make it official that we are working in a hospital, I made badges for the kids and myself to wear. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

During preschool, I wore pink scrubs I found at the thrift store. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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It’s been a lot of work, but it’s been worth it since I plan to do preschool for years to come.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We also had a field trip to the fire station, and ended the month with the usual program for the parents. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thursday, February 1, 2018<\/strong>

This month, besides changing the shower curtain, I also made a wreath for my front door and crocheted hand towels for the bathroom. I am so excited for preschool to start tomorrow. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I also made a calendar for each child with their picture in the corner and their name, so they will know what letter we will be working on.

My neighbor comes over to help, so I made her a calendar too.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Saturday, February 3, 2018<\/strong>

I made the playroom into a place where they can take their pets to the groomers. I have also sewn aprons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Saturday, February 10, 2017<\/strong>

I set up the toy room differently and got it ready for the things that we will be working on. This week, they are going to be veterinarians. So I made an animal hospital. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Tuesday, February 13, 2018<\/strong>

A while back, I got a female bunny for my grandkids to play with when they came over. I named her Fufu. I also got a male bunny that I named Gorge.

I didn’t think George could make babies because his male part had been cut apart from the cage that he had been in before I bought him. Therefore, I didn’t worry about spaying or neutering my bunnies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This morning, when I looked into the back hard, it looked like there were little baby bunnies hopping around.

I went outside to get a closer look.

Fufu had dug a hole in the ground and kept her babies safe from the cold weather. Now that they are older, they came out and were hopping around.
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Wednesday, February 14, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We had a Valentine’s party today, where the kids could exchange their Valentine’s cards and candy with each other.

We also had a science experiment where the kids added vinegar and red dye to baking soda.

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I had asked Richard if he minded if we didn’t get each other anything for Valentine’s this year. He said that would be fine. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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When it was time for bed, he had decorated our bedroom. He said it was because he wanted to let me know that he loved me. Then he told me he was going on a business trip in the middle of May and wanted me to come along. I told him I would love to, except I had preschool that week and wouldn’t be done with it until May 26. But I had the summer off, so we could plan on doing something together then.

He looked disappointed, then he said, “It would mean a lot to me, but we can talk more about it later.”

Sunday, February 25, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Laila and her husband, Beth and her family, all came out after Church to see the bunnies.

Laila told me I’d better get George nuttered so that Fufu didn’t get pregnant again.
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Monday, February 26, 2018<\/strong>

The bunnies are so cute, I can’t believe how quickly they are already getting!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I didn’t think Fufu could get pregnant so quickly after the first set of bunnies, but this evening I discovered that there are 8 more bunnies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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That’s a total of 16 altogether.

As soon as preschool was over, I made an appointment with the Vet to have George neutered as soon as possible. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Monday, February 28, 2018<\/strong>

We had our program. It’s been fun to hear just how many songs they have learned so far.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Thursday, March 1, 2017<\/strong>

Got everything ready for March. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Saturday, March 10, 2018<\/strong>

Everything just arrived in time for T next week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Friday, March 16, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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We had our St. Patrick’s party today.

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I kept a few of my rabbits and got them all spayed and neutered.

Saturday, March 17, 2028<\/strong>

While Johny was serving his mission in Denmark, there was a girl from Colorado who was also serving her mission there. She is so sweet and can speak Danish. They are getting married this week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mary and my cousin Thomas came from Denmark to attend the wedding.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Friday, March 28, 2018<\/strong>

As soon as preschool was over, Richard, Thomas, Mary, and I drove to Provo to attend Johny’s wedding.

When we got there, Thomas and Mary had to wait outside the Temple. I felt bad, especially since they had come all this way.

After the ceremony, we went outside to have our pictures taken. While we were waiting, I spotted my grandkids; they saw me, too. I wanted to run over and hug them, but I could tell they had been instructed to stay close to their parents. I didn’t want to cause any trouble, so I just smiled and waved to them when no one was looking. They smiled and waved back. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I felt sad that my grandkids and I weren’t comfortable running to hug each other. This was not what I had imagined it would be like to be their grandmother. Especially since I had been so close to them. I tried to be grateful that we could at least smile at each other. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Johny had asked if I could make a Danish cake and some traditional Danish cookies.

