Tuesday, September 30, 2003
In today's news
- Begrudging boss-man handed over my paycheck - whoo hooo - grocery shopping, mum buying, and porch decorating ensued. I know a lot of people around here put cornstalks up for the fall, but how many can say they grew the darn corn themselves? Hmmm. Didn't think so! (Oh, is my farmer ego showing? ;) It looks really nice, and we had homegrown stuffed cabbage for dinner tonight before E disappeared with the boyz for basketball and who knows what else. A lot else, considering the hour.
- Landlord J's not-so-wonderful aspects are showing - drain is clogged, barn has no electricity, pilor light is faulty on half of the stove - they are "on his to-do list". I know he's busy and he's not really into the landlord gig per se - he did just inherit the place...so why doesn't he just sell us the darn place and forget about all this pesky maintenance? Hey, a girl can dream, in a few months maybe more then that...
- Queer Eye was watched (hooray!!!) and papers were graded - interim notices need to be filled out and handed into my supervisor tomorrow. I feel like I'm in pretty good shape considering how I had forgotten about the pesky things. :) Now to stay on top of the paperwork so it doesn't happen again.
- Pam from dad and little bro's work offered me six chickens today - little bro is going to inquire further tomorrow. Will have to ask landlord J about that ASAP. Also, how to keep the poor poultry warm? I'll have to figure out something, ask Janna and Ed.
- Keys were not made - copy of barn key, elevator key from school for animal moving purposes. Will have to get to that tomorrow.
- Mama and Dad (supposed to come here and celebrate Thanksgiving at our new house) decided to go to San Diego to see E's half-aunt instead. I'm not as upset as E is. Funny how an "outsider" can get used to the drama that is his family more quickly then someone on the insde. :)
Off to feed the animals - g'night everyone in blogland!
p.s. If anyone has a LJ code, I would love you forever if you would pass it on so I could bond with all my women in blog who are up there.
Monday, September 29, 2003
Sucked into the Void
Now weather it was my immune system sending a very strong message, the fact that the house has gone from uncomfortably muggy and hot to cold overnight (literally!) or just a bad case of the Monday's I couldn't tell ya'...but my afternoon projects were sucked into the black hole known as a long afternoon nap. I was a little p.o.'ed at myself when I woke up, thinking about all the projects I had planned, the beautiful clear autumn skies, etc. but I'm over it. I've started listening to my body more this year in an attempt to stay healthier, and so far so good. When my body just said "stop!" the other day I went home sick - and probably staved off a much more serious yucky illnes. Today my body needed sleep - and I let it.
I just finished making a big dinner for E after his super-long day in NYC (he had a big case in court this morning but it ran over and they are going to finish it via conference call next week) of cream pesto basil sauce, angelhair pasta, and mozz. garlic bread. While he vegges out, I'm taking care of the essentials...trash out to the curb, change of address forms to the fornt porch so the mailman can take them, animals fed and watered, a few papers graded (maybe)...and some more dinner - I didn't eat enough today. Check in with y'all later.
Sunday, September 28, 2003
It's ALIVE!
My dad dug up our old e-mate in the attic - it was Apple's answer to every woe in public education a few years ago. Teacher has one, kids all have one at their desk, messages whizzing back and forth, take notes, draw diagrams, atc. Never caught on though, and the e-mate, as well as the Newton software that powers it, went the way of the dinosaurs a while back. It's kind of a really simple really rugged laptop/PDA. I'm hoping to figure out a way to use it to store all of my school information so I'm not chained to the computers in the library. We'll see - the capacity is very limited, but I'm much more of a techo-geek now then I was back when I first learned how to use it. (E used it in college, then gave it to me when he got his I-Book for law school)
While you're here, check out Layne's blog over there in the sidebar- after 3 years she fessed up to her family about her (extremely popular, with huge readership, very personal) blog last night- the reactions are...interesting :) I hope she keeps it up, even if in mildly censored form now that the fam knows about it.
Earlier today: 2:30 and here we go...
So much to do, but I just need to start. We woke up late, late...but we probably needed the sleep. The day so far: a running list (I'm sticking to my 15 minute plan here, 'cept for the outside part since everything is drenched from this morning's rain - I'll work around the house instead.)
- Breakfast with E - he made us waffles.
- Start my blog entry.
- 5:40 pm - lesson plans are done - now I've got to alternate between house stuff and grading - these kids haven't gotten nearly anything back - I owe it to them to bust my butt this weekend - maybe it'll get me to keep up with the papwork from now on. Spending all the time on the move didn't help either.
