Packed with a few possessions to call his own and with the hope of finding a good life up north, Moose's Mustang burned asphalt all along I-10, through Tucson, and up the 5 corridor to Washington, Seattle exactly. It was 1992.
Meanwhile, i was boarding a plane for Germany, going on an adventure as an exchange student for a few weeks. It was really something too, as i was going to be 17 and on my own, leaving my American friends and my teacher to visit my family up in Northern Germany for a few weeks. It was the best thing that ever happened in my life, so far.
After returning to Tucson, i finished up my senior year of high school. Ever the doting parents, mine encouraged me to forego the boys and stick with the studying. Sounded like sound advice, although there were a few crushes to distract me. I was faced with a pretty majour decision for all my efforts...head to U of A and stay with my folks, or accept a scholarship up in Flagstaff a couple hundred miles away.
Moose was up in Seattle, working for an engineering firm, and looking to move out of his Grandma's house and into his own apartment. He settled down in the southern Puget Sound area and toiled his little heart out. Outside of work, he was involved with a young adults group from church, which introduced him to all kinds of recreation around the area, sporting events, and at least one club, so i've heard. And around this time, Moose's mom returned with the rest of her children home to Washington as well. She settled near her twin sister and Moose, and he was happy to have his family around again.
After graduation, i started university right away at U of A--a pharmacist sounded like a great career to me. My mom worked at the U, so each day between classes it was fun to catch up for a visit or lunch. However, i really was struggling with the class load and outside of my mom and her kind workmates, it was lonely too. There weren't a lot of friends from high school to meet up with, and for a painfully shy girl like myself, meeting new classmates was almost killing me.
Moose was in need of a different job. He was tiring of the uncertainity of working for a private company, especially through downturns in the economy. During this time he was able to gain employment with a city government. He worked his way up through the ranks to become a design engineer. He was 25 and starting to get the itch to settle down, regardless of what the camaro parked in his driveway said.
Meanwhile, Tucson was wearing on my parents, especially after my father was laid off from the mining industry. He's old school though, a saver, so they weren't really worried. In the summer of '95, my parents decided to officially retire and move up north. A few months earlier, my dad had taken me on a trip to check out Idaho State's pharmacy school in Pocatello and i had been accepted into the undergrad programs. Needless to say, it wasn't the best decision i ever made, and truly a time i wish to forget. You couldn't cast a glance at a cute boy without being asked out, but once they found out you weren't Mormon, that was the end of it--sometimes even before dinner was done. Oy! So i returned to North Idaho with my parents and started working at a local insurance company as an assistant to their assistant.
Pondering what to do with myself now. I was 20, awkward, depressed, and just couldn't stand the thought of living in a podunk little town in Northern Idaho for the rest of my life... (upon reflection now, what do 20 year olds know, eh?)
Stay tuned for the next installment of The Impractical Love Story of Me and My Moose.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Monday, January 31, 2011
In The Beginning
The year was 1969. Big things were in store that year. That Spring, in a borough of NYC, a family was preparing to welcome their second little boy into the world. He was going to be a dosey of a kid. In another part of the country, while astronauts were preparing to fly to the moon, a young couple was planning their wedding. The young lady had to finish high school of course, but it was decided that in July, they would travel from Tucson to Nevada on a long weekend and get hitched. It was a good year.
What does this have to do with anything? Well...it's the beginning, you know? The beginning of the impractical love story of me and my beloved Moose.
In the summer of '71, Moose's folks decided the city was too much for them and moved to El Paso. Along about '75, the young couple in Tucson welcomed their baby girl into the world. They loved their little tomboy to bits and as she grew up to sing her little heart out when she sang opera and played Annie in the grade school musicals. So there they were enjoying the Sonoran desert when just a couple states away....
Moose was on the loose. He was just finishing kindergarten when i was born. Growing up, he loved terrorising the neighbourhood with his brothers and childhood friends. He couldn't be too naughty (or atleast he had to be really sneaky about it), as his dad was a lawyer and well known deacon in the area lobbying for the rights of the unborn and immigrants. Taking long car trips with his family back east and to Washington to visit relatives. Enjoying baseball, honing his alter boy skills, and running with the track team. Then, before you know it, it was time for him to head to college. All the way to Lubbock. Lucky him. *grin*
Meanwhile, while he was in college, i was in middle school. Sadly, while he was having the first of his exams, i was probably digging around in the garbage bags from school looking for the retainer i threw away by accident. I was also learning algebra from a math teacher by the name of Mr. Grobelch. Now Mr. Grobelch was one cool dude. He was one of those teachers that would tell it like it was--there was no certificate of participation in his class. See, Mr. Grobelch had been privileged to teach a super basketball star that played at the local university and was instrumental in leading the team into the NCAA tournaments, so of course, Mr. G was all about every one of his students being the best so they could attend U of A too. You either did your work well, or he called you on the carpet--in front of everyone! One of his favourite sayings was "If you buy the farm (earn an "f"), you'll be going to Texas Tech below the deck." Little did i know....
