We Got Building Consent!!!!

It's been an interesting week. My department's three month "restructuring" was finally announced. The result is full job descriptions and contracts for my group, ending everyone's daily paranoia about getting laid off. It hasn't been fun -- people freaked out, jobs were questioned, some quit, some got laid off, others got promoted. Now that the dust has settled, everyone on my immediate team has the exact same positions, but our titles are changed. I'm relieved.

And on the same day, we received approval from the local council to proceed with the house! Yay!!!!!

We celebrated in style with some cough medicine and a cheap take-out dinner, since I've been sick with a cold all week. We always said we'd really do it up once we got building consent ("We'll go to the Langham for a night!" ; "We'll have dinner at The French Cafe!") but we'll do nothing of the sort. We can't afford it!

We aren't out of the woods yet -- there's now a series of building inspections that may result in more repairs and more money, but hopefully the worst is over. I'm sure I just jinxed us.

We're also getting quotes from landscapers to finish the outside. Currently, it resembles a big muddy parking lot. To really do it up right with decking, retaining walls, etc. won't be cheap, so we're exploring all the options. We have to do something, though. Wood decks? Pavers? We'll see. The deck off one of the guest rooms is finished, and it looks great. It's a really nice feature.