August 2024 WISH Thread…making the most of the last month of summer☀️🏖️🌊

[PollyannaMom]

WooHoo - made some great progress on a couple of decluttering projects yesterday, with a little more to go today.

Thankful for...cooler mornings. I'm sitting outside with one of the cats right now, and I can feel that tiny hint of fall in the air!

 

[newski_mom]

WooHoo - I finally broke out a new set of pots and pans last night and I really like them. I still have some pots that I use from wedding gifts 32 years ago! I got a great deal on a set of Ninja cookwear around Christmas last year and they have just been sitting in the basement. Last night I got them out and tried a new recipe! We all liked the flavor, but it was a little dry, so I need to look into what I can add to give it that last little thing for our taste!

 

[piglet1979]

I am thankful for friends. I have 2 friends that I have started walking with. Last night we went for a 4 mile walk. Last week I slowed them down a bit and didn't go as far. This time I used my inhaler (I have only had it about a month) before I went and that made a world of difference. I still got winded but it was different from before. This time it was more for being out of shape but nothing I couldn't handle. Last week I couldn't breath. I am glad they asked me to go again.

 

[Summer2018]

I am thankful to be going to school with my DH on Monday to begin the arduous process of setting up my classroom.

It’s a lot. I don’t have a basic room. Early Childhood classrooms have Centers aka Stations where children work in small groups. I wasn’t provided with the necessary furnishings, rugs, and hands on materials required for a developmentally appropriate kindergarten classroom. Most of it was purchased by me. My love of decorating combined with my obsession for school supplies has fed into this quite well. When all is said and done, my new students will step into a kindergarten wonderland.

Creating this happy place requires a lot of time and hard work. In the past I have spent as long as two weeks including weekends. DD used to come with me as well up until 2020 when she embarked on her career in fashion. As a 4 year old, she’d set up my play kitchen, organizing the refrigerator, setting the table etc. She would sort through my blocks and carefully display them on the shelf in an inviting way. 24 years later, DH and I have it down to a science. He comes on day 1 to move all of my furniture into position, and usually has to assemble a new item or two. It usually takes him 3 hours and then he’s off to bring back lunch, eat with me, then is free for the remainder of the day while I continue working.

This year I will have only three days, but that’s three more days than I have had the last two years. So…I am so very grateful.

In the midst of this chaos there’ll be counselors, therapists, and therapy dogs who will offer grief support for the loss of my friend and colleague to students, faculty, and staff. Right now I kind of want to avoid it since I am finally in a good place. I prefer to deal with it through self care, acupuncture, and prayer. Hopefully this will not be happening on my floor. I guess we shall see.

 

[PAsFab5]

Hello everyone and good morning!!

My whooohooooo is that I am actually getting on here and finishing my post! I have been so busy covering for my supervisor this week as well as unexpected absences from teammates-everytime I hop on and type something I get interrupted and I never get back to it!!!

Also going to whooohooooo this fantastic weather, mornings with the windows open have been amazing!!

Thankful today that my daughter in law made it to 38 weeks and our granddaughter will be a full term baby! Prayed everyday for her to make it to this point and now we are here and I could not be more thankful! Now we just wait for her to be ready to make her big debut

 

[Oneanne]

I'll take one of those hugs.

Word is that my company is canceling remote work-from-home, and everyone has to be hybrid which is three days in office. I can't do that from where I live as the commute is around 3 hours each way and costs $50 with ferry + parking. I'm not in a position to move as I just re-signed a one-year lease. Right now, it is all rumors, but I have a meeting in about an hour. My one hope is getting a mental health accommodation due to my neurodivergence and the negative impact living and working in the city was having. I started out that together when return-to-office first came up, but they offered remote based on length of commute, so it wasn't needed. I have already booked an appointment with my therapist for Sunday to start the process.

