Positively Tuesday-Upward Climb

      We've each been hit with a series of allergies and or colds. I've been better since last week but DH came home on Saturday miserable. DD2 felt awful Sunday, though made it to work yesterday, and forced herself not to crawl into bed so her sleep wouldn't be disrupted last night. She had the lingering effects still though of not sleeping well, and went to bed taking two Tylenol for  headache. DS has been "insanely" sick, his adjective, since Saturday night. For him, he misses pay when he can't get to a job so it is a double problem. I'm glad he doesn't live alone as it sounded like Saturday night into Sunday he was in really rough shape. Maybe now we will be climbing out of the summer illness season. I'm going to think positive.

     A few weeks back I mentioned a huge financial issue came up that was causing a lot of stress. It wasn't my issue directly, but I was preparing to help mitigate the financial strain it was causing. I'm just happy to say it has been resolved with almost as good a resolution as could be hoped for. Money isn't everything, but when a financial jam comes out of no where, it impacts both physical and mental health. 

     

     A positive note for my job, I  am accruing 1/2 hour more a pay period as of my current pay period, which will earn me an additional day and 1/2 off a year. When used with flex weeks, I can stretch to six weeks of vacations since I would only use 36 hours those weeks. It will allow me to take at least one two full week vacation a year, plus 2-3 full weeks, and an odd day here and there as needed. I believe by the time DH retires, I'll accrue another  1/2 hour a period. Our negotiate raises are a smidge bit better at 2.25% each of the next two years, not just 2%. Our health insurance is going up, but that additional .25% just about covers the increase so I'll actually see a raise in my paycheck once finalized, plus some back raise to July 1, which will be useful to put away towards Christmas shopping. There is a climate of holding costs down, but when there is no raise, the impact is multiple years of earnings. I am grateful that there is even a small one this year since despite the economy that some people are raving about, wages are stagnant and costs are going up. 

     

     Thank you again for last weeks well wishes, thoughts, prayers, and however you have been sending good things out for my cousins son. A few good progress reports. He was taken off the ventilator and is able to breath on his own. He had a successful surgery on his badly injured legs. While too early to tell, the doctors do not suspect the injuries will lead to long term impact on his ability to walk. There has been small progress as well in  area that they are most concerned about, brain injury. They have been reducing sedation, while watching the pressure. There was signs of him following simple commands like wiggling fingers or trying to move an arm. He is still considered in a coma, but it is described as a really deep fog-not a vegetative state. As positive as all this has been, the family  has come to the realization that his recuperation will not be weeks, but months-many months, and progress will be followed by set backs. Wishing you all an absolutely positive Tuesday. 

     I'm still not a fan of Tuesday, but this morning the sun is just starting to shine from behind the clouds. We had a nice soaking rain last night, a free sprinkler system to our yard that was starting to look a bit dehydrated. I love a good rain and the freshness it leaves behind.