The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
I read The Lord of the Rings for the first time a few years ago, but had never read The Hobbit. I read it this time planning to read the series again. I still haven't started it, and I hate to say that this book killed my enthusiasm a little. It was all right, but not really my favorite and not nearly as compelling as the rest of the series was. I guess it's time for a reread in order to remember what I liked so much.
Manhood for Amateurs by Michael Chabon
I'm not a man or a father but I still enjoyed this book quite a lot. It's a series of essays about a variety of topics, some related to parenthood and others related to life in general. I thought it was a lot of fun to read and even laughed out loud in a few spots.
Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay
In an interview in the back of the book the author mentions that she particularly likes the novel Rebecca for its elements of the gothic as well as its exploration of how the past intrudes into the present. To me, this explains a lot about the book's tone, which is somewhere between a gothic mystery and a historical novel about the Holocaust. I was a little squeamish about using the Holocaust in that way, since it is horrific enough on its own, but the book actually worked for me.
Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult
I've never read anything by Picoult and thought this book seemed like an interesting place to start. Many of the characters seemed pretty stereotypical, as did the story, but there were enough twists to keep me interested in reading. And I liked her method of alternating focus between a variety of characters since that made the story even more interesting and really fleshed things out in a way that kept things from feeling too trite and conventional. FYI, I thought I'd heard Picoult recommended because her books were fairly 'clean', but this one did have a few explicit scenes in it.
Under the Banner of Heaven by Jon Krakauer
I've read a lot about this book and so decided that it was time to actually read it for myself instead of just listening to what other people had to say. Krakauer is a writer that I admire a lot and I've really enjoyed his other books. This one was also well-written and interesting; as a Mormon, I actually did not find it hard to differentiate between fundamentalists and the rest of us, but I could see how that could be confusing if you aren't. The funny thing was, I was mostly bothered by the little details that didn't sound 'right'--the sorts of things you can't really get from research alone. Generally I thought this was a pretty interesting book and not half as 'scary' as I had heard it was.
Traitor by Sandra Grey
This was another Whitney winner from 2008 (novel of the year) and I really liked it. Although I had a bare idea of what the story was about before starting it I didn't expect the plot twists that came up. It really was quite good and brought up a lot of good questions about what faithful Latter-day Saints should do when caught up in war and other major conflicts.
Tribunal by Sandra Grey
This is the follow-up to Traitor, and I thought it was just as good. For one thing, it discussed post-war Germany and the beginnings of the Cold War, which is a time period I really am not very familiar with at all. The book follows up with some of the characters from the first one and introduces some new ones, but they all remained compelling and 'real' to me. A review I read of Grey's books pointed out that they may look like standard LDS romances or thrillers, but the writing is much more polished and mature than a lot of what is out on the market; I agree.
Dispensation: Latter-day Fiction
If you're curious about what LDS fiction is and who the major writers are right now, go buy this book and read it. Even if you're not or if you think you don't like short stories, I still think you should buy this book. It's hefty (over 400 pages) and includes a little bit of everything and everyone. There were some stories that I liked more than others, but I was generally impressed with the choices and the quality of the writing. If, like me, you've been reading a lot of Dialogue or Irreantum over the last few years you will feel that this book is a wee bit redundant, but many of the things in there are still worth a re-read (I won't bother to tell you which ones I didn't like, but after you read it we can talk). As you can tell, I want you to go buy this book and read it. Support LDS writers and expand your mind at the same time.
Plain Truth by Jodi Picoult
I decided I need to read another book by Picoult to get a good feel for her writing. And I was in the mood for something a little more 'fluffy'. Well, the subject matter in her books isn't exactly 'fluffy': this one is about a young Amish woman accused of murdering her illegitimate baby. I actually did like this book a lot and really felt drawn into the story. I liked all the characters and felt emotionally attached to them. After reading two Picoult books, though, I think I've had enough for a while. She's an excellent storyteller, but much of her writing and characterization feels formulaic and so gets older after a few books.
The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf
I randomly picked this book off the library shelf since the plot sounded interesting. The story itself was compelling and I certainly felt pulled to keep reading. But, I didn't like the fact that author constantly jumped around to various points of view. There were also a few of the characters that seemed completely unbelievable to me. So I have mixed feelings; a good read, but not well-written.
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
How Did I Get Here?