The tarot card I drew this morning was all about the peace after the storm and the lightness after the dark and my horoscope for this month is very positive with career recognition, hopes and wishes coming true... this is entire year is supposed to be a sparkly golden year of good luck and happiness. So really curious on how that is all going to pan out based on what is happening.

edited to add: the meeting has happened, and it was about no more remote. A fair amount of time has been given to make decisions so at least there's that.

 

[PAsFab5]

I'll take one of those hugs.

Word is that my company is canceling remote work-from-home, and everyone has to be hybrid which is three days in office. I can't do that from where I live as the commute is around 3 hours each way and costs $50 with ferry + parking. I'm not in a position to move as I just re-signed a one-year lease. Right now, it is all rumors, but I have a meeting in about an hour. My one hope is getting a mental health accommodation due to my neurodivergence and the negative impact living and working in the city was having. I started out that together when return-to-office first came up, but they offered remote based on length of commute, so it wasn't needed. I have already booked an appointment with my therapist for Sunday to start the process.

The tarot card I drew this morning was all about the peace after the storm and the lightness after the dark and my horoscope for this month is very positive with career recognition, hopes and wishes coming true... this is entire year is supposed to be a sparkly golden year of good luck and happiness. So really curious on how that is all going to pan out based on what is happening.

edited to add: the meeting has happened, and it was about no more remote. A fair amount of time has been given to make decisions so at least there's that.

I cannot tell you how sorry I am, this is so stressful. My company did the same thing. It was pure shock then the reality of how your life has to change…and it just is too much to handle. And I didn’t move or anything, your situation is much more complicated!!

I ended up not going back because they didn’t have space for me…something will work out. Pursue the medical accommodation for sure. Hugs

 

[newski_mom]

Happy Friday - anyone have any plans for spending their weekend?

 

[piglet1979]

I am so sorry @Oneanne. I have been worried about this at work too. I am only in 1 day a week now and we are the only department with this. Everyone else is 3+days. We just got a new CEO that will fully take over in January so we will see what will happen. If they make us go in more it will cost me $100 + to park for the month and that is not worked into the budget. This would also really mess up the driving situation that is already crazy. We have 4 drivers and 2 cars. Both kids need a car to commute to their college classes (different colleges) and DD to her 1 high school class. If I have to go in full time we will have to buy a car and that expense plus the rise in car insurance would break us.

 

[piglet1979]

Not much going on this weekend and I am all for it as next week starts High school football games so marching band will be in full swing. I am just glad I don't have to throw high school soccer in the mix this year.

DH's grandmother was telling us that she doesn't have any clothes that fit her and when her caregiver has taken her shopping they can't find anything in her size. I shop at the same place and I know they do as I just bought a pair of pants that were size 16. She thinks they only have size 4 and 6. Since I am free tonight and so is DH's sister, we are going to take her shopping. She got so excited that both of us were going. She wants to get new shoes too. I am so thankful that my SIL is able to go. I don't think I would make it by myself with her. She has gotten very crabby and mean as she has gotten older and having someone with you to be able to step back for a few minutes really helps.

I did just get a text message from a friend asking if I wanted to go to the Rainforest (it is part of our zoo) tomorrow so I will be doing that as well. This gets me some friend time and time with the twins that are 2.5 years old now.

 

[Summer2018]

I am sending you big hugs. The unknown can be so overwhelming and intimidating. Unexpected changes can be so challenging. Remember how talented you are at your job. Give yourself credit for all you have accomplished. Hopefully you’ll get medical accommodations, but you should also begin to consider your options so that you feel more in control of the situation.

Try to think positively…

 

[Oneanne]

I am so sorry @Oneanne. I have been worried about this at work too. I am only in 1 day a week now and we are the only department with this. Everyone else is 3+days. We just got a new CEO that will fully take over in January so we will see what will happen. If they make us go in more it will cost me $100 + to park for the month and that is not worked into the budget. This would also really mess up the driving situation that is already crazy. We have 4 drivers and 2 cars. Both kids need a car to commute to their college classes (different colleges) and DD to her 1 high school class. If I have to go in full time we will have to buy a car and that expense plus the rise in car insurance would break us.

