People Watching on a Walk

Today was kind of cold, so I decided to walk around the stores close to our house. I didn't need to buy anything, but I figured I could walk longer without getting bored.

First, though, I had to stop by Kays to get some jewelry cleaned and inspected. An older man with a southern drawl was getting some jewelry inspected to see if any of it was real or not. When he left, it was me and the two employees. They asked me about my pregnancy for a while. The older lady finally finished up the paperwork and came back to talk a bit more. "...well, I've still got a week, so I'm just out walking today." I said in parting.

...but the lady didn't hand me my paper. First, she leaned over the glass showcase and looked into my eyes. "But you might... not have long... to wait!" I was mesmerized by the way her eye make-up matched her green and purple outfit, and also by her weirdness.

I stepped dazed out of the store, and as I got into my car, it hit me! A contraction, and also who she reminded me of. She's one of those seemingly normal middle-aged women from the movies of the 80s/early 90s who end up being magical. I'm surprised she didn't wink at me and then disappear. The only way it would've made a better story, would be if I were in the hospital right now giving birth!

Later, I was in Maurice's (not that I have any need to buy clothing right now). The employee yelled a greeting, and I saw her flash a Knowing Smile. That's when they would smile anyway, but their smile is different because they know something. It reminded me of last May before I looked pregnant and when Tim was getting his haircut. The lady walked him to the cash register, and when I got up, she gave me a Knowing Smile, not just a polite smile. After we left, I said, "You told her I was your wife and that I was pregnant, didn't you?" He did. You see, if she had just assumed I was his girlfriend, she would've given me a polite smile, but she felt like she knew something about me, so it was different. Girls are weird like that.

So I had to do a double-take at this lady at Maurice's. I remembered seeing her there this past summer. She was a beautiful, ready-to-pop pregnant lady at a time I was wishing my belly were more obvious. Although I've never bought anything from that store in my life, I remember going in again with Tim to kill some time once, and she wasn't pregnant anymore. I had wondered whether she had a boy or a girl, and how the birth went. Not wanting to look like a creeper, I didn't say anything. Today, after I recognized her, I was able to translate her smile to mean, "Yeah, you're pregnant, but I really know what that's like! Cool!"

And to prove that I was right, she asked me if she could "rub my belly" and asked about my pregnancy. But not the standard interview that most strangers give me. It was different because she's close to my age, and had just gone through it. Then she told me about her 4 month old son. She said she was so sick of being pregnant that she was ready to get induced, but her baby came before they could. I was really happy to get to hear about how things turned out; I thought I'd never know!

By then I had wandered far from my car, so I made my way back and then went grocery shopping. I stopped at Jack-in-the-Box after for a quick supper on my way home.

The only other customers in the restaurant were a boy and his dad. The boy was probably six or seven, and his dad wasn't too old. They seemed so excited to be eating out together, but not like it was a rare occurrence. It seemed like he was just going to work with his dad for the afternoon. They were genuinely happy to be in each other's company. I don't think I was making all that up; it seemed pretty obvious. All the same, it was nice to sit there by myself and imagine Tim and our son doing the same thing years from now.

Sharing Birhdays

My dog has my birthday. The vet was sure to remind me by sending her an elaborate E-card. I also share my birthday with Halloween. (It's a pretty good holiday to have a birthday on.)

But I also share my birthday with the state of Nevada.

I read somewhere that out here they celebrate their state day more than any other state... which isn't really saying much. But there's still a parade in Carson City, and pretty much everyone gets the last Friday of the month off work.

Thanks to elementary school, I spent a lot of Januaries learning about Kansas-y things like bison, sunflowers, and tiger salamanders, but I felt pretty ignorant about Nevada, so I thought I'd do a little learnin' today, and share the more interesting things. (since it is the acceptable day to celebrate)

Nevada became a state exactly 125 years before I was born. That was during the civil war, so a ribbon on the emblem of their flag reads: "Battle Born."

The state flower is sagebrush, which is really pretty for the desert, but around this time of year, it starts to smell a little like feet.

This is the driest state in the USA. Average rainfall: seven inches. (Which is why my hair doesn't curl anymore.)

We have the Comstock Lode, which is the nation's largest silver deposit. And because of that, we also have Virginia City. In its time, its population was 20,000, but now it's just a touristy ghost down of about 800.

We also have Area 51 and the Hoover Dam... Both pretty exciting!

And last, contrary to popular belief, they're called Nevadans, not Nevadicans.

Diet?!

Tim put himself on a diet about a month ago. It's part of this whole fitness program he wants to go through. It's hard to cook meals with extremely limited fats and carbs, but it's good for Tim.

It could be pretty annoying, BUT he's very willing to cook his own things most of the time, and helps think of groceries. It's also a convenient time because I eat several small meals a day anyway, so it's like we're both on our own. Another benefit is that he's also forced to be creative about possible meals.

As a result, I wanted to brag about some of the meals we've had lately. Last night, I cut up a pineapple. Tim grilled tilapia in some of that Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce, and then grilled pinapple on top. It was actually pretty amazing, and I cooked alongside him, substituting chicken in for the meat in my skillet. The night before it was Cajun spiced turkey patties with sweet corn on the cob. Here's a picture of Tim's lunch one of the past days:

I don't like shrimp or mushrooms, but it definitely looked delicious!

October is My Sunday School Month

Stories from Children's Church

One boy was looking at me for a little bit. Then, to the shock of me and my fellow teacher, he blurted out, "Why don't you take your shirt off?" When we asked him what he meant, he explained that he noticed I was wearing two shirts. I guess the idea of an undershirt seems excessive to a five year old boy. I'm starting to realize just how much I will have to learn with my son.

A little girl said she would pray for our snack while we were in the middle of the lesson. After the lesson, we passed out drinks and napkins. A boy said "Where's our crackers?!" The other teacher said, "Well, we have to pray fir-" but before he could finish the word 'first,' the girl interrupted him by practically yelling, "DEAR GOD!" We all missed the first line in a mad scramble to bow our heads and fold our hands, and then I missed the rest of her 'outside voice' prayer because I was concentrating on not laughing.

Next week:

As we were going around the circle, introducing ourselves and our favorite animals, a girl raised her hand out of turn. "Yes?" I asked. "It looks like that's the baby's nose." she said as she pointed at my stomach. "Oh! That's my belly button!" I smiled as the girl looked bashful, and as a few of the other kids said, "Oooh!" like they had been wondering all along.

Then a little boy blurted out, "How does the baby get out of there?!" My shock at the question helped me stall long enough to assess the room's reactions. Most of the kids looked like that was a good question they hadn't thought to ask... until now. A few kids giggled, one of which said, "I don't think we're supposed to talk about that." I was in mixed company. I realized I couldn't get away with a truthful, but vague answer. The few kids who seemed to know probably wouldn't let me get away with a lie. Ironically the lesson I was about to teach was over the ninth commandment, anyway. After all this pondering, I ended up giving the children a seven second pause that they used to get bored with the subject, and turned back to their favorite animals. Whew!

