I've Been Off the Blog for Awhile But . . .

Check this out, Tengrain passed The World Famous Winlock Egg. while on the train. Don't you all wish you could see it in person too? We have a lovely guestroom waiting for you.

This is what I have been up to for the last few months:

• 1 trip to Utah for me
• 1 trip to Utah for Matt
• 2 visits from Nancy (Matt's Stepmom) to Winlock (2 road trips with a motor home filled with furniture for our new house - she did all our decorating and we are most grateful)
• 1 visit from my parents - their first to our new home and also their first time meeting Tom and Kathy. It was a really big deal for me to finally have my mom and dad meet my birthfather and his wife.
• 1 giant housewarming party
• a bunch of other stuff that a person needs to do when setting up a new home.
• reacquainting myself with the printed word. I haven't taken the time to read for pleasure in far too long! I was so thirsty that I am reading four at once: Corvus: A Life With Birds, Deerhunting with Jesus, Edgar Sawtelle and a collection of Irish Folktales. I just can't make up my mind so I am reading them all.
  

I would like to mention that everything feels right and happy and normal again now. Amazing what a little breathing room in a lovely house can do for a person.

JOY!!!

Guess what opens in Olympia today!!!!! Trader Joe's!!!!!! I am not ashamed to admit that leaving Trader Joe's behind was one of the sadnesses of leaving Los Angeles. By the time we left California we were pretty much exclusively grocery shopping at TJ's. In fact, when we decided to make the move one of the first things I did was do a search for the nearest Trader Joe's to Winlock. It was an hour away in Vancouver - too far for regular shopping. Before we even left Los Angeles I sent a message pleading for TJ's to put a location in Olympia - not that I am taking credit for this or anything. Olympia is the nearest place to us that makes sense for a Trader Joe's. I am not sure that Chehalis/Centralia could support one. Today is our lucky day. Olympia is only marginally closer than Vancouver but we find ourselves going north more often than south so this is a good thing.

Joe's Os for everyone! ($5 Cheerios can suck it)

Dryer Drama

I lost my cool yesterday.

Last Saturday Sears delivered our washer and dryer. They didn't hook it up. So we called our plumber and the earliest they could get here was yesterday. So, as the laundry piled up, we waited.

Our plumber got all the gas lines and waterlines ready to go but he informed us that he was unable to install the gas to liquid propane kit that came with the dryer because he would have to dismantle the entire dryer and it wasn't something he was comfortable doing.

I called Sears to ask why they didn't do the conversion. I was told that they could do the conversion but only if they did the install too. I said that the install was pretty much complete and all I needed was the conversion. They said they would have to uninstall all the work the plumber did, do the conversion and then reinstall. I said, "that is stupid", hung up and relayed the info to Matt. He said, "that doesn't make any sense because the delivery person said they never install gas dryers".

So, I called Sears back and said, "I feel like you guys are jerking me around. Why did you tell me you could convert my dryer but only if you install it? But you don't install gas dryers so you can't install it and that means you won't convert it, right? But why would you offer the conversion service which is obviously gas related if you won't do it because you won't install?". Sears said "sorry", they couldn't help.

Frustration!

I then called around to a bunch of local appliance repair services. I was told they would be happy to do the conversion and when could I bring the dryer into the shop? Well, I was hoping to have it done on site because, you know, I don't want to be lugging a freaking dryer around. Nope. No go.

I finally got wise and called our propane provider (Amerigas by the way). Do you know what they told me? "Lady, today is your lucky day! Our service technician is on North Military Road and you are only a few miles away. He will be there in a few hours". So, it all worked out in the end and the washer and dryer were put into service last night. Good thing too or else Matt would have headed to Utah with a suitcase full of dirty socks.

Slap A Star On It!! The Sister House is Done

For those of you who don't know, this star is Tom's brand. You will find it on his projects large and small. The Sister House brand is located on the top, right corner of the pantry screen door.

Never has a signature looked so beautiful!

Russell wonders why all the fuss about approval from the County when he has already given his stamp of approval.

I am sure you realize that when I say DONE, it is just according to the County and the bank. We still have a long list of things to do (backsplashes, shower rod, exterior trim paint, varnish baseboards, fence, landscaping, carport, etc.) But words fail me as I try to think how best to describe my relief. My entire world has been shrinking down to the goal of getting that signature. Now that we have it, I can see the rest of the world in full color again. Feels real good.

