Weekend update

This weekend Brad had school, so I was Little Suzy Homemaker, as my mother would say. I did the grocery-ing on Friday night, and then on Saturday and Sunday did some cooking. I got a batch of crepes and scones made and into the freezer and got the kitchen cleaned up a bit, too. My niece Bethany came over to help me with some projects; mostly we chatted and played together and had a really great time. On Sunday I trimmed and portioned the six chicken breasts and skinned and deboned the ten chicken thighs. I don't care if I never see a chicken thigh again, although when tossed into the crockpot with onion and barbecue sauce, the result is quite delicious. I've been enjoying it for the past two days. I also made a recipe of fluffy new potatoes from The Pioneer Woman Cooks website. Somehow I misread the recipe and bought ten POUNDS of red potatoes, instead of ten potatoes. We have a lot of potatoes. Thank goodness they were on sale! The freezer is full of these little cherubs.

Yesterday I visited the nearby schools to hand out my resume in hopes of getting called to substitute on my Mondays off. The extra money would be really helpful as I did our taxes last night. Boo. Somehow I didn't realize two things: 1.) my teaching job, since it is adjunct, doesn't pay social security tax. There's $3000 I owe the IRS. Second, I messed things up when we worked at Apple and thought that if you have one deduction it takes more taxes out-- wrong. So we owe taxes on that income as well. Wasn't so fun to see our savings pretty much fly out the window last night! Argh. And the house hasn't closed yet-- thank goodness I wasn't holding my breath. I keep checking in with the title company every morning, but no funds have been released yet. We have until Friday and then the paperwork expires. Please take a moment to pray for us with this situation! We need you!

In happy news, Georgie has been a doll lately. It was fun to be home most of the weekend and have her out and about, hopping around, nudging our hands and feet to ask for affection. We've also started feeding her salads-- romaine lettuce, raisins, carrots, and parsley. And she eats them in that order. She is warming up to us day by day and now has begun licking our hands as much as she can. I hear it's supposed to mean affection, but as aggressive as she is I can't help but wonder if she's just getting us ready for the kill... if every there is a long drought of posts on this blog, come looking for us.

Friends, we need your help in praying this house closing through. I haven't felt stressed about it consciously, but my body let me know this morning that it is sensing it. I woke up with itchy hives all over, and my joints are beginning to ache already. Last time this happened was November of 05, when the stress was unbearable and my body gave out; I had to go to urgent care and get a cortisone shot. Please pray for this closing-- for all the details to be tied up, for money to come through, for the closing to happen by Friday. We need your support here! Thank you very much!

Two out of three isn't bad...

In an effort to minimize our grocery bill, I've been reading a few money-saving blogs to get ideas. One idea is to look through stores' circular advertisements before shopping, assuming you're willing to make a few stops. The second idea is to clip coupons voraciously, even printing them out from various sources online. The third person actually spends only $40 a week to feed a family of four! I've been chewing on these ideas for a few weeks and tried to pull them all together tonight while Brad was at school.

Albertson's had a great circular-- lots of items we needed for 88 cents! Publix only had one or two items. CVS and Walgreens each had about one or two items each as well. Target is the fall-back, but it's not always the cheapest. And I also needed rabbit food. I started at Albertson's. When I was through there, I realized I had coupons for a few items, had found all the sales, but with a full cart, there was no way I was going to stay under the $40 I had hoped to pay. Oops.

Brad's in school tomorrow so I'm running around a bit, and then picking up my niece for an afternoon of baking. The blogger who spends $40 a week has a baking day each month where she bakes breakfast foods (waffles, pancakes, muffins, etc.), bread for sandwiches, and casseroles and side dishes for dinners, and then freezes them. I'm going to attempt to make cookies for dessert food, scones, pancakes, and waffles for breakfast food, and then prep all the chicken I got on sale. I keep seeing chicken thighs as the main ingredient in slow-cooking chicken dishes, so when I saw them for 88 cents a pound, I jumped. Too bad it's a family pack. Anyone have good chicken thigh recipes?

Attitude Adjustment

I forgot my work keys today.
The bunny stinks a lot.
I need to clean out her cage. But it's cold out.
I found what I thought was a bunny pellet in the bedroom.
It turned out to be a roach.
The roach was alive.
The lightbulb is out in the bathroom.
It's really cold (for Florida) here.
The house was 62 when we woke up.
I have a cut on my foot.
I snoozed too long and didn't have time for a warm breakfast at home.
Forgetting my keys is a pain.
The sun was in my eyes when I was walking this morning.
The tile floors are cold when it's 62 in the house.
I was barefoot.
I only have one good fleece to wear in this weather.
I had to wait in line in front of a pushy person at the ATM.
When we turned on the heat this morning, it spat a hefty layer of dust over everything.
I got an email that was annoying from my former second job.
I have to do the taxes this weekend.
Forgetting my keys means hoping that the classrooms are unlocked.
Forgetting my keys means I have to ask Tina the office manager to let me into my office. I feel embarrassed, even though Tina's as nice as can be.

