Welp, we’re off to Tucson tomorrow! What are we going to do while we’re there?
I have no idea…
As much as I hate using it as an excuse, our live have been super hectic since we bought the house. Since we’ve moved in, we’ve chased problem after problem just trying to keep it from falling apart from under us.
The latest version of that is the leak in the basement. After some heavy rain a couple weeks ago, I came into my office only to find water pooled in the corner, soaking boxes I had stacked up mearby. I moved the boxes and tore down the drywall to find a leak in the foundation. I bought some hydraulic cement the next day and it’s sat in the car since. I really should patch that up tonight, there’s supposed to be rain/snow all day tomorrow and we’ll be gone by then…
Off to Tucson
Brandy needs to visit her sites and I’ve agreed to accompany her to the ones I care to visit. First up is Tucson.
This will be my first trip to Arizona that will include anything more than just driving through. As prepared as I usually am, you’d think I have a list a mile long of things I want to do while we’re out there. Sure, Saguaro National Park is definitely on the list, but what else? Couldn’t say! The hectic life I lead has prevented any serious research. I will have to log on to Trip Advisor to see what there is to do out there.
The trip back will be a bit detoured. We will leave Tucson Thursday and drive to Albuquerque where we will shack up once more with Alan. The next day, we’ll make the quick drive and have lunch with Christy before continuing on making the final leg of the trip next Saturday giving us Sunday to recoup before returning to work Monday.
As for the time we are out there, I do plan on working. I usually keep hours of 7:00 – 4:00 central time. We will be on Mountain time, which is an hour behind, but daylight savings time starts Sunday, and Arizona does not observe DST so we will be two hours behind while there. All this is to say, I will be working from 5:00 am – 2:00 pm while in Arizona and with the longer daylight hours, I should be able to get out and do some stuff. I sure hope Brandy wants to join me!
Another Career Shift?
Before leaving tomorrow, I have an interview today for a position through CTG. It is a contracted position, but it pays roughly 66% more than what I’m making now, so I will absolutely take it. I will end up as a consultant with CTG and they will roll me into new contracts as the ones I am working in end, and this first contract is an 18 month contract supporting OTTR, which I did for 9 years at my previous employer. I’m very confident I’m going to wind up with this new job, and with the bump in pay, we will be able to travel much more than we had been able to in the past.
[Update: I’m finishing up this post from the road. The interview went great and I’m even more confident in my prospects now. I’m expecting a call from them “early next week” for next steps, which will include a 1-3 week trip to Tennessee.]
International Travel?!
One of Brandy’s bucket list destinations is Switzerland. Since we really only have an anniversary of the day we met every four years (February 29), we decided to do a BIG trip every four years, the first of which will be February 2024. We decided to knock that bucket list item off next year. Course, that will take some plotting and planning as we will need to get passports and lose weight so we’ll be relatively comfortable on the plane(s) but we have plenty of time to do so.
That will be so incredibly fun. I’m super excited for that trip!
A Quick and Sudden Conclusion
As I was writing this up Friday afternoon, I had a whole steam of thought that I was going to take this post. My personal computer started acting up though and I had to abandon the post at that time. I got started with packing and getting ready for this current trip shortly after and that train of thought has long since departed so I’m going to end this post now and start rafting up the trip report from the trip I am currently on as I finish this post.
I’m super excited to be traveling again, though this first day on this trip was rough to say the least. Stay tuned for the report on that rrip coming some time next week.
Until then, thanks for stopping by, I appreciate you!
Phil