Did February sneak up on anyone else? I can't believe that Monday is already February. I've always liked it better than January because it's shorter and because it contains Valentine's Day. I love Valentine's Day; this year I don't have any big plans since I will have a ten-day-old baby. I hope Mr. Fob is planning to pamper me (hint, hint).
Last June February seemed so far away, and yet now it feels like I've been pregnant forever. I can't remember what it was like to be able to bend down. I vaguely remember my 'real clothes'. I don't think the writhing and kicking in my belly are very cute anymore. This time around I have actually felt pretty good while pregnant, but I hit the wall a few weeks ago. Suddenly I feel huge and grumpy and just plain 'done'.
I mostly writing this post to remind myself that there was a reason why I wanted to actually have the baby. Because I know in a week or two I'm going to be exhausted, sore, leaky, and hormonally unstable and I know that I will long to put the baby back inside. It's a good thing that's not an option.
Last June February seemed so far away, and yet now it feels like I've been pregnant forever. I can't remember what it was like to be able to bend down. I vaguely remember my 'real clothes'. I don't think the writhing and kicking in my belly are very cute anymore. This time around I have actually felt pretty good while pregnant, but I hit the wall a few weeks ago. Suddenly I feel huge and grumpy and just plain 'done'.
I mostly writing this post to remind myself that there was a reason why I wanted to actually have the baby. Because I know in a week or two I'm going to be exhausted, sore, leaky, and hormonally unstable and I know that I will long to put the baby back inside. It's a good thing that's not an option.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
The Right Place
Last week we finally closed on the house; yes, we've been living here for three weeks now and thought we were going to close much more quickly. It has been a long and weird saga and none of us understand why the seller's bank felt such a need to make things difficult. But now Mr. Fob and I are the proud owners of our very own home and a mortgage that looks pretty daunting from this point of view (seeing 2040 on several papers kind of freaked me out a bit--hopefully we'll pay it off sooner than that).
The only thing that has kept me going has been the assurance that this is the right place for us. I really don't know how to explain it any more than that; this whole time I've had a feeling that we are supposed to live here for some reason, and that somehow things would work out. It wasn't just the house itself, though it is perfect for us. I've had some doubts because it is pretty big. The family that owned it for a long time had 10 children; we only have three. It's not extravagant by any means but it really is roomy and for right now we even have a guest bedroom (perfect because we often have guests--come visit us some time).
During the first few years of marriage we spent a lot of time plotting how we could get out of Utah. We have a lot of family and friends here, and yet it never felt like the right place. Then we spent a few years living in other states, and though we loved them they never felt 'right' either. I wanted them to be right; last year Mr. Fob applied for a few jobs in very nice parts of California and I'm still sometimes a little sad that we aren't living a few miles from the beach. As with many decisions it can be hard to talk about what is right for you because too many people assume that it makes their choices 'wrong'. I loved all the places and wards we've been in for the last few years and made many good friends. At the same time, it is amazing to feel so strongly that we are truly home at last. I didn't think it would be Orem but now we just need to start putting down roots.
The only thing that has kept me going has been the assurance that this is the right place for us. I really don't know how to explain it any more than that; this whole time I've had a feeling that we are supposed to live here for some reason, and that somehow things would work out. It wasn't just the house itself, though it is perfect for us. I've had some doubts because it is pretty big. The family that owned it for a long time had 10 children; we only have three. It's not extravagant by any means but it really is roomy and for right now we even have a guest bedroom (perfect because we often have guests--come visit us some time).
During the first few years of marriage we spent a lot of time plotting how we could get out of Utah. We have a lot of family and friends here, and yet it never felt like the right place. Then we spent a few years living in other states, and though we loved them they never felt 'right' either. I wanted them to be right; last year Mr. Fob applied for a few jobs in very nice parts of California and I'm still sometimes a little sad that we aren't living a few miles from the beach. As with many decisions it can be hard to talk about what is right for you because too many people assume that it makes their choices 'wrong'. I loved all the places and wards we've been in for the last few years and made many good friends. At the same time, it is amazing to feel so strongly that we are truly home at last. I didn't think it would be Orem but now we just need to start putting down roots.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
"I'm doing a good job"
Little Dude lately is in the throes of that preschool stage where they want to do everything themselves. Generally this works out well, because at three-and-a-half he is pretty capable. He loves to help me unload the dishwasher, do the laundry, set the table, and many other tasks around the house. Being the worrywart and perfectionist that I am, I know I respond too anxiously sometimes and want to jump in too frequently to 'fix' things. The other night we were having pancakes, and he naturally wanted to put butter and syrup on his own. Usually I help him cut, so after watching him hacking away at his pancake I asked "can I help you with that?"
