Today, the whole world showed up at my house on short notice.
We got a ton of stuff done. I spent the early morning in the garage and made some good progress. My dad came over about 9 and started digging post holes with the auger. I did a circuit of neighbors, and got permission from 2 of them. Only 1 left. Then it was off to Home Depot - 56 2x4x10s, 36 2x4x8s, 40 4x4x8s, and a huge bucket of screws. Back home, unloaded the bishop's trailer, and it was lunch time. And then Sean Hawkins came with his boys. And then Leonard Downing came. And then Blake Davis came. By the end of the night:
dad's truck was full of firewood again
2 more sections of fence were down
one section of fence's posts were in
and most of the crossbeams were in
the play structure had a fresh coat of weatherproofing
the garage was in better shape
the walls we put up a few months ago were nearly ready to move out
the shed was gone
the trampoline was gone
front yard leaves raked
bricks from the studio moved
and the wood pile moved to the front.
Roughly 3 times what I had expected to accomplish. That leaves me with some cleaning on Sunday, and Monday morning I'm going to buy the fence pickets. Sean is coming back on Monday, and so is Blake. My dad comes back on Tuesday. He'll be shocked when he sees what has happened.
So thanks to everyone for everything so far. Whew.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Saturday, January 28, 2012
365 #23 - Friday, January 27
Thankful again today for my dad. He's a great guy - he's kind, patient, and always willing to help.
This morning we pulled down the fence on one side of our property, measured the fence line and made a list of materials. We met with the moving company. It's not quite as awesome a package as we had hoped, and the tears came for the first time. It's going to be a crazy, hard-working, stressful few months until we get settled.
It also is clear that, with the timelines for listing the house, selling the house, and the logistics for everything, that getting the family all moved by Spring Break is going to be very difficult. It's likely instead that we'll spend several months apart; I'll get a room in NY to stay in for cheap. When the house sells, the family will come.
It'll work out. We did it in 2010, with a lot of uncertainty. This time, we know what we're doing, we have some choices, and if it's too hard, the family can leave the house and come to NY on short notice.
This morning we pulled down the fence on one side of our property, measured the fence line and made a list of materials. We met with the moving company. It's not quite as awesome a package as we had hoped, and the tears came for the first time. It's going to be a crazy, hard-working, stressful few months until we get settled.
It also is clear that, with the timelines for listing the house, selling the house, and the logistics for everything, that getting the family all moved by Spring Break is going to be very difficult. It's likely instead that we'll spend several months apart; I'll get a room in NY to stay in for cheap. When the house sells, the family will come.
It'll work out. We did it in 2010, with a lot of uncertainty. This time, we know what we're doing, we have some choices, and if it's too hard, the family can leave the house and come to NY on short notice.
365 #22 - Thursday, January 26
Thankful today for easy communications. In a couple hours, I was able to temporally stop time temporarily stop our Time subscription, cancel the Oregonian, and take care of 6 other things on my list. I went by the Nikon office to say goodbye to everyone, and got home to get busy on other things. Like packing.
I effectively moved out of my bedroom today - my clothes are either in 3 stuffed suitcases, or in a couple moving boxes. So Katrina has all the space she needs now, and my stuff is not a big deal. I have a drawer with a couple changes of clothes, and that's all I need until I leave.
My list that remains is largely outdoor. Replace the fence (275ft of it), finish the awesome shed's exterior, make the garage look awesome. Along the way, we have a lot of decisions to make. In the afternoon I got an email from the moving company, and she asked if we could meet on Friday. So we set that up, and things are moving quickly now.
Also today, since Katrina and I had both told our parents over the phone, we went public on FB with the announcement. There was a completely unexpected outpouring of love and support from our community. What nice people we have for friends.
I effectively moved out of my bedroom today - my clothes are either in 3 stuffed suitcases, or in a couple moving boxes. So Katrina has all the space she needs now, and my stuff is not a big deal. I have a drawer with a couple changes of clothes, and that's all I need until I leave.
My list that remains is largely outdoor. Replace the fence (275ft of it), finish the awesome shed's exterior, make the garage look awesome. Along the way, we have a lot of decisions to make. In the afternoon I got an email from the moving company, and she asked if we could meet on Friday. So we set that up, and things are moving quickly now.
Also today, since Katrina and I had both told our parents over the phone, we went public on FB with the announcement. There was a completely unexpected outpouring of love and support from our community. What nice people we have for friends.
365 #21 - Wednesday, January 25
The Lord works in mysterious ways. I'm no longer unemployed. Not quite jumping up and down because we have a TON of work to do, but it's exciting nonetheless.
The company called me back today at 1. They had a final offer. It was most of what we asked for. I told the woman from HR that I'd have to discuss it with my boss. She asked what I expected to be able to answer. I told her I expected to accept it.
We hung up the phone, Katrina and I discussed the new offer. We looked at each other, the weight of the decision visible in our eyes. "This is it, huh? This is real." "Yeah, it's real. Are we going to do this?" "I don't know, I don't know, I don't know. Wow. I think so. I think we do." "I can call her back and tell her yes?" "Yes. Tell her yes."
I made the call. 15 minutes later, I had the revised offer letter in hard copy. We had a million phone calls to make and emails to write. I informed my counselor and recruiter that we were done, wrote an email to my brothers and sisters. Katrina and I started making a list of things to do before we left. It is not short.
