Month: April 2017

2017 – Day 117

Thursday, April 27, 2017

What a treat!  Last night my Boo and our friend Shane made a surprise visit to Moses Lake to take me out to dinner.

I’ve accepted the fact that my beard is becoming ungainly and I think it’s time I go to the barber shop and have the hedge trimmed back a bit.  I was thinking of going completely “bush” and seeing just how long I can grow the sucker out, but on further reflection, I don’t think I want to look like a cast member of Duck Dynasty.

I’m at a crossroads in my life.  I love my job and the people I work with, but a job opportunity in the Seattle region has become available and I have to go after it.  The pay is not only substantially more than I currently make, I would also be supervising over 200 people.  It’s scary and exciting at the same time, but I know I’m up for the challenge and the only way we grow is by continually pushing ourselves and leaving our comfort zones.   

P.S. This is why I know the beard (in it’s current state of disarray) has to be tamed down.  Grizzly Adams does not make for the best job interview.

It’s been an interesting afternoon; I told my boss that I’m applying to the position on the coast and things went very well.  I had to learn the rough way that it’s always better to be up front and tell people one’s intentions and not blindside them.  Now, I have to work on getting my reference letters and I’ve already got a commitment for a great one that I should have next Monday.  I’m going to the board meeting tonight to see about getting two more.

Since I’m pursuing a new job I can’t go on with my “bush” beard.  During lunch I went and got groomed.  It was bittersweet; I really enjoyed letting my beard grow for the last six months and was hoping to let it grow out, but I think I’ll have to keep things a bit more trimmed.

I’ve reached out to all the people I want for my reference letters and everyone of them have said “yes”.  Now I have to work on dusting off my resume and writing a cover letter.  I have a lot of mixed feelings right now.  I love my job and this community, but an opportunity like this doesn’t come along very often and I feel like I have to take it – albeit two years earlier than my original plans.  

2017 – Day 114

Monday, April 24, 2017

My Monday morning routine is waking up at 4:00 AM, showering, putting on my work clothes, gathering my remaining loose items not already stowed in my Jeep, namely my toiletry bag, computer bag, my cooler with my frozen prepped meals, and my two co-pilots, Little Miss and Buddy, toasting a bagel and be out of the house around 4:30 AM to begin the three-hour drive down to Moses Lake and be to work by 8:00 AM.

Fridays are somewhat similar; I generally gather my dirty laundry at lunch, close up my fifth-wheel and take the dogs with me to work around lunchtime.  I’m usually able to get off work around 6:00 PM and then it’s a three-hour drive home to Winthrop.  

I don’t mind this situation for the most part.  What I dislike most is being away from Tiago and our other two furry-children, but I’m back in school and all I do Monday through Friday is go to the gym, work, study, and sleep – that’s it.  No social life down here in Moses Lake whatsoever.  And, since I plan on going onto get my MBA in the fall, I expect this to be my normal routine for the next two years.

2017 – Day 113

SUNDAY, APRIL 23, 2017

After spending my entire Saturday with my folks gallivanting around, I spent today catching up with my chores: washing and ironing my clothes and meal prep for the week.  But it wasn’t all work; Boo and I were able to get a nice little hike around Lewis Butte.  

Meal prep this week was four marina with mild Italian sausage with fusilli pasta, four lemongrass beef with jasmine rice and four Bun Cha with jasmine rice.

Spring has sprung

After a long and grueling winter, the narcissists and daffodils are in full bloom in our yard.  I’m on the fence about planting anything else since we’ve had years where the deer come in and eat everything in one night.  Tiago and I are talking about building a fence, but I have a lot of other projects to tackle around the house before that. 

 

Boo and I take a hike

Tiago and I made a quick jaunt up Lewis Butte this afternoon.  The hike has a little over 1000′ elevation gain and and was just over 2.5 miles.  We were able to do the hike in a little over an hour.  It was great to get out for a bit today.  The balsam root is starting to bloom and I’m looking forward to when we’ll be able to hike up Maple Pass and Cutthroat.