Saturday, September 27, 2003
Cleaning House
OK, maybe just my office. We have tons to catch up on tomorrow, and are working a bit tonight after a long day of hard labor in the moving buisness. I *think* we are done - we moved in my grandmother's dining room set and couch and then proceeded to rearrange everything downstairs in the living and dining rooms this morning. It's so fun to have a dining room, I must say... We had E's family over for dinner tonight to celebrate finally being done...room for everyone to sit, at the same table no less. I'm gonna enjoy this over the holdiays.
Tomorrow's tasks are less physical, but I have to get my butt in gear early and stay that way...going to use my timer and do 1/2 hour of grading, 1/2 hour lesson plans. 1/2 hour outside work - still trying to clear the side gardens, replant the Siberian iris (not one of my favorites, but a shame to throw them out) by the screened in porch, and bring over my favorite hostas - nice big light green leaves with gorgeous, late season white flowers to put in the by-then cleared gardens that line the path. We cleaned the apartment to the bone today in preparation for Jean moving in tomorrow - E is exhausted, and I don't want his sciatica acting up, so I called in a sympathy vote once it was time to move in Jean's furniture - Dad and company are working on that tonight.
Right now I'm headed back downstairs to clean out my purse and a carton from the apt. in search of a store credit slip from the pet store- I hope, hope, hope I can track it down. If not, there are worse casualties of a move, yes?
p.s. E downloaded I-Blog for me last night - anyone use it - is it worth it?
Friday, September 26, 2003
Here I sit doing my laundry
In my own house!!! Without having to go out to the car and look under the seat for quarters! Or negotiate a way out of our building and across the parking lot to avoid crazy lady. Yes!
And no, the thrill hasn't worn off yet. I was a bit twitterpated at my I-Disk but I bought more storage with my fun money for this month and am happy to announce that the interior pictures are up! So check em' out.
Today, as promised, E put up my clothesline, and we cut the old one off - it had grown into the tree. We also picked up Ranger the Bearded Dragon and the mice: currently stationed in my little bro's "office" which he has yet to use so I don't think he will mind.
The reason for the growing menagerie here? Hmmph. Principal lost it the other day for no real reason, just that the animals got him nervous - he is extremely..."fastidious". Now no animals in school says he - only "visitors". I wrote up a three page, might I say very thorough and professional, treatise on how I use reptiles in my day to day teaching and in my overall curriculum and his only response was a big fat "Denied" scrawled along the bottom - in red pen no less. At least we have a house now to keep all the creatures here with us, and hopefully some of them can move to the barn soon.
Tuesday, September 23, 2003
The Future is Now
It's unsettling and amazing...Today I realized I still haven't expanded to fill this space. I've been spending my days and nights shuttling between the kitchen, my office, and our bedroom. Today, sick as a dog with a nasty cold, I just wanted to crash - laundry was on the bed so by default I ended up here in the family room on the futon with the dog. I looked around and realized this was the first time I've spent time in here in any sort of non-moving related way.
The doors that this place has opened keep surprising me, jumping out at me when I least expect it. I read many blogs about small living - Path to Freedom, Living Small, Lisa BK's adventures, not to mention her chronicling of Janna's homested... All in all, I think we do it well - community garden, walking to do our errands, compost tumbler on the porch, attempts at vermicomposting in the winter... but it was/is not my dream. Every cell of my body emanates farmer-mama. My dreams - growing enough food to feed my family and put up for the winter, producing our own eggs and dairy, starting side buisnesses with both my art and my animal breeding - bearded dragons, chams, and geckos, space to raise/feed/bathe babies of my own, an expanse of sun, trees, and green to greet me every morning, complete with dog rollicking acorss the horizon, dragging his newest favorite stick behind him - require a modicum of space. And now suddenly, unexpectedly, years ahead of schedule, we have that space and more.
I wake up every morning, looking out the window that serves as our headboard, look over the barn, the tall maple in the round driveway, my sedum settling in around the side lamppost, watch the morning cars zoom by, and slowly smile in disbelief. This is my home - for a year, maybe more. Most likely, this will be where our first child is conceived, brought home, and nurtured in that same bedroom nestled under the eaves with the funny four foot door.
The most current projects on my mind? I started stripping the bathroom - I will finish preparing it for paint next weekend. Landlord J is coming to empty our part of the barn October 11th...then I will set up some empty tanks and lights - make sure the barn will be hot enough for the baby reptiles that I hope to be hatching there soon. Once I feel confident about that, I can go to White Plains and find a gravid/adult female Jackson's. Hopefully our man Bartleby will be accomodating to that idea.
