according.to.kim

Relief, sweet relief

The past week has been stressful for me -- extremely stressful. And (you may be surprised to hear) it had little to do with getting ready for our floor refinishing! I applied for a job with another company on June 4 (which involved several late nights updating my resume during an extremely busy time) and I received a call on June 12 to schedule an interview for the 18th. Yes, the same day our floors were being sanded and our babysitter was off. Not the best timing.

While I was very pleased to be selected for an interview, I was also nervous and unsure of what to expect because I hadn't had an interview in over a decade and had never had one for a technical writer position. As I worked long hours in our house over the weekend, I thought about, and worried about, the interview to come. Then Monday morning was crazy and I wasn't able to prepare as much as I had wanted. Nevertheless, the interview went fairly well (I thought) and I learned that only three people were being interviewed for the position. And then I worried more. A lot more.

It sounds crazy, but I was more worried about being offered the job than about not being offered the job. I agonized over the decision that I might have to make. I won't get into details, but there were just as many reasons (if not more) why I wouldn't want to leave my current employer as there were reasons for wanting the job I applied for. Well, I received a call this morning and I'm relieved -- incredibly relieved -- to say that another candidate was selected. He or she had experience in the company's line of business, while I didn't, and it makes perfect sense that that would be a factor.

Anyway, all stress and indecision aside, this was a good experience for me. My resume, long overdue to be updated, is now fresh and current and it feels great to have that done. Plus, I received several accolades for my resume and was selected for an interview from among many applicants (I was told). I am especially happy to be considered for a job in my field of work because I don't have the same formal education that's generally required. Finally, after all these years, having an interview was good experience in itself.

Phew! I'm so glad that's over.

BTW, speaking of interviews... Neil had one today for a temporary position with my current company. Unfortunately, the hours are terrible (noon to 8:20 p.m. Mon-Fri and every second weekend), but in the grand scheme of things, it would be good if he got it. He's not renewing his real estate licence at the end of this month. Surprised? In a nutshell, he hated it (that's an understatement) and it was costing more than he was making due to office fees, etc. So, no matter what happens, we'll be better off.

Life. An update.

• The farm has been sold. The papers were signed yesterday. This is good.
• The auction sale is in three days. Fingers crossed for nice weather and a great turnout!
• We seem to be in better spirits than we were a few weeks ago (which is a pleasant surprise).
• Neil wrote his farm real estate exam on April 2 and did very well. He's now certified to sell farm land. He writes his appraisal exam tomorrow. He also wrapped up another five-week Century 21 course last week.
• Even though I worked all last week, I enjoyed the Easter break because there was no dance class or Sparks. It's so nice to have a break from extra activities.
• I played volleyball in the playoff tourney this weekend. Sadly, we were knocked out early, but it wasn't surprising since we had only five players the 2nd day.
• We just registered Sophia and Madeline for skating lessons (to begin April 28). Yup, skating. We completely missed registration for soccer. (Does anyone have size 10 hockey skates we could buy or borrow for Madeline?)
• I spent some time this weekend sorting and backing up photos. I always feel relieved when I get caught up on that task -- especially since I was way behind.

Daily pic: 01 Apr 07

This is what you get for $12,000 in Odessa, SK -- just in case you were wondering. Today was possession day for Neil's first real estate transaction, so we all went for a drive to deliver the keys. The people moving in said this house is quite a bit better than the one they had in B.C. -- which they sold for considerably more than 12K.

***
Georgia update: Still feverish. We'll be keeping her home from the babysitter tomorrow and perhaps taking her to a doctor.

Progress

I'm feeling a bit better today (mentally, that is; the cold I've been fighting doesn't seem better at all). Supportive messages from family, friends -- and even strangers -- do make a difference. Thank you.

Yesterday was a nice "free" day and I managed to make some progress in this house. I cleaned up the living room and Sophia and Madeline's room and it feels great to accomplish something around here!

Another thing lifted my spirits too. I finished reading Real Estate Investing in Canada last night and I believe what I learned (I have just started learning in this area) will help improve our lives. There is nothing more empowering than knowledge, is there?

Speaking of knowledge... I tried to take a break from thinking about my audit yesterday, but when it did creep into my mind, I focused on one thing. On Friday, I spoke to our lawyer who did the farm partnership documents and he told me that in a partnership, there is no automatic entitlement; that is, no partner is entitled to draw on the profits from that partnership (not without agreement from all partners) and all revenue must first go toward operating expenses. So, two key points emerge: Even though I was a partner, I had no entitlement to the farm earnings as they were received, and since there was no profit in 2003, I could not have received any income from the partnership anyway.

