Mistaken Identity

I am pretty sure Helen is actually He-Len.  Yeah. I thought it was a little strange when I got the three chickens back from my mom after the Chicken Slaughter at the Homestead and my one remaining chicken looked noticeably larger. They were all the same age. My parents were feeding the chicks at their place the same thing I was feeding mine. ??

In the last week, I’ve been getting progressively more suspicious and though I haven’t heard an actually “cock a doodle doo” out of him, I’m pretty sure Helen is a rooster. He’s a lot bigger than the other three and his comb is three times as big. Here’s Helen, Agnes, and Edna.  See what I mean?

I can’t keep a rooster in the city (though they allow chickens, they do not allow roosters). So unless my mom wants a rooster, I think He-Len will spend the next few weeks out there with the hens and then we’ll eat him. And in the meantime, we’ve nicked named He-Len just plain Lenny. It just seemed right.

A couple seconds to breathe

Hi friends. In the two days between jobs, I’m trying to finish a painting job, recover from a lot of softball (ouch!), and get a couple things done in the yard. Yesterday by the time I could stand the idea of moving (so lunchtime) I taped up and put the first coat of paint on the downstairs hall and promptly ran out of paint. I made my Lowes run and then had to shower and get out the door for some time with a couple friends. So. Awesome.

Today I met with my dad for a couple hours, ran an errand, and just finished the painting. Once it dries I will take down all the tape and wash the floor.  Still need to paint the trim upstairs (lots of doorway trim in the hall) and then put the hall back together. While painting the hall is nothing startling, no vast colorful difference, it looks fabulous. It has needed to be painted for years and I’ve delayed because it is such a pain. In fact, I think it is the only area of my house I’ve never painted (so that’s 10 years of nicks, scratches, and furniture dents to deal with). 

It is a very pale yellow – really looks more cream I guess. Anyway, it is bright, crisp, and nice to be done. It was a complete pain to paint. 

Next up? I want to experiment with chalkboard paint on the inside of a couple cabinets. Just for kicks. 

And then there’s the table and chairs project…

God is good

It is too early for actual reflections… but here’s the deal: I AM DONE WITH THE ‘LARK!  It’s such a mix of happy and sad that I can’t sort out. But mostly it feels like sweet freedom. That being said, I like the company, I like most of the people I worked with, and I grew a lot in the last insane 20 months.  But it is also wonderful walking away and moving forward. It was time. I’m already sleeping better and I have this sense of someone handing me my life back. I’m so ready for some margin in my life, some peace, and returning to some kind of balance. God is good. 

I am also SO thankful for a peaceful, amiable, and good end to my days at the ‘Lark. I love those guys and it was great to leave on good terms, with promises to stop in and see them and keep in touch. People are important to me, and I’ve weathered some significant storms with those people and that’s what is hard about walking away.  Anyway, it was great. I know that the fact that I’m going back to work with my dad makes this an easier transition for everyone too – it isn’t just that I was job hunting because I had to get out (though I was), but I am going back to a job I have loved in the past with family. Makes it a lot less personal for my friends at the ‘Lark and thus a lot easier on me. God is good.

So for the next 3 days, I will be enjoying being unemployed and unencumbered. Reveling in the newfound freedom. And then I will start back at ETC with my dad on Wednesday, which I am looking forward to. God is good.

Quick Takes

1. I am exhausted. Quitting is hard work. It was rough telling the bosses, even though they were great about it. It was harder telling all the coworkers I like so much. I tried to tell everyone individually, but forgot the new guy (who I don’t interface with too much). He found out today. Oops. Then I told the really new guy who hasn’t been in the office much. It is emotionally exhausting. Everyone is really supportive, really happy I get to work with my dad again, and really panicky about what they are going to do, which is strangely comforting because one of my bosses makes me feel like I don’t do anything at all. The other boss, by contrast, is down checking in every day and next week is blocking the last couple hours of every day so I can explain everything I know to him… sigh. There’s lots to train, hand off, explain, finish… walk away. I am really happy, really at peace with the decision, and sad at the same time. Change is never easy, even good change. And I’m such a sucker for relationships so walking away is hard.

2. The garden is flourishing in spite of neglect the last couple weeks. The weeds are also flourishing. The chickens love them, so it isn’t all bad. The privacy fence is awesome. Completely awesome. The neighbors now have a picnic table and 2 grills on their side of the fence, so apparently it has inspired us on both sides.

3. The chickens are also flourishing. Suzie is still insane over them, loves to bark and attack the coop whenever they are out and about. I think they like to antagonize her. I am very faithful about latching the roof and so far so good. I still need to put some finishing touches on the nesting box, but I have another 10 weeks ish so no rush. The chickens have also helped me compost… or at least feed all things veggies to the chickens. I am becoming my mother!

