Living it up on Mica Peak

Time to blog

2011-11-02T17:03:00.000-07:00

Every 4 months or so...Halloween was very fun, Auntie C inspired this costume, borrowed from Uncle J. I've done a whole bunch of shows. Opening the last one in the endless lineup tomorrow, so hopefully I will be done next week! Looking forward to some downtime.
D started at his new school, he seems to be doing very well, but he misses the old one. We were so lucky to have such a great place to start his education, wish they just kept going through grade 12! We are in the market for some skis as he will be going with his school 4 times, and I'm sure 2nd hand are cheaper than 4 rentals. J & I should go too, it has been way too long.

Busy busy busy

2011-07-16T08:07:00.000-07:00

Why do I have less time in the summer?! I thought I'd have all this time to do stuff but I am mostly running the boy around to camp/playdates. So it's kinda my fault, but I really wanted him to not be as isolated this year, so there we go!

Soccer is over. Next week is video camp and then off to the Tetons before the Fireworks concert and more swim lessons. I have been really liking this swim teacher - HS guy with a pool in his yard, he's captain of the swim team and all that. Lots of fun, and D is thriving on the individual attention. Costs a bit more than the group lessons but so worth it, and we go when *I* have time. Nice.

J had his 51st this week, went to a lovely steak place we hadn't been to with ponytail-less B and P. I think he enjoyed it, and it was kind of a surprise. I told him I was dropping off D at 5 and I had a meeting, but when he came out I told him to get in the car and I whisked him away to parts unknown! Not very thrilling gifts (new pants, jerky and a book) but I am hoping to do a fun activity like kayaking the little Spokane this weekend. But that may be more of a present for ME, I think he wants to nap all weekend, given the choice!

Coat weather

2011-07-13T14:44:00.000-07:00

Middle of July and we're wearing our winter coats again...fun times. But this may be good because they seeded the lawn today(!!!) and I guess cool weather is best. In theory, we now have a sprinkler system and newly contoured acreage with lovely grass coming soon.

D has been busy with day camps this summer, 2 soccer camps, video game creating camp (next week), swimming lessons and a trip to grama and grampa's. We'll be going over to the Tetons to visit Auntie C, then the Catheyfest and Hoopfest on the coast! Go go go! Coming home just in time to play for a gig at the country club, and then symphony starts up again.

This fall D starts his new school, he met the teacher last spring, but then I found out there will be a new 4th grade teacher this fall. Kind of annoyed they didn't mention this, but hopefully we can meet his new teacher sometime this summer - I've heard she is lovely.

Seems like I should have more to report, but that's about it! Hoping to wear short sleeves before the end of July...

Sun Sun Sun

2011-05-04T16:57:00.000-07:00

FINALLY, a glorious spring day! No coat, no snow! Long time coming this year.

We picked a school for D, it is the private school much like the one he is going to now. I wish we liked the public school better but we don't. I understand the middle school is much better, so maybe he'll go there in a few years.

The wood is still on the truck and trailer, hopefully we can get that taken care of soon. I have lots of plans for the truck! Actually the great weather is just making me want to get things done.

We are trying to have a garden this year, so far we have tilled it. I suppose we should plant the seeds inside but it has been so yucky out I haven't felt like it. And I've been really busy playing. Hopefully we'll get that started this week.

REALLY want to get someone out to contour the lawn and put in the sprinkler system. This is apparently falling to me to decide since J is too busy, but I don't know what to ask for. So I'm just going to call the first entry in the phone book and call it good. This is ridiculous - our yard has been a mess for over 2 years.

And today I went door shopping! We need screen doors for the front door and new porch, and I want a solid door for the music room. Again, the addition has been done for 2 years now, so it seems like these things need to be done!

Registered D for a video game creation "camp" today - it is one week in July (3 hours/day) He is very excited about this, and had no interest at all in the robot camp I thought he would like. So we'll see! We're going to real family sleep over camp on Mem weekend with brother C and his family - it is far (as everything seems to be!) 6+ hours, but hopefully it will be a good experience. I am taking 2 days off the show (had to hire a sub) and J has to take Friday off. D will also miss school that Friday - this better be good!~

Fun fun fun

2011-04-02T08:24:00.000-07:00

So far we have made no further progress on the school for D. since this is Spring Break we can't really do much til mid-April.

Speaking of Spring Break, we are planning a wood-gathering visit down south next weekend! J is swamped at work so we are home for the rest of it though. D & I might make a daytrip somewhere if we get inspired, but no brilliant plans. He's all set though - 8 new giant atlases from the library!

New school

2011-03-27T09:39:00.000-07:00

So we've been putting off the inevitable for a long time, but Ds school ends with 3rd grade, so we have to decide where he's going next year. Soon! This week I finally went to a couple of schools (including the public one), and that opens a whole 'nother can of worms.

Apparently the FOLLOWING year (5th grade) there are several public magnet schools that ONLY take kids starting in 5th grade. So if he goes to one of those, we are looking at only a one year time at whichever school. Of course, none of the magnet schools have a 4th grade.

Our public school has "open-concept" classrooms, which seem icky but I've never actually experienced them. Also each class has 25-28 kids, but since it is open concept there are really about 100 kids in each room (with 4 teachers). That is a huge difference from where he's been, but it's already paid for!

Private school #1 is very much like where he's been going, but about 2ce as big. Also more expensive. AND it only goes through 5th grade, although it sounds like most of their students go to the magnet schools at 5th grade. It would probably be a good fit, as it is very close to Js work (we'd have to drive him).

Public School #2 (out of district) has an excellent gifted program. He has taken the test and may or may not qualify to be in, and if he does we would be at the bottom of the list (very limited space) as we are out of district. That also means we have to drive him, it is by the Costco - which means about an hour of driving round trip. Not the worst, but every day that gets really old.

Private School #2 is a Christian school, and I'm kinda not wild about the religious aspect of it, but I'm more worried about the academic part. Haven't actually gone to this one yet, they seem really unorganized and that also makes me nervous (doesn't everything?) It would probably be slightly cheaper than the other private school. It is farther away but not as far as the OOD public school.

There are other options (like homeschool - argh!!!) but they are even more driving, and I am just hating the idea of him commuting for 2 hours every day at 10.

We are sick...

2011-02-26T09:18:00.000-08:00

Back from our southern california excursion - but all three of us are sick. And it is a delightful 5 degrees right now, up from the negative numbers of the night hours. So we're not really getting a lot done these days. I would feel guilty if I could focus on anything besides breathing...

Disneyland was very fun, although really wet! We got in about noon the first day, and my friend J took us over to the park for a little tour before he went back to work. We did have rain ponchos (excellent purchase!). We tried the Fast Pass ticket option (awesome), available for the most popular rides, for Soarin Over California which is like a hanglider ride. Really cool, D loved it. We stood in line for an hour (in the rain) to see World of Color which was cancelled.

Did eventually see the World of Color 3 times - amazing water/music/light show. They also projected images on the spray, and incorporated the lights from the ferris wheel behind - really worth seeing.

Went down to San Diego to SeaWorld, the whale show was great, but I was kinda disappointed with the aquariums.

D was not enthusiastic about the whole trip, but he ended up really liking most of it (except Space Mountain, the worst experience of his short life). World of Color, Matterhorn and Pirate Island were favs.

10 years of wedded bliss

2011-01-16T13:22:00.000-08:00

Well, our big anniversary came and went in Dec, but we finally got around to a bit of celebrating! This weekend D had a sleepover for his friend's birthday, and I decided we should take advantage of the child-free time. We booked a room at the snazzy hotel on the lake and went to romantic dinner at the floating restaurant. Lots o fun, even though we were on a pretty tight schedule for getting back in the morning.

Since it has been ages since I posted to the non-music blog, I will try to bring it up to date. If anyone missed our fabulous end-of-year missive, here is the link:
http://userweb.windwireless.net/~jimc/xmas/Xmas2010.jpg

We visited MANY people up and down the I-5 corridor the week after Xmas, Grampa C was up from AZ and we got to see most of the cuzinz on that side of the family first, north for all the cuzinz on my side of the family. We took in a museum with miniature trains, and a trip to a huge car museum, but probably Ds highlight of the trip (aside from cuzin time) was going to the Japanese steakhouse. One of those places where the chef puts on a show while you all sit around the grill - lots of flame and flipping of knives etc. Our guy ate a HUGE amount, the seafood platter including lobster, shrimp and mussels. Of course I had steak (it IS a steak house, right?!).

I've been treading a lot, really need to do more as it is obvious the treading is NOT enough. Considering joining (re-joining?) a gym. Of course then you have to fit into their schedule, but it's probably worth it even if I only go 8x a month. Of course it is cheaper exercise at home, and easier to fit in the schedule, but also easier to NOT exercise. Will contemplate.

This year we are going to have the boat. J has agreed to have a "boat man" work on it, and I have a lead on a good one. So hopefully we will really get it out on the water, since it is kinda silly to have a boat that is just a giant planter out by the garage. Also hoping to get noticeable work done in the yard, contouring and sprinkler system put in with grass. We'll see how that pans out.

Another birthday approacheth...

2010-10-13T12:28:00.000-07:00

For the boy, not me. He will be 9 this time, and this weekend we're going to that lovely oasis in the middle of the state to celebrate with cousins. Fun fun fun! We are probably taking the Ant RV for its last excursion this year.

NEXT weekend is the Laserquest party - which is apparently the talk of the school. I was wondering if we should invite the girls (what WAS I thinking????) but they are all really into it. Probably we won't want to compare accuracy scores with my little Einstein, but maybe he has improved since last year.

Driveway is lovely, I took a picture but of course the camera is .... somewhere in the house. Huh. Anyway, we are now consulting with Sprinkler Man, hoping to get the sprinkler system back online for next year (only two years after completing the west wing)

Started burning today. J is very unhappy that I'm using HIS wood, but he gets to spend his days in the nice HEATED office! So unless he wants me to go to the nice HEATED mall to keep warm, he should be happy I'm at home burning wood. hehehe

driveway

2010-09-21T23:39:00.000-07:00

For any interested parties - we finally decided to chipseal the driveway! If you have been here during the Rainy Season you will be appropriately grateful. Right at this moment the drive has been excavated about 1 foot and is partly filled with big chunks of asphalt (I think it's asphalt) and part of THAT is covered with ground up asphalt. It is pretty bumpy right now - but supposedly they will be done by the end of the week!

D is in third grade now, I have pix somewhere and I will try to get them up soon. At the moment (soon to change) he is into France and all battle related French things. Today his class to a field trip to the local car salvage company - J's favorite place - and we got to watch them crush 4 cars. Fun times.

We finally found an acceptable piece of furniture for the new living room to put the tv on, so that meant we had to go buy a big tv! The furniture was from a "goodwill" type place, but we have been looking for ages and nothing new was the right thing. This will do for now, and it has the added bonus of being cheap, AND on wheels (J loves that part). The tv is awesome, although J doesn't like the CC (too small). He loves to watch with the sound off. I hate that.

I'm playing an opera now (which you know if you read the music blog), and am trying to schedule our vacations! P is coming to visit for over a week at Thanksgiving (!!!) and C is probably coming after Christmas - can't wait. We will probably have D's party at in the middle of the state at C's new house, but that is still a bit up in the air. No actual dates have been discussed. I think we'll also have a "school buddies" party at the laser gun place.

Visiting!

2010-08-31T10:12:00.000-07:00

Crazy family visiting! So glad we got to see so many people this summer. I can't even remember everything (hopefully someone can, or what a waste of time) but in August we started out meeting the Hs in Leavenworth, at a rental house with a pool! Fun times, the kids were impervious to its icy temperature, and even the old people got in by afternoons. Good idea mom!

From there we proceeded to Onalaska for the fest of Js family, rain rain rain! D left his coat at home on the bed (don't forget to pack this!) so he was wearing my giant sweatshirt and a slicker grampa found in the camper from dear grama. The boys had a brilliant time "hunting" in the woods for...what, probably cathaginian soldiers or something. Many sticks were called into service as spears and guns. The rest of us huddled under awnings and drank lots of coffee. And visited, great visiting!

