The other day was "Take Back Your Life Day". Or was it "Take Back Your Time Day"? Regardless, that's what I've been trying to do ever since we came back from vacation. (To be truthful, since before we left for vacation.) I even wrote on our chalkboard "Life Back In Order", because I hate this feeling of spinning out of control and it always happens when it's least convenient. Since my family life is getting more hectic (see later paragraphs) and my main job is still requiring more of me than can be met in a 40 hour work week (even when working harder than I remember in quite a while), I came to a decision this weekend to quit my second job.

I've danced around this for months and hemmed and hawed. Fridays I always feel like quitting and Sundays I always feel like it's not that big of a deal. Except this week I was really depressed when everyone was doing the TGIF dance and in tears by the time Husband got home. I. Am. Just. So. Tired. And I don't feel like the work I'm doing there matters to either the store or my family. I just feel like I'm neglecting things I shouldn't be. (Like why did it take me until the end of the marking period to get with Boy's teacher about his grade? By now it's really to late to do anything positive and I'm sure any punishment just made him feel worse.)

So, after this coming weekend - because, yes, I did give two weeks notice on my six-hour a week job - I will now be able to sleep in on Saturday and Sunday. I will no longer turn into a pumpkin if I stay out past 10pm. I will have time to walk the friggin' dog. I made Husband promise to help me get out of bed, because that's the one thing I like about the job is that I don't lounge around watching TV in my jammies all morning and then wonder where the day went. I know where the day went.

That's the big news. In smaller news...

My dad had his left knee replaced. It's amazing how quickly he's healing. It looks horrible - like his leg's been upholstered with black/blue/green print - but last week he was walking fairly easily with a cane. His spirits are good and there's absolutely no sign of infection. I could do without the stories of how he could hear them breaking the bones in his legs, but otherwise I think he's going to get a much needed rest.

Yes, the Boy has been grounded for over a week because he's failing a class. It's not the bad grade that got to me, but the fact that he didn't seem to care about it. Or tell me about it. Or tell me the truth. Goodness, he's such a teenager now. Silently stewing in his room with the door closed. I know it's normal. He shows no signs of depression or anything. I just miss him. (Tonight we're having Chinese and a movie - just time for the family to chill together.)

It is almost November. Where the hell did October go? I've barely started my Christmas shopping (which is fine because family shrinks to the point I have very little of it to do) and there's the Niece's baby shower and our Christmas party. People are asking me about Thanksgiving and I know I should plan something spectacular that will include my Mom and Grandma, but it's so depressing. (The Thanksgiving in my heart occurs the night after when we gather at a friends and enjoy their enormous extended family.) (Listen to me bitchin' about having to spend Thanksgiving with my family. Kind of missing the point, aren't I?) The good news about November is I get lots of time off distributed around the month so it doesn't kill my paycheck but it gives me lots of time for organizing the holidays. And getting a haircut. And taking the dog to the vet.

I'm not into Halloween this year at all. It came up to fast and the weather has been awful. We did get invited to a nice low-key party at our friend's house. Our favorite people were there and we watched a couple of movies and ate some food. It was great. Then we made the long trek home, grateful for extra hour of sleep.

All of this time mis-management has had an impact on my weight loss, I'm sad to say. I've gained quite a bit this summer and it makes me angry at myself. I just need to calm down and get back into the groove. I think KL said it best when she said one has to get almost obsessive about it in order for it to work. CWF is thinking about joining my Wednesday meetings and that would be wonderful for me, but I don't think it's her kind of thing. She doesn't like people telling her what to do.

Okay, I'm off now. I think I might sit around and watch TV until it's time to order dinner. A cup of tea, my pile of magazines and the remote. How beautiful is that?