DONE

When I left work last night, after a 10 1/2 hr shift, I told the supervisor that I would not be back next summer, and that we would probably be headed for Alaska instead. As with most things, there's always mixed emotions about just about any experience, and working seasonal jobs is no different. The one thing that is palpable this morning, is the fact that I no longer have the proverbial time clock waiting for me to punch any more. That is indeed a good feeling!

Certainly, the one thing that will be missed, is the weekly paycheck that was the result of our working hours. This year, with a couple of extra work weeks, my earnings will once again exceed the Social Security threshold, and sometime next year, I will have to pay the penalty. Last year, I only exceeded the maximum allowable income by a few hundred dollars, and the payback was minimal. This year, that payback figure will be much higher. I guess the good news is that we're in a financial position where we only need to work if we want to. And right now, wanting to work is way down on the priority list. Our next gig will most likely be the Tucson Rodeo in February, and after working that event for many years, we still look forward to spending a couple of weeks at the rodeo grounds.

The next few days will be spent getting our house on wheels ready to return to the open road. Whenever we sit for several months, there's always a lot to do in transitioning from a fixed home, to a once again mobile home.