Then we went directly to the beach - Cs have a cabin in Long Beach and grampa and L came out the 2nd day. Lovely time, but rain again. J remembers that being "beach weather" anyway, so it was good. We bought lots of books at the new used bookstore, hopefully it will still be around next time we go.

After the beach we met mom and dad in Morton and dropped off D for a few days of GramaTime. Never enough (so she says), but I think they made the most of it - and on the weekend they drove over to our place where the other H reletives were gathering! We had a lovely time with P&G, over from HA and M&D who we see more often but never enough (sense a theme here?) A caravan trip to Greenbluff (local farm community) was one of the highlights, eating out on our awesome new deck with the snazzy gazebo (which hasn't blown over yet, although I'm holding my breath!) and trips to the park. M was kind enough to actually take photos, these are in Manito Park. I don't think my camera made it out of the bag - but in another life I'll get to all that!

Catching fish

Not quite Hawaii

Dusting off my blog

2010-07-14T05:38:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it has been 6 MONTHS since I posted here... this (for anyone who doesn't remember) is the non-musical family happenings blog. And lots of things have happened in our family - but skipping all that for now!

Today is actually my darlin's big b-day - he is NOT happy about this marker of time. AND he has a cold threatening. Poor baby. Because I love him I will not post the lovely photo I took this morning. We had a wee celebration last weekend, just a bbq with the neighbors, but there was ice cream cake! Tonight I have rehearsal which is too bad, but I'm sure the celebrations will continue as we approach the family gatherings in August...

Tomorrow we are headed off on a family trip (ok it is totally for me so I can play with in Helena, I guess I'm an emergency sub) - they are putting us up at the college there in a suite. Should be fun, D wants to go to the sapphire mine where apparently they let you look for gems. They have a great city pool with all that "stuff" kids like - slides and dumping buckets and sprayers. I believe you can also swim there.

The kayaks are still on top of the camper, so maybe we are taking them - there are several lakes in the area that look promising. D had his first solo kayak experience in the Tetons last month, he did great (til his wee arms got tired). And our plan is to go up through Glacier on our way home Sunday (and maybe Monday).

On the homefront - we got a pavilion tent thingy for our new deck! It is quite large, and I love it - we dithered about buying one, or building some sort of pergola, or doing nothing at all... J put it up all by himself (crazy man) and of course the day after we got the biggest windstorm we've had for ages - I was so worried it would just rip itself apart! But it survived and it looks great, and the shade in the afternoon is great but there are still sunny places if you like sun...yay!

home stuff

2010-01-17T06:06:00.000-08:00

Not much has been happening on the home front - so most of my writing has been to the music blog. But I thought I'd plop a few items out here just for fun. Yesterday was Ds best friend's birthday party - a Star wars theme. Gak! Funny that a couple of the kids invited had NEVER seen Star Wars, which rather handicapped them in the trivia games - but I think they all had fun. We ended up staying and ordering pizza, having lovely adult conversation (not x-rated, just talking with other grownups!), and terrible armenian wine (followed by some really excellent california wine).

I still have the Christmas decorations up, really MUST take down the tree but I don't want to (whine whine whine). If I get the tree down, I will have room for my new recliner (which is not purchased or even chosen yet, but I want one). So that is kinda fun to consider. Other thrilling items I can't believe we still haven't bought: new bed! Our bed has a broken boxspring and it makes this groaning sound every time J gets in (hahaha). As the world's worst shopper I am completely unable to buy us a new bed. I would just buy the one at Costco but it has been deemed "too pillowy" and he won't even try it. I think he should sleep on the floor (not pillowy) and I'll just get what I want (whatever that is).

Also, my phone is dead and I am actually borrowing one from the ATT store. So nice of them, but I am feeling guilty now it has been 3 months. But of course it is more than just buying a phone, we really need to look at our plan, which J NEVER uses, but we are paying a ton for having 2 phones. He wants to keep his razor phone so he won't go on a pay as you go plan, but it seems silly to spend $500/year for him to keep his stupid phone he never uses. So we go round and round and have never actually gone to the phone store to resolve anything. *sigh*

Christmas meme

2009-12-21T22:31:00.000-08:00

It has been forever since I've posted to my "home" blog, so here is something fun. I plan to put our yearly letter (christmas letter implies it would be done before Christmas...) up soon, but not too soon! Stay tuned.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate?
Duh! I actually bought eggnog as a special treat for J, and he informed me he hated eggnog (as do I). D said he would try it, took one sip and announced "well, it's family tradition! We all hate eggnog!"

2. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Gift bags, recycled cuz I'm cheap.

3. Real tree or artificial?
Real. Fake trees aren't trees. And preferrably the real tree from our property that we cut ourselves (even if it looks pretty Charlie-brown-y)

4. Colored lights on tree/house or white?
Both! Tastefully arranged of course.

5. How do you decorate your Christmas tree?
Lights first, then garlands, then ornaments. Then more lights (cuz it looks thin) and a few more garlands (to fill out here and there) and more ornaments. Usually at this point our poor little tree is sagging all over.

6. Do you hang mistletoe?
No.

7. Do you have a nativity scene?
Several. We like to insert action figures also. This year one of the kings is playing the Hallmark player piano ornament.

8. Mail or email Christmas cards?
Would love to mail, but my cheapness factor is making me balk. Of course, we haven't actually WRITTEN the card/letter thing yet, but I figure by the end of January is fine. And this year the plan is for electronic distribution.

9. What is your favorite holiday dish?
I love most food - don't really have a favorite. Do like J's deep fried turkey (was awesome this year).

10. Favorite Holiday memory as a child?
Huh. I guess a standout it the new bike year (6?) and just going to grama's in general most years. Also the Christmas in Hawaii.

11. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa?
Don't really remember - but I do recall blowing that myth for a family friend and the mother having a cow! I was so embarrassed (probably 9-10 yo)

12. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve?
Sometimes, but we're usually too busy.

13. Snow! Love it or Dread it?
Love snow, hate driving in Bad Snow/Ice. Like last year when we got 4 feet. FEET. Inches are fine, but feet not so good. It was beautiful though.

14. Have you ever recycled a gift?
Frequently! J says I'm his recycled gift.

15. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you?
Here's one where you have the "good" answer and the "real" answer! I love playing Christmas gigs, and it isn't Christmas without at least one Messiah. I love the last gig being over and the sense of relief I get before I realize I've put off all the gift buying and now I have 2 days to do it all. I love getting the perfect present for someone - even better than getting the perfect present. I love the quiet moments when we can all relax and do puzzles or other mindless activities we never do the rest of the year.

16. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert?
Something chocolate. Maybe SIL's homemade English toffee. TO DIE FOR.

17. What is your favorite holiday tradition?
Decorating. Visiting. Eating. Music. I love it all.

18. What tops your tree?
Star.

19. Favorite Christmas Show?
Love Actually. Or Christmas Story. Or Scrooged

20. Saddest Christmas Song?
In the Bleak Midwinter

21. What is your favorite Christmas Holiday Song?
I love great (not cheesy) arrangements of many old hymns - am missing that aspect of being a church musician this year. The funnest thing I did with the bells was Trans-Siberian Orchestra's Wizards of Winter. Loved playing all the Mannheim Steamroller stuff this year - on their actual Christmas concert (with them!); Amahl and the Night Visitors has a great oboe part, and the Russian Christmas Music is fantastic. Even love the Nutcracker although it is overplayed.

Greenacres Next Top Model

2009-10-28T14:14:00.000-07:00

Be amazed - I am now a PAID model! Ok, paid with coffee and lunch, but still...

My neighbor is teaching a drawing class, and she wanted a "movement" model (fully clothed of course). So I walked around the classroom while the students tried to sketch movement. It was quite interesting, and it was fun hanging out with my artsy neighbor!

Other than that, Mr. D is now EIGHT! Hard to believe how time has flown, his school pictures are today so I will post those when we get them. Right now he is into bugs, and he will not hesitate to tell you he is an expert. Jim is sure he will never have a girlfriend at this rate! I remind him that HE managed to land one (myself), and he continues to be a total nerd. Awwww.

J and V came with their 3 for a weekend earlier this month, and mom and dad are coming with C and his family in two weeks. This weekend is Halloween (D wants to be a bug/native American with African influences/bat winged creature) and after the festivities we are swooping over to Lake Chelan for an overnight with Grampa G and L. Should be fun, hope we avoid the snow!

1st day of 2nd grade!

2009-09-02T09:32:00.000-07:00

So our boy is getting all grown up - 2nd grade today. He will have the same teachers as last year, still going to the wonderful little school in the valley. Here he is, solo and with daddy as they head off.

vacations!

2009-07-30T13:55:00.000-07:00

In all the craziness it is suddenly time for vacation! Today was supposed to be the last day of swimming, but for some reason the pool was "unbalanced" and they canceled til tomorrow. So daddy will have to pick D up from the neighbors and take him (fun). Because tomorrow is the day K and I go to the Tetons! Girl weekend here we come. Of course the timing is terrible, because the next weekend is my family reunion at the beach (which should be delightful also) AND the audition which is right after I get back! So hopefully I won't be too awful to be around, and I'll get good practicing as well as good visiting in. I swear I don't plan the auditions to fall right after vacations, it just keeps happening that way.

new dog

2009-07-17T22:34:00.000-07:00

I guess I haven't mentioned the fact that another dog has been left with us. It appears that he was dumped on our road (same as Donna 3 years ago) and he is the same age she was - around 8 months. Weird. Also strange is that they look like twins - black lab-like with white chest markings. So alike that the person who found the dog thought it was Donna and brought him up to our place!

Since Donna was there in the driveway, it was pretty obviously not her. Also the male factor, and the age were good clues. But the "finder person" was going to take him to the vet, where they only can hold lost pets for 3 days. She was willing to make posters to put around the neighborhood, and we agreed to keep the dog if/until the owner called. We also advertised on Craiglist, but no one called, so last week we took "Darwin" to the vet for the big snip-snip.

Darwin is not the smartest of dogs. The day after the vet experience he discovered a new species: porcupines! Both he and Donna had a face full of quills. Fun. A couple years ago we took our first dog to the vet for porcupine quills and it was $300! Since then we (mostly J) pull them out ourselves. The dogs aren't happy at the time, but they keep going back for more! And indeed, Darwin was quillful again the next day (yesterday). Hopefully he is getting a clue, but I'm not holding my breath.

ha!

2009-07-11T08:16:00.000-07:00

Ok a month later and I'm at exactly the same place with the house! That is sad, and it will be my goal to muck out the living room by the end of July.

D is out of school now - next fall he starts 2nd grade! We have done one session of swimming lessons, I was not really thinking he would be into that, but he did great! He's kind of timid about new things, but armed with grama's goggles (thanx G!) he was a little tadpole. We are signed up for another 2 week session for the end of July. Last week he did a 1 hour a day drawing class - not as instructive as we had hoped for but he had fun and drew lots of obscure prehistoric insects (the new obsession).

We did have a crazy driving marathon for the 4th - went to J's old stomping ground (the farm) on Thursday night (after swimming lessons), Friday we drove on the the beach house and grampa joined us there. It was really great, we had a fun time and D tried oysters for the first time and loved them. Nasty. We went to the beach and D had a shovel - spent the whole time digging little nature displays (his words) and putting pieces of shells, sticks and one dead fish (very small) in them. When J found the dead fish D was so excited, and as we left he said "This is the best day of my life!" Awwww.

Of course then we headed back for the farm and fireworks with Uncle S (Boom-Boom). This is a neighborhood effort, usually held at another farm. The boyz really go crazy and the display rivals that of many towns. Also LOTS of fireworks - went on from kid stuff during dinner, big stuff starting about 10 til 12:30 in the morning!

The next morning we headed back home in HOT weather, fortunately we had missed most of the heat at the beach (only staying at the farm in the evening) but I was really grateful for the A/C in the car! Looking forward to getting some stuff done around the house (yeah right) and the Fireworks Concert coming right up (last Sunday of July).

rats in a maze

2009-06-06T17:44:00.000-07:00

We are at the stage of "decorating" the house, and "landscaping" the yard. These are in quotes because I am trying to do this for no money! Additionally I am really trying NOT to buy additional furniture since we have SO MUCH STUFF! Of course this is a problem if you need a storage containment unit, so we may end up buying some things after all.

