oh, I've been reading too...

Back in the working world after a bit of time off for trips to Florida and central Georgia (at least much more central than where I live) to visit both sets of the parental units. My nephew is cute, Sea World was fun, I got spoiled with lots of nice birthday gifts and we got a dining room table set for a steal at the Rooms to Go Outlet.

I finished Catch a Tiger by the Toe by Ellen Levine weeks ago. Quick yet deep read about a middle schooler whose parents are communists in the McCarthy era. Now I'm reading Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire before we go see the movie. Matt really wants to see it in the theater, but I want to finish the book first, so I have to get going.

It feels like things are crazy busy around here. We've both got special stuff going on at work and family coming in December. I realize now why adults always seemed harried (is that the right word?) around the holidays when I was a kid. There's lots to do! And, I've already done most of the Christmas shopping. I'll feel better when the Christmas tree is up, I think.

Snow!

It's snowing outside my office window right now! I love seasons!

Goodbye, little green car

I feel so stupid crying over a car. But here I am, doing it none the less. We're trading her in for one of these. The a/c went out over a year ago and the right speaker years before that. She's almost 10 years old. She's got 108,000 miles on her too.

In many ways, I won't miss her, but in many ways I will. She kept me safe during a serious rear-end collision. She listened to me sing badly to my favorite songs and kept my secrets when I cried over something or talked back to bad drivers or prayed out loud during those 4 hour trips from college to home and back again.

She's been a constant companion for nearly 8 years, taking me to high school, my first road trip, college, the GRE (with the fuel light on and a nearly empty tank), grad school, my first apartment, my first apartment with Matt, job interviews, jobs, from Florida to Georgia, and my first home. Matt still remembers the first time he drove her - when I got sick on a date and had to be taken back to school to throw up (I'm pretty sure it was a bad milkshake). She's held my books and my clothes, my music and my makeup, my groceries and my furniture.

More importantly, she's held people and experiences I love. I don't think I could name all the family, friends and acquaintances that have spent some time in her little gray seats. The serious conversations. The jokes. The many missed exits and turns and that one time I went the wrong way on the one way street.

She's never let me down, because I don't blame her for the four flat tires or the dead battery.

Now I guess I look forward to what will happen and who will sit in the new car. It'll take me to homes and jobs too. It will hold family, friends, and acquaintances. I hope someday it will hold babies. (The little green car wouldn't. Too hard to maneuver a little person and a car seat without four doors.)

So, family and friends, next time you see me I'll be happy to take you for a ride and make a new memory.

We're in the leaves...

We're in the leaves!

Wanna know what I did all day? Good. I'll show you.

This picture was taken this morning, from our front porch, about 9:00am.
There's supposed to be green, but you can't see it, can you? That's several inches of leaves, my friend.

And here's the same shot, this afternoon, about 4:00pm.
A little better, no? The leaf blower is my friend.

Rainey likes the leaves too.The weather has been nice (warm) enough to leave the windows open while I putz about the house. Rainey was very alert to any falling leaf or acorn out the back door.

Promised pictures, Part 2

There's construction going on this week at my library, so it's closed and everyone has the week off. Now that's a good surprise!

Monday I did housework and recovered from a weekend chaperoning some of Matt's students at a conference, yesterday I did some cooking and sleeping because I had an unpleasant headache and today I'm doing more housework and knitting. Fun, huh?

This gives me PLENTY of time to finally post some interesting things. Namely, promised pictures. A couple of weeks ago Matt put up light fixtures in the kitchen and dining areas.

Kitchen:


Dining (it's a new chandelier):


Also, notice that we painted that wall. It used to have the hideous butterfly/flower wallpaper. See here. We have ambitious plans to paint the kitchen cabinets this weekend.

More posts soon!