Income shift, canceled class, dry, travel tomorrow

Mama got some very good news yesterday. Her bonus earnings for the month of July – paid out at the first of August – were $600. Along with her commissions from sales and the product credit she was given for the month the cumulative total is over $1000. That is pretty amazing. Especially considering that she has only been selling Color Street for about six months. Go Mama! Victoria is doing well also and is contributing to the business in multiple ways that help Mama.

Yesterday afternoon my immediate supervisor called me to let me know that I had been given a raise. We, as a company, have been struggling lately to cover all the class we have offered. To make the schedule work, I have been assigned classes every week, sometimes multiple classes per week, through the end of the year. That is not practical. Crystal, my supervisor, referred to the Instructor Led Training Program as a house of cards. An appropriate reference. It does not allow me any vacation or sick time. Any little hiccup in the system and we will fail. All in all, I believe it will work out, but we are walking a little too close to the edge. On the bright side, the company recognizes the contribution I am trying to make, and they stepped up to thank me in the most practical way possible. The raise I was given is a significant one and I am thankful for the recognition and the reward. It will make a difference. Now if we can get our houses rented in Lawton, that will help as well.

My class was canceled today because no one signed up for the class. Not surprising this time of the year.  I do have an 8-hour online class tomorrow. Claude, a coworker and fellow instructor, will be teaching the same class for a different client at the same time I am teaching my class. That is the kind of schedule we are having to keep…and it flows through the end of the year. I talked with Crystal about the tidal wave of requests we will be receiving once travel restrictions are lifted – either late this year or early next year. That schedule will be impossible for me to meet alone without traveling every week. Doing multiple classes in one area each week. That prospect is not exciting to me. My company is looking for solutions that meet their budget constraints, but we are a little behind the curve. So far, we are keeping up, but the week I go for my procedure, we have not found anyone to replace me for the class on the day following that procedure. I have been advised that I will not be very comfortable – or very mobile – for several days following the procedure because of the incision required on my inner thigh. The vein there must be accessed for the procedure. The cut is not large, but it is in a sensitive area and will provide a certain level of discomfort. It will also limit my activities through the end of the week at least. Sounds like fun.

The dry weather continues here. Not the least unexpected but it does cause us some extra work as we struggle to keep certain plants alive. I do not mind the extra work. It is low impact enough that I can do it without too much trouble. Even still, by the time I go out to water – about 7:30 – I am pretty well shot for the day. That little chore uses up the energy I have left. Oh well, at least I am sleeping better.

Mama and Victoria are traveling tomorrow. They are going to Brittany’s. The original purpose of the trip was to keep the girls while Britany and Andrew closed on their house. Sadly, that is not happening this weekend. It is always a little complicated selling a house and the buyers are dealing with some complications selling their house before they can close on Brittany and Andrew’s house. That closing is postponed but Mama and Victoria’s travel is not. Victoria already requested the time off and it cannot be rescheduled on her part. So, they are heading out mid-day tomorrow. They will get to see Brittany’s on-base housing. The timing is good especially since I can work from home Friday and take care of the morning feeding.

Mama always worries about that.