Sunday, July 31, 2011
Good News and Bad News
Scott calls from Texas and says, "I have some good news, ... and some bad news". The good news? He is going to be coming home after the first portion of his training finishes in September. Yippie! The bad news? He is being transferred to a unit that is scheduled to deploy to Iraq at the end of the year. Yup, you read that correctly, he is going to Iraq. I need to digest this news... I knew it was a possibility but was not fully prepared for the reality of it happening. I suspect I will never be fully prepared to be without my partner for a year. If anyone wants to schedule a visit to WA to see us in 2012, we'd love to have you!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Summer? What's that?
Well, we have made progress getting all our belongings sorted out and put away. We finally have a car in the garage, only a few boxes left to unpack, and most things have found a place to call home. I even have most of the pictures hung. It's starting to feel like home. Whew!
Unfortunately our 14-year-old kitty, Beamer (I-Beam) is no longer with us. I am pretty sure now that he snuck outside. We looked and looked for him, called and called, but nothing. He was wearing a tag with my cell # on it, but no one ever called. He was getting old, and his health had not been good since last year. I suspect he had simply had enough and went off on his own to spare me another heart-wrenching kitty death. We love and miss you Beamie!
Although I was promised 2 months of actual summer, it hasn't made an appearance yet. We have had maybe 3 warm days in total. Mostly it's in the 60's and it rains/drizzles off and on. I don't mind the weather, but it sure would feel more like summer if we were wearing shorts and flip-flops instead of jeans and sweaters! Maybe it's still coming....?!
While it's still cool here in the northwest, the midwest is suffering a heat wave. So much so that my 95-year-old Grandma Helen was interviewed for the Wisconsin State Journal for her perspective on this heat wave in contrast to the record breaking heat wave of 1936. And for those of you who know John and Dawn Ingham (my parents) you will be shocked to hear that they broke down and bought an air conditioner for the farm house. For those of you who don't know them, and/or haven't been to the farm, it may help you to understand the enormity of this purchase to know that at the farm there is a conscious choice not to include many modern luxuries in the home. There is currently no local or cable TV (occasional dvd viewing only), dishwasher, garbage disposal, or shower (claw-foot bathtub only). When Jesse and I were kids there also was no microwave oven or central heat. We warmed by the wood-burning stove in the winter and we begged for trips to the swimming hole in the summer. So I know it must really be hot if they bought an a/c unit!
While Scott has departed for San Antonio, the kids and I are keeping busy with soccer, swim lessons, and MOMS Club activities. There is no outdoor swimming of course, but the indoor pool at the high school is nice and the kids are enjoying lessons there. We still haven't found kids to play with in the neighborhood though...I am guessing the weather has something to do with this. Although school doesn't start for another couple months, both kids are enrolled. I am sure hoping that friends will be made at school!
Scott is in Texas for about 4 months at training. He should be back before Thanksgiving. We are able to talk to him by phone and that helps. We all miss Daddy!
We continue to miss Temecula and all our loved-ones there. I am quite sure they got an actual summer! : )
Unfortunately our 14-year-old kitty, Beamer (I-Beam) is no longer with us. I am pretty sure now that he snuck outside. We looked and looked for him, called and called, but nothing. He was wearing a tag with my cell # on it, but no one ever called. He was getting old, and his health had not been good since last year. I suspect he had simply had enough and went off on his own to spare me another heart-wrenching kitty death. We love and miss you Beamie!
Although I was promised 2 months of actual summer, it hasn't made an appearance yet. We have had maybe 3 warm days in total. Mostly it's in the 60's and it rains/drizzles off and on. I don't mind the weather, but it sure would feel more like summer if we were wearing shorts and flip-flops instead of jeans and sweaters! Maybe it's still coming....?!
While it's still cool here in the northwest, the midwest is suffering a heat wave. So much so that my 95-year-old Grandma Helen was interviewed for the Wisconsin State Journal for her perspective on this heat wave in contrast to the record breaking heat wave of 1936. And for those of you who know John and Dawn Ingham (my parents) you will be shocked to hear that they broke down and bought an air conditioner for the farm house. For those of you who don't know them, and/or haven't been to the farm, it may help you to understand the enormity of this purchase to know that at the farm there is a conscious choice not to include many modern luxuries in the home. There is currently no local or cable TV (occasional dvd viewing only), dishwasher, garbage disposal, or shower (claw-foot bathtub only). When Jesse and I were kids there also was no microwave oven or central heat. We warmed by the wood-burning stove in the winter and we begged for trips to the swimming hole in the summer. So I know it must really be hot if they bought an a/c unit!
While Scott has departed for San Antonio, the kids and I are keeping busy with soccer, swim lessons, and MOMS Club activities. There is no outdoor swimming of course, but the indoor pool at the high school is nice and the kids are enjoying lessons there. We still haven't found kids to play with in the neighborhood though...I am guessing the weather has something to do with this. Although school doesn't start for another couple months, both kids are enrolled. I am sure hoping that friends will be made at school!
Scott is in Texas for about 4 months at training. He should be back before Thanksgiving. We are able to talk to him by phone and that helps. We all miss Daddy!
We continue to miss Temecula and all our loved-ones there. I am quite sure they got an actual summer! : )
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Be careful what you wish for...