4. The grass is not flourishing. It has been very dry and hot. I broke down and watered it a tiny bit yesterday, so you know it looks like straw!

5. Yesterday’s scooping before the grass mowing yielded two dead young robins (bringing our dead bird count to 4 for the year), one dead mouse, and a lot of dog poop. I wish birds were smarter and could look down and remember the last 10 years that they nested in those lovely old pine trees and the number of babies that never made it out of the backyard because they couldn’t fly yet. Alas, until then, the slaughter continues…

6. Right now I am counting down on many fronts… 2 days of weekend… 5 days till my friends leave town again (after being here for an extended visit)… 7 days till I’m done at the ‘Lark… 12 days till I start working with my dad again… 22 days until Cous Long Lake vacation… It’s going to be good- but it is going to be a change-ridden, exhausting few weeks.

7.  This week I got to hang out with one of my dear friends and her adorable kids, including the latest edition. So great. I am so blessed with wonderful friends who have really awesome munchkins.

8. And another day I had dinner at the park with my friends who were in town for a few weeks and their awesome munchkins.

The moral of the story:

Lots of changes in the works.

I am exhausted.

I have awesome friends with really cute kids.

I am blessed.

This just in…

I quit my job. That’s right. QUIT MY JOB! I am incredibly happy. Relieved. How did this happen? You might ask.  Well let me tell you…

A couple weeks ago there was another decision handed down, not one I disagreed with in concept, but one that some good communication could have gone a LONG way to making me feel less used and abused. Alas, no communication happened so this decision, that affects me quite directly, was quite frustrating. Not the actual decision, the how.

And I decided that enough is enough. I love a lot of things about the company I work for. I love a lot of the people. I like the business itself and I am blessed to be in a job that uses my gifts.  On the other hand, it has been a really hard year and a half with new drama and trauma around every bend. I am completely burned out. I have given above and beyond and always hope for the best, but I want my life back. I want out.

So this unfortunate incident of shuffling my job around without even discussing it with me was the final straw. Not the first time it had happened either, but made the decision I needed to make easier, highlighting the problem.

So I brushed up my resume. And started posting and scouring want ads in all of my spare time. Oh job hunting- how I loathe you. One day last week I had a long phone conversation with my dad. It wasn’t about work at all, but I hung up and just had that deep longing. I miss working with that guy! I miss everything (or nearly everything) about it.  All the next day I tried to figure out if I could call him and see what he’d think about me coming back, did he have enough work? But I didn’t want to put the pressure on him if he didn’t have the work. I just couldn’t do that to him since I knew he’d want me if he could. Anyway, Thursday I was still thinking about it and wrote one line in my prayer journal, “Lord, please open doors and close doors.” 

Hours later my dad called and offered me a job. He’s got more work than he can handle and would love to have me back. There’s an open door if I’ve ever seen one!

So today I quit my job. One of the bosses (my favorite one) was great. He said he knows how unhappy I’ve been and he was telling my other boss that he thinks they’ve burned me to the point of no return. He knew I was going to leave in a matter of time. And he said he’s happy for me to have a great opportunity that makes me happy. Awww. See? I’ll miss some things about my job.

I will definitely miss a lot of the people. But it is time. SO time. So… the next two weeks are going to be hairy trying to wrap up, pass off, button up. And then I’m outta there! Praise God!! 

Since I last checked in...

1. Two good friends had their babies. Sadly I've had a cold the last two days which has hindered the baby visiting / smooching. But not for long. Looking forward to meeting Anika and Benjamin at the earliest possible moment.

2. Work. Ahhhhhhhhhhh. It was a rough week last week and it's insane this week getting ready for a big festival we are helping to put on.  If you want to experience Ann Arbor in all of it's glory, check out http://www.missionzerofest.org/.  It's a festival celebrating all things energy efficiency, sustainability, etc. and has activities for the kids, adults, and great musical guests coming too. This is a shameless plug, but I do think it will be a cool weekend... and I will be working all day Saturday, so be sure to look for me if you come.

3. We got the three original chickens back from my mom bringing the count at the Shack back up to 4. The dogs act as though this whole chicken thing is brand new so we're adjusting all over again.

4. I went strawberry picking this evening at my favorite spot. Picking was fabulous! Got a lot of strawberries. And then I headed to visit a friend for the evening- strawberries in tow. I love having my far away friends in town for these few weeks. I just wish I was seeing them more while they are here!

Okay, I should have been in bed hours ago. So I'll just leave it at this.