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.

Shirking My Responsibilities

I had many things planned Tuesday after the mail route. I had a long list of things I wanted to get done in Longview and around the house. Then Drew called.

I tried to say no but it was 100 degrees and what is the point of living in a place like this if I don't take advantage of it once in a while? Too bad Matt was stuck at work. I am a lousy wife!

My boatmates, Chris (the owner of the boat), his son, Dakota and Drew.

Drew and Dakota.

I do not regret abandoning my chores and spending the day on Mayfield lake. Not one bit.

Bwah-ha-ha-ha

Our friends Jill and Casey just broke ground on their house building project. Good luck kids! They have a blog. Go give them some love here.

Little Bunny Foo Foo

Drew and I went to Longview this evening to buy some stuff from Lowe's. When we got back we were talking with Matt in "the Room" (as I have taken to calling our little living space. It must be spoken out loud in dark and ominous tones), when we heard a loud squealing coming from the bay (the unheated garage portion of the pole building currently a maze of boxes and stuff waiting to move into the house). Drew and I are all, "what the . . ?" and Matt is all, "I know! I just heard that 10 minutes ago. There is murder going on in the bay. Norah and Audrey have something out there but I can't find what they have." The three of us went out to investigate but came up empty. Drew went home and I was futzing around on the computer when Matt came in from the bay with a stricken look. "It is a RABBIT!!!" he said. I was all, "OMG, OMG, OMG! Where is it? Is it still alive? What do we do?!!" Matt put on a pair of gloves and I got a towel and he eventually cornered it in our recently emptied kitchen sink box. We wrapped it in the towel, took a couple of pics, briefly succumed to its utter cuteness, almost kicked all the cats to the curb and kept the bunny, came to our senses and took it outside into the forest. Hopefully it had a chance to find a hiding place before Norah and Audrey discovered it was gone from the building. When we came back in they were stalking around the bay like a couple of lionesses on the veldt.

Now it was a small rabbit to be sure but we must give mad props to Norah for this catch. Remember Norah is our tiny dancer, she isn't much bigger than a kitten. It won't be long now before she drags in a freaking raccoon.

These Floors are Made for Walking

What is it about finishing the floors that makes it all feel so REAL!

This is the guest bedroom. Look how beautiful those board are! We didn't have to replace a single piece of wood in this room.

They are working in stages. This is the dividing line between the guest bedroom/little hall and the living room. The living room is the last room they will finish.

In my yellow room the floors have been stained but not varnished. We did have to replace a couple of boards in this room but not nearly as many as we thought.

All the wood in the house, new and old is fir with the exception of the bathroom floors. The wood in those rooms is pine and was generously donated by friend Jess and Joelle Winters. It was left over from another project and I think it was meant for this purpose. We got 139 square feet from them and used about 135 square feet!

Holy Smokes You Guys!!!

Tengrain @ Mock Paper Scissors gave us our own little post. Look here.

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!  

For Jenny, Compliments of Drew

Jenny had a crappy and troublesome commenter on her blog so in an effort to send some friendly traffic her way and bring some silly into the equation, here is a video that Drew found and sent to me. It should be pretty obvious right away why he thought of me when he saw it. The election is just days away people. Here's hoping we all make it to the finish line with our hearts, souls and limbs intact. Love ya Jenny.

Windows are the (many, many) Eyeballs of a House

Bob and Tom

A dim shot: Matt's hat, Tom, Bob on ladder and Drew

My kitchen windows are going in!

Some ghoul hanging out of my kitchen window. I don't know who that rag-tag person is.

Deliveries!!!!

Got a few truck loads of goodies this week. First up: THE WINDOWS! Yay!!!

And Yesterday? The Siding! You cannot believe the beautiful aroma rolling out of the back of the truck. I don't know if I mentioned it but we are using western red cedar board and batt for siding. It smelled sooo wonderful.

On hand to unload the truck: Matt, Tom, Drew, Bob and the truck driver.

Look! Drew as hard laborer! I called him in to help get the truck unloaded. True friend indeed.