Well, at some point today, like it or not, I'm going to have to think more about this audit and revise my letter again. But it's not going to get in the way of having some fun today. I'm looking forward to attending a Stampin' Up! workshop with friends this afternoon!

Neil's first listing!

This house is in Avonlea, Neil's home town. The funny thing is that Neil doesn't even know the people who are selling this house. They just moved to Avonlea in December. When they decided to sell, they walked into the Century 21 north office (Neil works out of the south office) and the agent they spoke to just happened to know that Neil was from Avonlea, so he referred them to Neil! Here's the listing on MLS: 238165

First real estate sale

Neil made his first sale today! He was on website duty yesterday and someone emailed from BC saying they wanted to buy a specific house in Odessa, SK. The deal was basically done within 36 hours. Unfortunately, the house was only $12,000 and after splitting the commission with the other agent and Century 21, Neil doesn't get much out of it. In fact, he won't even see a penny because it'll all go toward his office bill which far exceeds the amount. But still -- it's a start!

These people sold their house in BC and then bought this house, site unseen, except photos on the internet. Neil hasn't even seen the house. He had to make sure the contract stated "as is". Not only that, when Neil spoke to them yesterday, they already had all of their belongings packed and were ready to drive to Saskatchewan. They were just waiting to close the deal on their former house. Today, when their offer was formally accepted, they were en route to SK.

Lunch-hour rambling

I still don't like not being able to go home for lunch. Yes, I'm whining. Forgive me for taking so long to get over it -- I was able to go home for lunch for 12 years (minus 3 years mat leave)! It just seems like such a waste of time. No matter what I do, I keep thinking about all of the stuff I could be doing at home. Perhaps I should flex my hours and take a 30-minute lunch break instead.

Georgia had the worst sleep of her life last night (so, of course, I didn't have a good night's sleep either). She has another cold, but I don't think that was the problem. Must be teething. Georgia sleeps pretty well normally. Two weekends ago, she slept for 12 hours straight on Friday night and then 12.5 hours straight on Saturday night. So nice!

Weekdays are awfully busy. Sophia has dance on Monday evenings and Sparks on Tuesday evenings. Neil and I take turns taking her to dance class, while the other takes Madeline and Georgia home. Neil usually takes her to Sparks because she lets him leave. It looks like I'll be playing volleyball on Thursdays for the rest of the season (until early April). The team for which I sub lost a couple full-time players half-way through the year, so they've been really short. I love playing volleyball, but it seems I don't have a lot of energy left by Thursday night! Having stuff on three evenings is challenging enough; I don't know how we're going to manage when all three girls have activities. I'm going to be exhausted.

Neil continues to work, trying to generate some activity, but he doesn't have any clients yet. Yesterday, he offered to do an open house for another agent who just put a house on the market the day before. The other agent said that would've been great except the house sold already -- within a few hours of going on the market. There are hardly any homes for sale in Regina right now. It's a seller's market.

The nice thing about Neil not being very busy is that his schedule is flexible. He stayed home with Georgia yesterday (because of her cold) and was the parent helper in Madeline's preschool class this morning. Those are good things, but a little extra income would be good too!

Work updates

I've been meaning to write an update on work but couldn't get motivated. I still don't feel very eager to write about it, but for the sake of... continuity? ...here's an update:

Work has improved since that first day, but to be honest, not as much as I would like. I do enjoy my work (writing), so now that I'm actually doing work, it is better. I say that because it took a ridiculously long time to get everything I needed to get started -- a few days to get access to servers, a week to get my office and computer, more than a week to get access to email, and two weeks to finally get all of the software I need (just this morning). So, while I am happy doing my work, the general atmosphere around here is not as happy as I'd like. Plus, I would still prefer to be doing some work with websites, which is something I've done for years.

Anyway, I'm optomistic that things will get better. And if not, I can always look for another position. I feel more open to that possibility than ever in the past. (I just didn't feel like making a career change over the past six or seven years when I was busy having three babies!) Guess I should update my resume sometime -- it's long overdue. On second thought, maybe I'll just stay put! I'm kidding. Sort of.

I'm still getting used to parking downtown. I tried to park in a cheaper parking lot once only to find that loonies were required and all I had was twos. Neil has dropped me off and picked me up a few days which has saved some money. I managed to take lunch for myself a couple times, but I should try to get better at that.

