TOUCH AND GO

The Old Girl has been in Australia for a couple of weeks helping the 'sister' office out with a project.
While there they offered her a job, permanent which would basically mean until she decides to retire (3 to 4 years).
On the weekend we discussed it and agreed that she would take the job.
The reasons were less to do with remuneration - the pay would be the same albeit in Australian dollars and they would add in an extra $10k in superannuation. All other staff benefits would be the same as present (life insurance, salary protection insurance etc) - the main attraction would be a more challenging role and the chance of another 'adventure' for us.

The downside would be yet another move with all of the attendant hassles. Her employer would pick up the cost of travel for both of us, transportation of furniture and belongings, initial accomodation for the first month or so and other bits and pieces.

The move would require once again leaving the Northland house and the Auckland apartment and me giving up my job (if I couldn't do it from Australia like I did when we went to UK). We decided to sell the apartment so that the lack of mortgage outgoings would compensate for any loss of my earnings and to look for caretakers for the house rather that rent it out. That way we could leave all our stuff in it and not run the risk of having bad tenants. We decided to make up a list from friends and family first to see if anyone would want to live here rent-free for 3 or 4 years before going to one of those house-sitter websites.

That was the plan as of yesterday before The Old Girl went back to Auckland on the bus.

This morning she had a change of mind. The hassles of the move including arranging to take our cat with us (she's 16 years plus) were just too daunting so she turned the job offer down.

I'm in two minds about this.
Firstly I'm glad so as to not go through another major move, stress out the cat and leave our house and possessions maybe in the hands of strangers. There would be no guarantee of employment either which is a risk.
On the other hand it would have been an interesting few years. I like Australia, especially Adelaide where the job is based.

So, business as usual.