Snow

Snow. Lots of it (by Oklahoma standards). Steep driveway (when snow/ice is involved). Notice the tracks stop towards the top? Notice the ice at the bottom of the tracks? That was the 1/2 inch or so of freezing rain we got Wednesday night. As of 11:30 Saturday night, most of it is STILL there. My driveway doesn't get much sunshine.
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Notice the unnatural parking position of my vehicle? Notice the mailbox nearby? I was a bit worried as I started the backwards slide. It's all good now though. I finally got the car unstuck. Then, after some driveway fun (i.e. getting a running start and driving up until the wheels started spinning) I finally got my car back into my garage. It's all good.

I'm home!

Well, I've actually been back to my new home since Monday night. You'd think with all that time, I'd be settled in and ready to throw a dinner party, rightr? Wrong.
I can't find the bolts to put the legs on my table. Those (dad and cousin) who took it apart back in May swear they put it someplace we'd remember. I realized I had curriculum training Wednesday and Friday. I had to go to my hometown Tuesday evening. And the clincher? I've spent most of the last 2 days in bed on antibiotics, decongestant, and painkillers because I have the sinus infection from hell. My head hurts like it's never hurt before. Walking? Ouch. Sitting? Ouch. Even lying in bed hurts; thank goodness for prescription narcotics! I'm just up right now to get some water and finally change out of the clothes I wore to training this morning--I lasted an hour before I couldn't take anymore.
My yard needs to be mowed (any takers?), my house is a disaster area, and my classroom is pure chaos. I guess it'll all have to wait another day or two.
Oh, this has also stalled me from getting my dogs and bringing them home. They will need several baths each and I haven't been up for that. Bending over to scrub them? I'd pass out.
So, this too shall pass...once it does, I'll try and share some camp stories or reflections.

One more week...

So, a week from tonight I will be in OK preparing to move into my next home! I'm excited. I'm ready to have my own place again. I've been 'homeless' for over 2 months now. It's been hard, but I'm thankful I do have friends here to say with. So far, I've stayed at 3 different places...and next week I may stay at my cousin's house while they are out of town.

Summer school is going well. I've grown attached to a few more kids, and have worked with some wonderful professionals. It's been refreshing to work among such caring individuals.

The next month has me moving to OK, coming back to Texas to Camp Esperanza, heading back to OK to finish getting settled in, coming back to Texas the first week of August to consult to the distric I am leaving, and then reporting to new teacher inservice August 8 in my new district. Can you say HECTIC? It's all good though...I'm excited about my new job, location, etc. It looks to be a great last half of 2006.

Last month, 2 of my students (twins) and their mother came to my hometown for a bike rally benefitting Making Promises Happen, a camp for individuals with special needs. The girls have been to camp and gone snow-skiing as recipients of scholarship money that has been raised by people (including my parents) in my hometown. They had a great time. This is me with the girls and their mother (with my mother in the background).

So sweet!

Another Step

Guess what? Can you tell what this picture is?

Notice the sign in the front? My house is officially up for sale starting today. It'll be in the MLS listings by tomorrow afternoon. Woohoo! I have an agent that I like, will pay a less commission than I expected, and the listing price is about what I expected.

One more step on the way to what I am really looking forward to--moving back to OKLAHOMA!

The First Low of 2006

OK, so in the scheme of life, this is not really a low. Much worse could happen and happen every day to other people. I just want to whine a bit.

Turns out my garage door opened has gotten finicky. Sometimes it'll open 75% of the way and stop. I haven't figured out why (dad told me to oil the chain--that's on the agenda for tomorrow). So, today I leave. I hit the garage door to open it (can you tell where this is going?). I go around to my side, get in, glance in the mirror--I was checking to see if the trash pickup happened today, and hit reverse. I slowly back out. Wait! What's that noise. Well Sh!t. The door only opened 75% and was scratching the top of my SUV. Do I sit there or pull back in? I was afraid the door wouldn't budge, so I pulled back in. The only damage seems to be to my radio antenna. The top is scuffed some, but it looks like stuff that should buff out. The door is OK. I guess it's good it opened as far as it did, or else I would have went through it. However, if that were the case, I would have noticed as I did check my mirror.

I turned the radio off and the antenna did go back down, though it is broken in the middle. When I got home, I turned the radio on and it came back out--part of it. Now it won't go back in. I guess to drive it I need to wrap/tape a towel around the wire part coming out so it doesn't scratch my car to pieces. I drive a foreign car, so I imagine this is not a cheap fix at the dealership. I'll try another place tomorrow. Geez.

OK, vent over. That's all for now.

ETA: My little mishap cost me $140 at the dealership. I wrapped saran wrap around the external piece so it wouldn't scratch my car. Imagine my surprise and embarassment when the guy laughed and just pulled it out and threw it away.

Okay, here is another picture of my wall where you can actually see the texture. I like it.

While I Was Out

While I was at camp, my house/dog sitter for half the week (and long time friend) painted my kitchen for me. It's not quite done, thanks to me failing to inform him that all I have is a step ladder which is no match for the 10 ft. ceiling in my kitchen. Anyhow, here is what it looks like. It still needs another coat. However, I'm really happy with this shade of yellow. It's soothing and not blinding. Here are before/after pictures. He'll be here tomorrow to finish it up for me.

Before: BRIGHT yellow paint covered with a red colorwash. My painter-uncle described this as 'makes me want to eat a burrito.' Not quite the look I was going for. In retrospect, I should have used a darker red and diluted it much more with the glaze. Oh well, next time I'll know! My dad did the texture, which I think looks great.

After: You can't see the texture as much in the picture, but here is the color it is now. I may try and get a picture in the daylight that is clearer tomorrow.