Yesterday was the first day of summer vacation. Yesterday I was trying very hard to make some of that "magic" I hear so much about, while still managing to get my work done and do those fabulous, exciting things like going for groceries because we didn't have any food. Yesterday afternoon my children had already decided they couldn't stand each other, and there were tears and bickering and pouting and I gave up. "I HAVE WORK I NEED TO FINISH!" I bellowed. "YOU TWO NEED TO GO PLAY OUTSIDE. NICELY. GOOD-BYE!" And then just to rub salt in their wounds (because I'm SUCH A GOOD MOM) I blurted...
I'm pretty sure that the most obnoxious thing ever said to me about my blog was not a criticism of my parenting or some sort of personal indictment (though---let's be clear---I've gotten plenty of those, too), but a dismissive, "Well, blogging's just a fad, and it'll pass, so enjoy it while it lasts." This was said to me by someone who's always regarded my writing as a useless little hobby. Well, I've been enjoying the spoils of this silly little fad for over four years, now, and I'd be hard-pressed to tell you the greatest part about it. Because, clearly, the greatest part is getting to do...
So yesterday I told you all about the last round of presents with the kids---the rest of their Christmas presents, and Monkey's birthday presents, which should be enough presentage (totally a word) to hold us for many months. That, combined with having the kids back home again, should've rendered Saturday the perfect day. But none of that was what I was REALLY looking forward to. No. I mean, it was good to finally have the kids home, and all, but the part I was excited about was not that first night home and the cake and the presents. Sunday morning we had pancakes. No, that's not the...
I am going to tell you this whole sordid tale from beginning to end (just see if I don't, my pretties), but first things first. In a heroic act of LIGHTNING SPEED AWESOMENESS, the fine folks at Fusix---allow me to state this in southern terms, so great is my gratitude---done grabbed up the whole mess and fixed it right proper. If you are seeing this, I am fully migrated and functional and now running on servers powered by unicorns and fairies and pixie dust. If you need not just hosting but possibly migration support and hand-holding and someone who will get the job done right, please please...
Today the kids went to an all-day program judiciously selected by us because it only cost $10 for the entire day. But, you know, it was church-affiliated and that means it has to be good. I mean, it was really cheap, but it was approved by Jesus himself. Especially the pottery part. Monkey presented me with something that may be either a clay donut or a pencil holder, and Chickadee showed off a gigantic blue whale with a comically tiny Mr.-Bill-like Jonah who fits in said whale's blowhole. (Don't ask me, I DON'T KNOW.) While they were gone, I taped myself to my desk chair and completed about...
As of around 5:00 this afternoon, Otto and I are now the proud owners of three houses. We think it's good to have a couple of spares around, just in case, you know. He did carry me over the threshold, though he didn't throw me in the pool... probably because the pool was still looking a little scary. (The pool people are coming tomorrow to finish readying it, which I hope means they will be vacuuming up the fuzzy stuff floating all over the bottom, because EWW.) I didn't accidentally sign my old name even once on the mortgage paperwork! A good way to learn your new name is to sign it...
We had no idea what time Otto was coming today, due to a confluence of events wherein he had to make several unplanned-for detours. (One of them was due to Audrey---the name Otto has decided to give the new GPS unit---failing to predict that there is traffic in New York City. GO FIGURE.) As of our last check-in call, we figured he wouldn't arrive until after the kids were in bed. So when he pulled up while the kids were still hanging up their towels and getting into their jammies and screeching and dancing and generally being spazzy, they didn't even notice. This gave me plenty of time to...
Let's review, shall we? Last week we made an offer on our first choice house and were turned down, and then made an offer on a second house. (Second Choice House is conveniently located next door to First Choice House.) And after a bit of kerfuffle---not to mention the entire weekend---we were also turned down for Second Choice House. At this point, Otto and I hit the real estate listings and we hit them hard. We found ONE more house that we thought might meet our needs. Otto called his realtor and arranged to see it on Monday afternoon (that's yesterday). My phone rang yesterday afternoon....
I know I'm not southern yet... heck, once I'm down there, I know that folks will only be too happy to remind me that I am just a YANKEE in their midst, but I feel a Y'ALL comin' on and it needs to be allowed. Y'all, words cannot do this whole wedding thing justice. Cannot. That doesn't mean I won't TRY, but I'm just SAYING. I will not be able to capture even a tenth of it all, not even if I allow myself to be as cheesy as possible. It can't be done. Because on the one hand it was enormous and huge and now things are DIFFERENT and on the other hand it was so much just what was happening in...
