A Lose-Lose Situation?

Is there such a thing as a Lose-Lose situation?  This sure feels like one.

Due to my husband losing his job, it's back to the workforce with me.  I interviewed for a job last week & got called back for a second interview.  Hurray!  Right?  Maybe.  When I interviewed initially, they were fine with me continuing my Girl Scout Leader responsibilities until the end of the school year, which would mean my needing to leave at 2:pm every other Friday until mid-June.  Of course they asked my desired salary.  So I told them.  I even gave a range.

Well, today I had my second interview.  It went well.  Really well!  So well, in fact, that they called just a few hours later & offered me the job.  WOW!!!  But then... 

They offered me $2/hour less than the low end of my range & said they would "let" me continue my Leader duties until the end of February.  At the rate they are offering, I will end up making less than I did on unemployment, but more than the nothing I make now.  Why does what should be a no brainer make me feel like I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't?

Let's digress a bit.  My daughter goes to Catholic school & we were unable to afford tuition this year, so they were kind enough to let me work in the office a few days a week in exchange for tuition.  It's been great & I love it!  Last week the principal called and asked how my interview had gone because she was doing some moving around and was thinking of putting me in 1st grade.  When I told her I wouldn't know anything until the beginning of this week she said "Oh, that's fine, I'll just keep things the same for now."  I went in today (the office is open, but the kids are still on break) to collect the recycling, which is my Auxiliary duty, and stopped in to see Sister and just kind of update her on where things were.  It turns out the position in 1st grade was an ACTUAL job and she hired someone else!  I am devastated, to put it mildly.  It was not clear when we spoke on the phone that she was HIRING someone!  I would have jumped at the opportunity.

OK, back on track.  So now, if I take the job I'll be back to paying tuition (which will take a whole week's earnings each month), leaving my girls without a Leader & already feeling resentful.  What to do?  Take the job because some money is better than no money?  I feel like I have two lessons to learn and teach here:  Sometimes you have to stick to your guns and honor your commitments and take the consequences.  Or, sometimes you have to grab what's available because it may not be right but it might be the right now you need.

I just feel so torn up.  I have until Friday to make a decision, and I'll end up doing what's best for the family.  I just hope that's what's best for me, too.

Mmm... Tastes like childhood!

This recipe is childhood for me.  It's one of my favorite meals from when I would stay with my Grammie & Poppy, which was a lot.  My Mom & I lived with them until I was almost 4 years old & I spent as much time as I could with them growing up (escaping, more than visiting, I suppose).  I had lunch with them once a week until my Grammie passed away in 2001.  I kept it up with my Poppy until he got too busy.  Oh well, I hope I'm too busy when I'm 85!

Grammie's Potato & Dumpling Soup

10-12 medium-sized russet potatoes
2 cans chicken broth, plus 2-2 1/2 cans water
Sea salt & pepper, to taste
1 bay leaf
1 lbs. bacon
1 1/4c flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
Sea salt & pepper

Peel & cube 10-12 medium sized potatoes.  Add potatoes to pot, season with salt & pepper and add broth & water.  Bring to a boil; reduce heat & simmer until potatoes are soft.  Meanwhile, cook 1 lbs. bacon.  Adding bacon drippings to potatoes, while simmering.  While bacon cooks, mix flour, salt & pepper, baking powder, eggs & a few drops of milk to form a dough.  Adding more flour, if the dough is too sticky.  When the potatoes are done scoop out about 1/2 to 3/4 of the potatoes & let cool slightly.  While the potatoes are cooling, drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough into the soup.  Blitz the cooled potatoes in a blender (I use the Magic Bullet) until smooth & stir back into soup.  Stir well & allow to simmer until heated through & dumplings are done (they'll rise to the top), about 10 minutes.

Top soup with cheese & crumbled bacon. (You won't need the full pound of bacon, but why cook twice?)

Happy New Year!

2010 was far better than 2009, but it ended on a sour note: I ran out of Unemployment benefits and my husband lost his job of over 6 years.  Such is life in these trying times.  But 2011 is going to bring us new adventures, new opportunities & new selves.  Go out there & seize it, my friends!

What's all the hubbub?

"Why are you starting a blog?", says my husband.  "I don't really know", is my response.

And so it began.  It started innocently enough with me wandering unsupervised through the internet, gathering recipes, craft ideas and the like.  The next thing I know I'm reading at least 3 blogs a day, clicking on countless others and thinking, "Hey, I want in!".  Being me, I've jumped in with both feet & will figure out how to do it as I go.  I'm certain that my sweet Leila will provide me with plenty of fodder to entertain, delight & horrify you, if nothing else.

Let's see where this ride takes us, shall we?