Stormy Weather

I love storms. I really do. I haven't always, though. For years, our house was technically "dried in", but problems with the exterior door installations meant that storms were always an occasion to pull out the wet vac. Today, things are better for us.

On the water-side of our house, our view is about 160 degrees. Because of this, we almost always see the storms coming long before the rain starts. The storm approaching now is the second one of the day. I can see the rain on the water just a few hundred yards away now. It won't be long before the windows get a thorough washing, and it's possible I'll lose my satellite internet connection. Still, I love watching the rains come and go.

Today I got some big news, and I'm still in a state of shock trying to process it all. I was asked to look at a job, with the company I regularly contract for, a few months ago. I really like the site manager, and was hoping to do business with him. It is a long project (800 hours) and would be at a location that I really like. When I got a look at the budget last week, however, I knew that I would just not be able to do the work for the price they were quoting. I hated to turn it down, but really felt like I had to.

Today I got a message stating that the management team had met, discussed their options, and decided to offer me the work at my standard rate. I nearly fainted. A great job for some great folks at a great location...wow! How did that happen?

There are a LOT of preparations to be made, however. I will definitely have to relocate to Houston for the duration of the project, which is something I don't relish, but it must be done. Leo and I will begin looking at apartments in the area this week. Although the cost of an apartment hurts my budget a bit, "living" close to where the work is occurring means I can work long hours, still get all my schoolwork in, and avoid the Houston traffic. And while leaving home is hard, (I'll miss watching the storms, the deer, the dolphins, and the neighbors) it's not the first time, and it won't be the last. Having Leo available to help out (cooking, driving, taking care of things) makes the biggest difference of all.

So...time to prepare for a new battle, a new challenge, and a new "fun time". I'll get over my shock soon, and the real activity will begin. But for now, well now as the rain begins to pelt the windows, I think I'll just enjoy the storm.