May 2007 Archives

A Quick Update:
* Micah turned 22 last Friday which makes me feel old. I am a proud sister. He is making his way in the world on his own terms.
* Waiting for the HOA to approve our proposed replacement entry and storm doors is highly painful. Thank God this is the last of our planned home improvments that we need to have approved.
* This coming weekend will mark our first wedding anniversery! We have planned a little over night getaway and strangly a WHOLE LOTTA time with the Storybook family. Odd but true.
* Last Thursday Flounder and I had dinner with the Bio-Dad, His Wife, My Grandmother, My Strange Uncle and his even Stranger Old Lady Companion. Despite the presence of Uncle Strange and his SOLC we managed to have a nice time! This was quite the coup! We were even invited Bio-Dad and His Wife to visit them in Florida and who knows I might even go. Or just sit avoid them for another year. It could really go wither way.

On the the important stuff: Last night was the two hour Series Finale of Veronica Mars. I am so bummed. The episode(s) raised more questions than it answered and was clearly not meant to be a series ending stroyline. That said it was like old home week with all of the characters they managed to cram in. The highlight for me was Logan beating the crap out of everyone (sorry Piz!) which always puts a smile on my face. So goodbye sweet show! I was good while it lasted. I really need to learn to love a show that last more that 3 seasons.

In geeky internet news, yesterday Slate brought the lolcat phenomenon to my attention. Damn you Slate! I could look at lolcats for HOURS and nearly did last night. Check out their article.

This is an lolcat I gacked from icanhascheezburger

Quote of the Day:
Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.
Carl Gustav Jung

Those Bastards canceled Veronica Mars!

Clearly Kristen Bell is just as dumbfounded as I am.

So Sad.

Quote of the Day:
[Mac and Veronica are getting lunch]
Mac: Is the eggplant good?
Spaghetti server: It's okay.
Mac: How about that stuff?
Spaghetti server: It's good.
Mac: It's probably horrible for you, right? I'll stay with the eggplant. No, wait - what do you think? [pause] I need to see a psychiatrist.
Veronica: I was thinking more an English professor. What we're dealing with her is an absurd level of symbolism. [to server] Two lasagnas.
Spaghetti server: Okay.
Mac: Symbolism?
Veronica: I mean, the Bronson Parmigiana is good for me, but, ooh! The Maxuccine looks awfully tempting.
Mac: It's not my fault Max won't stop calling. Like you should talk.
Veronica: Me? I'm not ordering good boy while wishing I ordered bad boy.
Mac: No, you gave up bad boy, but keep asking for samples of good boy.
Veronica: No, I - wait, what?
Mac: Okay, if Logan is the fettucine... [cellphone rings]
Veronica: It's the eggplant.

I had a terrific weekend. It was comprised of equal parts industry, relaxation and family-time. We celebrated the Mom-ness of my M-i-L Saturday night at a local seafood restaurant, where everyone enjoyed themselves. Sunday night was Mi Mama's turn at my house with a little cook out complete with every type of side dish a Mother could want. I went a little nutty I guess. Both Mothers felt appriciated and loved and that's the point after all.

On Saturday I learned that I recieved an A in my Sociology class, which means my term paper must have passed muster. I was very pleased. It was also a little reminder that it's good to set high standards for yourself, but you need to cut yourself some slack now and then too!

Everything else is coming along nicely. Next week is my last quilting class in this series and I am feeling good about my progess. I am not sure what I am going to with this first quilt, I guess we will see. The work on the house is also coming along nicely as well. The financing should come through this week sometime which is very exciting. We can start laying plans for the work we need to do on the interiors! Also this week, it looks like Flounder and I may be having dinner with my Bio-Dad who is come town. I am chosing not to think about that one just yet. I am enjoying the "everything is pretty great" feeling to start fretting just now.

Quote of the Day:
A true man never frets about his place in the world, but just slides into it by the gravitation of his nature, and swings there as easily as a star.
Edward Chapin

You probably guessed it already, but on Tuesday I turned in my Sociology paper and freed myself from the shackles of higher education. Like Punxsutawney Phil I am crawling up out of my hole into the light of day, and not necessarily liking the view. At this point I could launch into a self-pity-fueled whinefest outlining all the tasks I put off and all the jobs that lay before me. But I won't, cause it's boring and predictable. Instead I will take this moment to reflect on what a terrible multi-tasker I am.

