Another funny thing that happened in what shall hence-forth be referred to as "The Colorado Adventure" (and I couldn't tell anyone until the contract was signed) .

We were in Colorado house-hunting (which is a whole other bizarre story involving people who think its ok to gravel their yard and then spray paint it green, like THAT'S a good solution) ...

Days passed. Dreary overcast days full of gravel and tumbleweed. I started to wonder if we had really made the right decision. And we did have a choice. Even in this economy there was a bidding war for my husband. Sometimes I forget what he is. True, Anchorage offered "more" but he chose Colorado because they offered "better" (and he has a brother there). The management there is impressively creatively brilliant. (And he does SO love outside the box thinking, see below) Still, I started second-guessing the choice, even if it was just in my own head.

I flipped on the computer to go over the real-estate listing yet again, hoping the perfect house had listed that morning. Or that maybe I had just missed something before. THAT'S WHEN I SAW IT! Even as I sat there thinking that maybe Colorado was not the right choice, I saw the headlines about the VOLCANO ERUPTING AT ANCHORAGE! Talk about timing! Suddenly, I felt absolutely GIDDY to be sitting in a hotel in Colorado looking at houses with crazy yards! (And we evenutually ended up with a house with an absolutely lovely yard :)

Seriously, my husband just LOVES outside the box thinking. He's REALLY good at it. Here's two examples from The Colorado Adventure!

(1) When he was in the big group interview at Colorado, he said roughly this "I've been in your position before. I know that there are things you'd like to know but aren't allowed to ask by law. However, there's no law that says I can't volunteer whatever information I choose. SO, here you go ... " I believe that was followed by commentary on family, religion, and politics. You could have heard a pin drop. (Followed by an unscheduled meeting where they decided to offer him the job sooner than later, and when he eventually accepted grown men squealing like girls and dancing around the office, literally, although I'm sure in a totally macho way. I'm glad he gets to feel appreciated after the toxic environment he's been in for the past months :)

(2) When we had narrowed down the houses to our final list, he made sure I had no real true preference among the houses. At that point I was just excited they all had grass, and a bath-tub. THEN he told the realestate agent "Call the different owners. Tell them we'll definitely be buying one of these houses. Each of them can make us their best offer. There will be no counter-offer or negotiation." She just blinked at him (and this is a woman that nothing surprises). Slowly, she said. "I can do that." Big pause. Blink. "Yes. I can do that." Blink. Suddenly snapped to, and whipped out the cell-phone. Signed the contract the next day.

Sometimes he really scares me, in a good way.