Moose was off studying engineering at Texas Tech for 4 years. During this time, his family was hit with some devastating news. Their father had been diagnosed with cancer...again. He had beaten it once before, however this time the disease would claim his life. While Moose was travelling back and forth from Lubbock to El Paso during his final year of college, i was enjoying my junior year in high school. And as the reality of his father's passing hit him, Moose knew he wanted to leave Texas as soon as he could!
About the time he was driving through Tucson on I-10, a mere 3 miles from my house, to relocate to Washington, i was getting ready to leave for Germany as an exchange student...
How would our paths ever meet at this rate???
Stay tuned for the next installment of The Impractical Love Story of Me and My Moose.
What does this have to do with anything? Well...it's the beginning, you know? The beginning of the impractical love story of me and my beloved Moose.
In the summer of '71, Moose's folks decided the city was too much for them and moved to El Paso. Along about '75, the young couple in Tucson welcomed their baby girl into the world. They loved their little tomboy to bits and as she grew up to sing her little heart out when she sang opera and played Annie in the grade school musicals. So there they were enjoying the Sonoran desert when just a couple states away....
Moose was on the loose. He was just finishing kindergarten when i was born. Growing up, he loved terrorising the neighbourhood with his brothers and childhood friends. He couldn't be too naughty (or atleast he had to be really sneaky about it), as his dad was a lawyer and well known deacon in the area lobbying for the rights of the unborn and immigrants. Taking long car trips with his family back east and to Washington to visit relatives. Enjoying baseball, honing his alter boy skills, and running with the track team. Then, before you know it, it was time for him to head to college. All the way to Lubbock. Lucky him. *grin*
Meanwhile, while he was in college, i was in middle school. Sadly, while he was having the first of his exams, i was probably digging around in the garbage bags from school looking for the retainer i threw away by accident. I was also learning algebra from a math teacher by the name of Mr. Grobelch. Now Mr. Grobelch was one cool dude. He was one of those teachers that would tell it like it was--there was no certificate of participation in his class. See, Mr. Grobelch had been privileged to teach a super basketball star that played at the local university and was instrumental in leading the team into the NCAA tournaments, so of course, Mr. G was all about every one of his students being the best so they could attend U of A too. You either did your work well, or he called you on the carpet--in front of everyone! One of his favourite sayings was "If you buy the farm (earn an "f"), you'll be going to Texas Tech below the deck." Little did i know....
Moose was off studying engineering at Texas Tech for 4 years. During this time, his family was hit with some devastating news. Their father had been diagnosed with cancer...again. He had beaten it once before, however this time the disease would claim his life. While Moose was travelling back and forth from Lubbock to El Paso during his final year of college, i was enjoying my junior year in high school. And as the reality of his father's passing hit him, Moose knew he wanted to leave Texas as soon as he could!
About the time he was driving through Tucson on I-10, a mere 3 miles from my house, to relocate to Washington, i was getting ready to leave for Germany as an exchange student...
How would our paths ever meet at this rate???
Stay tuned for the next installment of The Impractical Love Story of Me and My Moose.
Gettin' Organised :: Living and Dining
Hello. Yeah, we're still around just suuuuuuper busy. Last week was homeschool bowling and with the swim lessons twice a week...we're finding it a challenge to get all our chores done. But it's good...moving in the right direction anyway! Unlike my weight loss. Harumph! For some reason these last two weeks, i've gained a pound. I'm hoping to misplace it this week. :)
I'll have after pictures of my bedroom tomorrow...
Today we start on the two largely ignored rooms...we're things seem to wander in on their own, and never leave until light starts shooting out of my eye sockets like Bill Cosby's wife. :) It'll be okay though.