Next week:

One boy interrupted the lesson with his hand raised. He then told a random but short story about a pocket knife. Of course, the result was that every other boy in the class had their hand raised before he had finished. The teacher doing the lesson let each boy tell his knife story. One went like this. "One time, I cut my finger off with a pocket knife. But then my mom blowed it back on. I don't know why she blowed it, but now it's on for good." He then started pulling on his pinkie finger as hard as he could.

Throughout this series on the ten commandments, we often stress that everyone sins. To enforce this, I had the children play the "Have you ever..." game with a circle of chairs. I went first with, "Have you ever told a lie?" The other teacher caught on and even some of the kids did too with questions like, "Have you ever not obeyed your parents?" or "Have you ever sinned?" One five year old stood up with "Have you ever killed your dog?" There was a pause, and I managed to hold in my laugh. "Well! I guess that's nobody! It looks like you'll have to go again!"

Baby Supplies

In an attempt to look for an "I love my Uncle" onesie for our coming niece, Tim stumbled on a lot of cool baby stuff. Here are a couple of our favorites:

yep... it's a Mr. T rubber ducky.

That time

It's that time of year again!

It's still summer, but the school year has already started. It's still pretty warm out, but a little bit of cool weather turns everyone's minds to autumn.

It makes me want to put on a plaid shirt, and to open all the windows if it ever gets colder outside than in. I purchase apple cider and make roast for dinner. I get excited about the candy aisles even though Halloween is another month and a half away.

We've had a few cloudy days lately, bringing our highs down to below 80 degrees, but I know that's nothing compared to the wonderful weather in Kansas! (High of 58 today?!)

Dale mentioned something I forgot about: the smell of turning on the propane fireplace.

Are there any other excited-for-fall behaviors I forgot about?

Productive Pictures

My last post was beginning to touch on my life as a housewife once again, when I realized I needed pictures.

Here's what took up my day: I made a LOT of pickles. I didn't have my good recipe, so I looked one up which I'm not sure is as good, or as simple. This time around I learned that it's hardly worth it when you have to pay for jars and cucumbers. Next time I make pickles, I will have grown my own, and hopefully will have enough heat-sealing jars saved up so I won't have to buy more. But the prettier jars will be nicer for giving away.

Another project I've started on lately is the guestroom/baby's room. It's been good for storage, and already has a bedroom set. I'm still searching for a crib. Other than that, it's pretty empty, and I'm going to need to make curtains and decorate somehow. I've started collecting frames, and I hope to arrange them on the wall with fun pictures and prints inside. For random frames to work together, they'll all have to be the same color, so here are three I've painted black:
On a side note, I searched carefully for those specific boxes in the trashcan when looking for something disposable to paint on. Tim and I bought some Chicken Cordon-bleu type things at Walmart. They were a great idea, but a little bland for the price. I hope to check out what they're supposed to taste like in the ingredients, and perhaps make some sort of casserole out of it!

I've been looking for a certain type of chair at Goodwill. Perhaps I was looking at the "nicer" Goodwill, but when I finally went out of my way to stop by the other one, I found this!

I've been wanting an extra chair around. I was hoping for one that would look cool by the bookcase, but could be added to either the dining room or the living room if needed. It doesn't look like the most comfortable chair to sit in in the living room, but I've wanted to try my hand at upholstery. Anyway, so here are the colors of our living room I need to match it to:I've had this blue and brown fabric for a long time now, and I finally decided on what to paint the wood!
"Tim, the guy didn't card me for buying silver spray paint!"

"Well, you are pregnant."

"...I guess... and I was also buying 8 lbs of cucumbers and some canning supplies."

Productive again!

The other day, my sister asked me what I've done since I've quit work. Today is only day 3 since quitting, but there was so much to tell her.

Saturday: (last day of work) Before work, Tim and I went with our Bible Study to Lake Tahoe. They showed us the best beach on the lake, and it was beautiful! too bad I had forgotten my camera! Look up "Lake Tahoe Sand Harbor" on google images. Do it! We had sunscreen issues, and ended up with horrible leg sunburns. That night, I went into work for my last few hours!

Sunday: I started helping with LS Kids, our children's church. On days I teach, I'll get to church around 8:00 for a meeting and prayer meeting, then Tim will meet me at 9:00 for service, and then at the 11:00 service, I'll watch people's kids!

Funny Things from the K-2nd grade class:

• Every kid asked me if I had a baby in my tummy.
• The first one was a little girl who started poking my belly button as she asked.
• "My mom's belly is bigger than yours; it's THIS big!" (standing on tip-toes to stick out her belly out even further)
• A little girl tried to kiss me on the lips.
• A kid ran into the lemonade pitcher, spilling it all over the counter covered with papers and snack materials.
• During the commotion, the Coordinator popped in the class for a second to show off to the 7 yr olds that he could catch a cheeze-it in his mouth. (Why he thought that was a good idea is beyond me!) needless to say, by the time we got the juice mess cleaned up, we turned around to find the floor covered in stomped-on crackers!

Of course it was crazy, but I've always believed that age to be insane. It's nothing I can't handle, and even if I didn't like it that much (and I do like it), it'd still be worth it for the preservice prayer meeting!

I read 4 books on childbirth, particularly the natural kind. I got lots of sleep, and did lots of dishes. The last couple days have been very productive, but I think I'll take pictures tomorrow and make a more interesting post about my new projects!

Walmart Greeters

Do you ever notice the Walmart greeters? Last night, I had to get some milk and bread, and I started thinking about them. I always try to acknowledge them when I come in. Usually it's just a smile and a nod. It's not like you can even hear what they're trying to say because of the giant fan on the way in. The best I can do is a vague attempt to read their lips, which hardly ever works because greeters are usually older and mumble.

But seriously, it's their job to stand there and greet everyone who walks in the door, and they're gonna do it, even though no one can hear them, and most people ignore them.

I'm reminded of a line from Galaxy Quest:

Listen, I've got ONE job on this lousy ship! It's stupid, but I'm gonna do it, okay?!

It also reminds me of a TV show about a baby that Eden showed Tim and me while we were in Peru.

Work

My experience in retail is coming to a close. (I have two shifts left!) One thing I've been thinking about lately is how many crazy things I hear from customers, and that I don't have that luxury. I am always watching what I say.

Little Girl: "Are you pregnant?"

Me: "Yep!"

Little Girl: "With what?"

What I wanted to say: "an alien."

What I said: "A little boy!"

Me: "And can I just get your name with that?"

Lady: "Penny *****"

What I wanted to say: "That's my dogs name!"

What I said: "I really like that name a lot!"

Me: "We're out of the smaller bags, so you're gonna have to get this big one."

Lady: "That's okay! These bags are so cute!"

What I wanted to say: "Yeah! they've worked as excellent barf bags throughout this pregnancy!"

What I said: "Yeah! I re-use mine all the time!"

Serenade

This is Tim's serenading song:

Listen to it.

