It has been a stretch of good days, low key and low stress, filled with lots of warmth and occasional laughter.
We went to see Into the Woods with some friends and I did not like it as much as the play! Though Chris Pine as the Prince was wonderful-best scene in the whole thing. It was still very enjoyable, we had a great time and the kids have not seen the play 50 times like I have, so they could care less it was NOTEXACTLYTHESAME.
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| Ben has 2 banjos. At Jake's birthday, Chan made signs for all the food, warning of gluten or dairy and there was cornbread and in another pan, also cornbread. That sign got put on the banjo afterward and it was dubbed 'Also Cornbread'. So now we say things like, "Are you bringing Also Cornbread to Katy's?" |
We have spent the last couple of weekends cutting wood, though this past weekend was a really lame effort all around, no one (other than Matt) was in the mood to do anything and there was lots of just standing there and it ended up taking all day for what should have been a few hours of work.
Luckily, the previous weekend everyone was either in high spirits or was tired of listening to me doom and gloom about the upcoming COLD and opted to shut me up with a stack of wood to the ceiling. We burned nearly ALL of it. It was COLD. Single degree temps for 3 days! It did not snow at all, so I imagine there's still that looming this winter...though I am pretty okay with that, it's a nice change and short lived.
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| none of these trees were harmed in the making of firewood |
We had lunch at Amanda's one afternoon and it was nice to just hang out for a while. We kicked around camping ideas, but this time of year when it's cold, we tend to dream bigger than budgets will cover. Ski trips and scuba diving, weeks on a houseboat and driving cross country. One of those, sure, but not all.
On Matt's Friday off, we went to Shakalaka so he could jump. Ben LOVES Shakalaka and rock climbing, they both use so much muscle and he's so strong and fast now, I know it must be pure joy to feel that capable and healthy.
Chan, upside down again!
The lighting in this place is HORRIFIC. The fastest I can set my shutter is half a second, which SOUNDS fast, but not faster than a flipping girl!
Look how HIGH he can get!
Matt flipped on the trapeze and landed on the back of his neck, which hurt him pretty badly. He spent the rest of Friday and overnight on the heating pad. Then Saturday morning he got up and ran the chainsaw for 3 hours, then split wood with the maul for another hour.
I feel so inadequate!
On Sunday, Matt's band practice got cancelled so he came to Owen's birthday party with us!
We intended to leave around 5...we got home just after 1 a.m. and Matt's alarm goes off at 4:30. And he did not even call in.
I was on the couch talking and hanging out and Inde came in and climbed me and put her cheek on mine and whispered, "I am sorry about Kaiju." I nearly lost it and there was no 'nearly' for Matt. It was SO sweet. That meant so much.
It was SO COLD, we cut wood all day Saturday in 35 degree weather and ended up peeling off shirts and jackets to leave at the house, Sunday was nearly 50, but windy and damp and it cut through you. I watched them play, quite happy to be in a toasty house!
After the party, Kurt got out the Red Stag and something else, Crown Royal Black Label? Mainly, Red Stag. We had a glass and decided to play Cards Against Humanity for a little while so no one was driving home after having a drink. It was only 7, after all. 5 hours later, we were all aching from laughing and no one wanted to leave, but everyone had to work. Next time-Friday night games with a sleepover planned!
The last bit of good news is that the central unit will be replaced within the week! HEAT! But mainly AIR CONDITIONING! The winter is not so bad, but last summer, most of our stuff was mildewed and that's gross. Things that did not mold over were damp and the coats and blankets stored in the closets smelled awful this winter.
I filled out an application online with the credit union this morning, they approved the amount and gave me a much better rate than I had hoped for since it was unsecured. The payments are the same as what we have paid the past 6 years on braces every single month, so there's not even really an adjustment to the budget. I just paid Ben's off in October. It was surprisingly painless and 15% lower interest than a cash advance on the credit card!
Next up-redoing the shingles on that one side of the porch roof until we can manage a new metal roof.
