TGIS! It was rough being back at work. Things went sideways when I was off on a couple things. More got added to my plate, people didn't communicate properly, and just my emotions ran wild. I loved having my son home. It was hard dropping him off. It was equally hard bringing youngest to the airport. My poor middle child will be sick of me invading her space. As I've done on Saturdays, here's my recap of life in W's for the week.
What’s top of my mind:
Honestly, it's my daughter and wanting to know more about her journey. Yet, at the same time, I want her to just do her thing. The excitement probably was squelched with the long travel day, but no doubt she'll get rested and the excitement will return. She thinks, but doesn't know, that classes start Monday.
What I’m watching:
I've been less interested in being in front of the TV. The kids watched shows and movies later Sunday and Monday. Football season starts, but I didn't pay any attention Thursday night. I'll also be looking to see if new Premier League games are televised here.
What I’m reading:
I haven't started any new books. I have to remember the Agatha Christie book we picked for book club. I'm going to pass on Getaway Gals to my SIL. It has a very prominent Italy theme and that's where their going in October for her 60th. I hope this means she doesn't throw herself a huge party- I'd like to avoid that drunken fete. It's a sort of book I think she'd enjoy.
What I’m listening to:
Kids playing outside and I can hear someone mowing the grass. Ours desperately needs a mow.
What I’m planning:
Now I need to start planning a fall trip. Everyone keeps asking if we are going to Spain. If the trip will take as long as my daughter's, rule that out. The most DH would get would be 10 days, including weekends, and if 36 hours is spent getting there and coming back and dealing with jet lag twice, I can't see it working. Maybe if we got a direct flight like when we went to the UK that would work. Other options might be a road trip down the Mississippi or heading north to Grand Marais and Canada. We might just do a relaxing week at the cabin with no one else there.
Who needs a good slap:
Once again meetings got changed with no regards to my schedule. A major one was scheduled for Thursday. I had scheduled vacation hours to take my daughter to the airport, planning to start work at 12:30. I logged in at 12:20 and see a flurry of Teams chats wondering where I am. Just two hours earlier, the meeting got switched from Thursday morning to 12:15 Wednesday.
I hopped on, but hadn't pulled up any of the materials and was bombarded with questions. I stood up for myself by saying, I was less prepared since the meeting changed and I was not actually available at this time. I was also quite filled with personal emotion and really wanted that 30 minutes before my 1:00 meeting ( which I knew I had) to mentally reset. I scrambled to do a quick pull and review. But crap, if you're going to change meetings, at least make sure people are available to even see the meeting changed, let alone not have a conflict. I'm slapping those that don't understand how calendars and communication work.
Who Deserves Knuck's (Fist Bump):
I'll give this to my boss. She too called me during another scheduled meeting, but it was in error. She had meant to just send a chat message to call when I was done. I took her call, but shared that I was a bit flustered, emotional, and overwhelmed with the major projects, being down staff, trying to just get caught up from vacation, and having my personal space for transition disregarded. She was kind, understanding, and appreciative of all that is on my plate. It just felt good to be heard. Sometimes that's all that's needed. I pulled myself together and had a successful rest of the work day, and work week.
What’s making me smile:
My daughter sent a video of her playing with the grandchildren of her host family. It was just like she was playing with her young cousins. I of course understood nothing, but I think she was supposed to be a horse and they were saddling her up. It feels like she got an excellent placement and they are making them feel welcome.
That's the low down on my week. I'm looking forward to a good and productive day. Some of the kids words might have sunk in with DH as when he bought food for his BBQ dinner, he loaded up fruits and items to eat lunch at home. If it is cooler, I'll make soups and freeze in portions easy for him to pull out to eat with a sandwich, or crackers and meat and cheese. But, between items bought for the weekend and his shop, the refrigerator needs a top to bottom clean. Time for YouTube in the background while I dive in. Play along if you'd like with your W's.
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| Don't judge, but I know it's chaos. |
I have a previous manager who wouldn't hesitate to reach out on evenings, weekends, holidays, etc, with "emergencies". She would then be surprised that people weren't always available. I remember doing a LONG work call from an Earthquakes soccer game. And, multiple calls from my parents laundry room on Christmas. Ahhh, good times. ;-) I won't miss that at all!
ReplyDeleteGood for you, for standing up for yourself when the meeting was changed, and you weren't really *available*.
Sounds like your daughter is having a great time! I'd say to research flights, and see what you can find that might be a direct option! Travel is awful, but with 10 days, I feel like you could make it work & find some reasonable flights. (I say that, not knowing your closest major airport, of course).
I explored a bit a d couldn't find any direct flights. The shortest one stop was still 18 hours of travel and the cost was insane. I won't rule it out yet though. Ridiculous to be called evenings, weekend, and holidays if truly not am emergency.
DeleteThe only remotely interesting "W" in my life, in my opinion, is "What's going on in my kitchen?" I went to our farmhouse yesterday, and gathered some apples--I'll go a few more times before the new tenant moves in on 10/1. I'm going to make apple turnovers later today.
ReplyDeleteI'd love access to free baking apples. What a treat.
DeleteI emphasize with the meeting time changes or scheduled with no consideration of my calendar. I had it happen several times in the past few weeks, and I've had to decline.
ReplyDeleteI would have liked to decline but they were in meeting as I logged in. Annoying.
DeleteOh my, my fridge looks just like yours! I had a full weekend (though not as full as yours) and over-shopped. I think I might just take all the leftover cheese to my kids' homes because I don't really eat it, but as for the rest of it ....!
ReplyDeleteIt's the partial containers taking up so much room. Leftover nights should help too.
DeleteSo glad you enjoyed having your whole family home for a bit. Enjoy your Saturday!!
ReplyDeleteIt was a good productive Saturday. The weekend is going too fast though.
DeleteUgh, I’ve had teachers text me at 2 a.m. to sub in the morning and not always an emergency, which is understandable. I wouldn’t worry about the chaos in the fridge, it’s a blessing to have it filled. :) I’m glad you had a good time with your son, I know it’s hard to let them go back.
ReplyDeleteI shouldn't complain as you are right- that's meals in that chaos.
DeleteCould your dh not squeeze another two days out of his work by compensating for the time lost before he left? Or, take over days for someone else?
ReplyDeleteHaving all your children there must have been a special joy. Good for you.
I had a professor who thought he could email us and we had to complete the assignment before class. So, I would leave early before class because I had other classes. I had no time to get on the internet. And, at school I had classes and no time to go to library. I got to class and there was an assignment that he swore I had time to complete. He put it up while I was sleeping and thought I should have stayed up to get an emailed assignment. We almost had it out in class. He is the same professor who counted off one point on my paper, giving me a 99, because he did not know the meaning of "acquisitive." Hated him. I was taking four grad level classes and he owned me. Oh, he was in the school of education.
Refrigerators get that way. It is because we make the mistake of putting food in them...lol.
My husband's work doesn't quite handle time off that way. He really would need to plan months in advance. My kids have lamented about poor communication by professors.
Deleteit sounds a good week indeed.
ReplyDeleteIt was, though being back to work was tough.
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