All These Things by Stephen Speaks

When I first met Tim, he'd sing it to his friend Jon to be funny. Before too long, he had learned it on the guitar, and not too long after, he began to play it for me.

It's pretty cheesy with lines like "Maybe it's her eyes, gently searching my soul [...] but I think mostly it's her smile" But it's also got a few good ones like "...or her eyebrows when I do something stupid." and "Maybe it's her smell, the lotion she wears, or how my hands smell like Country Pear for days."

Like it or not (it's too familiar a song for me to decide), I only have to hear the first few notes, and I know I'm about to be serenaded. Practicing before church, Tim would only have to play those notes on the guitar to get my laugh from across the room.

This morning, Tim was playing his guitar. I stepped outside to feel the temperature, and I heard the beginning of the song. "Oh no!" I thought. "I'm not in there to receive it!" I was back inside in a second anyway, only to hear Tim singing something like this:

Maybe it's her face, black and white with a spot

or how she snorts and jumps around.

Maybe it's her nose, gently searching my crotch,

but I think mostly it's her gas.

That's as far as he got serenading the dog before we were both laughing pretty hard.

But it makes me think of the endless verses that could be written about our dog's features.

A few Baby Things

I am in the process of putting in my two weeks notice at work. I have one week to go. I quit for a few different reasons. First, being on my feet for 4-6 hours at a time has gotten harder. It's not great exercise, and it renders me useless for the rest of the day, preventing me from getting real exercise.

Just now, I was having trouble spelling exercise. I've noticed that in the past half year. I switch around the C and the S, or I think there's a Z in there somewhere. It gets to the point that when I back-click on my misspelled word, the correct one isn't even an option! Embarrassing, I know. I just asked Tim how to spell it and remarked "Tim, this is so weird. The word has become foreign to me!" He replied with, "Uh oh! Exercise has become foreign to you. That is not a good sign!"

I also quit work because there were a lot of things I had planned to do during this pregnancy, and I never got much of a start on them.

Like, for example, finding a used, inexpensive crib and other baby supplies. (A friend at Bible study told us that in all their wedding planning, his wife never let him use the word "cheap." "Inexpensive" sounded much more classy and didn't imply poor quality as well.) So I'm doing my best to find inexpensive, not cheap baby supplies. We will be down here for a year longer, and then we've got to try to move everything back home. And besides, every mom is different, and I think I may be the type who doesn't use many of those baby products that the magazines say you just have to have.

I'm interrupting this train of thought to talk about the baby himself because he's been kicking like crazy the whole time I've been writing. The first feel-able kick happened on my way to Kansas last month. Two weeks followed where I tried to get people to feel the subtle nudges that only I could feel before. As soon as we began to fly to Peru, it got to the point where one could simply watch the kicks. I'll have to be very huge and ready for him to be born before I could get tired of all the kicking. I'm sure it can hurt at that point, but right now it's so much fun to watch, and it makes me feel like there's actually a person inside me.

When we found out we were pregnant, it didn't feel real. When we first heard the heartbeat, it was confirming, and pretty cool, but even the ultrasound didn't make the baby as real to me as feeling him move around. Sometimes it's like he's doing somersaults. Sometimes it's a little nudge on one side. I've had nudges on several sides at once like jumping jacks, and a limb that sticks out and just pushes outward for a moment. I've even had a clear, head-sized lump on the side of my belly for a while. Yesterday at Bible study, it was like he was trying an Uma Thurman-style escape on the upper right side of my stomach.

So in the next few weeks, I will enter the last trimester of this whole pregnancy, and I will do it with more time on my hands. I hope to enjoy this stage, and to document it (for the next time I'm in the first trimester, hanging my head over the toilet, and needing some reminding) and to put into good use that nesting instinct that's kicked in!

Part II, Seattle

Further around the peninsula, we stopped for gas in Port Angeles. It was sunny, so we could see Canada. There was also some sort of festival going on around the courthouse. It seemed like a place I would've liked to spend some time, but we didn't have time. 101 was only a two-lane, 55 mph highway that slowed down to 40 at every Bentley-sized town. I hadn't realized it would take so long. I had planned on driving all the way around the Puget Sound to get to Seattle. It wasn't too far, and we would be able to see more things. I realized that if we wanted to get to our hotel in Seattle before too late, we'd have to take a ferry. When Tim said he had never been on a ferry, I said, "Well, then we HAVE to go!" It ended up saving us a lot of time and money, of course.

It was exciting to get out and walk around on the boat. There were so many little kids running all over the deck, making quick friends and playing games to stay out of the cold wind. This was Tim's first time in the area, let alone Seattle, and his first time on a ferry, so that was exciting too. The ferry docked and let us out just down the street from our hotel.

"This is going to be an expensive trip," Tim said, "but it's the time to do it." It's the only time we live close enough that we'd want to drive to Washington, and with a baby coming, it's the last time we'd want to stay in a four star hotel.

The hotel had a lodge feel, but with extra class. What I loved most, was that it was on its own pier, within walking distance to everything we wanted to see. We didn't arrive till 7:00 and nearly everything around there is only open from 10:00-6:00. We were forced to have supper at a Red Robbin, but we got a chance to walk down the piers and to get an idea of places we'd like to see the next day.

In the morning, we stopped at a sourdough bakery for breakfast. It was all prospector-themed, which was kind of fun, considering that's a big part of the history of that area. It was hard to get my necessary amount of calcium in while on vacation, but we were sure to order milk at least once every day. We sat out on the dock, eating a pecan sticky bun (almost as good as Momma's) and a cake-like blueberry muffin. When we finished, we got up, and went next door to the Seattle Aquarium.

The aquarium was pretty fun! They even had an underwater dome. We didn't stay late enough to watch a scuba-diver feed the fish, but it was still a fun place. Our favorite parts were the hands-on tide pools, where the sea anemones would grab your finger, and the octopus, who was in a small-ish tank which made him more fun to watch and easier to see. Other fun exhibits were otters, seals, and jellyfish.

We had lunch in our hotel's fancy restaurant. It wasn't extremely pricey, but the food was fancy, and we had a good waterfront view. When we were done, we headed to the Olympic Sculpture Park, just outside of the Seattle Art Museum. In one of my classes at WSU, we were talking about public art, and had to watch a video about the park, and about one of its exhibits in particular. This exhibit started out as art, but I personally feel it is the type of thing that belongs in a science museum. Either way, it was interesting to learn about. The guy went into the rain forest and picked out a fallen tree. He was fascinated with how much life one dead tree could hold. He and his team collected samples of wildlife on the tree, and then they carefully cut out a giant section of log, and tried to remove it as carefully as possible. They brought the log to the sculpture park and built a greenhouse around it. They made sure all of the species were represented there, and visitors can go in and experience this decaying log. Unfortunately, visitors weren't allowed in unless a volunteer from the museum was there to supervise. We were able to look in the windows, but that was my last chance to see a Banana Slug.

