How the Other Half Lives

This year, because Labor Day is late, we had 3 1/2 weeks between the end of camp and the beginning of the school year. Hubby, an electrician who doesn't get paid if he doesn't work, can't take a lot of time for financial reasons. My original plan was to take the first week off, ask hubby to take the second week, and then to take the last week and a half myself. However...his current job is on a tight deadline (they're even working overtime). So we worked out what might seem like a kooky arrangement for that second week. He would go to the job in the morning, come home at noon, and I would go to the office and work my full shift (spending a lot more time with the folks on the night crew than I normally get to do...they are on site 'til 12).

We are at the end of that second week. Here are my observations about working 1 to 9PM.

-- having mornings off allowed me to schedule doctor's appointments (and the weekday scene is much less of a zoo than Saturday mornings are)

-- doing laundry in the morning is easier for me than at night because I'm a morning person

-- sleeping until 7 or 7:30 is a real luxury (no, even I don't wake up naturally all the time at 5AM)

-- retail shopping is easier on a weekday the morning if I have to bring the kids with me, compared to weeknights (when they should be eating dinner, showering, or getting ready for bed) and the weekend madhouse

-- I don't have "alone time" at home because I'm so tired at 10 when I get there that I have to go to sleep soon afterwards

-- I have to either eat lunch early, before I leave the house, or bring two meals to work with me plus snacks

All in all, there are a lot of pluses but I really find that I'm dragging if I have to actively be in "use the brain" mode so late at night. So I have a lot of respect and admiration for people who work the night shift...but I conclude that it would be difficult to do on a regular basis!