We will be going by my grandmother's to finish clearing out her apt. this week - that means a dining room set for us and a new loveseat to fit into our family room - denim slipcover will be a must, but first I'll see if the loveseat itself fits. Also added to the family room (hopefully) will be the borrowed from mama treadmill, where I can exercise (for free!) while I read/watch tv.
Outside, E is hanging my clothesline tomorrow, and I need to work up the courage to ask Landlord J about the chickens - it's legal, E already went to the library and did the research. :) I started clearing the sides of the side entryway of the overgrown weeds today - bit by bit, I should be finished clearing it by Friday, and will plant it on Saturday with hosta from my apt. garden. The apt., speaking of, still needs to be cleaned - especially if Jean is moving in soon.
Samhain and Halloween plans include a jack o'lantern totem on the front porch, paper mache jack o' lanterns filled with white christmas lights inside on the mantel, and lots of thematic, spooky treats.
I am blessed - with my family, my circle of women in blog, and this new home. Hugs to everyone.
Monday, September 22, 2003
Besides Loving Up this Adorable Canine
Update: I-Disk is being farty. Pictures of the inside of our new house will be up as soon as it gets itself righted. In other news, I must tell you what an amazing idlyic wonderland my life has become with a washer and dryer IN MY OWN HOUSE, an d don't even get me started on the xanadu that is my own room for crafts, sewing, reptiles, and schoolwork. I am one happy laundress tongiht, Oh Yeah.
I have some other things I should do today - my list:
- Have a snack, put away the milk
- Carry my books up here and the bookcase - start figuring out which of the millions of books I want/need in my office
- Write lesson plans - print out 2 copies
- Go pick up compost tumbler from the apt.
-
Find NCLB credentials - bring copies to school tomorrow.and put them up in photo album- Write Chapter 1 Quiz
- Take interior pics of the house
- Finish grading Lab Bio 2 papers.
I feel slightly overwhelmed, but all in all I'm not surprised at the length of my list, considering how busy we were this weekend with the move. I'll get caught up - encourage me!
Friday, September 19, 2003
Stange Events of This Morning
Miraculously barely-touched by the hurricane, we have a few limbs down in the yard - that's it. I drove to school - beautiful, sun shining, cool autumn breeze, not a cloud in the sky, to find my high school parking lot empty at ten of eight. A teacher I didn't recognize told me we didn't have school. Why? Oh well, I'm going to enjoy it. We'll be moved in by tonight - since my brother and dad both have off today because of flooding/electrical issues as well.
If the appointments work out, we will have phone and cable at our new place by 5 pm tonight. Yay! I'm grateful this is going so smoothly, since (sadly) a friend of ours from Costa Rica has relapsed and is now in the states for another round of cancer treatment. I hope we can clean this place up ASAP and provide her with a place of privacy, safety, and calm - all in close proximity to family and friends as she goes through this again...she originally had breast cancer, but it has metasticized. Please keep Jean in your thoughts all - for stength of all kinds and for some release from her pain.
I'll hopefully be online from our new house by tomorrow AM and will post pictures of the interior. Hugs everyone!
Thursday, September 18, 2003
Quick Update
I'm sitting here in our half empty apartment, trying to figure out what I can move on my own that would make our life easier over there. E may have a hernia, so he is out of commision in the moving department - luckily our firends have been awesome - we moved so much yesterday!
What to bring now? I'd love to get our bed over there, but I need help with that...maybe the contents of the freezer, the side table, my glider, lamps...I'll figure it out. Driving around in this pre-hurricane just makes me nervous - the trees are blowing around so much they're almost bending over to touch the street. Hopefully we won't have it as bad as last year - I would hate to have the roads and power out, especially for more then a few days - it was pretty paralyzing, and a lot of people here lost their cars and houses to the falling trees, etc.
I'm sending safe thoughts to Robin, Pink,Claire, the list goes on and on - all in areas that will be hit harder then here with the current predictions. I may blog later from mama's - we're going over there to watch the season premiere of Survivor and CSI... hey, E and I may love "our stories" (well, I like both, but am a CSI fanatic - it grosses him out - silly man) but at least there are only two and they are on the same night :) All right, enough procrasintating. My sore muscles need to start packing boxes again!
p.s. The dog looooooves the new house - he was dashing around the 2 acres with the biggest grin, rolling around and fetching, and it topped it off when the little kids next door started talking to him. He's in heaven.
My pantry is much bigger then I had realized- so cool, althoght the kitchen is dirtier and buggier (mostly spiders - better then roaches or ants) then I had noticed. That can be fixed - it hasn't been lived in in a while, after all. And I have an apron hook and a dinner bell hanging outside of the side door. OK - Back to the farm now for real - with a car full of goodies.
