Monday, February 15, 2010

Again with the questions???

My very first day of having only one job went as well as it could, with both kids at home, 12 inches of snow on the ground and 7 months pregnant.
However, little did I know that at 4PM on that day I would receive a phone call from a manager at "the bank" asking me to come work for him for 30 days.
"I'm calling to ask a question... and to beg."
"Beg? Really?... ok, you've got my attention."

A position that I used to have (I worked for 14 people, gathering the information from clients needed to complete mortgages. ie - you'd send me your taxes, proof of home owners, proof of income, etc) has two people doing it and they are in need of help. One of them "C" is cutting her hours because her mom is in the hospital with cancer and she's devoting a large majority of her time to her mom. (Proud of her for that). "C" also happens to be in the same boat I was, currently working at "the bank" that you've worked at over 10 years - but do to the merger you're now only temporary because the new owners have completely closed your department. Or in her case completely cut her position. "A" is the other woman currently in this position, and since I got the phone call I've been told by various sources that "A" is taking some time off as well. No one was sure how long.

So, go back to the bank... for 30 days (or longer if I want) as a temporary rep.
(I can only have a temporary position for a total of 18 months & I've already worked 2 of them)
Or stay at home continuing to do the paper route nightly
Or go back to work at the bank and keep the route like I've done for the past 11 months
Or go back to the bank and eventually give up the route, hoping that I'll find a full time position within the bank within the next 16 months

Of course there are pros and cons to each. With the bank its temporary and I really won't know when or if it will ever be permanent again.
Almost the same with the paper route, if the paper should go under (alot have recently) I'm toast.

A pro with the bank.. I've been there for 11 years, people know me/my work/etc.
A pro with the route - it's nights only, I have the days free to plan dr visits, checkups, dental appts, errand running, school visits, parent teacher conferences, you name it.

A con with the bank - As with most jobs, I'd have to account for every minute not spent there, and use the allowed "time away" for all the visits that my kids need.
A con with the route - It's every night - no matter the weather, the holiday, if I'm sick, whatever. If I need a day off I have to find someone to cover for me and I have to pay them.

There's been alot of talk among the people that remained at the bank as temp employees. We were all offered a severance and then before the notice period were offered the temporary position, and it was sugar coated with 'they will be posting for the jobs that you're doing in February' (as of 02/15, there has been no posting)
Some of us have left in an attempt to see if after a 45 day time frame they would receive their severance and then come back as a temp employee. I'm not quite sure if that's something those particular people were worried with or if they were in a spot to do this because there have only been two to do this.

Well, I have a few questions that need to be answered before I know what I should do. I really hate to burn a bridge.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Day 1

Last night I got up to go do the route at 1:30AM. The answering machine that the newspaper updates when different trucks leave the building said... "As of 1:15AM the press is down, phone system will be updated as soon as the press is up and the state trucks have left." At 2:22AM my truck left the building.
It was 26 degrees on the bank sign as I went by. About an hour later the snow that was supposed to start this afternoon began.
I wound up getting stuck in the snow at an elderly subscribers home, Hubs had to come dig me out. It was a good thing that he did because the snow fell fast and the roads got very slick. Cell phone towers went down, so I'm glad I called him when I did. He stayed and we split the route for a few streets, then when he caught up with me I parked the car and we finished in the truck (thank goodness for 4 wheel drive)
School wound up being closed so the kids and I have spent the day together playing, coloring and napping.
LuLu had an eye appointment at 2:15, but they called to reschedule saying they were closing early. So, I guess we'll be doing that next week.

Monday, February 8, 2010

No Patch, Ugh! Problems!!

Today was my last day at work. It was also a day that school was two hours late for Punk. I was already at work when he got up. I got so busy at work that I completely forgot to call to make sure that he got up and got to school. So, I text him. He text me back after school to tell me that he was at school.
I realized after I picked him up from Chess Club that he didn't have his patch on. It only takes about 30 seconds of watching him describe his day or the sounds that he makes to realize this. Of course, it's too late now. His patch is good for 9 hours, if he put one on now he wouldn't be able to sleep even if he took it off right before bed.
He tells me he has lots of homework. The teacher has assigned his homework in that class for the entire week, because of the weather we've been having. So, after we pick up LuLu and drive back home I start on supper and ask him to start his homework. 5 minutes later I find him in his room, dancing around with his tv on cartoons. (Excuse me, homework please)
I ask him to come downstairs to start his homework and get ready for supper, 5 minutes later he's downstairs. I put supper on our plates, Apple wraps with chips and dip. It literally took him an hour to eat. An Hour!
So, knowing that I already know the answer to the question, I ask it anyway.
"Do you have your patch on?"
"yes"
"Show me"
"okay, I don't have it on"
"I knew that already"

When he finally got done with his supper, it took him almost another hour to do two pages in a Science workbook, with the book for answers. He kept tapping his pen on the table or listening to the conversation in the next room (and adding to the conversation)
I'm hoping that we'll be able to get a better handle on it.
sigh!

Saturday, February 6, 2010

We've been getting ALOT of snow. Last Sunday's paper was delivered on Sunday between 8AM and 1PM rather than my normal 3AM to 6AM. LuLu and I delivered the papers and were pulling into Mickey D's for a little lunch when my phone rang. It was my dad.
"Hey baby girl, did my W2s show up in the mail yet?"
"Yea, I was actually gonna wait to call you because Hubs has walking pneumonia."
"Oh"
"I'm just getting back off the paper route. But if you want to stop by, I'll be there in about 20 minutes."
"yea, I need to."

So, I get what we need at Mickey D's and drive home. Dad is in the driveway talking with the neighbor who borrowed our shovel that day because his broke the week before. Now, let me remind you that I haven't seen my dad since 12/18. So, I pull myself out of the car, 7 months pregnant and showing it, and start to get LuLu and our lunch out. Dad stand there for a second, gathers himself and starts talking again.
"Um, one weekend I'll bring a truck down and get the rest of my stuff out of that room. That way there won't be so many trips. Just give me a couple days notice."
"ok"

He came in, went on and on making small talk until I nearly fell asleep (I'd been up since 2AM getting the papers, putting them together, bagging them, etc) the he decided he'd leave.

I honestly believe that he was waiting to see if I actually was pregnant or if I just said that I was to try to get him to move his crap out of the bedroom he occupied for all of one year.