Day Off!

We've been packing:

We had an ice storm that started yesterday afternoon. When the government closed at 2 p.m., we were sent home as well. The road home was traffic clogged and slippery so it took about 2 and a half hours to get there. The bus was packed, but we had a group nap. We looked like a bunch of kindergarteners--hats, mittens, wrapped in coats--heads bobbing in the stop-and-go traffic. I stayed home today, as the commuter bus wasn't running, which was a nice break from the tension at work. Those of us being asked to join the new firm were given the figures at which we'd be hired. The question is, would you give up generous benefits in exchange for cash? That's what it comes down to--the wooing firm can't change their benefits structure for the new folks, so they give you more salary. I'd lose two weeks of leave, lose my year-end bonus, lose some profit-sharing contribution. In return, they'd give me a 20% increase in salary and a nice signing bonus. But I don't really think I want it, although more money is always seductive, especially when you're buying a new house and have seen lots of things at antique shows that you'd like to put in that house...like this vintage work bench. It's simply beautiful and beats any new piece I've seen in furniture stores as we've looked for a center island type of thing for our kitchen. Actually, it'd make a great craft table too, perfect for holding a sewing machine and all my cups and jars and boxes of notions. It was probably a lathe table (the well in the center held the equipment), and the beautifully pegged holes would have held tools and vises. We passed on it that day, but we took the card of the seller.

Late in the afternoon when the roads were mostly cleared I drove over to the box store to buy more packing cartons and stopped at Michaels to buy the DMC skeins for the Book of Hours project. And I worked some on Meadow Hills since I'd left Whale Hunting at work. BF noted I was cranky this afternoon since I lay down to take a nap and he woke me up to tell me it was time for dinner. Poor guy had a crabby valentine for a while until I fully woke up. He made a lovely roast, mashed potatoes (I was in charge of gravy), salad and corn. Happy Valentine's Day to you all!