We’ve been back for three and a half months. We naively figured we’d be working and settled in a home after about two months. We were off by a couple, as it turns out. I just accepted a technical writing job for a defense contractor, starting Dec. 1. In this economic climate, I’m feeling pretty lucky to have landed a good job. Sadly, defense contracting is rather recession-proof. I was ready for the gub-mint to reinstate the CCC so I could join up. We saw countless WPA projects on the trip and most were superb structures in state and national parks.

We also just ratified a contract on a house. Whew! We’ll be moving in just before Christmas. It’s a funky little contemporary split-level built in the 50’s. Three bed, three bath on .38 acres. We are a five-minute walk from Danine’s folks (our current residence) and the creek/park. We are a ten-minute walk to school and the pool. We haven’t been settled in a house in a long while, but we’re looking forward to it.

I still look at the date and try to remember — or check the blog to see — what we were doing this time last year. We did just take a trip, by the way. We went down to Dallas for Max’s Bar Mitzvah. He is Danine’s cousin Laura’s youngest. We had a fun few days with them in early December a year ago. This trip was fun too: big parties, a mildly disorienting (to me) Sabbath service, and some catching up with family we don’t see often enough.

Now I have to go Google “How to work full time” because I kind of forget.