Monday, September 15, 2003
As Promised
The pic by pic canning process at Sustenance. Get it while it lasts! - Sustenance will be down temporarily this week due to a server move.
This is What I Do
I apologize to Santosha, Mamarama, and Linda S - your packages are far from mailed. Because I was out in the woods for much of the afternoon trying to beat the hurricane, trying to catch 120 woodlice - a.k.a. pillbugs, rolie polies, potato bugs, sow bugs, isopods - for my classes tomorrow. I am a biology teacher. This is what I do. Yes, your high school bio teacher probably was as weird as you remember. :)
I'm saving the indoor jobs for the storm - mail, packages, moving into the new place. We are picking up the keys a few days early, on Wednseday. A good thing. I feel really confident about letting the landlords know we'd be interested in buying next year. It's funny how you can fall so deeply in love with a place so quickly- I feel confidant, settled, at home - like the first night I spent with E. Also a good thing.
Sunday, September 14, 2003
We'll have "a Hurricane Party Every Time It Roars"
So what exactly does one serve at a hurricane party? Isabelle is apparently moving with us...but we are bound and determined to be tucked into our new bedroom (nice n' big, blue carpet, new AC in the window, small closet, door is 4.5 feet high) by Friday evening. Heck, I may even be back on blog since the cable company is scheduled to come out that afternoon.
I was over our new place today - I brought my gardening tools over from the community garden (the ones I could find in the jungle of the autumn garden), the patio table, and our cedar front door "mat" that I luvvvv. Landlord J was working in the basement - concreting the dirt floor - and I spent a few hours digging up the hosta and distributing them along the front path. I also moved two azaleas that I spotted in one of the overgrown shade gardens to the front of the house by the porch. E spent the day at home packing - the closet and some of his clothes are packed and ready to go in the car.
That can up there is still taunting me...several more hours till we hit the 24 hour mark when I can check for a seal, according to homecanning.com I hope it worked!!!! update: My first try at canning was a success! - I'll post the pic by pic process at Sustenance later this week.
I'll be restless all this week, so excited to move that the clasroom isn't the place I really want to be, but it should be a pretty straightforward week - I need to pick up a video for the kids to watch on Friday. Ciao...
Saturday, September 13, 2003
Ani on her moon rock - what a doll :)
Saturdays
We usually get more done... but we did go out quite a bit today, even though now we're in movie mode ( "About a Boy" cuz it was based on the book by one of E's fave authors who also wrote "High Fidelity") and now "Alien Resurrection" on AMC. :)
I have curried eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, and onions from the garden simmering, and a pot of salsa waiting to be boiled and canned tonight once I go over mama's and get our big stockpot. I can't wait to have a kitchen where I can keep all my pots - and today marks the LAST time we will have to go to the laundry room across the parking lot to do our wash - what a celebration! Hooray!!!!
I'm nervous about the canning but I think I can do it - I certainly have less to can then I thought I did - two big bowls of garden tomatoes, once skinned, peeled, and diced, only gave me four cups! (the recipe calls for 14!). I'm going to can one jar of salsa - it's probably a good idea to start small anyhow:) I'll post how I did on Sustenance.Org once the whole process is done.
Tonight I need to tackle some mundane work things as well...
- Write up a new behavior contract for the kids to sign
- Write up a safety and classroom procedure quiz.
- Come up with/find three emergency lesson plans.
- See if I can download Easy Grade Pro from the school server and put all my names and grades onto this computer.
I've been complaining to E how creepy it is to be the last one in the building every night, except for the night crew janitors. I wind up staying there till I get every last thing done, but especially once we move, I'll have plenty of physical and mental space to do what I need to. Once we move (starting next Monday) I'm going to leave work when I have about an hour's worth still to do and do it at home - on the back patio, the screen porch, my room, whateva'...it might lead to more peace of mind. That building can be pretty lonely and creepy after 4:30 - 'specially upstairs.
Speaking of moving, E and I have a goal: to sleep in our house starting Firday night - just come back here to pick things up. That means we need to move this stuff on Friday: our bed, our clothes, our pots and pans, our food, our bathroom "stuff", our computers, our phone. I think it's definitly possible.
From The Friday Five
1. Is the name you have now the same name that's on your birth certificate? If not, what's changed?
Same name - I use my married name professionally, but I've never gotten around to actually legally changing it. Sometimes I hypenate it to cover all the bases. My initals didn't change when I got married - which was nice for my one personalized item (my planner).
2. If you could change your name (first, middle and/or last), what would it be?
I wouldn't - I love my Irish/Jewish mutt of a name, thanks.
