On Before & Afters

Jul 6, 2012 | Uncategorized

We bought a little rent house a couple of years ago.
It’s been a long journey but it’s finished- and rented! 
I wanted to share some “Before” and “Afters” to show what we were up against.
Be warned- the “Before” pictures were after we had cleaned twice- it was THAT DIRTY.

(Paint, Glass, Roof…)

 Whew!  Thanks to Mom and my uncle for helping us!

Writer’s Workshop: Lots of Lists

Jan 21, 2010 | Uncategorized

For MamaKat’s Writer’s Workshop I chose prompts #3 & #4:
3.) Write a list of 10 things that can be done to stave off boredom.
4.) “How many homes have you had? Write a journal entry about ALL the places you’ve called ‘home’ in your life.”

ALL the places I’ve called home?  Honestly, Mama Kat?  Wow.  I am choosing this just to see if I can do it.  (Mom, if you’re reading you can check and see if I left anything out.)

  1. I was born when my parents were in grad school (well, mom was finished and working but dad was still in)  so we lived in Fayetteville, AR near the U of A.  First house I remember was a rock house?  
  2. Then a duplex there where dad had a motorcycle…
  3. A farmhouse in Hogeye, AR (yeah, that’s really the name!) I loved that house- guess from when I was 2-3.  I remember the owner had a big scary white horse but he was nice.  Also we had to help the cows get their heads out of the fence sometimes which I thought was funny and my little dog, Mona, loved to chase the cows.   And I had the best tire-swing EVER! 
  4. MuscleShoals, AL when I was 4 and I remember it was a pretty house with a fireplace and a nice patio where a cute greensnake would come and hang out with us.  We had sunflowers that grew out back and that was the first time mom ever didn’t work and I loved it. 
  5. Knoxville, TN when I was 5.  We had an awesome backyard at the end of a cul-de-sac and a little woods behind our house where I could roam.  Mom stayed home the whole time we lived in Knoxville and was like June Cleaver- making cookies and playdough, homemade eggroll wrappers even and tofu!  My baby brother was born here and my dad died here.
  6.  My grandparents house in Ancon, Panama. 
  7.  A nasty apartment in France Field, Panama- where we could hear voodoo drums sometimes (really.)  My brother got pushed off the slide by mean kids and we saw a hammerhead shark.  
  8. CocoSolo, Panama– my favorite home.  Right by the ocean and across the street was my elementary school. 
  9. Margarita, Panama when they closed CocoSolo.   Much nicer house.
  10. Watertown, New York- Day’s Inn for 9 months until we found a house.  I was 15 and got a little chubby for the first time in my life because we had to eat out every meal (think “SuperSize Me”)
  11. House in Watertown (finally.)  Not to offend anyone but wow, I hated Watertown.  
  12. Back to Panama!  Apartment on Davis by the gym (good for me- by now a workout freak.) 
  13. College dorm
  14. Apartment where the train would shake my bed at night.  (college)
  15. Apartment where I was scared someone would come in the long window (college)
  16. Home to finish college (see 12)
  17. Married life- apartment on the hill until we were evicted for having a dog (all 2 lbs of her.)
  18. First house together on Olive.  We remodeled the whole thing on my teaching salary. 
  19. This house! 

As an added bonus (woo-hoo)
I’m adding TEN THINGS YOU CAN DO TO STAVE OFF BOREDOM:
(Just a list kind of day I guess…)

  1. Have some kids, you’ll never be bored again.  (Believe me!)
  2. Have some more kids if you dare.
  3. Blog.
  4. Take a walk anywhere.
  5. Take a road trip anywhere (can you tell I’m a Saggitarius?)
  6. Make something yummy with/for someone you love.
  7. Plant a garden.
  8. Play in the mud with your favorite kids.
  9. Make playdough and play with it. 
  10. Clean your computer’s files (I’ve not been that bored in a LONG time.)

To join in on the fun go here.

Homes and Time Passing

May 5, 2009 | Uncategorized


Growing up I never had one place I really think of as my “home” unless it would be our house in Coco Solo. (Maybe because I was happiest there.) We moved often-usually within a few miles of each other. I lived in at least 11 different homes before I went to college. (4 states, 2 countries, 2 provinces)

I can remember when we had to go help my grandmother sell her childhood home in Saskatchewan. Her brother, who had been living in the home, passed away. He had left everything as it had been when he was a child- same furniture, his father’s vet things in the garage as they had been in the 1920’s. It was like going back in time- and so hard on my grandmother.

Papaw’s passing has been hard on the family because now their “base” or “homeplace” is going to be gone. I honestly can’t imagine how hard this is or how it will change everything. It will take the whole family pulling together and making an effort to keep us all close.

It’s Emily’s recital week. Tomorrow is dress rehersal and Sunday the real thing. She is in 5 dances this year again, so she has 5 costumes to cart to the auditorium along with shoes etc.
Watch the time fly by…