Contemplating...
It's not that I have too many plates in the air right now, but rather there are decisions to be made that all affect each other. At the same time, these particular decisions have long-term effects.
The main decision, of course, is what to do about the house. We know we need a new roof and a thorough paint job. So last year we began exploring the idea of the most obvious renovation for the place--an attic remodel that would include a dormer and second bath. As time has gone on, we realized we can't actually afford to have all of the work done, so a cascading limiting of the scope ensued. Now we are down to having the contractors leave us with finished dryall and a subfloor upstairs--and little left in our savings accounts. (Don't panic parents--we're not touching retirement.)
This not only is a big financial commitment, but it is also a time commitment over both the short, medium, and long term. First, we have to pack up a good chunk of the house and do the demolition work. Second, my summer will be committed to doing all the finish work after the contractors are done. Third, doing all this basically commits us to Eugene for the indefinite future.
Then there are the career considerations. If we pursue this project and then leave in less than five years, we'll take a huge financial hit. Of course, in a world where no one's job is 100% secure, we could take a huge financial hit no matter what. So there's financial risk. There's also the risk of whether I'm really up to doing the work that I am committing to. There's no Kramer to bail me out this time. Who will be my personal construction guru? Then there is the general risk that we're getting ripped off. We know it's a fancy design-build firm, but avoiding the risk of architects and contractors miscommunicating seems to be worth the premium price.
Finally, I'm also contemplating what to do with the shank. We've been very much enjoying our half-lamb from Pammy's farm. I wish I had met it--it tastes great.
The shank is on the upper left of this photo:
The main decision, of course, is what to do about the house. We know we need a new roof and a thorough paint job. So last year we began exploring the idea of the most obvious renovation for the place--an attic remodel that would include a dormer and second bath. As time has gone on, we realized we can't actually afford to have all of the work done, so a cascading limiting of the scope ensued. Now we are down to having the contractors leave us with finished dryall and a subfloor upstairs--and little left in our savings accounts. (Don't panic parents--we're not touching retirement.)
This not only is a big financial commitment, but it is also a time commitment over both the short, medium, and long term. First, we have to pack up a good chunk of the house and do the demolition work. Second, my summer will be committed to doing all the finish work after the contractors are done. Third, doing all this basically commits us to Eugene for the indefinite future.
Then there are the career considerations. If we pursue this project and then leave in less than five years, we'll take a huge financial hit. Of course, in a world where no one's job is 100% secure, we could take a huge financial hit no matter what. So there's financial risk. There's also the risk of whether I'm really up to doing the work that I am committing to. There's no Kramer to bail me out this time. Who will be my personal construction guru? Then there is the general risk that we're getting ripped off. We know it's a fancy design-build firm, but avoiding the risk of architects and contractors miscommunicating seems to be worth the premium price.
Finally, I'm also contemplating what to do with the shank. We've been very much enjoying our half-lamb from Pammy's farm. I wish I had met it--it tastes great.
The shank is on the upper left of this photo:
Maybe I should have laid everything out anatomically.
