Weekend Mayhem

Since our lives weren't interesting enough, I decided to stop in at Northside's ER Friday night due to some suddenly vanishing vision in my right eye followed by a couple other less than desireable symptoms. After a CT scan, we discovered that I have a brain, it looks normal, and I have perfectly normal migraines. What a relief. I find it hugely amusing to think, "Phew, I have normal migraines." I spent all of Saturday quite drugged, and have just had a constant headache on the subsequent days, but am only taking some advil. Perhaps I should go ahead and get on liver replacement lists.
In more interesting news, we checked out pop-ups on Saturday. We didn't end up buying the one I was hoping for- it was sold early Saturday morning before we got to see it! We are going to check out a much nicer one tonight. The best part- Jon is excited about seeing the Pop-up. He's decided that this is the kind of camping he can learn to enjoy!!

Daily Diary

Today was Aunt Lou's 24th birthday. We descended upon her modern upscale fancy schmancy office with balloons, a potted plant, gifts and ourselves- with lunch bag in hand. After seeing her office (perhaps a cube, but a large one with three giant windows), and after the kids had gone around and met everyone, we headed to the small but lovely lawn and spread out our picnic blanket. By the time we got to the cake, candles and noise makers, Lou was thoroughly mortified, Charles had discovered a myriad of bugs, bird feathers, and random gross objects, and Caroline was screeching about two innocent ants that walked over to find dropped cake crumbs. I'm rarely embarrassed, and I certainly don't see what's to be embarrassed about enjoying an outdoor lunch in wonderful weather on an otherwise unused lawn. Anyway, we made Aunt Lou's birthday unforgettable.

Camp Cooking

I've developed a week long menu which is easily transported and restocked on the road. I wonder if we will grow weary of the same menu each week. But the point of the trip is not food, the meals planned are tasty, and I guess that we just won't eat tuna sandwiches, hotdogs, or mac & cheese for the remainder of the year after returning home. If anyone has menu advice, has worked with dry ice for camping trips, or has tips for restocking on the road, I'd appreciate it! Most of the camp sites have a water spicket and an electrical outlet right there, and that makes things very easy. But there will of course be the campsite that is more pioneering and will require an open fire and a dutch oven, with dry ice keeping the hamburger frozen. A dutch oven is the most enviromentally friendly thing to clean, since you only use a scrubber and water. Soap is the worst thing that could happen to cast iron. Easier yet to clean up is a roasting fork-but I don't think I can endure hotdogs more than once a week. And what else can you really cook on a roasting fork?- well a marshmellow, obviously, but I'm talking entrees here....

Daily Diary

I posted pictures of the kids practicing this morning. If only I could post the accompanying sound track!

We had a little going away dinner for Curtis last night. Steak, shrimp, mashed potatoes, mixed veggies (I wanted to fix asparagus, but Publix was completely out), and fudge pie with icecream for dessert. A nice merlot rounded things out- the kids got water. :-) I got a little lump in my throat seeing Curtis walk out the door and down the street toward his house for the last time. Curtis is or was rather, Jon's workout buddy. Jon is going to have to find another.

I'm getting us registered for the second annual American Vision conference- held this year in Asheville, NC. Last year was the first, and we attended with two of the kids. It was wonderful- so this year we are taking the whole clan. We are going to camp, either in tents (less preferable) or the Pop-Up (very preferable) if I've bought it, but the vast majority of attendees stay in the hotels on the campus (Ridgeview). However, if we spend less on room and board, we can spend more on books and resources. If anyone is interested in the conference www.americanvision.org is where you find all the info, speakers, cost, etc.

Morning Sounds

Daily Diary

Last Monday Curtis applied for a job in Manhatten- well, a head hunter asked him if he were interested in a job there- at least that is how I supposed the thing went. Tuesday he had a phone interview, Wednesday he flew to Manhatten, Thursday he had a job offer, and Friday he accepted. So he leaves tomorrow at 12am- so tonight really. At first, I was just thoroughly happy for him. But this morning when he came by to close up some things, depression set in. Curtis is more like a well liked sibling than my husband's cousin. Sigh. I rather liked taking for granted that he lived two blocks away. It is going to be dreadful with him gone.

In other news, our downstairs floors are, I believe, the filthiest they've ever been. Vivian had to have a bath tonight before bed, if for no other reason, than because she had swiffered the nasty floors by way of drooling copiously and then swiffering her body and legs across the wet areas. She was really the dirtiest that she has ever been. Now she smells like lavender, and her fat little roly poly body, and clean pink cheeks make you want to give her great big squeezes- which I refrain from of course, since she probably would not like it.

Daily Diary

In my quest for the best method of hauling gear for our cross country trip, I began investigating the wonderful world of Pop-Up Campers simply because I was shocked at the high price of cargo trailers- you know, the kind that are open with a gate all the way around that you haul a piece of furniture or an ATV in. Back to the camper. Decent storage space, plus AC and heat, (which would rather negate the need for all the hot water bottles, knit caps and long underwear at night :-), and a kitchen set up that stays set up. The possibilities left me drooling. What convenience! I LOVE sleeping in a tent. But there are definite drawbacks when sleeping in a tent with 6 other people 10 years and younger. Plus setting up tents in the rain is stressful to say the least. Anyway, I've found a trailer for the price that I wanted- a 2002 model- and I found someone who is interested in buying it from me at the end of the summer! Of course, by then I may never want to part with it. Nonetheless, it would be at worst a 3 month investment where I would recoop my money at the end of the term. Sounds good. I'm going to check it out on Saturday since the owner is out of town until then. Saturday morning I have an event at the church, Saturday night we are going out for dinner with friends, Saturday afternoon I will be negotiating the price on a beeyewtifull camper. Which means no laundry is going to get done. Since Curtis is moving to Manhatten, maybe he'll let me store the camper in his garage until I leave for my trip. Mmmm.

By the way, does anyone want to buy our dining room furniture? Solid oak, built around 1917, 6 chairs, 4 leaves (though the table was built to only hold two leaves, so the other two are extras), the table is oval shaped, seats 8 nicely, and in beautiful condition. $500 takes it away. I'll even throw in a kid- namely Oliver. We had to replace our table with something that would actually accomodate our family. So we gave the kitchen table and chairs to my sister, moved the dining set to the garage until it sells, and purchased a beech table and ten chairs for the dining room. With the toddler chairs added, we can fit 12 at the table, though 10 is most comfortable. And where the kitchen table stood, I now have two wing chairs and a lamp table. Much more open, and very nice to sit in a wing chair while chatting with the person doing the dishes.