Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Hi-Ho Silver...

I found out late last week that I get to go out West, to Great Falls, Montana, for a week!

Yes, it's for work, so it's not like a vacation, really - but I'm excited nonetheless.

My boss, Linda, and myself are attending training and certification to become certified reverse mortgage counselors. (It's one more notch in the proverbial belt of training I can use in my eventual bid to take over the world.) We leave Saturday, 11/29 and come back Friday, 12/5.

A little info: reverse mortgages are basically loans against your home that you do not have to pay back for as long as you live there. They are typically given to homeowners who are 62 and older, have most or all of their mortgage paid for, and need more than their fixed income to make ends meet each month. People are turning to this option as they see a plateau in their Social Security income, pension, or retirement payouts, while cost of living keeps going up.

There's a lot of studying to be done prior to leaving for the trip...ugh. But we get a full day of "fun" out there on Sunday, to just bum around, before getting into the nitty-gritty. We cram for two days, take the certification exam on the third day, then observe certified counselor the last two days to get the "feel" for it.

I'll let you all know how it goes - and hopefully I'll have some nice scenic pictures to post of Montana. I haven't been there since I was 18, but from what I recall - mountains. Lots of mountains.

Friday, November 07, 2008

Congrats, Geb & Paul!

So my dear friend Geb and her hubby Paul welcomed their son into the world early Thursday morning (just after midnight!). Evan David is a beautiful baby, with a good head of hair and all the important parts. Nestled next to his mommy on the hospital bed, I was just amazed. He's here. He's really here!

Congratulations to Geb and Paul, who have waited and wondered and hoped and prayed for so long. Their little man has arrived!!

Auntie Di gives two thumbs up.