So.... what do you DO all day?

Since babysitting doesn't count, I had my first "real" job at 14. I helped my dad clean a small, meat-packing plant, in Swift Current, Sask. We sprayed scalding hot water on the large meat cutting machinery with a hose, and cleaned the smaller machines by hand, with soap and water.

I still have the slightly disfigured right index finger -- and scar that goes along with that -- from when I almost severed the lower half of that finger, while cleaning a particularly treacherous machine. (I remember my biggest worry was completely losing that half-finger... before I'd had a chance to have a boyfriend! Great, I thought, now I never will!!).

It was the end of that job... but it was the start of my working life, because it was followed by dozens of other jobs: MacDonald's after school; washing dishes at a pizza place when MacDonald's didn't give enough hours; cleaning motel rooms in the summer; waiting on tables in my town's best, and worst, restaurants; taking tickets at an entertainment venue.

Thankfully as I got more education, my jobs got better: shelving books at the university library; writing stories for my small town newspaper; organizing festivities for the annual Canada Day celebrations.

Then, with a B.A. in Journalism and Communications in hand, I started having the most fabulous jobs, ever (well, a couple of them were, anyway ; ) -- news-wire beat reporter; writer at two of Canada's best universities; and PR professional for a wide range of companies and industries. In there were also my two maternity leaves, which really were my best, and toughest, jobs ever.

So... I've always worked. Until now.

I've been unemployed for just over two months now and it will be at least three 'till I return home and I'm gainfully employed again, which recently prompted a friend from down here to ask me: "Sooooooo, what do you DO all day?" I had to tell her -- I'm really busy!

I'm at up 6:15 every morning making the kids breakfast, before getting them up at 6:45. In half a hour they get dressed, eat, brush their teeth, and ensure they don't forget anything, before I walk them downstairs to catch their school bus.

On most days at this point, I keep right on walking to a nearby Starbucks Coffee shop, where I arrive just after it's opened. I grab a "Grande Americano con Leche" and a seat on the second floor, at the very back, near the electric outlets so I can plug in my laptop. The sun's just coming up over the Santiago skyline, jazz plays in the background.

I've been freelance writing and editing a bit down here so I usually spend an hour or two on this, but also send e-mails, read the local news, check Facebook and Linked In (!), look for information. Near noon, I go back to the apartment for lunch, and to catch up on housework. Laundry is usually the biggest job as we don't have many clothes down here, but a tiny washer and no dryer in the apartment. I also sweep the floors, straighten up.

My kids get home from school at around 5 p.m. so dinner is another priority. Once we've discussed their entire school day and eaten, it's homework time, and my two always have homework, much of it requiring me to sit them with them and translate, either verbally or in writing.

At 8 or 8:30 the kids prepare their backpacks and lunches for next day, take showers, and head for bed no later than 9:30. I follow soon after, as those 6:15 mornings can be a killer on less than 8 hours' sleep. On Friday nights we pack up and drive to my dad's farm, returning Sunday afternoon so we can start the weekly cycle all over again.  

So, yeah -- it's been heaven.

Still, it will be amazing to be home again. We've decided to head back April 30, as planned, instead of staying longer. My sabbatical -- and my "life of leisure," as I've called it -- will end at that point but hopefully an exciting new job will replace it.

How about you? Have you always worked too?