{{ I am chronicling 48 days of writing before my July 31 travel. If you are chronicling your summer writing/days and would like to share, please link or comment so we can all cheer one another through. Strength to your sword arm! }}
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| Art on the Beltline in Atlanta |
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| Daniel Ballard teaching us about ecological landscaping, with examples along the Beltline. |
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| Lunch afterwards at Krog Street Market. "We belong to a fashion club!" Truth. |
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| Coming along, our own landscape. |
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| Still trying to tame the slope on the side of the yard. |
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| Water management in our yard. |
I've had so many jobs over the years that required weekend work, and certainly the past 15 years of being a road warrior have meant lots of weekend travel, speaking on a Saturday, flying home on a Sunday, or out on a Sunday in order to be in a school on Monday. I've been grateful for the work.
I am grateful a sabbatical summer, too. This weekend Jim and I took a class on ecological landscaping sponsored by Trees Atlanta, taught along the Atlanta Beltline by Daniel Ballard of Convivial Gardens. We're edging closer to our dream of a largely-edible landscape, where we manage the water flow and invite the birds and the bugs and the flowers, vegetables, trees, shrubs to co-habit our small space.
We met daughter Hannah and son-in-law Richard, the newlyweds, at Krog Street Market afterwards for lunch at Yalla. Falafel all around. Jim went to Auburn, Alabama for a gig with the band, and I set to work organizing my office -- one of those tasks I've set for myself this summer. Made good headway. Cranked up the stereo and listened to the hits of the late sixties -- research for book 3. Yes! Made notes of possibilities.
Jim worked all day Sunday -- gigging all over Atlanta for Father's Day folks -- and I spent most of the day catching up with family. Cousin Carol and I are now watching and texting (she from Mississippi, me from ATL) Poldark on Sunday nights. We've had this Sunday night Masterpiece tradition for years now but the Sunday-night well has been rather dry of late. Poldark: steamy romance novels. Should I read the books? whoo!
And now it's Monday. Rachel has had time to cool, I've lived 1969-in-song for part of the weekend, and I slept in -- on a Monday! Better get with it. Let's make some work goals for the week ahead. Mine:
1. Finish my draft of Rachel.
2. Try a new beginning for book 3 of the '60s project.
3. Finish my office reclamation.
4. Plant anything else that I want planted this growing season (zinnias, I miss you...)
5. Weeding and mulching for exercise and because we need to. Watering, too.
6. Start a new picture book revision.
Yours?
0 Comments on 48 days, days 9 & 10: weekending as of 1/1/1900
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It took me awhile to come around to weekend shifts, especially Saturday shifts (which are all day 9-5:30 at my library). I definitely had to adjust my expectations as far as the amount of work I could expect to get done, and you're absolutely right - realizing that patron service is your top priority on the weekends really helped. I also agree that as a manager, weekend shifts are great for connecting with patrons (evening shifts, too!).
You're just weird (-:) We take turns working one Saturday a month - and it's four hours of non-stop phones, patrons, circulation, and computer problems for 3 staff (2 circulation clerks and a department head). I'd like Saturdays more if the computers didn't crash every weekend. Srsly, EVERY SATURDAY. Probably this is b/c they're set to update Friday evenings... On the other hand, I like closing Friday evening, which is a mini Saturday in terms of insanity, but it's like working an evening that's not an evening b/c we get to go home at 6!
I love weekend shifts,too. It is a different crowd on Saturdays(we are not open Sunday....yet).
Every thing just feels more relaxed and it is a nice time to chat up families who are not in a hurry because they are in "weekend mode".
Good for you Marge. I think your success comes from your decision that while you're there your only job is the desk and customer service, and anything else you get done (email, etc.) is a bonus. I agree with Abby that it is important for managers to spend time at the desk (sadly, too many don't.) And finally, I think it gives us a shot in the arm when we go to work and "just be librarians" (no meetings, no agendas, no supervising. . .) Thanks for the post!
Hey, Marge:
I like those 4 hours weekend shifts too....for ALL the reasons you posted. The only quibble I have is I like the EARLY shift, so may Saturday's are not a total lost.
Carolyn at LM