Neil has also been working. (Some of you will have received his email or letter within the past week -- I hope you don't mind!) While on office duty for one four-hour shift and website duty for one full day last week, he talked to a couple potential clients. Those particular contacts may not result in any income, but I felt encouraged that he may be able to get some business that way. He will have four shifts on office duty and one day on the website every month. They spread it out evenly among all of the agents in their office.

It was a little disappointing on Saturday when Neil learned that one potential client got someone else to show her some homes after Neil had already made arrangements to do it. He had asked her if Saturday was okay (because he was at home with Georgia on Friday) and she said that was great, but was apparently more anxious to see the homes than she let on. That's the way it goes I guess.

It's official!

As of this morning, Neil is officially a real estate sales representative with Century 21 Conexus Realty!

I'm very proud of Neil for taking this opportunity and making it happen. It wasn't easy for him to choose a new path when he really had no desire to change careers. Please join me in congratulating Neil on his achievement!

I think this worked out very well for us this year. Neil was able to take the real estate training courses, help with farming, work on our bathroom renovation, and still do lots of parenting! I appreciate that very much. He wasn't forced to suddenly be away from home all of the time. Also, the company is just fine with Neil taking the whole month of December off (because we're going away). Where else would one have that kind of freedom a month after starting?! Besides income, that's what it's all about: freedom. Neil enjoyed a lot of personal freedom as a farmer, and in real estate sales, he'll continue to have more freedom than in many other types of jobs. Another plus is that Neil can start earning money after just a few months, rather than years. That too is important!

So, if you know of anyone who needs the services of a real estate agent in the Regina area, please keep Neil in mind. Since he is basically starting his own business, he needs to get clients and one of the most important ways he'll get them is word-of-mouth.

A "free" day

This date on our calendar is completely blank, except for a "no school" sticker. No one has to be anywhere today! That rarely happens, especially on a week day. We had one in September which was Labour Day, and two others in October -- both Sundays. With Neil starting work next week, it may never happen again (except on vacation).

It's not really a day off though. I have three missions to accomplish today:

• to find the spider costume I made for Sophia when she was a baby (this is really bugging me!),
• to finish cleaning up the back yard (we did about two-thirds of the work yesterday), and
• to successfully install Parallels Desktop for Mac, Windows XP, and Microsoft Office on Neil's new laptop computer. I already know this software business could suck a considerable amount of time out of my day because I already tried to install Parallels and Windows last evening and it didn't work. Grrrrr.

I would also like to get groceries, go to the bank, and carve out some more floor space in our laundry room. Wish me luck.

Real estate update

Neil received his marks for the four exams he wrote on September 25 and he did very well. His average for all six exams was 90% and he has completed all of the requirements to get his license! I guess the people at Century 21 had confidence in Neil as they had already set up his office space a couple of weeks ago.

Starting tomorrow, Neil will attend weekly meetings and ongoing education classes at Century 21, but he won't officially start working as a real estate salesperson until November 1. That way he can avoid paying the registration fee for 2006 -- a savings of $800. He has also signed up to take another course, Principles of Real Estate Appraisal, which he's required to complete within two years of getting his license. He may as well get it done while he's not too busy.

I have been working on gathering names and addresses for Neil's introduction letter which will be sent out by Century 21. I didn't think it would be too difficult to provide 200 (as requested, not required), but it's proving to be a challenge. I was trying to stick to people in Regina and nearby communities, but I'll have to start reaching out further.

It's all good

1. Georgia news. Georgia had her nine-month checkup this morning with Dr. Miller. All is well. She weighs 8.16 kg or 18 lbs even (just under the 50th percentile) and is about 28 inches long. (Sophia reached that size around seven months of age, and Madeline didn't reach 18 lbs until well after her first birthday.) In other news, Georgia is crawling very well now and likes to explore everything. She also started standing up in her crib on October 1st.


2. Dry Streak. Last evening, Georgia and I attended a book launch at the Book & Brier Patch. The book is called Dry Streak, a play written by my friend, Leeann Minogue. Dry Streak premiered at the Persephone Theatre in Saskatoon in January 2006. Unfortunately, I haven't seen the play performed, but I look forward to reading it! I've heard great things. For more details, click on the image to enlarge. And look, Dry Streak is available on Amazon.ca and Chapters.indigo.ca! Very cool.


