The #1 Goal

Thursday I picked up my paycheck and had to go down to make the car payment.


I had worked three 12 hours shifts for that check and was very disappointed that I didn't even make enough to cover the entire car payment. I don't know... I just don't know if anything will ever get any better.


I was really excited to start my semi-new job. Being a "scheduled temp" is a big step up from being a regular temp. I will no longer have to rely on Blob-Employ to call me for work. I will be on the schedule at Nature's.


My first day was pretty much a disaster as halfway through the day I slipped and fell. The big problem was that I was not wearing their non-skid shoe booties that I was supposed to have on. I could be, at the very least, reprimanded for that... at the very worst, terminated from Nature's and from Blob-Employ.


I was puzzled when I checked our schedule and I was not on it. 


Then I found out that I was not actually a scheduled temp... yet... they were still testing me...


Oh, joy...


I was worried and confused. First I have the job, then I don't, oh but I do, oh no I don't, but I might... well, crap. What can I do? 


For those three days, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, I was as friendly and sweet as I could possibly be as I pretty much just lived for work and tried to put my best foot forward... with a non-skid bootie on.


It became harder and harder as I was getting extremely tired since I had already worked Monday and Wednesday that week. I was sore from falling and stiff from sleeping in the cold, damp car. I was feeling dirtier by the moment since I had not been able to really get cleaned up beyond a sponge bath at the rest stop bathroom. I had to start wearing my stupid looking hat to hide my hair again.


Sunday we had a fabulous day at work, managing to package and palletize fifty-thousand more bars than has ever been done before in one shift. 


And I was welcomed to the team... officially. 


Monday my three days off started and I finally had the time to sit still and let everything soak in...


At this point we're just holding our breath until Thursday when I'm paid again, since we are pretty much broke again. It seems like every day we figure out another way to avoid spending money, but still survive. 


Maybe I should write a book about THAT someday...


The long nights we've had in the car, I've had a lot of time to think, and I've been thinking about everything... my kids, Wally and our situation, my family, Jake, what my priorities should be, what my goals are... and how I can get myself OUT of this stinking mess!!!! 


At least I can say now, that my #1 goal has been accomplished... I've found something I have been trying to find for the past five years... a steady full-time job.