Home Stretch
Well, I'm embarrassed to admit this but I miscalculated the balance of my remaining allotment of overtime hours. I'm embarrassed because math is not something I usually get tangled up in, especially if the numbers I'm crunching are remotely related to finances. Since I'm getting time-and-a-half for the overtime hours, those numbers are definitely related to my finances!
The only bright spot is that the mistake I made was in my favor. I thought I would finish this week with a balance of 13 hours of overtime left to work and since 12-1/2 is the maximum number they will allow me to work in one week, I thought it would take me another two weeks to finish. But, now that I found my mistake, I realize I have less than 10 hours remaining. That means I can easily finish up next week! I can't tell you what a weight that lifts off my shoulders, just to feel like the end is in sight. I realized my mistake about 9pm Thursday night and confirmed it with the timesheets when I got to work on Friday. Ahhh ...it made my day!
I don't think I'll end up with quite enough in overtime money to paint my little car but it's still a respectable little pile of extra cash we didn't have before. I will be careful, and hopefully wise, in deciding what to spend it on. I could keep saving a few more months and paint the car next spring ...or I could buy one or two of the things off of our wish list. I don't know what I'll do with it yet but I have at least a month to think about because the overtime is paid separately on the first of the month after it's worked. The remaining 9-1/2 hours to be worked are in August, so I won't have the last of my overtime pay until the first of September. Hopefully the extra time to think about it will ensure I make a wise decision.
Though the money will take a while to roll in, the immediate benefit and the one I think I'm most looking forward to is having my afternoons back. On a normal (no overtime, minimal errands) day, I get home about 4:30 in the afternoon. Yeoldfurt leaves for work almost three hours later than I do so he doesn't get home until 6:30 or 7:00. He always sets the thermostat up to 80 degrees when he leaves for work. Since I get home a couple of hours before he does, I have time to cool the house off for him. It also gives me time to take care of a few domestic chores and time to plan and start supper. He normally doesn't want to eat until an hour or so after he's home, but I like to have it ready so he can eat when he wants. He usually calls me when he leaves work to let me know he'll be home in 30-40 minutes. I wait until about 15 minutes before he's due and put a frappacino (his favorite beverage) on ice for him in the fridge. We spend a few minutes catching up with each other and then he goes to his computer for some unwind time before supper.
That life may sound totally boring to some, but we both miss it. The past two months, we've been more like but ships that pass in the night. Communication is minimal and sometimes strained, not by mood but by too many hours apart, too many outside demands, both of us frustrated by feeling stretched too thin. I want to go back to having everything ready for him when he gets home and having enough of a handle on the house and the chores that I'm not embarrassed if someone drops by. In a perfect world, we'd both be at home full-time, just doing what we enjoy and enjoying each other's company. But nothing like two months of long extended hours to make your 'normal' schedule feel like a vacation.
The only bright spot is that the mistake I made was in my favor. I thought I would finish this week with a balance of 13 hours of overtime left to work and since 12-1/2 is the maximum number they will allow me to work in one week, I thought it would take me another two weeks to finish. But, now that I found my mistake, I realize I have less than 10 hours remaining. That means I can easily finish up next week! I can't tell you what a weight that lifts off my shoulders, just to feel like the end is in sight. I realized my mistake about 9pm Thursday night and confirmed it with the timesheets when I got to work on Friday. Ahhh ...it made my day!
I don't think I'll end up with quite enough in overtime money to paint my little car but it's still a respectable little pile of extra cash we didn't have before. I will be careful, and hopefully wise, in deciding what to spend it on. I could keep saving a few more months and paint the car next spring ...or I could buy one or two of the things off of our wish list. I don't know what I'll do with it yet but I have at least a month to think about because the overtime is paid separately on the first of the month after it's worked. The remaining 9-1/2 hours to be worked are in August, so I won't have the last of my overtime pay until the first of September. Hopefully the extra time to think about it will ensure I make a wise decision.
Though the money will take a while to roll in, the immediate benefit and the one I think I'm most looking forward to is having my afternoons back. On a normal (no overtime, minimal errands) day, I get home about 4:30 in the afternoon. Yeoldfurt leaves for work almost three hours later than I do so he doesn't get home until 6:30 or 7:00. He always sets the thermostat up to 80 degrees when he leaves for work. Since I get home a couple of hours before he does, I have time to cool the house off for him. It also gives me time to take care of a few domestic chores and time to plan and start supper. He normally doesn't want to eat until an hour or so after he's home, but I like to have it ready so he can eat when he wants. He usually calls me when he leaves work to let me know he'll be home in 30-40 minutes. I wait until about 15 minutes before he's due and put a frappacino (his favorite beverage) on ice for him in the fridge. We spend a few minutes catching up with each other and then he goes to his computer for some unwind time before supper.
That life may sound totally boring to some, but we both miss it. The past two months, we've been more like but ships that pass in the night. Communication is minimal and sometimes strained, not by mood but by too many hours apart, too many outside demands, both of us frustrated by feeling stretched too thin. I want to go back to having everything ready for him when he gets home and having enough of a handle on the house and the chores that I'm not embarrassed if someone drops by. In a perfect world, we'd both be at home full-time, just doing what we enjoy and enjoying each other's company. But nothing like two months of long extended hours to make your 'normal' schedule feel like a vacation.
Labels: Back to Normal, Personal Challenges, Simple Musings and Silly Stories
posted by HossBoss at
12:57 PM
6 Comments:
We all like routines, even those who claim they can't stand doing the same old things, their routine is change. Drama queens routinely create drama where there is none, and adrenaline junkies create adrenaline rich routines. We're just built that way.
Routines are comfortable, but leave us open to being complacent.
I'm glad you're going to be able to fall back into your old routine, even if you can't add two and two. ;-)
Even the ones that claim to keep a strict routine can't hold onto it indefinitely ...too many outside influences and hiccups. But a secondary side effect of the inevitable change that occurs in all our lives is a renewed appreciation for our chosen 'normal' routine. I am in the renewed appreciation stage. Long about November, I might be edging on the complacent stage ...but by that time, the holidays will be rolling around and bring those inevitable outside influences to shake things up again. It's all good...
: )
HEY! I can too add two and two ...just not necessarily accurately when I'm tired and overworked.
At least my mistake was in my favor ...the boost it gave me when I realized my error and that I was closer than I thought to being finished was well worth it. I'd sure be miserable if the mistake had gone the other way!
Be wary of the tax burden you may inadvertently acquire. I owned a part of a small payroll company. It started to do well, and my checks got bigger. Suddenly I found myself in a higher tax bracket and in a position where the additional income cost me more than I got to keep. I sold my share to a coworker for $1.00 to get out. Going from one bracket to another can make a hellish difference in your taxes.
Girl, you are definately working too hard. You're making mistakes like I would make and THAT is never a good thing, my friend ;)
Math and me don't get along, never have prolly never will. Glad it turned out in your favor. Blessings.
@Arsenius...
Good point, but I am wary and we're okay. We're nowhere near crossing into a higher bracket and I make sure taxes are withheld from the the OT before I see it.
@Craftivist...
It's definitely the home stretch now, this is the last week of OT this year. Looks like I will have enough to paint my car like I wanted, so I'm happy. It was tough but it was worth it.
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