New Loves

It's been 4 weeks since I became unemployed.  Yesterday I had lunch with a good friend and former co-worker.  He asked me if I had any regrets.  Within 2 nanoseconds I answered NO!  It has been a great 4 weeks of acclimating to a new calendar. 

My new calendar has Sunday followed by 6 not-Sundays.  The reality is that 2 of my not-Sundays are days when Terri works.  On those days I get up with her to make the bed and the coffee, and help her get out the door.  I am a swell guy.

During the 4 weeks off, I have developed a love for things that I once hated or took for granted.  One of those things is coffee.  I always liked coffee, but now I love coffee.  Getting up in the morning and fixing a steaming cup of Seattle's Best in the Keurig is something that I look forward to.  My coffee intake has not increased, but more than ever, I really enjoy the 2 cups I drink each morning.

I have also learned to love Sunday evenings.  Formerly, Sunday evening was the official end of the weekend and the unofficial return to the work week.  Anxiety and stress would slowly return starting just after Sunday noon, and build the rest of the day.  Now, the relaxed stress-free feeling of Saturday evening continues all day Sunday.  It's a great thing.

My not-Sundays continue to be busy.  I have completed about half the honey-do's on the list and taken on new tasks that were not on the list.  I have also entertained doing a side job for one of Terri's customers.  Last week I received great news from the realtor for my mother's manufactured home.  We always knew that selling the home without owning the lot would be an uphill struggle and it has been, but we received and accepted an offer.  Closing is scheduled for the end of May.

Missouri law governing manufactured homes seems to be ambiguous at best.  I learned yesterday that we could not get a duplicate title for the home because it was never titled 11 years ago after it was sold to my parents.  Having the time to develop personal relationships with the staff at the Missouri Department of Revenue has been a blessing.  I have spent the last two afternoons there and will need to return at least once more. One thing I will never learn to love is the bureaucracy of government. But at least now I have the time to navigate through it.