Here's my list of duties this week:
Detailed Cleaning List for
Zone 5: Living and Dining Rooms
Living Room:
1. COLLECT webs.
2. CLEAN windows, sills, & wood trims.
3. VACUUM mantle & hearth.
4. VACUUM couches & under cushions.
5. DUST lamps, pictures, & furniture.
6. TIDY prayer table.
7. WASH wood wall & POLISH with evoo.
Dining Room:
1. COLLECT webs
2. CLEAN light fixtures.
3. WASH windows, French doors. WASH & POLISH pocket door.
4. DUST wood trims, fire grate, & mantle.
5. VACUUM hearth & fireplace.
6. DUST piano & hutch.
7. STRAIGHTEN bookshelves.
8. DUST table & chairs.
9. For C.m.: spend 2 x 15 minute sessions tidying art area.
I'll have after pictures of my bedroom tomorrow...
Today we start on the two largely ignored rooms...we're things seem to wander in on their own, and never leave until light starts shooting out of my eye sockets like Bill Cosby's wife. :) It'll be okay though.
Here's my list of duties this week:
Detailed Cleaning List for
Zone 5: Living and Dining Rooms
Living Room:
1. COLLECT webs.
2. CLEAN windows, sills, & wood trims.
3. VACUUM mantle & hearth.
4. VACUUM couches & under cushions.
5. DUST lamps, pictures, & furniture.
6. TIDY prayer table.
7. WASH wood wall & POLISH with evoo.
Dining Room:
1. COLLECT webs
2. CLEAN light fixtures.
3. WASH windows, French doors. WASH & POLISH pocket door.
4. DUST wood trims, fire grate, & mantle.
5. VACUUM hearth & fireplace.
6. DUST piano & hutch.
7. STRAIGHTEN bookshelves.
8. DUST table & chairs.
9. For C.m.: spend 2 x 15 minute sessions tidying art area.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
A Little Different Everyday....
The war of the worlds in the love nest is coming along. I thought i get my before pictures up today, so by Saturday, i can delight in the "after".
This is what you see when you first walk into the room. We're equal opportunity offenders in this place...the dresser on the left is mine and the right is Moose's. We pile. It's what we do. But piles can look nice too. There's no reason why Cookie's formal dress she outgrew when she was two has to reside on my dresser. :)
My nightstand...UGH! I'm getting there, though. The piles on the top of the nightstand had relatives living below on the floor. Once all the stuff that needs to find a new home was removed from the top of my dresser, it became the new home for all magazines. I'm surprised by how many i've gone through in the last couple days too. I think i've read and recycled 6 mags in 2 days! They're right there...i just grab then when we head out the door.
The pile behind Cookie Monster was tackled today. In it was more outgrown clothes and issues of the newspaper from 4 years ago. Out they went! It's easy to tackle the junky stuff when you have a great little assistant to help with the grimy stuff.
When things are this bad though (the inside of the upright floor lamp), i just can't bring myself to let her help with that. She could drown in dust bunnies that thick!!
NEVER AGAIN!!
This is what you see when you first walk into the room. We're equal opportunity offenders in this place...the dresser on the left is mine and the right is Moose's. We pile. It's what we do. But piles can look nice too. There's no reason why Cookie's formal dress she outgrew when she was two has to reside on my dresser. :)
My nightstand...UGH! I'm getting there, though. The piles on the top of the nightstand had relatives living below on the floor. Once all the stuff that needs to find a new home was removed from the top of my dresser, it became the new home for all magazines. I'm surprised by how many i've gone through in the last couple days too. I think i've read and recycled 6 mags in 2 days! They're right there...i just grab then when we head out the door.
The pile behind Cookie Monster was tackled today. In it was more outgrown clothes and issues of the newspaper from 4 years ago. Out they went! It's easy to tackle the junky stuff when you have a great little assistant to help with the grimy stuff.
When things are this bad though (the inside of the upright floor lamp), i just can't bring myself to let her help with that. She could drown in dust bunnies that thick!!
NEVER AGAIN!!Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Diary of a Dirty Bedroom, Part One
Okay, you know how they say that when you embark on a life changing experience, like weight loss or such, they say that you should keep a journal especially during the lows and the times you hit absolute rock bottom. Then when you are feeling like you aren't having much success (even after you have), you can go back and remember why you don't wanna go back there anymore?!
Well, i've decided to do that with my bedroom this week.
Well, i've decided to do that with my bedroom this week.
Warning: Graphic Images Follow
Like. Oh. My. Heck. This was just from the ceiling, inside of the closet, window and door trim, and the walls of my bedroom. Eeeew! Gross!! I'm ready to roll out a sleeping bag on the floor in our galley kitchen, just to sleep someplace semi-clean.
