Flint & Steel Prompt / Summer Focus
Kicking It In High Gear
Summer? What Summer?
I’ve been a bookkeeper since my early 20s. For many of those years, I was a bookkeeper for one or more Florida law firms specializing in real estate closings.
The real estate market here ramps up in the summer months when families take advantage of school vacations to move. I had to laugh (with a tear or two) when I read Ellie Jacobson’s prompt —
Summer, what summer?
Those working in real estate-related fields rarely get summer vacations or even lazy summer weekends. We often work six or seven days a week from May through September.
I’m semi-retired now, but I still put in extra hours during our busiest season. On top of the daily work, I’ll be struggling to do the year-end tax prep for the previous year. January is devoted to payroll tax returns, W-2s, 1099s, and 401K reporting. February is spent catching up on the monthly work that didn’t get done in January. March and April are busy with firm-related financial planning work that needs to be done before we’re too deep into the calendar year. In late May or early June, I begin compiling, reviewing, organizing, and verifying all the financial records to be sent to CPAs.
To give you an idea of what I mean, my largest client is the leading real estate law firm in our city. The firm averages 10 to 15 closings a week from October through April. In May and September, that figure increases to 25 a week. From June through August, they churn out 10 to 15 a day or 50 to 75 per week! It’s not unusual to drive by that office on a Saturday or Sunday and see the parking lot full of cars. A summer weekend isn’t much different than the regular work week. You won’t see many of those employees lazing on the beach or tubing down the Ichetucknee in June, July, or August!
Where will my focus be this summer? Mostly on work. Lots and lots of work. As it has been since mid-May.
And, honestly, I’m sick of it. Ready for full retirement. But here, as in other places, we have a shortage of qualified applicants for jobs. The managing partner of that firm has been looking for my replacement for two years. He hasn’t found even one semi-qualified person.
My other three clients are not so time-intensive. One is winding down her practice. Another is making plans to retire. And, I’ll keep working for the third, which is not a law firm, as long as I can.
Since I’m semi-retired, I will have more time at home than my co-workers. Where will my at-home focus be? First, trying to control the weeds and vines that strangle my garden every summer. It’s a useless endeavor, but I must at least try. Second, trying to get enough exercise when it’s too dang hot to walk. And, when I do walk in 90+F, every outing is followed by a shower. When I tire of showering two or three times a day, I’ll get on the dreaded treadmill. Third, trying to get photos as my outside walking decreases. Fourth, writing, reading, and baking. Tomorrow, a Georgia peach pound cake!
But, truthfully, the focus of this summer, as is usually the case, will be my work. When you’re sunning on the beach, hiking in the mountains, or riding on Space Mountain, think about all the people who can’t take summer vacations because their jobs kick in high gear as soon as the weather warms. People like me!
© Dennett 2022
In response to Ellie Jacobson’s prompt:
