Working Away From Home

Despite a dizzyingly busy schedule I have taken on some part-time work outside the home. I've been helping a friend who does home repair type stuff for people in her "spare time". Currently, we are working in one house with a small job - repairing the plaster work in one room and then painting it and one other room from which we already removed the wallpaper. This "small" job is a 3-day break in the middle of another major job involving cleaning and painting the entire inside of different house and sanding and revarninshing its hardwood floors. The extra cash is, admittedly, a nice thing but there are other equally big benefits to consider here.

I love being on a job where I can really focus completely on one task. I don't get hungry or feel like snacking when I'm facing a goal within a time deadline. That facet of work alone makes me want to take on more jobs! Another important facet is the satisfaction that I derive from taking something ugly or broken or dirty and and renewing it. Oh sure, there are loads of opportunities to do this in my own home but I can't stay focused for any decent amount of time with so many distractions, especially two legged ones, cute as they may be. There are other reasons to get out as well, like just spending time with my friend and learning new skills as I help her work on things like dry wall, plastering, laying tiles and replacing toilets.

My husband has been GREAT with helping fill in at home and realizes that I need some times like this. Of course it helps to know that whatever I learn and earn can go right into our house as well! I just bought a compound/miter saw and have lots of home applications in mind for its use. Maybe this coming weekend....