Give a Little Bit

I am sorry for the long lapse in postings. I have been very busy with long work days and few real days off for recovery. I spent this weekend "caved up" in my room. I needed a good rest.
I will post more in the coming days. I just wanted everyone to know I am alive and well. Autumn in Long Island is beautiful. I need to get my sweaters out here. The breeze today was fall and salt air.

Title by Supertramp (no, not the Goo Goo Dolls)

In the News

An interesting article and program.

View article...

I particularly liked this quote, "'I didn't say (emigrating) was the wrong thing to do,' he replies. 'But there are things that you don't want to do, that are very hard to do, that you should do.'"

Forward, not straight.

I Get the Job Done

I cannot seem to get staff. It is frustrating for both me and the Ps. I need a part-time person for the city and a full-time person in the Hamptons. I have 4 placement agencies that specialize in domestics and one that provides housekeeping services plus several professional contacts beating the proverbial grass. All this, and I've only interviewed 5 or so candidates. I spent the day Thursday with someone I wanted to hire. She called me on Friday and turned down the job. She does not want to make the early morning commute into Manhattan; not safe enough apparently.

I am stuck on how else to generate leads for interviewing. The Ps are paying me way too much to be a housekeeper and dog-walker. Plus, the job is just not getting done. I personally cannot cover 7 days in the Hamptons plus another 5 days in the city per week. What I am doing is good work, but it is not enough.

Title by Big Daddy Kane

Sunday, Bloody Sunday

Last night found me once again preparing to board a flight back to New York. It's been 9 weeks since I first left for the Hamptons. I am facing some hard challenges both at home and at work.

It is getting harder to get back on the plane to go back to work. The breaks are great, almost enough. We have to nail down the housing situation, quickly. The boys are resilient, but I do not want to take advantage of their hearts and up-bringing too much longer. 21 weeks and counting of this and counting.

Work is creeping into my personal life more and more. I have to work on keeping that boundary better. My role is the equivalent of a director or upper level manager in the corporate world. I understand that the hours will be long, the demands more intense and the performance expectations higher. Being live-in, however, means there is much less chance to escape the work environment. I need to get my staffing situation under control, if only to be able to relax on my days off knowing service is being provided to the Ps and work is getting done around the property.

Title by U2

Smells Like Teen Spirit

Here is some advice to anyone new to propane. Suppliers put an additive in the gas that smells awful went burnt. The additive sinks to the bottom of the tank. It then burns off if the tank reaches empty.

If you smell propane gas in your kitchen, please check the gas levels first. Then call your supplier. Chances are pretty good that unless you are remodeling you are running out of propane.

Title by Nirvana