ups and downs

September has descended upon us. Here in Kansas it has been unseasonably cool. We're used to it still being sweltering for the Kansas State Fair in mid-September, but not this year. We've been in the 50s & 60s at night and 60s and 70s in the daytime. Too cool too fast! Fall's great. It's what follows it that I don't like! As for other things ...

On the good side ...
My friend who returned to the Lord in July is doing wonderfully! She is growing by leaps and bounds. The revelation of God's Word that she is receiving in her own prayer and study time is phenomenal.

Also on the good side ...
My friend in Atlanta whose son has been in a coma for over two years now is seeing significant signs of improvement. It has been so significant, they have a physical therapist working with him and he is almost to the point of being able to sit on his own. It's amazing how responsive he is - yet still in a coma. They recently removed the tracheotomy he had for all this time and his oxygen levels are higher without it than they were when he had it.

On the not so good side ...
My house on Stoneborough Court that went on the market on January 20 has not yet sold.
But on the good side ...
I finally have had offers on it - three of them in less than a week. Hopefully, I will come to terms with one of them and will be closing on that by month end.

On the not so good side ...
Due to the Boeing IAM (shop floor) workers going on strike, Spirit is on "slow down" for production. Boeing has cut their delivery schedule significantly while their shop is down. Since they are still 80-90% of our income, that has a drastic effect on cash flow. Hence, the shop has been cut to 3-day work weeks and the professional ranks (including management & executives) have been asked to do the same.
But on the good side ...
They have decided that we can use our "Reserved Sick Leave Fund" to fund the additional two days per week. It's complicated, but that's a good thing for most of us. It's a fund that we had accrued as part of Boeing that was still "credited" to us but we could only use under certain circumstances which would likely never apply for most of us. Unless the strike is exceptionally long, I can use credit from that fund without having to use my standard "Earned Time Off" (we no longer have separate vacation & sick leave, it's all one pool) or taking leave without pay. PTL!! That was VERY GOOD news today!
In effect, I simply get two extra days a week off for some period of time. Most of you know I normally work a 4x10 with Fridays off. Now I will have Mondays off as well and only have to work 8 hrs on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday. I'm no longer anxious for the strike to end immediately. :-) Three or four weeks of having an extra day off might actually help me get caught up around the house. [Actually, I do hope it ends as soon as possible for all of those affected.]

On the not so good side ...
Speaking of around the house ... I noticed a "musty" smell in my garage. At first, I thought it was just something left from leaving my umbrella in there to dry or getting the rug in there wet with it, but it persisted. Not yet sure what is causing it, but I have a repair man scheduled for Friday afternoon to check it out. I'm concerned it's coming from the attic. Not sure if I've had some hail damage I didn't realize or what. I'll find out Friday. I'm praying that whatever it is can be easily remedied & repaired without a great deal of expense.


The other news is that I am taking another class this semester, this time here at WSU. It's a 10-week program for a "MiniMBA" Certificate. Two weeks down; eight to go. So far, it has been very interesting.

If I have all that time off coming up, maybe I'll actually post more frequently! (Note that I did say "maybe.")