So, it isn't enough that the mortgage went up $800 due to a miscalculation starting at the title company. Jeff was just told that at the point he gets The Letter (tm), he will have 90 days of work left. Of course everyone is doing what they can to mitigate the situation. No harm, no foul, I guess.
 
I just booked a trip for us  to go  to  Miami to join William's godfather over Christmas. He is paying for a cruise. He lost his wife to breast cancer over Xmas two years ago. Thought it might be a good way to remember Karen and catch up with a good friend. I bought travel insurance. I should check if loss of income is a reason to cancel a trip.

William LOVES his school. So I am torn. My gut says to dump the house and run back to WA (where my dear friends are also trying to find jobs). But I can never duplicate the experience William is having here. He is so happy.

I will focus on the fact that Jeff is an intelligent and employable man. We are resourceful people. This was one of my greatest concerns about moving. Now that it has come to fruition, there is nothing left but to solve the problem. Your good thoughts would be appreciated.

My dear friend, have an epic birthday and a wonderful time with your man. Hope the year ahead brings you joy, love and prosperity.

So the morning started off with it's usual routine. The 6 am wake up call, a scurry of activity getting people to work and school, multiple trips to the backyard to anticipate the whims of a young beagle's bladder, and a bit of pool maintenance.

Then I look out front at the crowd and two sheriff's cars. The dog across the street was hit and killed by one of the school buses that travel the dark narrow road. Sigh. Good dog, a bit of a wanderer. My neighbor next door helped clean up the scene which was generous as he had just returned from his 3rd shift job. No, I didn't see it and I didn't ask many questions. I didn't want to know all the details. It  hurt my heart enough as it was.

Then Ditto missed his mark and peed all over the kitchen floor. So much for the 8 or so trips outside.

Now it is POURING outside and the pooches are napping on the couches.

I was already contemplative today.
( Once again we ponder leadership and motivation... )

Well, the yard really needed the rain and I am grateful we got some.  I have managed to spend way too much time naval gazing. Ebony is hiding from the thunder, and Ditto is chasing something in his dreams. Mamacita would come in, but the puppy drives her more crazy than the rain. I should go make some tea and continue with the laundry.

To one of the sweetest ladies I know. I hope the year ahead brings resolution to your current challenges. I hope you enjoy good health, good fortune and good friends for many many years to come.

Hugs!

The house is oddly quiet since we are missing our primary energy generator. Wm arrived in Seattle on schedule. This was his first trip alone complete with connecting flights and no direct assistance from the airline staff. I made him take a PBand J and a bunch of snacks  'just in case' on the plane. It used to really bug me when my grandparents made a production out of traveling. Having said that, more than once a well prepared sandwich was the difference between tolerable and pleasant traveling.

Yesterday  after dropping William at the airport was Ribfest in Washington Township Park. A nice little community affair with way too many grilled pork offerings. Finished up with an 'elephant ear' because well, what else do you top saucy smoky goodness with? Then we watched a terrible movie with some friends. "In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege". The movie truly sucked in spite of an impressive cast. All of this was very impromptu and relaxing.

After an insane flurry of activity the last couple of weeks, today is a day of rest. I spent some time at Michael's Crafts while Jeff killed off the alien/zombie hoards. The house needs to be cleaned after the teen invasion on Friday. It went extremely well. The kids were (mostly) well behaved and this was the first time William had friends over since we moved in.  Turns out I 'rock' according to the teen drivers because I put a couple of signs out (one by the main road) so that they could find the place. I believe we have been voted 'place we'd most like to hang out on a hot day'. Which is cool, I guess. So the house is trashed and in my best Scarlett O' Hara voice "I will think about that tomorrah, for tomorrah is anothah day..."

As the sun begins to sink and we turn our thoughts to dinner (take out), I will go contemplate my new stash of projects from Michael's..we have glue and feathers, and beads and ...Have a great week!

Hope it was a spectacular day!

It's about 2:45 minutes in, but worth it....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZj5b6cXCho

Because this is stuck in my head..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cNN5zwEcXM

I hope this year you will have time to pursue all of your passions! You've been busy enough fostering the passions of others.

Happy Happy Birthdayfaheud !!

What Greek Goddess are you?

You are Athena! Born from the head of Zeus himself, this goddess is the most respected and capable of all the goddesses. Like this goddess of defensive warfare, crafts and wisdom, you are courageous as a warrior, cunning as a fox, and wise beyond your years. You do not try to be a leader, but you are one merely because you have the raw material that renders admiration and followers. Though you may not know it...you have the world at your feet. But since you are wise, you will not allow this newfound knowledge to go to your head.

How do you compare? Take this test! | Tests from Testriffic</font>

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Weight: So today I weighed in and was 4.6 pounds lighter for a total of 8.7 pounds in 4 weeks.
( and the Rest of the Story.. )

Happiness is.. from "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKKjqzkGo3o

The Mid-Realm is my 4th Kingdom. First there was Atenveldt, I was new and kinda fringy. I spent a lot of time being ignored and trying to find my way. Still, I was enamored with the 'show'. I was on retinue which changed the game and although I did not know it, it prepared me for the next phase.

Oertha (West) was my second kingdom. Smaller, very stylized--you couldn't get lost in Oertha. For me that was good and bad. Many niches were 'filled' and the game was markedly different. I found some people I really liked, served as princess, and found a niche for awhile.

