Perpetual Ruminations

Tuesday

It's kind of late for me getting in here again. Of course, that's been more normal than getting in early, but today it was for a different reason.

Normally I'm late because I work all the damn time. Today I finally had a day off; the new guard we hired and trained yesterday will work three of my morning shifts so I can take a few days off each week. Trained on Monday, and in to open this morning, only we don't train for opening, and there is so much information packed in that eight hour training session, it's intimidating.

So for my first day off, I went in to work, off the clock because it is a day off, but still at work to go through the opening with him. Also, I have since I took the position of supervisor, stayed on site for a new guards first shift. I tell them it's their shift, I'm just there to consult as needed, and as soon as they feel comfortable, I'll go home. Of course, they all want me to stay for the entire shift, and it's a nice way to get to know them a bit, since I seldom see them unless our shifts are in sequence or there's a problem.

Today it would have been until ten this morning, but the guard scheduled to come in became confused and thought he was scheduled at eleven. This is do to the constant flux we have had in the schedule this spring, and I'm surprised it hasn't happened more. But he did make it in by ten-thirty, after I called him.

Just as he came on duty, a messed up return came into the yard, and I knew it was going to be a mess, especially for a new guard, so I took care of that. By then another messed up order came in, that was scheduled to be delivered. A good chance to train on this, so I stayed. It turned out to be a little after noon by the time I finally got out of there.

Noon. Still plenty of time to get logged in and write in here, so why so late? Well, I did make a short stop to pick up a few things before coming home. Then, once I was home, I was in dire need of nutrients, so Rhonda and I had lunch. Our shifts prevent this most of the time, and being so over worked, it's been seldom to rare that we have had a day to share lunch together.

After, she was tired and wanted a nap. She worked a very long shift yesterday so I could take it easy and heal a bit. Of course, I kind of undid all that good this morning, but that seems to be the way things go. Anyway, she didn't get off work until almost eleven last night, and by the time we got home, I gave her a ride, it was pushing midnight. Again, we grabbed a bite to eat before bed, finally getting to sleep around twelve-thirty or one this morning.

So she was tired, even though she went back to bed for a while this morning after I left to go in and advise and sit with the new guard. Just a lot of hours and little sleep, so a nap was in order. I had been going on two hours of sleep last night, so I was more than ready to get a few more hours of sleep myself.

We got up about four, or four-thirty for me, and then it was a cup of coffee on the patio to wake up a bit. It's nice out, but a little cool, with rain and south winds in the forecast, so it was looking like the only chance to have a fire for the week. We sat and watched the flames, sipped on Pepsi after our coffee and enjoyed a nice, aromatic fire, having some birch we purchased a few days back.

That's why I'm late getting in here, I was enjoying a fire, the wonderful company of my beautiful wife, and just relaxing for a while. It's been a long time, and it was the best afternoon we have shared in months. Now, it's time for dinner, or actually, past time for dinner. being late, it will be something light and quick. Then, a little Mash on Netflix or maybe we will watch an hour of "The Winds of War" tonight before turning in.