Little Flower

Going Running, Again

Oni Devil, the cat that won’t cuddle Cupcake, cuddling me when I’m trying to sleep:

She is 2.1 inches from my face, sitting on my chest.

Today’s Exploit:

I am going to run another half marathon. This is my first race since the full one, except that color one with Cupcake. But this is the first long one. I’m excited, and nervous because last time I got cramps and had to hop across the finish. 

I have been following my marathon training plan, and am at the 6-8 mile stage. Last week I had the worst run in the history of ever, so I am nervous for this week. Although the previous week I had a super duper run and could have kept going. 

I am excited to see Eli and Cavan, because they are awesome kids and I have missed them so much. Also, they are going to be giants, and probably taller than me. 

This is what they looked like last time I saw them. That was 2 years ago.

Aren’t they adorable? I probably can’t call them adorable any more. They’ll have to be “handsome”.

Five Year Birthday

This week’s recommended reading:

Found the image Here

Today’s Exploit:

I finally reached my five year birthday. 

It was a big celebration on Sunday. I went to town, I didn’t run and I made Lemon Brownies.

Sadly, town was dull and rainy, but I did find a game with jumpy frogs and give a hamburger to a man who seemed down on his luck. 

The Lemon Brownies I did not find at all impressive (not tart enough and tasted like egg), although everyone else seemed to like them and they were gone by the time I went to bed. They did keep calling them lemon bars and I had to use all my self control to refrain from correcting them. 

I also got a congratulatory letter from “the company” and Dane told me I would have to go to a banquet and give a speech in order to receive my five-year pin.

I said no thanks and skipped to the box. 

Pegahorns Exist

I want this

Giant Strawberry Jam

I have been taking advantage of a huge gift of ebooks and my Kindle lately.

I read 3 books last night.

I’m running out of authors that I know and will be starting on new ones soon.

Today’s Exploit:

I got some strawberries so that I can try another round of jam. 

Since they are from local farms they are picked the day, or the day before, they are displayed in the back of someone’s truck on the side of the road.

We stopped for a flat of the largest strawberries I have ever seen. Many of them were as big as my fist.

And since they were so ripe they had started molding by the following afternoon when I had a chance to start slicing. I got about half done that night and stuck them in the fridge with some lemon juice. 

The next morning I got a call from work, so I dumped the sliced strawberries in a freezer bag, hurried and sliced the rest, added some lemon and stuck them in another freezer bag. 

Now they are frozen, just waiting for a couple days off work to turn them into a kitchen experiment. 

If I’m lucky, maybe I can get home before strawberry season ends to get another flat.

I’M BUYING A HOUSE!

Have you ever had chocolate cherry frozen greek yogurt?  

It is amazing. I have been slightly obsessed lately.

Today’s Exploit:

I am buying a house.

Finally.

I have been looking for one for 8.4 months now. It took so long partly because I am NEVER home, even less at the same time as H. And I am slightly picky. I want space, and a KITCHEN and nice rooms and WINDOWS and all the things. 

I have looked at a gazillion houses online and about 50.2 houses around San Marcos and New Braunfels. But nothing was right, or if it was right it was sold by the time I got a chance to ask about it. 

After a slightly disappointing bout of home viewings with one feasible option I decided I wanted to build a house so it had what I want and H wen t back to searching the internet. 

And he found it.

The one.

The coolest house in the history of our house searching.

It is a monstrous Victorian with a HUGE kitchen, a bazillion windows and a very large yard.

I WANT IT SO MUCH!

So we put in an offer and started a contract and loan proceedings. And now we wait. 

Please cross your fingers that they accept the offer and things go smoothly. Because I think I might have to fall apart if they say no. 

It will require a lot of work to fix it up, but it will be the most perfect house ever when it is done. And I think part of the appeal is that I don’t have to live with the “new granite countertops and tile floors”. It will be the way I want and I won’t have to feel bad about ditching something that has just been modified.

This will be my new kitchen. 

12' ceilings. I didn't even dare to dream that it could be possible.

That window? It is so deep I need a step stool to reach the back.
Perfect for an herb garden.

It is so big, and bright. And it has 12’ ceilings. I jumped up and down like an excited 2 year old when I walked into that room. It is incredibly dated, and might need leveled, needs new countertops and requires some tile removal, but it is the right size and shape and has so many counters. Oh the excitement!

I’m hoping I’ll be home in time for the inspection so that I can take more pictures. 

I have so many plans and hopes and SO MUCH EXCITEMENT!

Wish me luck.

Some News, Because It’s Been Forever

Hi.  It’s been a while.

Today’s Exploit:

I have been working and working, and working and working.

I learned a new tool, and a new computer system. I had never worked with Linux before, and found it quite similar to MS DOS.  Which is ancient.

I am beating my sister in daily steps. She blames it on work, but I think I’m really just better than her at taking steps.

I am buying a house. I think.

I got another flat of Poteet strawberries.  They are sliced and sitting in the freezer, just waiting to be turned into jam.

It is already the middle of summer here and I’m dying.

That about does it for news, but I’ll write again soon, I promise.

Showering is Hazardous

Some very resilient flowers, hanging in there after 3 nights of freezing weather:

Today’s Exploit:

Last night the trailer ran out of water.  This happens occasionally, usually noticed when dish water stops running or someone’s laundry never finishes a cycle.  

Every so often it catches someone in a bit more awkward position.  

Last night the water ran out while I was in the shower.  

Thankfully I had about a 90.342 second warning when the water pressure started to drop.  I managed to get most of the soap out of my hair before the water was completely gone.  

I suppose I should be happy I didn’t run out of HOT water halfway through like I regularly did on the last job.  Due to the washer being cross-hosed (?). Everyone would wash clothes on “cold” and use all the hot water, right before I was ready to get in after a run.

Conversation About a Stroller

The fitbit tracking competition has begun. After 1 baseline week we stand:

1 Dad: 92410 steps

2 PJ: 82262 steps

3 Cupcake: 71601 steps

4 Mom: 45091 steps

The real counting starts today!

Today’s Exploit:

The other day I was helping H clean out his house, because he is moving. He doesn’t have much stuff and we spent most of the time trying to get gunk off the floor and walls and (eek) bathrooms. Also, we spent a bit trying to organize the stuff that his brother and sister-in-law had left when they moved out.  

In one closet I found a stroller, some bed supports and two Army uniform skirts. I put these aside so that I could sweep.

Klay was with me at the time and asked what the stroller was.

Klay:  What’s this?

Me:  A stroller.

Klay:  What are you going to do with it?

Me:  Probably give it away or throw it away.

Klay:  Why?

Me:  Because we don’t need it.

Klay:  You should keep it, you might need it tomorrow.

He has been hinting for a while that he wants to be a big brother, and has upped his game.  He has also asked when H and I will get married so that he can have a little brother.  And has told us that he’d be ok with a puppy for a younger brother, for the time being. 

Just to be clear... this is all wishful thinking on his part.