3. Why were you named what you were? (Is there a story behind it? Who specifically was responsible for naming you?)
My parents argued for quite a while -past the time I was born (granted I was born very premature - on the day of my mom's baby shower, actually) so I was sort of a surprise. For a while Sarah was winning out, but that was our next door neighbor's name who was only a few months older then me, so Shannon was it. (Gaelic for "little old wise one")
4. Are there any names you really hate or love? What are they and why? I love Eliezer's name...I don't have any I instantly don't like on-site. I'm pretty flexible. We plan on naming our children in whatever order they come, Tennessee (fierce warrior), Georgia (farmer), Carolina - maybe. At least we've got the first one covered. Yeah, they just happen to be Southern states.
5. Is the analysis of your name at kabalarians.com / triggur.org / astroexpert accurate? Wow, Kabalarians.com was dead on.
Brief Analysis
The name of Shannon creates a very quiet, practical nature and a clever and inventive mind. Being analytical and naturally studious, you are interested in a factual understanding of the mysteries of life. Your methodical nature requires that you like to finish what you start without interruptions and also to have everything in its place and properly organized. An ability to concentrate could take you into computer programming or accountancy or any work requiring concentration and attention to detail. You have, also, a flair for creative expression with your hands. You take life seriously and can be easily and deeply hurt and go into moods which can be quite extreme at times, causing much turmoil and unhappiness. Finding it difficult to join in conversation with those with whom you are not well-acquainted, you could feel quite alone and uncommunicative with new acquaintances or in a large crowd. As a result, you could be accused of being unfriendly. You desire so much to be understood, but your name has limited your verbal expression to such an extent that it is very difficult for you to divulge your innermost thoughts even to those closest to you. One of your greatest salvations is being out in nature, for it is there that you find the peace and serenity you so much desire.
Giving It A Try
I saw this in the grocery store when we were picking up milk tonight and I just couldn't resist. I'm going to try it this weekend - just the regular salsa recipe and seasonings it comes with since I've never canned anything before. Today was a hard day, preceded by a hard week. E is spinning, I am blogging, all is well and will be better after sleep and cinnamon rolls in the AM.
Hugs everyone for your support through all the house craziness and my G-Ma passing...I appreciate it more then you know.
p.s.Christy has some new house/rural living possibilities on the horizon, send her good thoughts! She may end up in a renting then buying situation which gives me hope that that might be a possibilty for us.
Thursday, September 11, 2003
Plans
I'm going to call landlord J tomorrow and see if he minds me poking around the yard so I can start landscaping this weekend- at least the main path (sedum interspersed with hosta that are already there, and underplanted with daffodils once it gets cool enough to plant them). I would like to plan out a traditional English shade garden incorporating the original brick patio into the design in the backyard behind the house (the large acreage is to the side behind the barn). If I get permission from landlord J, E can put all the leaves there and they can compost up nicely for spring.
I'm going to bring my plants from here and some from my mom's - I'm going to leave a little bit of each plant in my side garden I made here over the past two years, but bring the main plants with me - I doubt anyone will take care of it, but I'd like to leave something behind.If anyone has any ideas for shade loving, readily available shade plants please leave comments. I have figured in hosta, sedum, astilbe, and impatiens in the spring/summertime.
In other news:
I was brain fried at work today, but at least I was there! It didn't go too bad. I need to figure out which day I'm going to hold detention so I can start giving it next week - unfortunately I think I need to...yuck. I bought a file crate for my rolling cart and a lamp at office max today, but I also found a desk lamp and in/out trays at mama's house, so I'm returning the lamp tomorrow. Looking forward to a better day! (heck, it's Friday, it'll be good, right?)
Wednesday, September 10, 2003
Last Week In Condoland
And it hasn't been a bad two years. The low rent and familial connection has eased a lot of my financial worries and once we fixed it up, our 400 square feet turned out to be a nice little nest for our first year of married life. But that doesn't mean I can't wait till next Friday. :)! More to blog later, gotta go to the dog park now, shake off some of the grief that is following me after a day at the funeral and cemetary.
OK, I'm Back. I just made some cabbage with carrots and ginger from the new cookbook my girl Santosha sent - it's great so far! The cabbage and carrots were from our garden, so that's always a good thing.
I'll be glad to get back into school tomorrow, even though I was ~ and still am ~ apprehensive about leaving them with a substitute so soon in the year. I'll be doing it again next Friday when we move into the new house, so I am hoping it went well. My parents, E's parents, G-ma L - everyone is thrilled with the place, so hopefully we'll have lots of help with the move next weekend. We don't have much so it shouldn't be too hard. All of the Flylady decluttering paid off!
