The shoe finally drops

We've been holding our breaths, collectively, because Tom's company has been decimating his shift. Last week he was down to 3 people.  Not really enough to run a shift.  So we've been waiting for the proverbial shoe to drop.  

It dropped last night.

They shut down 3rd shift.  One guy will be laid off for a minimum of 6 months to a year.  The other two guys will be moving to other shifts.

And Tom?

Tom will move to second shift as shift foreman.  Which means the 2nd shift foreman will now be his lead man and will be hourly instead of salary.

That will not go down well as he is senior to Tom.  But I can't feel too badly for him because he has other income and we don't.  He has a farm, which I realize doesn't pay all the bills but it's a lot more than we've got right now.

Tom starts his new shift on Monday.  It will be a relief of sorts but will take some adjusting.  I'm not used to having him around during the day but having evenings free will be nice except Monday through Wednesday we're away from home in the evenings.  Shuffling cars will be more critical.  We won't be able to put the car in the shop because Tom will have to leave by 2 p.m. and we'll have to leave by about 4.  The shop isn't known for getting our car back to us until late evening, no matter when we get it in.

He's going to try to fix it himself this weekend.  It definitely will save us more money.

I know this may not be the last shoe to drop.  There is another layoff coming soon.  And I don't know how the other foreman will take it.  He might raise a stink that could affect Tom's position so I'm not feeling terribly secure yet.  But it's good to know they want to keep Tom and that they chose him over the other guy.

I do have to say that while he gives little at home, at work he gives 175 %.

On to other things.

Have you ever paid any attention to other drivers?  Have you seen that lone driver singing at the top of her lungs, drumming on the steering wheel or maybe even hand dancing?  That would be me.  It occurred to me the other day that when there are at least two people singing or being silly, it's considered good fun, but if it's just one person, people tend to look at them as if they were needing medication.  

Sigh.

I don't need medication.  I need someone to be silly with.

I'm working on the sleep hat and so far I like the way it's coming out, but I think I want to work with the pattern more and make it fancier.  I'm not a designer.  I don't have that vision but I do want to work on this design and have it come out just right.

Not that I think sleep hats will be the new fashion but with everyone lowering their thermostats, maybe it will catch on a bit.

They had American Idol on the big screen in the commons last night and one of the second-generation Osmonds got a shot.  I wonder if he'll have it harder than the others.  I suspect they'll hold him to a higher standard.

But I still don't plan to watch.  I'll just read about it on others' blogs.

I was thinking the other day about all these reality shows, and while I enjoy some of them (Project Runway and Top Chef...although I haven't watched TC for a couple of weeks due to my midseason frustration that I always go through...) I would be more interested if they had actual professional competing instead of practically beginners.  Then it would truly be the Top or Idol or whatever.

Plus, I'd love to see a competition with Ann Wilson and Steve Perry.  That would be so cool.

I just don't have the patience with these so-called tops of their fields.  They obviously aren't. And they obviously are there for the ratings and not much else.

Okay...rant over.

Once again, I am cold but today I don't have to set foot outside the house.  I'm playing Animal Crossing on the Game Cube, some heavy cleaning and putting up the curtains I bought at StuffMart the other day.  

Aside from my meltdown the other day, Tom and I have been doing better.  He let me sleep this morning.  In fact, I don't remember him coming in at all.  And sleep makes me a better person.

I'm off to finish up laundry, clean the kitchen, mop floors, scrub the bathroom, vacuum, and take down the old curtain fixtures and replace them with some iron ones and the new, room-darkening, insulated curtains.

Oh, and find the dining table.  It's covered again.  Another of my pet peeves, even if I'm the one who did it this time.

TTFN