Working hard for the money

The weather was hot again today, and should be for a while. It feels more like August which makes sense because August felt more like September.

I worked from around 8:00 to 5:30 today with about an hour off for lunch. Still, it felt good to be able to concentrate and solve problems instead of dealing with constant interruptions and phone calls. I can make more headway in a single weekend day than I can in probably three weekdays of work. I have lots to get done this month, but I'm feeling like I may be able to manage it if I stay on task.

I had four interviews with prospective candidates for the open position last Wednesday. It left me absolutely wiped at the end of the day. Asking questions and behaving professionally for an entire day is freakin' exhausting. I have reference phone calls to make tomorrow and then I am done. My boss has to make the decision, thank heavens.

I found out last week that I don't qualify for the across the board raise at work because I was not in my current position on the first of the year. I didn't expect to qualify, so I wasn't disappointed. Still, I wouldn't have turned it down! I did get a nice bump when I took this job, but since I work many evenings and weekends I don't really want to calculate my hourly rate or I would cry.

Since January, I have wondered if I could manage the job I have now but I'm becoming more confident of that. If the pattern holds, I'll do something really stupid tomorrow to make me wonder again. It's a vicious cycle right now.

R got some painting done this weekend which helps my overall feeling of accomplishment. I didn't paint at all which would normally bum me out but he made some progress on the back of the house so I am satisfied. There are a couple of windows on the balcony that I can paint and if I get home in good time some evening this week I may try to do them. If not, I could try it early next Saturday morning. Since it's on the south side, it's a good morning or evening project. He has the area around the guest room and the bathroom windows to do because it's all too high for me, but the rest is all done on that side. The front of the house is done except the peak above window height, which again is too high for me to paint. The west is done, except for the second floor area around the guest room windows but I may be able to stand on the roof outside the windows and help paint there. Much like my many tasks at work, I am encouraged that we may end up in a good place with the house before it gets too cold to paint. I don't have any hope of getting the east side done, but I think we may be able to finish the other three sides based on how far along we are. That allows me to breathe a bit.

R worked hard today, but right now he's snoring so loud I can barely hear the TV. Enough already.