You can now officially call me Stephanie Moore PMP

On the 2nd July 2010 I finally and I mean finally , passed the 4 hour exam and gained my Project Management Professional  (PMP) accreditation.  Check it out at www.pmi.org

Was it for lack of trying? No ... I had actually gone back (thanks Kevin) and redone the workshops again.....just a huge case of exam paralysis coupled with the knowledge that certification is of a high standard so very rigorous ( no breeze-through-this-here-with-no-work-whatsoever-sort-of exam) . This tells employers that I have achieved a world wide professional  standard plus one where we all subscribe to the professional ethics that go alongside it.

I am going to join the International Development forum now.

Strangely I was looking at the Business Analysis course earlier today. Am I mad? Yep. Its good to have goals, because its fantastic when you achieve them.

Can anyone remember why I embarked on this course of action where I had to learn a whole new technical language and  processes I don't use in my current job on a daily basis? Well if you scroll back some 2 years ago (March 16th 2008)  I think I said "Always check professional credentials".

Even my husband had forgotten what spurred me onto to do this. Remember we had a dodgy "project manager". Well it was his unethical,and downright outrageous behaviour which was the catalyst for me to say "No-one will go through that if they work with us" (not that they would anyway) but I wanted to be able to say, hand on heart, if I was offering that service, that I had actually invested in my professional life and was able to do what I said I could, and be able to back that up.

So if you are looking for a PM to renovate your  small house in France ( not at the chateau stage yet)  I am that person. In fact it is already opening doors to business opportunities so will keep you posted on the blog.

In the meantime have a look at our new bright red windows. For some reason the stone mason decided to paint our lovely faded brick work bright red.  The house looks startled! So he is going to get other paint to tone it down. Thank goodness. It looks like someone has gone mad with a red crayon and scribbled on the front.

Remember the wall, John and Ernie were making 2 blogs ago? Now John has almost finished  the patio at the front where the rubble is now so we can have our table and chairs in the summer, and below that is the place we can park the car.

Now we have the owl hole window in too. And it looks great.  All the woodwork is going to be that beautiful french blue which is so soft and gorgeous you just want to eat it off a spoon. Thats what colour does for me, I am an artist after all!!

Well done little house for being so patient as we dressed you up and powdered your nose. You feel great. Loved. Because it has been an absolute privilege to bring a little house back to life and bring so much joy not only to us, but the elderly french neighbours who sold it to us ( amongst many tears - as a childhood home) but they love it and are always around. What can be better than that?