I helped set up the food for the reception. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

While we were there, I felt bad that I had not helped out more before the wedding or invited extended family and friends. The family and friends who were there were only because Johny had let them know about his wedding. I asked Johny if he had let Sarah know. He said, “No. I thought you were going to do that.” Then I felt even worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had only been able to focus on the preschool so that I wouldn’t have to think about my life. I didn’t understand why I had not been able to do more. I wish my life weren’t so complicated!

At the time, I didn’t know that I was in survival mode. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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During the reception, when no one was looking, I snuck over and hugged my grandkids. When the reception was over, my granddaughter snuck over and stood by me as we held up the sparklers for Johny and his new bride. I wished that moment could have lasted forever!

Sunday, April 1, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I held our yearly Easter party. Beth, her family, Laila, and her husband came. After everyone had gone home, I worked on the lessons I’ll be doing this month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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As I got ready for bed, Richard reminded me of his upcoming business trip and asked me again to go with him. He said he would only be going to class until 2 o’clock every day, and then we would have the rest of the evening to do stuff together.

I told him I couldn’t because it was too close to the preschool graduations, but we could do something together during the summer when he had vacation.

He got upset and said, “We never see each other, and it would mean a lot to me if you came. All you do is spend time preparing for your preschool. They mean more to you than I do!” I assured him they didn’t. He said he would know he meant more to me if I took that week off and went with him.

I felt sick about it! Since I was committed to my marriage, I told him I could go with him. He hugged me tight and said, “You have no idea how much that means to me!”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Monday, April 30, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I had an Easter party for the preschoolers and their families. We had an Easter egg hunt, and they got to take turns holding the rabbits. The preschoolers also sang the songs they had learned this month.

Friday, May 4, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As I did preschool this week, I felt so bad that I can’t be here next week. I let all the parents know that I would have to take the next week off. Since I felt so bad about it, I told the parents who were paying for preschool that they could have this last month for free.

Sunday, May 6, 2018<\/strong>

Richard and I left this morning to drive to Anaheim, California, for his business trip. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As we drove there, he told me all about the things we could see and do when he was done with his classes.

As he was driving, he kept speeding. I kept asking him to slow down. He ended up getting a speeding ticket. I asked him what his hurry was. He told me it was because he needed to get to Anehime in time to sign up for the classes. I asked why he didn’t just do it online. He told me it was too confusing and that he had to sign up before the classes were full.

When we got to the hotel where we would be staying, Richard told me he would be back as soon as he was done signing up for the classes.

Before he left, he told me to wait in the hotel because it wasn’t safe for me to go outside.

While I waited for him to come back, I cut out some stuff I was going to use for the preschool.

When he finally returned, he apologized for being gone for so long. He said he needed to read through a lot of stuff to make sure he signed up for the right classes.

Monday, May 7, 2018<\/strong>

This morning Richard and I had breakfast together. Before he headed off to his classes, he reminded me that it wasn’t safe for me to leave the hotel and that he would return with some food for me at noon. As I waited for him to return, I cut out more of the things I had brought.

At noon, he returned with some food as he had promised. As he gave me the food, he said that he was sorry that he didn’t have time to eat it with me because he had just enough time to get to his next class. Then he said he had received an email from his boss asking him to attend the evening classes as well. He had also brought me dinner since he wouldn’t be back until after 9:00 pm. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After he left, I was confused since I thought we were going to spend the afternoon together. I wanted to fly back home, but since I had already called off preschool for the week, I didn’t want to waste money on a plane ticket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Later, I noticed Richard had posted on his Facebook page that he was at Citrix Senergy to attend the Expo.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

As the evening went on, I felt stuck and alone in the hotel room. It reminded me of when I was a child, being locked in my room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tuesday, May 8, 2018<\/strong>

Before Richard headed off to his class, he reminded me that it wasn’t safe for me to go outside alone, so he would bring me food at noon.

At noon, he came back with enough food for me to have lunch and dinner just like he had yesterday.

After he left, I didn’t have anything to do. I was done cutting everything that I had brought with me. I was sick of watching TV and felt depressed. I ended up sleeping until Richard returned later that evening. I was surprised that I was still able to sleep through the night.

Wednesday, May 9, 2018<\/strong>

This morning, before Richard left, I asked him if we could do something together today since I was so sick of staying in the hotel room by myself. He said for me to be ready at noon, and we would go out and eat together. I was excited about finally getting out of the room.

When I was in the middle of putting on my compression stockings, Richard returned. He told me we had to leave right now so that he wouldn’t be late for his next class.