After unlocking my door, we chat a minute. Tina tells me she's battling cancer. She found out in October that it's in her stomach and intestine, twenty years after surviving colon cancer. So that's why she got that really short buzz haircut in the fall. Tina's taking "the burning pills," called that because they burn up her insides. One of the tumors is shrinking. But they just found two spots on her breast. I hug her, offer to go with her to appointments, bring food, cover for her at work. She declines. I tell her I will pray for her often, and if there's anything I can do...

Suddenly I am flooded with gratefulness. A little dab of conviction, and lots of gratefulness.

Not holding our breath, but maintaining optimism...

Our closing didn't happen last Thursday, as I mentioned. The buyers' loan is a USDA Rural loan, and the USDA Rural program only gets so much funding. When the money runs out, the loans have to wait. This particular program gets re-funded in late MARCH, I just learned, although there was hope that it would get more money on Inauguration Day. Haven't heard of that money actually coming through, so we shall see. In the meantime, we alerted our mortgage guy Ron who has found an intermediary to loan the money until the USDA money comes through. I have no idea if this will work or not, but Ron seems to think it will. So we are scheduled to go sign our closing papers tonight. Not holding my breath, but maintaining optimism.

My second job last semester came to a close, as I mentioned. I failed to submit overtime each month as I didn't even make time to do that, I was working for them so much. I've always been bad at that sort of thing, and I've learned my lesson. They're balking at my invoice of about $3300 in time I'm owed. I don't blame them for balking, but they can't say they didn't know I was working that many hours. I told them that all along. So I finally heard back this morning regarding how much and when I'll be paid, and the email just said that they need more information. Not holding my breath, but maintaining optimism.

Once we close on the house for good, we'll start looking for jobs in New York. This semester my classes are very small as attendance is no longer mandatory (thank you, GOD!). This means that only students who want my help are in class. No talkers, no behavior issues. It's a dream. But I only have about 9 students showing up on average, meaning I could leave mid-semester and the students could be absorbed into other labs easily. It's likely we'll stay through at least the beginning of the summer, but I'm hoping to leave around April 1. Not holding my breath, but maintaining optimism.

We had a lovely, lovely time in Chicago this past weekend. It started off being a quiet visit between my mother and myself. Then Brad's class schedule changed, his weekend opened up, and he got to come, too! We arrived late Friday night on a nearly empty plane (who wants to leave 70 degree Florida for 8 degree Chicago?) and saw our breath for the first time in about three years. On Saturday Brad and I woke up early and went for a drive in the lightly-falling snow. It was beautiful and refreshing to us, and reminded us visually that seasons change and God renews. After our drive we visited with Mom a bit until we decided to go for an impromptu lunch at Max and Erma's, Brad's favorite place. On the way there I suggested we go to Wildfire instead for a good steak, and everyone agreed to it. When we arrived, Mom's friend Sandi from Minnesota was there along with Steph! Mom was very surprised, and we had a lovely birthday lunch!

After lunch we rested at Mom's for the afternoon. We planned to play games and just relax for the evening, when at 5 p.m. who should appear at Mom's door but her brother, Allen, his wife, Mary Ann, and Grandparents! They drove up to surprise her for her birthday! She was shocked at this double surprise and we all sat down to visit for a bit.

After and hour or so I suggested we go grab a bite for dinner at Panera down the street. When we arrived, Mom ran into her housegroup friends from church. And then more friends just kept on coming! On her brother's initiative, we planned a surprise drop-in party at Panera and invited over 40 people. We were excited to see at least 25 come by despite the snow and cold!

The day was full of surprises and I think Mom is still recovering. On Sunday we met the family at a pancake house for an amazing breakfast, and then we all dispersed. It was a memorable, fun weekend and we're so glad we got to go! Happy big birthday, Mom! (I won't say which one.)

Stay warm, northern readers!

Edited to add: I just spoke with Ron the mortgage guy... the funding for the buyers is miraculously in place. The buyers are signing papers by Monday... still not holding my breath, but gasping a little... 3:30 p.m. cannot come fast enough!

Happy Birthday, Sis! And other updates.

It's my beautiful sister's 27th birthday today! This pic was taken just before my cousin's wedding this summer. Funny thing-- my mother, sister, and I all wore black or black and white dresses. Mom taught us everything we know about fashion, it would seem. Steph is celebrating in frigid weather up in Chicago today. I can't imagine. I won't have to imagine soon... we're flying up tomorrow night for the weekend. I'm scared. But it's so worth it to get face-to-face time with my family.


In other news, a few weeks ago Brad and I visited the Edison-Ford Winter Estates which are in Fort Myers. The houses were decorated for the holidays and it was a really neat experience. We went on the last night and were thinking it would be jam-packed. Instead it was quite quiet and peaceful, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The Edison house has been restored and was just beautiful. We also saw his laboratory and Mrs. Edison's gardens. It is really beautiful. Here is one of the largest banyan trees in the world, and the first planted in the US by Edison. It was a gift from Henry Firestone, one of the three buddies who hung out in Fort Myers. It's sort of like if the CEOs of Apple, Microsoft, and Ron Popeil (inventor of practically every kitchen gadget) all hung out together-- quite a social group:


Here's what it looks like in the daytime. It's really a sight to behold:


(pic thanks to this random person.)

