Looking ahead to fall

We are just plodding along here. I still am not completely unpacked from our trip to Portland last weekend. And everyone in the house is at the bottom of their stacks of clothes. Skadi wore a pair of Leif's old overalls today, Leif wore the ugliest pair of green shorts I bought for the daycare backup pair, that somehow were brought home and not taken back there. (His good shorts are probably there.) AB is probably fine on clothes as he has jeans and t-shirts till the cows come home. And I am wearing capri pants that I have been hitching up all day. (Not because I am losing weight, because they have a funky fit.)

AB is negotiating his full time position with the new company. He got a verbal offer over 5 weeks ago and is still hashing out the details. Actually they did nothing for a long time and just started hashing out the details this week. Suffice it to say it isn't coming in where we expected. While there is a need in environmental and that is where he is doing his internship, they don't have an available position. The positions are with safety, where he has less experience. They want to hire him into safey, but have him continue doing the environmental job until they can move him over there, likely next spring.

I don't know if it is something in the water here, something with big corporations, or what. Nearly the exact same thing happened with me 4 years ago. I was a post-doc in Radiation and Nuclear Physics as a chemist. They didn't want to lose me and so offered me a position in that group, of course at a lower bracket because I had little experience. Now the same thing is happening with AB.

In one instance it makes you feel good that you are valued and they dont' want to lose you. In another you know you are getting paid less than your peers for doing the same job. And that bites.

I keep reminding him that the important thing is that he likes his job. And he does. What does it really matter then? The benefits package is looking really good so far, three weeks vacation to start with the option to "buy" more. He is buying an additional week since we have lots on our calendar in the next year.

We are headed to the cabin on the 27th or 28th of this month for anywhere between 3-5 days depending on AB's status with the company. It wasn't planned until the cousins decided a new deck needed to be added on. Well AB with his trusty hammer was all over that. Leif will love it. I could use the break by the coast. We can pick blackberries and eat oysters to our hearts delight. (I know, I have PLENTY of raspberries in my own yard that need picked. But somehow it is different when it isn't your own chore that needs to be done.) I would like to see sleeping accomodations squared away before actually arriving, but I have my doubts. The cabin has one bedroom with a queen bed - last time we were there by ourselves we tossed a twin mattress on the floor for Leif (who was horribly disappointed not to get to sleep in the loft) and put Skadi in the pack and play (yes, THE starfish pack and play). But as mentioned previously there is also the loft with two doubles and two twins or the living room with the roll out (not the choice digs).

AB is anxious to work the back room at the October Platinum wine judging and will need a few days off for that. Then there is Thanksgiving and Christmas, that even though we are staying here, we plan to take a fair amount of time off. We keep talking about a ski trip next February or March to teach Leif how to ski. Maybe to Steamboat or Crested Butte. Or if we are feeling rich maybe to Banff or Whistler. Or if we are dirt poor it might be White Pass with a babysitter at home with Skadi.

We don't have a lot planned this weekend. Processing tomatoes. Going to AB's company picnic (which enabled me to honestly decline another invitation for Leif to a princess party for a child we don't know). And I need to get some food bought and prepared for weeknight dinners. AB wasn't overly thrilled with waffles for dinner last night (Leif and I however chowed). I am thinking chili (it is STARTING to cool down).

Everyone have a super weekend!