Day 13

Skipped a day, sorry.

Got a lot done around the house yesterday, and was feeling hopeful. Husband and I have a plan for the future, towards working to me being home full time. But not until I go back to work and earn some money towards some home remodeling.

Today, feeling less hopeful as I haven't received any call backs for second interviews, or even first interviews. There is a hot job in Cheyenne that I am pretty sure I could get if I was willing to commute to Wyoming every day. But in the days of gas prices going higher and never coming back down - why would I want to drive MORE?

I'll continue to get things done around the house. It leaves me more time to spend with the animals, particularly my oldest dog. But I do want to go back to work. If only so I can "retire" on my own terms!

Day 11

I am trying to make the best use of my "summer vacation"

I have a company that seems interested and I may hear back from them next week. In the meantime, I like the idea of staying home and tending to my garden, maybe even starting the Berthoud Farmer's market this week or next week. It would be good to get some local customers to sell our chicken to.

So we'll see where it goes from here. I like staying home. I like getting things done. I don't know if I will like totally scrimping to get by. I know I WILL like not having to maintain a business casual wardrobe. But I do like to fix up my house and make improvements. Those solar water panels are just hanging out in the yard right now....

I'm really just rambling, so we'll see were life takes us. But I did send in my first payment request from unemployment. We'll see what I get... if anything at all.

Day 10 - The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

Really? 10 days of summer vacation! Kick ass! This is so cool. But really only cool because I am feeling positively certain that my summer vacation will be short lived. And once it's over, no way am I waiting for anything anymore. If I want hard wood floors, Imma gonna getem.

The Good

I am getting stuff done, no matter what the husband thinks. I've mowed yards I would never otherwise have mowed. I will have the bathroom paint done today or tomorrow. I get to hang out with dogs and chickens and sheep. And I had a good interview. At least it's making me feel positive. I've lost a few pounds, and have gotten to take my bike for a spin. I may even take my sewing machine down to the store and ask them to please show me how to work the darn thing!

The Bad

No air conditioning in this house, and every day brings me one day closer to July - when it just gets stifling. No relief for my allergies, and mowing the lawn doesn't help that at all. I've gotten to break up dog fights, that make me wonder how often Grish and Hobbes have little discussions when we are not at home to break them up. I'm not as motivated as I could be, but I am trying. It can be boring to be home, with 5 dogs staring at you wondering what you are going to do for them now.

The Ugly

This awful desire for a job I really want, and am helpless to do much more about getting. The watching of rain clouds that thunder and grumble and keep moving north of us, dropping just teasing drops on the ground that so desperately needs a storm. The constant worrying about money, and what might happen if this temporary lasts more than just the summer... But most of all, it's the allergies that are ugly. No relief from the pollen, the cat. OH and speaking of our useless cat. I have now caught 3 mice in the house. I can hear them in the walls. I see them in the basement. And the cat does nothing. I was really hoping we would never need another indoor cat. But if Schroed can't fix this mouse problem, and the mousetraps don't fix this mouse problem... damn it all, we may still need a house cat. DO YOUR JOB KITTY!!!

Day 9

I had a great phone interview today. It has me thinking positive thoughts, and realizing maybe I should take better advantage of my time off. But then again, I am working my tail off... I am enjoying spending so much time with the dogs, even if they are just all around me napping at the moment. :)

Regardless, my time off has not been fruitless. I did finally mow the jungle of the back yard, I am finishing the venetian plaster in the bathroom. My husband doesn't even notice that all his laundry is done and put away for him. Today I have to hit some dishes, wash some eggs, and mow around the orchard before those weeds take over our trees. There are plenty of little things to do. I don't mind doing them.

And sometimes I feel OK with the idea of staying home indefinitely... Except for that side of me that is a saver and a spender. There's a side of me that likes putting money aside for future use - emergencies, projects, whatever. Then there is a side of me that likes being able to do nice things - like fix up my house or whatever. Though staying home could be fun, and very beneficial - for all the work I can get done on the farm. I think money might still be more worthwhile right now than just my extra time on the farm. Ah well, we shall see.

Day 8

Feeling kind of bummed again today. I keep waking up in the morning in a panic - because the sun is already out and I must be late to work. So my body still hasn't adjusted. I should be taking advantage, if I play my cards right, this could all be VERY VERY temporary.

Or maybe I am just procrastinating because I need to mow the lawn, and I hate mowing the lawn.

I do have a phone interview, that got postponed until tomorrow. So that's fine.

But I can't get over this one company I would really like to work for... a new solar panel company starting up in Longmont - from a project joint with CSU. It's where I want to be. How can I convince them? They have my resume, more than once. So now I sit and wait, and hope for a phone call.

Day 7 - one week later

One week later and some of the shock is starting to wear off. I am still lacking in motivation, while I stare at a ton of housework, I better get some of it done.

I had a phone screen last night with a company, who shall remain nameless for now. Phone screens are usually pretty inocuous and rarely unique. Tell me about this, tell me about that, tell me about a time. Fabulous.

I got a call back today that they want to do a follow up phone interview with me tomorrow. Sweet, I got past the first date, and they want to take me out again. This is better than dating.

This is probably what has lifted my mood the most. The idea that someone might be interested. That this dark tunnel may very well be a short one. Let's see what happens!

Now I better go finish painting the bathroom/doing laundry/cleaning the kitchen/scrubbing the rugs...

Day 6

I've been applying to jobs - stretching the bounds for myself. Can I try technical writing? I've been published many times, but in a very niche technology. But I've written. Can I give that a try? I am looking for something that I can get started with, and I'm not talking about Associated Content, though a few extra bucks here and there isn't a bad idea.

I got some stuff done on the house this morning, still working on painting a bathroom, weeding the garden, feeding chickens. It wasn't so bad that I was home today - Lucy got her head stuck in the chicken fence, so I got to save her from that. She might have struggled all day, or annihilated the fence. I'm still catching mice in the house, and in the barn. I can collect eggs in the morning before the egg-eater gets to them. It's really not all bad.

But when husband leaves in the morning, it still just doesn't feel right. And his daily to-do list kills me as well. I know how to stay busy here, and truthfully, I need to spend lots of my time applying to jobs. I went through Indeed.com, monster, careerbuilder, SME.org and SWE.org, as well as opportunityknocks.org. Now it's time to hit each company one by one and see what is out there.

I have my dreams set on AVA Solar. IN the meantime, I have a phone interview tonight with Covidien. I will take what I can get. Again, a humbling experience. Let's get the bills paid.