I find it kind of confusing how you fit this back to the land idea with being an engineer that wants to work on his own engineering projects rather than just scape the cubicle farm.
Also, you mention you have a spouse. I know it is terribly unfashionable to say this, but have you considered being a single income family? Sounds like that would give you the best of both worlds.
In my case, we are a single-and-a-half income family. Once kids go to school, there's no much reason to keep an adult around home all day. I am officially the bread winner, and my wife has the lifestyle job, but considering how much she has accomplished just by working part time, we might need to revisit that decision sometime down the road.
Also, you mention you have a spouse. I know it is terribly unfashionable to say this, but have you considered being a single income family? Sounds like that would give you the best of both worlds.
In my case, we are a single-and-a-half income family. Once kids go to school, there's no much reason to keep an adult around home all day. I am officially the bread winner, and my wife has the lifestyle job, but considering how much she has accomplished just by working part time, we might need to revisit that decision sometime down the road.