I Dislike Liars!

I’m just going to briefly mention this because I don’t want to dwell on the negative. I had heard through the office grapevine that the Sheriff was going to confront the commissioners about Don and I not getting holiday pay after being told we would. I didn’t really think he would but watched the meeting on YouTube and he did show up. But not to ask WHY we didn’t get the pay but to ask if we could begin getting it. I was told several times by several people that he had done that when I was hired 4 years ago and they agreed at that time to pay it if we worked it. I had assumed over the years that I was getting it. I worked many holidays because the other part timer refused. I never checked my wages because I trusted my bosses. Seems like I shouldn’t have.  The Sheriff had never asked for it and I had never gotten it. The Commissioners tabled it until next week but it sounds like if any part time help get it, it will only be the deputies and only for an emergency situation, and then only 8 hours of it. Don worked 15 hour days on both Christmas holidays and I worked 12 hour nights.  But dispatchers won’t get it no matter what. They actually had the nerve to ask Don to work President’s Day, the day after the Commission meeting. He refused. (Being part time, he doesn’t have to work ) It is a paid holiday off for everyone but Sheriff’s personnel. I found out the other part-timer also resigned. She averaged less than 100 hours a year and I usually worked about 600-700 hours a year.

We had freezing rain again last night so we have about an inch of ice on all our streets. I am getting cabin fever! Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer so I hope to be able to get out. I need to get a few things for Children’s Church and hate waiting until the last minute. Our theme this month is courage and I am going to talk about putting on the armor of God. I am taking Don’s military helmet, combat boots, duty belt, and Zach’s tactical vest. My gosh, it is heavy. I don’t know how he can wear it all day! I will take the Bible instead of a sword. The sword stands for God’s Word and I don’t really want to take a weapon into church. I also have to make a shield out of foamboard or poster board. The kids love singing I’m In The Lord’s Army so I ordered dog tags and will put a sticker on them that says I’m In the Lord’s Army and give to them. I hope to find some chain so they can wear them around their necks.

I did income tax tonight. Ugh! It wasn’t as bad as last year but it wasn’t pretty. Don has a military pension, state government pension and social security as well as his Sheriff’s Office wages, I have the same pensions, social security, government pension and wages also.  I only earned about half what he did and I have taxes taken out of mine. He doesn’t so he always owes more than I do and gets a smaller refund. We file joint because we save more money that way. But I always do it both ways and then we settle up as to who should pay what portion and who gets what portion of the refund.  Turbo tax will file online for free up until Feb 28th so I have to get them done and filed before then.

Don’s daughter, Mikki asked us if we would pick up the kids from school next week and take them to the house. They live less than a block from us. Ashton is 10 and Reese is 8. The high school girl that was doing it, can’t any longer. They will ride their bikes home when the weather gets better. It’s been a very long time since I have picked up kids from school, the same school where my kids and I went.

I made roast beef for lunch today for Don. I am on the Daniel Fast for Lent and can’t eat meat. So far I haven’t had any cravings but that meat sure smelled good! I eat a lot of peanut butter, fruit, veggies, nuts and beans. It was a lot easier to do when I was single. Having to make two meals is the pits. But Don has been a big help. He makes his own meals at least half the time. We have a birthday breakfast at church this weekend. There won’t be anything that I can eat but I want to go anyway. Then our church’s Beast Feast is March 17th. It is all game, fish, roadkill (well, that’s what the pastor says, LOL)  and side dishes. I got tickets for Don and Zach and will let them go alone. No temptation and they can bond even more. It’s mostly for men anyway.