Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[frustratedearthmother]

We are in the state capitol! Had a nice relaxed drive up and made sure to stop at the famous kolache bakery- Hruskas. It’s been featured on the cooking channel on Guy Fiere’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives. I got my usual vegetarian kolache. It has spinach, mushrooms and feta cheese baked inside a wonderful kolache pastry. Oh my gosh it’s delish!

Feels weird to be sitting on my bum and not needing to go out and feed something! We’ve been told that there’s a kick-butt TexMex restaurant around the corner that we’ll be checking out later. Date night!

 

[Mini Horses]

It all sounds good to me!!! Enjoy it.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Home! Drove 5 hours home in drizzly rain the whole way. Yuck! Every vehicle in front of me would throw up so much mist that it made the visibility really crappy. (doesn't help that I need new wiper blades) But - the solution to that problem is to not let anybody in front of me, lol!

Got to watch DGS's football game. He was moved up from B team to A team last week and only got to make one play last week. THIS week he was a starter and played the entire game. He is an awesome athlete! About to be 13 years old - in all AP classes at school and athletic to boot. Such a good kid. And his little sister (whose b'day is next week) is right behind him. She's matured so much in the last year or so. Her grades are up - she's in all pre A P classes and her progress report was amazing! So proud of my grands! Miss 'em already.

Back to work tomorrow...ugh. But, I don't have that much time left. Went to the retirement system headquarters and they encouraged me to make December my last month (YIPPEE) and half of December is holiday time so technically I'll be done mid-December-ish! So excited! Now I've gotta tell my boss. And, before this meeting I told her I would be there until mid (to possibly late) January. Oops... (snicker, snicker)

 

[Mini Horses]

Went to the retirement system headquarters and they encouraged me to make December my last month (YIPPEE

Bet THAT didn't take much work on their part! Enablers!

Gosh, it sounds soooo nice. Well, the part about not having to report to anyone, anywhere to do their beck & call...that sounds nice. I've been off for 7 days now and loving it. But, knowing I'm only off a week -- it feels more like a vacation time (whatever that is). So accomplished things but, slid some. Weather has been nice until today. All day rain -- which we needed. Back to work tomorrow, off Friday. It's life.


Congrats on those DGDs doing so well. Mine will graduate high school this Spring, Then to college. Hey, she gets a driver's license this Friday. No more "school bus" duty here!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I've been off for 7 days now and loving it.

That's nice! The not so nice part is going back. I'm looking at that tomorrow after being off for 5 days. The only bad part about getting out in December is that there's no way I'll be able to use up the comp time that I've earned. I could just say...&*&@(*#( it and take off as much time as possible - but we have a huge federal report that will be due before the holidays and our new boss hasn't decided to start on it yet. My co-worker and I started on our part weeks ago so at least we've made a little progress. Co-worker and I are going to start all of it tomorrow - boss or no boss included. Argh!

 

[Mini Horses]

Bad about comp time. That's an issue with those "trades".

They will pay you out your Vacay time? You lose any sick not used? that's the usual....hey, maybe that's why they suggested you leave 12/31 it's less they pay you.

So Jan 1 will REALLY be a new year for you! New life.

First month you'll enjoy, thinking it's just "vacay" time...then you will wonder "what's up?" Then, what will I do now? It's an adjustment. After all these years of going to work, I'm already concerned with handling it. Won't be a winter quit for me.

scary Just "me" here.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

@Mini Horses
I could use up the comp time if I weren't about to earn more...maybe I'll talk to the boss about NOT earning any more. The sick time I can donate to the college pool. Don't mind doing that at all - I donate time every year anyway. And, yes - I will get paid for all the vacay time. Yay! It'll be an extra months pay.

You lose any sick not used? that's the usual....hey, maybe that's why they suggested you leave 12/31 it's less they pay you.

The pay out doesn't come from the TRS system - it comes from the institution so they had no incentive to get me out early. Their point was - why go back for just a day or so in January which would actually delay my benefits. If I stop in December then my first check will be Feb. If I work a day or so in January my last pay check would only be for those few days and my full benefits wouldn't start until March. Makes sense if you look at it that way.

Honestly - I'm not worried about the money part , lol. I just want O.U.T!! I'm going to start pulling from one of my investments in January anyway. I'll really only need the extra until DH turns 65 - so I'll likely invest some of what I pull out. It's all about the money shuffle!

The other thing I found out is that, unlike SS, I could take any job (outside of the teachers retirement system) and earn any amount of money with NO reduction of TRS benefits. That's good to know even though I have no plans to do that. I plan to be a stay at home farmer. And, I'm soooooo looking forward to it!

 

[Mini Horses]

AHHHH...Feb or Mar. Yes, that makes sense.

Yeah, SS gets to you for a while but, for MOST, It isn't bad. My first year they held almost $5K. What many don't realize (I didn't) is that they hold it all lump sum, up front. So, missed some cks. As it turned out, the company I worked for was sold and my job was blended into their other office. I reported that at once. SS sent me a check for all they had held within about a month or so. Now, my income from work has no restrictions for/from SS. Guess it pays to get old.

I plan to be a stay at home farmer. And, I'm soooooo looking forward to it!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Managed to get a couple things done today. Mixed up a bunch of leftovers, a big batch of extra eggs and some cooked rice to mix with the dogs food. They'll enjoy the special treat for a couple days. And, decided for whatever reason, that I want to get a fall/winter garden in the ground. I usually have decent luck with a cooler weather garden. At least it doesn't dry up and wither away or get eaten by bugs. Anyway, finding a place to plant something necessitates cleaning out the raised beds and a couple of big growing tubs. Made a lot of progress, but I'll have to finish up tomorrow. Also, still have tons of apples in the refrigerator so I cut up a bunch of those to fill the dehydrator - again. I've got tons of apple butter and now have quite a load of dehydrated apples too. The pigs, goats, horses and chickens all enjoyed the peelings. They'll get more soon enough. The weather has finally moderated enough that I've started fermenting corn for the hogs again. They'll get some mixed with their pellets and I'm sure they'll be very happy. After all - a happy hog is a tasty hog, right? LOL Next weekend, when we have another cool front, I'll try to get a pig in the freezer to keep the goat that's already in there company.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Gonna be a warm one again today. After our cool front(s) last week we got quite warm again. We've been at 90 or near for several days. Supposed to get cool again early next week - but also supposed to get rain with the cool front. That means I need to get out a do a couple things before it gets wet(ter). I WILL move a round bale today. Has to get done. Need to move a couple of does that are still nursing babies. That's been on the "to do" list for several weeks and hasn't been done yet - can you say procrastination? Also need to finish cleaning out the raised beds and getting seeds in the ground. Those things, along with normal house chores (can you say laundry?) will take up enough of my day. But the biggest plan for the day is to watch the Texans win another game!!