I'd really like a system for the DVDs, we have hundreds and they are in a motley assortment of racks. As you know I love the mission style and we have one closed mission style DVD case, would love to have more or build some that "go". If we build something it will just be open like a bookshelf. J is getting really frustrated that we aren't moving stuff into place, but he WON'T move furniture once it is situated, so I have one shot. And until we get the furniture up there and see how it fits I don't know where to put his stupid bookcase. This is the bc full of "decorative books. I hate "books for show", but if he wants them it's ok. Kind of like a painting I don't like, or the chair he doesn't want (what am I saying, he wants everything!)

The yard is insane - all kinda beat up from the earth moving. Our neighbor may help us since he is a master garden and will work for cheaper than a landscaper. The sort of plan is to get fill and top soil and smooth it all out with the tractor. Then put in the sprinkler system. Then plant or sod a lawn (this could be next year). I actually sprinkled grass seed over the lawn area (which is all rocky and lumpy) just so we wouldn't have a field of mud. We'll see what happens!

pix finally

2009-05-26T05:56:00.000-07:00

Here are some pix of the house - now that the guys are all "done" it seems harder to get things in shape than I expected! The porch is great and while the lawn is a disaster, not much to do on the actual porch. I love it.

The "library" was Js old office and he hates having to walk 12 steps to his new area, I really like how this space is kind of restful and welcoming. You may not be able to tell that from a photo, but if you ever saw Js old office, restful and welcoming it was not. (sorry hon, just the way it is) His new space looks great.

The "pink room" is no longer pink. It is so hard to capture the space with my little camera, but this room looks great. I'd like to stay here! So get ready to come see us.

finally

2009-05-05T13:16:00.000-07:00

Ok, I am so tired! I thought once the carpet was in the house would be "done" but apparently this is just the tip of the iceberg. Now we have to move all the stuff back! Way bigger chore than I anticipated. So - here are some shots with minimal furniture, but at least you get the idea!

This is the new dining room (old living room)

Jim's new office (possibly) - where the old dining room used to be off the kitchen - hoping his desk won't be as apparent here...

And the "library" Jim's old office - imagine more bookcases along the wall, but at least you can see the colors.

house update

2009-05-01T10:18:00.001-07:00

Well, in the wreck of clutter that is our home right now (yes, I know it's hard to tell from the usual state of things!) I appear to have lost my camera. I'm sure it is somewhere not too far off, but no pics today.

Things are really starting to wrap up - we have all new carpet (complete with annoying seam, don't get me started on that), gutters, sealer on all the wood outside, and as a bonus K is putting in our swamp cooler that has been languishing on the back porch for two years. Yay! And except for the disappointment with the carpet people and the lack of resolution there, everything looks really good (just imagine there is a pic here). Hopefully I'll find the camera soon and you will all be amazed!

New stove!

2009-04-03T17:20:00.000-07:00

Today it snowed again - not as much but I was worried about the stove guys crawling around on the roof. But they did fine and our beautiful new stove is all in! I had it painted honeygold brown; don't know if you will get the real color from the computer (depends how well your screen is calibrated, probably not great) but this should give you the idea. I think it looks great with the rocks, so you get two shots.

so tired

2009-04-02T17:57:00.000-07:00

Double click on the picture to see it bigger (at least this worked for me!)

I am sort of sick of winter - today we woke up to 4 more inches of snow! It is April here people! Grrr. And I guess I'm wishing for a fun getaway - somewhere warm with room service. Of course J would hate that...The rock guys are pretty much done - still putting in mortar in places, but all the rocks are "up". The paint is mostly done in the new downstairs - still waiting on the stain which is all upstairs. I would post more pix but I'm having some computer issues right at the moment; mostly the usual "photo computer" is now Kasjakstan research central (guess who).

Argh!!!

2009-03-10T12:20:00.000-07:00

So many decisions! New carpet, paint, tile, rocks. Cool. But, to put in new carpet, paint, tile and rocks one first has to remove all old items from the rooms (everywhere the orange carpet is, plus the pink room). Of course these rooms are crammed with junk, and Someone Who Shall Remain Nameless won't go through his stuff. There is a time issue. Kind of terrifying! Somehow it will all get done I'm sure, but right now I may be getting an ulcer.

2009-03-03T08:48:00.001-08:00

Probably most of you won't even be able to "spot the differences" (like in those pictures for kids) between today's pics and the ones I posted yesterday - but I can tell! So here are some more.

First is from the deck looking through the french doors and out the big windows so you can kinda see the view...

Then downstairs below the big windows (with the old front door) - I just love how under the deck is turning out too.

And the front shot - the siding makes it look so much better; and hopefully the "rock man" is coming next week.

Its happening so fast!

2009-03-02T13:29:00.000-08:00

So I almost don't want to post these because they are already out-of-date; but oh well. I'll take more tomorrow (maybe)! As near as I can tell (cuz my server doesn't let me lay out the photos very easily) the pics are: the front door from the porch, the front door from inside, the back door (which used to be the front door), under the deck (with the dog), and the front view.

Another pic

2009-02-15T11:48:00.000-08:00

Another update on the addition...although right this moment we have about an inch of snow all over things. It didn't seem to enhance the look, so I just went with the pic I shot Friday. It is really cool that we can go up on the deck (easily) and I can envision the railings and stone around the columns - then I get all overwhelmed about decision-making. Seems like things are moving fast now!

Books

2009-02-10T20:48:00.000-08:00

Wow, I see the picture I posted last week and realize we need to get an update up there! But that will wait until tomorrow, for now I have this somewhat disturbing list of books I haven't read too many of:

Big Read reckons that the average adult has only read 6 of the top 100 books they've printed.
Instructions:
Look at the list and color red those you have read.
Italicize the books you LOVE or if you can't put a note at the end.
I am adding those that I have partially read in bold.

1.Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4. Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6. The Bible
7. Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8. Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9. His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11. Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12. Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13. Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14. Complete Works of Shakespeare
15. Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16. The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17. Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18. Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19. The Time Traveller's Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20. Middlemarch - George Eliot
21. Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22. The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23. Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24. War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25. The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26. Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27. Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28. Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29. Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
30. The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32. David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33. Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis
34. Emma - Jane Austen
35. Persuasion - Jane Austen
36. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe - CS Lewis
37. The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38. Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39. Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40. Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41. Animal Farm - George Orwell
42. The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43. One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44. A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving
45. The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46. Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47. Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48. The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood
49. Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50. Atonement - Ian McEwan
51. Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52. Dune - Frank Herbert
53. Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54. Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55. A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56. The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57. A Tale of Two Cities - Charles Dickens
58. A Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60. Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62. Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63. The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64. The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65. Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66. On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67. Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68. Bridget Jones's Diary - Helen Fielding
69. Midnight's Children - Salman Rushdie
70. Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71. Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens
72. Dracula - Bram Stoker
73. The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74. Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75. Ulysses - James Joyce
76. The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77. Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78. Germinal - Emile Zola
79. Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80. Possession - AS Byatt
81. A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens
82. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83. The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84. The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85. Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86. A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87. Charlotte's Web - EB White
88. The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89. Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90. The Faraway Tree Collection
91. Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92. The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93. The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94. Watership Down - Richard Adams
95. A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96. A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97. The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98. Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100. Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

2nd floor

2009-01-29T08:59:00.000-08:00

Promised picture! Notice my fabulous porch! It will go all the way down the front, then steps up to the (non-exsistant as yet) deck. Apparently our house is completely not square, and it seems they did not measure anything. The roof is 2 inches shorter on one side than the other - good thing they didn't get the prefabbed trusses! Also see how the entry is 4 feet out, so the new door will be in a different place. Anyone who has been to the house will appreciate being able to walk in and close the door before going up the steps!

porch!!

2009-01-28T17:59:00.000-08:00

I am so excited because we can walk in the front door again; and it goes out to (part) of our new porch! It is turning out great (although I think we could have had narrow windows in the basement...but oh well). I will try to post some pics tomorrow, right now the two floors are framed with boards over the solid parts (so you can see all the windows/doors). Next I think is the roof.

pics!

2009-01-23T16:50:00.001-08:00

I promised some pics so here they are: first just after they poured the footings last week:

and then today some of the framing - they are making a ton of progress (but it is supposed to snow tonight...)

and just because heres the king of the hill with the fabulous "new" snowblower.

Concrete

2009-01-21T12:14:00.000-08:00

Today they poured the floor for the west wing! They did the footings last week, and this should be the last of the concrete work. Now it can snow (and apparently it will!) without bothering the project too much. Our contractor was going insane with the 5 feet of snow we had in Dec - it's still heaped up all around but the roads are all clear. Inside I haven't done as well, I have all these ideas for where to put the piles of stuff, but we don't have the space yet. Also it is time to decide on carpeting and rocks (for the fireplace and porch), and paint etc. So if you have any ideas let me know!

Remodeling news

2008-11-27T23:49:00.000-08:00

I must post more often here - the laundry room is done and glorious. At least nice. And someday I will move all the stuff piled in the garage back into the room. Maybe. Some of it.

But in larger news, we are adding on the West Wing! J has wanted to do this from when he moved in (15 years ago). It will be a larger living room with somewhat vaulted ceiling (not a big peak, but higher than our other ceilings). Also there will be a "bedroom" and office below the LR. Best of all the entryway will be pushed out 4 feet and a new door will open onto the fabulous new front porch! I think it will look great, always wanted a porch and bigger entry. And there will be steps up to the new deck which will be outside the LR, and connect to the rest of the wrap around deck on the back of the house. So exciting, and I think the contractor is a good guy.

american consumer

2008-10-07T14:21:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm doing my bit to help the economy. I decided they will never have the sizes of rugs I want in Not-so-big City, so I just ordered a bunch of stuff online. Hopefully they will be close to the right color. Since it is for the laundry room I'm not that picky, but I did pay more for the rugs than anything else (except the washer). J worked on the dryer vent thing this am, it stuck into the room about a foot, and the way things hooked together it was about 3 feet away from the washer. NOW it looks perfect, is about a foot away and exactly the right amount for my wheely cart I bought for soap and stuff. AND the recycle bins fit EXACTLY into the space between the dryer and the cabinet. It is meant to be. Really excited for guests to come (M&D were first, but it is much better now)! Now I must pick up the child from school...

moving into the 21st century (slowly...)

2008-10-06T21:30:00.000-07:00

Today I finally applied for our TV Converter Box Coupons - since we have rabbit ears or nothing on our tvs, I expect we won't be watching much after Feb anyway. But at least now we have $80 of coupons coming. Then, of course we'll have to hook up all those fun devices. And then, J tells me, none of our recording devices will work (automatically anyway). Which is a drag, because that is my favorite thing about the tv now, watching previously taped shows when I want! Oh well.

Ds eye appt

2008-09-30T19:37:00.000-07:00

Well, I haven't posted here in forever, but I decided to separate my "work" and "family" blogs once again. They kinda merge, but there is a lot of stuff that is pretty separate. Today D had an appt with an opthomologist - his primary care physician said his eyes MIGHT not be tracking together. So the specialist - and he is perfect in every way! Yay - 20/20 vision in both eyes (how did THAT happen, everyone else in the family is blind)

When I picked him up at school today, the parking lot was so warm. This is my favorite time of year, and I think today is the last sunny day - they are predicting rain and a big temp drop tomorrow. As usual, I wish I had spent more time outside, we haven't even gone to the trail this year (for bikeriding). Sometimes I feel so isolated here.

Family visit

2008-07-13T09:26:00.000-07:00

Well, part one of the family influx is complete - auntie A and her entourage of young men (3 - 16 year olds) have come and gone. We had a lovely time and now we have tons of leftover food. But not too much, they can pack it away! Our neighbor 15 year old boy came with us to the theme park and it was great, D had a fun time in the water park and the boys all rode the scary big coasters and slides and things. I had to leave at 4 as I had the show (of course) but that was a good day for my little guy, the big boys stayed with auntie until 10.

