September 13, 2010

I'm Back and Boy What a Month

So the last 6 weeks have had its up and downs. It all started at the beginning of August when my hubby left his full time and his full monthly paycheck job and took a commissions only position with another real estate company in town running the property management side of things. I was worried about finances but since our house was under contract I figured we could make it work since I was making good money at a local law office as a paralegal. On the upside of this move my hubby is much happier and really enjoys the people who he works with.

Then a couple of weeks later I was let go at the law office. Things have been really slow the last few months and I made the most money of the three office girls so the attorneys decided to let me go. Now I was really worried and I felt awful. I really enjoyed my job at the attorney's office and I really enjoyed who I worked for. It was an awful blow and I was miserable. Gunnison does not have a lot of available jobs since we are such a small town and nothing available close to what I was making.

During all of this time the contract on the house was moving along smoothly. We thought about moving to Boulder and even went to Boulder to look around. Ultimately we decided to stay in Gunnison since we had to decide NOW and we had no jobs in Boulder. After we made that decision we both felt as if we had a huge weight lifted off of our chests. Maybe we just belong in Gunnison - after all we have been in this valley for 13 years. One more year of living in the Gunnison valley and I will be able to say that I have lived here longer than Kansas.

So I have been unemployed for about 3 weeks. Thankfully my parents helped us out because we needed to pay money to close on the house - not much but with neither of us working it was too much for us to handle. I started waitressing at a local restaurant where the normal tip is 10 or 15%. I have a little trouble with this because I have always been a standard 20% tipper because I know how hard waitresses work - I knew this even before I became one. Oh well, it is a job that is needed.

On Thursday of last week I interviewed for a great position with the ski resort in Crested Butte. I would love that job, but the only or biggest downfall is the drive. This is a problem since we only have one car but I could probably make things work and the pay is what I am looking for. Also, on last Thursday a office manager type position was opened in a local dental office where I knew all of the staff except for the dentist. His dental assistant and hygienist are the nicest people you could find. I interviewed with him and he hired me. It is about $4 a hour less than I was making at the attorney's office and not quite full time but I am able to waitress two lunch shifts a week and a shift on the weekends.

So I was hoping once the house sold finances would be much better but they are starting to look like they are going to be just as tight as they where. But I am still looking for work and we will do our best to make things work out. We have rented a very nice 3 bedroom rental. I also love living in town where I hardly drive. I would rather ride my bike everywhere and everywhere is less than five minutes on a bike - PERFECT! I can even run home on much lunch break and take Sky for a run with me and still have time to get back to work. The only downfall of where we are renting in not having a fenced in yard but at the same time I have been taking the dogs for lots of walks. Exercise for me and with waitressing and a stressful and busy past few weeks I have lost almost 5 pounds.

3 comments:

funderson said...

yuck! Hang in there, mama! I'm really nervous for the folks in the county with the winter coming...not seeming pretty around here. : (

Stephanie said...

Sounds like it's been a stressful few months for you! I hope that huge opportunities come your way soon and that - in the meantime - you are able to find contentment/peace where you are. :)

P.S. How cool that you can bike/walk everywhere!

stephanie@metropolitanmama.net

Anonymous said...

Wow. I really admire your positive attitude during all of this. It sounds like you are truly working to make the best of the situation. In years to come I bet you'll look back on this time with a certain amount of fondness - hardship has a way of pulling families together. I'm praying for you.