Are you working today?

I bet YOU didn't get the day off today! Due to dear Katrina threatening the state, I have the day off of school! Yay! Fortunately the hurricane moved across the state south of us, so the most we've had is a light wind and some wimpy sprinkles. Almost makes me feel guilty for having the day off. But not quite.

Brad is off at work with Ralph, dealing with the accounting for our builder. He might have more information regarding a closing date when he gets home tonight. Last night we went up to see the progress, and things are coming along. The grass was finished and was being watered-- the sulfur water is going to be something to get used to-- pee yew. But it's a lawn, and for that we are grateful! Also, the lighting fixtures in the bathrooms were installed and the walls are nearly finished. They had had to cut some holes here and there to move wires, etc., and those holes are patched and finished. We also have a doorbell! I think that's all so far.

Yet to do: flooring, appliances... and I think that's about it! Oh, and another set of sliding glass doors. If they don't replace those too-big doors we're going be overrun with little froggies. I don't like things that go squish in the night.

Oh- we also killed another black widow spider in our bedroom yesterday. Which reminds me, I need to research exterminators. There's a company down here called Truly Nolen whose technicians drive yellow cars and trucks with ears and antennae attached so as to look like various pests. I might look into using them.

Speaking of pests, yesterday I had two more wildlife encounters before school even began! As I was walking from my classroom to the main office through the courtyard, I was raced to the door by a rat! He was a little smaller than the size of two fists and ran like the dickens toward the door. When he saw me he turned around and ran down the hallway the other way. A second later a janitor down that way saw the rat running toward him, and began stomping his feet like a sumo wrestler, causing the scared rat to turn around again and run back toward me. So I started stomping my feet, but since I'm not a large black man he wasn't scared of me. Ack! I kept stomping and finally it turned and ran into the courtyard away from me. Then, as I was walking out of the mailroom, I encountered a dried lizard on the ground. Yuck. I've had about enough of the wildlife. Man, the things I never thought about in Chicago!

Tonight is dinner out-- Brad has been treating me like royalty lately, taking me out to dinner often and coming up with date ideas left and right. For a non-planner, he is amazing and serving me so well! So I've made reservations at one of his favorite restaurants for tonight to try to treat him a bit.

Tomorrow the men of the family (Ralph, Brad, Jeff, and Rico), have plans to go to a Miami game-- Dolphins, maybe? If the storm isn't still going on in Miami they'll head out in the afternoon and get home late. Then on Sunday we have a lunch birthday party for cute Kena who turned one on Wednesday, and then a dinner for newcomers at Summit Church where we've been going lately. Makes for a busy weekend, full of fun and family!

Keep the bids coming in for closing dates! Brad and I are having fun coming up with fun prize ideas!