Anyway, the next invasion (?!) begins Wednesday with my parents and Js family - C will be coming Friday night. We are all staying at a rental on the lake about 40 m from our house, I am worried about mom and the steps to the dock. But I suppose it will all work out. With Js three little dudes (one Ds age 2 younger) we are going back to the theme park. The small kid facilites are GREAT!!! D & F take note, Devon would love this.

b-b-b-b-b-brrrum

2008-07-09T21:46:00.000-07:00

Wow, it has been ages since I've blogged on my non-music site, when I'm doing a show seems like it consumes my life. Even though I HAVE been doing a lot of stuff, like today I did 8 loads of laundry (nearly done!).

But we do have news - FINALLY, we actually took the boat out and after a minor altercation with the Fish & Wildlife police (re: parking permits which you have to drive 20 miles to purchase) we floated and drove and all that stuff! Fun. Sort of. I was kind of terrified it would blow up at any moment, but we all survived. Seemed to behave just fine.

D loved it; cousin Ben and auntie Alex are arriving tomorrow and they may go out with J on Saturday. I am playing all afternoon and then La Cage, funny Alex wanted to go which is great, but she wanted to sit with me. I'm like, sorry I'll be in the pit, and then she said she would just watch me play! I said she wouldn't be able to see me due to the pit, which is an actual pit meaning a deep hole; and apparently she's never been to a show with a pit where you couldn't see the musicians! Weird. I've done my share of shows in shallow pits, even one we called a "corral" because they just put a fence around us, and some where we played on stage...hopefully this will broaden her horizons.

Vacation!

2008-06-23T17:13:00.000-07:00

A lot has happened since I blogged! Went to Seattle on Fathers Day, just me and D. Of course we get a flat in the middle of nowhere, but I'm proud to report that I was able to change it myself (with 4 calls to Jim's Tech Support). A kind man tightened the lug nuts as I was practically done when he stopped, but I felt safer knowing a man tightened them. Got to my folks that night, and my flight to Wyoming was the next day. My poor mom still had 2 days of school (and then endless packing as she retired), so dad took me and D to the airport. They hung around until I cleared security, and then I think they went to get new tires for my car! Yay. Something we'd been meaning to do...

FAB time in WY, C is the best hostess ever. We kayaked twice, on Jackson lake and Jenny lake. I have some pics I may share if I get around to it. We cooked (very loose use of the word "we") every night, pasta is much better with homemade stuff instead of Prego. I think we had Pasta Carbanara one night and something else I can't remember the name of. I remind her to send recipes (this is it, please send recipes).

Returned to Seattle Friday to find an insane pickup of my nephew occurring. My poor parents are the dumping ground for their grandchildren, it appears - but hopefully they don't find it too horrible. Anyway, we hung out for about 4 hours, partly with my other brother and his family waiting. It was fun to see them as I hadn't expected a visit would work out. The next day we drove back to Spokane, no excitement beyond a heart attack at the gas pump (which happens all the time).

Then the big rehearsal (see other blog if you care) and today, I started VBS!! That's vacation bible school. I was coerced. D protested mightily, but once he was there he had a great time. I also got my wires crossed with the neighbor and left her 15 year old son at our house waiting for me to pick him up! So I went home to get him, neatly missing the boring staff meeting. Yay. Actually worked out better than I had expected, not as scary this year since I've done it before.

gardening

2008-06-11T08:46:00.000-07:00

Today there is no snow so I am planting! I decided I would rather kill them outside than in, so no more waiting. It actually is supposed to warm up later this week, and they may die of heat - J will have to be persuaded to water (since the fabulous drip system isn't QUITE in working order yet) I love drip systems, but what a huge pain they are to set up. And apparently we have to redo it every year due to dogs, mice, dirt and other stuff eating or clogging the pipes.

Another good thing; our neighbors have their annual garden party this Sat, and I can get rid of any extra plants there! I hate having guilt for not planting everything. But I must be strong and not bring home a bunch of plants from the party, thus defeating my purpose.

snow???!

2008-06-10T08:08:00.000-07:00

Ok, so we are sitting here watching the snow pouring down...yes snow. And it was even in the paper so you know I wasn't hallucinating alone. But big white flakes are really putting a cramp in my gardening style - all my little starts I have WAITING here for the soil to get to 70 (HAHAHAHA). So now I'm just going to wait until the downpour lets up (hopefully before I leave on Sunday).

J has been out in the nasty unloading our ill-fated truck which is still full of wood. Once it is empty we can get new tires, then perhaps he can hook it to the newly finished boat trailer so we can put the boat (sans motor, at least *working* motor) on said trailer, and begin working on THAT. *sigh* It's not that he doesn't keep busy, but there are so many things he doesn't get to. Oh well, I'm glad he is handy. And handsome (thanks RedGreen).

Moms Retirement!

2008-06-02T15:16:00.000-07:00

Yay, crazy but fun weekend is over and I'm actually posting stuff (frantically) before the next big thing. Mom is here getting "leid" - and random other pics from the day...I of course am taking photos so none of me! Our friends Ann and Randy helping set up; Aunt Mary and Uncle David with brother Jeff; various staff from YHS, and several lovely grandchildren (it was loud)....

school

2008-05-25T09:13:00.000-07:00

I have signed up for an online beginning grant-writing class. Mostly for my own interest, I keep being in these groups that need grants and I want to understand them better. And who knows, maybe I could bring in some big money to the symphony or the library, or some other worthy cause...

So our assignment this week is to do all the paperwork one would do on background of a prospective funder. THere is a lot. And it's a holiday weekend so I feel entitled! But I'm really trying to stay "up" on the assignments even though we have a 2 week period to turn them in. It is kind of fun to be studying again.

We had a BBQ yesterday with the mica peakers (neighbors) TOO much food, but very fun. Today another BBQ with other friends and Monday another...we are party animals. Oh well. Then Friday is the big surprise party, I STILL don't know if I'm driving solo or if Jim is coming, w or w/o D, he would have to miss school, but that's not that big of a deal. Then that Sunday they are having the music picnic, I feel like I should try to go to that for political reasons - and Jim's dress rehearsal Sunday night I need to go to as I have a rehearsal during his concert on Monday! Argh. And Wed we go to the Botany lab for a field trip. Fun.

the long road home...

2008-05-18T23:37:00.000-07:00

First let me state that we had a great weekend at my aunt and uncle's visiting and loading the truck and trailer with wood! Everything was great and we started home (about 3 hour trip) at 2pm. At 2:30 (after getting gas) there was a loud bang and we blew a tire. Not on the trailer, like we had worried about, but on the truck. Big tires, and J was annoyed because he was sure his old bag phone would have had a signal, but our new RAZR phones didn't even have one bar. We were on a stretch of highway with a steep upward cliff on one side (to fields) and traffic whizzing by on the other (two lanes only) Fortunately we were in a place where the road was straight for a bit, so you could see us (lots of twists in that area - between D and W for those in the know).

So we did have a spare tire, but it was under the truck, and it was for the old set of tires we had (these were larger). Also, J had never pumped it up for 10 years. AND I had taken his million tools out of the truck so I could fit 5 kids in for the carpool, and he hadn't put them back before this trip. So he is trying to jack up the trailer (loaded down with probably 3000# at least, I am a terrible estimator) and the jack handle breaks, with the jack down. So we can't go even if we get the tire changed because the jack is stuck down.

My phone is out of batteries, so I take Jim's (which has none of the #s programmed) and start walking about 1/4 mile down the road to a place where I can crawl up the steep cliff and get into the field. Then I walk probably a 1/2 mile up the giant hills hoping to get a signal (this is the Palouse so the hills are big) Fortunately again, the wheat is young and soft so I am not cutting my legs to shreds. I get a signal, and try to call my aunt. No answer. I try again. No answer. I am a bit concerned, because AAA won't be able to do anything with this totally loaded down trailer, and I don't have my card (it is 3/4 mile down the hill) so I can't call, and I try one more time and she answers! Yay - J has requested a nail or some metal bar piece so he can try to work the jack (he ended up using his key ring, just call him Mcgyver) and a floor jack, which I guess he didn't end up needing after all. When I got down D was sweating in the hot pickup, there was no room for him to be outside and we trashed the interior getting out the jacks and tools - he didn't even have a seat! But we did have one Coke and some jerky. J actually got the tire on, and we limped along to W where we waited next to the shady park for aunt and uncle. They had tire pumps and water, and we killed a few hours waiting for the road to cool down (apparently the heat of the road is very bad for loaded down tires. *sigh* the things we would do over if we only knew!

Anyway, we got home a mere 9 hours after we left. GLAD to be here!

embedded videos

2008-05-16T10:47:00.000-07:00

here is my experiment, funniest thing I've seen in ages:

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-11T13:25:00.000-07:00

Kinda nasty overcast and cold day here - but my little guy gave me a lovely card he made at school. I remembered to call my own mom on the way home from church - a surreal experience as I didn't have any performance duties today. J and D stayed home and burned the trash (yay), but church had lots of praise songs, mostly at half tempo and an organ sub who tried but mainly it was everything you hate about the organ. Her postlude was good, but of course none of the organ-haters stay for that. Oh well. My soprano friend who did that Bach Cantata 21 last month did a Verdi duet with her sister from North Carolina, she was amazing (although I would bet most of the church didn't care for it).

We are going to the neighbors for grilling and hangin out time to celebrate. I actually got a few "burning bushes" at the plant sale yesterday and I should plant them...later will be ok. Also gave blood yesterday which makes me feel all virtuous. Also you lose a pound when you do that (hehehe). I'll make up for it today I'm sure.

Soccer Mom

2008-05-09T09:59:00.000-07:00

Not really, but today Ds class went to "My Gym" and he did great! Usually he is resistant to the athletic aspects of field trips, but I think he had a good time. When we came home, Grama had sent a package for mothers day (thanks mom!) but of course there were the usual grandchild treats in there - two books and a box of animal figures. I got a lovely planter with holes all around so you can have cascading plants. If it ever gets warm enough here I will fill it up!

We have no actually plans for the weekend! Very odd for us, but I figure we need a week of chilling out. Next week we have a trip planned, to pick up wood and visit my aunt and uncle about 3 hours away. The following weekend is a big trip (6 hours) with crazy planning going on, for the secret retirement party. I am not concerned she will read this blog until she actually retires, so we are safe! Talked to brother J about plans, and he cracks me up talking about decorations and whether we should try to get a sitter for the kids, and the time etc. I'm sure we'll work it all out eventually. FUN.

May day!

2008-05-01T16:43:00.000-07:00

Happy May Day! It isn't snowing (yet) although it did yesterday. D made May baskets (paper) at school so we stopped at the neighbors on the way home to deliver. Fun, and they offered to watch him until Jim comes home from work! Yay, a slightly less frantic trip to orchestra/lessons tonight.

This is actually my student's last lesson (since orchestra is over), and I am thrilled to have a bit of a break. In two weeks we are going south (a little) to visit my auntie and uncle and take all the wood God left them neatly piled in their yard after a huge windstorm this winter. It will also be lovely to see them, and the cute little town they live in where my family is from.

Also trying to plan a trip to my friend's cabin near Yellowstone, difficult to organize with Jim's schedule, and Ds school, and should they go or not, blah blah blah. In July my family is coming here, but August (when I'm doing a million shows of Les Mis) Jim's family is having their get-together, so I can't go but the boyz probably will. So much for summer fun! We need to plan a real vacation next year, but maybe for winter so we can leave when it gets really depressing. Suggestions?

Beading

2008-04-26T08:26:00.001-07:00

I had my first "commission" as a beader yesterday! I had made my neighbor a barrette, and she called yesterday morning and wanted a barrette for her 16 year old daughter to wear to the "prom" (actually a dinner thing, I guess that is what they do at Christian schools) that night! It needed to match her outfit, so they came by (my messy house). But it was lovely to see them, we had coffee and chatted for a bit while H (daughter) picked out beads she liked from my small horde.