He looked up at me and replied very sincerely: "I'm doing a good job, Mom!"
My heart melted; yes, he was doing fine and I should be careful not to be so hasty to jump in and imply that his efforts aren't good enough.
He looked up at me and replied very sincerely: "I'm doing a good job, Mom!"
My heart melted; yes, he was doing fine and I should be careful not to be so hasty to jump in and imply that his efforts aren't good enough.
Stuff I'm Good At
I think it's very easy for most of us to think of things that we aren't very good at. For a lot of reasons there is a human tendency to play down our accomplishments and to focus on the negative. There can be good reasons for this, because no one likes a narcissist, and because humility helps us see the things we can improve on. Lately, though, I keep feeling like I've been blessed with the ability to see ways in which I've made progress in my life. Sometimes I think it's good to take time to acknowledge ways in which we're doing well. Here are a few things I've recognized today:
As I grow as a mother I really do have days when I feel like "hey, I think I'm getting the hang of this" (of course they're always followed by those days that are humbling in the worst way). This morning we got up and went to Church as usual; during Sacrament meeting Little Dude was particularly whiny and clingy and kept wanting to sit on my (nonexistent) lap. After church he picked at his lunch, but I've learned from past experience not push kids to eat when they don't want to. Later in the afternoon he actually fell asleep on the couch for a while, another bad sign. Then he woke up and we started reading books. Fearing for my couch, I had S-Boogie go get a big bowl for him. Sure enough, less than five minutes later he started throwing up. The couch was spared--which was a good thing because the only thing he ate for lunch was blueberries. During the rest of the afternoon I felt good about the fact that I could be calm and deal with his illness because I've seen viruses like this before and it's not a big deal anymore. He threw up a few more times and then we put him to bed after making sure he could keep down a bit more water. Hopefully he'll be better in the morning. It's nice to realize that I'm not only learning from my past experiences but also becoming a more calm and rational mother.
Also, tonight as we sat down to dinner I thought about the fact that I'm really good at providing for my family's food needs. I've been cooking for a long time and I feel confident in my ability to put together healthy, nutritious food that still fits in our budget. I love planning menus and figuring out how to make sure we eat a variety of foods without too much wasted money or food. That's one of my homemaking skills that I'm proud of.
And finally, I think I'm really growing more and more comfortable within my own skin. In both Sunday School and Relief Society lately the lessons have been about our eternal nature as children of God, and today as we were talking about our personal attributes I really felt a sense of peace in knowing who I am. Sometimes it's hard because I see other women around me doing or saying certain things and I want to be them, but I know that I'm not. I have strengths too, and even if they aren't the same ones, they are still mine. I've wasted a lot of time in my life trying to act in ways I didn't totally like because I wanted to be someone else, but I feel like I'm getting to a point where I am happy just being myself.
So, what are you good at? You can answer here or on your own blog.
As I grow as a mother I really do have days when I feel like "hey, I think I'm getting the hang of this" (of course they're always followed by those days that are humbling in the worst way). This morning we got up and went to Church as usual; during Sacrament meeting Little Dude was particularly whiny and clingy and kept wanting to sit on my (nonexistent) lap. After church he picked at his lunch, but I've learned from past experience not push kids to eat when they don't want to. Later in the afternoon he actually fell asleep on the couch for a while, another bad sign. Then he woke up and we started reading books. Fearing for my couch, I had S-Boogie go get a big bowl for him. Sure enough, less than five minutes later he started throwing up. The couch was spared--which was a good thing because the only thing he ate for lunch was blueberries. During the rest of the afternoon I felt good about the fact that I could be calm and deal with his illness because I've seen viruses like this before and it's not a big deal anymore. He threw up a few more times and then we put him to bed after making sure he could keep down a bit more water. Hopefully he'll be better in the morning. It's nice to realize that I'm not only learning from my past experiences but also becoming a more calm and rational mother.
