Spring Break!

It is officially here. And I am alone and at home. Jen, Dave, Mom and Dad are having a party in China Chris and Diane, and Emily is off in Ohio quilting with her parents. School work, practicing, coaching track (high jump) and home renovation projects to fill my time and keep me busy. We like our new home very much, but it is lacking in dining space. Our kitchen has a corner that works to put a table in, but it has always had a rather large cupboard above it. We had talked about it and I decided it was time for it to come down. Here are a few during pictures. These were taken just after I pulled the unit off the wall.

The green on the wall is where the unit was. It is on it's side under the ceiling fan.














I commented to Emily on the phone that this was the manliest thing I have done in a while. Stupid might be a better word to describe it. I was alone and it was about 12:30 am last night that I finally go it off the wall. I did not think of how to get it on the ground until I had it pried from the wall.


















More to come when I finish this project. If you are in KC this week and would like to hang out, I am free.

A Couple Random Things

1. I've officially become un-shocked by the ugliness of our house. Yes, well will still be re-siding, re-windowing, and re-roofing this summer (it still doesn't look good.) I realized yesterday that I no longer had to control my gag reflex when I pulled into the drive way.

2. When my parents visited a few weeks ago, my mom figured out how to fit all of our bowls into a tiny space in our new(-ish) dishwasher. . . and they still get clean. We'd had them taking up most of the top rack. This is seriously fantastic in my book.

3. I've (we've) been with a cold since the end of January. After going through several boxes of tissues, I thought I would give a handkerchief a try. I will admit that it is not appropriate for all stages of a cold (I will spare you the specifics). I wouldn't take one out in public, but for the around the house, drippy faucet nose, I am a convert. Cloth is much nicer on the skin than tissue. I like the idea of not wasting tissue and creating more trash. I highly suggest giving it a try. Let me know what you think.
P.S. A hoody pocket is convenient for storage.

4. Jon and I are starting our garden seedlings indoors this year. We have never done this before, and it is exciting to see little plants pop up even when it is below freezing outside. Granted it is only basil so far, but we are going to do most of our plating this weekend. I hope this will be our key to getting good broccoli and lettuce.

-Emily

Not-So-Good News

Due to large budget cuts in the state, I have been placed on excess in the district. This means that I will likely have a job, but my building no longer has my position. I am left in the great abyss that is the S.M. School district. I don't know when I will know where I will be next year. In essence, I am in the same situation I was in last year at this time. I am not a fan of uncertainty or change, so this is not sitting well, but at least I will (probably) have a job next year. Things I am hoping for if you want to add me to your list of bedtime prayers: that I am placed somewhere with a supportive staff (the school I'm at is great at this), that I am able to have some familiarity with the material, and (most of all) that I feel like a good teacher again, or (at least) that I don't dread going to work everyday.

Emily

Who Is That?!

I really did have the idea that I would like to blog more starting with the new year. (This obviously didn't happen.) Enjoy this lovely picture Jon and I doctored up. When we were in China, we sat in on a class that Chris was teaching on a picture editing program called GIMP. We were meant to follow along and help anyone that wasn't quite getting it. We got a little side-tracked and spent the enire hour putting together this winner.

Flying

Jon and I got to spend Thanksgiving in Ohio this year. It had been since Christmas that I got to spend any time there, so I was super excited. I couldn't sleep for days leading up to our trip - and if you know me, you know I can't stay awake for much past 9:00 p.m. One of the most notable experiences over those few days was having my dad fly me over our home, looking at the roads I had just run on earlier that morning, trying to find my uncle outside his home chopping wood. My dad logged a few hours of flight training many years ago (I imagine around the time he graduated from college, although I could be wrong about that.) In the past couple years, he bought a Cessna 140 and finished his training to become a pilot. I admit that I am a bit of a scaredy-cat, and did not anticipate ever going for a ride. Friday turned out to be an unusually nice autumn day, and I couldn't resist. My dad did not disappoint - it was a beautiful trip. He is very careful and, of course, very good and what he does. Besides my normal irrational fear of vehicles whether on the road or in the air, I felt very safe.

SOLD! (-ish)

This past weekend, we signed a contract on our old house. The family will rent it until they are able to get a mortgage. Because of past issues, it may be 18 months, but we are happy to let them pay our mortgage for us until that time. If all goes according to plan, this is perfect in that we get to make some more money. I'm so excited to a little bit of extra money come in rather than just watch it disappear like we have for the last few months.

LOVE THEM!

Look! Look at what my local Price Chopper now carries! This is my favorite treat from my Corrymeela days. Before, I could only buy them at World Market or the Brit store in Lawrence. Now they are at my finger tips. Not that I will buy them actually - they cost $5.15 for 8.8 oz, but it is so comforting to know they are there. A little friend on the bottom shelf of the cookie aisle.