Why I am against hunting.

I know this picture is small but since I have amazing eyesight I will help you out:

  There is a fish, hiker, deer and pheasant pictured on the sign.

I'm curious as to when opening "hiker season" starts. 

Sabbatical.

I was browsing my blog the other day -  AND I realized that I had 70+ posts in 2011.  I haven't even hit 20 in 2012.    Writing became more difficult apparently in 2012.    

We are still living with my parents.  I have no doubt I will have some material on this in the near future.  

Brother2 was filling out some school forms.  He asked if he could put me down for an emergency contact and I said to put 911 down instead.  He then started listing his allergies and I said he should add "teachers and homework".  We got dad to sign off on the form.  I think Brother2 is starting to think I'm A-OK after all. :)

However I am not A-OK with math homework.

In other news:

Mittens (one of the kittens) ate rat poison and died.

Mel got sprayed by a skunk.

Lou loves bean fields.

Boyd has been working way too much and I'm starting to get cranky.

Also . . as an FYI . . I am taking a sabbatical from Facebook.  I know.  Crazy.  It might just be a week. Maybe a month.  Forever?  Who knows.

Moving on . . . . . 

How about a Quick Nerd Alert Update???

I'm reading White Oleander by Janet Fitch right now and I'm struck by how hateful women are to each other and not to mention the failings of America's foster system.  This is the second time I have read this book.  I do that from time to time.   Recommend.  Duh.

I am also reading Inside of a Dog by Alexandra Horowitz and find it fascinating.  Haven't finished yet . . but more than likely recommend.  Its about DOGS after all!

I just finished reading Ex Libris: Confessions of a Common Reader by Ann Fadiman and was amazed by how many words I didn't know.  It made me want to give more books as gifts, write in the margins and be smarter.  Umm . .  I liked it but I think it might be too "weird" for most.

A few weeks ago I finished World Without End by Ken Follett.  It took me awhile to get into it but  I persevered and learned a few things about the Black Plague.  I have no idea why I have such a morbid fascination about the plague.   Sort of recommend.  It is a big time commitment for the feeble story line.  Follet let me down with this one.

Book club selection for last month was The Time In Between by Maria Duenas.  I disliked it at first because the girl was really dumb but then the girl got a little smarter and redeemed herself and I got sucked in to the story.  Overall recommend but not whole heartedly.

The book club selection this month is Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls.  I have already read this book and really liked it.  Read it.

On my nightstand:  1,000 Gifts:  A Dare to Live Fully Where You Are by Ann Voskamp; Les Miserables by Victor Hugo; and The Big Short:  Inside the Doomsday Machine by Michael Lewis.

I am a very random reader.

And with that . . . I am heading to bed.

Rest in peace, Mittens

Mittens is the black kitten.  Leo is the orange kitten.
Leo is thriving although I'm concerned he is a little too skinny.

The Big Bad Sale and Other Tidbits.

The sale is finally over.  It went fabulously.  

I'm not sure who was more excited - the vendors or the shoppers.  

I may have spent more money than I made.   Fail.

Sister2's house worked beautifully for the location.  The vendors brought great stuff and worked their butts off.  Win.

I got yelled at by an old man about a placement of a sale sign.  Good grief.  Apparently my charms do not work on grumpy old men. 

Just old farmers.  

******

Mom had labeled one of her items (a decorative bird), as "F*cky Bird".  Supposedly she meant it as Funky Bird but she did not write it as such.  The woman who bought it said she was ONLY buying it because the description made her laugh and insisted on keeping the tag.

Well played, mom.  Well played.

I will now start describing all of my items with profanity.

********

Sister1 was telling us about a trip she took to a casino recently.  She was explaining that she doesn't like doing math just for fun (i.e. blackjack) so she never needs to go back again.  Mom was noticeably silent throughout this discussion.  After about 5 minutes she gives a relieved laugh and says: "I thought you said you didn't like doing METH just for fun!"

Oh my.

********

Lou got lost in a cornfield.  We looked and looked and looked in 90+ degree heat.  It is possible I ended up going to the bathroom in said cornfield.  Fail.

********

We found the little bastard.  Win.

********

The famdamily went to the Black Hills for the weekend.  It was beautiful weather and fabulous scenery. Not to mention chipmunks aplenty for the children to chase.  O caught a few.  I told him of my glory days and when I caught a gopher. 

He wasn't as impressed as he should have been.

*******

We sold our house in Watertown!!!  Win.

*******

We have not yet purchased our Lake Norden land.  Fail.

********

We are living with my parents and Brother2.  Fail?

********

I had to carpool with Boyd this morning.  

He starts work at 6am.  I start at 9am.  

We need to have a "heart-to-heart" convo this evening.

*********

Sister2 got knocked up.  Wait . . is that still a secret?! :)  

*********

Thus ends my updates. Does the centered text bother anyone?

