Family days at the “office”

One of the hardest things about being a working mother, when I was corporately employed, was walking the guilt line when needing to take time off when needed to deal with family issues. There is nothing worse than having a sick child or family member in need and having to be at work while someone else cares for them. And staying home often leads to tension at work, in many workplaces.

A definite perk of having a home office this last while has been that I could spend quality time with an aged but fun-loving pet. This week, he passed away in his sleep, peacefully in the living room in the middle of the usual family action. As shocking and sad as this was (I am still tearing up) I was relieved that I didn’t have the added pressure of having to negotiate a day off.

Kramer was a wild and crazy old guy, and his antics were well known. So many people appreciated him, even our vet office staff was in tears. In the first few months I worked at home, I spent a lot of time experimenting with different office set-ups and methods to organize my work. One involved a large 3 by 5 foot eraseable whiteboard. I used children’s scented markers to colourfully differentiate projects and deadlines. I came into the room the next day and found big tongue smears had obliterated my work! Guess who had coloured fur? This was one of many “Kramer” stories that bring a smile to my face, and tears to my eyes. He was a great member of our family for 14 years, and the office isn’t the same without him. Rest in peace Kramer!