I had one stocking on and still needed to put the other one on. Richard told me there was no time for that and that we had to leave right now. I wanted to take the stocking off, but the leg with the blood clot starts to hurt if I don’t wear it. So we left with me only wearing one compression stocking. I told Richard I felt stupid for wearing only one. He told me it didn’t matter, and then we left. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Just before heading over to the building where the food was, I joked that we should have our picture taken so I could see that we had actually done something together while we were in California.

When we got into the building, I wanted to look around. Richard told me there was no time for that. When I was done filling my plate, I noticed a young man standing at the end of the room.

He was waving to Richard and started walking towards us. Richard had not noticed him, so I pointed to him and asked who he was. Richard looked alarmed, then he hurried, grabbed my hand, and waved it back and forth as if to signal to the young man that he was with his wife. When the young man saw this, he stopped dead in his tracks.

Then Richard said he’s a coworker. He’s ready to go with me to the next class, so I’d better get you back to the hotel. I asked, “Aren’t you going to introduce me to him? He responded, ” No, there’s no time.”

When we got back to the hotel, Richard said I could have his plate too, so that I wouldn’t be hungry when it was time for dinner. Then he left.

I was bothered by what had happened. I wondered why the young man had looked sad when he saw me. The whole incident seemed so odd to me and made no sense. I reasoned that it was because he didn’t like meeting new people.

Being alone in the hotel room, trying to make sense of things, made me more depressed than I already was. I ended up sleeping the rest of the day.

Thursday, May 10, 2018<\/strong>

After Richard had left this morning, I got a text from my friend asking me how I was doing. I was too depressed to respond. Then Beth called. She said I can’t believe you’re right next to Disneyland, and you don’t get to see it. If I were you, I’d just go by myself. Then she assured me that it would be fine to go outside.

I was too depressed to do anything, so I just stayed in the room trying to find something to watch on TV.

At noon, Richard brought me my lunch and dinner. After he left, I ended up sleeping the rest of the day since I was so depressed.

When Richard finally returned in the evening, he told me there were no classes tomorrow and that he had planned for us to spend the day with his sister and brother-in-law, since they didn’t live too far from where we were.

I asked him why he hadn’t told me this sooner. He said it was because he wanted to surprise me.

Friday, May 11, 2018<\/strong>

Before we met with Richard’s sister and brother-in-law, Richard asked me to bring my bathing suit so he could show me the hotel’s swimming pool and hot tub. He knew right where it was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we got there, I asked, “You knew this was here the whole time?!” He answered, “Of course not, I just heard about it last night and was excited to show it to you!”

As we lay by the pool in the sun, Richard said, “Isn’t this just the best?! I could just stay here forever with you. I am so glad we are able to spend this last day together!”

Later, his sister and brother-in-law came, and we spent the rest of the evening with them.

Saturday, May 12, 2018<\/strong>

We spent the day driving back to Utah. I felt depressed and tired from the trip, and I was bothered that I had spent almost the whole week in the hotel alone. But I didn’t say anything about it.

When we got home, Richard called my sister to invite her and her family over tomorrow for Mother’s Day. He also invited Laila, her husband, Johny, and his new wife.

Beth called me back to ask me if it was okay if she invited our mom and her husband. I told Beth that it had been a long week. I was okay with her stepfather coming, but I didn’t think I could handle her mom. Beth promised that she would stay close to our mom to make sure she behaved. I told Beth that as long as she did that, I was okay with her coming… (Even though I really wasn’t.)

Since I was tired and depressed, I wished I could sleep all tomorrow instead of having to go to church and listen to all the talks about how wonderful their mothers are. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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7 years after the trip, I went online to see the times for Citrix Synergy’s expo. Now that I have the whole picture, I wasn’t surprised to see there had been no classes that Monday, and it didn’t go until 9 in the evening.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n




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Monday, January 1, 2018 I have decided that since I can’t be the best grandma ever, I will be the best Preschool teacher that I can be. During the Christmas break, I put my heart and soul into preparing for the lessons I will be teaching this month. I replaced the shower curtain in the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21118","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.annemettehowland.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21118","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.annemettehowland.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.annemettehowland.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.annemettehowland.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.annemettehowland.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=21118"}],"version-history":[{"count":253,"href":"https:\/\/www.annemettehowland.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21118\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21502,"href":"https:\/\/www.annemettehowland.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/21118\/revisions\/21502"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.annemettehowland.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=21118"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.annemettehowland.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=21118"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.annemettehowland.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=21118"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}