Paul and I went to the movies this past weekend to see Revolutionary Road with Kate Winslet and Leonardo DeCaprio. If you haven’t seen it already, don’t. It’s terrible. I don’t want to be a spoiler here so don’t read on if you think you might see it.  I cannot believe it got such great reviews. It is without a doubt the most feel bad movie of the year. Read the rest of this entry »

It never ceases to amaze me the stories the children bring home from school. A few years ago, when Sophia was in 5th grade, she was studying the Inuit Indians and was horrified to learn that when they fell on hard times they resorted to cannibalism, but they only ate the girls because they figured they were the most expendable. I still remember the terrified look on her face when she told me, ”Mom, can you believe it? They ate the girls!” We went on to have a discussion about the sexism of only eating girls and not, say, the old guys. It was a learning opportunity, albeit, bizarre. Wait, there’s more. Read the rest of this entry »

Since we had the kids for Valentine’s Day this year and it fell on a Saturday, we decided to take everyone out to a fancy restaurant for dinner. We rarely go out to eat for anything more expensive than pizza or burgers, but I have always felt that it is good experience for children to learn how to conduct themselves in a fine dining establishment and is worth the extra cost to have the  opportunity to practice their manners. Read the rest of this entry »

Paul and I are the same age, 47. We’re old.  Oh, and I almost forgot, we have five kids. I feel I must stress this for the throngs of people who still, unbelievably, ask me, “Are you two going to have a baby together? That would be so cute. Just like the movie with Fred Mac Murray and Lucille Ball.” As if somehow our having a baby would be entertainment for them. Sorry to disappoint, but no, we are not. Paul and I  discussed this the first time we talked on the phone, before we had ever met. He asked me if I wanted anymore kids. I don’t remember my exact answer, but  he claims  I laughed uncontrollably for five minutes. When I caught my breath I said, “Hell no!”

Instead of having a baby together, we decided to give birth to something else that would cost us a fortune, cause us many sleepless nights and would be more work than we ever dreamed possible. We decided to start a business. It wasn’t enough that we were planning our wedding, blending our families and remodeling our house. No, we needed to throw in some added stress, financial instability and general uncertainty. What the heck.

When I met Paul he was a consulting mechanical engineer designing solar thermal radiant hydronic heating systems. Radiant heat, particularly if is solar integrated,  is the most energy efficient and healthiest form of heating. Although radiant heat has been around since the Romans, it is just now really catching on in the US and he wanted to be a part of this cutting edge and innovative technology.  He read up on the subject, consulted trade organizations, and what he couldn’t learn from someone else, he figured out on his own. In his words, “It was a painful learning curve”, but he persisted and is now highly regarded by many as the industry expert in his field.

In spite of radiant heat’s growing popularity, it is still challenging to find qualified radiant heating installers. The construction industry is slow to react to change and Paul was getting increasingly frustrated because he couldn’t find trained technicians to implement his designs. He needed to figure what direction he wanted take with his consulting business, so he took a little surfing vacation in Mexico to clear his head and decide what to do.  While he was there, he  met George, our business partner. George is a master plumber who at the time was at a cross roads in his life too. Bored with being a union plumber, he was searching for more challenging work that incorporated state of the art technology.  The two of them hit it off  when they both realized they each had something to offer that would benefit the other.  Excited, they started talks exploring joining forces and starting a business together. Our design, build construction business was born on that surf trip in Mexico and from then on the term “board meeting” took on a whole new meaning. When Paul returned  he was so excited. I knew that he was on to something big and I supported him. I also knew he would never be happy or satisfied if he did not take his business in this direction.

There was, of course,  the issue of capital. They would need money for start up costs to set up an office, buy equipment and cover salaries until the business started making money. I told Paul that I would be his first investor and gave him some seed money from the sale of my house to help him get started. It was the beginning of an amazing,  frustrating, scary, exhausting and ultimately rewarding experience.

It has been two and a half years since we embarked on this adventure. Like many aspects of our lives together,  we survived because we stuck together, gave each other unyielding support and vented our frustrations by screaming at each other when we got really pissed off. We have had our rough patches and I am happy to say the worst is over, not because the stress in our lives is reduced, but because we have learned to deal with it better. After three years of marriage, we have a better understanding of each other’s moods and temperaments. Above all, we have faith in each other. When one of us is faltering, the other is there for support.

Our business in really taking off and is now making money.  In spite of the dismal economy, our business is growing and we are hiring. Recent tax credits have made our products and services much more affordable. We are starting to get work all over the country and even in Europe.

As a blogger, I feel I just recommend other blogs that inspire and amuse me. Turtlehead is one of them. Check it out. She’s a riot.

Last night was back to school night at my daughter Sophia’s high school. She is in 10th grade. That’s ten years of back to school nights. Sometime they have them twice a year so figure 20 back to school nights times five kids, that makes 100 back to school nights for me. I probably should not admit this, but I hate back to school night. I see them now as a chore or something I have to endure, like acid washed jeans in the ’80’s. Just wake me up when it’s over. It is not that I don’t just love hearing about linear equations or molecular biology (what the hell are they talking about??) and I certainly would never knock the hard work and dedication of the wonderful teachers and staff of my kids’ schools. No. It’s not that. It is the parents I cannot stand. Read the rest of this entry »

Paul and I are very fortunate to live in a  beautiful place. The ocean is a ten minute walk from our house and a nature trail  filled with the most gorgeous redwoods and lush vegetation is five minutes in the opposite direction. Often times Paul and I walk along the beach or hike through the trees and hills. This morning we trekked through the latter, making our way up the trails to what is known around here as “The climb to the top of the world” because of its breathtaking panoramic views of the mountains and the ocean. Read the rest of this entry »

My mother often talked about her best friend Rose, whom she went all through highschool with, graduating together in the class of 1940 from West Catholic High School in Philadelphia. When my parents married in 1944, Rose was her maid of honor. A few years later Rose moved to California and they corresponded for many years. Rose always remembered Mom’s wedding anniversary and sent a card. Rose was very thoughtful that way. Then one day, Mom sent a letter to Rose and it was returned to her with no forwarding address and that was the last she had ever heard from Rose. Read the rest of this entry »