AWK!

OK, so you my faithful readers surely are thinking I Fell Off the Face of the Earth – and in a manner of speaking I did.  I knew last January that work this year was going to be grim, but I underestimated just how grim.  First there was an extra 4 days of Glock training for everyone.  Then there was an extra 2 days of Learning Team Training plus half a day of PREA training  for anyone who missed the PREA training during their in-service week.  The PREA training even had to be done by the end of August.  Plus the Night Shifts are understaffed as usual.  So if I wasn’t in training I was working extra days for someone else who was in training.  I not only couldn’t use my earned Vacation and Compensatory Time, I couldn’t even count on my regularly scheduled days off.  My Beloved Employer even called me at home one morning, woke me up to ask why I wasn’t at work for a training session – except the schedule had me listed for a different session and no one had gotten around to informing me of the change. 

Now I did had some good times this summer and I will post the glorious details soon.  I was able to get to 1 day of the Fort Frederick Trade Fair,  the Front Royal Wine Festival, and the Primitive Man-less Settlement Win-e-vous #2.  Gypsy Jane & I went paddling on the Rivanna Reservoir once and paddling with swimming at Chris Greene Lake twice.  I also got to spend a few Saturdays with Da Urchin at her place and she came to my place with her puppy once.  But mostly I scrambled around trying to get routine chores done and sleep too. 

The Biggest Thing of this Summer was my decision to retire come February 1st of 2014.  I had thought to work until 2016 and Medicare but this last year has convinced me that that is not a wise course of action.  So here’s to more visits with friends & family, more historical events, a motorcycle rally or two plus a great deal more fishing, paddling, and horse riding.  With house maintenance & repair thrown in for fun.