for constantly having to defend my job

[lololizzy]

Background is that i have been in my job for 7 years, but 6 months ago due to recession i lost my full time position. All they could offer me was every Sat/Sun. Gutted though i was, because i love the job i agreed to this and decided to find another part time job elsewhere to make up full time hours. ( after all, variety is the spice of life and all that..)
Anyway..hasn't entirely gone to plan as i've been battling depression and still haven't found that second job. That isn't the problem though. I still work weekends even though i have since moved two counties away. I have not regretted this as because it is a lovely job it's almost a kind of break for me! To save the petrol i stay with my parents on the Saturday night as they are ten miles from my work place. This kills two birds with one stone as means i can still regularly see my parents as they are ageing and my father was very ill last year. (whereas if i wasn't still working there i really wouldn't see them that often).
The issue is that the people i wish would be most supportive in my life..ie my parents and my fiance..constantly criticise me for staying in this job. They feel that my employers shat on me from a great height and so i shouldn't be a doormat to continue working for them. ( i honestly did not do this out of loyalty..i really do enjoy the job..also although it was poo, my employers did'nt really have much choice. It certainly wasn't personal).
My fiance thinks i show a weird sense of loyalty as it 'takes me away' from him at weeekends (especially as his son comes every second weekend ), for people that laid me off. He doesn't get that due to depression these two days a week really keep me going and make me feel 'human' . I would only be slightly worse off if went on benefits but i don't want to go on them. I want to keep working.
He doesn't see the point.
My parents present the same arguement and accuse me of wasting my time. They always bring the petrol cost into it even though it's only an hour a way (i mean...that's not ideal, but some people have far bigger commutes!)
I thought given the current economic climate i would be applauded for choosing to carry on working (even if part time and not amazingly paid) and not claiming benefits. It's not just about the money.
I'm sick of constantly having to defend that i want this job at least for the time being - it's like i'm being punished for working!

Aaaaah I get the cat thing.

Sorry, I meant work every weekend, but only commute every other weekend. However, your point about the cat seems to be an important one. I can see why you didn't put that in your original post, but it actually underlines how wise and sensible you are, seeking all means to create and preserve a life of quality, no matter what your material circumstances.

It's a bit of a shame that your family (parents and DF) are a bit dismissive of your choices, but not everyone is. I myself have had a couple of career blocks, and in this periods some of my family and friends really made me feel as though I was a success (and someone worth knowing) in personal terms, even if I was going nowhere professionally. You can be yourself even if your career is off the rails. And you are doing even better than I ever did, by keeping yourself in the market with this weekend job (as I said, it looks bloody impressive to have shown this level of hard work).

Hope you are feeling better today.

thankyou Plu and everyone else's comments. I'm glad plu your friends and family were supportive..my customers are and they are v glad i'm still there but everyone else has been so negative it's put me on a real downer...all because i chose to work!!

The more sources of support and inspiration you have, the more stable and satisfied you will be. From what you have said, this sounds like the best thing to do for your emotional health. let alone your career prospects! That doesn't mean it always will be, so perhaps you could try to do regular "audits" of your life, to make sure.