Got some distressing news

Some of you may remember my heart broke when I left Calvin and Hobbes (and of course their daddy) for 6 weeks in May. I missed the boys so much and was so happy to be back home. Well, I just found out my grad school funding for the coming academic year and the only option I have is to teach - which will mean I will have to stay 3 hours from home. As grad students we earn a pittance really and it sometimes feels not worth it to spend the time and effort teaching (which means I will be working less on my dissertation). Added to that the travel and and expenses related to running another "establishment" but if I turn down the funding to stay back here, there is always the chance that I will not be offered anything else in the future. Plus in this economy, anything coming in helps. My plan is to drive there Monday mornings and then drive back Thursday evenings. I do not know how I will stay without them.

Trying to concentrate on the positives, though: I do more work when I am at the University - has to do something with the atmosphere. I will get to catch up with my advisor and the rest of my committee. Will be with good friends and will be easier to go to the football games (already have tickets for those - but will mean a little more time away from the boys and the parking spot I rent is very close to the stadium). I will be renting where I stayed last year and met George, my roomates' cat, who was the 1st cat I stayed with, fell in love with and it was because of him that I decided to adopt Calvin. And i think I am most excited about (pardon my meanness but you do not know the stories) is that I will be gone part of the week when my in-laws visit for over a month.

Anyways, all the above still does not make me feel any less sad about leaving the boys and hubby.

I did it. When I did my planning/geography internship, I worked over 60 miles away from home. I lived in a teaching hospital in the area and worked in a government office. I would drive down to the hospital on Sunday afternoons and then come back home on Friday nights. I had pictures of the cats on my walls in my dorm room and DH made sure that my cats mailed me cards every week. Those cards were adorable. I would call home and talk to Banshee.

The first Friday night I came home from being away all week, Banshee met me at the bottom step, right by the front door. When I went to pick her up, she purposely turned her back to me! Yes, she did it on purpose; nobody will ever convince me otherwise. Once she knew that I understood how she felt and groveled properly to her, she flew into my arms and didn't leave my side the whole weekend. And the next Friday night, we went through the same thing. It lasted a whole semester and I never thought that semester was going to end.

But I got through it no worse for wear. And so did my Queen B. It will be OK. Honest.

Oh no, I'm so sorry!

Wait - can they come stay with you sometimes???????

Could you bring them with you?

I have thought about that, too, but it does not seem too convenient. I am planning to stay with a couple I've stayed with before and they have a cat and a dog. I don't think Calvin and Hobbes will like it there - Hobbes is quite skittish around strangers and he catches URIs when stressed (we had overnight guests recently and he just freaked out and was under the bed for 2 days and refused to get out/ eat. He is also hubby's boy and hates it when hubby is not around. Plus the roommies declawed their cat to protect their furniture. So I do not think mine will be welcome there. Alternately I will have to rent a place on my own, and that will be too expensive. I will then have to sign a year-long lease but I will need to be at the Univ for a max of 8 months. Also I have more flexibility to travel and can be home thur evening and then leave monday mornings but DH can only be there Fri evening to Sun evening.

Well, that stinks, but I'm sure it will be worth it in the end. It seems like forever, but just try to keep it in your head that it IS temporary. And like you said, you'll get to escape the in-laws. A MONTH? Who stays for a month? I thought 2 weeks was a bit much when BF's parents were visiting from England, and I like them!

Good luck!!

Oh no!!! That will be so hard for you to be away each week, but you will be so happy when every Thursday comes around and will have weekends filled with fun and joy . The time will go fast because you will be so busy. Just drive carefully, that is a long drive . When do you start?

Thanks everyone for the hugs.
@ feralvr: The semester starts the day after Labor Day - and will have to be there till the 23rd of December. It will not be easy but at least i am not too far from home. Last academic year I was on research fellowship which let me travel and work from home and this year I was hoping one for writing one. But they've given me a teaching assistantship instead. Oh well - will make the best of it. I did have some work at the University which would have required me to spend some days there - this way in between teaching I can get the University library work done and then can write when I am back home.
@DarkMavis: The in laws are visiting from further away than England - they are coming from india, and hence the long stay. They will be in the US for 2 months - 1 with DH's brother and 1 at our place. Fun times

@ Winchester: Thanks for sharing - I hope I survive too.

Well, being able to look forward to Thursday night will keep you going!

I am sorry - it is going to be hard. But at least it IS temporary - and it's only part of the week.

It's going to be tough for all of you - but, this work toward your future and your family's future will be worth it - and, yes, just think how you'll look forward to returning home every week. And, yes, maybe missing the in-laws for a bit will truly make the heart fonder.

You and your husband really are inspirational - not only in how you both work so hard and support each other's endeavors, but in making time, and love, available to the kitties, especially Hobbes - he was so blessed to find your home.

Sound like you have it all planned out. I really think you can do it and will get into a routine. I just worry about that darn drive. Hope the winter weather will be good to you for driving back and forth. Don't know where you live? Hopefully the time will fly by as you will be so busy on the days you are there with work.

Sorry - I was not around to respond earlier - checked the site a few times on my phone. Hubby had the last couple of days off and we hung out and had a great time. He just stays so busy - a couple of snatched days here and there are great.

I know - I will be living for Thursdays when I can come home and cuddle my boys. I know I will miss them a lot but it's good for my work that I teach and work at the University this term. 1 thing though I worry about and perhaps I should not, is the boys staying alone with my in-laws on the days that I am not home. I do not expect anything to go wrong but I am not sure they will be as careful (especially when going out or coming in - since Calvin is eager to go out). Also Calvin and Hobbes listen to us when we say "no" but I do not know they will with the in laws. Plus there are a lot of things we are ok with - the boys are allowed on 1 side of the kitchen counter since it houses their fountain and they also jump from there to perch on top of the fridge and kitchen cabinets. I am not sure they will like that much. Well - I guess that's just my fear since I will not be able to manage stuff at home.


@ darlili - thanks for the generous words but to be honest I do not think DH and I do anything too extraordinary that most catlovers in the site would not do. We just got the chance to do what we did with Hobbes.

@ feralvr - I want to establish a routine for sure - makes my life easier. My drive will be between Cleveland, OH and Ann Arbor, MI - so yes, winter will be BAD - especially since the turnpike skirts the Lake. After the Fall semester will see what I have to do during the Winter semester - but am taking a semester at a time.