‘ve been in an offsite meeting all week going through this monstrously huge functional design document. We’ve been breaking it down into workable components, mapping out dependencies, determining capacity, scope, numbers of people needed to develop this project. Add this into my regular duties of meetings, etc., and it’s made for some incredibly long days. Friday we were finally done and I was tasked to map out a project plan for at least the first two weeks. It’s not something I could just put off til Monday. So I had to go back to the office to do this.But try to go through a huge project plan – a tedious task – when you’re antsy to be gone!

I’ve had a real estate agent looking for places for me. Not that I’ve had a whole heck of a lot of time to go looking, but I figured it was at least worth getting the ball rolling. I also asked her to look for plots of land, just on the off-chance that she could find one, so I could maybe build that house I’m in love with.

At lunch, I got a call from a real estate agent in the town I’m currently searching. She was pretty excited because when I told her what I wanted, she said there was one lot that fit my specs exactly. I tried to calm myself down by telling myself that there had to be *something* wrong with it. It couldn’t be as nice as it sounded. The agent had the size wrong. It was in a crappy neighborhood. It was going to be way out of my price range.

I left as soon as I possibly could. Luckily the manager was very sympathetic. Phew. I dragged a friend with me. We went to go see this plot of land. Oh wow. I mean, really. Wow! It’s next to a park. It’s in the middle of a whole bunch of custom homes. The house I want to build would be one of the smallest. The field next to it, I found out, is slated for more homes and a golf course. It’s exactly the right size. It’s perfect. I’m dreaming. No, I’m not. It’s there.

I made an offer. I had tons of errands to do today so I went to the office in my jeans and tee-shirt to sign contracts and make an offer on a piece of land. Afterwards I felt like for this momentous occasion I should have dressed up a little. The owner is contemplating it and will get back to the agent on Monday. He bought it two months ago and apparently his house wouldn’t fit on it (big house, I guess!). This means that a lot of the paperwork like the title and the geographical survey (I had no idea they had to do one of these!) will still be current, so it would go quicker. If he accepts my offer. The big If.

I’m not sure when I’ve ever been so excited and nervous at the same time. I’m checking my pager every hour, it seems. I know she said he’d get back to her on Monday, but maybe he’d decide earlier…..oh, I know I’m being silly, but how can I help it? Of course this is only the first step – if I get this land I’d still have to find a builder and go through that hassle. But at least I’d have my dirt. Finally.