It was still early in the afternoon, so Tim suggested we head on up to the Space Needle, since it looked like it wouldn't be too far of a walk. There were a lot of things to see around the needle. The building that held the Experience Music Project and the Science Fiction Museum had really fun architecture. It seemed like an interesting place to visit, but when I looked up their website, I decided otherwise. (Current exhibits: Star Trek and Nirvana) We went on up in the Space Needle. It was extremely crowded. I don't know if I'll ever want to go to the top again. It was like being at the top of any tall building. It seemed more interesting to look at from the outside. I did, however, like hearing about the World Fair in the 60s. Their theme was "The Space Age" and they had built the Needle and the Monorail just for that occasion. Those and the architecture of the Pacific Science Center reminded me so much of futuristic views from the past.

There was a Folk Life Festival in full swing spread out all around the old fairgrounds. Tim and I decided to walk through it. As the name suggested, it was a vague enough theme that the festival had everything. Anyone with wares to sell bought a booth, and any musician set out a guitar case and started performing. Although I never really figured out the Folk Life parts from the rest, we wandered through until we found some cotton candy, and then headed back. I was starting to feel extremely bloated from lunch (I'm not very well able to eat full meals anymore, with less room down there) and we were both getting pretty worn out.

"You know, Tim? I'm starting to feel like a cartoon frog! I've got a big round belly, and long, skinny legs." ~ me feeling boated after our lunch

We rested, and then I woke Tim up from his nap. "Let's get you some fish and chips before everything closes again!" I suggested. We headed out again by the water, and discussed what we would do next. Tim had already decided to pull the plug on his plan to go to Vancouver long before we started on our trip. We would save some money, the trouble of crossing the border, and he wouldn't have to ask off any work for the trip. "Let's just start heading home in the morning." Tim suggested over his supper. I agreed, but there was still one place I wanted to go: Pikes Place Market.

After wandering around for a while, we finally found the marketplace, but everything had just closed. A sign informed us that it wouldn't be opening again until 10 the next morning. "We have to leave earlier than that, or we won't get home till three in the morning." Tim said. I was very disappointed that we had missed it. After thinking it over, I decided that it was one of the things I really wanted to do, that we may never come back to Seattle, and that at least to me, it would be worth it if it meant getting home late the next night. Tim understood, and adjusted our plans to spend a small amount of time at the market the next morning, (knowing that I couldn't be expected to stay up that late, and that he would be the one driving the last leg anyway.)

I was so excited to be in the market. Pretty much all of it was indoors, due to the rainy weather of Seattle. There were several floors, and we entered in through the lowest level. It reminded me of an old subway station, and of Park Elementary. There were several daycares in that bottom corner of Pikes Place, for all the parents who had to make a living here. We passed all kinds of fascinating shops, but our first stop was the original Starbucks. I liked the old signs and logos, and I liked how although at one time, the cabinets and counters were supposed to look modern, really were actually worn down with age, not just as intentional decorating like all the rest.

"Pleasie, no squeezie!" ~handmade sign next to the largest avocados I'd ever seen.

I bought a cheap bouquet of beautiful flowers for the family who kept Penny in their back yard for us, and a small basket of raspberries. I enjoyed looking at all the fresh fruit, the souvenirs, and the fresh fish on ice.

"Why don't you bring those tulips over here a second?! Yeah! You with the basketball player!" ~an Irish fishmonger

We didn't stay too long, and didn't hit any rush hours on the way home. We were able to take a modified route on the way back that was two hours shorter than we expected. We went through several state parks in California. The roads were twisty, very dark, and rainy. We saw at least twenty deer, and a bobcat. There were a couple close calls with some deer on the road. Fortunately, they always happened to be on the side of the road closest to where they were already headed, so our swerving only scared them away from us.

We got home around one in the morning, and slept till one in the afternoon the next day!

Washington Babymoon Part One

Our trip to Washington was great! Parts were well planned, and parts were left up to us to be spontaneous, so it seems we were able to get in everything we really wanted to do!

Grace: "I hope you don't mind me navigating like this."

Tim: "Oh, it's okay. I wasn't even listening."

The drive up was a little long, and we went through 4 snow storms, at least 6 rainstorms, and several sunny spots in between. The changes in the weather really mixed things up. We enjoyed the scenery. We went through Nevada-like wilderness (we weren't in Nevada very long, of course), picturesque green hills and mountains of California, and some boring parts of Oregon before driving through a mountain pass just before Portland. The pass felt like Colorado at first, but on the way down, the trees were different. I woke Tim up to look at the extremely tall trees pressed right up against the highway. Oregon isn't famous for its tall trees, but I'm not sure I remember ever seeing trees quite so tall. The mountains up there were different too, with ghosts of clouds and fog just hanging out a little too low on the hills. (I'm describing all this because it was impossible for me to get pictures. Tim was sleeping, I was driving, and the road was too fast and winding to park. There were countless turn-off areas, but only on the other side of the road. I figured we would take the same route back, but as I learned when I was younger, there never is such a thing as 'on the way back')

"But I have to pump your gas for you. It's the law." ~station attendant in Oregon

Visiting the Olympic peninsula really should be more of a camping trip. We enjoyed driving through Aberdeen, a cute little port town with small, old houses, and ancient sea-worthy vessels in its river. Then we went up to lake Quinalt to stay the night. It was dark when we got there. I didn't realize our suite came with a jacuzzi bath, and while I was in it, Tim found the button and turned it on low. We were both really tired from the long day and late night, so we found the pathetic, fart-like bubbles hilarious. In the morning, we woke up to a huge, fog-covered lake and the sounds of rain forest birds. We wanted to get on the road, but the office didn't open yet, so we went on a small path to the world's largest spruce tree.

101 (the highway around the peninsula) took us further from the rainforest and closer to the ocean. "Tim! according to the map, we should be right along the Pacific right now! Stop at the first sign you see!" I suggested. It was cold and cloudy, but the small beach campground was full (it was Memorial Day weekend) Most of the people there were camping and fishing. I hoped our Kansas tags would explain our excitement as we ran around on the pebble-covered beach, poking washed-up sea weed with sticks, and taking driftwood. Tim wanted to burn it later; he hopes that the salt on the wood will make a pretty fire.

Then the highway curved back toward the Olympic National park, and we paid to get into the Hoh rain forest. This was the part of the trip I was most excited for. In fifth grade, we learned about the different ecosystems of the world, particularly those in the United States. We watched a video about the temperate rain forests of the northwest, and about the large banana slugs in them. Ever since then, I had wanted to go. "I can't believe you guys hadn't been yet!" Tim said. I told him that by the time I was in fifth grade, we had already been to Washington, and didn't see much of a reason to go back. We didn't see any giant orange slugs, but we did some fun pictures, which I'll upload later!

