The Metamorphoses of my Office

Okay this weekend, I promised myself I would clean the disaster which is my office. My office is the place where things go when someone is coming over and I don't know where to put something - so I stick in the corner or on my desk. Well over time there became no more room to put anything. So this was the weekend it would be cleaned. (And I am sure that despite my best efforts that this saga will continue - but here's hoping that I can keep it clean a little longer.)

This isn't the start - I didn't think about taking a photo before the cleaning process began. But this is me taking everything off the desk and using my floor as a place to sort.

There is lots of work to be done.

Desk is still not clean.

No this isn't the same picture from before this is about an hour later - after I decided in order to really clean the room, I needed to clean out my filing cabinet. If you notice stuff has been moved around.

...and then I move it back onto the desk - no wonder this takes such a freaking long time.

Visible Progress

Oh wait -there's where it all went.

But I am moving a long.

I see carpet.

And success.

See I am relaxed enough to drink tea.

Look at that carpet.

Oh wait - as it turns out I am not finished - I just moved the junk to the another spot. Looks like I should get started.

The Spring Christmas Wreath

So why do I have a Christmas Wreath still hanging on my door this Cinco De Mayo? Well, it's simple, after Christmas, it was still fresh and pretty that I didn't want to take it down. Then I am not going to lie, I forgot about it. It was just there, and I liked how it looked, so I didn't think about it. Then some of Bruce's co-workers that drive by our house daily started giving him a hard time.

So when the weather got nice I ventured out to the front porch to take down the wreath, when low and behold there was a nest. Yes, a mother robin, had decided that out wreath was the best place to build a nest. Inside the nest was three little blue eggs. So we made the executive decision to leave the wreath up for the birds. To the left is the view of the wreath from my window when I removed the shade.

Well I checked tonight and it appears that those eggs have hatched and we now a baby birds in our nest. I took a photo when I noticed through the window that the mother wasn't there to guard her nest. These pictures I will admit are not the best, the window is a little dirty, but hey I didn't want to disturb the newborns. The fuzz in the middle are the baby birds. You might have to click on the picture and make it bigger to see them.

My House May Hate Me

If you are a homeowner you know that just when everything seems to be going right you get a surprise. It's commonly called "the joys of being a homeowner." The truth is there is no joy to these surprises (which are more like sneak attacks, if you buy into my conspiracy theory.) I believe that my house just may be against me - which is odd because I love it so.

Yes the reason we moved into our beautiful Attica homestead is because well I fell in love with this house and then really Bruce had no choice in the matter. So after last year's Christmas fiascoes I thought we deserved a reprieve from home catastrophes. Apparently I was wrong - which pains me when these events happen and I get that look (no words just a look) from my dear husband that says - "you are the one that wanted to buy THIS HOUSE."

This morning, I wake up after a couple of snoozes (it's getting to be that time of year -- when I could use a break -- and the snooze seems to be enough of a tease that I keep going.) Well I get up, go to the bathroom, brush my teeth turn the shower on only to realize that there is no hot water. I try the sink - no hot water. The bathtub - no hot water. I try the sink again- NO HOT WATER! I immediately call to my loving husband, who begrudgingly gets out of bed to investigate.

Well some time between 11:30 pm and 6 am - we had a plumbing disaster. Bruce went into the basement to find at least a foot of water. The supply pipe to my washer had simply popped out of its connector (yes I am sure that is a plumbing term - ok I made it up, but you get what I mean - if not picture this a pipe turned into fountain spewing water in the little room under our stairs that houses my cats liter and food, then flowing through the sub floor into the basement.)

So over night gallons of the warm water (then cold after the 50 gallon hot water heater emptied) spewed into this small room and then into our basement. Bruce springs into action and I follow trying to clean up this disaster. We manage to get enough cleaned up to get to work (I was an hour late - which means my students got a reprieve from a quiz - hmmm maybe they are part of this conspiracy.) However, trying to clean a liter box filled full of water at 6 am is not pleasant activity. But that became a priority because I could not let the cats go all day without a liter box, that would had led to more cleaning up- yuck. Bruce focused on shot-vacuuming the water out of the basement. He was able to get all the water out of the basement.

So what have we learned, well with all this house conspiracy we have a little to be thankful for - that this did not happen when we were gone for a weekend outing where one foot of water could have been many feet (the water will be now turned off when we are not home) and that it was the hot water because if I hadn't needed a warm shower, I may not have noticed the problem until we got home from work.

So this November, Bruce and I will be gifting ourselves a sump pump - so in the rare case that our home has another plumbing disaster up its sleeve we will at least not have a foot of water in the basement. Anyone have a line on a trusty plumber?

So the question I pose to you - fellow homeowners -- does every homeowner really go through what we have been going through? I don't remember these things happening to my parents year after year. Yes every so often something would happen, but it always felt like they got at least a two year break. Maybe I was oblivious because I was a kid and I couldn't fix it, but I beg to differ.

How many leaves can one tree have?

I am guessing nearly a million - maybe more. Today it was me against the leaves - with a little help from my dad, mom and his super-duper raking machine. It's called the cyclone rake and it was like a gift from heaven. Let me say after last year when I nearly killed myself trying to rake all the leaves, it was such a blessing this year. Now don't get me wrong it wasn't magic. We worked all day, but the same yard that was blanketed with leaves yesterday is now clean today. That would have taken me a week to do by hand. For proof please take a look at the before photo and look to the right for the after photo.

