Bye-Bye Summer Vacation

In many ways, it is a relief, and in others, not so much. Is it just that I "like" to gripe? Nah. Each season has its pros and cons.

The kids are back in school now for 2 days. The summer running and madness has ceased only to be replaced with school running and mounds of paper. Right now I believe the quiet house to be the blessing simply because I'm more able to get down to work when needed, less fighting, noise, etc.

The hardest part and latest challenge being that hubbie's schedule has changed yet again to where we are both working until 2-3 a.m. Not good for our new middle schooler who needs to wake at 6:30. I'm struggling with fatigue and trying to find a new change in the work/home balance to accommodate avoiding sending one of the loves of my life off to school without a hug. We'll figure it out eventually. It's probably as simple as getting my body out of the wake-sleep pattern I've been in for over 10 years and shifting my work hours to very early morning instead, but it's proving a challenge. I live with this fear that those who subcontract for me will inevitably send the wrong file the evening prior or forget to return their work altogether thereby holding up my return to the client the following morning. Control issue? I don't think so, but I'm sure it plays at least a partial role.

Update on my goals...I spent the summer picking away at the basement. I managed to sort around a 20-year accumulation of toys, despite my oldest only being almost 12 (no thanks to my mother-in-law--I'll explain later. You see, we have his 11 years worth of toys, my daughter's 9 years of toys, and my toddler's probably 2 years worth of toys (as we recycled the others since he didn't couldn't tell). Garage sale is in my immediate future. I finally got the old spider-ridden, unfinished part of the basement completely cleared out and ready for my husband to stud out and drywall. Better yet, ALL of the workout equipment is sitting right here in front of me just waiting for me to begin achieving my personal goal of tending to myself and putting myself first. Hubbie expressed concern about how he was ever going to be able to use it since it is right here where I work, to which I responded, "Look at me. I'm a walking mess. How 'bout nobody question how something is going to work out for them and allow me to only worry about myself for a change? Six months is all I am politely asking for, which I will be taking regardless if necessary." He got it, and I'm thankful he can be so reasonable, (Note: "can" be). Three weeks ago I was all ready to begin, and one of my subcontractors took off for 3 weeks without notice. Can't begrudge her a trip seeing how she never takes any, but a little notice to plan backup help woulda been nice, so I spent the last 3 weeks eyeballing the equipment. Just as she returned, literally, I got a call for some nonmedical transcription work that is going to be a nightmare that I'm hoping I receive a call for in 2 more days to cancel (It's going to be extremely expensive due to the terrible quality and projected length of time to transcribe due taking a crack at it for a mere 5 minutes yesterday).

I can taste it - it's right there - literally ME time.