January

We started the year with some massive changes. After Lisa’s first visit to the obstetrician, we could announce that we’re pregnant again ! Yes, we’re expecting another baby around the middle of August (we know what it is, but are not telling). The pregnancy is going well, although similar to Joshua’s in as much that Lisa was sick (and not just in the morning) for much of the first 4 months. She’s got a visible belly now, is getting tired more easily (not surprisingly with working fulltime and having to look after Joshua) and has cramps. Unfortunately, just like Joshua too, is this baby a powerful kicker and seems to be quite active … and we were hoping for a ‘sleeper’ this time !

The other big change was Simon’s job, which started to go pear-shaped in this month. 2002 had seen a number of reorganisations (February, August), leaving Simon as virtually the only one doing paid work (with a number of sales and administration orientated staff). As announced they wanted to change his remuneration package, to include a performance-based component, however when the new contract was presented it not only seemed far less in value, but also was legally more restricting.

When Simon commented on this, as start of ‘negotiations’, it was the beginning of the end in a number of stages over the next months:
1. Upon receiving his comments he was given two weeks notice on his current contract (until the end of January), whilst they would ‘negotiate’ the new offer.
2. When Simon pointed out that the two week period was not valid as his contract pertained to a permanent position, for which the contract stipulated an 8-week notice period, he was accused of fraud. This was based on him being spotted drinking coffee with an ex-colleague, whilst his timesheet indicated he was working for a client. Apart from the fact that timesheets weren’t actually used for anything (invoicing etc.), did his timesheet have a 1-hour ‘personal time’ slot, just at a different time (as the coffee-meeting had been moved forward as Simon finished earlier at the client). Hardly fraud.
3. Upon sorting all this out, Simon was given a ‘reprieve’, i.e. if he signed the new contract (virtually unchanged from the first version) he would be employed for a trial-period of two months. This was even worse then using the 8 week notice period (until the end of March) as this ‘trial’, at the old pay.
4. In these 8 weeks some changes were made to the contract, but despite Simon offering to compromise, the company director simply decided to change the company-model and work without permanent consultants, instead using freelancers. Simon was offered such a freelance position, but when he pointed out that he then also would work for the competition (in order to earn a fulltime salary), the offer quickly disappeared.
5. In the final weeks it became really petty. The company director did not talk to Simon, refused to pay out expenses that weren’t specifically authorised (such as $2 parking) and docked him 2 hours when he visited a seminar. On top of that he was ‘abused’ to deliver some courses that were heavily under-booked, which didn’t make it easy to provide a good quality.
6. And even the end was a struggle, with the director insisting Simon handed in course-material of training he followed a year ago (which was useless to them, but contained material Simon could use) and with Simon having to pursue them before all payments were settled.

And that was only the beginning, as Simon started working for the competition in April !

February

For Lisa also changes at work. Her boss’s boss is leaving, which means significant changes in her department. In the midst of this she had to request maternity-leave and a subsequent part-time position. She is going for six months at half pay this time (rather than the 3 months fully paid she took with Joshua). After that she hopes to go back for 4 days a week (for at least two years). Last time 3 days proved to be too stressful as it wasn’t enough to do the job and put extra pressure on her to still complete this. Four days also allow her more flexibility to plan her country-trips and travels.

The summer in Perth was pretty average, not too warm with only a few days over 40 degrees. Even though we had water-restrictions (only allowed to water the garden at night, and only two nights a week automatically), Western Australia cannot complain compared to some other parts of the country. Our friends that run a farm near Northam (about 1½ hours East of Perth) broke even; low crop yields were offset by high prices. So far autumn (April/May) has provided average rainfalls, giving the farmers hope of an improved crop this year.

Whilst playing badminton Simon misstepped and felt something 'shifting' in his right foot. X-rays couldn't find anything so it either was just a torn muscle or a stress-fracture. As he is been having problems since May (and even after still could feel little pains), it seems to be the latter (yes, the body is getting older ...).

March

April

In April Simon started his new job, you’ve already read about how his old one finished (in January). In honesty, he was looking for something else for longer, but Perth is small and in his field (Service Management consulting) there is (or rather) was only one local company. So when it looked like a change was required he thought his options would be to either start his own consulting firm, revert back to project management or accept a job over-East and travel. The ideal combination came when Lucid IT announced a Perth-training-schedule through Spherion (a global training organisation). Lucid IT was formed by a management-buyout of Pink Elephant Australia and Simon knew three of the four directors from there (or even before with Pink Elephant in the Netherlands). He contacted them and together they build a business plan for Perth. On the first of April (after 1 day being ‘unemployed’) Simon started the Perth-branch of Lucid IT (and South Australia and the Northern Territory).

The interesting part is that he is now in direct competition with his old employer. Their strength was being local and having Simon as their consultant and both have now gone. This is why Simon believes he can make it a success although the Sales & Marketing are new challenges for him. For the first months he will have to compete against the established name of Conan Group and against the current market trend in Perth. Hopefully both will turn around.

We also started some minor remodelling of our house. With a growing family we need more storage, so we purchased a big freezer to allow us to shop less and keep more leftovers. Simon also extended the study with another desk as for the moment he is predominantly working from home.

And finally we moved Joshua to another bedroom, with a ‘big’ bed, new cupboard etc. (this so the nursery would be available for the new baby when the time comes). The big bed means that Joshua can now get out of it ‘at will’ and that is still causing some problems. Whether it is the change of room, some teething (or a cold) or the unsettled travel situation (see next month), but he started waking up in the middle of the night again (between 11:30 and 2AM). It’s quite cute as he quietly walks to our room and then stands by your side. If you don’t react than he’ll tug the blankets, saying ‘pappa’ (or ‘mamma’ depending on who he targets). Not so cute is that then he refuses to go back to bed, at least on his own. So more often than not one of us will spend the second part of the night with him in his bed or (if the other is travelling) he’ll sleep in our bed. For the moment we’re letting it go, hoping he’ll start sleeping through the night again and thus solving the issue. If not, then we may have to take more drastic measures to get him to sleep in his own bed.

May

One of the reason why we think he is so unsettled (and why we’re not enforcing the sleeping arrangements) is that we’ve got a hectic travel schedule in May (and June). It started at the end of April when Simon went for 2 days to Sydney to meet-and-greet most of his colleagues. The following week Lisa went for 4 days to Darwin. She has promised this will be her last interstate trip as she is now almost 7 months pregnant.

Next was a trip from Simon to Canberra for 3 days to deliver a course there for Lucid.  Suddenly there was an influx in work for them and naturally they were looking to Simon to help out (as he is still trying to build the business in Perth). At the moment Simon is writing this whilst he is in Sydney for 2 weeks to follow a Microsoft course. This is the first time we have been away from each other for a whole weekend and with Josh playing up, it is hard on Lisa (not to mention the fact that she’s pregnant).

It’s funny: at first when you asked were the baby was he would point at any belly within reach (his own, Simons, …). We’ve taken him to the obstetrician ones so he could see the baby on the ultrasound, and he knows it is the baby on the video we have from the big one. Now he knows it is in mamma’s belly. If you ask what a baby does he put on a high voice and goes ‘waaah, waah’. We’ve tried to make him feel the baby move and kick but he is too restless for that.

June

No respite from the travels though with more trips to Canberra (for another 2 courses / 4 days) and Sydney (1 day) planned for Simon. With the new baby getting closer this should be it (with a possible exception in July).

The month will also bring Simon’s 35^th birthday, Lisa’s final weeks at work, probably some preparations for the baby and the usual housework and socialising.

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