Normalisation

I have now been at work for two weeks plus a day. It feels good to work again. I have banker's hours, I'm told by a friend, and they suit me just fine. I love my job. I am working in research again and product development. My Weston's job but with vastly improved salary and less moving around. Since that worked out, it now seems that everything has worked out. We have bought a home, which is absolutely wonderful. We move in within three weeks, and I tell you, I am so excited to do so. Strange enough, one of the parts that makes me the most excited is having Twinkle Twinkle back with us. Tamara is bringing her home from Edmonton when she returns after organising the move there, oh an visiting IKEA. Wow. If you ever want to learn if you are dealing with a guy or a girl, go shopping. I do not have the stamina that my beautiful better half has nor do I think it will ever come to me. In fact, I am a little bit in awe of the way both Mom and Tamara are talking about visiting the States. Seems to me that mom may have found a kindred spirit, but with less experience,... an apprentice possibly. Yeah I cannot count the ways in which Winnipeg has already made me welcome and kept me calm and happy. It has been so busy and exciting that, unfortunately I have not been able to report on the goings ons. I shold tell you a little more about my job though.

It started in Belize. When we made that decision- well, to be honest, Tamara said to me Let's go to Winnipeg... let's try it, just a little before I finally put thoughts to words after that morning swim of turmoil, and we both agreed- I began making a list of people I need to speak to. They included people I worked with in the past, people I thought might be able to guide me, and people or companies I would like to try out or hear more about. So I started ona letter to send to these people, and tabled it for when we returned to Canada. I figured that i would wait until January. So in Edmonton, where we went after Xmas, I sent the campaign letter out. I had a few people I know say yes they remember and would like to meet as well. SO I did and met and it went well. One person, Linda-my new boss, also said she would like to see me. When I got there and walked into her office, it basically wasn't even a job interview. She asked a couple questions about where I worked and then went straight into the project that she wanted me to work on! How wonderful I thought! So she got me to think about it, and the next morning, I couldn't wait, I called her and she said "So what's up?" and I said I want this job. I want to meet whoever you think I need to meet. And she said," Great! That's great. Okay. I'm going to set tghis up here and I'll get you a date to meet the heads next week." So I met them, and although it did not go as well as I thought, I ended up getting the nod from them, by the fact that Linda's phone was not ringing off the hook in warning. So after a few more days waiting for a job offer, very stressful I might add, it took days to do it and a weekend, so I thought that I was on the way out or something, and there was another job I should apply for, and I wasn't talking to anyone about work for four days, and we missed a chance at a house cause no salary, and more stress, and people I wanted to meet I was putting off cause I figured I had a job... well it finally came on Thursday or soemthing. It looked great! And so I am now the Technical Specialist-Barley at CIGI. Good for the next two years, and if I can prove that I am not an untrainable slouch, I may get longer employ after these two years. So everything looked great. In fact, two days later, Sunday the family and I went to Open Houses and found our home! That was something too.

Tamara and I went and saw about 6 homes the day before with Steve, none were overly great, although one was possible, but with a June possession. Not what we wanted at all. Then about 5 more on Sunday at Open houses with the boys this time. Again a poor showing. And then there was one more that we weren't sure of seeing cause it was more pricey than we would have liked, but since we saw nothing worth it that day, we figured, let's go look at a home that is nice- it must have been since it was so pricey. That turned out to be our new home. We loved it from the time we drove up. We then saw it again Monday with dad and Pete W. who both gave their approval and then the next day we had the stress of the offer. We were the only ones and we got it for asking price. Still more than I wanted to spend, but this house will be a winner for us for a long time. Yep, they were motivated sellers from what we gathered although we still don't know why. They were asking 255k then a week later 235, then a week later 220 and that's when we bit. One more day and then the price would have been 199 and then there would have been a bidding war. So it's perfect. The neighbourhood has two schools in walking distance, a grocery store, a vendor, a park. There's a wide open basement, a great backyard, so much and it makes us happy. I tell you. Seven years ago I left this town and thought to myself Thankk goodness I am finally gone... and here I am. Tamara and I have been following our hearts since we met and they have never let us down. And here we are. Both of us never thoguht it would be this way, but here we are. Just follow your heart and see where it leads.