Have you thought about using WAMP whilst you figure WordPress out? It creates a local "server" on your desktop from where you can play around to your hearts content without the hassle of using Axxess (at least before you decide to launch the site).
Also, Parent and Child themes are a must if...
That was the backup plan-it would have been great to have someone who could dive right in, but then again, where's the fun in taking the easy route? Will create a thread for it though so I keep things separate.
Yes and no, her workload at the moment is piling up so my hope was to have someone dive in and help with the work. Yes to getting a Python dev, should probably start a new thread for that though..
We need to allow for the customization we do. When clients move to us, we need to match their current data feed to allow for an easy switch over. Our customers spend huge amounts on building internal systems, for us to put a spanner in the works never sits well.