Loading up the truck...

We are packing up Joel tonight (and all the other stuff that Momma and the Grandma's are sending). Hope we have enough room in the truck...



Momma had her first day of work - her feet are sore, but she thinks she is going to enjoy the job. She gets to work with a couple of women, neither of whom seem too chatty (which is good) - they listen to music and prepare the instruments.

She did have one awkward moment when she worked until the job was done then her boss (who never really told her when to go home) told her she shouldn't be working overtime. She also was so busy that she didn't get to eat lunch.

Otherwise, her first day went well. She wouldn't let me take a picture of her on her first day - that seems wrong after making you guys pose with your book bags year after year.

Oh yeah, she also thinks my taste in music and clothes (sweater vests) are gay...

Hmmmm...

The Ugly Truth...

Momma and I went to Red Robin and then to see The Ugly Truth last night. The food was good but the movie was baaaaad...

It is essentially the same movie that you have seen a hundred times - nothing really original except that this version was a little (okay, a lot) more crass than the typical romantic comedy.

We also got to sit in front of annoying loud guy...



Okay not him, but this guy didn't know how to use his "theater voice". Luckily, we really didn't care what the actors were saying, so he only bothered us a little.

Some young teenybopper girls sat next to us and just laughed and hooted at everything. We enjoyed hearing them more than the actual movie.

So, while I'm in Boston I'm going to need some more music to listen to on the way back. Here is my list of what I want (please check your huge music libraries):

1. Come On Get Higher by MATT NATHANSON
2. You raise me up - Josh Groban
3. Viva la Vida - Coldplay

If I think of any more, I'll post them - feel free to make suggestions...

Weird...

So the other day I finished Lonesome Dove and decided to go to Book-a-holic to find, ummm, well... a book.

I ended up getting a couple of books, Correlli's Mandolin and a book called How to be Good by Nick Hornby.

I started reading Correlli's Mandolin but after a few days I'd only managed to get about 35 pages into it. So I decided to switch to How to be Good.

It is a much better book and as I continued to read, I got to this passage on page 15:

Ok, so I am not in any way qualified to be a literary critic, not least because I don't read books anymore. I used to, back in the days when I was a different, happier, more engaged human being, but now I fall asleep every night holding a copy of Correlli's Mandolin...

So in an entire store stuffed full of books, I picked two completely unrelated books, one of which referred to the other...

Paging Rod Serling...

So, we have decided that when our lease runs out in late September, we are going to move into the camper out at G'pa Jello's barn.

Yes your parents are going to live in a trailer, in a barn. Bet you can't wait to tell all your friends... We are doing this to save some money so that we can afford to buy a house like those we posted earlier.

Mystery solved...

Mysterious Change of Plans...

Momma and I have changed our plans - we are not going to immediately buy a house. More details to come...




Don't you just love a mystery?

Another house...

You might want to read the "Busy Weekend" post below first...

This is the house in College Hill just down the street from Mondo and Linda's old house. It is on a cul-de-sac (so no through traffic). I kind of liked this one the best - but Mom liked the other one (below).

Front:


Backyard (looking toward the house - this one had the better backyard and a great deck!)

Looking into the backyard from the deck (did I mention it was a GREAT deck!).

Front Porch (roomy!)

The kitchen was a little small...

Breakfast Nook! (well... the white people love it.)

Dining room (cool walls!)

Living room (fireplace is kind of dated)...

Basement was awesome (in a man cavish sort of way...).

Houses we are looking at

Here is the one Momma really likes (I like it too).

Front (note the front porch):


Side (It is four bedrooms, 2 baths - I guess Jefe needs lots of room).


Living room with built in book shelves...


Other end of living room with fireplace and funky "phone chair"

Dining room...

Kitchen (all the cabinets are that "Mission" style that Mom loves).


That is a big whirlpool tub (kind of hard to see in this picture). When we saw this, Mom decided this is where she wants to live!

Backyard:

Busy weekend...

We spent yesterday morning at Christine's cleaning up her hail damaged yard with G'ma Ayala, then driving to Sedgwick to dump the leaves in G'pa Jello's burn pile.

Jefe enjoyed the day - he got to play with Dude while we raked, then go to the farm where he got to frolic in the meadow for a while...

We started to watch the Spiderwick Chronicles last night, but I fell asleep so we'll try again tonight.

Woke up this morning and went to Church at St. Francis. This afternoon we went to several open houses as it looks like Mom and I are going to buy a house instead of rent. We saw two that we really liked (both with nice yards for Jefe, see frolicing above). One of them is in College Hill (over by Mondo and Linda's old house) and the other one is in the Riverside area (just two blocks from the Castle Inn at Riverside - see picture).

Momma has some potatoes on the grill and I'm getting ready to do the chicken (sorry Elena).

Looking forward to seeing you guys next week!

Momma got a job today!!! I'll let her post the details...

Cow Appreciation Day!

Roll down your window and say "Hi" to a cow today!

http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/July/cowappreciationday.htm

We just watched "Under the Same Moon"...

Miss you guys...

Happy "Embrace Your Geekness" Day!

http://my.simmons.edu/libraries/collections/career/2008/07/embrace_your_ge.shtml

Had a wonderful lunch with Leslie at the Riverside Cafe! Dad's off to play D&D and I'm thinking aobut going swimming again.

Royals: 8

Red Sox: 6

I'm in mourning . . . watched the last X-Files of Season Nine yesterday. : (

Today is Jefe's birthday!! Did you guys get him a present?

Mom and I just got home from a party at DeGraffenreid's. Turns out that Bruce Haertl was there (the channel 12 sports guy).

So, yeah - that's how I roll. I party with celebrities.

It has been a looooong week. Worked 75 hours...

Getting too old to work that many. I have tomorrow and Saturday off (but I have to work on Sunday). Planning to watch some Wimbledon and read (nothing else)...