Yes, I am starting my fifth week on hiatus from work … but week 1 was 4th of July week.

And the last 2 weeks, I was asked to do some tasks: small-medium but I really enjoyed them and it is keeping my “head in the game”!

I am VERY much enjoying this time of not working and thinking “what do I want to do” if the normal work does not come back. While it is a strain on the budget, I’ve done all of my “what ifs” so have remained (mostly … I AM human :) ) focused on several new work ideas.

Without going into specifics, I started down a path of … I don’t think I want to pursue the same type of programming. This is mostly because I don’t think, that at my age of nearly 64, I would be comfortable as part of a new team, i.e. do I want to work with a group of young hot shots?? … ummm, probably not. Generalization, pre-judging probably … still, it’s a funny mix of experience (coding plus business operations) that makes me loath to try to do what I’ve been doing with a new group.

So, then I started thinking about non-programming things I like and could do. Many of those would require me to conform to a schedule and/or be gone from the house … If I need to, yes I will, but in thinking about some of those options and then with the little tasks of the past 2 weeks, I came back to what I would really like (prefer) is some sort of programming/computer work that allows me a certain amount of flexibility.

So, full circle. But not a new group.

But, in the last 2-3 weeks it occurred to me how much fun and joy there was in thinking these things through and really knowing what I’d like my days to look like. I feel incredibly fortunate that I have had this opportunity to explore my options. In the day to day work of the past years, I *thought*, I’d thought about things, but the reality was that as the work was paying the bills and I enjoyed it and my work group … I did not think about things as I have now that I might need to actually change … adapt…

Change!!

As noted in the previous post, I continue with my list of house (RV) and property chores, ideas for income … including meeting with some local folks as well as some online research.

I’ve stepped up off leash training with Emmett and he is doing VERY well! It is so much fun to be out with him and Auggie and just doing bits of stuff in the yard. I only need to yell “Sprinkler!” to get Emmett running for the well head pump handle which he KNOWS I need to pull to start the fun.

To date (I hate to even write this and alert the weather gods…), we are having a very pleasant summer … I know … you did not expect me to put pleasant and summer in the same sentence!! I keep waiting for the “heat” as last winter did not arrive until late January and now it is late July so …

Thursday is August 1 and the start of BIRTHDAY MONTH. Whatever the next days bring, heat, work, no work … we are ready.

Five weeks: full circle … Happy Days!