"I'll Nav your gate!" ~Tim, after I suggested that he take over driving while I navigate

Next we were back on the road and headed toward Forks for lunch. Tim insisted we take pictures by the Welcome to Forks sign. I felt embarrassed to do so, but I knew that several young girls had their picture taken by this very sign each day, and no one would think anything of it. We went into their visitors center, between to a run-down History of Logging museum, and an old statue dedicated to the loggers that founded the place. The visitors center had all but forgotten logging. When we walked in, we were surrounded by cardboard cut-outs of actors, and Twilight t-shirts. There were two old women running the place. They talked about past look-alike contests, and their hopes that when the actors were done with the series, they would come visit Forks (having never set foot there in their lives). It was pretty pathetic, so Tim and I decided to get something to eat as soon as possible. We sidestepped a pack of teenage girls getting their pictures taken next to a truck parked outside (one similar to the one in the movies) and left to find a restaurant.

We stopped at a crowded pizza restaurant and hoped to just blend in. I thought we were doing pretty well till one table got up, and the old man seated there greeted every other family by name on his way out. I guess in such a small town, visitors will have to stand out. Tim said they had to have been used to people passing through before all this Twilight stuff happened. It after all, is the only town with restaurants and stores between Grays Harbor and Port Angeles (That's a 3 hour drive). As we waited for our food, I tried to guess what the town was like. It seemed to be about the size of Halstead. The citizens were used to lots of visitors, but they took it in stride. Every restaurant carried a "Twilight Menu" available on request with expensive food and Twilight-themed foods.

" Porta-bella-mushroom pasta, Bellaburger...

**All entres come with Edbread and Swan Salad" ~Twilight menu

We also went to one more beach, La Push. Compared to the other beach we stopped at, this one was more famous and actually had sand, so it was crowded for the weekend. I wanted to see some tide pools, but I had no idea when or were to look. It was interesting to be on another indian reservation. It was small, so the houses were all very close together. There were certain smells the same as the Mission, with added scent from the ocean, and their small fishing harbor.

Yesterday's Story... and The beginning of our Nursery

Yesterday started out to be a great day. I was on my way to work, a little earlier than usual, when I started coughing. There's been a lot of extra stuff in my throat every morning. I don't know if it's the pregnancy, or just springtime allergies in Nevada.

Anyway, one second I was coughing, and the next, it had hit my gag reflex, and I had to throw up. At first, I thought I could just smile and get over it. (It's nearly impossible to vomit while smiling; using the muscles prevents one from gagging.) But then I knew that wouldn't be possible. I changed lanes to exit as soon as possible. I should've went on to the shoulder and turned on my blinkers, but I didn't think I would actually vomit in my lap. Which I did. I got off the highway and then had to wait at a stoplight before I could turn into whatever was nearest, a Burger King.

There, I went straight in to the bathroom, hoping no one would notice the mess on my pants. I stripped down and cleaned up the best I could. Then I explained my situation to the middle-aged Hispanic woman at the cash register. "Is there any way I could borrow a... bucket or something to clean up my car?" She left and returned with a giant roll of brown paper towels. She then proceeded to make me a wad the size of a beach ball. "I hope this helps." She said. "I'm so sorry..." I began to apologize when she stopped me. "I understand." she said, looking me in the eyes like she'd been there.

I arrived to work barely in time, but my manager was in a pickle as well. She had lost her store key. This bought me time to run to Old Navy to purchase a new pair of pants, but I no longer had the time to clean out my car before we opened. There weren't many of us there, so we remained busy. I wasn't able to clean out my car till I got home. I'm not sure that mark will ever come completely out of the driver's seat...

For the second half of this post, I have started to think about where Baby will stay.

Here is our guestroom. It's pretty small, but I think we'll be able to make it work!

In Reno there's an upholstery store that is slowly going out of business... I wonder if that's just a ploy to sell more fabric. Anyway, some of the fabric is extremely cheap, and some is only kind-of cheap. I went in a few days ago to pick out the beginning of the Nursery's style. Here's what I came up with! There will be lots of giraffe print, with the other two to accent it. I think mostly the room will be yellow and brown.

My Nursery Ideas

Soon after discovering that we were pregnant (At least two months ago!) I started wondering about nurseries, and supplies, and what we would do about those things. I don't intend to spend a lot of money, and I don't intend to devote an entire room to the nursery. Here are the ideas I had, and some inspiration boards to go with each!

First, (and probably least likely) is a low-contrast color scheme. It would be soft, and I love the neutral browns... but we'd be talking about trying to keep a white room clean, which I know I could never do.
Next is a high contrast room. This works well with a Victorian style. Despite the pinks, I think it would be possible to make a gender-neutral room, suitable for future babies.
After that, I really liked the pictures of unique, simple nurseries. Some of these could quite possibly be my favorites!
I was also inspired by the nurseries with deep browns. It's a nice change from the strictly pastel rooms.
Here are nurseries with a very home-made touch. I really liked the picture-covered walls, and the home-sewn curtains and blankets. There's also a vintage feel that gets the "Over in the Meadow" song stuck in my head.
And Last, there were some random pictures that I liked that didn't really fit into the other categories.
And of course, I have to keep in mind the limited space in our guest room and the furniture that's already there. I'll also have to wait on the crib that Tim will provide. I did have a lot of fun, though, organizing pictures I liked into ideas!

Crazy Dreams #1 & 2

Here in Nevada, Tim has found a friend from work. He has a wife and two kids. They've also moved here temporarily from Kansas.

My first crazy dream was that the wife and kids went back to Wichita for a long visit, and while they were away, the husband's crazy ex-wife came and tried to take over. She tried to move in and pretend like nothing ever happened. This was kind of funny to me, because this couple have been together ever since they were young and in high school. No chance for an ex wife.

I've had countless crazy dreams in between numbers 1 and 2, but I don't remember every bit of them, so there are too many holes. I remember one point, when I belonged to a village, and an evil witch had been impersonating me to do mischief, and I had to prove to everyone that I was really me. (It was a lot like playing Mafia.)

The second dream began when I was working in a room with my old boss, and one of his six children, a boy my age who he affectionately calls "John-boy" Besides regular work, my boss would ask his son, (and me too, in this case) to do spiritual, educational work. He was trying to prepare us for the end times. With each completed task, he would give his son what he called manna, which was just a creamy-white precious metal; some type of currency. I think my pay came in a regular paycheck. One of those such spiritual-educational tasks to prepare us for the end times was to be able to accurately arrange C.S. Lewis's Narnia series in chronological order. This was a little difficult because one of the books was missing a cover, another was written in The Message style, and as we all know, they usually One of those such spiritual-educational tasks to prepare us for the end times was to be able to accurately arrange C.S. Lewis's Narnia series in chronological order. This was a little difficult because they were numbered in the order they were written, one of the books was missing a cover, and another was written in The Message style.

I left the room, and wandered down a hall. To the left, I noticed a long barn-like room filled with about 30 large horse stalls. Out of each stall poked the head of an elephant. At the end of the hall, I entered a larger room. There were some wooden bleachers for seating, and a manure/straw covered fence kept the stands separated from the show: a man swimming in a tank with a hippo, which we all know is a very impressive feat. The fair (or whatever it was) must not have been very busy that day, because so few spectators were there, that they sat on the edge of the hippo tank and dangled their toes in the water. The swimmer called me over by name. "Hey, you're from Kansas, right Grace?" he asked. "Uh, yeah..." I said, edging closer. "You know that song, 'Camptown ladies sing this song, do-dah! Do-dah!' Well, I guess back then, the 'do-dah's' were only put in to cover up the bad language! Bet you didn't know that about Kansas, huh?!"

