Ok, first some good news. I got a new job! No more hour-and-a-half commute downtown, now I have a job a mere 45 minutes away (not bad considering where we live) in my own state – so no more paying taxes in that other state. Plus I got a raise, plus they have fully-company-paid medical and dental. I think I hit the jackpot! Next week is my last week at the old job, and then I start off on a new adventure, doing the same thing, Software QA Testing, but a whole lot closer to home!
The next big thing is going to be selling our house and moving closer into town – cutting that 45 minute commute down even more. Frankly we just can’t keep up with this property by ourselves. And it’s expensive to try. I don’t have much time at home, and I don’t want to spend it mowing. I’d rather be out bicycling or paddling or working on my car. We’re looking at houses in a modest neighborhood that is so close to work I could walk or ride my bike to work, and central to the other things we do, and to our friends who live in town.
Today we had to rent this monstrosity to catch up on the overgrown back and side yards.
Poor Dave worked his butt off to get the yards looking that good. Still pretty shaggy, but better. Next the weedwhacker will come out to do the edges.
We’ve also been cleaning and de-cluttering the house. As we get a room looking good I take pictures of it.
I’m really happy with how they are coming out. I think our house looks pretty good! Keeping it clean and uncluttered is going to be a challenge for us, because we’re ‘pile-ers’ and we tend to accumulate stuff, but I think we can do it!
We had a friend who does house-cleaning come in and clean for us. We have carpet cleaners coming in on Monday. We’re going to have to spend a little money on having some pros come in and help get some stuff taken care of that we can’t do ourselves.
I’ll miss our place in the country, but I’m really looking forward to simplifying our lives, so we can concentrate on the things that we really enjoy.
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This is awesome news, because I really like the place I’m working at, I like my co-workers, and I’ve been working my fanny off to absorb every bit of info they’ve thrown at me, hoping to prove myself worthy to step up from being a temp. I had a feeling I was a shoe-in all along, but it’s good to know it’s for sure now! I’m still getting used to having so much less time at home, but Dave is keeping after the household chores so I don’t have to, so that makes it all easier. 
Steff Does Stuff! 