We had everyone over at my mom's house after the burial so when I was cleaning up the leftovers I brought all of the extra drinks over here - a motley crew of hard lemonade, sodas, water, fruit2O, and beers - to have out on moving day. When we told E's G-Ma, she immediatly wanted us to buy it - to help us buy it. So all day today I've been restless, aching to buy the place instead of just renting. As I told E, it's frustrating because it's not that I want to buy a house around here - no, I want to buy that house, and E's G-Ma has offered to help us do that, but it's not for sale, and I doubt that it will be...but we will let them know that if they ever want to sell it, we'd be interested.
It is such a neat place...it was built in 1862 (as my father said, "Abraham Lincoln was president!") by our landlord's great-grandfather and great uncle - brothers from Germany. It is a "farm" in that it's large and old, and has a barn, but they probably didn't raise anything but a little food for themselves. They were blacksmiths - shoeing all the horses in the area. The barn is actually where they had their shop - the forge, machinery, steam engine, and all of the old tools are still there and haven't been touched...the hooks to tie the horses while they were being shoed are still on the wall.... Our landlords have a lot of history in that house, but we'll see.
I just need to re-focus (and am getting there!) on how fabulous it is that we are moving into a wonderful house next week, my father and brother are paying enough in rent (he is helping my brother out) that our rent has gone down to 1K a month, our landlords are very flexible and nice, the chicken coop/dog pen (we were poking around today) is in great shape, that I can finally retrieve my rabbits from college from my folks' house, and that this house and situation are an absolute blessing. I'm just thinking too much. Not unusual.
Our first projects (well, mine anyway - E will help, but I'm not sure what he will be doing on his own):
- Borrow my father's hedge trimmers - trim the boxwood along the front of the house, and all of the random hedges on the property.
- Divide the hosta and evenly plant them along the front walk - leave some room for annuals in the spring!
- Clear out the gardens on the sides of the main entrance - there looks to be some usable iris, but the rest is weeds, and needs to be replaced - plants from here and my mom's house should fill it in.
- The circle garden needs to be dug up and I think I will plant it with winter cabbage and/or mums for now.
- Steam off the bathroom wallpaper and paint it white.
- J, our landlord, is cleaning out our side of the barn for us, but I want to box up any random bits and pieces, and sweep it really well - also wash the windowns and make sure the phone in there is hooked up.
I'm actually thrilled to have all of these projects to do - I love physical work where you can actually see the results - I don't really get that from school so much and I miss it.
Tuesday, September 09, 2003
Check It Out
Here are some pics of the new house that I took today when I was driving home. Scroll down to find 'em. :) We signed the lease today and are moving in on the 19th.
Monday, September 08, 2003
Attention All, Attention All!!!!!
We are now two week away from livin' the dream. The dream being freedom, space, room to roam, and a wide front porch in the country. In the form of renting, but who knows what will happen with the farm in the future. Two acres, a chicken coop, a screen porch, front porch, and brick patio. And a WASHER AND DRYER. Stay tuned for a verrrrrrrrry interesting ride. We sign the lease Tuesday, move in probably around the 26th, but maybe earlier if E gets his student loan money back. Chickens, Rock Gym, Veggie garden. Flower gardens. Rockers on the porch. Craft studio in the barn. I'm hoping, hoping, hoping chickens - even if they stay in the pen all the time. Can still walk to the food store, cleaners, and all other major household needs. 5 miles from job. Ooooooooh Yeeeeeaaaaaaaaahhhhhh
Saturday, September 06, 2003
Wanda Agnes Kilduff, Nov. 10th, 1916 - Sept.5, 2003
My grandma would have been 87 in a few months - perfectly healthy, she died in her sleep last night, which I consider a blessing, even as we grieve here. To live to 87 without suffering from cancer or other debilitating diseases, still living an independent life, even getting a chance to see your great grand-child be born, and then die a peaceful death. I would wish the same for E and I.
It has been a roller coaster of a day - my brother called us on our way to the pow-wow in South Jersey - luckily we hadn't left town yet. My mom and dad were at Costco and A was scared to death at the prospect of telling my mom the news (my grandfather passed away when I was only a few years old and my mom and dad were the ones who found him - he died peacefully as well - in his easy chair watching the SuperBowl).