"Huh." I said, feigning interest, and then I left to return to work. In my locker in the work room, I found a set of purple and black rings. I then remembered telling my boss that they would sell really well. He had asked his ceramics class aid to make them for me! I considered running back to the hippo room to tell the swimmer, but at that moment, I turned around.

For lack of space (probably because of all the elephants) the circus or fair had decided to keep their giant, man-eating crocodile in a large baby crib. The reptile scared me, and I began to notice that because of the changes in the way Joel had been feeding it, that it was learning that it could easily step out of the crib... which it did.

The crocodile moved very slow, and I was able to run up the basement stairs in my parents' house and into the living room. Joel, Dale, and my parents were all sitting there. "The alligator got out!" I shouted. "Here's what we'll do-" my dad started, always the one to have a solution, pulled out a tranquilizer gun. He handed it to me. It didn't look too impressive. It about as small as a .22 or even a bb gun. I held it in my hands and aimed at the door. There, standing in the doorway, was Joel and Paul.

Joel was 2 or 3, the way I remember him from our days before school. Paul was only 4 or 5, like all the childhood pictures. "Guys, move out of the way!" I said, as I quickly moved my gun. I handed the gun back to my dad, and then my mom and I went to see if the crocodile was still in pursuit. The stairs to the basement were strewn with clear packaging bags and silica gel packs from work. We didn't see anything at first, but then the crocodile moved. Apparently, we couldn't see him because his head was stuck in a bag. When he moved, my mom made that sound that we've heard a few times in our lives, when she came across a particularly large snake in a basement bedroom, or when a field mouse ran at her from the pantry.

We ran back to the living room. Everyone jumped on a couch, and pulled our feet up from the floor. As the crocodile came into the room, and my dad aimed, I suddenly realized how small the gun was, and that if he missed, he wouldn't be able to get away in time. I thought of the headline, "Man in Kansas Eaten by Crocodile" and then shouted, "Daddy, don't miss!!"

Just then, he shot a round of pellets at the Croc's forehead. The pellets looked like mini-marshmallows, or mothballs, or possibly those melt-away wedding mints. It was a pathetic show. The pellets bounced off and scattered on the floor, but I knew better than to doubt my dad's inventions. Apparently, each pellet contained a potent tranquilizer that came out upon impact in powder form that instantly absorbed into the reptile's skin. The last shot was a small device with spider-leg spikes that stuck into the crocodile's neck to monitor its unconsciousness.

That was when I woke up.

My New Job

All week I knew there was something from work I was going to write about, but in the end, I forgot it, and wrote down the basics of work.

Specifically, here's what I thought was interesting:

We spent an entire couple days merchandising. Everything had already been set out, at the appropriate tables, and then we re-worked the areas, over and over. We had basic, obvious rules on how to organize merchandise so that everything is balanced and easy to get to. Other than that, it was up to us to make things look good.

I was partnered with one of our managers to fill an armoire. She was very critical about exactly what we would use in our area, and about what should go where, but I didn't mind one bit. My personality is more the type to not care so much about how the earrings are placed, but I knew these high standards would be good for me. I may not have cared, but I still could understand why, and I was often able to suggest much better alternatives.

This isn't at all new to me. In college, my art professors were very good at what they did. They were laid back artists themselves, but they understood that creativity shone best in strict, critical environments. We held weekly critiques about our drawings. Half the time, we may have talked about correct proportions and perspectives, but a lot of our time was devoted to composition. I may have drawn an awful looking shoe, but they would spend more time focusing on why I chose to replicate that particular frame of vision. Why did I put the subject of my picture where I did on my canvas? What I did wasn't as important as why I did it. They constantly challenged us to make defenses for our compositions. "Balance" and "contrast" were always on our tongues. It was important that our work "felt right" to the viewer.

Once again, I found myself in the same environment. This time, instead of canvases, I was given tables, shelves, and fixtures. I no longer had to create objects to put in the space, but I had endless possibilities of combinations of merchandise. My manager and I were constantly asking each other, "What can we put next to this piece to bring out this particular color?" We also had a grid of cubbies to fill with a variety of contrasting merchandise, while still paying attention to its visual balance.

Afterwards, the district manager (who worked alongside us all week to get the store in shape) wanted to come see what I'd done. He was very impressed. I felt embarrassed receiving praise, when I knew it wouldn't have looked as nice without my manager's help. When he pointed out one particular thing he liked, that I knew was all her, I was quick to give her the credit. Later, when my manager returned, she said, "Hey, make sure you're getting credit for the work you do. You should be like, 'Hey! Check out that table; I did that!' Be proud!"

While most girls were hired by our general store manager for their retail experience, I had the chance to interview with the district manager, who was very interested in the concept of visual merchandising. I was lucky to have been hired without experience, but for my studies in the visual arts. I also feel fortunate to have a manager who feels there is money to be made in visual merchandising, and that I can go far.

How likely that may be, is questionable, but it's great to be encouraged, and to know that I'm doing okay at a new job!

Work

Well, I got a job as a charmer...

...don't worry, it's retail.

The store is called Charming Charlie, and it's huge. We all started work last Wednesday, and met in the empty store. There were a few construction guys putting up the last of the chandeliers, but other than that, we faced shelves and tables in the vast room.

The first day, a team from corporate went over several slide shows with us. We stood, or sat on the tile floor. We learned about policies, and the handbook, and what we'd be required to do. We also learned that there really is a Charlie, who started the company. He's very young, and his last name is hard to pronounce.

The first week was a lot of hard work. We had to put up merchandise, and to completely fill an empty store takes a while!

It was a little hard because I worked every day, and Tim and I kept missing each other. I'd wake up and leave before he woke up, and then I'd come home to an empty house, and he'd come back from work after I fell asleep.

Today was our first day open, and I am only part time, so things should slow down after this! I am happy, though, for something productive to do with my time. And I'm happy that I still have free days in the week to work on my painting and to catch up on housework!

AAAAH!

1. Fiancé and best man pick up an application for Marriage.

2. I applied for a marriage certificate.

3. It came in the mail.

4. I got a new social security card in the mail after driving across town to the wrong office, then waiting in a 45 minute line.

5. I had to get a new driver's license that I knew wouldn't last. Turned out, to change your name they can't use your Social Security Card. It HAS to be a marriage license. (Two trips to the DMV.)

6. It expired two months later. After unexplained closings and mechanical failures of the DMV, I finally got another one... which then never arrived in the mail.

7. I got another one.

8. Then I got a military ID. AFTER the machine was fixed, and only once my husband came back to Kansas.

9.I tried to apply for a passport, but needed my marriage license... which was lost. They found the marriage license back home, it came in the mail, and I applied for a passport.

