I've been away from here for some time now. A lot has happened in my life, and a lot has happened here it would seem as well.
I'm going to start out by saying that I really don't like this new layout at all. They appear to have dropped some features that I really liked and found useful, and now it's really hard to find my old friends and favourites :/
My renewal is up in December so I can't see myself spending the money to stay here now.
I've moved closer to the beach. I can't hear the waves at night, but when the wind is blowing in from the ocean I can smell the salt air. It's a fifteen minute walk from my house, or a one minute drive if I'm feeling lazy, or if I'm taking down my camp kitchen to spend the day. It's still only a short twenty minute drive to be out among the vineyards, and the rural setting that I love. I can see the hills from my room, and from my backyard. It's great, and the kids love it here too.
I bought a new truck as well. That's been fantastic. We can get offroad now to get into the previously inaccessible camping spots. Summer is coming and so to more time spent outdoors.
Work is still the same. I've had an ongoing contract with a local company for the last fifteen months or so. It'll be coming to an end soon, so I'll have to start looking for the next project to keep us clothed and fed. There are times when I consider going back into fulltime employment, but the thought of working for someone else really bugs me. My youngest son has never known what it's like for me not to be home with him. Even my eldest doesn't remember the days when I used to have to leave of a morning and come home at night. I don't want to have to do that again if I can help it.
Anyway, I really just wanted to vent how much I dislike this change at SG. Why did they have to mess with a good thing?