Also, tonight as we sat down to dinner I thought about the fact that I'm really good at providing for my family's food needs. I've been cooking for a long time and I feel confident in my ability to put together healthy, nutritious food that still fits in our budget. I love planning menus and figuring out how to make sure we eat a variety of foods without too much wasted money or food. That's one of my homemaking skills that I'm proud of.
And finally, I think I'm really growing more and more comfortable within my own skin. In both Sunday School and Relief Society lately the lessons have been about our eternal nature as children of God, and today as we were talking about our personal attributes I really felt a sense of peace in knowing who I am. Sometimes it's hard because I see other women around me doing or saying certain things and I want to be them, but I know that I'm not. I have strengths too, and even if they aren't the same ones, they are still mine. I've wasted a lot of time in my life trying to act in ways I didn't totally like because I wanted to be someone else, but I feel like I'm getting to a point where I am happy just being myself.
So, what are you good at? You can answer here or on your own blog.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
3 weeks and two days
That's how much more time I have until my c-section date. Up until last week or so, I'd actually been feeling pretty good. I don't know if it was the end of the holidays or what, but suddenly I feel very done with being pregnant. The baby seems to have had a growth spurt and my belly feels huge. Things like putting on clothes, rolling over in bed, getting up from chairs, bending, and even breathing are difficult. Plus I've actually had some contractions, not something I experienced a lot of with my other two kids.
Today I had appointments with both my therapist and my OB. Mentally things are going well and we talked about strategies to keep them that way. I'm grateful to know that I've got support in case my brain gets weird again, but I'm also grateful that my life is in a much better place this time around. Even if I do end up with an emergency delivery again this time it will probably not be quite so traumatic to my brain. My other appointment also went well; baby is growing well and sounds great. The only problem was that my blood pressure was actually too low. I've had this problem for most of my life; yes, high blood pressure is a big issue, but having it too low can cause issues too. I've been feeling very run-down and my legs keep cramping, both of which are due to the fact that my pressure is low. There's not a lot to do about it besides drink more water and be more active. I'm trying to balance my activity levels with avoiding too many contractions. Yuck. I will definitely keep counting the next twenty-three days and hope they go by quickly!
Today I had appointments with both my therapist and my OB. Mentally things are going well and we talked about strategies to keep them that way. I'm grateful to know that I've got support in case my brain gets weird again, but I'm also grateful that my life is in a much better place this time around. Even if I do end up with an emergency delivery again this time it will probably not be quite so traumatic to my brain. My other appointment also went well; baby is growing well and sounds great. The only problem was that my blood pressure was actually too low. I've had this problem for most of my life; yes, high blood pressure is a big issue, but having it too low can cause issues too. I've been feeling very run-down and my legs keep cramping, both of which are due to the fact that my pressure is low. There's not a lot to do about it besides drink more water and be more active. I'm trying to balance my activity levels with avoiding too many contractions. Yuck. I will definitely keep counting the next twenty-three days and hope they go by quickly!
Saturday, January 09, 2010
Reading Roundup: 2009
(Here are 2008 and 2007)
In 2009 I read 80 books; this is slightly more than 2008 and slightly less than 2007. I was in school for half the year, but many of my classes used novels, and I still did some 'fun' reading on the side.
I read 54 fiction books and only 26 nonfiction; it felt to me like I had read more fiction this year than in the past. Looking at my previous posts, that is certainly the case; during the last two years I've kept track it's usually been more evenly divided. I'm sure that part of this is due to the nature of my classes during the first half of the year; literature programs generally concentrate more on fiction and narrative than nonfiction (although we did do some memoir).
49 books were by men and only 31 by women. Not sure if there's a really good reason for this not; in 2007 women greatly outnumbered men and last year they were evenly divided. Who knows. We'll have to see how 2010 shakes out.
Once again I didn't do a great job at reading stuff written before the mid-twentieth century or at reading things from other countries. I would like to keep working on that goal. I have been reading quite a few things that are 'Mormon', both nonfiction and fiction; that is a community I want to support and I've been mostly impressed with what I read this year.
