Category Archives: work

random musings, work

Hard, satisfying work

One thing I love about living in a house versus an apartment is having a yard. Sure, there’s something nice about not having to ever worry about mowing or landscaping. But there’s also something very satisfying about mowing and landscaping.

Yesterday ended up being a yard day for me and my husband. The last time we’d mowed, it was 95 degrees with a heat index of around 98. Needless to say, we did good to get the front yard mowed. The whole back part of our yard was left tall. We were just too tired to try to do all of it. To add insult to heat stroke, my weed eater died. Just… died. Mid-edging of the sidewalk.

We were treated yesterday to a high of only about 92 with practically no heat index. So we started our day with a trip to the store for a new weed eater. (This of course after we discovered the warranty on our last one that we bought LAST YEAR went out a month before. Guess I should have popped for the extra year of warranty after all.) After talking with a store associate, we chose a new (way better!) trimmer with a three year warranty and I bought the two years extended warranty past that. None of this new weed eater in a year crap again!

After putting my new toy together for me (because for some reason I totally get a kick out of edging) my husband started mowing and I started trimming. It was hot, but we worked at a much more steady pace than the last time. Near the end of our project, my husband and I traded jobs so he could try out the new weed eater. We both agreed it was way better than the last one, and it didn’t wear you our nearly as bad. (The old one would leave my arms shaking for hours afterwards. Ever try to put eyeliner on with a hand that can’t stay still?? This one, however, didn’t phase me.)  I successfully stalled out the mower a few times on the super thick grass in the back where we didn’t mow last time. But still… the job got done.

It felt good to get up this morning, look outside, and admire our well manicured lawn. We haven’t looked this good since we moved in, I don’t think!!

Oh I have several bug bites from our task. One on my left wrist. Another on the back of my right hand. Which is making typing interesting, since all I want to do is scratch! But, hey, no good task really ever ends without some sort of injury, right?

I enjoy yard work. I don’t do it as often as I should. My flower beds are usually very pathetic. And how my flowers on the porch are still alive is beyond my comprehension. However, when I do get out to mow or weed or just enjoy my porch swing (which is when the flowers usually get watered), I enjoy it so much. Its satisfying. You can step back and see your hard work’s product and success. It gives you time to think and reflect. For me and my husband, it reflects good team work. It makes us sit back and go, “Go us!”

husband, work

Coordinating schedules

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A big reason why I want to make writing and photography happen for me as a career (outside of a sheer love and passion for them) is that I love the personal flexibility it provides me. Oh, don’t get me wrong, I know I have to stay focused and on-task to be successful. However, I like being able to be at home when my husband is home.

Right now its touring season, and my husband is on the road more than he’s at home. A fact we are both extremely thankful for, and a fact I strive to work around as much as possible. On his few days at home, I want to be able to move my projects around to step away from the computer and sit on the front step with him watching fireflies, listening to the high school band in the distance.

I like to sleep later than usual, when he’s at home. My rush to get up and start the day disappears for a few days. I’d rather snuggle down and stay where he is for another hour… or two. If he has a meeting to be at, I like to tag along… even if I just sit in the car and people watch, waiting for him to come out.

In the same breath, even when he’s tired from the road and wants to go to bed “early,” he’ll push forward awhile so we can go to bed at the same time. If I have a meeting of my own, he too tags along. He’s always game to any hair-brained idea I may have for us to go do, “Just to get out of the house for awhile.”

We strive hard to coordinate our schedules when we are both at home, knowing the hours together are precious before I’m dropping him back off at the bus to head to another show in another state.

Sometimes… sometimes we aren’t too successful. Take tonight, as I write this. I am trying to keep my schedule a bit “off” for upcoming nights working downtown in a bar. My husband, however, has a session bright and early in the morning. So in an odd move, he went to bed hours ago while I sit doing some work on the computer. In the morning, he’ll get up and head into town, while I snuggle back down under the covers for a few more hours of sleep.

As always, we are thankful for the work. Oh, once in a blue moon, I get a little grumbly, wanting more time together than working, but it never lasts too long. I quickly remember that work is what we prayed to get, and work is what we are thankful to have. We make the most of our time together, and I aim to continue to be able to do that. I don’t want to be ships passing in the night, if I can at all help it.