Normally that’s a voluntary sort of thing. But I can see us as totally freaking out about both a move and smaller quarters, but being quite pleased at a cost reduction. We need something bigger and cheaper, though. Which seems unlikely in this neck of the woods that we like living in.
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Well, a few years ago the four of us lived and worked in the kids’ room for a month while another family was staying with us (we had a mattress on the floor and hanging space outside the room), so we should be OK with small living spaces.
We’ll actually be taking a long-term couchsurfer with us too, so he’ll be helping with the move.
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That is wonderful news! That must feel like a thousand kilos lifted off your back.
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So, a couple of things: in the house next door, there’s a dog which barks, whimpers and cries all day. It’s heartbreaking to hear, especially as I’m home all day. I couldn’t take it any more, so went and knocked on the door, told them about it and asked if they thought it would help to walk the dog when I hear her cry or whatever. After a 10 day silence from the owners, they decided to give it a go, so I’m walking the lovely Layla! If I can figure out how to post a pic, I will.
Plus: in an industry that’s dying day-by-day, picked up some newspaper freelance journalism. Three days a week, guaranteed, for at least a year. Fits in well with the other job I wrote about a coupla months ago and is also working from home. Stoked, even if the contract I signed agreed to ‘neither directly or indirectly retain services from Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria or the Crimea’. Yeah, think I can comfortably agree to not work with or for Kim Jong Il or his ilk. Cuba’s a bit weird though, seeing as it’s opening up… 
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My neighbor (whose mailbox I confessed to spite-peeing on) finally moved! Their son did some very very bad things 12 years ago when he was 12. Haven’t seen him much lately but glad they are g-o-n-e either way.
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I brought the kids to see it today - it’s got a lot of potential and a nice back garden that we can work with (we may even be able to transplant some of our current garden). The kids seem OK about moving now that they’ve seen the place.
There’s actually an inner city train track between us and the hospital, although they upgraded the trains this year and it’s pretty quiet:
I’m also kind of looking forward to fixing up a house - almost everything needs to be decorated inside (e.g. the carpets are old and my son and I have asthma, so they’ll have to go) and I’ll probably convert the garage to an office/lounge area for my FIL*, so I’ve got a blank slate to work with. We’re saving almost 700 EUR/month over what we were expecting (when you include electricity/heating/travel expenses too), so I’ve got the money to have fun with it too.
*which will give us all more living space.
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15 years after losing his legs in a crash in the 2001 American Memorial CART race, Alex Zanardi wins gold and silver medals in the Paralympics.
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Small victory: my small place is now lit exclusively by vacuum tubes, Edison bulbs, and candles. This goes very well with the mythology I cultivate around myself.
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As the super hero captain analogue?
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It’s a bird, it’s a plane… Well yes it’s a bird, it’s TWEEDY BIRD!!
(Thanks to @OtherMichael for my super hero name)
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Is smugness allowed on this thread? Because I just got a wonderful comment from my fiancee regarding my cooking skills. Apparently “it’s unfair that you can just throw things together into a bowl without measuring them and they come out tasting that good”. 
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My wife goes to bed early on the same day I unexpectedly got a copy of The Force Awakens at the library!
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If you get a comment like that, you should be sharing it with everyone. And then inviting me around for dinner so I can confirm.
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I still haven’t seen that.
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You anywhere near upstate NY?
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About as fair away as you can get, I live in Australia.
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Yeah, almost antipodal. Pity.
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I’m a pretty good cook myself, but love trying other people’s food.
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My toddler said Princess Dada this morning. It may not be a victory, but it was hilarious. So damn hilarious. My husband was less than impressed.
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Parenting - doing it right. 
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