The day didn't start in the yard, it started in the kitchen with me baking more pie. I promised my dad pie for his birthday. So I made 2 apple pies today (Uncle Jimmy - Dad owes you a piece, I sent him home with a whole pie and instructions to give you a piece.) I am not the best baker in the work, but I can bake pie. My grandma would be proud, however she would disappointed that I don't use lard. I say if I use lard, vegetarians couldn't enjoy the pie. So I use butter so we can all enjoy the calories.

On another note last night was the first time playing Whirlyball. We had a TEC outing. Organized by Tammy and I. It was fun! If you haven't heard of Whirlyball - don't worry I hadn't until last year, when a student told me about it. In whirlyball, you are in bumper cars, with those nurf basket like rackets and wiffle ball. Then there are two goals that look like basketball hoops without the hoop. We played at this place in Clinton Township - which of course I was late too. We got there and I learned I am still not coordinated. I spent more time bumping into the wall as I tried to scoop up the ball then I actually did playing. I also ran over the ball several times. The one thing I was good at was defense - I like bumping into people. Bruce claims that he now has a case of whip lash. I wonder if anyone else is sore? Regardless it was a fun night on the town with my fellow co-workers.

Then this leads me to the sad part of the day. The MSU Spartans despite having a 10 point lead going into the 4th quarter could not hold onto it against those Wolverines. I am sure all of you who are currently thinking why does she care she went to the University of Missouri need to know that I am a Spartan fan through marriage. As part of my marital vows I had to learn the MSU fight song, which I am glad to sing upon request. (I do not know the entire Mizzou fight song - I only know the beginning, the end and about three words in the middle. However the Tigers dominated Colorado yesterday 55-10.) These are the same vows that allow Bruce to put up with my G.Love nonsense. I am also not a die hard sports fan and I have cheered for Michigan but here is how it breaks down. I wanted MSU to beat Michigan. Then I want Michigan to beat Ohio State which would have put the Big 10 in the tailspin and I like that. But it doesn't look like I will be getting my way - however there are still hopes that Michigan can beat OSU.

Dear Wireless High-Speed Internet Provider QIX.net,

I am writing this open letter on the TiVo Changed My Life Blog to complain about you. Why? Well frankly you are letting me down. Every night I come home to post on my blog and you are not working. This is a recent development for you. For the first year of our service together you were fairly reliable and quick, however in the last month, I am lucky to be able to check my email when I get home. You make enjoying great things like YouTube and blogging with photos nearly impossible.

Just yesterday, I tried to post to my blog, but you only worked long enough for me to post the before picture of my trees-- so now the TiVo Change My Life loyal readers missed out on the much cleaner after photo. I am sure they were disappointed, however most would never let me know because they rarely post comments, but I can sense their disappointment.

I have called you about five times, however you never return my calls. Please don't ruin a good thing. There is still time to salavage this relationship, at least until December when the other high speed provider will start providing service to my neighborhood. So I guess this is a warning, that you won't ever see since you don't return my calls, but if you don't get things under control (get a reliable stream of internet to my house) by the end of the year, we will break up for good and I will be jumping ship to BIG TUBE! You hear me, I know... you aren't listening. Until then, consider me a thorn in your side, I will spend my nights filling up your voicemail until you CALL ME BACK.

Regards,
Your Disappointed Customer

Spring Clean-up

It's the time of year that we try to make our yard presentable. Let's say we didn't buy our house based on landscaping, unless you count our new pets, the hundreds of moles that spend their free time tunneling through our yard. We also have lots of trees, hence the pile of sticks.

This weekend we consulted the professionals, no we did not have our yard landscaped, I wish. We had the tree guys come out and do some trimming, ok I guess that is an understatement, they cut down trees. Don't worry all you tree huggers ( I am one too) I will be planting some new ones. But we had these scrubby trees on the edge of our property. It's the same edge that many people who come to the great store right next to us like to park and like to litter, no I am not bitter, I am angry. It drives me crazy, when I see who drop stuff, I yell at them. I am the crazy lady. So we thought if we thinned out the crappy trees that created a cover for people to litter it might limit the opportunity. We shall see if it helps, if not I have another plan.

Yes, you have probably guessed it, I will be dressing up as a bush all summer and laying and wait to jump out at anyone who drops anything. I will scare the littering out of them.

In other yard news, I have been enjoying my flowers, especially my hanging plants that I bought from the Future Farmers of America at a discount price. They are beautiful, and they help distract from the lack of beauty on the ground.

Two Times of the Year When I HATE Trees - Spring & Fall!

Now I am sure you are thinking that is an awful thing to say, how can she hate trees? Well it's not really the trees I hate its what they do to my lawn that I can't handle. In the fall of course it's the mountains leaves and in the spring it's sticks. Hence the picture. I spent all evening picking up sticks and there are still more. I am surprised there are any branches left on these trees. According to all these sticks you would think all that would be left would be the trunk. Of course trees are great in summer with the shade: whatever, whatever, but I am not going to lie, on my forty-fifth trip back to the pile with hundreds of sticks, I was wishing that we didn't have any trees in our yard.