I know it isn't summer yet (or really even Spring despite the official designation of such since March 20th), but a few days of sun and, relative, warmth serves as a nice reminder of the things I really like about Portland. Tia and I spent this afternoon on about a 90- minute stroll. In that time we stopped and picked up an iced coffee, wandered through a consignment shop, found a new coffee/pastry place that had just opened, walked past a new non-profit brew pub prepping to open, another one doing brisk business, a quaint little garden store (complete with chickens), and past the Firehouse Restaurant on our way to our new community garden plot which, incidently, sidles up to a great park. This we achieved by walking less than a half mile semicircle from our house going south and west. As much as I cannot stand the weather most of the year, I can't say I have ever lived in another city where I was so near to so much and still living in a residential area. It will be a great summer....you know, if it ever arrives.
I finally got to feel the baby kick. Was really neat, though I don't know how I would feel if it was kicking around inside of me. It is gradually becoming more and more concrete a concept to me now though. 4 more months.
Speaking of 4 more months, I made it through 2 days of work. I thankfully had help, which gave me plenty of time to catch up on paperwork and all the little niggling issues that tend to come up. I was asked to put together a 'clinic survival guide' or sorts as well in case something should again come up that leaves everyone else scrambling (like maybe a baby being born). I thought I would be able to knock it out in an hour or two. But, after over 2 hours and 5+ pages, I am nowhere near finished (though closer than when I started!). Every time I answer once question, it brings up a bevy of additional ones. I am not saying my job is exceedingly difficult (or any more so than anyone's job), but having to break down what you do to accomplish the things that I do to make the clinic run is not easy. You have to think of all the things you take for granted that you do just because that is what you do day in and day out. But, how would I explain it to anyone else who rarely to never does my job? Will be a long process. Of course, this wouldn't be necessary if, at any point ever, my suggestions to train everyone to work in the clinic (a 2-3 day initial rotation and then 1 day a month to keep up skills) were implemented. But, I am going to go ahead and guess that the guide I will end up typing up will probably be the way that people orient themselves. Sigh.
We have started the discussion on childcare though. It is really quite startling just how much will be changing. Determining how many days you want (or can afford) to put a child in daycare is a huge topic of conversation. Do you go with a nanny? What if I work part time? Not at all? What if Tia does either of those? It involves a LOT of guesstimation at this point of course. By August, I might not have a clinic to work at. Or Tia may run out of funding? Or we might win Powerball and retire? But, assuming we don't win any money, we have to figure out how much we can afford to live on, how much the kid will 'cost' on a monthly basis, and where those 2 lines intersect. I know I at least would like to try to be home more than I am at work. I guess we shall see.
Time to finish up dinner and try to push through that thin melancholy that also descends on Sunday evening when you know in your bones another work week is about to begin.
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