It was a pleasant surprise last week when I learned that the dreaded round-trip scheduled for the last segment of my four day trip was cancelled--to Palm Springs and back. Got out of school early that day!
But as the days have gone on, it's not so fun now to get ready to go on a trip and find that the schedule has been riddled with the holes caused from more and more flights cancelling. Wednesday it was to Wichita where I was supposed to have another 32 hour layover and back Friday morning for our round trip to Portland. The Wichita trip disappeared early on. The cancellation to Portland wasn't finalized until late Thursday. So, I had basically an extra two days off this week.
One would think that with the extra time off, I would dive into at least ONE of the projects that are constantly percolating on the back burners of my life. The picture box. Cleaning drawers and cabinets. House cleaning. Getting the outdoor pots ready to receive new seeds. Washing bedding. Recipes organized and a booklet prepared of the ones worth saving. Getting my passwords, etc. in order. Putting together a second volume of the Visiting Teaching letters I have sent in the last ten years. I have a whole list of people, like 12 of them, on my do not contact but minister-to sisters, "checking in to see how you are" kind of thing. I cannot even content myself to do those small greetings. And on and on and on.
Yet I find myself at loose ends. Oh, I did straighten, and "straighten" is the operative word here, the cupboard where I literally shove wrapping paper and mailing envelopes to have them handy for my needs. But anything else of significance? No. I find myself checking my United schedule repeatedly to see if I am going to fly--or not. Then I wander around the house for a while. Then I land in a chair and read for a while. Then I get up and go to the computer. But once there can't remember WHY I went there in the first place. It has been like whipping the donkey who will not budge to get me to fix a meal. I would rather pick. Eat a bowl of cereal. Blend a smoothie. You get the picture!
I did get my schedule for April. It was less than half of what I usually fly. But I was prepared for that. The CEO made an announcement a couple of weeks ago that the lines would be only 36-40 hours. My line has four trips. Guess I am on tap to do those.
Other news from United is that they are offering more and more COLA (company offered leave of absence) and will not be doing any involuntary furloughs until September, at which time they will re-evaluate. The company is also offering a permanent termination for ANYONE of any seniority who would like to leave the company. No money. But they are offering three months insurance and passes for travel for a certain amount of time.
That is not appealing to me. When I leave, I want to leave as "RETIRED". I'm glad I came to the decision several weeks ago that I would stay on with United at least until the end of the year. Maybe that was the smartest thing to do--change my attitude about staying, as it looks like some jobs with other companies are in jeopardy, as well. Best that there is SOME money coming in. Interestingly enough, once I had that attitude change, work didn't loom so foreboding anymore.
So, long story short....I keep my suitcase packed and the rest of my stuff handy just in case there will be...
...SOMEPLACE TO GO AFTER I GET ALL DRESSED UP!
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