Outside my window...
The sun is shining on the hard-packed snow and quickly melting the heavy frost on the driveway and vehicles. It has the hope of spring written all over the day.
From the office...
For the moment, today continues to be on hold (thus the post). From day one, the work schedule reamains more variable than the weather. As mentioned in the comments on my last big post, my work weeks have been: January week#1: 27 hours. January week#2: 46 hours. January week#3: 49 hours. January week#4 was only 40 hours because I asked for a day off. The last couple of weeks have been about 38 hours each.
My boss was not kidding when she mentioned that the work may vary. The trick seems to be managing the time. When there is no work, you still have to be vigilant should work suddenly come in. When there is too-much-work, you have to remember to eat, drink water, and stand up and stretch.
For slow days, I have putter mode. I putter on little house tasks that need doing (dishes, laundry, etc.) or I take some time to stretch and walk on the elliptical machine; anything that still allows me to watch for incoming files. It has been working well. [Someday I'll add in some knitting projects.]
For full days... Well, I'm finding that full days are actually harder to accommodate. I have had to set alarms to remind me to eat meals, which is good. However, I am trying to also add reminders to "stop, stand up and stretch." I really need to do this several times across a workday, but it is not yet a habit. So far (i.e. I started this experiment yesterday), I am trying to take a break every 2-3 hours. When taking a "stretch break" I set a kitchen timer for 10 minutes, start with some specific stretch routines for my neck and shoulders, then take what time remains to walk on the elliptical machine.
Other than that, the work is still 6 days a week unless I ask for time off or I need time off for appointments, etc.
What I am doing as Fun-time...
1.) Not much. Any spare time is quickly absorbed by tasks and obligations. Hopefully this will change at some point.
2.) I am still reading as part of my bettime routine. I read a Bible devotional first (I started this almost a year ago), then (if it's not too late) I'll read in my other book. I'm still progressing through The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan; currently in Book Six: Lord of Chaos.
Thought(s) on my mind...
Has it REALLY been eight months since I've done a Squirrel Days post? Yikes!
Counting blessings...
1.) My job. Even though I'm not yet making much money, I love the work and my boss. I have a heart for the patients and I lift prayers when I transcribe hardships and lift praises when I transcribe victories.
2.) Mr. Squirrel's job. I'm so thankful that he loves driving the activity busses. The kids love him and call him "the cool bus driver" because he interacts with them and cares about them. Likewise, his income is not a lot. However, his job and mine together almost make a single full-time income.
3.) God's provision and his blessings that show us that we are making forward progress. Things are getting better for us, if slower than we would like, it is all in God's timing.
A picture I would like to share...
Hmmm. Nothing to share today. Perhaps next time.
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However, I just got another batch of files in, so it's back to work time!
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