A Wordy Wednesday... The Bad & the Good...

The Bad...
Yesterday was terrible. I felt like I had hit absolute rock bottom, and couldn't see any way out. Finances are, well... for lack of a more polite phraseology, absolutely screwed at the moment. We've scraped by the last couple of months, but won't be doing even that much longer. M has worked two temp jobs recently, but they were just that, temp jobs. The employment market is awful right now. Yesterday, I felt fearful, and resentful.

Today, although finances are certainly not improved, I am trying to feel more hopeful. A local restaurant is holding an open house/hiring fair with on-the-spot interviews, so M is going to that. I have applied for weekend (supplemental) work at grocery stores as a clerk. With 8 years experience in that field, I am hoping I can get in two good eight hour days a week, which will help ease things a bit.

I hate this.

Some people have suggested we relocate, but looking at rental prices and the cost of living elsewhere, I am not sure that would be a worthwhile option.

And I still don't know for sure what is going on with my current job. The woman trying not to take my job has an interview tomorrow, for a position she wants, so I am crossing fingers, ankles, anything and everything! If that fails, I have a job interview next week for a part-time secretarial position. Still nerve-wracking though.


The Good...
"Summer school" is off to a great start! I eased back on documentaries, after I had a complete duh moment, and realized we have all summer to get through them! In the meantime, we're enjoying each day... the kids went swimming with their Nonna and aunt on Monday. They're devouring The Dangerous Book for Boys and The Daring Book for Girls, picking out games to learn and activities to try.... Chinese jump rope, table football, Morse Code, 50 Latin phrases everyone should know, and so on, and so forth. I read a little aloud from one or the other each day. Cassia reads to me too. And they are loving The Four Story Mistake!

They are also working on supply lists for their summer projects.

I am still loosely, and all in my head at the moment, thinking out next year. Do I want to just do the what if approach and see what happens, or do block studies? The only thing I have planned is a calendar for next year! (Well, okay, two versions. Version 1) six week block, week off; six week block, week off;two-three week block, two-three weeks off; seven week block, week off; seven week block, week off; seven week block, week off; ten weeks off. Version 2) the same to start and then five weeks on, one week off after the winter holidays, with four blocks instead of three). Hmmmm.

We'll be doing a summer crash course in Shakespeare. This was unplanned, but then I found out about this event and decided to seize the moment! We'll be reading a story version of Romeo and Juliet first, to familiarize them with the story line. Then we'll watch a movie version, or two, and maybe read through some of the actual play.

And, I wrote on Monday, but then deleted (sorry, I chickened out) about my issues with food. I am currently following the Food Addicts Anonymous food plan, and have been for three days now. I am not weighing myself at the moment, though I did the first day (and no, it was not good) -- I'm trying to keep off the scale more than once a week. Yesterday, I physically felt very tired (maybe that's part of the problem?) and out of sorts. I feel a bit better today, so I am assuming though I ate a fairly clean diet before that I am detoxing a bit from sugar and flour. I think I'll see if I can talk The Girl and M into an evening bike ride while The Boy is at fencing.

So... wish us luck on the financial front, and I hope you are all having a good week!