After they left I got right on it - took me about 2 hours to finish (just in time!) I don't think they realize that it takes me that long, but she did offer to babysit for us! Good trade, and it was fun. I hope she liked it - I do the "jumble of random beads" look, with one biggish one in the middle. I thought it came out quite nice, totally forgot to take a picture.

In other news it is sunny!!! J is welding and de-rusting the boat trailer. Apparently this will take at least a month, before the boat can go anywhere. Odd that it went to the detail shop last year just fine. Whatever. J has definate ideas about the boat. I don't care as long as it is going by Memorial Day! I believe it will be close.

Our baby plants (for garden) get to go outside today, but just for the day. Still freezing at night. K is in the big city for the chorale performance (last night) but they decided to stay in the fancy hotel an extra night. So we are meeting this afternoon for pedis then dinner in the Safari Room - boys will join us for that. Supposed to be amazing.

(s)no(w) news here

2008-04-21T09:27:00.000-07:00

I'm disgusted with this weather! The forecast for the rest of the week is terrible - they say we could even break the record for the most snow here ever. I guess we were 3 inches short last week, I was happy with #2!

D has his portfolio workshop today - I go in the afternoon and we put together these huge scrapbook pages for the past section (this one was Folk and Fantasy). They spend 6 weeks on each section, and they use the theme for all subjects just to tie it together. Right now they are doing Africa. Cool. Ds favorite country is the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He has been drawing maps of it, complete with lists of all the products produced and so on.

Js cold seems to be over, but I am sick now. Thanks J! Of course he denies all responsibility for my illness, but I know.

snow...

2008-04-19T07:30:00.000-07:00

Yes indeed it did snow. Not much, but everything is white for the moment. My friend in Wyoming says there is 2 feet of snow in her front yard though, this does make me feel better (oddly).

Last weekend D and I planted some seeds (inside) - they are mostly all sprouting now! Very fun for him to check out, his favs are the watermelons. I doubt they will actually produce watermelons, but he wanted them and why not try? We have TERRIBLE soil here, good for pine trees mostly. Having such bad luck with the veggies has made me turn to flowers, at least they are pretty - we are attempting delphiniums, candytuft, carnations, hollyhocks, and various others (mostly perinnials)

Hopefully Grampa is coming in a week or so, would be nice if the snow was gone by then! Grama used to help plant all the pots around the house, and a million other projects besides - just another time we will miss her. But a friend of the family found these quilting squares Grama had made, and she finished the edges to make squares (like a hanging). Ours is grapes, and they match the kitchen perfectly - will post a pic when we get it hung. It is just beautiful, and so nice to have it up in our home instead of mouldering in a pile of material in their basement!

spring?

2008-04-18T14:13:00.001-07:00

Today my first daffodil bloomed! And tomorrow the forcast is snow.

2008-04-15T07:52:00.000-07:00

I suppose it is a tribute to something that we woke up to nasty snow on the deck...a fitting icy morning for the last minute tax return filers (including us). Jim has just now presented me with his stack of papers, seeming quite pleased that we have HOURS to spare on this task - I just can't be real enthusiastic about that. But hopefully it will get out (with lots of our money) before the day is over. *sigh*

On a brighter note, the snow does seem to be melting! Hopefully I will get to some reeds today and maybe even practice (since now we know I am a profitable oboe playing businesswoman).

Cruel joke...

2008-04-05T07:22:00.001-07:00

Finally we get through Spring break (next year we are SO going somewhere else!) - and today it is snowing again!!! Argh. I am getting annoyed with this weather. Really in need of some spring-ness.

Yesterday my friend Ms husband called and wanted to go out - they live about an hour away (other side of town). They were offering to come over here and drop off their daughter to babysit even, but we were tired and D was kinda coughy still, so I said just come over here! So we had curry chicken (thanks C!) and watched Blades of Glory on the big screen. J says this movie is better with wine. Was a fun time, glad we didn't just lay around and veg on Friday night.

Today we are planning to "help the neighbors" with their car (J sold them a mercedes for $100), J will do that and I will assist with lunch and visit. Fun fun fun. They are going to an indoor football thingy this afternoon latish so we won't be there all day. I guess it is good to have this football arena thing, otherwise we wouldn't have "pro" football here, are they pro? Semi pro? Whatever. I think the "pro-ness" of things (sports, music etc) can be highly over-rated, we have some great performances here! (not that I would turn down an opportunity to go hear the Cleveland Orchestra)

humpday!

2008-04-02T07:03:00.000-07:00

I'm better! Funny how you can get really down, but then without anything changing (besides time) things look up. We renegotiated Ds spring break chores, he did clean his room and has been helping around the house; so we went to the library Monday. Yesterday we went to the music store (only game in town, sad little place about an hour away) to get a "Wicked" piano book for our neighbor who is turning 15, then we stopped at Costco (the wonder store:as in "I wonder why I spend so much here")

Big news is I bought a treadmill! Mine died right at Christmastime, and we've been looking for months now for a used one. Almost everything on Craigslist has been nasty cheap ones, and the asking prices are more than paying for new ones! Do people not check this out? Anyway, "they" say in the summer you find lots of treadmills but we are looking at the wrong time of year. Too bad. I got tired of waiting! So I will quit the gym (which is too far away and I haven't been going anyway) and Weight Watchers (since I feel like I'm all alone doing it) and that will pay for it in a few months.

I was mightily tempted by the kayaks. They have kayaks at Costco right now for $375, including car mounts and paddle. They are Pelican brand which I have never heard of. What we really want are Pongos, but those seem to be expensive (which is why we like them). Also been looking for those on Craigslist for months, and nothing has come up - and the few that do are very expensive. My friend C has kayaks at her cabin near Yellowstone, and we usually go every year. D fits into the cargo hold (hopefully for one more year). The first year we tried a double, and it was terrible (for us). But we might consider that with Daniel.

2008-03-31T11:03:00.000-07:00

This is Ds spring break. I'm not really into the whole thing anymore...we were going to Walla Walla for a visit/wood pick up but my poor uncle had emergency appendectomy, which had complications resulting in another surgery, needless to say not a good time to go.

Also it snowed so much here we can't get out of the driveway (very well, actually it is possible). But I am REALLY unmotivated! Our taxes from 06 are STILL not done, we are discussing whether to use my "business" expenses or not. I guess last year when Js CPA auntie bailed us out, she did use my mileage and some expenses. But this year J refuses to call her (or anyone else) to assist us. He thinks his time is best spent learning to become a CPA himself, I guess. So he now is making me insane with endless questions about taxes. You'd think he would figure out that having SOMEONE ELSE be the focus of my wrath would be good for him...but no.

Anyway, I suppose we will eventually figure it all out (we're down from a $20000 bill to $200) and then we can *start* on the 07 taxes! Yay. I can't believe we don't just pay someone to deal with all this. What a nightmare.

And now D has refused to help with his chores, so I told him he couldn't do any of the fun stuff we planned for the week. (IMAX, library, museum) Of course this is a WAY worse punishment for me than him! But I can't just let him sit around while I do all the work. I suppose there was a good way to handle this, but I didn't figure it out. Must find rock to crawl under - hope to survive week of bored child at home and grumpy husband doing taxes.

church humor

2008-03-30T13:26:00.000-07:00

This was hilarious - probably won't be as funny written down but I have to try!

Today we got to church (only about 10 minutes late) and D went up for the Children's sermon. The pastor asked "Has anyone here ever been late for anything?"
D raised his little hand and called out "I am late for school almost every day!"
The congregation chortled.
Pastor commented "I see your mom is all red over there", and my darling child said "No, no - my DAD takes me to school!"
Louder laughing.
Pastor says "Well, we shouldn't throw them under the bus like that" (I am in tears laughing so hard)
D pipes up "I don't take the bus."

This is way funnier if you know all parties involved. Needless to say, lateness is a topic of relevance at our house. hehehe

Snow!!!

2008-03-29T10:46:00.000-07:00

Ok, maybe if you live some places big snow in late March is no big deal - but here it is unusual; especially since we had NO snow on the ground yesterday! It has been pretty balmy all of March. I guess all the people getting a head start on getting their snow tires off are sorry now. (like us!) So this is our back deck, the cats are very annoyed. Also I had just put out the hummingbird feeder (which is currently frozen solid, with tiny drifts of snow on it). J finds this hilarious and insisted on several pics. I guess he wants to see them with their tiny little bird snowshovels...

Easter pics

2008-03-28T11:37:00.001-07:00

Here is D in his suit (no tie, but one must pick one's battles!) for Easter - I thought he looked great! This is last year's suit, still too big so maybe it will fit again next year. His favorite thing in the basket was the Tube-o-rats...I just don't understand.

Biggest Loser

2008-03-26T15:56:00.000-07:00

Ok, I am hooked on this show! I really like some aspects of it - how even the people who everyone has given up on can make a positive change in themselves. But I HATE the "game" part, where they vote people off, and have "alliences" and stupid gameplay.

This week I was so happy because the 4 guys finally got broken up - the two girls both did great!!! I would love to see a female win the big prize. Even though I liked Dan, the guy who got voted off, I think it will be good for breaking up that "us vs them" mentality.

Sick sick sick

2008-03-26T15:52:00.001-07:00

Well, D went back to school today after being sick for 5 days. Coughing etc. Seems great now. Yay!

All my friends are sick! C fell in Paris (what a place to fall), and 10 days later got an xray to discover she broke her foot. K has been wheezy and feeling awful for weeks, to find she has walking pneumonia. And my sweet Uncle D had an emergency appendectomy that apparently got infected, hopefully not too badly. I hope the karma around me isn't gearing up for some big event. Best of luck to you all in recovery!!!

sick sick sick

2008-03-24T21:15:00.000-07:00

Well, the fake pinkeye episode turned into the creeping crud - don't know what it is but it's bad! Been up for two nights with wheezy boy, nothing is worse than when he is just exhausted from breathing, and nothing seems to help. Hopefully they worst is over.

So D stayed home from school again today, we did a bunch of online shark quizzes. Fun. I know far more about sharks than the average joe. Yesterday was Easter - poor D came into our room and pointed out the bunny had not come...I said that since we live in the country the bunny doesn't come until after church (nice one mom)! I hadn't even gotten a basket or anything, so I stopped at Freddy's for 10 minutes on the way to church (barely making it in time for rehearsal). I got home first and hid the eggs like a crazed person and threw all the purchases into an old basket - my mom is much better at the whole gifty thing! But since D's favorite thing was the $1 Tube-o-rats (yes, plastic rats) I guess I'm not going to fret too much about the basket.

colored eggs

2008-03-22T06:29:00.000-07:00

D and I colored eggs yesterday - he was home from school on a fake pinkeye problem (by the time I realized it wasn't actually pinkeye, I figured we'd just stay home). J's new work takes Good Friday off, so he was home too! D was really into green, teal, turquoise, blue etc. We did get one yellow and one reddish egg. I wish it had worked out to do our group egg dying with friends, but schedules were too complicated.

After the pinkeye problem, the nurse had suggested he might have been sick, or allergies. So I didn't really pay much attention to his lowering voice towards bedtime, but during the night we had croup-y coughing. Terrifying - really nothing worse than lying there wondering if your child can breathe. Last time he had croup we spent two days in the hospital, but we survived the night and I think things are looking better.

The other weird thing is that we had a blizzard yesterday! It snowed about 5 inches - and we had NOTHING before, people were taking off their snowtires and planting things in the garden - I had just put out the hummingbird feeder (which looks really hilarious with drifts of snow on it). Then it (mostly) all melted. We now have our own personal mud pit/driveway, I spun about 125 degrees trying to get out (and covering the car with mud. Cool.

Concert and aunties

2008-03-11T02:55:00.000-07:00

In addition to all my musical junk (see wildreeds), J had a concert tonight in the band. It was hot (weirdly so, something must have been broken) and they had a lovely tribute to Mark Williams, our friend and former bassoonist who was murdered last January. He wrote lots of music, mostly for jr hi band, and I guess his method books are widely used all over the US. But they played three of his pieces, which sound pretty impressive but are easy to put together and cleverly arranged. Anyway, to me it was the high point of the concert. They also played an arrangement of Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man (apparently in a somewhat lower key than the original, but it sounded pretty good!) a medley of horror tunes and Wagner's Ride of the Valkyries (both conducted by students), and other band-y stuff. The oboe player did a fine job, I guess he is a junior in HS! This is my first concert I haven't played since we got married. Wow.

