We've lost the funding source for about 1/3 of my job. I staff the
Disability Services Board about 10 hours a week, and all funding for
DSBs has been cut in the FY10 state budget (we still have funding till
the end of May). I don't know yet whether this will affect my hours - I
expect that will depend partly on whether I can find a grant to make up
the difference, but of course everyone's looking for grants in these
times.
Bob should be OK as long as funding for the National Science Foundation
isn't slashed dramatically - that's ultimately what funds his job...
What a long, strange week it's been...
More stuff has happened in the last week than I could or would want
to sum up on Facebook, starting with a week ago yesterday when I blew up
at my boss and stormed out. She was just going on at me about how we
need to get the money spent for working on the solid waste plan, and how
embarrassed she was at the lack of work that's been done and money
that's been spent, and I tried to tell her for the umpteenth time that I
can't get everything done that falls under environmental planning in 20
hours a week (I work 30, but about 1/3 of my time is supposed to be
spent supporting the Disabilities Services Board). She just brushed it
off like a lame excuse and started in again, and I snapped, told her
"I think you expect too much from too little time," slammed
the main door to our offices and left. (Good thing it wasn't too cold,
because I didn't double back to my office to get anything.) I didn't go
back to the office until Saturday, to pick up my jacket and bag.
Sunday I came down with the stomach flu, or maybe more like the
intestinal flu, but anyway. Monday was a holiday and also the day we
were scheduled to go sign the papers for the sale of our old house.
Fortunately I felt better, although not all better. We stopped by the
old house to say goodbye before we went to sign the papers, and then
wound up going back and saying goodbye again, because it turned out we
were supposed to leave our keys on the kitchen counter. After the papers
and before the second goodbye, we saw "Coraline." (Laurel was
in school because it was a snow make-up day; I don't think she would
have like the movie anyway.) It was hard saying goodbye. The things that
were the toughest were the sponge-painting job I did in the master
bathroom while I was pregnant, and the ceiling fan that Bob installed in
the family room that he was so proud of because he'd had to cut a hole
in the ceiling to put a brace in, and when he was done you couldn't even
tell. We put a lot of effort into that house, which was our first, and
it will always have a place in our hearts.
Anyway, Tuesday the intestinal flu was back with a vengeance, and Laurel
threw up, so we both stayed home, and Bob stayed home too to take care
of us. The lawyer's office was supposed to call us that afternoon to let
us know that the money had been wired to our account, so when we hadn't
heard by 6:30 we panicked and called our real estate agent. Turned out
things had just happened too late for the money to be wired, but the
sale was final.
Wednesday morning, Laurel threw up again, and I was still not doing too
well either, so we both stayed home again. Somewhere along the line I
picked up some cold symptoms to go along with the other stuff. Still no
money.
Thursday morning, Laurel threw up again, and she was running a low
fever. I was going to try to go into work in the afternoon, but by then,
I was feeling crappy again too. The money finally showed up. WOO-HOO!!
That made it feel official. I'm still not sure I've totally wrapped my
head around the idea, though.
Friday morning, Laurel threw up again, she was still running a fever,
and she was doing her best imitation of a mucus fountain. This time I
did make it into work in the afternoon. My boss acted like nothing had
happened, and since a) I was still barely standing upright and b) I knew
she was on her last day before leaving to go take care of her mother for
three weeks, I decided to leave it there too for now. I really think
we're going to have to address the underlying issue at some point. My
boss keeps treating the idea that I can't be the environmental planning
department in 20 hours per week like I'm just a poor time manager (never
mind that before Laurel was born, I was full time, and didn't have as
many responsibilities as I do now), and I'm sick of being stressed out
all the time because I can't keep all the balls in the air. But, I guess
my boss isn't TOO mad at me over last Friday - I found out from one of
the other managers that she had proposed at the Leadership Team meeting
a few days ago that the office do a service project for one of its own
and build us a path we could use to wheel Laurel to the basement in case
of a storm. (This was something the builder had said he'd do and then
didn't.) I'm not sure if that will work as a volunteer-labor thing, but
we'll see - meanwhile, I do really appreciate the thought! I also booked
our trip to Disney World. 
And on the way home, I found $17 lying on the floor of the Lowe's
restroom! It looked just like the sort of wad of money that I carry in
my pants pocket (and have also been known to lose), and I felt bad for
the unknown woman who'd lost it, but I didn't figure the chances of
reuniting her with it were high (although if she'd walked in looking for
it, I would have absolutely handed it over). I've so BTDT...if this
hadn't been in front of me and I'd just walked in, I would have figured
I'd BTDT again.
Laurel meanwhile had the worst night yet last night in terms of
coughing. Her fever finally seems to be breaking, though. And we managed
to get through the morning without barf! Unfortunately, I don't think
she'll be well enough by tomorrow to use the free flower show tickets
that we got. 
But
I'm starting to hold out hope that we won't be trucking her to the
doctor on Monday.
It was just a really strange, surreal week. We had this major life
milestone pass - selling our first house. And we have some money in the
bank that we can use to refinance this house and buy some things we
need, YAY!! And we don't have two mortgages, YAY!! And we're going to
Disney, YAY!! But then there was sickness all around and my stress over
what exactly WAS going to happen when I got back to work - I didn't think
I'd get fired, I've worked there nearly 15 years and it's not like I
make a habit out of that sort of thing - but I wasn't sure what would
happen. I think on balance I'm feeling mostly glad I survived it!
Laurel made it to school today, but she's being sent home. Temperature of 101 (she didn't have one earlier this morning). We've decided that it's time for her to see the doctor and are taking her in this afternoon. Meanwhile, I've come down with something else and can barely talk. Wah...
[Note: I guess I never did post a follow-up to this! But it turned out that Laurel had a double ear infection. We had no idea - go figure...]