It's been weakness for a long time. For forever I guess. This lack of ability, matched with my procrastination issues and difficulty establishing good habits is more or less the foundation of most challenges I have faced in the last 15 years. Oh, but let's not forget about the Fear. I am sure the Fear is key as well. Not that I know what I am afraid of. I bring all this rubble up not to abuse myself with it, but to express a little pride. In the past the stuff I was procrastinating about where really big, life-changing-scary things. But since I have faced those demons the stuff I worry about today are little tiny things like "When will I finally set up a decent filing system for our paper work at home?" or "How am I going to finish my quilt blocks in time for my next class?"

I do wish I had started really thinking through what I wanted to say in my Sociology paper earlier. And I truly believe that my quality of life would be improved if I could keep a neater house on a day to day basis. But in the grand scheme of things these are little issues that I hope to conquer with time. And I am sure I will.

Hey, I turned this pity-me post into a yay-me post. Hurrah!

Quote of the Day:
Pity the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
Don Marquis (1878 - 1937)

Lo and behold, it's all coming together!

Flounder and I had a little meeting with Mi Mama and Beau on Saturday regarding our home renovations. Up until now all agreements, pricing and requests have been transmitted verbally which we all knew was a mistake. But now, oh what a difference! We have written estimates and agreed upon pricing. Business is business and I firmly believe that the best way to do business with friends and family is to do it by the book. Cutting corners on things like documentation is just a mistake. Happily not one we are going to make.

The quilting class I attended on Saturday was a lot of fun and made me even more eager to finish my paper so that I can get some serious quilting time in. Next week we are going to start pieceing together our blocks. I have quite a few blocks I need to complete. Come Wednesday I will have a chance to focus on it. I can't wait!

Most importantly I spent several hours this weekend on my paper. Now don't get excited readers, this paper is not complete. But I am getting close and my stress level undercontrol. Perhaps it's because Ms. Merryment has yet again saved both my sanity and my grade by lending her critical eye to my work. To you Ms. Merryment I give a hardy and public thank you!

In other positive news, my dear Sister-in-law Jords, is beaming with pleasure over her new home. Thanks to Mother and Father-in-law, nearly every room has a fresh coat of paint and Jords didn't have to take any time off while workman laid floor and made modification to her domicile. Flounder and I are looking forward to going to visit her this summer and I can't wait to bask in the beauty!

Similarly happy, Micah just bought a new car! It's a white hot little Firebird and he is prouder than a new Papa. And who do you think was the first person to ride in it with him? That would be me! What a good brother! And with a birthday just around the corner, he is just over the moon, and he deserves it!

Now it's back to the grind for me!

Quote of the Day:
Always do right. This will gratify some people and astonish the rest.
Mark Twain

This is my House.

This is my water damaged bay window.

It doesn't look so bad does it? As I mentioned yesterday, we are having our bay window repaired due to some rotten wood. You know that proverbial can of worms? Well yesterday it was busted wide open. It turns out that once you get past the first layer of rotten wood, there was even more rotten wood. Infact the entire bottom structure of the bay window was rotted out, wet and teaming with happy, water loving ants! I feel a little faint just considering it. It seems that whoever put the windows in (*ahem* previous homeowners) didn't actually seal all the way around them, so water has been streaming in with every rainfall ever since. We are frankly lucky that A) the top of the structure is sound and dry and B) no one sat on our window seat and found themselves falling out of the house and into the azaleas! Lord Have Mercy!

I didn't get a chance to upload the progress photos I took this morning, but Beau worked really hard yesterday to pull out all that useless rotten wood and replace it with a solid structure. He has another long day ahead of him today. It will be a few more days before all of the wood trim on the front of the house is replaced and repainted. We are not doing this thing half way. More photos to come!

Quote of the Day:
Remember when life's path is steep to keep your mind even.
Horace

The Home Owners Association was right this time. We received a letter from the HOA asking us to repair our bay window and scrap and paint the wood trim around the windows on the front of our house. They really had a point. Not until we received the letter did we notice that the wood of our bay window was completely rotten. I don't mean the whole window is ready to fall down, however there are places where I can put my finger through the wood.

Oops! I guess we better get on that. And so we did. I am happy to report that as we speak the repair work has began. I can't wait to see it fixed up and beautiful. I know you are excited too. Hold on to your seats. When the work is done I will post before and after photos. Whoo!

On another front -- T minus 6 days and counting until P-Day. My much lamented paper will be due and I will be free.

Quote of the Day:
Ethical axioms are found and tested not very differently from the axioms of science. Truth is what stands the test of experience.
Albert Einstein