Save The Date!

I sat down with the mom today at lunch while the little guy was napping and the big guy was still at school and worked out some dates for this summer.

I’ll be helping the family in Sonoma for three weeks over the summer.

The first week will be June 22nd-26th.

I’ll be working as though I’m at their house in the city, same hours, but I’ll be living at the house with them.  I’ll have my own bedroom and bathroom separate from the rest of the house.

It’ll be my first time doing live in overnight care.

Although, technically, that’s not true, I was basically live in care every time I went to Burning Man with the families I worked for.

But this will not be Burning Man.

This will be Sonoma.

They have also requested another two weeks in August, the 17th-21st and also the following week, the 24th-28th.

I’d have a rental car to come and go from the city with, I’d drive up and back on my own, and most likely have the care for the whole weekend in between the August weeks.

I already know I will need to come back to San Francisco on the weekends.

My job is a job and I need weekends off.

The family will also be on vacation at the end of July, the 27th-31st.

Now this is time that interests me.

Not necessarily because I had something planned around it, but because the family will be on vacation with friends out-of-town and I won’t be going.

If I don’t take it as vacation time the mom would probably come up with work for me to do around the house.

Not interested.

I am not contractually bound to vacation at the same time, but it is the polite thing to do and I have two weeks of vacation time of which I haven’t used any since starting.

I have taken three sick days to deal with my dad in Anchorage, but that was it.

Otherwise.

I have shown up and done my job.

Done it well I should add.

The youngest starts pre-school the week of September 2nd.

Both the boys will be in school, but the family will still need a nanny and mother’s helper.  The mom and I basically agreed that I would stay on with them while I was in graduate school, that she would take me for whatever hours I feel I can spare.

Ah.

Job security.

It’s an awful nice thing to have.

And vacation time.

The trip to Atlanta falls on the 4th of July holiday paid days off, so I don’t have to take vacation hours for the trip.

Which, aside, is really looking up to being an awesome adventure.

My girl friend who I am going to be splitting a room with at the Self Discovery Center Bed and Breakfast, just informed me via text that she was able to get on my flight!

We are travel buddies!

I am so stoked.

I’m a freaking dork right now.

We’re totally going to be the annoying people who ask to switch spots so that we can sit next to each other.

Yay!

Yay!

Yay!

Three days with one of my best girl friends ever, traveling, hanging out at a bed and breakfast, catching up, going to see friends, lots and lots and lots of friends.

Like 70,000 or so.

I do not exaggerate.

I also found out the awesome lady in Anchorage who I became friends with when I was up there is going too.

We’ll be having a reunion, I can feel it!

So all of this means, when do I take my two weeks vacation time and what do I do?

I could take that week that the family is gone at the end of July and go to Wisconsin.  I would love to see my best friend from back home.

I also had a fleeting idea of going to Hawaii.

I have never been and I bet July is not really a time most folks are there.

I still am planning a trip down to Chula Vista to see my grandmother, but I don’t think I want to wait until the end of July.

My next thought is, I should take my second week of vacation and go to Burning Man.

I could be there the first week that the boys are in school, the family won’t need me as much and I could go get my dusty on.

I still don’t know the time frame for the graduate school program.

That is the question that for me is up in the air.

I just checked the website again and they don’t have the dates for the program up yet.

So that’s on the back burner.

Burning Man.

What would I do if I wasn’t going to see you?

I suspect that I will go, even if I don’t know how, even when I was in Paris I figured I would be going back for the burning of the dude in the desert.

And I did.

This would be year nine for me and I want to go.

The question is what to do for the week in July?

Take it as vacation time or work odd jobs around the house.

I know I will need a week off for the retreat that kicks off the graduate school program and then if I go to Burning Man, that’s another week.

That could be my two-week vacation all wrapped up with those obligations.

I suppose no plans need to be made right now.

I know I’ll be in Sonoma for three weeks this summer and I know I’ll be in Atlanta for a long weekend in July.

I suspect I will be in Chula Vista for a weekend soon and other than that, I don’t know, I don’t have to know and it’s going to be just fine.

It’s the second day in February, I don’t need to be living in September quite yet.

I’ve got a few dates to go on before I get there.

Some friends to see.

Some adventures to be had.

Some dancing to be done.

Some present to be present for.

In the moment.

Where all the best things happen.

Tags: Atlanta, burning man, Chula Vista, family, friends, girl friends, graduate school, Hawaii, job security, Nanny, postaday, recovery, San Francisco, save the date, school, summer plans, travel, Wisconsin, work