10.A letter from the department of state is hinting that Tim and I may have to re-apply for different forms of a Birth Certificates!

"Champagne makes me all giggly!" ~Monkey Island

"And then I'd throw my sham-pog-nay in his face!" ~Sarah

This Valentine's day, as sort of an extra, spur of the moment gift, Tim brought home a bottle of Champagne. I was only half awake at the time, so I was able to enjoy the surprise all over again in the morning.

I was excited, not because I like champagne (never had it) or any alcohol for that matter. I was excited because I have always wanted to pop the cork off one. Tonight I got my chance! Most of the contents spilled out onto the sidewalk because it was warm and shaken.

Later, the dog had to go out, but on the way in, before I could stop her, she lapped up a few sips from the puddle. She ran back inside, and I told Tim what happened. Right on cue, she started a sneezing fit. Before each sneeze, she would squint her right eye and screw up her face till it resembled Popeye's.

"and I have to take you in for a check up tomorrow... what will they think of me?"

Those Darn Mountains

When I first moved here, I was encouraged to write about the things I thought were peculiar about Reno before I stopped noticing them. Reno isn't another country, and it's hardly another culture. I feel there aren't too many differences between here and home. (Besides the lack of turn signaling, which is a[whole]nother story!) The biggest difference is that Kansas is known for its flatness, and the name of this state came from a word that means "snow-capped mountains." I haven't written about it, but thats because I spend a lot of time trying to think of how to word my thoughts on the mountains.

I never wished to live in the mountains when I lived in Kansas. Even when I was little I decided that living in Kansas was great for vacations. When I went to the mountains or the forest or the ocean, I wouldn't take them for granted.

Although my newfound freedom has started me painting again, I haven't included the new scenery in my list of subject matter. First, because mountains in art seem to be a cliche. They either seem desktop-backgroundy or very generalized like an amateur's painting in a second hand store. It's not that I feel above this; I just am not sure I want to waste my time painting mountains if I can't get it right.

The second reason I haven't tried painting mountains is that I'm not sure quite how to get them right. Often, the part of the scenery that intrigues me isn't the vastness of the California mountains (with typical mountainy stuff like pine trees, jutting rock forms and snowy peaks) but the bareness of the desert mountains on the other side of the valley. I sometimes worry that I would simplify the details too much, and they wouldn't look real, but mostly I worry that I would cover the canvas with cookie-cutter trees and rocks, and ignore the true shape of the mountains that interest me most.

It is too dry for trees, and there are few rocks or houses on these hills. There is only dull yellow grass, which make the hills stand in a striking contrast to the bright blue sky. (exact opposites, to be exact) When the hills are covered in snow, and the sky gray, color gives way to the sheer form of things. These mountains have no distractions; only color, or only shape.

Sometimes I try to take pictures. Usually they're of the clouds on the mountains. Sometimes it's just as one would expect with the mountains rising up to disappear in the cloudy sky like a radio tower would back home on an exceptionally cloudy day.

Usually, though, we have very different weather down in the valley than they do up in the mountains. Once, the clouds almost sat on top of the mountains like whipped topping. They were definitely background, providing the kind of positive/negative space ambiguity that Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon is famous for. Another time the mountains had their own background. It was as if someone had cut a picture of hills with inclement weather from a magazine and pasted it on the horizon of our sunny day. It really reminds me of those intricate decorated eggs with a scene inside.

I take pictures when I can, but mostly I just look, and wonder what it is about mountains that's hard to get right.

Interview #2

As you may have heard, I had my second interview yesterday.

I have been applying like crazy this past month. I have been checking craigslist daily, getting into the Washoe County School district's application program, and walking into countless retail stores asking for an application.

One day, I walked down a row of stores to apply in any store that told me they were currently hiring. I made it to the cash register of one place before I realized it was a women's plus size store. I shrugged in my mind and figured it was worth a shot. The girl at the front was really friendly and gave me an application. I had ran out of resume copies and had to spend a while filling out all the blanks. The whole time I was thinking to myself, "It doesn't matter to me that this store's plus size. I want a job, not an outfit. But would they really hire me? This is kind of awkward! It shouldn't matter what size I am. ...What if a requirement is to wear their line? I'll have to get online later and see their sizes IF I'm hired. haha, like they'd really hire me."

Most stores I applied at only check for past retail experience. None called up my references or really took the time to interview. I had one interview that went alright, but like I said, they picked the guy with retail experience over me. I really have been waiting for a school job, though, so it didn't matter too much.

Two days ago, I received a phone call. She asked if I shopped in their store, a name I didn't even recognize. (That's what I get for going door to door!) "To be honest, I don't really shop there. I am just looking for a job." I said. We set up a time for an interview the next day, and I hung up. Tim joked that I should've told them I shop there all the time. I was glad I didn't, because when I looked up the store, it was the plus-size one. I checked online the kind of clothes they had. The clothes were really nice, but nothing was my size.

The next day I was nervous. Over lunch, I talked to Tim about it. "I don't know if I even want to go." She doesn't know what I look like now, but it's going to be so awkward."

"Father, just help this to be an okay experience for me." I prayed as I headed in. They weren't very busy, but there was a shy-looking girl waiting for her interview. I introduced myself and talked with her for a bit, hoping to take away the nervousness she probably had.

My interview was first. The manager and I went to the back office, and I saw a girl organizing clothes and attaching security devises to sweaters. "That's something I could do!" I thought. The lady had me sit down, and she asked me about Kansas and the weather. Then our interview went something like this:

Lady: "You were a para educator. What's that?"

Me: "Well, I don't have my bachelor's yet, so I can only be hired to help at schools."

Lady:"So you're a teacher. Why aren't you subbing? I know someone who is and she says you make good money. And if you're really good, you get hired for pregnancies and stuff."

Me: "Well, I did apply at the school district, but they haven't contacted me yet."

Lady: "Here's the deal. You seem really qualified. I feel bad because you should be out there in the schools, not here. Hey! It says you live close to me! Are you sure you want to drive all this way?"

Me: "Well, I need something productive to do while I'm here."

Lady: "Oh, well, I don't even want to waste my time asking you questions. I'll probably just call your references and get back to you."

Me: "I'm just glad you're contacting them! Most stores just see that I have no retail experience and..."

Lady: "Oh, you don't need experience really. You just have to be smart and friendly and able to work fast. The rest I can teach you. I have to decide how many managers I'm going to hire before I hire any employees. What kind of position are you looking for?"

Me: "Well, wherever I'm needed most, I guess." (thinking of the girl working in the back)

Lady: "Okay, then! I'd hire you as a manger. I just need to determine whether I need a full time or two part times. And what if the school hires you after you take this job?"

Me: "It would only be during the day, so I could still work evenings."

Lady: "Alright! oh, and one last thing: girls will be asking you why you're here. They might be rude to you when you first start. You're just going to have to think of a good way to answer without offending anyone. I've hired little skinnies like you before. You'll just have to win them over with your personality."