I'll just use this as inspiration. I'm not giving up now. My next baby won't be conceived in a dung hole like this one!! Now, on to the floor lamp and ceiling fixture: where no Swiffer has gone before.....
Monday, January 24, 2011
Gettin' Organised :: Doin' a Favour for You & Yours
Last week, was spent in the kid zones. And you know what, it really didn't go so bad. We worked all week in the rooms; a little here, little there and i only had to raise my voice and use a well-intentioned, totally purposeful curse word once. Yea me! :) Because can't a gaggle of toys strewn about in numerous hiding places, that have no rhyme or reason with regard to sorting, and that don't get play with constitute as "excrement"?
There are still toys on the floor and other junk out of place, however we did get more cleaning done than the uncleaned spots we left and half of Cookie Monsters floor is visible!
This week, it's one of the disaster areas...Moose and my bedroom. It's the room you dread to inhabit. You know the kind...it's the room at the end of the hall, just past the main bathroom, so if you have to do a stash and dash in the living room minutes before company arrives, that's the best place to put it. They'll never know that you are a complete slob, cause they'll never see it! Woo hoo ha ha ha! :) Mudder.
But close the door and bam! You look like Merry Homemaker.
No more! I say!! NO MORE! This is where we rest supposedly. But everytime i see Moose leaning up again our headboard, i'm praying he doesn't drown in dust bunnies and have an asthmatic attack. There are 3 precarious stacks of magazines on my side of the bed alone...one that is increasingly annoying as i've developed the extremely awful habit of waking up in the wee hours of the morning and when i get up, i trip, er ... walk all over those stinkin' magazines. Moose's side of the bed collects stray wires, Cookie Monster's books, and the occasional electronics. The bike bags are next to his side of the bed, which eats into at least a foot of his little 2 foot walkway there. I am ashamed to admit it, but i think the last time i cleaned under the bed was before Cookie Monster was born. I'll flip my lid if i find a nursing pad under there!! Please God, don't let me find one of those, or i think i'll die of shame!
This is no way for grown adults to live. Yet, we do. And i for one, darn it, am not going to take it anymore.
So here's the plan...we don't have a master, so i am just including our main bathroom and hallway for good measure, so next week i can focus on the living & dining rooms. Okay, slow down, one disaster area at a time.
Mmm, but you'll know where i'll be spending my Disaster Recovery Time this week, eh?
Detailed Cleaning List for
Zone 4: Blessin’ the Luv Nest
Our Room:
1. COLLECT webs.
2. CLEAN light fixture.
3. DUST doors, wood trims and baseboards.
4. WASH windows & curtains.
5. VACUUM headboard.
6. WASH mattress pad, bed sheets, & comforter. FLIP mattress.
7. PURGE nightstand.
8. STRAIGHTEN one drawer & one surface.
9. TIDY closet; COLLECT empty hangers.
10. DUST furniture. POLISH wood.
11. CLEAN under bed & dressers.
12. SWEEP floor.
Upstairs Bath:
1. COLLECT webs & CLEAN light fixtures.
2. DUST wood trims, doors & cabinets.
3. CLEAN window & mirror. POLISH wood.
4. LAUNDER shower curtain.
5. WASH tile walls.
6. CLEAN sink & tub.
7. STRAIGHTEN linen closet, med chest, & one drawer or cabinet.
Upstairs Hall:
1. COLLECT webs.
2. CLEAN light fixture & doorbell.
3. CLEAN doors, wood trim, & baseboards. POLISH wood.
4. DUST picture frames.
There are still toys on the floor and other junk out of place, however we did get more cleaning done than the uncleaned spots we left and half of Cookie Monsters floor is visible!
This week, it's one of the disaster areas...Moose and my bedroom. It's the room you dread to inhabit. You know the kind...it's the room at the end of the hall, just past the main bathroom, so if you have to do a stash and dash in the living room minutes before company arrives, that's the best place to put it. They'll never know that you are a complete slob, cause they'll never see it! Woo hoo ha ha ha! :) Mudder.
But close the door and bam! You look like Merry Homemaker.