3. Excitement is in the air. I must admit I am looking forward to the Rolling Stones concert tonight (even though I really didn't care about it when the tickets went on sale). We've been listening to CJME (news talk radio) all day and it's almost all they're talking about. For me, going to this concert is not about the music at all; it's all about the show, the excitement, the spectacle it'll undoubtedly be. Some say "there is nothing like it".


4. The weather. Gorgeous! Today, October 6, Madeline was outside jumping on the trampoline wearing only a swimming suit. And yes, I really should be out there doing the yard work.


5. Thanksgiving weekend. Have a great one!


6. Good grade. (Added 3:35 p.m.) The Saskatchewan Real Estate Association just called to tell Neil he got 94% on his Phase 2 exam!


7. Dollarama. (Added 4:00 p.m.) Office supplies, hardware, cleaning supplies, kitchen stuff, party supplies, decorations, scrapbooking stuff, pet supplies, clothing... I challenge anyone to go to that store and not be completely and utterly astonished at what you can buy for $1.00!

Harvest/farm/life update

Harvest began on August 1. By August 26, Neil and his parents were finished harvesting the peas, lentils, canola, and durum, and only had chickpeas left. Neil's dad finished harvesting the chickpeas sometime last week, except for some spots with heavy Kochia. I understand the crops were pretty good.

I'm so glad the harvest was relatively short and Neil didn't have to stay at the farm much this year. (Last year, they harvested almost continuously for seven and a half weeks.) Plus, it was fantastic -- and I'm very thankful -- that Ross, a relative from Alberta, was there to help with harvest, especially when Neil couldn't be there (when I was sick or he had classes).

The farm has been on the market for several months now. Here's the listing: MLS #225062.

Regarding Neil's real estate endeavour: He attended a six-day course this month for which he'll write four exams tomorrow (September 25). He also sent in his Phase 2 assignment last Tuesday, and he'll write that exam on Monday, October 2. After that, providing he gets at least 70% on everything (and I have no doubt he will), Neil will be able to get his license!

Neil has already had his photo taken for cards, advertising, etc. (I'm dying to see how it turned out!) Also, before he can start working for Century 21 Conexus Realty (Regina South), he has to provide them with 200 names and addresses for an announcement letter. (So, if I know you and you live in or near Regina, don't be surprised if you get one!)

What's goin' on

We had our new bathroom window installed on Monday morning and 10 minutes after the installer left, I noticed the window frame was not level. Not even close. I called the company right away and the installer came back that afternoon. He determined that the window was defective. How annoying. Neil and I agreed we wouldn't be happy with the crooked window (especially since we're tiling up to it) and said we'd like a new one even though it would be a major pain in the butt to wait another six to seven weeks to have one manufactured. Anywho, I received a call this morning and they're sending someone out on Monday to take the window out, try to fix it, and put it back in. I hope it works.

On Tuesday morning, I grouted the wall tiles we put up last week (one wall of the shower area and behind the toilet and sink). That was more challenging than I expected (of course), but it turned out okay I guess. Neil went to his first Phase II (Residential Real Estate) class in the afternoon.

I took the girls to Yellow Grass on Wednesday and we stayed overnight. My aunt Janet was visiting from Ottawa. It was great to see her as well as my YG family (except Robyn who's in San Antonio with her mom). In the afternoon, we went to my parents' farm to see the bison. This is one of the bulls.

Neil was at the farm (at Avonlea) harvesting all day Wednesday, Thursday, and today. He just got home a few minutes ago. I'm pleased to report that I managed to get all three girls to sleep last night and tonight fairly early and without any major problems. I find that so exhausting! Also, I never know how it's going to go. Neil is better at getting the girls to sleep, especially Sophia and Georgia. Unfortunately, I have to do it solo again tomorrow because there's a Rider home game. Ah, but I'm going to a Stampin' Up! party Sunday evening and Neil will be on his own. I'm SO looking forward to that party! And not just because it's an evening out, but because I have so much fun stamping with this group.

We're going to try to get more bathroom work done tomorrow. We hope to apply sealer to the floor and wall grout and work on toilet plumbing. Can't wait to have a toilet up here!

I have a really sore neck and back right now. Guess I should try to see my chiropractor tomorrow too.

A few updates

I went to "Stamp Camp" this evening (organized by two Stampin' Up! demonstrators). Lots of fun! I made four cards and two scrapbook pages. This was my favourite project. Isn't it pretty? It'll be even better with a photo on it!

