This Week Has Been Canceled

At least that is what it is starting to feel like! First my Monday night product sales committee meeting was canceled. We didn't have much in the way of business and that snow storm had more than doubled the Product Sales Director's morning commute. She wasn't anxious to be out late when she didn't have to be. Fine with me, I put on my jammies and did some work.

Then Tuesday we learned that the company's holiday party that was to be held this Friday, was canceled. Now that one came out of the blue. I haven't talked to my boss yet (our schedules have been crossed) but I'm guessing it was just economics. Not like "just economics" isn't scary enough. I wasn't planning on going (remember me agonizing over that a couple of weeks ago?) and now I'm really glad I hadn't jumped through hoops arranging child care so I could go. What if I'd had? That would have stunk.

I'm worried about just what the company's finances look like. My firm likes a good party. I mean they really like a party. Back when I was full time the drink cart used to come around by mid-afternoon on April 14th, filled with all kinds of booze. I don't think they do that anymore, but they still had big fancy holiday parties. And tax season parties. And summer outings. And even fancy lunches when we have our all company meetings. So to cancel the holiday party? That's not a good sign.

So the first two cancellations weren't problems. The one that came this morning was. I got a call from the client that I was doing all the year end work for. We talk a bit and it finally comes out that they have another accountant doing the work. They don't need me to do anything. I don't know if my contact didn't know, or hadn't thought it through. But finally it came out that I was doing stuff the other accountant was already working on. Sigh. Call the tax associate, tell her to stop on the depreciation work I'd asked her to help with. Call the partner, tell him the site visit is off and oh yeah, we lost more work. I'm still trying to determine if we are doing the final tax return and some Medicare/Medicaid reports for them or not. Call my boss, let her know about the lost work and we might lose more. Not good.

What a way to end a 12 year client relationship. I knew it was ending anyway since they'd sold the business, but I thought we'd get one more shot at it all. In the words of the partner, "That's a bummer." Sigh. I'm out about 30 hours of work over the next two weeks. I was hoping for a couple of nice paychecks right before Christmas. At least I still have a job. It could be a whole lot worse.

Guess I'll have more time for that Wii Fit.