The big news in town today started making the rounds shortly
after Blake Sheldon accepted the project manager’s job for the new solar and
wind energy farm that will begin providing our electricity needs by next
year. Groundbreaking at the old quarry
we bought for it will start in four weeks; and the farm should be on the grid
by late next summer.
Compared to that, and everything we discussed at our family
business and future plans meeting tonight; the rest of the day was pretty uneventful. We had a good day at school, though the
temperature was back around freezing again; so we didn’t spend much time
outdoors. After school studying was back
at my house again; and then I had dinner with Michael and his family. We had time for a guitar lesson after
cleaning the kitchen and a short chat with his parents and Rebecca; but then I
went home early so I could catch most of the meeting.
While we aren’t directly involved in the Emerson’s data
center, a big chunk of their business is coming through our family businesses;
so that was first on our agenda since it opens this weekend. Data transfers will begin this week – ahead
of the grand opening – and we’ll continue to offer more work to Owen as he’s
able to expand his data center over the years.
The new medical center was up next because the
ground-breaking for that building begins next Monday. While the medical center is the most
important part of that project for us – especially for Uncle Adam, Uncle Mark,
and Aunt Deborah; there will be other professional offices in the building too
and it’s the second-largest building project we’re doing in town. If all goes as planned, the building will be
up by winter; and open in June twenty-fifteen.
I’ve already covered summer job plans for some of our
favorite college teens before, but we did finalize our plans for that too; and
most offers will be made over the next month or so. We also talked a bit about the need to expand
that part of our future plans over the next few years – particularly for teens
that will work for one of our family businesses in the future.
That brings us back around to Blake Sheldon and the
Solar-Wind Farm project. Work on that at
the old quarry we bought for the farm will start in four weeks. The timing for that is partly to accommodate
our new manager so that he can finish up with his current company and then
enjoy March Break with his family before starting his new job. He’ll have some homework to do between now
and then too; but his job for the first few months will mostly be managerial
until it’s time to begin installing the wind turbines and solar systems – which
is where his expertise will come in very handy.
While they’re getting more excited all the time about the lab too; the
solar-wind farm is still a pet project for Ethan and Ehlana. While they aren’t particularly close with
Blake’s son, Miles; he will be a classmate and friend in the future; and their
family will be important to the twins in the future so they’re happy to be part
of making their lives better and giving Blake a job that he’s going to love.
While I’m there, I should mention that Mom needs to be
careful with handling these job offers – particularly with non-Magi. In this case, she pretended to just be acting
as an intermediary for the investment company that is building the farm as a
local contact the company trusts because she does work for them too. Other job offers can be handled by different
people; but we’ll still need to be careful to keep our family business secret.
I guess we should cover the lab news next. The interior work there is ahead of schedule;
the landscaping and exterior finish will start in the next month or so as the
weather improves; and the equipment, furniture, and computer systems will be
delivered and installed between now and when the lab opens in September. Mom will get much more involved with that
starting in May; and will work on the computer systems with Owen – and with
Andrew Jennings if he accepts his summer job offer.
The new section of town will have new construction starting
soon; including new homes and townhomes.
The first apartment building is still on track to open at the end of
June. Aunt Leanne will be busy with
those rentals and the other homes and apartments that will come open because of
those new apartments; but she also expects the building to be nearly full by
September; and the other vacancies to be filled over the following year. Some custom homes will be built this year,
but we’re not directly involved in those projects beyond selling the property
to the owners building those homes.
We’re getting a new interior design business in town soon;
and it’ll be opening in time for the Easter holiday weekend. Our family business isn’t involved in that;
but it is going to be nice to have that option for all of the new homes; and
Aunt Leanne is going to hire them to help with her model homes and
apartments. She’s going to need a new
model home too, because Heather and Adam Green will be moving into their new home
at the end of March.
Rumor has it that there are going to be some upgrades this
year at Quarry Lake; and there are plans to expand the campground to
accommodate the new business they expect to have in part from construction
workers and their families. The last new
business to mention is the Witch
Falls Museum. It’s going to be close to the falls and
statue; promote the town history and legends; and have a little souvenir
shop. Once again, the museum will be
another draw for tourism, and offer a little more entertainment for
everyone. We’re not directly involved in
that either; but have donated money to the project; and we’ll continue to do
that if it isn’t able to cover expenses with souvenir sales.
That’s about it for the near-term of our future plans. There are a few other things happening soon;
but Ethan, Ehlana, and I don’t want to spoil the surprises for anyone. We had a few things to talk about for
medium-term future plans, but again; I’ll leave reporting on those details for
a bit closer to when they’re going to happen.
While I always have fun with those meetings, we didn’t wrap up until
ten-thirty; it was closing in on eleven-thirty by the time our guests had gone
home and the twins were tucked in for the night; and then Mom and I still had
my Magi lesson to do after that while Dad finished up his homework for the
night.
Not getting started on my bedtime studies and computing until
twelve-thirty would have meant working until three-thirty or four, but I’ve
cheated a bit; so it’s only a bit after two o’clock now. I don’t really have anything newsworthy to
report from any of those studies, the work, or nightly computer and email
checks; so I guess that’s pretty much it for tonight.
The next few days should be fairly quiet around here, and
though I have a lot of work to get done this week; I’ll try to rest up a bit
too because I’m going to help Rowen and her parents this weekend at the store
and data center – starting after school on Friday night when they’ll be getting
set up for the open house and sale. I
guess that I’m technically getting extra rest tonight after speeding up my
work, but the Magi power use offsets that; and I’ll only feel slightly more
rested than I would have from staying up later but using less power. I am ready for the down time now, though; and
hopefully I can do better on the sleep side of my life over the next few
nights. We’ll see whether that works out
for me or not, but I’m out of here for now, so until next time...
...Live long and prosper, fellow Magi of the Light!