Since I was out all evening, Georgia had her very first bottle. Neil said she didn't fuss at all and she drank it all up. So good to hear! Sophia and Madeline, on the other hand, made a huge fuss when I left. I think that means I need to get out more! Luckily for Neil, they got over it pretty quickly.

My Pampered Chef party last evening was a great success. I'm so glad it didn't rain (as threatened) so the party could be outside (as planned). It was pretty muggy though. Lots of bugs too. I hope everyone enjoyed the evening anyway. The kids certainly had fun.

In the bathroom over the weekend, we finished the drywall (called it quits after eight mudding sessions) and put primer and two coats of paint on the walls and ceiling. Many thanks to Mom for taking Sophia and Madeline to Yellow Grass for two days. We're ready to start working on the floor now. Today's trip to Home Depot resulted in a decision to add 1/4-inch plywood between the shiplap and cement backerboard. Yep, another 50 bucks and more work. So it goes.

We enjoyed going to the farm at Avonlea on Sunday evening for a birthday celebration for Neil's sisters and grandma. Grandma Louise is 91 now.

My eye exam last week was fine. My prescription hasn't changed much in three years and my dry eyes weren't too scratched up. My eyes felt much better the next day after I started putting drops in every few hours.

Neil received his first real estate assignment back on Friday and he got 98%! He writes his first exam on August 8.

Farming and real estate

(I started drafting this a week ago, but we've been so busy, I just couldn't get back to it. Hope I can also find time soon to write about the Antiques Road Show, Sophia's preschool graduation, and more.)

Neil and his Dad seeded durum, lentils, peas, canola, and large and small Kabuli chickpeas this year. Seeding went fairly well except for a few equipment breakdowns. It's been raining off and on over the past week, so that's good news for the crops.

They started seeding on May 2 and finished on May 19 -- about half as long as their usual seeding time. I'm so glad it's done! I'm also glad it wasn't continuous; Neil was home four or five days during that period. The final stretch of five days straight was tough though. I'm so thankful for Laurel's help on Wednesday evening (she took Sophia shopping while I took the other two to Madeline's swimming lesson) and Mom's help on Friday (between Sophia's swimming lesson and preschool). It helped keep me sane.

I find solo parenting so exhausting and challenging (whine, whine, whine). Hats off to anyone who has to do it frequently. I think it's especially difficult for me right now because I still spend a lot of time nursing Georgia. It drives me crazy if I have to delay feeding Georgia while I tend to the other two, or if I don't know what the other two are doing while I'm busy feeding Georgia. Sophia and Madeline still need a lot of supervision! I also learned that, on my own, it takes no less than 90 minutes to dress and feed four people (the girls and me), do the girls' hair, and get us out the door in the morning.

As the farm business winds down, Neil is taking steps toward a new career in real estate. How'd this happen? Basically, the opportunity presented itself and Neil jumped on it (the truth is he needed a little push, but the point is, he's doing it!). Here's how it all went down.

A few days after we learned the farm business was ending, I started looking at job postings, both online and in the newspaper. We had also picked up calendars for SIAST and the U of R, and Neil went through some career quizzes online. It was a very confusing and stressful time.

I bounced many ideas off Neil but he was less than enthusiastic about them (quite understandably, I was a bit more keen on choosing a new career for Neil than he was). Then I saw a posting for Century 21 Dome Realty. When I mentioned it to Neil, he didn't dismiss the idea. I think he said, "I guess I could do that," which is about as much enthusiasm as Neil could muster for anything at the time. For a few more days, we continued to be confused about what path Neil should pursue (there were several on the table), but when all was said and done, this seemed like the right direction.

We prepared Neil's resume and a cover letter and sent them in. Neil then called the hiring manager and she scheduled an interview. She wasn't able to meet with him for almost three weeks, but when they finally met, she said she was interested in having Neil join their team. I think Neil's pretty lucky: one resume, one cover letter, one phone call, and one interview -- you can't beat that! It's not an instant job by any means, but that's fine. We have to pay for the training and it takes about three months, so it'll still be awhile before Neil starts working, but it worked out nicely that he was able to help with seeding.

Neil is now taking the real estate training courses. They're self-study courses, but he can also go for some classroom instruction on Tuesday mornings. He's attending his third class right now. In order to get his license, Neil will have to pass assignments and an exam with a minimum grade of 70%. I know he can do it! So, if anyone needs a Realtor in the Regina area (after a couple months), please keep Neil in mind!