Kelly’s parents spent the weekend with us, since we didn’t get to see them over the Christmas holidays. The weather was unusually warm, in the 70s, so Kelly’s dad and I decided to take advantage of it and get some outside tasks completed.

We’ve always had a small puddle in the corner of our backyard due to poor grading. A whole handful of neighborhood yards drain into ours. It created a swampy jungle, with reeds and weeds coming up to my shoulders. It was just a festering mess.
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Except for Travis, we’ve all got colds: Kelly, Hallie and now me.

Not a fun way to begin the new year.

3. Fundoplication surgery. Remember, you can’t have fundoplication without the fun! Though it wasn’t much fun recovering, it was worth all the trouble.

I had fundoplication surgery in March after suffering for years from reflux and other issues. I had put up with it for far too long, not knowing exactly what could be done. My doctor put me on antacid medicine, which took care of the acid but left other aspects untreated. I really didn’t want to take a $5 pill each day for the rest of my life, so I looked for alternatives.
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4. Oculan Closes And Reopens. Its the amazing now-you-see-it-now-you-don’t trick. Last May, my former employer abruptly closed up shop, having had its funding pulled out from under it. A great product and a great team was left twisting in the wind.

It could not have happened at a worse time for me personally. Kelly and I were already expecting our second child. Left without health insurance, we were facing potentially staggering medical bills for Travis’s birth. If that weren’t enough, we were also right in the middle of negotiations towards closing on a new house. Not having any income wouldn’t look good on a mortgage application, you know. It was the Perfect Storm of financial needs.

I decided the best route was to pick up the pieces, so I did what I could to save it. I arranged for a favorable newspaper article about the ex-employees. I followed up by personally pitching it to an interested company. Still, it seemed like things were moving at glacial speed.

Then things began to fall into place. We dug up a little-mentioned continuation policy from our health insurer which covered our son’s birth. And our credit and my consulting business were enough to get our mortgage application approved. The immediate needs were met.

To my gratitude, I began to get more consulting offers, seemingly out of the blue. I began to get serious about this work, even to the point of shopping for office space.

One particularly good contract came my way which I almost accepted. I had signed the contract and was just moments from faxing it back when I decided to call my old coworker to check one more time for any life left in the old product. To my delight, there was a place for me at the new company.

At the time my consulting business was going well. I’m sure I could have built it into a formidible business. The momemtum was there. On the other hand, I know an opportunity when I see one. I chose to roll the dice and see where this new company can take me.

So far the gamble is paying off. I’m working with the most talented members of the talent-rich team of people I used to work with. I feel engaged and important, which does wonders for my ego. And I’m right in the middle of things. Pretty-much perfect.

Don’t be fooled, though. It’s also a lot of work, but not to the point where my family life suffers. I still get home in time to be a father to my kids and a husband to my wife.

So the sad and abrupt ending of May has turned into an equally abrupt but happy beginning. This new year promises to bring even more fun challenges. I wonder what great things I’ll be sharing with you a year from now.

5. Grandma’s Funeral. I’ve been slack in posting because I wasn’t sure what to write about this one. Still sorting things out, I guess (and still meaning to write the second half of my account of funeral). One thing I can say is that this 93-year-old woman lived a grand life, spanning from the Titanic to Space Shuttle astronauts, quite a few of which she had autographs.

That she kept her attitude and humor throughout her life is an amazing feat. It’s tough knowing that she’s gone. For the rest of us, that is. I’m sure she’s living it up. And deservedly so.

Happy New Year! It’s a balmy 70 degrees and sunny. We just finished lunch on the patio. What diverse weather we’ve had this past week.

I’m at home now, spending time with the family and in-laws. Look for more blogging this afternoon.

6. Electioneering. You’d have to be under a rock not to know the big news story this year was the U.S. elections.

Bush got reelected. Some even say legitimately. It took me a while to come to grips, but I’m over it now. I might not like him any more than I did before, but I no longer feel the need to rant about him. I did what I could; its time to move on.

In the long run, his victory might be better for Dems. Iraq is Bush’s to clean up. He got us into this mess and its up to him to get us out.
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I’ve driven by the Sears Outlet Store on Six Forks Road many times on my way to work but never stopped by there until today. Needless to say, I’m impressed. It’s a treasure trove of Kenmore appliances and other Sears products. There are dozens of refrigerators, washers and dryers, along with a handful of ranges and window air conditioners. All are 15-20% less than the retail versions, with some discounted even greater than that!

I went in search of a new dishwasher. There was only one, a Frigidaire model that listed “cosmetic damage,” though I didn’t see any damage. It was $80 less than the same retail model. We may buy it this week.

Anyway, if you’re in the market for a new (or almost-new) refrigerator or washer, you should definitely pay a visit first to the outlet store. It’s on the Atlantic Avenue end of Six Forks road, next to the railroad overpass.

MT.Net says check it out!