I have made a video walk through of the house that I wanted to post tonight but it is taking forever to load onto YouTube so I will post that tomorrow.

I predict a night free of anxiety dreams for the first time in months.

Also, guess where Matt is tonight? That's right. Frogging. It is that time of year again. The Toledo Cheese Days frog jump is Friday night.

And do you realize that this blog began nearly 2 years ago? My first post regarding this adventure was on July 20, 2007. We moved to Winlock at the end of July '07.

As long as I am reminiscing, this is what we were up to a year ago.

First Night

I was kind of grumpy on the 4th of July. Not because of the holiday but because the stupid final inspection keeps getting pushed back and I am tired of having that hanging over my head. Well, I guess it is sort of the fault of the holiday. The shower door that was supposed to be installed on Wednesday so we could be inspected on Thursday didn't get installed until Thursday but a Friday inspection was out because the county was closed for the holiday, and so the inspection is now scheduled on Monday. Yesterday I kind of cracked at the seams and so Matt and I unpacked the TV and all its attendant paraphernalia and carted it upstairs. We went to the grocery store for some fruits, veggies and ice cream. Loaded up our new refrigerator. Made lime sodas with ice from our new ice maker and watched movies in OUR HOUSE - final inspection be damned. And guess what, Lewis County? We even spent the night sleeping upstairs on our soft, soft carpet, camping style with pillows and blankets, even though we don't have our certificate of occupancy and even though the window upstairs is not up to code for a sleeping room. So there! I feel much, much better now!

What I am Listening to Now

Longing For Lullabies from Kleerup on Vimeo.

Where Have I Been?

It is oft commented how hard building or renovating a home can be on a relationship. I am here to tell you that I have been knocked off my high horse. I was certain we were up to the challenge. I am very humble now.

I have not wanted to post because I have been in a really bad place and didn't want to share for a multitude of reasons: Some info was too personal, I didn't want to spread the poisonous mood, I lacked the emotional energy get through a real day let alone re-live it by posting on the blog. I intended the blog to be an accurate account of this adventure but you and I will have to settle for an account filled with holes. I guess I will let those posting dry spells speak for themselves.

Not to worry, Matt and I have made it through and will be better for having slogged into and out of the dark places. I know I have made mention to my mood in past posts with the hope that things were turning upward. That was me willing myself out of a bad place and not quite getting out. I have made it out now. It is a huge relief.

I can now say that we expect to be all finished up with the house by July 1st - final inspection, transfer from construction loan to mortgage, etc. I am so glad to be here. I am profoundly, inexpressibly grateful to Tom and Kathy for the hundreds of hours of labor and million acts of kindness they have given. I am so sorry I collapsed so completely in the middle of the process. I thought I was made of different stuff.

I am going to tell you right now that you are in for another posting dry spell. This drought will not be because of a black mood. This drought will be because we are working our tails off to put this project to bed. Expect the next post to be an unveiling of sorts - a kind of "Driver Move that Bus" moment from Extreme Home Makeover. People, we are at the finish line here! Happy Spring! Happy Summer! Happy Life. And love to all my family and friends who I have so horrendously neglected over the past 6-9 months.

Love, -Michelle

Who is That Blowing Gently Into My Ear?

Who is that blowing gently into my ear as I scrub mold off the Sister House ceiling with bleach water? If you guessed it was the house itself, YOU ARE RIGHT! We have electricity and a running heater in the house now! DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS??? It means this time when I clean the mold off it will stay gone. It means that I can now stain and varnish the interior window sills. It means that the plastering of walls can begin soon. It means our funny little project that, if I am really truthful, I was starting to lose faith in, is moving along. It means the carefully assembled 2x4's and 2x6s that are sitting in the yard looking kind of house-like are really and truly a HOUSE! Praise be.

Clinically Eeyore

In no particular order, here are some things that both you and I missed while I was wallowing in depression:

Sunrise behind Mt. St. Helens taken just this morning as I was on my way to the dentist

Fog! We were socked in for 3 days. I took this on my mail route way up on a hill that would normally be well out of fog range, especially by noon when this was taken

The shingles going up on the house. We are farther along than this. I will post again when this section is finished

Our heating beast. All the ductwork is in now. As soon as I finish digging the trench for the electrical connection we can hook up and heat the house!