So that's how it went! I'm not hired yet, but I probably will be. Even if it's not the best-paying job, it will be a great experience and I will have it on my resume when I move back to Kansas!

Puppy shall not live on dog food alone but on the very Bible it chewed on today.

First, to finish up the last post:

The faces on the casino billboard with dollar amounts are really two things: Average customers who win large sums of money, and celebrities with the price of their shows. That's why the average people have bigger amounts than the doctored-up photos!

Having a puppy is not like having a kid.

Yeah, it's pretty obvious, but at first, people overlook that.

"Having a dog will be good practice for when you have kids!"

After a pause, though, someone always realizes how silly that sounds and it's followed by some joke about leaving your kid at home locked in a kennel, or taking them outside to poop.

One aspect about humans that I wish I could apply to dogs is communication. Sure, dogs are pretty smart. But a human child can be punished for delaying his obedience. He obeyed, but not right away, and that's why he got punished. He knows what's expected of him and doesn't need to be rewarded for merely doing what's normal.

When training a dog, one has to consistently reward good behavior and punish bad behavior. It can be tough to figure out when the lines blur.

Say, for example, your dog is chewing on a shoe. "Bad dog!" you shout. As soon as the dog hears this, she drops the shoe and comes to sit next to you instead. I feel hesitant to reward her good behavior when it happens so soon after the bad, but I know it will help her learn.

Another example would be, "Come on! Come over here!" (hand clap) "C'mon, girl!"

After a few minutes the dog finally comes. I would want to punish the dog for the delay, but it's necessary to reward it for coming, if I want it to come quicker in the future.

Reno isn't too hard to get around in. Tim suggested buying me a gps, but I didn't think I would actually use them. And when we thought of how distracted I would be trying to mess with a gadget while driving, we didn't get one.

Wichita is pretty simple. There are four main highways that divide the city into a giant tic-tac-toe grid. Then you have to know the main street exits.

Reno is about the same size as Wichita, but with only two main highways that form four quadrants. (We live in the first, or the northeast quadrant.) Unfortunately, there's a lot of construction where those two highways meet. Wichita has prepared me well for this, so I know the times to avoid traveling north.

The two cities may be similar in size, but it definitely seems different. Reno is full of all sorts of casinos, and most people live just outside of the city. In fact, it seems like the area is mostly suburbs.

There's a casino I always drive past with a big, digital billboard. It always flashes a picture of a person, and then a dollar amount. The normal people have a lot of money, and the pretty people have a small amount flashing next to their mugs. Do you know why?!

Doings as of Late

Lately, I have been waiting for a job interview (should happen next week) and I have taken a small break from a large painting.

While Tim works in our office, I often wish I had a chair in there too, so I could work on my own things, and we could still be together. This week I fixed that problem!

First, I found our local Goodwill, and bought a rocking chair. Then, I sanded it down. I painted it a flat black, and then Tim suggested racing stripes. Last night, I finished it!

I'm going to have to get a better card reader, but I just thought I'd share this picture... I think Tim looks like a little kid here!

You're Rubbing Off on Him, Dale!

Several nights ago at work, Tim was telling his coworkers about using the DVDONME promo code at redbox.

"So... you're too... cheap to pay one dollar for a dvd rental?" asked one guy

"Well, heh... I usually end up paying a dollar anyway because I don't take it back on time."

"So... you're too... lazy to return it on time?!"

"I guess either way makes me look bad."

A House of My Own

I am very excited for Tim and me to have a house of our own someday! Already I am thinking up several different design schemes that I like. I try to explain them to Tim, but words don't help much. Tonight, I gathered pictures to make a palette of just one of my ideas.

I doubt it would be very possible in Kansas, but I would like to have a room like this:

When we lived in Kansas, strangers would ask Tim if he played basketball. On our way home, I could tell we weren't in Kansas anymore when a stranger at a gas station pulled up beside us and yelled through the window, "Hey man, do you play for KU?"

The trip went pretty well, and although we decided not to stop at the Grand Canyon, we also decided not to drive all night, so we were able to stop at a scenic overview of the southern part of Nevada!
"So what do you call people down here? Nevadians? Nevadans? Nevaticans?!"

Did you know that the name Nevada came from a word meaning snow-capped? and that 85 percent of the state is federally owned? ...at least that's what the poster at Quizno's told me.

Tim and I got home and settled in! I'm not sure yet how one goes about decorating a place like this. The walls are extremely bare, but their complicated structure provides enough interest that they could stand on their own if need be.

We went to the store to refill our pantry and to get supplies to finish my birthday gift: the loft as my painting studio! Tim also bought me a dozen yellow roses, just because, and one became the subject of my first still-life!
I was doing laundry, and I noticed Tim watching me as I reached down a pant leg to turn it right side out. "Silly!" he said, "pants go on your legs, not your arms!"

(Awkward Pause) "Am I irresistibly cute right now?"

Tim has made a lot of friends at work, and I have had the chance to meet them! Someone was celebrating his son's third birthday, and we were invited over for pizza and cupcakes! When we arrived, I was instantly grateful for Tim's suggestion that we NOT buy the kid any noisemakers. I had forgotten how loud three-year-old boys are! Everyone was really nice. I was invited to a girls' night out, and plans were made for a snow-boarding trip.

...which was yesterday. Tim got home from his night shift around seven AM and we got ready to go. We stopped at an equipment rental place, and then met with some friends at the base. It wasn't a long drive to the California mountains, but before we made it, the weather turned gray and rainy. I had never been to a ski resort, so it was all new to me. In the parking lot, Tim helped me put on equipment, and we bought lift tickets. More friends showed up, and we rode all the way up the mountain in the cable car.

Tim kept asking me if I was doing okay. At first I though it was weird. "I'm alright!" I kept reassuring him. Then we approached the first tower, and the "driver" said, "Alright, folks, we'll be experiencing a bit of a sway as we approach the first tower." The slow swinging of the cable car wouldn't have been so bad, but I couldn't see out. I felt a wave of nausea. I made it past both towers, and through the loading dock, but I was sure I was going to puke when one of the standing passengers started throwing his weight against one side, attempting to rock it a little more.

Everyone hoped the rain would be snow at the top, but they were wrong. Stinging ice and sleet pelted our faces. Tim took me back in to put his mask on me while the rest of us got started. I was glad for the delay; it gave me a bit more time to stop feeling sick... but I still felt dizzy.

Tim was patient, but I didn't learn well. I fell hard over and over until I had a headache, and I had a difficult time learning. The weather made it hard to see and hard to hear, and the wind was blowing pretty hard. Everyone was soaked through and ready to head home before too long.

On the way home, Tim informed me that I had to take over driving because he was about to fall asleep at the wheel. I realized that it was after 1:00 PM, past his bedtime. Even I had a hard time staying alert, and once we got home, we both slept hard till 5!

Today is the girls' night out! I hope to make some new friends.

...And last, for Eden: