8-30-09

We really didn't intend to do so much this weekend. It just sorta happened. Last night we went out to dinner at a colleague's house so we had the night off from house renovations. We also watched a movie called... um... Tsotsi. Something like that. It was very moving. Anyway, here are some pictures of our renovation project today. First- the second layer of wallpaper (the first was a green and white stripe) and three found objects behind the bookcase we removed.

An arsty fartsy photo of the ladder in the doorway.

Dan working on something along the base of the wall. You can see that I had washed the lower half of the plaster.

Here I am washing more plaster. Next, I will patch the plaster cracks and holes while Dan makes replacement molding for the ceiling and floor and window.

8-28-09

Dan: What do you want to do this evening?
Me: I dunno. Watch a movie?
Dan: OK.

8pm
Chrissy: How long would it take for you to get rid of those book shelves in the dining room?
Dan: I dunno. A month maybe to do everything.
Chrissy: Well, I need it done by the time Vicki comes on the 14th.
Dan: Oh. Well, we could start tonight...

Two hours later....

Book shelves gone. 1927 wallpaper revealed!
To be continued!

8-27-09

Today was my first day teaching. To celebrate, Dan and I went out for BBQ dinner at our favorite sammich place. This is their t-shirt. Not sure I should get one.... but the dinner was delish. Afterwards we watched a very interesting Czech movie called "Something like Happiness."

8-26-09

Tomatoes! When we moved in there were four little barely distinguisable tomato plants which are now providing us with a plethora of small cherry tomatoes. Yum!!!

8-25-09

This is our new rain barrel called 'The Lily' because you can grow something in the top. We are going to grow mint so it won't escape and take over the yard, and use the water to keep the nice flowers alive during dry spells. It holds like 60 gallons or so.

8-24-09

Spent whole day volunteering with FUSION, an organization that gets students out into the community. We had something like 1300 students volunteer in dozens of organizations.

8-23-09

We have new flowers blooming in the yard. Autumn crocuses they are called. I'm so GLAD that Dan is home. We took Frisbee for his nightly walk/run and I got some cool photos of him running toward me. Here's one.

And on our walk I got a really colorful photo of this yellow flower. Black eyed susan or something. Today we did Farmers Market and Library. Cooked sausages on the grill and had zucchini with dill and sourcream for dinner. I'm sleepy and volunteer tomorrow with an organization at the University. Should be fun.

8-22-09

Dan came home from Colorado today and he brought me a gift. A rooster with a bell! I had to pick him up from the airport at 1am so really he got home tomorrow but whatever.

8-21-09

A day of meetings. I rode home on my bike, ate a sammich, savored some
icecream and put my feet up for a change.

8-20-09

This is smiling Squirt in his dorm room in Colorado. No, I'm not there. Dan took this photo. Dan also took the one of Jes on a hike they did, a very dangerous hike I only heard about after they returned, thankfully.

No, I'm not in Colorado. Today I spent at a new faculty meeting for the university. Afterwards I went to a reception to meet the President of the University. It was at the Faculty Club, very posh. I had a good time but have been fighting a migraine since 4am.

Fountain in the garden at the Faculty Club.

8-19-09

No meetings today. I spent the morning putting a box together for the squirt- clothes, skateboard, x-box, etc. and mailed it off to Colorado. Worked in my office all afternoon. One accomplishment was completing the shell collection box.

8-18-09

College of Education Retreat today. Here are the six math/science education female faculty. We don't look so geeky, do we? Retreat/meeting lasted all day.

8-16-09

Happy birthday little sister Sakura! Today Mom and HH and I went to an art show/sale. I bought a couple things for the garden. One is a glass mushroom and the other is a glass lilly that I'm supposed to feed butterflies with. you fill it with sugar water. I doubt I'll have the discipline, but it looks pretty.

Some white hostas are blooming and they are very pretty and smell nice.

Mom leaves in the morning. Tomorrow is my first day officially on the job.

8-15-09

Today Mom and HH and I went to an antique show. When we got back Squirt and Dan were getting his stuff ready for the flight to Colorado. His suitcase was too heavy- so he had to take out some stuff. We all drove to the airport together and it was so hard to say goodbye. I gave him lots of advice before he left. Hope he takes some of it. I won't see him again until Christmas. Today I looked and my nest was literally empty.

8-14-09

Aza left this morning. It was sad.

My mom arrived today with our family friend HH. She brought me gifts- this chicken dish cloth, a chicken thing you hang on the wall for dried flowers, and a stained glass thing for the window in the sun room. We had a wonderful dinner- me, Dan, Squirt, Mom, and HH. My favorite part of the meal was the corn salad.

8-13-09

Today Aza and I went shopping. We got some school clothes and picked up this frame from a used furniture store for a song. I matted and framed a painting I'd done of the field where we lived in Virginia. Squirt started doing his laundry today. As I suspected he had about three loads.

8-12-09

Contest: Name this botanical feature. Go ahead. Guess.

So, we had a Popsicle Party tonight and invited all our new neighbor friends. We had 21 people show up including a bunch of adorable little kids. Here's a shot one guest took of us four. So nice to have a photo of us together. We had dinner afterwards at Winchell's. It was a GOOD day!