Eight versus ten... in These titles mean nothing.

This has been a long week and there is still a day of it left. Hours were varied.
Monday 6 - 2:30.
Tuesday 8 - 4:30.
Wednesday through Friday 6 - 2:30.

Next week we work 6 - 2:30 too. We had been working Monday through Thursday 6 - 4:30.

We were polled today as to whether we wanted to work four ten hour days or five eight hour days. I’m pretty sure the four ten hour days will win. It’s not all up to us though, might not even be up to us at all. Guess we just wait and see.

I have mixed feelings about the 8 hour days. Time goes pretty quickly at work It’s nice to get off at 2:30 in the daylight. It’s nice to get home early. It’s nice to have the two extra hours in the afternoon and evening. But…

What’s not nice is having to go to work on Friday. I worked a lot of Fridays but they were overtime and we off at 1:00. That’s an hour and a half earlier than we will get off tomorrow.

Five days means an extra trip, more miles on the car, more gas burned, etc.

This morning I had a deer incident. Car was following me - not real close but close enough. I was at bottom of the big hill approaching the first bridge, the one before the river bridge. I saw deer in the left ditch, and on the left shoulder. At least two and the front one was a big one. I took my foot off the gas and touched the brake. I figured the car behind would notice. There wasn’t enough time to slow down a lot, the deer stayed our from in front of me and I was past them.

I looked in the rear view mirror to see what was happening behind me. The car behind had slowed and I could see the silhouettes of the deer in their headlights. I saw one of the deer, either the big one or another big one being hit by the car. It wasn’t a solid hit and the deer got up and moved off the road. The car’s lights looked the same.

I had the feeling of gratefulness that comes from avoiding being in an accident. Then I felt sorry for the deer. It was below zero this morning. It would be a rough time to be hurt. The deer are coming off the hunting season, another rough time. Deer are like Gracie’s coyotes. No one takes care of them. Unless you want to think of the coyotes taking care of the hurt deer. They need to eat too.

There was a pretty big gap between my car and the car behind after it had slowed down for the deer and then hit one of them. I went up the twisty hill that leads out of the valley. I saw the lights bright behind me and the car passed me on yellow lines as if I were standing still. I was going the speed limit. I wondered where the driver was going in such a hurry.

Later in the day I thought about the deer incident and the four or five day work question. Working four days a week reduces your chances of hitting a deer or of being in any kind of accident by 20%. I don’t mind driving. I enjoy it. I don’t mind weather. I enjoy that too. And I like deer. And skunks. And whatever other kinds of wildlife that need to cross from one side of the road to the other.

I believe in luck. What happens happens. What doesn’t happen doesn’t happen. I am generally lucky. I am generally careful. I realize that luck and care can run out. I know bad things can happen.

It’s been a long week. I’m tired and a little sore. My shoulders hurt a little. My fingers are kind of worn out. My pretty turquoise fish scale polished nails are breaking and wearing out.

I generally feel good though. I worked today in the other department. I worked with some women I enjoy. We each work by ourselves - which I like - but we were close enough to have a little conversation to help each other when we needed help. I suppose I’ll be there tomorrow too. I finished an order. I did another five piece order of a part I really enjoyed making. I did eleven of fifteen of another order. I’ll finish the rest of them in the morning and then see what they have me do.

I need to buy gas at some point. I have enough for tomorrow and I guess I’ll wait until the next trip the car makes this weekend.

Thanks for the poll answers. We are all pretty much in agreement.