Okay, so we’re already a week into 2009 and I should have written this entry last week, but the sentiment, belated as it is, remains genuine. Another new year offers new opportunities and new possibilities. But before I look ahead, I’d like to look back.
2008 Year in Review
All home improvement projects were put on hold while we slowly crawled out of the massive credit card debt that we had accumulated in financing our past projects. Our world was turned upside-down in March when my father passed away unexpectedly. The remainder of the spring was spent focused on readying his house for sale in a deteriorating housing market. With the sale of the house and the proceeds of the estate, we were able to pay off our consumer debt and decrease our mortgage while keeping funds aside for future home improvements. We made the decision to hire an architect / project manager to oversee any future work on the house and are still waiting to meet with him to get the ball rolling. Meanwhile, the economy bottomed out and job stability went out the window. I have to prepare for the reality that my employment situation could change at the drop of a hat. Any hope of rebuilding the addition and building a garage may be pure fantasy at this point, but I am still determined to at least address the structural issues and finish our projects in the main house.
2009 Looking ahead
I still don’t know what the time frame is going to be with the architect. The fact that he is busy is a good sign. The fact that he is waiting until he can devote more attention to our project rather than just trying to squeeze us in is also a good sign. But I must admit that I am starting to get a little impatient. Other than that, I am just hoping to remain employed during 2009. If the employment picture looks good, then we might be able to go ahead with the addition and garage in 2010.
Website note
Thumbandhammer.com was hacked back in May and it is still not at 100%. I am targeting the end of January for the official re-launch of the website. There should also be a lot of new content coming this year. Once again, I thank you for your support and patience.
Cheers!
