A new ... something?

Not really.

I have decided a few things:

1. I'm tired of living in boxes - it's TIME to finish unpacking, which necessarily means:

2. We need to finish the basement. YIKES! Expensive, but necessary - we'll just have to do it a bit at a time, starting with framing... wood's cheap, right? Anyone know any electricians that will work for food? Once the electrical's roughed in, we can insulate, drywall and install the carpet/hardwood/w'ever... which means that the girls can move into their new spaces/unpack their playroom and we can have our OFFICE!!!! (which means that I won't be posting from the desk in our bedroom! - which, by the way, is VERY EXCITING!!!). The basement bathroom will have to wait though - bathrooms are VERY expensive. Guess we'll just have to put the walls up (the plumbing's already roughed in), close the door and hope for a lottery windfall :).

I'm actually very excited about the idea of starting all of this. I like working with my hands - I work with my head most of the time, so it'll be a nice change. I'm going to take the first step this afternoon after work - measuring, taping (removing and changing the plan 5 times, at least), then figuring out wood requirements for framing, etc. IF I'm lucky (and fast, and GOOD), maybe we can have our office for Christmas! Baby steps, right?

3. Speaking of baby... we're going to give it one more shot the old fashioned way. If the worse happens again (ectopic, surgery, etc), IVF is the only way that I will consider. Some (my parents, for example) think I'm crazy for trying - but hey, it is what it is. I hope it will work out for the best this time.

Come the end of the year, I WILL have a big decision to make... whether or not I wish to continue in my current position. It has its benefits - but also its challenges. To the good?: Time. I build my schedule to meet the needs of everyone around me. That's a BIG DEAL. To the bad?: If I don't work, I don't get paid. New client acquisition is always an issue. People are shy about what I do - they tend not to see it as, for example, savings for their retirement (boat, house, whatever) as much as they see it as giving someone else their money. Not sure how to get around that/alter/change their thinking or assumptions. Enh. It'll either happen or it won't. Meantime, I'll just keep plugging away.

And thus ends this particular installment of suburbanwank. Ciao for now - and if you know anyone who needs my particular expertise (or an electrician that's willing to work for food), let me know!