Even more fun is that Auntie C (really J's cousin's wife) was here on a business trip, and we went over to her hotel to go swimming. Sadly, the hot tub was out of commission, but we played in the pool until D was getting blue (just slightly) and then he had a hot bath. Then we went across the street for Mexican food - yay! J joined us in his tux for a bit, he even had a beer before he had to get to the concert, but we stayed and while D drew a giant lobster, C and I had a great conversation. Fun fun fun. Wish our families lived closer!!!

so much stuff

2008-03-06T07:34:00.000-08:00

Well, the ball was a huge success, I actually hope we do it again next year! I would like to get tix and at least eat (who knew there would be a 5-course meal from the ritzy CDA Resort???) with Jim; and make our neighbors (and maybe even some reletives?) come too. Fun fun fun.

The off to BOise, WAY too early. I was tired all weekend, but it was really fun to see old friends and meet some great new people too. My original trio guys were so familiar but just more themselves than 15 years ago, and the other players were both very good musicians. I played ok, not fab, but at least I don't think I sucked! Wish we had been able to do some more interesting music, but this "pick up" stuff was fun. The kind of thing for "any combination of instruments in any key". I guess I'll just have to go back!

My MRI report was interesting, the cartlidge is scraped and bunched up right where it hurts, so there ya go. But there is also a benign cyst inside the bone, which they said I must go to the foot specialist to discuss. So I am off to them next week. Whatever.

Jim is playing with my bells on Palm Sunday (Mar 16) and he came to rehearsal last night, it was just great! I was very proud. This Sunday a touring bell choir is coming from Boise area (wacky)to play at my church - of course I have another gig that afternoon to complicate matters, but I am excited they are coming. Trying to plan the (vegetarian!) dinner and a trip to the LaserQuest for them while I'm at Whitworth. AND since I can be at bell rehearsal next week, I'm trying to get E to conduct, throw him a bone at least since his life sucks right now, but he keeps missing rehearsal! Argh. It will all work out.

Tonight is Whitworth at St. Georges (read:FAR) then being hopefully not too late for Orchetra in CDA. Taking D and dropping him with daddy somewhere in between! Should be interesting...

Going to the ball!

2008-02-29T08:58:00.000-08:00

Wahoo - tonight is the first Black and White ball, I guess I am hopeful that it will be a big success (even though some of the arrangements are just awful!) If people are really dancing, the arrangements won't be so big of a deal. I understand we have sold enough tickets to break even, which is great for our first year. In case I didn't mention it, this is a benefit for the Coeur d'Alene Symphony.

Tomorrow I fly to Boise, leaving at (to me anyway) the crack of dawn 6am. Actually dawn won't have cracked by then here. I am so excited to see my friends from 15 (eeek!!!) years ago, I will be playing with Darkwood, a group that I was an original member of. Looks like we are just doing some pre-packaged arrangments of classical dances, but I guess they have dancers too. This group is unusual, the core members are a bass clarinet and a viola, but they add to the group as they like - I think it will be flute and oboe and possibly bassoon with the core this weekend. Anyway, if you're in Boise, come see us on Sunday at 2!

MRI

2008-02-27T11:58:00.000-08:00

So much stuff going on! Hard to believe I am leaving for Boise Saturday. Tomorrow I have an MRI scheduled for my ankle, which has been really bothering me for more than a year. With all the ice and stuff I think I strained it, and although it was getting better it is now bugging me a lot again. Now that we have insurance I thought I would have it looked at; last week they took an xray and it showed nothing so they said this was the next step. Would be GREAT to get this taken care of, since it is really affecting my activity (and God knows I don't need any more excuses!)

Also signed us up for garbage service! This is a big thing because we have never had it - and my beloved ASSURED me he would take care of all garbage and he never needed it as a single guy - how different could it be for a family? HAHAHAHA. So we do burn paper things (we are out in the country), and we recycle lots of stuff, but there are some things that just need to go to the dump. And J has made exactly zero trips to the dump since we have been married. So. Anyway, this service will only be once a month, so it shouldn't be too much of a pain (although it is 1/4 mile we have to haul the can to where they pick it up on the road!)

D still big into fish and the ocean, he is quite the lecturer and will bore anyone who holds still long enough. He wouldn't even go to the movies last week with K (who was babysitting) because there were no science movies. What a little nerd! But it's pretty cute.

Haircut

2008-02-21T11:43:00.000-08:00

D was getting a bit shaggy, so I tried to give him a haircut. But he resisted (mightily) so I told him he could cut it himself! Enjoy.

snowy day

2008-02-12T16:31:00.001-08:00

Finally I am putting up the pics I got during the big snow...we still have a lot but it is melting now, so at least the roads are clear. Here is Jim trying to dig out the truck...

And Daniel with the snowman we built...

And some artsy shots -
This is the woodshed and the "back 40"

Jim on the deck (shot from the woodshed)

And my little windmill struggling to keep spinning...it is 4 feet high!

church musicians

2008-02-10T13:45:00.000-08:00

It is interesting how the service comes together every week, always seems completely chaotic and then it goes without a hitch (mostly, that people notice). Of course, it is a struggle to not get blase about playing, and have a mediocre performance, when it really should be the best we can give (since it is technically an "offering to God" I suppose...)

Today I played 6 different things, 1 of which I knew about before I got there this morning. Actually it all went fine, but I have learned to write down if I'm playing the intro or not, and if I'm supposed to play certain verses, because I will forget! But the offering (big music moment) was going to be me playing an arrangement of the slow movement of the Bizet Symphony, very pretty. All went ok til the last note, didn't quite have enough gas to hold it more than a few beats (should have been 8) Oh well, I *wish* it had been better, but I doubt anyone but me and 2 other people had any idea it wasn't as it should have been.
I just need more inspiration to practice! If I was playing more I know that last note would have been there. I did get out my Laubin (teacher's old oboe) and thought about playing it today -

Snowtown USA

2008-02-08T07:52:00.000-08:00

Snow is getting old! We have big piles in the middle of all the streets, and parking is impossible, and it is just cold and nasty. I want to go to some beach in the sun.

But instead I'm going with Ds class to the Jumping Gym for a field trip. And tonight Jims work is having a Valentine drinks on the town sort of thing, I guess they feel (correctly!) that none of the engineers will think of Valentines Day on their own, so this will make all the spouses feel remembered? Oh well, I'm not going to complain! We also got free tix to the big symphony this weekend is the fabulous new theater, it was so amazing last time. So the sitters' fees are piling up, but D loves it. Boring old us all the time is not nearly so fun.

We got the power!

2008-01-29T13:44:00.000-08:00

Yay! After almost 3 days we have power again! We also have going on 2 feet of snow (lots for here) and it is still coming down. We do have 2 4wd trucks, but one is buried and down a steep hill - jim says he doesn't think it is worth digging out. Of course, that is because he is driving in to work each day in the "new" truck. But I think he is coming to get me this afternoon to go do errands while he works. It is really beautiful with all the snow here, and fortunately we have wood heat anyway, so we haven't even been cold.

Pics

2008-01-26T07:05:00.001-08:00

Here is D "testing" the vehicle - this is the night before the big party and Uncle J and Grampa J (in-law) are slaving away!

birthday party

2008-01-23T04:13:00.000-08:00

Another birthday, this time my nephew A turned 4...we drove about 600 miles (round trip) to see my brother and his family - fun times! The biggest gift was an electric car which all the kids (4) piled into, really funny to watch them. It was great to see everyone, and I think we have finally decided on our vacation gathering place (close to us this year) after arduous discussion. But we have yet to hear from the homeowner - this is one of those homes you rent for a week. Looks great though, right on the lake, with a dock and sleeps 15. NOT in town, which is also good. Really hope it works out.

Gave blood on Monday, felt very virtuous. It is my one unselfish thing I do (except I do get a guilt free cookie after). But then Tuesday I was really wiped; don't know if it was the blood letting or something else. I went to the gym and did the big workout (60 min cardio and 30 abs), she nearly killed me. I think today I will just do my weights at home. I am sad the old treadmill has finally died, but I think it was at least 25 years old. Looking for a newer one, hate to pay full price for something like that so I'm scouring CraigsList. Now is not the best time as everyone is trying to keep resolutions, but I'm sure something will come up soon.

It is really cold here (3F now) but it should be warming up soon. That will be great - hate when it is this cold. Finally took down the Christmas tree, but our lights are still up. Suppose we should get those down by the weekend if possible. Seems like such a waste to put them all up, and now rip them down. I guess that is my mom in me - she is a big "light" fan - even has light sweatshirts! But I also hate when people leave them up forever, so down they come.

Super Size

2008-01-15T23:33:00.000-08:00

Tonight we watched Super Size Me after D went to bed - freaky show! It was kind of amazing how fast the guy's health went downhill, and how slowly he got back to "normal" after.

We got a subscription to Netflix and so far it is great. I suppose we are using it more than we will later because it is new - but I love some of the choices available, things I would never buy. Next we are getting a bunch of ocean documentaries for D, he actually watched NOVA tonight (absolute zero) and paid attention for the whole thing. I usually like NOVA, but this one was pretty hard to follow.

sick-oh

2008-01-12T09:53:00.000-08:00

So I am getting better, but I still wake up not able to swallow. I did go to the gym last week for an easier workout, and I lost 1.6 lbs this week (to slightly make up for the 3 lbs gained the week before).

D is really into the ocean right now, he keeps drawing scenes with barracudas and jellyfish in kelp forests - and little tiny crabs. So cute.

sick forever!~

2008-01-04T22:16:00.000-08:00

I am still sick! Argh. Soooo frustrating, and it is really starting to cramp my style. We did go to a movie (in the theater!) with our neighbors, National Treasure 2. It was fun. But I had a relapse after that brief outing...thank god no one else seems to be getting this disease.

Also, we finally got our dresser! This is what it looks like although this is not in our house. It is actually much huger than I thought, but it will be great.

Happy New Year!

2007-12-31T19:57:00.000-08:00

Feeling a bit maudlin tonight, as I think back over this year - not a bad year, but not anything particularly great. I guess I'm having my midlife crisis or something. Anyway, I thought I would recap, just for myself...
January - nothing much, symphony concert with Fountains of Rome awesome oboe solo
February - quintet recital, my first faculty recital at NIC (Mozart, new gold jacket!), chamber concert Quiet City
March - Carousel with the big boys ($$$), Yakima for birthday parties, band concert, univ orch concert, symphony concert
April - Mozart concerto, quintet gig (last one), univ orchestra concert
May - symphony concert, opera (Hansel and Gretel), univ wind symph concert, student oboe recital
June - Seattle for christening, summer pops concert, band concert,P visits, to Tetons for C
July - two weeks of Sondheim musical "Putting it Together", Fireworks concert, bassoonist gets married, Jim's birthday
August - more summer pops, Onalaska, Long Beach, Cannon Beach, C visits
September - school starts!, opera Madama Butterfly, Grampa comes to put in floor
October - Grampa C visits, symphony concert, univ orch concert, D turns 6, Halloween (guard)
November - cousins come for late b-day party, to Gramas for T-day
December - symphony concert, univ orch concert, band concert, big bell thing (Wizards of Winter), Messiah, Wicked Wodka party, Grama and Grampa H come for Christmas

Seems like a lot of my life revolves around what I'm playing...Listening to the New Year's Eve concert on PBS of Swan Lake - big oboe piece, hopefully we are doing it next year!

sick sick sick

2007-12-30T18:31:00.000-08:00

The last week of 2007 I am paying for my good health! I have not been out of the house since my parents left 3 days ago, but I'm hoping by tomorrow I will be able to party a bit (New Year's Eve and all that). Usually we celebrate with our friends on the east coast so we can go to bed early (9:05 is good). Would love to have some neighbors over but don't want to pass on the plague. So far we have watched a lot of dvds, and Victory at Sea on PBS. D was facinated, guess I'd rather he watched that than the Super Sugar Saquaches Go to Town, or whatever the awful cartoons are now.

