“Oh, excuse me. So sorry.” – TC-14, Star Wars I: The Phantom Menace
I’ve been riding the job search and homeschooling-in-the-midst-of-the-unknown rollar coaster with Dad Windu and Padawan Learner these past couple of months, and, while it’s been going pretty well, it’s had its ups and downs. That’s the biggest reason this place has been so quiet. I’m driving 6 white horses, coming around the mountain, and – what the song doesn’t mention - there’s this cliff on the other side of the path that’s making me hug the mountain more than I’m used to. So homeschooling is keeping on, keeping on and going well. Marriage is going well. Blogging (my release and often-times entertainment), not so much.
At one point we thought we were going to be moving to almost the very northern-most tip of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. In case you don’t know where that is, it’s waaaay the h*ll up there (technical term) and surrounded by Lake Superior on three sides. Average high of 78 F (25C) in July and 16 F (-9C) in January. 208 inches (528 cm) of snow a year on average. I know! There are two seasons up there, if you ask a local - ”winter’s here and winter’s coming.”
Yes, we were pretty sure we were going to be moving there after DW met with the group leader in the company’s Detroit-area office. Couldn’t have asked for a more encouraging guy. The group leader in the UP though, not so encouraging. Not being ‘a local’ was apparently a big point against DW; the two interviewers spent most of the meeting basically trying to talk him OUT of wanting the job. “No shopping to speak of up here.” “Winters are long and hard, so you can’t try to just wait them out.” “Everything’s a long way from here, so traveling other places doesn’t happen very often.” “We don’t have furniture stores to speak of.” You get the picture.
Meanwhile, while he’s in his interview, I was scraping the local librarian’s brain clean about local homeschooling resources and groups and variety. I was getting more and more excited about the homeschooling opportunities in the immediate area. Oh, and have I mentioned that we found the cutest little house – with a cast-iron circular staircase connecting the main and upper floors – for $27,700? No, I didn’t leave a zero out. For approximately the same price of a new car, we could have owned a 2 bedroom, 2 bath home that was as cute as a button. (Just shoot me now). I was getting geared up and ready to go.
Just to make things interesting, of course, the reality of an impending move really hit Padawan Learner up there and … well, it wasn’t pretty. I’ll just leave it at that.
In the end, DW got a FOAD letter in the mail from the UP leader – as vague as can be, of course. The Detroit guy is disgusted. DW is confused and thinking, “WTF was that all about?” PL is feeling bad for DW but also guilty about feeling relieved that we’re not moving – yet. I’m exhausted about putting so much mental effort into finding ways to make sure this transition goes smoothly – for naught.
*deep breathing*
And now we’re hopping back on the maybe this is it train. Dad Windu and I are headed out into the heart of the great frozen midwest this weekend. (PL is staying with friends.) We’re quietly optimistic, but (truthbetold) we’re afraid to get our hopes up too high. There’s been a lot of “Oh, I’m just doing a little Internet surfing” digging by me. It’s what I do. The job appears to be a good fit for DW and the city looks like we’d be comfortable there.
So, happy thoughts everyone. *fairy dust, fairy dust* We’re going to need them.
The whole job search / moving roller coaster is exhausting!!! I cannot believe the price of that house, that’s, that’s WOW. Isn’t that how much they paid in Laura Ingalls Wilder’s day?
I know! Under 28K for a house. A whole house, too, not just the kitchen or anything. I think Pa & Ma probably had to pony up at least 30K for their prairie digs. I guess there’s something to be said for living in the extremes.
Ugh. Your tale reminds me of our own “U.P.” stories. (There’s more than one of them.) It’s bewildering to say the least; it feels like all the stars are aligning and then wooooosh! The rug gets pulled out from under you.
And not to speak disparaging comments of the U.P. but that was QUITE the culture shock for us when we moved up there. I had forgotten that in my trip down memory lane. There are the natives and the outsiders. (At least in the small town we lived in, not far from where you were looking.)
And speaking of cheap houses….we bought one in northern Montana for…are you ready for this…..$18,500. We worked our butts off rehabbing it and made a nice little get-out-of-debt sum. And funny…of all the houses we have lived in, that one is still my favorite. (846 square feet!)
Keep us posted on the adventure!
OMK: $18,500 un.be.liev.a.ble!
PS…I like seeing your blog link on Twitter…makes it easier to hop over here.
Unless they were paying you that much to live there . . . did you say 208″ of snow?
My mother was born in Maine and the saying is “You don’t call a kitten muffins just because it’s born in the over.” Yeah, being an outsider is hard.
Good luck on the next prospect.
Holly: Yes, 208″ of snow (on average) every year. It’s lake effect – the air picks up extra moisture coming over the (relatively) warm water of Lake Superior and drops it as snow once it hits land. On the upside, lake effect has a moderating effect on the air temperatures making them a bit warmer in winter and cooler in summer than they would be otherwise.
***Lest anyone think I’m being whiny about the not “a local” part, even the guy in Detroit said that it was indeed a large part of the UP office’s decision.
Mucho fairy dust for all of you!!!
Fairy dust . . . Fairy dust . . .
And now, my evil twin: Don’t leave us!!!!! Don’t leave us!!!!
I feel like I’m split in two.
OMK: As do I.
It’s a rollercoaster, isn’t it? Hang in there.
Good luck!!
Is an FOAD letter what I think it is? FilmChris showed it to me the other day and I had no idea. Today I think it came to me and I am laughing pretty hard.
Vander Kitten: Yup. Exactly that.