In no particular order, here are some books that stand out to me from this year:
Fiction
Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather
Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner
Caramelo by Sandra Cisneros
Fair and Tender Ladies by Lee Smith
The Giant Joshua by Maurine Whipple
The Tree House by Doug Thayer
No Going Back by Jonathan Langford
Waiting for the Light to Change by Annette Haws
Nonfiction
Columbine by Dave Cullen
Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand
And the Band Played On by Randy Shilts
My Own Country by Abraham Verghese
Lengthen Your Stride: The Presidency of Spencer W. Kimball by Edward Kimball
The Year my Son and I Were Born by Kathryn Lynard Soper
As far as movies go, we only watched 30. This is a much smaller number than in other years and it's actually been over a month since we last watched one. I love movies, so maybe this year we'll have to try and watch more. (We do have a weekly movie night with the kids, but I don't write those ones down). A few standouts from this past year:
The Errand of Angels
C.R.A.Z.Y.
Tell No One
Vera Drake
Persepolis
In 2009 I read 80 books; this is slightly more than 2008 and slightly less than 2007. I was in school for half the year, but many of my classes used novels, and I still did some 'fun' reading on the side.
I read 54 fiction books and only 26 nonfiction; it felt to me like I had read more fiction this year than in the past. Looking at my previous posts, that is certainly the case; during the last two years I've kept track it's usually been more evenly divided. I'm sure that part of this is due to the nature of my classes during the first half of the year; literature programs generally concentrate more on fiction and narrative than nonfiction (although we did do some memoir).
49 books were by men and only 31 by women. Not sure if there's a really good reason for this not; in 2007 women greatly outnumbered men and last year they were evenly divided. Who knows. We'll have to see how 2010 shakes out.
Once again I didn't do a great job at reading stuff written before the mid-twentieth century or at reading things from other countries. I would like to keep working on that goal. I have been reading quite a few things that are 'Mormon', both nonfiction and fiction; that is a community I want to support and I've been mostly impressed with what I read this year.
In no particular order, here are some books that stand out to me from this year:
Fiction
Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather
Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner
Caramelo by Sandra Cisneros
Fair and Tender Ladies by Lee Smith
The Giant Joshua by Maurine Whipple
The Tree House by Doug Thayer
No Going Back by Jonathan Langford
Waiting for the Light to Change by Annette Haws
Nonfiction
Columbine by Dave Cullen
Seabiscuit by Laura Hillenbrand
And the Band Played On by Randy Shilts
My Own Country by Abraham Verghese
Lengthen Your Stride: The Presidency of Spencer W. Kimball by Edward Kimball
The Year my Son and I Were Born by Kathryn Lynard Soper
As far as movies go, we only watched 30. This is a much smaller number than in other years and it's actually been over a month since we last watched one. I love movies, so maybe this year we'll have to try and watch more. (We do have a weekly movie night with the kids, but I don't write those ones down). A few standouts from this past year:
The Errand of Angels
C.R.A.Z.Y.
Tell No One
Vera Drake
Persepolis
Friday, January 08, 2010
A little help from my friends
I love the conversational aspect of blogging and consider my readers, even if I haven't met you in person, to be my friends. In that spirit, I'm asking for some advice today (I'm sure I've done this before).
First of all, I'm trying to decide if I should by an ERGO baby carrier. They're pricey, but I've heard from a lot of people that they are worth the money; I could probably find the money to buy one, but worry that it would be another baby item that just sits around without getting a lot of use. With each of my two babies I've been earnestly trying to give babywearing a try. I loathe carrying around the carseat (and really physically can't for the first two months or so), and babies are too little to sit up in a shopping cart or stroller for several months at least. I've tried two different slings and have pretty much relegated them to Mr. Fob. I'm pretty short and have a short torso, but with Little Dude we had a Snugli-type carrier that was reasonably comfortable. It looks like the ERGO would fit in a similar way, but be more comfortable and last longer. I guess I'm trying to talk myself into it; if anyone wants to help convince me and/or give me tips on how to snag a cheaper used one, please do.
Along those lines, are there any fabulous baby products that have come about in the last few years that I really should know about? I feel like such a novice right now; it's been almost four years since I had a baby and it feels like a lifetime ago. We have clothes, a pack-n-play, carseat, some bottles, burp rags, and a few other things. I'm still talking myself into buying a new crib. Am I missing something?
My third issue that I'm trying to figure out is how to let my kids do art without ruining my kitchen table. They are careful, but markers and crayons don't always make it fully onto the paper. Our last table acquired a few marks that I was unable to get off. Any ideas on how I can protect my table and still let them draw and color?