Happy New Year!

Birthday party

2007-12-23T17:47:00.000-08:00

Well, my nephew is now 9 years old - and we went over 200 miles to make sure of it. Actually I had planned an anniversary (7th!) surprise for Jim which I didn't mention because occasionally he reads the blog. But since we were going to Far-Off-Town, I thought we could dump D with my mom and dad at their hotel, and Jim and I could stay at the snazzy b&b with the fabulous chef. It was a great success, the rooms were lovely, the food was divine, and the no-kids hours were awesome! Fun fun fun. But now I'm ready for some serious Christmas activities with my mom and dad, who drove to our town to spend Christmas (yay!)

Jilliology?

2007-12-19T23:45:00.000-08:00

Let others know a little more about yourself, re-post this as your name followed by "ology."

MOUTHOLOGY

Q. What is your salad dressing of choice?
A. The Ceasar salad dressing at Casey's. But I will take Balsamic vinegar anytime.

Q. What is your favorite fast food restaurant?
A. Maybe Arby's, Schlotsky's or Subway.

Q. What is your favorite sit-down restaurant?
A. Wolf Lodge. But Outback is fun if I'm in that kinda mood.

Q. On average, what size tip do you leave at a restaurant?
A. 15-20%.

Q. What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of?
A. oatmeal, steak, chocolate of course.

Q. What are your pizza toppings of choice?
A. pesto chicken

Q. What do you like to put on your toast?
A. nothing, I like dry toast with eggs.

TECHNOLOGY

Q. What is your wallpaper on your computer?
A. don't have wallpaper

Q. How many televisions are in your house?
A. 3

BIOLOGY

Q. Are you right-handed or left-handed?
A. Right handed

Q. Have you ever had anything removed from your body?
A. One small child (c-section)

Q. What is the last heavy item you lifted?
A. same child. or furniture, moved a lot this weekend for party

Q. Have you ever been knocked unconscious?
A. no

BULL[CRAP]OLOGY

Q. If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die?
A. I think not.

Q. If you could change your name, what would you change it to?
A. I actually went by Gillian during high school, soooo much cooler than Jill. But I am good with Jill now.

Q. what color looks good on you?
A. Red, but I usually wear blue or black.

Q. Have you ever swallowed a non-food item by mistake?
A. Not that I remember, ask my mom.

Q. Have you ever saved someone's life?
A. I give blood...

Q. Has someone ever saved yours?
A. I don't think so

DAREOLOGY

Q. Would you kiss a member of the same sex for $100?
A. Just a kiss would be ok

Q. Would you allow one of your little fingers to be cut off for $200,000?
A. Not normally, but if I were starving and it was the only feasible way to feed my family I would. But I can't see that happening.

Q. Would you never blog again for $50,000?
A. Sure.

Q. Would you pose naked in a magazine for $250,000?
A. Probably, doesn't seem like that big of a deal. Can't imagine anyone would pay that kind of money to take nude pics of me!

Q. Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000?
A. How hot?!

Q. Would you, without fear of punishment, take a human life for $1,000,000?
A. No, unless circumstances were extreme (war, they were killing my family etc)

DUMBOLOGY

Q: What is in your left pocket?
A. Lint.

Q: Is Napoleon Dynamite actually a good movie?
A: I didn't get it, but a few parts were funny

Q: Do you have hardwood or carpet in your house?
A: Fake hardwood, and ancient orange shag carpet

Q: Do you sit or stand in the shower?
A: Stand

Q: Could you live with roommates?
A: Yes; what are spouses and kids! Uber-roomies.

Q: How many pairs of flip flops do you own?
A: two, both coppery colored.

Q: Last time you had a run-in with the cops?
A. Didn't quite stop and got pulled over (warning, thank God)

Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?
A: self actualized

Q: Who is number 1 on your top 8
A: Top 8 what? Top 8

LASTOLOGY

Q: Last Friend you talked to?
A: Carolyn.

Q: Last person who called you?
A: Linda.

Q: Person you hugged?
A: my kiddo

FAVORITOLOGY

Q: Number?
A: 15

Q: Season?
A: Fall.

CURRENTOLOGY

Q: Missing someone?
A: my friend from dc

Q: Mood?
A. somewhat annoyed (what's new) as I have again cleaned the kitchen (dinner which I didn't even eat) and washed and folded everyone's clothes ALONE. grrr.

Q: Listening to?
A: Dave.

Q: Watching?
A. Dave n Oprah

Q: Worrying about?
A. What I will do for bells tomorrow (no idea what we're playing)

RANDOMOLOGY

Q: First place you went this morning?
A: Yoga

Q: What can you not wait to do?
A: Watch the little dude on Christmas morning.

Q: What's the last movie you saw?
A. Dirty Dancing

Q: Do you smile often?
A: Not excessively, but I think more so than not.

Q: Are you a friendly person?
A: Yes.

Anniversary

2007-12-16T14:20:00.000-08:00

Wow, this is our 7th anniversary! And we are even still happy! At least I am. And I think Jim is as long as I don't talk about selling his precious baby cars. I just wish I could park somewhere in the 8 car garage (which is full).

Last night was our "wicked wodka" party - I think this was the 20th anniversary! Of course I have only been to 7 of them - but I think this was the funnest yet. Lots of people came, and Jim deepfried TWO turkeys. Apparently the 2nd one was a mistake, he was trying to do too much and it fell into the vat of boiling oil. But there was plenty of food, and various drinks...lots of different vodkas. I decided to try making Oprah's Favorite Pomegranite Martinis, and they turned out great! I also tried about 1/2 shot of double chocolate vodka - kinda weird tasting. That is all I had, but then we got out all the instruments. We have several trumpets, a piccolo trumpet, lots of penny whistles and fluty things, a clarinet, a french horn, various fake decorative horns that make noise (no valves) and a keyboard. Those are the things I let anyone play. Then friends had brought at sousaphone, an accordian and a serpent.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serpent_%28instrument%29
Fun fun fun, I will post pics of me playing the serpent later. It is great to play because you can actually play any pitch with any fingering (well, almost).

D was great with lots of kids to play with. They mostly just hung out in a large clump in the basement, with the bigger ones gabbing and littler ones building train tracks. A grand success all around, although it would be nice if the christmas elves came and cleaned everything up.

Today I had to get up early to play in church (see other blog) and tonight I have Messiah, but we went out for lunch with our neighbors after church. No better way to celebrate our anniversary.

Par-tay!!!

2007-12-14T07:01:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is the Wicked Wodka party, sort of a hybrid of something Jim started back in the day (20 years ago??!!!!) and now it is more of a calm thing, but don't stay too late. At some point (after the vodka) all the instruments (not the oboes of course) come out and a horrible noise is made, mostly by people who have never played before except at this party. Then they call the people who didn't show up and make noise. It is kind of funny, but maybe this year we can do something real? I have lots of actual musicians coming and easy carol books in every key!

But more to the point, I am cleaning! Those of you who know realize this is a huge undertaking. Jim has actually shut the roll=top desk (miracle) and the counters in the kitchen are mostly bare. Most of our friends haven't seen the kitchen with its new floor etc, and the new furniture downstairs. We won't be having the big screen tv out, but I'm sure he will show it to all the guys.

Other issue is the snow. We are supposed to get dumped on tonight, and I am worried about people getting here. I'm also worried about ME getting out and home for my rehearsal tomorrow! Getting down isn't so bad (although I've seen people go right off the mountain) but I will be taking my tall Sorrels just in case I have to walk back. That would be a big pain. And I doubt anyone would want to hike .6 mile straight up to come to our party. Will try not to stress about that.

Christmas tree!

2007-12-10T05:03:00.000-08:00

We went to get the tree after the great bell choir extravaganza. Since the party is Saturday I figured we should wait as long as possible before getting it, especially since we didn't have any time to do it before that! Of course we always go out "on the land" to find a perfect tree...but we can't take ones that are out alone because we want them to grow; and we want a fir tree NOT one of the more abundant pines. Our neighbors always get a pine tree and they can put 10 pound ornaments on the limbs - but they have a vaulted ceiling. If we got a pine it would look like - well like this!

This is Ds tree, apparently we have watched Charlie Brown Christmas special too many times.

Snazzy party!!!

2007-12-08T06:39:00.000-08:00

Thursday was Jim's Christmas party for work, which they held at the snazziest hotel in town. Probably wasted on a bunch of engineers, but I really enjoyed getting dressed up (in navy blue for a change!) and Jim looked very nice in his tux. Of course most of the other nerdy guys didn't dress up much, but that's ok. They had lovely food and drinks, and the big symphony (which I don't play in) has their Christmas Tree fancy raffle thing at this hotel every year, so we walked around and admired the trees (extremely elaborate, with things like African safaris that go with them).

After dinner they had prizes to give away (after the long speech about how great they are doing); and dancing. Last year for the first time ever Jim actually danced with me - and he said he would do it again this year (yay!). He even remembered to tell me I looked great! Perhaps he is coming down with something... But mostly I danced with the ladies from the table, they were a fun bunch and most of our men were pretty firmly planted in their chairs. The "fun committee" lady even offered one of the guys a $150 gift certificate to Home Depot if he would just get up and go out on the dance floor, but he wouldn't budge. Stubborn engineers.

Only badish thing was the dj, pretty bad music choices and so loud you really couldn't hear to talk - although as Jim pointed out you could go in the hall (very fancy big hall with tables and food and stuff) and talk there. It was fun to do a fancy thing, but now I'm set for the year (or longer!)

And even more....snow

2007-12-02T22:37:00.000-08:00

Seems like a theme, we are getting lots of white stuff. Our big hill nearly got me tonight - I had to back all the way down (praying no one would come) and get another shot at it, was actually shocked that I got all the way to our place, because the first run seemed to be going as well as you could could hope. But here I am. Must go down again as tonight I have a concert - but Jim has dress rehearsal for band and so we will go together (make him drive!) It isn't exactly perfect because I have to wait around after he drops me off, but I'd rather do that than drive up the hill myself again!

Other thing, D is with the neighbors, who kindly (miraculously) offered to take him tonight while we rehearse/concert. Sadly, their place is another 1/2 mile up the steep hill, and they have 4wd (which we don't in the car)

_later_
Concert is over, hill is driven up (scary!!), child is home and in bed! And I have an appointment downtown at 7am. Should be great, can't wait to slide down the ice slick. Right now it is melting, but I bet it is going to freeze before morning. Anyway, I am lusting after Subaru Outbacks (4wd) and garage space (yes, all 8 garages are full of unusable cars). *sigh*

More snow...

2007-11-27T22:32:00.000-08:00

I guess winter is really here now - we have about 4 inches and it is supposed to snow again tonight. Glad we got our Thanksgiving visiting out of the way before the roads got bad. We had a great time, but it involved a lot of traveling. Spent some time at my brother's house - they put in a little playhouse that I plan to live in if Jim buys another car (probably this is a joke). We stayed with my folks, then went south to Jim's farm (his dad is in Arizona now) and had fun with his brothers and families. We got to see the new pond and view at the farm, they had logged off part of the back acreage -looked really cool you could see the mountains, probably for about 10 years or so.

I've been decorating for Christmas, since my parents are coming I want it to look good! And we are having a party on the 15th, always the only reason the house is clean during this season. Next weekend is the insane concert schedule, but after that I'm hoping things slow down. I always seem to forget sending out cards and gifts actually takes time! I'm ready about Dec 24, but of course they are late then (my signature!)

Snow!

2007-11-19T07:53:00.000-08:00

Last night it snowed! Only an inch maybe, but it is pretty out. Of course J is annoyed he procrastinated taking off the camper (must happen by Wednesday when we leave for Grama's!)

Yesterday was not a good day eating-wise. Or rather, it was a GREAT day, but I've been Weight Watching and my points were a bit high. Ok a lot high. But I did exercise too. My treadmill is on its last legs, actually answered an ad in Craigslist yesterday - someone has one they folded and it doesn't work anymore. J says he can probably fix it and it is only $5, I've been wanting a folding one. Guess I can always take it to the Goodwill!