So I fly to NY on Feb 5, start work on Feb 6. Katrina and the kids follow around Spring Break.
The company called me back today at 1. They had a final offer. It was most of what we asked for. I told the woman from HR that I'd have to discuss it with my boss. She asked what I expected to be able to answer. I told her I expected to accept it.
We hung up the phone, Katrina and I discussed the new offer. We looked at each other, the weight of the decision visible in our eyes. "This is it, huh? This is real." "Yeah, it's real. Are we going to do this?" "I don't know, I don't know, I don't know. Wow. I think so. I think we do." "I can call her back and tell her yes?" "Yes. Tell her yes."
I made the call. 15 minutes later, I had the revised offer letter in hard copy. We had a million phone calls to make and emails to write. I informed my counselor and recruiter that we were done, wrote an email to my brothers and sisters. Katrina and I started making a list of things to do before we left. It is not short.
So I fly to NY on Feb 5, start work on Feb 6. Katrina and the kids follow around Spring Break.
365 #20 - Tuesday January 24
Today is not the first time I've been thankful for my career counselor. As part of Nikon's separation package, I was provided with career counseling. She sat beside me as I wrote my resume, answered my questions via email on the weekends, gave me hours of her time as I was navigating through 2 parallel sets of interviews. And finally, this morning, we talked about a counter offer.
Once we were set on the approach for the counter offer, I was able to call the new company. But I had to leave a voice mail. A few hours later, HR called me back. We discussed a counter offer. She was not hopeful. But I simply could not take their original offer.
I am less hopeful about this job tonight than I ever have been during this process. The conversation was a bit of a downer. I know I'm the right guy for the job, and they know I'm the right guy for the job. It's just a matter of terms - can we agree on a set of terms that meets both of our needs? We were only about 10% apart to start with.
I also talked with the recruiter I've been working with on the different, local job. He read me an email from the manager, which read "he's a quality candidate, and we'd like to make him an offer, but it will take us a couple weeks to prepare an offer for him. If the other position falls through, we'd be excited to bring him on."
So much for the competing offers. That was not going to happen. So, once again, our prayer is simply that if we are not supposed to move to NY, that the company won't come back with a good enough offer. On the cusp.
Once we were set on the approach for the counter offer, I was able to call the new company. But I had to leave a voice mail. A few hours later, HR called me back. We discussed a counter offer. She was not hopeful. But I simply could not take their original offer.
I am less hopeful about this job tonight than I ever have been during this process. The conversation was a bit of a downer. I know I'm the right guy for the job, and they know I'm the right guy for the job. It's just a matter of terms - can we agree on a set of terms that meets both of our needs? We were only about 10% apart to start with.
I also talked with the recruiter I've been working with on the different, local job. He read me an email from the manager, which read "he's a quality candidate, and we'd like to make him an offer, but it will take us a couple weeks to prepare an offer for him. If the other position falls through, we'd be excited to bring him on."
So much for the competing offers. That was not going to happen. So, once again, our prayer is simply that if we are not supposed to move to NY, that the company won't come back with a good enough offer. On the cusp.
365 #19 - Monday, January 23
Thankful today for awesome parents and kids. They are all nice, good, friendly, helpful people. While Katrina and I were gone to NY, my parents took care of our kids. A week. And on about 5 days' notice.
The day started for us at 6am EST in Queens NY, and by 7pm all of us were home.
Long day. A good one.
The day started for us at 6am EST in Queens NY, and by 7pm all of us were home.
Long day. A good one.
365 #18 - Sunday, January 22
Today I am thankful for the awesomeness of strangers.
We went to church today in what would be our new ward, Poughkeepsie (poo-KI-psee) First. We were waylaid by half a dozen people. I spent half an hour with a member of the bishopric, we sat for half in hour in Primary, we both talked with the bishop's wife for 40 minutes after church. Busy, friendly, awesomeness. The Clarks even invited us over for dinner.
In the end, we felt we needed to meet up with Aki more, so we got lunch at the mall food court and meandered down to Queens. Again, no traffic. We got to her place without knowing her address. We headed for the Astoria Ditmars subway station and found her house from there. We were early, so we found a parking spot and napped for an hour we were both beat.
Yes - Katrina was with me the whole time. But I couldn't say that until we were home. Security measures, you understand.
We passed a lovely afternoon with Aki. Tim came over about 6, we had a very nice dinner, Tim left about 10, and we chatted some more, got to bed around midnight.
We went to church today in what would be our new ward, Poughkeepsie (poo-KI-psee) First. We were waylaid by half a dozen people. I spent half an hour with a member of the bishopric, we sat for half in hour in Primary, we both talked with the bishop's wife for 40 minutes after church. Busy, friendly, awesomeness. The Clarks even invited us over for dinner.
In the end, we felt we needed to meet up with Aki more, so we got lunch at the mall food court and meandered down to Queens. Again, no traffic. We got to her place without knowing her address. We headed for the Astoria Ditmars subway station and found her house from there. We were early, so we found a parking spot and napped for an hour we were both beat.
Yes - Katrina was with me the whole time. But I couldn't say that until we were home. Security measures, you understand.
We passed a lovely afternoon with Aki. Tim came over about 6, we had a very nice dinner, Tim left about 10, and we chatted some more, got to bed around midnight.
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