The great snow of 08, compressed, frozen and sliding off the roof destroying gutters on it's way. These pics were taken at 6:30am and after I took them I went and knocked the snow down so the gutters wouldn't get too mangled. It looks like the snow would just fall off when hit with a broom or shovel but it hung on and I really had to beat at it to get it to break!

South Military Road during the storm

South Military Road after the storm. Not many snow plows around here! These roads were a mess for many days.

Wilma! Created by Kathy and waiting to greet me when I got home from Utah on Christmas eve.

Raccoon visitors!

Stuck in Tom and Kathy's driveway on Christmas Day. My car wasn't high enough to clear the snow.

The burn pile awaiting the appropriately rainy day to go up in flames

Fraq buried. While I was in Utah, Tom came over and spent a day scraping snow off the driveway with the CAT and cleared off the mail car. Then it kept right on snowing and I ended up getting stuck in my own driveway the Saturday after Christmas.

Before we went to Utah I found a bat in the Sister House. This bat wasn't right! Matt and I took some video of it before we, uh, put it to sleep. With all the cats around it just isn't a good idea to let a sick bat run loose.

Speaking of cats, Lily was just diagnosed with FIP. This is BAD news. It is incurable and there is no way to know how she contracted it. It is possible that she may have caught it from the kittens or it may have been hanging around inside her dormant. It is somewhat infectious so we are now worried about the rest of the cats. The Vet suggested that we bring her in for euthanasia but we just haven't been able to bring ourselves to do it yet. Crap.

Good Riddance 2008

I am going to go on record as saying that 2008 was not the best year for me. Sure wonderful, new, interesting experiences were had but, as the year draws to a close, I feel worn out and thin. As I write this Matt is in Utah with his dad who was overtaken with an incredibly fast moving pancreatic cancer. It was discovered the week after Thanksgiving and we are all fearful that he doesn't have much time left. And by not much time I am speaking mere days. So, between Grandpa's passing, Doug's failing health and some other things I don't feel like sharing, the last quarter of 2008 blows. I guess it is coloring my mental review of the whole year. I should go back and read the blog from earlier days to remember that there were jollier times. I plan to fly to Utah in the next day or two, weather permitting.

Here is a video that makes me laugh. I am going to be reciting the following over and over: I am the penguin. I am the penguin.

Election Night

Yes We Can!!

Screen grab of the map just after the election was called on CNN but before the night turned into a major mandate for President Elect Obama

The magic moment.

Our little watching party was marked with tears of joy, whoops of excitement and an overwhelming sense that we would be moving back to the United States of America that we feel we were born and raised in. There are many in this election who suggested that Barack Obama was unpatriotic and even anti-American because of his calls for Change. The idea being that America is a perfect nation created by God that is always guided by God and therefore beyond reproach. Here is a quote from an article in the New York Times that does a better job of making my thoughts clear than I could.

. . .a sense that the imperial power capable of doing such good and such harm — a country that, they complain, preached justice but tortured its captives, launched a disastrous war in Iraq, turned its back on the environment and greedily dragged the world into economic chaos — saw the errors of its ways over the past eight years and shifted course.

They say the country that weakened democratic forces abroad through a tireless but often ineffective campaign for democracy — dismissing results it found unsavory, cutting deals with dictators it needed as allies in its other battles — was now shining a transformative beacon with its own democratic exercise.

(a note of context: the article was discussing the views of citizens of other countries but it applies to me as well.)

When I say I want Change and I believe when Barack Obama calls for change what we are aiming for is a return to the beauty of the country as an ideal, as an example to the world. As Bill Clinton put it at the DNC, "The world is more impressed with the power of our example than the example of our power". Ronald Reagan's reference to the Shining City on a Hill from the bible and from John Winthrop has been mentioned frequently in this election season. Far from being that shining beacon, I feel that we have turned into a bully with a club, earplugs and blinders. The election results of November 4th 2008 relit that beacon. It is burning again and I hope that the flame only gets brighter as we all work together to put the economy back on track, ensure that all our citizens can afford health care, search for energy solutions, end wars started by lies, support our allies when the cause is just, mend an ailing educational system, and a host of other issues that will require the leadership of President-Elect Obama and the participation and support of the people of America.

Count me in.

CONGRATULATIONS PRESIDENT OBAMA AND HAPPINESS TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

We are so happy!  