  I hope so.

Boyd and Oli

Lucky Day sale!!!

My naughty little dog.

Me.  Sister1.  Erin (Sis-in-law).  Sister2  I need an ugly sister.
Maybe I will luck out when Brother2 gets married.

It is now 8:30 a.m.  Looks like I have time for a Target run.

Win.

forgiveness

Do not be alarmed by the title.  I am by no means that nice of a person.

********

This weekend was a whirlwind. We did not close on our house. I also do not have cable, internet or mail anymore. Or shelving or food. *sigh*.

(I’m still whining)

So we left Friday and headed to Sioux Falls. We got to see Brother1's new house that they closed on (not ironic at all) and then we headed to the LaVerne Drive In. We love Drive Ins and if you have never gone, you must. Now. Find the nearest one and go. This was a frequent date night for us in Minnesota. Spiderman was showing and I have to say I found it . . . . delightful. So refreshing to have someone other than Tobey Maguire playing Spiderman and Kirsten Dunst being the girlfriend . . ugh . .
good riddance.

And no, we do not park in the furthest row and make out.  Gross.

Saturday we stuck around and had breakfast with Brother1, Erin, Coop and Cate at Bagel Boy. Cate loves markers and Coop loves cheese.

Obviously we are related.

Brother2 turned 14 on Saturday so the whole famdamily went to Wild Water West to celebrate. I can’t believe he is already 14. It seems like just yesterday that I would have to babysit him as an infant while Boyd and I were dating.

My parents had a great sense of humor.

Or maybe it was a birth control tactic. I’m not certain.

***************

A few nights ago Sister1 had us over for dinner. You will remember that we have no kitchen supplies. I can’t even fry myself an egg. Or cut a pizza. I feel like a pilgrim.

(Still whining)

ANYWHO. Oli was deliriously tired and doing what very tired children do . . . which is everything but obey. Sister1 sent him up to his room for a "timeout’. He came downstairs a few minutes later with an uncertain expression on his face:

Sister1: "Oli. It is not time for you to be done with your time-out. Get back upstairs."

Oli: "But, I FORGIVE YOU, Mommy!"

Bless his little heart.

*****

Sale set-up as begun. Now begins the nights of tossing and turning and rearranging furniture in my dreams. Is that strange? Heather Holman dropped off a load of stuff and I went right to work moving this and that . . . so much fun.

And so overwhelming.  I have no idea how to fit everything in the house. 

Yes. I would like some cheese with this whine.

WARNING: this post is filled with whining.   If this makes you cringe . . stop reading now.

Ok.  Let’s begin.

We were supposed to close on our Watertown house on Friday the 13^th.  As in tomorrow.  (AND BEFORE that we were supposed to close on June 25^th) So we have been HAULING CRAP over to a storage unit in Lake Norden in anticipation of being out of  the house tomorrow.  We are down to some random bits and pieces of things that need to be gathered and organized, our clothes and our bed.  This morning I sat on the floor, looking at the blank wall, while eating a bowl of cereal.  We have one bowl left and plastic spoons.  That is my kitchen presently.

I KNEW having a closing on Friday the 13^th was a bad idea.  I was trying hard not to be a silly but now I am officially superstitious.

I got a call from the utilities department this morning saying that our account cannot be taken out of my name because the buyer just called them and said he was no longer buying our house.  SAY WHAT?!  Why am I hearing this from the Utilities lady?

Here is the thing.  We actually own 3 houses right now.  2 are in Minnesota with renters in them. (Keep in mind that being landlords was never on our “wish list”) We had put our Stillwater house on the market this spring and accepted an offer.  BUT they want some “dips” fixed in some of the shingles on the roof.  Boyd claims it is nothing serious and it’s because of some spray foam blah blah blah and it would be expensive to fix so he won’t fix something that is not going to leak and is not noticeable to the naked eye.  So we keep trying to line up people to get out there and test the integrity of everything to prove the roof is fabulous.  People keep scheduling and then cancelling.  Our renters are moving out of that house at the end of July.  If this sale does not go through, I have to find new renters.  Yes . . I should say WE have to find new renters but let’s not kid ourselves. :)

So there is that.

And our Lake Norden property that we would like to start on is constantly being dragged out because the surveyors TAKE FOREVER.  And then once they did survey the land, the main beach area was cut off.  WHAT?!  So . . must figure that out.

And now Watertown.  The house that should not be any hassle is a thorn in my side.  We need to sell it to move forward with purchasing the LN property BUT can’t purchase the LN property until the property lines are officially set, title work ordered, etc.

GADS.  Just stick me in a trailer.  In Kauai.  Yes.  That sounds nice.  I will now go check airline tickets.  Excuse me.

It appears we will not be going to Kauai anytime soon.