D has been fighting a cold for days now, kept him home from school last week on Monday, and I hate to do it today because it is his "lunch with the teacher" day. He read 100 books and he gets to go out to the fast food restaurant of his choice alone with his teacher! I'm letting him sleep as long as possible so hopefully he will be better.

Poor baby

2007-11-13T17:21:00.000-08:00

This was the weekend of everyone on my side of the family (15 people!) coming to celebrate D's Bday (belated). Fun fun fun. We went to the Childrens Museum on Saturday - great experience I will definately repeat. It was pouring rain so we couldn't do some of the fun stuff we had considered, but the kids had a good time just playing.

On Sunday the final group of people came just about the time I finished conducting the bell choir at church. I had to make a presentation at the worship committee after church, but fortunately everyone just made themselves at home and fixed lunch while I was gone. Yay! I got to come home and eat a prepared meal! My good friend drove 90 miles (each way) to come to the party, and we had presents and cake. Then we watched Narnia on the big screen -- Daddy's pride and joy. Most of the crew left that night, but brother C and clan stayed and we went on a fun hike on our property the next morning (rain had subsided). I think things went remarkably well, and I guess we'll be driving over to see them again next week for Thanksgiving (300 miles, but so nice to have everyone within driving distance!)

Visitors!!!

2007-11-09T06:51:00.000-08:00

Yay, people are coming! Mom and Dad tonight sometime (although they will be in the hotel) and I guess Brother J and his brood (V and 3 kids) will get here VERY late so we will see them in the morning. Brother C is coming (with L and 3 kids) at an undisclosed time, but I expect everyone for the party on Sunday.

I'm supposed to have figured out things to do, but I just haven't been able to think. So we'll do the usual stuff I guess! Too bad there is no zoo (J's idea) but it is rainy anyway. I still have a weight watchers meeting today, then my neighbor and I are meeting for lunch before we go make meals at one of those "make 10 meals and freeze them" places - we go about every 2 months or so - it is great! But it is taking up my valuable time. I guess I would just clean the house more or something...oh well!

It is so foggy we look like an island - can't see the next ridge over or the valley. Kinda cool.

And another thing...

2007-11-07T09:57:00.000-08:00

Today is the second time my husband has tried to light the entire mountain on fire by putting the ashes on the burn pile. Of course he goes off to work and FORTUNATLEY I have noticed, oh, look the burn pile is smoking. This time he thought it was ok because it was raining. But there is all this linolium on the pile so things stay dry under there, and ashes go into it and it catches on fire. So I put it out, and I wait to make sure...of course this wasn't on my incredibly tight schedule! But I thought I could still make it to the gym by 11 if I hurry, and 10 minutes down the road I realize it is 9:50, not 10:50. I looked at a clock that hadn't been reset yet (have I mentioned how much I love the radio-setting clocks?) So I wasted 20 minutes driving to nowhere. But now I will make reeds for 1/2 hour and go again.

Does the insanity ever end?

2007-11-07T09:12:00.000-08:00

I keep thinking there will be a point for a breather, but apparently not! So I'll just write a bit for now.

Bells are making me crazy (other blog), I haven't practiced for days, the house is better than it was but I was so hoping it would look great for when my family came (we still have furniture to move, and there are two rocking chairs crammed in my bedroom because I have no where else to put them).

Today I have a stupid appointment with the trainer at the gym, she just wouldn't stop bugging me so I finally caved and now I can't believe I have to go. This trainer isn't working for me, I've had 4 sessions and she really annoyed me the last one. I have pre paid for 2 more, and I'd be happy just calling it even but apparently she won't. I actually like this lady as a person, she teaches the water aerobics class and is a great talker (it's a big gab session). But I've been going to kick-your-butt step aerobics lately, because I want to do more than visit and loll in the pool. Her training though is all weights, and I just am not able to come in for any more time at the gym. Should be an interesting session.

Tomorrow is the day Ds class goes to the museum (and of course I have to drive the giant truck with the camper still on!). I will probably have all 5 kindergardeners, seems unfair that I have the youngest and most kids. Also I am afraid to back up that camper, and I know parking is a bear downtown. What a mess. But all over by noon tomorrow!

Sorry I'm such a downer - hopefully better soon.

2007-11-03T08:12:00.000-07:00

This week was weird, with Halloween and other party aftermath = on Tuesday our friend Ponytail B (male) turned 50. Yay! So he and P came over for dinner and a movie (Buckaroo Bonzai - weirdest movie ever) Of course Wednesday was Halloween and D was planning to be a Dinosaur. But when we got home to change he decided he wanted to be a hunter. Fine. But when I said he would have to wear a jacket (his is camoflage so it would have been "hunter-y") he threw a major fit. This went on for an hour (mostly in his room with me not in the vicinity). When J got home I said he had one chance to get something on or I was leaving to help S with the Trick or Treaters. He managed to get dressed, called himself a "guard" (for some reason "hunter" was no longer good, although he had the same clothes on, including the offending jacket) As soon as we got in the car, he was great.

We went to S's house, and the kids (A and L) were ready to go, A was a "phantom" which I think was really one of the junk traders from StarWars Ep. 4 (first one); and L was a bee - he is only two and soooo cute! It was quite cold and we thought we'd leave J to man the door (S's husband being at work) and we would take all the kids a short way, then come back and drop off L. We went up and down one block - probably 12-14 houses - and when we got back all the boys just started playing. Which was great with me! Fun fun fun. We are lucky D is no candy hound - I think Jim has had more of his candy than he has!

Next big event is next weekend, all the cousins on my side are coming (6 kids and 6 "grownups"). D is very excited about having a 2nd party. Whatever.

Par-tay!

2007-10-30T08:08:00.000-07:00

What a week! All the new furniture and moving of old stuff with a big deadline of " THE KINDERGARDEN PARENTS"!!! Of course the kids wouldn't care if the party was in a barn (cool idea) but this was the first time I was meeting some of the parents, so I wanted to make the good first impression. *sigh*

So ALL kids were late. RATHER late. I knew our friends the M-As would be late, they had soccer etc. But kid #1 showed up about 45 minutes late (with dad and brother). great - they seem really nice and I was sorry mom couldn't come - she had to work. Jim and the dad hit it off and went out on the porch to gab while the boys all played in the bedroom.

Then Kid #2 showed up with sister, her mom just dropped them off. Do you find this odd? I can't believe she didn't at least call to let me know, but maybe this is standard protocol with older kid birthdays. I mean, I had NEVER met this woman or her husband (someone else picks up the kids at school). Whatever.

Kid #3 got there about an hour late, she came with little brother and mom. The kids all played in Ds room for a while (and the new bed etc was a huge success) Then they colored pumpkin gourds. I decided we HAD to do the scavenger hunt then, so I explained the rules and handed out sacks. They had to find a pine cone (I know, the ground is carpeted in them!), piece of mica (shiny rock), colorful leaf (harder here, but lots of bushes) and a stick with lichens. We were hiking back about a 1/4 mile down our property to a little creek and back. Along the way I had 4 checkpoints with prizes, glowsticks, candys, lanterns (all from the dollar store!). The weather was FABULOUS - clear blue blue skys and crisp air but not too cold - couldn't have asked for better~

THen back for presents, cake and ice cream. The drop-off girls were kind of a pain, wanting their candies exchanged for other ones, and special ice cream - like that yummy ice cream cake wasn't good enough. But only minor annoyances. People left about 2 hours after they came, perfect. Because it was my neighbor's birthday too, and we had invited them (3) for dinner and a movie on the big screen! But that was no stress at all compared - dinner was fun and we watched the new Pink Panther with Kevin Kline and Steve Martin, very funny.

Tonight Jim's friend is turning 50 so they are coming for dinner and a movie - seems that we are a popular destination now!

popcorn balls

2007-10-25T08:11:00.000-07:00

Ok, I thought popcorn balls would be a great treat to bring for Ds birthday - wholesome natural food, right? Well, maybe there was a reason MY mom never did popcorn balls (that I remember!).

I got a recipe online, sugar sugar sugar! SO much for avoiding sugary food. But it said they wouldn't stick unless you used the real sugar jello, so I decided to just make it. Everything went ok until I spilled popcorn (pouring from the giant Costco bag I just dumped it everywhere!) seeds all over the floor. Of course this is happening RIGHT when the goop was ready - and it said you had to make the balls quickly. So I let Jim sweep up the corn and I thrust my hands into the hot popcorn/goop bowl - big mistake! Fortunately I didn't burn my hands much. So I got a big spoon which worked much better.

I am very worried about doing it quickly (as the recipe said!) and I start plopping out little "balls". Only they looked more like crumbling rock walls in ancient Ireland. This would have been a great history lesson, but of course I was panicking. Stupid balls. I try to mold them with my hands, but they stick to me - of course I have no grease or butter, but I sprayed Pam all over my hands (nasty feeling) repeatedly and that seemed to work. Turns out they have to cool down a bit before they will stay ina shape, and even then they fell apart, but it is gooey candy and the kids will love it.

Glad we did it, probably I wouldn't choose to do this again, but at least now I know what to expect!

insanity reigns

2007-10-21T06:17:00.000-07:00

It seems the week is over and an new one beginning...I had such great plans! But we did get the "home theater" set up, Jim is all happy and we watched a couple of movies. It really is pretty cool, although still nothing I would ever buy on my own!

Ds bday is Friday, and I suppose I must decide about bringing treats to school. I seem to fantasize about making all these different wonderful treats! I am going insane trying to be a perfect mom. I also (perhaps foolishly) told him to invite his classmates (there are only 4) and their families to our house on Saturday for a party. Now that was really insane - our house does look BETTER, but it is not exactly BH&G. I'm trying not to get sucked into the cheap birthday party crap vortex, and buy a bunch of junk. I think I will get some little pumpkins for them to decorate with markers, and if the weather is good we can go on a hike down the back of our property. I am trying to think of how to have little prizes or something along the way, like markers on a trail?

In addition, I have to do all my music stuff, redo a poster for the Madrigal Singers, and oh yeah, I joined weight watchers! I am really trying to fit that in, because it seems important to not die of being a fat slob at 42. *sigh* The plan seems good, like you would be able to work it around what you eat if you plan carefully, but right now I just want them to give me a box of food and say, here's your food for the day!

stuff stuff stuff

2007-10-15T10:46:00.000-07:00

Well, we are just going insane here on Mica Peak. No, the orange shag carpet is still here, but other things are changing.

When my dad was here we took two big loads of trash to the dump - one of which included the nasty couch in the basement. Jim had always envisioned a movie room in the basement with a projection tv and all that surround sound stuff. Well, we were in Costco the other day and one of their offerings was an 80" projection tv! I thought we were ok, because we had driven the convertible, but Jim is a master of loading, and we soon aquired a big tv. Actually a big screen and a little box, otherwise it would never have fit.

So the next day we go to Furniture Row, where we had seen a couch we really liked about a month ago but we wanted to look around more. Our neighbor said they were having a sale on, and we went into the "tent of values" out in the parking lot - and there was a couch just like we had picked! The only thing wrong was one of the pillows (attached) was understuffed, but we could either rip a seam and stuff it, or just plop a decorator pillow there - it is not noticable to look at. AND it came with a matching loveseat for the same price as a regular sofa alone. So we bought it. Yay. Here's what it looks like (ours is sage green) http://www.furniturerow.com/group_detail/brand/sofa_mart/id/497/

Of course Jim could hardly wait to hook everything up, and I was amazed at how fast he did it - we had movies last night! And his $20 sound stuff he'd been hording for years (in a pile under the table) worked great. So all you friends and reletives, come visit!

Kitchen pics

2007-10-13T11:18:00.000-07:00

Yay, for those of you who have seen the sad little 70s kitchen, here it is in all its lovely glory. NO comments on the clutter on the counter, it is MUCH better than usual! I am very proud of how it turned out - we did the paint, cupboards (knobs, my favorite coppery knobs), ceiling fan, wainscoting, and floor. And it only took 3 years!