Happy Halloween!

We went back to the old neighborhood to trick-or-treat with old friends there. The oldest was a genie, the youngest a punk-rocker. Had a great time, except for the oldest one not feeling 100%. She's got a touch of something that's going around.

Got pics. Will put them up once I figure out where that wire that hooks the camera to the computer is...

Voila! Here they are - the punker and the genie:

Still trying to get it together

We finally managed to get the master bedroom painted. Dang! Who would paint a room brown? It took 3 coats of antique white eggshell to cover those brown walls and 2 coats to cover the white ceiling. The waterbed gets set up tonight - after Troll gets home from working on his day off. We'll have a bed soon!!!



We are full steam on school. The girls are enrolled in a choir at church, CCD classes, the homeschooler handbell choir, a co-op for Lancaster County home educated kids, they're loving archery, and they will be enrolled in a stroke improvement swimming class for homeschoolers soon. We are also signed up for several lectures at the local library. We attended a lecture last week on Benjamin Franklin - given by Richard Rosen. We loved it - a mixed crowd attended and my girls were only 2 of 3 kids in the audience - but this guy was great and they were fascinated by his presentation. I was, too!


My garage is still full of boxes that haven't been unpacked. I can't find my favorite Pyrex measuring cup - or my favorite set of mixing bowls. They're in there somewhere...


I found a job!! Troll, the girls, and I were strolling around window shopping and I was just saying to Troll, 'Where am I going to find a job that wants someone only 1 night per week?' Lo and behold - a help wanted sign - only 1 evening per week. They hired me on the spot and I love it so far. Better than chasing the crack-heads and fighting with the brothas and sistas cum attitude down at the corner store in the old neighborhood. It was getting bad down there with several threats on my life. lol. Just punks, but they sure do like trying to put the fear into you.


In short - it doesn't feel like home yet but we're very slowly getting there.

What Kind of Monster Are You?

You Are A Vampire

You have a real thirst for bliss, and you consider yourself a true hedonist. And you're not afraid to walk alone in life, if it means getting what you truly crave. You truly enjoy entrancing people. Not to mention the ensuing pleasures of the flesh. Your tastes have been called decadent and bizarre. You usually give in to your temptations, no matter how primal Your greatest power: Your flawless ability to seduce and charm Your greatest weakness: Human flesh You play well with: Werewolves

What Kind of Monster Are You?

So - I TOTALLY don't agree with this! I hardly EVER give in to my temptations. EVER!

7 Things

I got tagged by NBR, who has recently decided to homeschool her beautiful girls. I am glad for this little prompt, as I have been so overwhelmed by all of the changes in my life that I just cannot seem to write about all of the things going on in the world. There is a LOT going on in the world! LOL. Right now I'm dealing mainly with the rollercoaster emotions of my little ones, who are quite traumatized by the move. They're going to be fine - it's just hard going through this move for them. At times I've felt horrible for putting them through it but hopefully they will learn that they can do this - deal with these changes and deal with them well. We are in a different world out here! Poor little buggers. So - here's what I have to do: Tell you 7 things about me with a little explanation.

1. I have moved in excess of 10 times in my life. I had to figure this out because my youngest at times doesn't believe that she'll survive this. (That's just a bit of a dramatic way to describe her feelings..) Most of my moving was done after I left home at 17. When I was small, the moves were more of an exciting adventure to me. Except when I was in 2nd grade and we moved in the middle of the school year clear across the country and I burst into tears when the teacher introduced me to the class. She gave me a big hug - which I hear they are not allowed to do now.

2. I cross-stitch. Counted cross-stitch. It takes FOREVER to complete one. I can't imagine why I took up this hobby as I am very impatient and oftentimes don't complete other projects that I've started. I have several completed projects framed and on the walls.

3. I wish that Troll and I could take the girls on a round-the-world trip. It would be a great homeschooling exercise, wouldn't it?

4. I am 7th out of 8 kids. When I was 10 I wanted to get married and have 12 babies. Yikes!

5. Troll and I got married after knowing each other 1 week. After many fits and starts we have made it to almost 20 years. January 15th, 2008 will be our 20th. Twenty years goes fast!

6. I am a terrible cook, but a fantastic baker. Troll is a fantastic cook and a terrible baker. It's a good fit.

7. My family of origin all live within, like, 5 miles of each other. I live, like, over a thousand miles from them. I sometimes wonder what happened...

I'm not tagging anyone else. I'm just too TIRED to try to think of anyone right now.

Have a great day everyone!

We are officially NOT home owners!!

Yeeeeeeee-HAW. It's a done deal. We stuck it out, hung in there through the tough times, didn't abandon the house like we could have (and like several people on our block did do), and we are rewarded with a nice little capital gain that will be put away until the housing market calms down.

The girls start choir practice tonight. They both have friends making the long haul to visit over the weekend. Mom-Mom has worked her magic with the curtains. My kitchen is organized and put away. Things are shaping up.

God Bless America. God Save the Republic!!

Why America Feeds the World

The girlies and I witnessed this little marvel of modern technology do its thing today. The corn is dry enough and is now being harvested for feed. There WERE 85 acres of corn surrounding our little (big..) farmhouse. The hum of this baby woke us up today. Too much fun to watch - I tell you I've never seen anything like it in my life. This little puppy cuts several rows of corn down simultaneously, pulls the stalks underneath where the magic is worked. SOMEHOW it separates the corn kernels from the cobs, spits the kernels into a gigantic hopper, and when it's full that arm there zooms out and fills some big carts attached to a tractor. Then they get hauled away - no doubt to feed some sort of cattle that I might just be BBQ'ing in a few weeks. He got most of it done today. It looks like a few acres are left away across in a northwesterly direction. We're not in Philly anymore.

Almost 85 acres - one man in one day. God Bless America!!

Settlement Postponed AGAIN

This is a nightmare. Apparently I was incorrect in my earlier statement that our buyer was the problem. The mortgage broker, who asserted that it was the buyer that was the problem, was lying about that.

I really hate being jerked around.

So! One more time. If the settlement doesn't go Tuesday, we have a real problem on our hands.

UPDATE

I give up. No settlement again today. Everyone dropped the ball - including my agent. I mean, I know she's postpartum and all, but she needs to turn this deal over to someone else if she can't make a frigging phone call. The troublesome mortgage broker is acting like a frigging addict.

Unbelievable.

Thanks everyone for your encouraging words.