From the Gulf of Mexico to the Blue Ridge Mountains!

No rest for us!  I had a telephone interview a couple of weeks ago for a job in Panama City and they wanted me to come meet the team and see the facilities.  I got free time to spare so why not!  Joe was able to take the whole week off, he was taking Thursday and Friday off for our own little get away so it worked out well.

Darien, GA

It's about a 10 hr drive :(  We stopped in a cute little town in GA and then had lunch at a fun place in Tallahassee, FL.  We got to PC early evening so we could scope out some apartments that we wanted to look at after my job interviews.  I ended up having two!  Another place called me to set up an interview that day so I had a day packed and it was Joe's birthday!  He got to play interview chauffeur and scope out the area while I was getting questioned :P

First interview went o.k.  It was to be a Child Protective Investigator.  It is a state job and I would be investigating reports of child abuse.  I would have to pull call off and on, and drive up to 2 hours away.  One place in the region I would have to take a ferry to get to!  It would be a very taxing and mentally stressful job.  It would not be a boring job that is for sure!  One of the questions I asked was about how they support their workers to avoid burn out, they did report a heavy turn over rate and their "seasoned" person had been there 3 years!  I was told by one of the supervisors that they highly recommend that their workers take a week off ever couple of months for a reset and to "catch up on paperwork".  Ummm not a good selling point to me!  Knowing how I am in the work environment, I would work myself to the bone to do the best I could do!  Additionally, this job would not get me towards my LCSW which I want to get.  I would have to take additional work to get my therapy hours :(  I researched the pay average for MSWs in FL (they are lower than the national average) and the range is from $21-$31/hr, this job was $20 and some change :(.  They wanted me to come back after my other interview for the background check portion but....

Next interview was the follow up.  It's working with active duty and retired military in an in-patient setting...mainly PTSD and substance abuse.  The population I want to work with and it's therapy focused!  Only downside is that it's an PRN so it depends on the patient load how many days/hours I will get.  I was told during the interview at a minimum it would be 2-3 days.  This work environment would be a perfect fit for me for it's population and it's workers.  I spent a few hours there.  I sat through one of their team meetings where they staff clients and I got a good feel for how they operate.  I talked to some of the other MSWs and also the nursing staff and everyone enjoys the clientele and the work environment!  I walked away with a job offer for $23/hr :D  WOOT!  I start orientation on 5 October.  That gives us a couple of weeks to get settled in FL!  

After that interview we had a light snack, I changed, and we started apartment shopping. We had Joe's bday dinner on the water and it was wonderful and we were both in awe that this was going to be our new home!  Tuesday morning we checked out another apartment and then headed back to N.C. 

first FL sunset!

We took Wednesday as a reset day and then Thursday heading to the mountains of N.C.  Beautiful area and we both loved the city of Asheville!  It didn't feel like we were in N.C.!  The Biltmore is amazing and I recommend that to anyone in the area!  I'm fascinated with the Vanderbilts now!  

Biltmore

it use to be a dairy, holding 40 dairy cows...now it's a winery and we sure did enjoy the wine tasting!

Saturday we headed home and stopped at Chimney Rock.  The elevator was broken so we got an entrance discount since we had to climb 499 stairs to get to the top!  But it was worth it!

Chimney Rock

We have a garage sale to get ready for this weekend and then a short trip to Charleston for Labor Day Weekend!  Then the weekend of the 11th we are off to the Outer Banks and then we MOVE!  

It's a rainy day, the furkids are lazy and I need to get motivated! ugh  I need to sort through stuff to get rid of.  I kept some "winter" stuff because it does get chilly here in N.C. but now.... I  have to downsize even more!  Plus I have my work starting paperwork to fill out and send back to my new job!!!!!  Time for some income!  

Life is crazy, wonderful, and I plan to live it to the fullest!