The coolest Week!

My first day of work on Monday was pretty exciting- more so because 90 minutes before I was due to start Telecom finally gave us a solution to our wavering internet problem- the jack is busted, and will require me to pay $190 to have a technician come out.

Right. No internet, and the first day of my job baring down on me- I moved the entire set-up in to my bedroom, so we could use the non-faulty jack. With about a minute to spare, I finished the macaroni cheese for the kids (no time to dish it up), and sat down for my first night.

It was boring work, oh so very boring work...but this is a job that lets me work from home and doesn't require me to have a babysitter- I'm not going to complain too hard.

I set the older two up with a payment scheme for caring for their little brother, including a bonus for not allowing me to be interrupted. They earned it.

I was tired after that, and couldn't stay up to watch a movie.

The next day we went to play with another unschooling family. Had a blast. Right when we were getting ready to leave with more unschoolers who had arrived and chatted for a bit, it was suggested we all go swimming. I really wanted to go, because it was hot- and I wanted the kids to have more fun...but i was a bit nervous about the time constraint of needing to be home, with quiet children by 6pm.


We went anyway- the water was lovely. The warmest beach I have ever swum in- it was insane really- I braced myself for freezing water, and it was like a tepid bath...I thought it would get cooler as we got deeper, but it really didn't. That was my first swim in about a year I think!

We got home, with 18 minutes until I was supposed to make my first call. Dumped the gear, fumbled with the (stupid) lock, ran to the shower, got half-dressed, sorted food fr the kiddos, and began work on time. This time, all the children at one time or another sat in with me- as quietly as they could, which for Tombliboo is just not quiet at all. I thought I was doing the job badly, but it turned out that that night I tied for Best Results.


Wednesday we stayed home all day, and no work in the evening. It was very nice.

Thursday we did our usual shopping ,and in the afternoon the kids went with their Dad. I got my eyelashes/brows tinted. It's a luxury I probably shouldn't have bothered with- but I have wanted to get them done for a long time (about 5 years)...I used my first pay (from the training last week) to do it, so I didn't feel too bad...except I will probably regret it soon- not now though :0)

Friday we went to a group for older homeschooled boys- it was marvelous. J-Man was excited about it, but pretty nervous since the two boys who's home it was at were kids he hadn't played with since he was 5. He had the time of his life. He didn't want to come home when we were ready to go.

I thought we were in a hurry to get back for work (I do have this need to be prepared, in case you haven't noticed!)...herealyl didn;t want to come, and said he coudl bus home on his own. I didn't doubt he could, but in a bizarre unmother of the year moment I agreed. I made no plans for someone to care for him- just took the little ones home. My cellphone had run out of battery, and I figured I could talk to someone when I got home- but goodness knows why I made no arrangements before hand (beside that I had Tombliboo on my back and a big bag to carry and didn't relish walking any more than I needed to to get to the bus stop).

I fretted all the way home, then put the phone on the charger, and texted my friend to ask her to care for J-Man. She already was. I felt terrible. She relieved me by insisting it was nothing, and that I am lucky to live in a community where i don't have to "do it all". I am lucky :0)

She brought him home close to when I finished my shift. They stayed and played/chatted for a while, and it was a really nice way to spend Friday night.

Saturday, the kids went with their Dad, and I did my shift on my own. He also wanted to take them for a BBQ dinner, so I had some time off at the end of work. I read my book in the hammock- since the bike ride I had decided to go on (because I was sooo bored and so sick of sitting inside!), was thwarted by melded-to-the-wheel-brakes.

I had no friends available to go out, and couldn't really go anywhere when I needed to be home by 8pm...but decided that I am not going to spend every scarp of time off at home waiting for it all to start again. I went in to town and saw a movie. It was lovely. A bit odd to be at the movies on my own, but I soon forgot about that and just enjoyed myself.


It's been a really full-on week. I lost 16 hours to my job, and it really feels like it. I'm sure it will get easier, meanwhile we can look forward to a bigger pay packet this week, and a lot more fun for the future.