Gone, mercifully, are the dreaded double back shifts, something I'll be glad to see the back of. But in their place? A slew of ten-hour days, and a particularly brutal stretch of early starts that threatens to turn us all into sleep-deprived zombies. One week, I’m staring down the barrel of a 58-hour workweek. Yes, you read that right. 58.
It's not all doom and gloom, though. The longer shifts do have a silver lining: more days off. We'll be enjoying a few glorious three-day weekends throughout the pattern, a welcome respite from the grind. And, let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a long weekend?
The catch? (Because there's always a catch.) Despite the radical changes in hours, the financial compensation remains stubbornly unchanged. We're still operating within the same pattern criteria, meaning no extra cash.
So, what's the verdict? It's too early to tell. The true test of any shift pattern is in the trenches, and we won't be hitting those trenches until September. I'm choosing to be cautiously optimistic. I'm hoping those extra days off will outweigh the exhaustion, and that we'll find a rhythm that works.
But, after five years of broken promises, a little skepticism is only natural. Here's to hoping this new chapter brings more balance and less burnout.
Our car, usually a reliable workhorse, has decided to take an unscheduled break – and unfortunately, we're not invited. It's currently languishing in automotive purgatory, awaiting repairs that are proving frustratingly delayed.
We managed to book it in with our mechanic, our automotive hero usually capable of miracles. But, alas, even heroes have their limits, and the seasonal rush has left him swamped. We're now stuck in a holding pattern, counting down the days until he can finally work his magic.
The waiting is the worst part. It's not the inconvenience of being car-less (after all I cycle to work); it's the gnawing uncertainty. What's the damage? How deep will it cut into our finances? Every creak and rattle we remember is magnified, and the potential expense looms like a dark cloud.
And then there's our holiday. The much-anticipated June trip to Wales, a road trip we've been looking forward to, is now hanging precariously in the balance. The thought of being unable to visit our happy place is frankly, heartbreaking.
It's an annoying reminder of how much we rely on our vehicles, and how quickly life can be thrown off course. A simple mechanical hiccup can ripple outwards, affecting so much.
We're trying to stay positive, to trust that our mechanic will work his magic and that our car will be back on the road in time for our holiday. But in the meantime, we're left with a mixture of worry, frustration, and a healthy dose of "what ifs." Fingers crossed for a speedy and affordable fix!
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