We're Better Together: August 2006

Only Grandpa's are excused...

from teaching their grandson's they never see how to use a magnifying glass to start a fire. I have to say, it is a pretty neat thing, but we will not be getting our son his very own magnifying glass anytime soon. He actually wasn't teaching him to start fires, but to write his name on a piece of wood with it. Cool huh? I was actually a little jealous that he never taught me. Dukas. The Duke. My daddy. He was also caught feeding my Eowyn 'adult' food. Oh well, after she found the gumball on the dressing room floor, which totally filled her whole mouth, and made her slobber bright orange all over her dress, by the time I found her, I'm sure a little yogurt and beef jerky won't hurt. This was just day one here in CT. I'm sure we are in for many more great and magnificent adventures. Like discovering that is is a bad idea to pet the kitty after you hop out of the pool because then your hands will be covered with 'cat feathers.' Needless to say, Jed is having a blast, and between the trampoline and pool, he is a pretty occupied kid.

You know you wanted pics!

The hole in our bedroom ceiling. Notice the burnt beams. HELLO! Can you say SCARY?!

Our closet. Everything left in the room was covered with this stuff.

Eowyn's crib. I don't know if there's a much sadder picture than a child's stuffies covered with the remains of a fire.

Motel 6

The floors seriously turned Eowyn's leg BLACK! Ever hear of a steam cleaner?!

Fun at the pool

Ugliest beadspread ever. (I know some of you like it)

Block Party!

The roof, the roof, the roof is on fire...

And it smelled like apple crisp and incense to me...at first. We came out of it all very lucky, and thanking God. By the time we knew it was our house on fire, it was after one in the morning, and we very well could have been asleep as the fire increased directly above us. But we and the Schultheis' just happend to have stayed up late, and Curtis just happened to come home that very day. Alot of laundry and two nights at the Motel 6 later we are just displaced and a bit emotionally drained. I guess we just take it one day at a time now. Luckily I am going to CT with the kids in a few days, and it will be easier for Curtis to figure stuff out alone. Hopefully we will get an apartment quickly. The red cross is so great, putting us up in a hotel with a kitchenette (not a bathinette) for a few days, so there's only one day before I leave that we don't know where we'll stay. It is hard to write all my feelings about this situation while in the midst of it, so maybe later. For now, let's just say we're good to go for the next two days. Woo-hoo!

Idaho!

I went to Idaho last week to visit my best friend November, her husband e (yes that's e-short for Eric), and three, yes count them-one, two, three strapping young lads-Phin(4), Silas(3), and Arlo(1). I went with my kids. Without Curtis. I drove. That was a long drive. I was planning on stopping at a hotel if I needed to, but by the time I felt like stopping, there were only a few hours of driving left, so I just pushed on through. Plus, thrifty Elena saved fifty bucks there, and fifty on the way back. I also realized something that I already knew. I hate driving at night. Especially in places I don't know. I start imagining crazy things, like bodies of water in front of me, or people standing in the road. It is just terrible. The drive took me sixteen hours there, and fifteen and a half back. It was so unbelieveably good for me. The trip, not the drive. I haven't seen November in almost two years, and she is so great, realistic, and down to earth. It was good for me to just be a mom, and to see someone else just being a mom. Simple words, but so much to them. Unfortunately, we got their whole family sick. All five of them. That was some evil virus. The last one sick in our family (yes, we ALL had it too) was Eowyn, and that had been Monday night. We didn't get there until Saturday night, so it didn't even occur to me that we might be contagious. On the positive side, it was only a twenty four hour bug of sorts. The boys got to have some good fun, and some good fights. Phin and Jed had one of the best wrestling matches ever. They both gave it their all, but noone got hurt. It was really cool to watch them-like it was in their blood. Testosterone or something. Arlo loved Eowyn so much, but couldn't help knocking her over, and trying to sit on her, and Phin was as gentle as can be with her. He really wants a sister.

The drive home was a bit exciting. We got to see a derailed train on it's side right next to a huge lake. By the time I thought to take pictures, it was too late, and I don't suggest trying to drive and take pictures out your rear window to anyone. Then we saw this cool mountain with clouds around it, and at first glance it looked like it was smoking and about to erupt. I pulled over for this one. Last, as we were almost home, and contemplating going to the coast, we heard of a fire blocking the way. Pretty big I guess- a town was being evacuated. I listened to coverage all the way home, but haven't heard a word about it since.

Silas, Jed, Phin