So much not really happening here. Kids are acclimating to school - so far, so good with only a few bumps. Pak T is working night shift but still somewhat sporadically as he remains in "orientation" mode for a few more weeks. We're looking forward to a more regular schedule soon. But work is work, and we're very glad that he has a job. Soon, after he's worked a full month, we'll join the millions of other Americans with crappy health insurance coverage, for which we are even more grateful. (heh.)
Zora Agnes continues to settle in. She's active to the point of being spastic. Manic. Climbing brick walls and falling into the shower crazy.
Goose is working on her socialization.
Don't worry, she (the cat) likes it.
As for me? I'm muddling along. Finding the small pleasures of our small city that I didn't have time and energy for when I was a full time professor and a full time Mama. Before.
There's the library, of course. Gads. I love the library. Also public parks, beautiful public parks. And coffee shops - one dangerously close to the girls' school providing a lovely little stopping place to wait for the library to open, or the downtown farmer's market to get underway. Or just to get some really good (roasted on the spot) coffee. The local yarn shops have not quite lived up to my expectations, though I have to admit those expectations were a bit unrealistic. I'm finding plenty of wool, heavyweight, substantial to keep me busy. Oh, the joy of knitting with something other than laceweight/sock yarn.
Not to mention the intoxicating wonder of cooler weather. It is currently 83 degrees and sunny. It is an astonishing pleasure to not have to dunk my head into a bucket of cold water after running errands or taking a walk outside. The sky is blue, blue, blue and the leaves just beginning to think about changing colors. I heard that the dryness of the summer here will assure exceptionally brilliant autumn colors and I cannot wait. I missed autumn SO MUCH. I may camp out under our maple trees.
Mostly, however, I'm being domestic. Laundry, school lunches (see below), dinner, dusting, pulling weeds. I may be developing an unhealthy obsession with wiping down the counter-tops in my kitchen. And yes, it is MY kitchen so don't be making messes there on my just wiped down counter tops.
Note the healthy lunches for N & G. G always requests broccoli and carrots. Only broccoli and carrots. She even told her doctor that broccoli is her favorite food.
Note also the handmade reusable kitty patterned bag. Yeah, I made it. Made a whole series of bags – sandwich to snack – for the girls’ lunch kits. Lined in rip-stop nylon. With Velcro closures.
That's how it is right now.
I will get to ‘work’ on both the longer term issues of the house and my woeful “career” eventually, but here’s where I am at, at the moment.
My sister just texted me asking about the impending Hurricane coming our way (can I just say how nice it is to be textably close to family?). Don't know what to say about that, but that I'm hopeful it will not A) reach this far inland, or B) wipe out the Outer Banks house we're planning to spend a week at, with family, in a few weeks. But after the EARTHQUAKE a few days ago, I'm not putting any bets on either.
Yeah, an earthquake. Truly I thought I was having an Indonesia flashback.
Well, I'm off to marinate some tuna in lime juice for dinner. Ironically it's Indonesian tuna. Seems there is nothing we cannot import in this global economy.