Isn't it amazing to think of how we all delt with these things without question, before we realized it could be different.

 

[Oneanne]

So, I have several options:

- file an accommodation, stay here and work two more years.
- say yes, move and return to the office 3-days a week, which is committing to 3 more years or paying back a % of the relocation package.
- say yes, but retire within the 12 months allotted for getting relocated
- and a combo of the above: say yes, move and return to the office 3-days a week with the accommodation being I can take breaks from in-office as needed and that desk location meets certain criteria.

I think my best choice is to stay here assuming the accommodation is accepted, and I think it is likely that it would. But part of my brain is intrigued by returning to the office, it's kind of a full-circle thing to close out my career as it started and I'm wondering if I could successfully self-manage knowing what I now know. I wouldn't move any closer to Seattle than Bainbridge Island, which is where I catch the ferry when I do go into the office. I would want something walking distance to the dock, which means a condo or apartment. Bainbridge is pretty hip, and trendy as opposed to PT which is old, frumpy and pretty granola-y. It would be a total change in lifestyle, but worth thinking about.

 

[piglet1979]

Isn't it amazing to think of how we all delt with these things without question, before we realized it could be different.

I know. I wasn't allowed to work from home until 2020 and oho how that has changed everything.

So, I have several options:

- file an accommodation, stay here and work two more years.
- say yes, move and return to the office 3-days a week, which is committing to 3 more years or paying back a % of the relocation package.
- say yes, but retire within the 12 months allotted for getting relocated
- and a combo of the above: say yes, move and return to the office 3-days a week with the accommodation being I can take breaks from in-office as needed and that desk location meets certain criteria.

I think my best choice is to stay here assuming the accommodation is accepted, and I think it is likely that it would. But part of my brain is intrigued by returning to the office, it's kind of a full-circle thing to close out my career as it started and I'm wondering if I could successfully self-manage knowing what I now know. I wouldn't move any closer to Seattle than Bainbridge Island, which is where I catch the ferry when I do go into the office. I would want something walking distance to the dock, which means a condo or apartment. Bainbridge is pretty hip, and trendy as opposed to PT which is old, frumpy and pretty granola-y. It would be a total change in lifestyle, but worth thinking about.

I am gad you are seeing what your options are and seeing the plus side int hem too. I know it will all work out for you.

 

[newski_mom]

Happy Saturday!! Since it's back to school time, here's a quiz to see if we're smarter than a 5th grader:

https://quizly.co/are-you-smarter-than-5th-grader/

I got:

 

[Summer2018]

I got VHF wrong. I had no clue what it stood for.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Isn't it amazing to think of how we all delt with these things without question, before we realized it could be different.

What amazes me is that it wasn't a permanent change! I thought remote work was really going to be a lasting silver lining from a horrible event, but my DH is going through a similar process at his company, where they're slowing chipping away at how much time they can work from home. (The irony is that his group was remote before the pandemic, and they're still expected to "return" to offices. They're losing people left and right.) @Oneanne and @piglet1979.

Happy Friday - anyone have any plans for spending their weekend?

Sadly, no. The thing I was supposed to go to got cancelled. I will probably work on some decluttering and run to the store.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Happy Saturday!! Since it's back to school time, here's a quiz to see if we're smarter than a 5th grader

I got 87%.

I also missed VHF (and couldn't remember which princess story was whose).

 

[PAsFab5]

Ok this did no go well for me

 

[ShannyMcB]

I’m home and I am TIRED.
Ended up becoming stressful Thursday night when we found out my FIL had to have an emergency stint put in. He had actually debated coming with us but wasn’t feeling well last week and decided against it and thank goodness for that!! I’m sure we could have found treatment in FL but…yeah would have been pretty awful so far from home. So very thankful he is ok and my MIL forced him to see a dr. Couple days of resting his arm and he’ll be good as new.
Great vaca though. We walked between 8 and 12 miles each day and I had kids meals for most of my meals so shouldn’t be too much damage done!