The semester started up on the 5th and we've been adjusting to the routine. Last semester things were nuts-- Brad was working full time and juggling two grad classes, and I was teaching and also doing the tutor-coordinator job-from-hades. I prayed for deliverance from that nuttiness, and God answered. I was laid off from the tutoring thing on Monday the 5th, just before my classes started. Money will be a little tighter, but we'll be fine. And I am SO relieved to not be working there. The people mean well, but have little business sense and are severely understaffed. Not a recipe for long-term success. That's all I have to say about that.

We've been spending our quiet evenings watching CSI and Law and Order, my new favorite TV shows. Don't know what took me so long to catch on as they're both in their zillionth season. We come home, let Georgie out of her cage, and eat dinner while watching episodes. It has been a lovely transition back into the semester.

George, we learned from the vet last week, is a she. But we like the name so we're keeping it. We're learning all sorts of fun things about being bunny parents. If you put a bunny on it's back, it falls into a trance like this:




Georgie doesn't love it, but she'll tolerate me holding her. She usually hops around the living room, sometimes the lanai when we let her, and then plops down on the floor in front of the TV. She also loves it when we sit on the floor near her. She'll nuzzle our hands a little and then poke her nose down near the floor, about an inch under our hand, as if to say, "It's time to pet me." She loves the lanai especially on the cool days we've had lately. Yesterday we were all sitting out there when she sensed the next door neighbor's cat approaching. The big grey fat cat loves to lay under the palm tree in our yard in the sun. Georgie saw the kitty and gave out a warning of danger-- she thumped her foot! Apparently that's what bunnies do to warn other bunnies of danger. It sounded like someone slapped a shoe on the ground! Then she dashed into the house as fast as she could, peeling out on the tile floor that provides zero traction. Quite a comical sight. I'll try to video these things as they really are funny.

We also learned at the vet that her little cage was too small for her. We did some research online and found some options. Apparently it's all the bunny rage to build cages out of these storage cubes, zip-tying them together to form the cage. We bought the storage cubes at Target, assembled the cage, and Georgie loves it.


Here she is exploring. See how there are two different sizes of grates? One with little holes and one with big holes? We finished this around 10 p.m. on Friday night. We sat and watched her explore as it was clear she was overjoyed. She kept jumping from the shelf to the floor, running back into her old cage, etc. We asked each other, "Do you think she can fit through those big grates?" "No, she'll be fine. Do YOU think she can?" etc. After one hour and seventeen minutes, she answered that question for us and made a diving escape from her little shelf. On Saturday we went back to Target to get another set so we'd have enough little grates. Argh.


After a while she just plopped down on the shelf. She loved the kleenex box and tears off strips to build a nest. She also tried to get into it, which was a sight to behold. I just love her little cottontail, and she lets me wiggle it for her sometimes.


I had originally begun this post this morning with the intent to tell you we were closing on our house today. Unfortunately, mid-post I received a call that the closing will not happen today. The buyers' loan is a USDA government loan, and occasionally they run out of money, which has happened in this case. I'm told they will be funded on Tuesday and we'll be able to close next week. Guess who's not holding her breath. This $%^&*( house has been a pain in the neck, and despite the fact that I'd like to be done, that's not what God has in mind. So we will continue to be patient and lean on our faith to get us through. Argh, patience.

Our George

How George Came To Us

A few weeks ago we were stopped on one of our nightly walks by some neighbors we'd never met. These neighbors live three doors down from us (we'll call them the Threes). They had a caged rabbit with them which they were delivering to Andy, our next-door neighbor. They said that the two-doors-down neighbors (the Twos) were foreclosed upon and let all their pets go wild about a year ago. We'd seen the white rabbit hopping around the neighborhood before but didn't know what to do about it. Andy had seen the rabbit and mentioned to the Threes that he wanted to catch it for his kids to keep as a pet, and Mrs. Two said that she fed it white bread every day and she'd catch it for Andy.

So they caught the rabbit for Andy, but Andy wasn't home to take delivery. We offered to keep the rabbit on our lanai until Andy got home, and in the meantime we got to play with it a little... which started a little rabbit-itch in me. Not the allergic kind of itch, the I-want-a-pet itch.

We handed over the rabbit to Andy later that night and mentioned how much we liked the rabbit. And then life happened and we didn't get a rabbit.

Two days before we were to move, Andy came over and let us know that he was getting rid of the rabbit because his kids aren't cleaning the cage enough, and it has become his job. He asked if we wanted the rabbit... and we said yes.

And so George came to live with us. He came with a free cage and water bottle, but I have since spent about $50 on litter, food, and a better litter box (prevents stinky pee from being sprayed out of the cage). He is a bit of work and not as interactive as a cat would be (I'd give my right arm for a cat!), but he will do. He does like to be pet, and when we let him out of his cage he first gets his energy out with some crazy kicks (his favorite moves are bucking bronco and scared cat-- all four paws off the ground at the same time) and then he comes over to us to be pet. He's getting used to me picking him up and is truly a sweet rabbit. We're not so sure of his gender and don't care, really. To us he is George!