Trip to Disneyland Recap

I didn't take many photos on our trip to Los Angeles. In fact, here are all of them:

The beautiful and supremely delicious cupcakes from Violet's Cakes in Pasadena (eaten while in Lucky Baldwin's Pub).

My first trip on the Monorail at Disneyland!

It was really strange being back "home". It still feels familiar down there, like an old shoe. Felt like home was in two places, Winlock & Hollywood. That said, I was happy to get back to Washington. I have grown accustomed to the slower pace of life here. It is really nice to have time to enjoy the scenery around me and time spent with friends and family.

I am still here.

Just a little crabby. Don't want to spread the disease. Working on my mood. I will be back when I am feeling jollier.

Whoaa!!

The crumbling economy is freaking me the hell out. I feel like we are standing in the middle of a rope bridge over a chasm. At the bottom: a roiling river filled with snakes and large jawed flesh eating things. We have started on our construction process but when we are done we must convert from a construction loan to a traditional mortgage. With all the big players falling into ruin what is going to happen to interest rates between now and then? What if they shoot sky high like they have in the past and push us beyond our means? Since the bottom has fallen out of the housing market, if that happens we would not be able to sell the house (not that we would want to) and we would end up another foreclosure casualty. I try not to think thoughts like this too often but when I log on in the morning and the first thing I see is that Merrill Lynch is biting the dust it gives me heart palpitations.

I am Still Here

I want to go on record saying that I am painfully aware how off my nut, barking mad, crazy as a loon, mad as a hatter, etc. I went during the Great Una Disappearance of 2008 earlier this week. When I am feeling normal and well balanced I KNOW that pet psychics are malarkey but panic and desperation do messed up things to a mind. So that is what I have to say on the subject.

In other news, I have been delivering mail in another office to help out while they are shorthanded so I haven't had the time or brain power to post any of the non-Una events of the week. Here are a few subjects that I will flesh out in full upcoming posts:

• Norah is noisy when we try to sleep.
• Norah is stinky.
• Norah farts A LOT. Sometimes poo comes out with the fart.
• Norah worships Russell and has decided to follow his example of peeing on the bed.
• Saw a stray kitten in the yard this morning. Had a mixed reaction as I watched it run away: Aw, how cute plus PANIC. Where are they all coming from?
• The work on the house went forward while I was losing my mind.
  
• We went to the Southwestern WA Fair. Pics to come but you can look at last year's pics now if you want.
• What is the "Authentic Australian Experience"? (with the subcategory: Kangaroo or Wallaby: You decide).
• Why did some people in Castle Rock think Thursday was a federal holiday?
• It is REALLY hot.

I will explain all and provide photo documentation for some later this week.

Una - the Prologue

Here is my assessment of what may have happened (despite the "insights" from the pet psychics).

Una got pissed about Norah's existence. On top of that we took her to the vet where she got shots and has since had daily administrations of cold drops put in her ears followed by vigorous rubbing. She was mad. mad. mad. What is a cat to do? Russell peed. Una went one better and broke our hearts. We don't know where she went but she is not hurt and not too dirty or filled with burrs so it can't have been too far. Probably within earshot. I can imagine her sitting in her hidey hole listening to us yell her name until our voices broke with tears. In her warped (and well loved) little mind she probably decided to let us twist in the wind a little longer until we were really wrecked with pain and guilt at not being able to find and rescue her. She decided to sneak back while we slept as if nothing happened assuming that we had learned our lesson. But! Norah is still here and Russell and Lily had taken over the prime sleeping spots on the bed so the punishment is not over. She is directing her residual anger at me. She is lovey with Matt and will rub her face in his beard and submit to a few pets. But not me! I am her person and I am still in the "doghouse"! She won't look at me and she won't sit near me or suffer to be held and loved by me. That is OK. I can wait. She will come around. In a few years. Hopefully.

Una in the Wee Hours

Una jumped up on the bed at 4:40 this morning. She did not bother to tell us where she had been or what happened. We gave her some food and she had some water. She is grumbly and pissy. There seems to be something wrong with her right front paw but I haven't gotten a good look at it yet. No other obvious signs of injury. I am afraid to go back to sleep for fear that she will disappear again when my eyes are closed. Thank you for your prayers and encouraging messages.

It is Dark

It's hard to find a black cat at night. Matt went under the house again. He didn't find Una but he did find a nest of yellow jackets. This day is just getting worse and worse. I hope if she is alive she can find her way home because we can't find her.