To add to all of this . . . . I have a “stress eating” problem.  What do I do when there are boxes to be packed, loaded, etc??? I bake a chocolate cake, dump it in a large tupperware and continuously take chunks from it.  Gaining weight is not on my wish list either.

Have I mentioned that we will be living with my parents during this interim time? 

Party. On. 

Yes.  We will be inhabiting my old room.  For some reason when I was a teenager I decided I wanted this bright blue carpet to go in my room.  BECAUSE IT WAS MY ROOM and for whatever reason I was in love with primary colors.  After a few years, mom scavenged up some leftover neutral carpet (that woman can find just about anything that no one else wants) and did the entire upstairs - but I put my foot down.  I wanted the blue.  And I would not allow her to touch my room.  (side note:  I also used to have several animals that lived in that room.  Mom used to say “It stinks in here! And I would say: “Then get out.” I am such a problem solver.) 

I now get to revel in my late 90’s stylish stubbornness.  Payback is a b*tch.

I couldn’t find my sunglasses this morning after running errands.  It made me angry.  I found them later after being at work for an hour.  They were on my head.  No one told me.

I am 32 going on 72.

Oh.  And I’m trying to prepare for a glorious sale.  With lots of furniture.  I have filled Sister2's garage FULL of items.  All 3 stalls.  I need to stop moving all the time since my main hobby is collecting furniture.  The 2 do not go well together.  Boyd has lamented that if “artsy” is going to be a hobby of mine why can’t it just involve a small paint set.  I pointed out that at least my hobby tends to bring in some cash while his hobbies tend to take my hobby's cash.

Go figure.  

Nonsensical Ramblings.

I’ve been reminiscing lately.  I’m blaming it on packing up my photo albums for our upcoming move.  It did a few things for me: (1) it made me realize how far I am behind on my albums; and (2) Made me cringe at my early 90s clothes.  The 80s may have had shoulder pads and big hair but we, the youth of the 90s, did our best with oafish shoes and large flannel shirts. 

It’s a shame this is all documented in photograph form.

Other than packing boxes and boxes and boxes of photos, albums and books . . . . I have been busy preparing for the Lucky Day sale.  Yes.  Prepare yourselves.  It will take place July 26-28.  I am very excited.  And you should be too.

I recently got hit on by a man in bib overalls.  It made my day.  I had no idea that old farmers were my target demographic for compliments.   All this time wasted . . . . 

Lou puked in my car.

I am embarrassed to admit this, but I can’t get enough of “What Makes You Beautiful” by One Direction.  I have the musical integrity of a 12 year old girl.  

Hit me over the head if I start to get excited about Olive Garden.  Although - - truth be told - - they do make some mean breadsticks.

I love my book club.  They are all so delightful.  And they read.

Speaking of nerds and books, I am now starting book #5 of Game of Thrones.  I can’t get enough of dragons, knights and that clever little dwarf.

This past weekend O stayed with Boyd and I.  We enjoyed having the little guy.  He did some spray painting, some demo work and we played with kittens.  Owen learned that he really likes sledgehammers.  And kittens.  Imagine that.

We still have not closed on our house or the lake property.  Everything seems to be on hold.  No idea why.  We also have buyers for our Stillwater house. There again . . . on hold.  Good grief.  I keep praying for patience but I think its backfiring.  All I have to say is this:  EVERYONE . . . DO YOUR JOB.  NOW! 

Boyd made the comment the other day that "I'm relieved - - I think four acres will end up being enough room for the house, some extra buildings and the racetrack."  

Wait a minute . . 

I’m trying my best (and failing miserably) to just sit back and enjoy the ride . . like these guys:

Now, if you will excuse me I just spotted some chocolate frosting.

The Hulk

G and O recently saw the Avengers and now they are obsessed with superhero movies.  Their favorite character of the Avengers was the Hulk.  Amateurs.  Obviously Iron Man is the best but there is no use arguing with them.  Who can match that wit, high intelligence and fabulous facial hair?

We had G and O over for Movie Night tonight to watch The Hulk.  I never knew how confusing the movie was until I watched it with an 8 and 6 yr old. 

Does he turn into the hulk if he is sad?

Is he bad?

who are the bad guys?

Who is the Super Villain?

Who is going to win?

Is he trying to get mad?

Who is stronger?  Superman or the Hulk?

Why does the army want to catch him?

What's wrong with his blood?

Why doesn't he want to go with the army?

Sister 1 came to pick them up and as we were talking, O kicked the door and hit G who was putting on his shoes.  Good grief. Sister1 gets after them and then there is silence.  And then a little voice pipes in with: 

“Are your eyes turning green?”

And with that . . . the 2 wild boys were out of our house and into Sister1's vehicle.  I love being an aunt. ;)

Boyd and O getting ready for the Avengers to start