Stolen moments

There are so many things I wanted to write about over the last few days, but even getting -to- the blog has been impossible. I've just been too busy. I find myself looking forward to retirement more and more. Of course, I won't be able to afford to do it but the idea of having my time to myself is sometimes just such a wondrous thing that it still manages to give me a sense of hope, however false that might be.

So here I am in stolen minutes, when I should be dressing for work. The bus won't be here for half an hour yet. Tonight I'll be done work at 6pm. There is a bus at 6:04pm. Depending on who runs the floor this evening, I may or may not be able to catch it. If one is supposed to be done at 6pm, several of the shift leaders won't let you shut down your line until then. Which means that you still have a line of customers to process. Which means walking home. After 8 hours (plus 1/2 unpaid) of work standing up, walking is not easy for me. Pain is something to be overcome, and I guess I should be thankful that people at my job are so eager to help me do that. I just can't get over the idea that since they expect me to be there on time, they ought to let me out on time. I have expressed this thought. The following week I had three shifts which lasted until 8 or 9pm. And the week after that. And the week after that.

This week, I don't even have the minimum number of hours for my personnel level, which is 28. I discussed this with the personnel department a couple of months back. I was hired for 38.5 hours of work, but they can get away with 28. I was promised that the issue of minimum hours would be raised in a manager's meeting and my name would not be used. Thee following weeks did see my hours bump up to 32 per week. And three nights a week of walking home after the last bus. Get the message?

For Thanksgiving week, they suddenly bumped me up to 36 hours. How nice.

Thanksgiving was wonderful. I had the day off, something that hasn't happened much this last decade. I had dinner at austanspace's. It was a tremendous effort on her behalf, and an excellent meal. Then it was "pie night" when friends show up with the price of admission - one home baked pie. We then get to sit around, drink, gossip and bitch. It was the best Thanksgiving I've had in years.

Today will be the third day without any anti-depressants, anti-anxietals, antihistamines, anti anything. How many days are there remainig until the end of time?