We hurried to get to my folks' house and I was there when they pulled up. In a traditional sense, I suppose, I felt repsonsible as the eldest, or what have you, to tell her what had happened, although I never imagined I would ever be in that situation. Whenever our relatives have died, my parents have found out first. My mom is doing ok, deep in her grief...I wish she would cry more...she's trying to be strong to get through the next few days - once her older brother flies in tomorrow I'm hoping he will "take over" and my mom and aunt can grieve without worrying about all of the details of the wake, funeral,and burial.
I felt blessed today to have my family's recipes, and the abilty to grow and cook them food...it's the only thing I knew to do today after I told my mom about her mother passing away. I came home and made my great aunt sally's pasta salad, cut up some homemade fudge, and laid out some cookies, then brought them all over to where everyone had congregated at my aunt's house. It will be a hard few days.
One Door Closes
Adding to the roller coaster we are on today, the farm re-surfaced, with the landlady calling us this AM to see if we could work out a lower rent - I guess she likes the idea of having us as tenents. I worked up the guts to ask E what he thought of my brother moving in with us (hey, I lived with A for 18 years - I know I can live with him - other people - I'm not so sure. It would be a good transition for him. He would be away from my folks but still have someone to remind him to take his meds, get to work, get to class, check that he's seeing his doctors. My father agrees, and worked out what he/my brother could pay in rent. My brother and I aren't close - haven't been in many years. Living in the same small house might be an interesting, and good, way to get to know each other. Today was a reminder that when our parents pass on, my brother is my family, my blood. We came home and made a budget - see below and please leave comments, we'd really like to hear if this looks reasonable and what we could cut back on further - and called up the landlady and gave her the hightest price we could pay - 1700 in all with my brother pitching in. She is going to talk to her husband and call us back. Please pray or do what you do everyone. Thanks....
Budget, comments appreciated
Here is our proposed budget in the house search. Does it look realistic? Any ideas on how to cut costs? Thanks.
New account
Shannon. Shannon. shannonshannonshannonshannon. Hee hee. That feels better. Somehow sharing my blog creating space with my school blog was making me feel cramped and icky -also I was getting worried that having the "mrs.s" as my posting name was the reason people weren't commenting...ok, ok, so I'm allowed to be a little bit superstitious. So I moved the school blog to a new account and now will shannon away the days here.
I'll be commenting on all of yer' blogs this weekend - I stayed at work till 7 today, way past the call of duty to get my lesson plans done, and will thoroughly try to enjoy this weekend. Pow-wow tomorrow, and picking up new liz-es on Sunday.
I'm thinking about cutting my hair back to the length it is in my picture there in the sidebar....I know hair doesn't make the woman, but the shorter my hair is, the more confident I feel - in the classroom especially, since I'm basically in front of a crowd all day. We'll see. E is cool with it, and to deal with my mom, I'll just end up doing the usual - cutting it and showing up a few days later nonchalantly till she mentions it, and hoping I don't get too much crap. Snip Snip.
Thursday, September 04, 2003
We saw the old farmhouse tonight
It was a reality check, and also a way for us to get some closure and move on to looki for something just as good, but more do-able. As I've said (gushed) before, you couldn't ask for a better location - where else is the major town center less then a block away and yet you have two acres, a barn, front porch, garden, and a chicken coop? But the house...is tiny. The ceilings are verrry low - it was built in the 1860's, and the doors are even lower. For example, the chandelier is at approximately shoulder level - it's sort of surreal. The kitchen was old but nice, and it had a washer and dryer. There is a living room and dining room - small, but fine, and a weird thing that was the old dining room (it has a built in dish shelf in the corner...) but has a weird U-shaped half wall where the landlords put in a new furnace. It wouldn't work as a bedroom unless you were desperate. The orange carpeting is a little much as well!
Then the "4" bedrooms - this was the dissapointing part, and really makes it un-doable if we had to share the house with anyone (hey, if we could afford it on our own we'd move in now!) There was a largeish bedroom - the only addition to the original farmhouse, but the other "3" bedrooms are simply large closets by modern standards - you couldn't get a bed and a nighstand in them... I guess sleeping arrangements in the 1860's were much more sparse - they were basically just simple convent-like cells - maybe for a small mattress and light? (I was raised in a large Irish Catholic family, and have a whole lotta nun experience - I spent quite a bit of time in my great aunts' convents. So with those not being usable as bedrooms - except maybe a tiny nursery, which isn't part of our life right now - we would live upstairs in a bedroom and three teeny rooms and the guys would live..where? One of them would have to have the weird small den and I don't know if a bed would fit there ~ otherwise they would both have bedrooms on either side of the stairs - which E and I would have to walk through to get to the kitchen....not gonna' happen.