An Tir was number 3.  Honestly, I hated An Tir for quite awhile. I was treated like a newbie, denied access to doing the most menial tasks. Discovered after awhile there were many options and found a place to serve. In the end after much angst, it became the place where I really grew up in the SCA. Even at that, my life changed. I had a job working weekends and a son increasingly disinterested in the SCA. I drifted in and out the last year or so and discovered some things about my relationships. Good and Bad. Turns out some friends in the SCA are like work friends. The need to relate disappears as soon as the proximity does. Other relationships survive and everyone changes and grows.

The Mid-Realm. Well, I don't know what to say. Starting over takes energy and time. I have a home that needs my attention, boxes that remain unpacked, and a son who is even less interested in the SCA. Four years from now he leaves for college. By then the boxes will be unpacked....Still our friend here are all either in the SCA or attached to someone in the SCA. It would seem BAMO may make a reappearance in another venue. I am working (light duty) with a project that should be unveiled soon. Not my project, but I was honored to be asked to help.

Here are the things I understand about myself and the SCA.:
It is neither good nor bad, but thinking makes it so.
It is a place of unlimited potential. I have developed skills and shared skills and become better for it.
It is a tremendous drain on time, money and relationships if you don't have really firm boundaries in place.
Periodically, you have to get really clear on what you want and why. Set the goals and work toward them. In the SCA as in life, if you aim at      nothing--you will hit it with amazing accuracy every time.
Priorities change. So will the level and intensity that you play at.
People forget, except your really close friends. Good or bad, lover or fighter...you are only as good as your last conquest. Validation comes  from with out, value comes from within.
To thine own self be true. Because in the end, that is the only thing that matters.

YMMV, OAC, Tax and license not included.
So that's it. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

The LJ reminder failed me. If I had minions, there would be beatings and no hot chocolate. Anyway, have a wonderful birthday. Hope the year ahead brings you what you need in addition to what you want.

Love,
The Browns on Avon

William's 15 birthday is Saturday. I am baking two different cakes from scratch, his two absolute favorites. Tonight's installment was a fragrant gingerbread full of spicy goodness. Tomorrow I will frost it with buttercream frosting and make the chocolate cake from the back of the Hershey's Cocoa can. From scratch... for him. Mom rocks!!! I had my new apron on and Martha would have be proud. That is until I dropped the egg shells into the kitchenaid with the egg. I have done that exactly twice in 40 years of cooking. I went from Martha Stewart to Barbara Stanwyck in "Christmas in Connecticut". Dumped out some fine cake batter and had to start over. The second batch is cooling and on this crisp Autumn night, it smells like heaven.

I spent the day caulking the upstairs bathroom. Turns out, when water leaks onto the floor 'outside' the shower, it magically appears through the light fixture in the kitchen. Entertaining, but not practical. Given the height of the son(6'3"), the angle of the shower head and the curvature of the shower rod, I was sure there will be more opportunities for shower spillage.Can't fight physics. Caulk is our last best defense. I installed shower guards as well.

William is recovering from some icky flu thing. The doctor was also treating him for whooping cough as there was a breakout at the high school. I guess it doesn't show up right away and the doctor wanted to be safe. No whooping cough and the fever is gone. He missed almost a week of school. He misses his old friends and I think that is especially true because his birthday is coming and he felt like crap. He asked to move back to WA and live with his friend, Martin. Half kidding, half not. He seems to be working through it. He met some 'friends' (we aren't committing to that term quite yet) at the football game. This is the first obvious attempt at socializing with the natives. I take it as a good sign.

Sunday I will put up all the Halloween decorations. Solid rule, no Halloween until after the 11th. I bought an enormous blowup figure of a skeleton on a coach. William is afraid that his bus-mates will discover how freaky his parents really are. I promised to deflate it between the hours of 6 AM and 4 PM. I will give some concessions, but I will not give up my October decor. A tacky tradition is a tradition just the same...

"Let's amuse ourselves with a homegrown meme, shall we?

I want to know three surprising things that you like or want. Extra credit if they are things that make you cringe a little, even as you type them. "

1.I am a pop psychology  and management theory junkie. The latest greatest self help book  is probably in my library.  Next to it will be how to motivate employees by 10 different 'experts'. You would think I would get a job and use all that fine knowledge.

2.Tuna fish salad like my dad used to make it. Tuna, mayo, dill pickle, onion and cheese (potato chips on the sandwich or on the side).

3.Someday I want to throw a Dickens era Christmas party. Costumes, the works.

I was watching the DNC last night, and for several nights prior.I love a good election year, and this one is better than most.  Plenty of theater. This is not a post about who you should vote for, but this monologue from The American President keeps running through my head. 

President Andrew Shepherd (Michael Douglas)
 America isn't easy. America is advanced citizenship. You gotta want it bad, 'cause it's gonna put up a fight. It's gonna say "You want free speech? Let's see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who's standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours. You want to claim this land as the land of the free? Then the symbol of your country can't just be a flag; the symbol also has to be one of its citizens exercising his right to burn that flag in protest. Show me that, defend that, celebrate that in your classrooms. Then, you can stand up and sing about the "land of the free".......
... We have serious problems to solve, and we need serious people to solve them. And whatever your particular problem is, I promise you, Bob Rumson is not the least bit interested in solving it. He is interested in two things and two things only: making you afraid of it and telling you who's to blame for it. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how you win elections. You gather a group of middle-aged, middle-class, middle-income voters who remember with longing an easier time, and you talk to them about family and American values and character......


But my favorite quote is:

Lewis Rothshild: People want leadership, Mr. President, and in the absence of genuine leadership, they'll listen to anyone who steps up to the microphone. They want leadership. They're so thirsty for it they'll crawl through the desert toward a mirage, and when they discover there's no water, they'll drink the sand. 

Can't wait for tonight's installment..