I doubt I could have tempted you tonight, Pam....unless a tuna sandwhich and instant soup grabs your fancy!

We were up late...yeah the sun was rising...I have a vague recollection of asking "Are you people EVER going home?"

Good thing it was only MJ, D and H here by that time. I eventually crawled on top of my bed...only to have all three of them pile on top of me! Oy, my friends....

So the challenge tonight is to get enough sleep for my first full day back at work...wish me luck!

Shiny

P.S. jstx, I feel less than self sufficient for a few reasons

1) my job (pretty much the only one I'm qualified for and capable of) is contract and pays less than it would take to live on (subtext...I'm scared of change and rather like the schedule I have which allows two days of working from home...lots of flexibility)

2) part of why I don't seek other work is that my health is very iffy: in addition to an anxiety disorder (mostly under control), I have ulcerative colitis and chronic kidney problems...under the threat of surgery at all times

I fatigue easily

Although I DO make time for regular workouts...fairly hefty ones too. When I say I'm 25 pounds overweight...that's really not true. I'm 25 pounds heavier than when I first signed on here two years ago...but I had lost weight with the "your life just got turned upside down" diet. (In addition to a recent surgery)

I'd be in the normal BDI range if I lost 7 pounds...and frankly, I'm FAR more fit and muscular than when I got married at 138. (At 145 the gown still fits)

To be perfectly honest, I've come a long way in feeling MORE self sufficient. In actuality, I COULD survive on my salary if I taught around the year....(and they don't hire any more tenure-track people...) I came to that realization through all of this.

Does anyone else who is far into piecing still think of this stuff? I still find myself working out potential single finances at odd moments.

I think it's part of that self protection mode that HAD to gear up (for the first time in my life) two years ago. It's okay, though, it kind of reminds me that I'm NOT as dependent as I once thought.

OKAY....a classic Shiny P.S.....longer than the original post!