[Monday: 3 miles; Wednesday: 3 miles; Saturday: 5.14 miles]
Porch progress: this weekend I finished the framing for the two walls with windows. I hope to complete the doorway framing next weekend and get started on exterior sheathing.
Work progress: We are coming to the fall show-and-tell event this week. Most of my stuff is complete but I need to install some software on Monday. If I’m able I would like to get to the office early and get that done.
Also we are exploring the possibility of moving back to Mississippi. The cold winter last year was difficult. It looks like the most convenient time would be at the end of the year. But we have a lot to accomplish before that.
3 replies on “Progress”
Good luck with the potential move. What a bother to sell a house, etc.
I’m not a fan of cold winters and escaped them two decades ago. So I get it. That being said, the years I spent in Minneapolis and the winters (harsh!) was a lot of fun. Cross country skiing after work in the park with snow illuminated by urban lights reflecting off of low clouds. Magical. Being able to take the bus to work and leave the car – and in the evenings walk to neighborhood coffee shops and listen to live music or play board games. I think in suburban and country settings it can be isolating and challenging. But in urban settings it’s a lifestyle that is actually pretty nice and very social (and not the virtual social – the real kind). Madison, Wisconsin, life was similar – a somewhat urban setting – but I was a starving student when there so not as much fun as it could have been.
You gave Iowa a shot and fine to leave if it suits you. Life is too short to be where you don’t want to be if you can help it. People aren’t flocking to Iowa so you aren’t alone. (Fun fact – I have a new boss and she lives in Waukee.)
Thanks!
I think there is a unity developed from common adversity. In the northern states winter helps build that.
In Mississippi it is somewhat the same with summer heat, you survive it and sympathize with everyone else also afflicted.
Personally I suffer less in the cold than in the hot and I’m kind of sad about having to go back.
It’s an OK place, and the people are nice enough. I get exasperated with my own perversity in discontent, where really I am healthy and can
operate in either environment to about the same degree of success. I’ve been in this spot before. For quite awhile we lived in a place that I
considered nearly perfect in climate and beauty. The various trials of life were very difficult but I always thought it was worth the effort
to live there. In the end it turned out that the place itself was the problem, causing a lot of the difficulties. We moved away and life
immediately improved. Which just goes to show that my selection of such things is very flawed.
So, in this case I’ve been presented with a good justification for moving and if the job and circumstances fall into line then we should go.
Maybe it’s genetic? Suffering in the heat – I start sweating when I use enough energy to change my mind or look a different direction. Heat and humidity are stultifying – at least with bitter cold you can put on layers. We expect to move to Taiwan one of these days and it’s got a climate like Cuba but they have mountains and AC so there are ways around it. Also beaches and ocean – go for a swim. (After two decades in a Mediterranean climate I am quite soft.) The Iowa thing – I saw a new commercial for it – “This is Iowa” on YouTube and been there a month and under 9K hits so not going viral. It focuses on fun things to do that, to me, look like you could do anywhere (bike swim shop) so why go to Iowa for it? (No video from winter.)