Mike Pictor

Here I go again hardly posting.

Life is trucking along adequately. Work is pleasantly busy, but not insane (in other words, just right). I am growing conscious of the fact that Pennsic is actually looming close. This weekend, I start my checklist…what do I need etc… I am largely ok. The tent will get tested in a week and a bit down in Napanee, my food will be largely the food court, with snacks and munchables in the tent such as canned fruit, granola bars, etc.. I’ve done Pennsic that way before quite comfortably. I need to set myself a budget. Beyond food, there are a couple of things I’d like to buy, but not a lot. That car is up to date on service, though I am deeply pained that the cruise control seems to be on strike. It comes and goes, and I really hope it comes back by the time I leave…or I will be stopping a lot. I don’t currently have a travel partner, which is ok, I am thinking I will try and get an audio book or two on cd, plus music etc…, I will be entertained. Helen is making me a few extra pieces of garb to complement what I have already, and that will be plenty with one laundry run to town. I need to make sure I have basic camping supplies, broom for the tent, night light, and so forth.

It will all work out.

Helen gave me her rental property research folder today. She has clippings from all manner of rental properties from around the city, printouts of the relevant areas, web sites, all organized by city area. That will be a big help. I hate doing the legwork for this kind of thing. I want the perfect place, at the perfect location, at a good price, and I want it to just show up at my feet. Yeah yeah….got to spend some time finding a place that suits. My overwhelming preference of location is the Lincoln Fields to Moodie drive area of town. I grew up not far away, so it’s familiar, it’s a LOT closer to work, it’s not far from a goodlife (well….if I don’t stray too far west in that zone, goodlife is at Pinecrest), many amenities, it will work. Kanata is a much better choice for work….but then I’d be living in Kanata (blech!). Downtown would be enjoyable, but also annoying for the commute, and probably a little overpriced.

I haven’t decided how hard I want to look before Pennsic, and whether I want to shoot for a Sept 1, or Oct 1 possession date. I figure once we figure out what is going to Helen’s appt., I will have a good idea what’s left, how much I need to move, and also what’s needed to show off the house for selling. What would be nice is to have my new apartment with at least a month overlap with a selling date, to ease the pressure of moving stuff (need stuff at the house to make it look lived in for selling, but need to get that stuff out to our respective apartments before closing).

If you know of a real good find for rental properties, a kind of hidden gem, let me know, but I have a lot of material to work with as well. If you have a recommendation for real estate agent, or someone good at assessing property values prepatory to sale, likewise, let us know.

My wrist is a bit sore from mousing…tempted to get a more ergonomic model, something to relieve relevant strain, before it becomes carpal tunnel.