Gorgeous!!! It will not be painted or stained but left to weather into a greyish color.

Jolaina's Homecoming

Saturday I went back to Jolaina's house to do her make-up for the Homecoming dance. She wanted to keep with the goth theme from the other day. We just toned it down a tiny bit.

Here we are. And this is the first posted picture of me as a brace face, metal mouth, silver grill, etc.

Jolaina Goes Goth

Yesterday morning I headed over to Jolaina's house to do her make-up for school. This is Spirit Week at Toledo HS (culminating in Homecoming this weekend) and each day has it's own theme. This is Jolaina going goth. Girl is committed! I think she looks great.

The Puyallup Fair

Last Sunday Matt and I went to the Puyallup Fair with Drew. It was fun. We lasted about 4 hours in the glorious sun before the fair weariness overtook us and the crowds began to freak us out.

First thing we saw was this master carver of giant pumpkins. They were selling giant pumpkin seeds. Matt was considering buying some but what would we do with a 1000 pound pumpkin. Sure it would be fun for awhile but what about when it starts to rot. You know it won't fit in the trash can and that, my friend, would be some stinky pumpkin.

"What would it take to get you to sign a contract for delivery on a lovely inflatable spa today? How's about we throw in the inflatable lady to sweeten the deal?"

This picture doesn't really capture the sadness of the "designated smoking area". There they were, all huddled together under a little tent with cops patrolling the perimeter to make sure that they didn't contaminate any of the non-smoking fair goers. Drew, that should be reason enough to quit right there. You don't get no respect from the Puyallup fair.

Yeah. It seems like it would be easy to crack a snarky comment on this photo but I am tired and WE ARE GOING TO DISNEYLAND TOMORROW!!! so snark amongst yourselves.(and by tomorrow I mean that we are flying to Los Angeles. We won't actually be in Disneyland until Saturday)

The Puyallup Fair - Food

Where the prize winning beef goes after the blue ribbon ceremony.

We all know that food at the fair is expensive and yet, we are still shocked when a soda clocks in at $3.25. That is better than the water I bought later: $3.50.

My piroshky. Now is the time for me to say that I am really jealous of the fairs that Nathan has been going to in Ohio. The food looks so much more fun. This is the most exciting thing I could find. I mean a person can only eat so many funnel cakes and elephant ears before they go searching for something new. I miss the Los Angeles County fair. It is a fair that serves up everything deep fried. Ain't nothin' wrong with that once or twice a year.

Here are ladies engaged in piroshky preparation.

Matt's "Flamin' Hot Cheesy Brat"

The Puyallup Fair - Mish Mash of Animals

Drew's favorite dog in the canine pavilion.

This guinea pig wants no part of the fair proceedings. That or there is a tasty tidbit in the bottom of the oatmeal container.

Llama

Alpaca

Drew and I have a semi-friendly debate over which is better: alpacas or llamas. I vote llama, Drew votes alpaca. Matt, by the way, votes independant on this, or rather, he prefers niether. That is a fine position for now but what will he do when I come home witha llama someday? It is GOING to happen. No use fighting it. Here is a link to my last alpaca post and a link to my post about Precious, the first llama I ever met.

Maybe this will change my mind:

Apparently it Really Does Take a Village

This weekend was set aside for putting sheathing on the roof. Uncle Bob came into town and Chuck came over on Saturday to help.

Bob at the drawing board and Tom on the ladder

Chuck sawing boards for the shear wall supports

Bob sawing pieces for the roof sheathing

Notice the eaves. They were made by Matt and Tom out of a tree that fell down at Tom's house.

West side in progress

Tom laying one of the final pieces on the west side

Halfway through

Beginning on the east side

Shot from the back showing the shear wall sheathing and the roof sheathing.

Saturday we battled rain. Nobody expected the downpour we received and so there was a mad scramble to get tarps over all the exposed roof. The Sister House still got soaked and we mopped up as best we could. Sunday there were some ominous clouds but nothing fell out of them and we made good progress. When we finish sheathing the walls I get to use the nail gun!

Not pictured village participant: Kathy who supplied lunches for the crew.