What Have I Done?

So a few months ago there was word going around Twitter about this MOOC (massive open online course) that would be starting in the fall called The Hyperlinked Library. It sounded intriguing and with Michael Stephens involved, it could only be good. So when the invitation to participate in the trial run of the course came out I submitted my name. So did A LOT of other people which meant that when I didn't get in to the MOOC I wasn't surprised.

Several days ago I was surprised to receive an email stating that due to drop outs and other issues there was now a spot for me. OH. (Looks at calendar, reviews MOOC schedule for next 12 weeks...) I had to think long and hard about joining now because, of course, I had other commitments I had made in light of the previous decline. What swayed me to go ahead and jump in are the same things that attracted me in the first place - the ideas, the people and the opportunity to try something new. Being free had a little to do with it too.

Having worked in my public library for over 10 years now, but without a degree, certificate or diploma makes me a rare bird in learning opportunities such as this MOOC. Many librarians are not very accepting of library clerks, often seeing them has competition, especially in the US, for their jobs. They have no experience with the homegrown library clerks who end up doing the jobs because small rural libraries can't afford, or attract (for various reasons), qualified librarians.

As I said in my course blog, I feel like the new kid in the class, looking cautiously around for a friendly face. I'm hoping once they get to know me it'll stay that way. I'm sure once my nerves settle down things will be fine.

Now to work out a schedule that will let me get everything done.

Vacation

Hubby is on vacation.
So am I. although I only have a week while he has 2. We aren't doing anything special, just hanging at home, with a quick shopping trip into the city with the boys before summer gets crazy. (Three of us have jobs that are very busy in the summer so summer trips are nonexistent.)
Whenever hubby has vacation time and we're staying home, you can predict how things will go.
The first few days hubby will do a lot of sleeping to make up for the erratic sleep schedule he keeps when he is working. Then he starts organizing things. This usually springs from some unsuccessful search for some item he is sure we have. This is followed by the 'I'm on vacation so why should I do any work around the house' stage. This doesn't last long because I'm the 'I'm on vacation to DO those special jobs around the house' person. Guess who gets their way? ;-)
Besides all the regular stuff still needs to be done - who does he think is going to do it 0_o ?
Which leads us to the "negotiation" stage where we end up doing a job I want done, followed by something "fun" that he wants to do, and the most urgent of the daily stuff gets done.
Once I go back to work he can do things his way for the few days left in his vacation time. Then he goes back to work and I get the alone time I need to put everything back together. :D After all this time together we have a system that works.

Now to get through the next week...

Happy Mother's Day

(Trying to type while a cat is demanding your attention is very difficult lol)

I had a plan for today. I knew both of my sons would be working. My hubby wasn't expected to be home from work until lunchtime or later, and he would need a nap when he got home. I thought I could get all my usual Sunday chores done early then have the rest of the day to relax, read, play video games and eat junk food.

Didn't really turn out that way. While I was getting my chores done my mother-in-law called requesting our presence for a ham dinner. After finishing my chores I went over to check if she needed help and ended up looking after my 2 year old niece for the afternoon. Once she went home I just had time to get ready for dinner. Dinner ended up being delayed while we waited for hubby's cousin and her partner to arrive (they were on their way through town). Dinner was great of course and it was fun visiting with everyone.
But now I just want to lay on the couch and have a nap.

Maybe I could make my plan happen tomorrow...

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms, aunties and other caring ladies out there. You rock!

This Stinks

The library I work for has been getting money for a summer staff member for years from the STEP program. This position has meant I could alter my schedule to accommodate running the summer reading during the week.
The provincial government has suspended the STEP program starting immediately. This means I will not be able to change my schedule, meaning I won't be able to run a drop in SRP during the week. It also means my more successful outreach SRP with our town's summer care program for elementary school age kids is on the chopping block. After 6 years of work to get it to this point I have to seriously look at cutting the program.
Given my work schedule and Summer Fun's daily schedule there will be only a few hours that might work for both of us. Having struggled with timing before with them... let's just say I don't have a lot of hope it could work. But I will try. I've got to contact the coordinator this week and see what she has in mind for the summer.

Approaching the New Year

There is something about this time of year that makes me look back.
As the saying goes "the more things change, the more things stay the same." The year has been filled with many small changes that have kept the same old, same old running smoothly. :-) Cause at this stage in my life I appreciate things running smoothly and not having huge changes to adapt to. Adapting to the many small life changes that getting older (both us and our family members) has brought us has been enough. Life has given us a temporary period of relative calm this year. Which means bigger changes are on the horizon of course. Changes that hover just over your shoulder, out of sight, waiting...
I can say with absolute certainty that it has been a good year for myself and my family. Thank you.

It is also time to look forward.
I could make a list of resolutions, goals etc. and I should, but right now my mind is focused on the less concrete "feels."
I hope my sons continue to work hard in their jobs, but I also hope that they find a passion, goal, focus (or multiple) to balance their lives. It could be post secondary education. It could be a re dedication to a sport/health. It could be a new relationship (romantic or otherwise). I hope they find something new to bring joy into their lives.
I hope that my husband and I can continue to grow our lives together, supporting each other as changes come our way. I hope that our family, extended family and friends have a year that brings them joy and that we can continue to support them as they face their own challenges.
I guess that is what it comes down to... I hope.

I wonder what she's trying to tell me.

This is Tiger.
She is a 17 year old Manx cross that we've had since she was a kitten. Yes, an orange female cat is rather rare. Tiger has been a house cat right from the beginning and up until this year she has been quite content with that. This year has seen her fighting to get outside more and more often. Some days she gets ambitious and wanders under the raspberries and other days she just lays in the sun. She does NOT like grass and refuses to walk on it so her walks around the yard can be quite creative.
But it's on days like today when I wonder if she's trying to tell me something.

Wearing Down

Suddenly it is halfway through August. I'm exhausted, yet the To Do list gets longer and longer. I'm trying to carve out a few hours of "me" time every few days just to balance the pressure. Too many demands, not enough me to go around. I need to learn how to turn off my brain so I'm not dreaming of work, or other To Do stuff.
"to sleep, perchance to dream"