Vacation Here We Come

Well, I asked Derek and he has given me the green light to take 2 weeks off in May for vacation. Yippee. We could still cancel depending on Bill's work situation, but I'm excited. We are going to see Mom and Grandma on Mother's Day. See Grandpa's grave. Go to Niagra Falls and spend some time with some fabulous women I met online. Do some hiking in the Adorandaks, go to Bar Harbor, Boston, Cape Cod, and see my Cousin and Aunt and Uncle in NY and be home by Memorial Day. I can't wait. 11 weeks and we will be in Niagra! Woohoo.

NASCAR winner

I think I posted yesterday that work is insane. Well, I came up with an analogy about how I felt. In a NASCAR race, with 20 laps to go (or sooner) people start saying "You go to go". That is how I feel. I feel like Derek is telling me, "You got to go, Mary". Well, here is my problem. I AM going. I am going just as hard as I can and I'm just not getting anywhere. When that happens in NASCAR there is usually a crash. I hope in real life that isn't me, but I feel it coming. I woke up with a sore throat today and then I got to work and I realized the wall thickness I had was wrong. I'm going to keep on going because I don't know what else to do, but I'm either going to crash or win. Since I feel really far back in the pack; crashing feels a lot more likely than winning.

Pedal to the Metal

Work has been crazy. I am busting my butt to get this project done and I'm just not there despite working 7:30 to 5:30 or 6 Monday through Thursday last week. Then 6:30 to 12:30 on Friday, 8 am to noon on Saturday, noon to 2 on sunday, and then 7 am to 5:45 yesterday. UGH. These have been productive days too. Not wasting a whole lot of time. I have to leave at 5 today to get Bill to Willard by 6. I just don't have much left in me. I have been going to bed early and sleeping well and I like coming in at 7 and working to 5 vs coming in at 8 and working to 6, but I am working to 6 most nights anyway. The crazy thing is that Brandon was laid off. I do get it. He doesn't have my education or Troy's experience and in almost 3 years he never showed a real initiative to take his skills to the next level. What i have been busting my rear on since Friday he can't do. Actually everything I have worked on in the last 3 weeks, he can't do. But it puts additional pressure when a coworker is laid off.

Anyway, I need to get back to grading out this entrance. I just wish it would work so I can move on to the walls. I wanted the walls done yesterday, but I will be lucky to get them done by the time I leave today. It is so metally exhausting doing grading that I am physically wiped out when it is done. I feel like I am neglecting Bill by working this hard. It is part of the reason I keep coming in earlier and earlier so that I can spend time with him in the evenings. I took Friday afternoon off to spend time with him. 2 more weeks and he will be able to drive and that will help and having Kevin around helps.

Bill and I did break down and "violate" doctor's orders last night. That was nice because I'm not sure I was going to last the next 2 weeks. We've had stretches where we haven't done it that often, but we rarely went a week without at least fooling around. 3 weeks without even an attempt and the month before that was pretty ummm ... dry. I am so ready for him to be better and I am ready for this stupid project to be done.

Random Thoughts Feb 11 edition

So it looks like we are getting surveying equipment dirt cheap. That is fine. I am considering it part of Bill's severance package. Bill already has a bid in to do some work for Mike. That will cover about 1/3 the cost of the equipment. So if we get 3 projects that size, this venture will officially be in the black. I'm excited.

In other scary exciting news our checking account is nearing $25k in it. Considering I try not keep more than $100 in it, this is an insane amount. The $20k from house sale is on "hold" and then our state refund is pending. Of course we have medical bills pending. Probably around $3k and then we are going to be shelling about $4k for surveying equpment. That is a scary proposition to have $7k all ready spent. I'm not sure how to treat the $4k for surveying equipment. I guess the minute we shell out money I need to set up a business spreadsheet at the very least. I want to make sure we know what we spend "business money" on etc. While I think it is going to be easiest to start small and grow from there. I think there are things that get left out when "oh it is just a side job". I think I would like to see this grow into DH's full time job. I just think he would be happier. I think if Kevin is around he will help us out on the logistics of business side. Anyway, I am just rambling. Excited at the possibilities. Bill has had several offers to contract for contractors, but he has always needed them to set him up with equipment and now he doesn't. Yeah.

Decisions, Decisions

Well, we closed on the house in WG. Bill and I walked away with $20,570. So now that we have that is done and have money in the bank (well a lot more money in the bank); we are at a cross roads. Bill has been told that Mettemeyer is going to sell their survey equipment. Depending on the asking price, we may buy it. We went for a walk today and started bouncing ideas off each other. He could contact Alan and Eric and Aaron and do staking for them. He could contact the small survey companies in town and offer to be a contract crew chief or a second survey crew when they needed one. Then he was like well if I need help who would I get and I said Kenny and he was like ohhhh Kenny would be good. Then we talked about turning the truck into a work truck and getting magnetic signs for it made saying Snappco.

So, the decision we now make is how far do we go with this. He use to make $3300 a month (net $2500). If he could net $1500 on this opperation, we would still be saving for retirement and matching our current expenses. Bill needs to commit to whatever he decides to do. Especially if he takes on this venture. I think the tax issues would be the hardest and we would have to have a tax professional help us out. I think a large part of this depends on if we get the equipment and if Bill finds a full time job in March. We'll just have to see, but he sure sounds excited about the prospect of working for himself rather than someone else, having to do it someone else's way. I think it could work. If he got his liscense it would really work. We'll have to see what happens but it is nice to look at the world and think we have all these options rather than think oh man we are sunk.

EXAMEN?

So, my "star gift" for a belated epiphany was the word "examen". Examine is probably a really good word for me. It keeps coming up for me from time to time. But seriously EXAMEN; Am I suppose to be examining men or something? I don't understand how the ADULT sunday school class could go to so much effort to make these and then spell words wrong. Come one people. It is just a little off.

Feeling positive and positively bored

I last posted a week ago and my feelings have come around that this isn't as awful as I thought it was. Sure it stinks, but it isn't the end of the world (I heard there is a big sign when you get to the end of the world and I have not seen one yet). Bill has been told to talk to a couple of companies and while nothing has panned out yet. Something will when he is able to work. He has been told to call one of the guys down in Branson. (Ick) A job is better than no job. That is what we keep telling ourselves.

Anyway, I'm trying to work longer hours to avoid working on the weekends so I can spend them with him. We'll see how it goes. I have been averaging 7:30 each morning. So that is what I have been aiming for. I think on some levels work is really boring me. Hopefully, something will come up that makes me realize nothing is as bad as it seems, but i just can't get into a whole lot of these jobs. I need to be more excited. I'm going to be sealing my own projects starting next week. But right now, I'm just bored with work.