No more! I say!! NO MORE! This is where we rest supposedly. But everytime i see Moose leaning up again our headboard, i'm praying he doesn't drown in dust bunnies and have an asthmatic attack. There are 3 precarious stacks of magazines on my side of the bed alone...one that is increasingly annoying as i've developed the extremely awful habit of waking up in the wee hours of the morning and when i get up, i trip, er ... walk all over those stinkin' magazines. Moose's side of the bed collects stray wires, Cookie Monster's books, and the occasional electronics. The bike bags are next to his side of the bed, which eats into at least a foot of his little 2 foot walkway there. I am ashamed to admit it, but i think the last time i cleaned under the bed was before Cookie Monster was born. I'll flip my lid if i find a nursing pad under there!! Please God, don't let me find one of those, or i think i'll die of shame!
This is no way for grown adults to live. Yet, we do. And i for one, darn it, am not going to take it anymore.
So here's the plan...we don't have a master, so i am just including our main bathroom and hallway for good measure, so next week i can focus on the living & dining rooms. Okay, slow down, one disaster area at a time.
Mmm, but you'll know where i'll be spending my Disaster Recovery Time this week, eh?
Detailed Cleaning List for
Zone 4: Blessin’ the Luv Nest
Our Room:
1. COLLECT webs.
2. CLEAN light fixture.
3. DUST doors, wood trims and baseboards.
4. WASH windows & curtains.
5. VACUUM headboard.
6. WASH mattress pad, bed sheets, & comforter. FLIP mattress.
7. PURGE nightstand.
8. STRAIGHTEN one drawer & one surface.
9. TIDY closet; COLLECT empty hangers.
10. DUST furniture. POLISH wood.
11. CLEAN under bed & dressers.
12. SWEEP floor.
Upstairs Bath:
1. COLLECT webs & CLEAN light fixtures.
2. DUST wood trims, doors & cabinets.
3. CLEAN window & mirror. POLISH wood.
4. LAUNDER shower curtain.
5. WASH tile walls.
6. CLEAN sink & tub.
7. STRAIGHTEN linen closet, med chest, & one drawer or cabinet.
Upstairs Hall:
1. COLLECT webs.
2. CLEAN light fixture & doorbell.
3. CLEAN doors, wood trim, & baseboards. POLISH wood.
4. DUST picture frames.
I'm going in....Wish me luck!
Sunday, January 23, 2011
Introducing.... The Muggin' Monthly Photo Challenge
Hi there. Remember when i mentioned in passing a few weeks ago that i was trying a new project: taking a photo a day of my little monster for posterity? I'm happy to report that photographing has been right on target. I've been addicted to this new-to-me website too called Forgotten Old Photos.
To think all those photos came from one album...one person. It's inspiring, and to think each one of us could leave something like that of our family & friends. But how will they tell what era or area our pictures are from when the only info attached to most of our photos is IMG#### or "Shot with a Canon blah blah blah". It will be by our daily activities for sure, especially since a lot of us fashion our home with vintage wares. :)
So i thought that if some of you had been inspired to photograph your little ones even once; be them children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, or the kids next door, it might be fun to share our bests with one another. I'll go further to include those of you who may have other cute critters of different species in your life. The commitment would be strictly voluntary...you have a photo you wanna share, do it! Monthly challenge will commence on the final day of the month.
So with that, i am announcing the inaugural edition of Muggin' for Momma coming this weekend.
If you'd like to participate, truly, all you need to do is snap a photo of your kiddos...once a month. Should you want to share those silly faces with us, please link to the entry i'll be posting on January 31st in the comments, and we'll share in your delight.
Ooh, those wee ones are so silly, it's going to be so hard to choose!! See ya January 31st!
To think all those photos came from one album...one person. It's inspiring, and to think each one of us could leave something like that of our family & friends. But how will they tell what era or area our pictures are from when the only info attached to most of our photos is IMG#### or "Shot with a Canon blah blah blah". It will be by our daily activities for sure, especially since a lot of us fashion our home with vintage wares. :)
So i thought that if some of you had been inspired to photograph your little ones even once; be them children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews, or the kids next door, it might be fun to share our bests with one another. I'll go further to include those of you who may have other cute critters of different species in your life. The commitment would be strictly voluntary...you have a photo you wanna share, do it! Monthly challenge will commence on the final day of the month.
So with that, i am announcing the inaugural edition of Muggin' for Momma coming this weekend.
If you'd like to participate, truly, all you need to do is snap a photo of your kiddos...once a month. Should you want to share those silly faces with us, please link to the entry i'll be posting on January 31st in the comments, and we'll share in your delight.
Ooh, those wee ones are so silly, it's going to be so hard to choose!! See ya January 31st!
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