Sigh - moving on....in many ways. It has opened the door to looking for a new, bigger place and I think that is a very positive thing effect of the whole experience. Off to check the classifieds again....
p.s. Work is utterly exhausting me, physically, mentally, and emotionally - I've been reading your blogs every night to help me relax and it has been a godsend, but I haven't had the where-with-all to comment - I will start again, I promise!
I know work will get easier once I'm not rushing around and reeling from all of these people I have to placate, please, interact with, and keep under control. We are adopting two leopard geckos though! (two more - that will be 5) A young couple at Rutgers are are moving back to Europe and can't keep them, so one of our firends in the local reptile rescue e-mailed me. Their names are Ross and Cromarty - two places in Scotland where J, their "mom", is from. They will be coming here on Sunday - nothing like new pets to get me smiling again.
Wednesday, September 03, 2003
I'm Off
First day of school with the kids, albeit just a few hours of freshman orientation. We're going to see the old barn tomorrow night, and hopefully a few places in farm country next week. Right now I need to concentrate on this "career" of mine. :) Today I'm setting up my desk space in the prep room and making files for all of my kids - oh yeah, whole department staff meeting as well. And so it begins. Wish me Luck!
Tuesday, September 02, 2003
Why Am I On Here?
- Because if I talk about this house any more I will drive E crazy.
- Because the guys we need to rent it with (since it's too big and too expensive) are unorganized and slightly irreponsible and most likely won't come through.
- Because it's a huge increase in our artificially low rent and that's scary.
- Because there's acres of lawn and a frickin' chicken coop ready and waiting - oh yeah, and a barn with a blacksmith shop inside.
- Because in a perfect world it would be a two bedroom farmhouse renting for ~1000/month - NOT a four bedroom renting for double that.
- Because my crush on this house is blinding me to the negative aspects of said arrangment.
- Because I want to win the lottery tomorrow and be able to rent this little perfect house all to ourselves.
- Because I'm avoiding getting my gradebook and seating charts ready for my first day with the kids - TOMORROW.
- Because even if we can't rent this house, maybe we should keep looking - in fact, I think we will, but then I go back to my third concern. And thinking about chickens again. (We even have a laying hen hook-up on the local historical farm 'cuz people give them breeds that aren't historically correct...)
- Because maybe, just maybe, this dream is worth pursuing even if this old farmhouse (build in 1860 -whoa!) doesn't work becauselife is hsort and I'm passionate about havign a garden and chickens and I have a new job in the frickin' countryside.
- Because I called another landlord about a "cozy cottage" on two acres and he hasn't called back yet....
- Change is exciting, change is scaring me to death, change might be just what we need right now. AND CHICKENS!
On a Lighter Note
Golom the tree frog came home!!! which none of us were really expecting, even though it was possible. And Queer Eye is on! So I'm going to put my brain on hold for a while - it deserves a break.
Monday, September 01, 2003
Darn that House!
The owners of the barn/house for rent called - it's twice as large as we need, and costs twice as much. While that's not a possibilty (although my heart aches that it turned out not to be) it has shifted our mindset - I think that we've just assumed we were going to stay here- had to stay here - to save money, but after this jolt to our thinking, I may start looking at the classifieds. I make enough to pay rent on a larger apt/part of a house, and I would love to have enough space to each have our own space - I love E, but we both rub on each other's nerves a tad, just because we don't have any separate space to do our thing. As he says, you can't do one thing without affecting the whole family around here. I would love a small patch of yard, room for Harri to roam instead of having to take him out to the edge of the parking lot. There are many small apartments/places for rent on the large horse farms when the workers aren't living in all of them, so maybe that could be a possibility. I'm glad that we have such a great situation here - no lease, and very affordable rent - so we can take our time and if we find the "perfect" place, E's grnadma will be cool about us moving on, I'm sure. I feel guilty for looking for a bigger place (we have a bedroom, bathroom, and common room here, about 400 square feet), especially when I stop and play with the kids who live upstairs, a young Mexican family with two toddlers who live in the exact same apartment we do. But then again, if they could they would most likely move to a bigger place! And maybe we're getting to the point where we can take that leap.
What to Do?
We definitly relaxed and enjoyed this day off, but now to get moving again. The rain that Lisa felt yesterday arrived here this AM, so it's pretty dreary out, but I have plenty to do inside, including finishing drying the current batch of tomatoes, taking off these pants which are really not stylish enough to justify their uncomfortable factor and put them in the bag for Goodwill, swiff the floors, and finish getting ready for tomorrow - while everyone was here last night, I slowly excavated through most of my school "stuff" and am in much better shape then I was at this time yesterday. Still a small pile taunting me from over there on my desk though. I'll check in with y'all later.