First of all, I'm trying to decide if I should by an ERGO baby carrier. They're pricey, but I've heard from a lot of people that they are worth the money; I could probably find the money to buy one, but worry that it would be another baby item that just sits around without getting a lot of use. With each of my two babies I've been earnestly trying to give babywearing a try. I loathe carrying around the carseat (and really physically can't for the first two months or so), and babies are too little to sit up in a shopping cart or stroller for several months at least. I've tried two different slings and have pretty much relegated them to Mr. Fob. I'm pretty short and have a short torso, but with Little Dude we had a Snugli-type carrier that was reasonably comfortable. It looks like the ERGO would fit in a similar way, but be more comfortable and last longer. I guess I'm trying to talk myself into it; if anyone wants to help convince me and/or give me tips on how to snag a cheaper used one, please do.
Along those lines, are there any fabulous baby products that have come about in the last few years that I really should know about? I feel like such a novice right now; it's been almost four years since I had a baby and it feels like a lifetime ago. We have clothes, a pack-n-play, carseat, some bottles, burp rags, and a few other things. I'm still talking myself into buying a new crib. Am I missing something?
My third issue that I'm trying to figure out is how to let my kids do art without ruining my kitchen table. They are careful, but markers and crayons don't always make it fully onto the paper. Our last table acquired a few marks that I was unable to get off. Any ideas on how I can protect my table and still let them draw and color?
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Random Post: Moving
Last Tuesday I came home from an appointment and Mr. Fob greeted me by asking 'what's the happiest news I could give you right now?' I guessed, correctly, that it had something to do with our house. The seller's bank finally did whatever it was they needed to do for us to close on it, so we scheduled closing and moving. Since we were anxious to move and we had time off for the holiday we made plans to move last Friday.
This was probably one of our craziest moves yet, though not as bad as the time we suddenly had to switch apartments due to water damage a few years ago. We spent most of Thursday packing what we could. Mr. Fob's sister was awesome and helped us out for most of the day as well. I avoided lifting anything but still ended up completely exhausted for the entire weekend. I tried getting in touch with our home teachers on Thursday and wasn't able to, so reluctantly had to call Friday morning to tell them we were moving within a few hours. Amazingly we had a large number of men show up to help us out. There were so many people and our stuff was half-packed so things were pretty chaotic. But everything got moved over within two hours and I felt much better about having called for help.
My parents got here Friday night and stayed through Sunday. It was great to have some extra help with unpacking and my Dad helped Mr. Fob fix up some things around the house. Our new place is a bit older, but it has been maintained well and is in generally good shape. Just a note for anyone considering remodelling in the future: please don't take out the phone jacks. As the lady from Qwest reminded us, they can be difficult to put in and sometimes even impossible. Also, if you're going to install outlets make sure they aren't all upside down and that you're grounding them. That's all.
So we're in our new house and I'm enjoying it a lot. The kitchen is fabulous, the furnace works well so we are comfortable, and having more than one toilet is an amazing luxury. Hopefully this month will be a lot more calm from here on out.
This was probably one of our craziest moves yet, though not as bad as the time we suddenly had to switch apartments due to water damage a few years ago. We spent most of Thursday packing what we could. Mr. Fob's sister was awesome and helped us out for most of the day as well. I avoided lifting anything but still ended up completely exhausted for the entire weekend. I tried getting in touch with our home teachers on Thursday and wasn't able to, so reluctantly had to call Friday morning to tell them we were moving within a few hours. Amazingly we had a large number of men show up to help us out. There were so many people and our stuff was half-packed so things were pretty chaotic. But everything got moved over within two hours and I felt much better about having called for help.
My parents got here Friday night and stayed through Sunday. It was great to have some extra help with unpacking and my Dad helped Mr. Fob fix up some things around the house. Our new place is a bit older, but it has been maintained well and is in generally good shape. Just a note for anyone considering remodelling in the future: please don't take out the phone jacks. As the lady from Qwest reminded us, they can be difficult to put in and sometimes even impossible. Also, if you're going to install outlets make sure they aren't all upside down and that you're grounding them. That's all.
So we're in our new house and I'm enjoying it a lot. The kitchen is fabulous, the furnace works well so we are comfortable, and having more than one toilet is an amazing luxury. Hopefully this month will be a lot more calm from here on out.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)