What was that you said?

I started training to service a new virtual client. It has been a while since I have been challenged and I’m glad I took this on but it has meant that my days have been very, very long.

I told hubs about two weeks ago this was going to be a very stressful time, and I wasn’t wrong. I’ve put in 14 to 15 hour days at the computer and while I understand that sounds glamorous, it is so not. I am tired. My eyes are tired, my butt is tired and my feet are swollen. This is not, my friends, even remotely glamorous!

The scheduling of this training has been difficult because I also continue to work a certain number of hours in order to keep my budget in line, and is why the days have been long. This is the drawback of working for yourself, working from home. My training is at my expense. When I say yes to a new project, I pay for it. I also pay for my own sick time, vacation time, personal leave and that sort of thing. Guess who doesn’t have benefits?

Poor hubs has eaten well this week but not exactly served in style, nor early. He’s seen me in the same pair of flannel pants for four days at least and we won’t even start on my hair. He asked me one night if it was worth it as I don’t seem to “have a life”. Well, I pointed out, I told you it was going to be a very stressed two weeks. It’s been five days.

This is a recurring issue in our discussions. He has no sense of time when it comes to this kind of thing. Five days is not two weeks. Two weeks of a stressful schedule is not equal to not “having a life”. No, this is, as I have discovered through our years of marriage, his way of telling me there is something HE needs.

This afternoon, I had enough of my very long week and changed the last half of my day. Sent an email to hubs letting him know there would be a square meal this evening. I was pooped; I needed a break but so did he. It has been a long five days, and there will be more long days ahead but tonight, it was time to put up my feet, have a glass of red wine and enjoy a perfectly grilled steak. Anyone that has been married or in a relationship for any length of time knows you have to listen for and respond to the cues.