Well, the moving truck delivered! Bob and the crew did an awesome job! Unfortunately we grossly underestimated the space needed to house all of our stuff. We have stuff piled up all over the house, every surface is covered with some type of pile. It seriously looks like Hoarders in here ... ugh! It's like a puzzle, we can't put stuff away until we have somewhere to put it, but we can't clear a space to put it without getting some stuff put away... We have made several trips to Goodwill, and will likely make several more. We made a trip to Ikea for some more, much needed, storage solutions. The cars are both parked outside while we have the garage filled with overflow, but we hope to eventually get at least one car parked in the garage. Now I just have to put in the elbow grease to get everything put away ... somewhere. This would be a great time for my good fairy to make her appearance (hint hint wink wink).
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Our grass is SO green!
Well, we finally got all our stuff sorted, the movers arrived as scheduled, and with heavy hearts we departed Temecula. It's hard to imagine that I will ever again feel the same level of comfort, security, and love as I did on my little piece of happiness on Pegase Court...but I am keeping an open mind and looking forward to what the future holds.
After spending a few days at Grammie's in Portland, we just couldn't stand to be away from Daddy another minute so we drove those last 2 short hours up to our new home yesterday. As Tessa looked out the window of her new bedroom she proclaimed, "Our grass is SO green!". It's true, everything is green and there are beautiful plants, bushes, flowers, and trees everywhere. All that rain has to have an up side, right?! With any luck our moving truck will arrive the day after tomorrow and we will begin the grand puzzle that awaits...how to fit all of our things into our new smaller (albeit cute) home. I anticipate that we will be able to feel more at home here once we have all of the things that make a house our home.
After spending a few days at Grammie's in Portland, we just couldn't stand to be away from Daddy another minute so we drove those last 2 short hours up to our new home yesterday. As Tessa looked out the window of her new bedroom she proclaimed, "Our grass is SO green!". It's true, everything is green and there are beautiful plants, bushes, flowers, and trees everywhere. All that rain has to have an up side, right?! With any luck our moving truck will arrive the day after tomorrow and we will begin the grand puzzle that awaits...how to fit all of our things into our new smaller (albeit cute) home. I anticipate that we will be able to feel more at home here once we have all of the things that make a house our home.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
TV, anyone? Fridge?
Does anyone want a TV...not a flat panel TV of course, just an old, heavy, relic? I have 2 that are in need of a new home. Also a fridge, queen bed, side table, etc... no one on Craigslist seems very interested. Has Craigslist's usefulness come and gone?! I used to be able to "re home" my castoffs much more easily.... oh well... The garage sale was mildly successful...very mild. I made a few bucks and cleared out some small stuff. I was very grateful to the local realtor (Val Ives) who posted garage sale signs, advertised, and brought me coffee and doughnuts. I was dismayed with the shoppers who would barely spend fifty cents and asked for a bag to carry their purchase. I was particularly unhappy with the young woman who asked me for my "best price" on the fridge, then asked if I could help her move it, THEN asked if I'd knock $20 off my best price!!! NO, I will not... because that was my "best price"! Ah well. After a trip to Goodwill I can now get the car back into the garage, but still the big items remain. Ugh! ...and I haven't stopped finding things all over the house that I should have garage-saled.
I am extremely grateful for Jamie who took Troy to a birthday party for me that afternoon, and for Linda who brought me dinner that night. What am I going to do in WA without my awesome support network?! In an effort to get a jump on networking in WA, I have contacted the MOMS Club of Lacey. They have forwarded me a membership application. Makes me feel a bit better that at least I have an avenue for making some new connections once I get to WA. Not that my wonderful friends here in SoCal could ever be replaced, because they are absolutely irreplaceable!!!
I am extremely grateful for Jamie who took Troy to a birthday party for me that afternoon, and for Linda who brought me dinner that night. What am I going to do in WA without my awesome support network?! In an effort to get a jump on networking in WA, I have contacted the MOMS Club of Lacey. They have forwarded me a membership application. Makes me feel a bit better that at least I have an avenue for making some new connections once I get to WA. Not that my wonderful friends here in SoCal could ever be replaced, because they are absolutely irreplaceable!!!
Saturday, May 7, 2011
Drowning in Junk!
I feel like I am drowning in junk here! How do we accumulate all these unecessary items!?! I have been sorting, organizing, and making piles for a garage sale next weekend. And boy howdy, do I ever have piles! The work is slow going though, I have the next week cut out for me. I also have 20 or so large items for sale on craigslist. The plan is to not have to unpack, and find a place for, anything extraneous once we get to WA.
Those who have know us for a while, know that we have moved quite a few times. Each time we move I get rid of tons of stuff...and each time I unpack in a new house I feel like I saved too much. I can't imagine living in the same house for years and years, never beeing forced to weed things out......I am starting to understand how hoarding gets started! Seriously!
Shout out this week goes to Val Ives - the local realtor sponsoring next Saturday's neighborhood garage sale....she provides advertising, signage, doughnut and coffee! Yippie!
Those who have know us for a while, know that we have moved quite a few times. Each time we move I get rid of tons of stuff...and each time I unpack in a new house I feel like I saved too much. I can't imagine living in the same house for years and years, never beeing forced to weed things out......I am starting to understand how hoarding gets started! Seriously!
Shout out this week goes to Val Ives - the local realtor sponsoring next Saturday's neighborhood garage sale....she provides advertising, signage, doughnut and coffee! Yippie!
Monday, May 2, 2011
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