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Hail Guest, we ask not what thou art.
If Friend, we greet thee, hand and heart.
If Stranger, such no longer be.
If Foe, our love will conquer thee.
-Old Welsh Door Verse

Monday, September 17, 2007

Whoa!

Where did that month go?

The last post was just as we were getting ready to leave for two weeks in Utah. We are vowing never to do the drive in one day again (15 hours), but otherwise it was a great trip.

Did lots of stitching (with books on CD on the headset). Got a considerable amount done on Firefly Faeries, completely marked all the borders on What Color is Spring? quilt and completed one block (snow angel) on the Christmas snow family quilt. Also finished one tree and some letters (ych, I hate embroidery letters) on the Winter Wonderland block. Read several of the Debbie Macomber Cedar Cove series books. Worked some crossword puzzles. Met with the architect and builder for the Eden house. Two of the three days of the balloon festival the balloons did not go up because of thunder and lightening storms (WE enjoyed the storms, even the hazelnut-sized hail) but the third day made up for it. Gorgeous! Took a field trip to Shepherd's Bush and Gardiner's Sew and Quilt and bought some more of the beautiful fabric I got when Mom and I were there. (I originally bought fat Qs, this time got some larger pieces.) Found Threads of Time in Centerville and they had the Woodsy Wonders line. I had been looking for this line for months and found it in the last shop of the summer season. There's still a stripe I'd like to find but if I don't, I have enough of the other pieces to make whatever I want.

Got home on Sunday the 26th and started back to work on the 27th. Seems that my principal took pity on me after the last several years of having the biggest behavior problems (but you're so good with them) and I have nice classes. My last class is the best and even DH commented that I seem to come home happy every day. Am going to be a BTSA mentor this year and started a Disney Geek club one lunch a week (20,000 Leagues Under the Sea tomorrow).

When we got home from Eden, DS2 and his friends had completely cleared the waist-high weeds and grass out of both side yards and back yard. DH and I are determined not to lose ground back there again; in fact, we are trying to move ahead. On payday weekend I'm hitting Green Thumb for some recycled tire mulch for the fairy garden and some violas to plant. It's time again for the delightful orange and black mix that I enjoyed so much last year. Also want to plant sweet peas again this year and October is when that happens around here.



Did the visionsfantastic scavenger hunt last Saturday. Came in fifth - from the bottom - but had a good time. My partner couldn't make it so I really didn't plan to hunt; found another partner at the last minute. Highlight of the day was meeting Princess Minnie Mouse, then watching her greet little princesses for a half hour. Those little kids are precious! Will be going back on Oct. 7 to take my niece, then on the 11th with DH, then on the 17th with my parents. Everyone wants to see the new Candy Corn Halloween Farm in DCA.

Am finishing up scrapbook pages of the family trip to Disneyland last June. It will feel nice to finish up a spread. Everything else is stalled partway through.

DS1 and DIL moved out while we were in Eden. His contract started at the new charter school in Los Angeles. His fifth grade class had four students so today they are supposed to be giving him some fourth graders to make it up to thirteen kids. They found a great apartment in Redondo Beach with a gorgeous view of the ocean. Their hard work looking for over a year paid off for them. DIL leaves the 30th for the 17-year memorial of her grandfather's death. She will be gone for almost a month. It's been a year and a half since she's seen her family in Japan. I know they will be thrilled to get her home for a while.

We're pretty much resigned to not building the house this spring. The real estate market is just too depressed right now (typical of us, wanting to sell two houses in the worst market in a decade.) It will improve but probably not in time to dig in late March. I figure I will work one more year (hooray for furniture!) and we will start the house in March of 2009. Sigh. Oh well, things always work out for us. This will, too. I'm sure there's a reason for the delay (I will be needed here next summer for something).

I used the two weeks of relaxation to get back on a decent food program and have lost about fifteen pounds. I'm hoping that my stress levels stay down so that I can FINALLY get down to a more normal weight. My feet, knees and back are all screaming that they've taken enough abuse for goodness sake!