Back to the Salt Mines

And loving it!

Last week I started back to work again. This is my third go round at my old job.

For more than 30 years I worked long hours and felt very unappreciated. In fact, my last full week before I retired, I worked 50 hours which was not unusual. So when the city offered an early retirement, I jumped on it. My benefits took a huge hit, but finally I was able to relax and to sleep. The first three months that I was retired, I slept ten or more hours a night. I was simply exhausted.

Then after a while, I realized that I missed being a part of a team. Like an old war horse, I could not completely give up the battle.

About a year and a half after I first retired, my old office called me back to fill in for five weeks while a former supervisor of mine was out on medical leave. I was very nervous that first day, but suddenly realized how much I missed the place and all of its people.

I was fortunate that they had money to keep me on and they kept me for 15 months until the money ran out. I really did not want to leave even then.

Well recently I got a reprieve from retirement. My old office called me back again to fill in as a temporary part timer. Three days a week is great. I love it and they love me. I am a cheap hire because they only pay me by the hour for hours worked. No benefits, no leave. I love it because once again I feel productive and appreciated. That is all I could ask for.