4 day weekend

The first 2 days of our 4 day weekend have been just about perfect.

We went to the bank on Friday morning, and started the process for doing a home equity loan in order to consolidate and pay off our credit card debt.  This loan will improve our monthly cash flow, so that we will be able to start saving something every month, so that we will maybe not need to use credit anymore.

Then, we went and got all of the errands done before grabbing lunch.

At 2, we treated ourselves to a maincure/pedicure at a place my massage therapist recommended.

After that, we stopped over in the Plaza district at my favorite retro store, and picked up a few vintage dishes for a deal.  He's getting ready to move, so he's giving discounts!!

Once we got home, we were free and easy, so it was a very low key evening.  The best part was that the day seemed to last far longer than normal!

Yesterday, I mowed most of the back yard while Dave went for his weekly visit to his dad.  I developed a bad head ache, though, which ended up staying with me most of the day.

It was hot and muggy out, which was probably why I got the head ache.

I got some of my weekly chores done, but didn't go about anything with any sense of urgency, knowing that there would be ample time to get everything done, for a change.

I'll finish them today, eventually.

Yesterday, one of the projects I worked on that kept me inside where it was cool was to go through all of my clothes, winter and summer.  That resulted in more drawer space in the dresser in back where I store my "off season" clothes, more drawer space in the bedroom dresser, and more closet space! AND, I'm not even finished yet.

I had lots of surplus dance class wear that I never wear anymore, lots of t-shirts that I never wear anymore, lost of cold weather stuff that I have hung on to since moving (like really warm sweaters that I loved for years, but are too warm for Oklahoma), and miscellaneous other stuff that just gets moved back and forth when the seasons change.  Some of it was well-meant gifts that I have never worn.

Then, after I took a nap to try to kick the head ache (aspirin didn't touch it, but it finally succumbed to a double dose of ibuprofen), we went out to a favorite antique mall that is close to home, and found a few inexpensive treasures.

Now, today and tomorrow, we don't have anything pressing that we HAVE to do, so we plan to go see a movie in the heat of the afternoon (at matinee price), and tomorrow, since it's supposed to be slightly less hot out, we will go to the Paseo arts festival.

The only thing I don't like about going to the movies is how it eats up so much of a day off...I feel like, in a way, I am missing part of my time off...and you know how precious my time off is to me!

OH!  Speaking of that!  My sister called last weekend and announced that she and her husband are coming to visit the last weekend of June!

Great!!  Except that I had already taken or scheduled my maximum allowed 7 days off in a calendar quarter at work.

Yes, we are restricted as to how MUCH of our hard-earned time we can take off in a quarter.

It's OUR TIME, but we can't just use it whenever we need to or want to!  I have NEVER worked anywhere else that does this....

The policy DOES specify, however, that special consideration can be made.

Anyway, I looked at the calendar, and I counted days off taken by other people, and there was one who has 10 days off next quarter, and there were three who each had 8 or 9 days off this quarter....all of them are taking exotic vacations....and I just want a couple of days off to spend at home.

SO, on Monday, I put in the time off requests, and immediately sent an email to my boss and the department supervisor (who is not my supervisor, but I have to go to her because my boss is so often absent.  My boss has been out of the office, without reason or explanation, since May 10th) asking for special consideration.

In the email, I explained that I had JUST found out on Sunday.  I explained that they are coming the LAST WEEKEND of the calendar quarter, and that I had no way of knowing this would happen when I took my vacation week in April, and I explained that it's my only opportunity to see any family members this year.

I backed it up by saying that I had never asked for more than 7 days in a quarter before, and that my attendance is exemplary, as they know.

In the back of my mind, I was prepared to cancel the floating holiday that I had scheduled for this past Friday, if that would make a difference....but I did not OFFER to do that in my email.

2 or 3 days went by, no reply.

Then, my days off were approved!

No one ever replied to my email, or to my "thank you" email (and this is no surprise....there is very little evidence of humanity in the management of my office),  but I got the time off!

Which is good, because if they had refused it, I would have probably taken it higher, and they probably KNEW THAT  (look back at my post about the ice storm, if you're interested).

Anyway, the good news is, my sister and brother in law are coming for a very short visit.

My former massage room needs to be cleaned and readied for guests.  We will spend some time doing that this weekend, and then we have a month to perfect it.

Right now, though, it is time for me to make brunch! Left over carnitas, scramble, and polenta! OH, and beermosas!

Have a good Memorial day holiday, and never forget the meaning of the day.