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Friday, January 2, 2015

Everyone remains on vacation


As Emily got ready for bed last night, the phone rang. A little late, but the caller identified herself as from the ski resort, and Emily was called into work today. Starting time: 7 a.m. The girls usually are on the school bus at that hour, so getting up to go to work was no hardship for Emily. I’m usually under the covers for another hour, so getting up at six was extreme hardship for me.

Excepting the arctic bout in November, we've had no winter. After the coldest November on record, we've had the warmest December with temperatures in the mid forties, although cold at night. I was surprised the resorts had been able to make snow, but they deemed four inches enough and opened their season at seven this morning, not the usual noon, to capitalize on the last day of the holidays.

That’s what Emily told me on the way home at three in the afternoon, plus, they called so late because they called down the list to put together a crew, and a lot of that crew said they were still on vacation. So, the sixteen year old who worked lifts today is scheduled every Saturday and Sunday for the rest of the season. You snooze, you lose, as is said.

Driving home at seven a.m., watching the sky grow grey, and narrowly missing two deer in the dusk I thought I’d just go back to bed. But it was seven thirty, so I took a shower, ate breakfast and went on to work. I needed to distribute the road department payroll and there were a couple more jobs I could get done before Monday, when all absenteeism should be over.

Job One was to locate the end of year manual among the files loaded to my computer in Auditor of State’s last upgrade. I thought I knew; I was wrong. I looked at every other file (I thought), then called. No answer, so I emailed, politely. Eventually someone who apparently wished he were on vacation today told me the last line of the printed instructions for the last upgrade would tell me where the manual is located. Having made his point, he also cut and pasted that last line.

In the meantime I had moved along to putting a fairly important letter to the county prosecutor on township letterhead. Our attorney drafted the letter, all three trustees reviewed it and the attorney sent it along last Wednesday. I set to work on it that day, and quickly unearthed two omissions, so I called. Of course, they all were not in the office. They weren’t there at eight a.m. this morning, either, but I got the call back going on ten, and our attorney thanked me for finding the problems and promised me a new draft.

So, the person with no authority set aside the letter that had been written by an attorney and reviewed by three trustees with authority, came home and wove some more fabric before retrieving Emily at the end of her shift. Now I have been out of bed going on fourteen hours, so I think I’ll empty the dishwasher, reset my alarm for seven o’clock (the shift starts at eight tomorrow), and go to bed. Tonight I’ll sleep like I’m on vacation.



24 comments:

  1. How interesting with how hard the weather last year that it is so mild this year in comparison, but glad Emily was able to get some work days in.

    Betty

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  2. Sleep is easier,knowing there isn't much snow to plow.
    Jane x

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  3. you definitely can't predict mother nature,nor lawyers, ha ha, happy new year and carry on to you and Emily.

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  4. "You snooze, you lose" so true! I heard of a few youngsters who applied for work but didn't want to start until their holidays were over. My daughter who was doing the interviews, crossed them off the call back list, she needed staff NOW not in three weeks time.
    I'm impressed with your full 14 hour day, hope you got that deep, holiday sleep.

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  5. You deserve (more than deserve) that sleep. I have been up a long time, but nothing like as productive as you are.

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  6. Our ski resorts are just opening with fake snow. I remember skiing at Brandywine and Boston Mills in high school.

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  7. You and Emily have been on a roll today. Well done to both of you. Emily for getting her hours for the season an you for finding mistakes in the legal beagle's team. It has been quite mild here this past few months also. We had snow once. Not usual where I live to have only a little snow. But this past week it has been very sunny and very cold. We dipped to minus 6 which doesn't happen often. Then today it started raining again. I thought it was supposed to snow this weekend but it now looks like rain. It means it will be warmer than it has been. Enjoy your sleep :-)

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  8. You amaze with your schedules. Your Emily is a winner. Her photo at the end of your post is wonderful -- love her smile -- barbara

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  9. Truly, the sacrifice of sleep you're making (and it hurts me to even think of it) will genuinely play a role in the woman Emily becomes. You're helping her see the value of work and the necessity of getting there on time.

    But a fourteen hour day sucks nevertheless.

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  10. Good for Emily...and what a great photo! I always enjoyed the days at work where most of the staff were gone. I always got so much done...as long as I didn't need assistance from anyone else.

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  11. Hari Om
    ...and the days move along... rest well dear blogpal!!! YAM xx

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  12. Makes me tired just reading about your (and Emily's) day. But look at the smile at the end!

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  13. Good for you showing up the 'experts'.

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    1. Protocol says the letter must be signed by the Fiscal Officer. Never sign what you haven't read.

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  14. Love that last photograph Joanne - that young lady exudes confidence and happiness and I suspect that all of it is thanks to you.

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  15. I am glad to hear Emily is working. It is good to start young. I also like getting up early and so much can be done before the day really gets going.

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  16. Best wishes to your granddaughter. It's nice to have a job like hers.

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  17. I loved that sentence: "But it was seven thirty, so I took a shower, ate breakfast and went on to work."
    Our winter seems to resemble yours: once a lot of snow for three days (after Holy Night) - good for the feeling of winter - and now: rain. Birds on the balcony feeder though: harsh cold wind.

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  18. Your granddaughter is to be commended for giving up her vacation time to go to work, you get even higher commendation for getting up to get her there.
    I'm not surprised by the errors you found. I've had letters of recommendations with errors in them (written by school principals) that I couldn't use.

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  19. Of course, Emily is working because people were on vacation and her employer offers recreation for those on vacation. Lots of work supporting the vacation industry.
    interesting post

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  20. Nice that they rewarded Emily for being available on short notice. glad I'm not the one driving her to work so early though.

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  21. Good for Emily, she deserves the hours with an attitude like that.

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  22. Vacation is fine for people who do have work. Yes, she has a job and you work as often as you can. Sorry it messes up your life but you are right, "you snooze, you loose." Seem to remember your using that quote with one of my customers. It is a perfect phrase at the right time.

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