"Cross country skiing is great if you live in a small country." - Stephen Wright

The situation at the hospital has steadily deteriorated over the last 18 months for reasons nobody on the floor can identify. Cost-cutting measures mean Pam is one of the few HUC's (Health Unit Coordinator) left as they shift those responsibilities to LPNs. She used to work three 12-hour shifts per week on 5c, but about two years ago they put a new "matrix" in place that says if her 22-bed unit has fewer than 17 patients the HUC is to be called and told not to come in. Some weeks she was working one day out of three, especially during the summer when snow birds go back to Wisconsin. After restructuring the system several times she now works three floors for three 12-hour shifts one week and two 12-hour shifts the next. It's a killer and almost all the nurses can't figure out how Pam survives. Then there's the issue of the pay reduction from 72 hours every pay period to 60.

This new schedule means she works Th, F one week and M,T,W the next. Factor in my Sundays with Saturdays full of chores and errands and it means from Th through to the following Wednesday we see very little of each other, or we're exhausted when we do. The upside is that from that "she's off" Thursday through to her next work day on the following Thursday she has a full week off. I head to Starbucks or similar for the mornings so she can buzz around the house without disturbing my prep time, and she's often out some of the afternoon, but we both enjoy being generally in the same place at the same time.

Today is her first day back to work after that week off. Because I was up and wide awake at 2:30 I settled down at the table with laptop and books to work on my sermon, having made good progress by the time she was up at 5:00. More coffee and more work after she left. Now begins this unpleasant week-long stretch where she leaves the house at 6:30 and gets home a little before 8:00. I'm typically up and working by 3:30 and worthless past 8:30.
This week stinks.

The garage stinks, too, but that's because I got the doors painted today. I *may* be getting the hang of this. No runs!! And minimal orange peel, all of which will come out with the color sanding.

You can see the glove box door v. 2.0 on the floor, leaning up against the cabinets.

Next step: installing the inner and outer front fenders and the doors. I'll do color sanding after they're on the truck because it will be easier...I think.

Kevin Bacon has been hired by the American Egg Producers to appear in ads touting the goodness of eggs. Doh!

You might be married to a car guy if you have...
 - a hood on the bed in the guest room
 - Fenders on the floor in the living room
 - a bolt on the bathroom counter
 - Eau de clear coat wafting through the house

Noel stopped by in his very trick motorized chair while I was out painting. In the course of our brief conversation I asked him who he would have lunch with if he could choose any living person on earth. He couldn't come up with anyone. Nobody interests him enough to even occur as a possibility.
Yikes.
I have a list a yard long.
Who's on yours?