Todd and I haven’t had to work very hard to make this new house feel like home. We’ve felt like that from the very beginning of looking at this place. We’ve been fortunate to have some family members over to help with that process too. Here are some photos of our interior, after setting up some photos and stuff. There’s a lot less wall space in this home, so we’ve got some stuff we’re trying to get rid of. I’ll post those things soon. In the meantime, here’s a peek into our new home!
Last year after Christmas, I packed everything away vowing to not bring it out again unless we were in the new house. I didn’t decorate for any holiday in 2009. Not winter, valentine’s day, Easter, summer, autumn, Thanksgiving, Halloween, nothing. However… I broke my promise and asked Todd to take the Christmas decorations out. Sometime between January and June we removed everything from our walls, tables and desks. I have no photos of our family up, no year-round reminder of my Susan Lordi Willow Tree collectibles, no model Mustangs in our entertainment center, nothing. It was all to please the people who came through our home to see if it was suitable for purchase for their purposes, and frankly it was a blessing in disguise. It has helped me to separate myself from this home.
But I can’t have a bare home during the Christmas season. I took out my collectible boxes and began putting up my nativity yesterday. I completed everything by putting up our lighted model homes, snowmen and some “believe” blocks and decorations. All we’re waiting for is our Christmas tree, which hopefully we can get this week. The kids helped a little bit, and I think it’s because they’ve been needing some “homey” feelings too.
There have been so many great memories in this home, and Todd and I poured so much into it. It’s sad to think that it’s coming to an end. But there will be other fun times ahead.
As recommended by Darren Barefoot in a not-so-recent blog entry, I wanted to write about the CD I can’t live without. I know, it sounds really stupid when you think about it, but honestly, I know this CD so well that it can play in the background and not distract me when I’m working. It’s scratched to heck, but I can keep making copies of it because I kept sound digital tracks on my itunes. I haven’t made any ringtones from this CD, but I find it relaxes me in the most crazy of work situations.
Ozzy Osbourne’s Ozzmosis. I bought it because Caleb Meschter told me I reminded him of the song, Ghost behind my eyes. I listened to the crackhead lyrics and fell in love with them. Nevermind that I reminded him of some crazed lunatic person who lies to someone who loves him/her. I loved the whole CD. My little man was a song I’d frequently sing to my son when he was a baby. Who knew Ozzy had that soft side of him? (And whoever would have thought I’d be singing an Ozzy song as a lullaby to my newborn son?)
There are lots of songs and CD’s that I have of Aerosmith, my all-time favorite band. However, I have to say that Ozzy’s CD tops the list of must-haves for me. One day when my CD is scratched beyond recognition and I’ve lost my mp3 copies, I’m sure I’ll buy another copy.
…and a funny… Why Men Should Not Write Advice Columns
Dear John,
I hope you can help me. The other day, I set off for work leaving my husband in the house watching TV. My car stalled and then it broke down about a mile down the road and I had to walk back to get my husband’s help. When I got home, I couldn’t believe my eyes. He was in our bedroom with the neighbor’s daughter!
I am 32, my husband is 34, and the neighbor’s daughter is 19. We have been married for ten years. When I confronted him, he broke down and admitted that they had been having an affair for the past six months. He won’t go to counseling and I’m afraid I am a wreck and need advice urgently. Can you please help?
Sincerely, Sheila
Dear Sheila,
A car stalling after being driven a short distance can be caused by a variety of faults with the engine. Start by checking that there is no debris in the fuel line. If it is clear, check the vacuum pipes and hoses on the intake manifold and also check all grounding wires. If none of these approaches solves the problem, it could be that the fuel pump itself is faulty, causing low delivery pressure to the injectors.
Malia and I just got back from Vegas last night and a great visit from my Grandparents, Grand Uncle, and Uncle Robert. (There were many other family members there but they were the ones I was most excited to see.) While I’m with Grams, a foot rub is always expected. I used to rub her feet when I was growing up and she stroked my ego by telling me I’m still the best at it, even though other grandchildren have since taken up the role. It’s a way that I can show her I love her, without saying it. Grams isn’t a woman of many words. Her actions let you know how she feels about you. (Watch her eyes, if they roll – you’re in the doghouse… )
Anyway, I gave myself a little french manicure before I went down by using the method that mentioned before, and Grams saw my nails while I was making her feet as we call it.
Grams: ‘Wow, where did you get your manicure?’
Me: ‘Where? In my kitchen…’
Grams: ‘Oh, you did that? Wowwww….. So, let’s get some stuff and you can make mine, too.’
Me: (surprised) – ‘Okay!’
Grams was gonna get a mani/pedi before she left home but never got the time to do it. Enter CVS pharmacy and their nail polish selection. I was so excited to try the manicure on someone else, let alone my Grams. So I pampered her. Between layers of color as I was letting each one dry…
Grams during my manicure
She fell asleep! Ultimate compliment. Thanks for the photo, Malia!
We had so much fun with the whole gang the past four and a half days. We went to Dumont, California to ride our toys in the sand, and the kids had so much fun dressing up for halloween in the sand! It was a new experience that’s for sure, and it was nice to have a shower to clean up after Ha’as red face paint. The kids got dressed just before dark and then we ate dinner. We sat around and watched some fireworks go off, watched other kids come trick-or-treating to our camp (but we didn’t have candy for them, sorry guys!) and then we rode to comp hill and watched drunk people ride around like idiots. It was a good time!!
We got the kids (yeah, the kids…) a 2006 Baja BR150 last August for $550 in Vegas. We bought it from a guy that had a small backyard with no grass, but some berms for his kids to ride in. (If I ever live in a trashy neighborhood that doesn’t give a rats tail about backyards, I’m totally doing that for my kids!) We got it home and let the kids dinker with it.
We’ve made some “upgrades” to it since, including pedal extenders for them, and we even took it apart to paint it yellow and black for them. (Spongebob colors, you know…) Well, it crapped out on us about 4 months after we got it. So it’s been sitting in the garage since the beginning of the year, beautifully painted with no place to go. At one point, we removed the motor and put it up for sale! (Baja Motor Sports wanted $1,200 for a new motor… Are you KIDDING?) The whole post of when we painted it can be found at my old place of internet residence.
So we waited and watched, and waited and watched for a motor that was chain-driven, semi-automatic and pull start/electric start. Correction-Todd waited and watched. Til now…
Meet the donor:
The donor
A Honda fourwheeler. From the 80’s just like me. Except without the big hair. It isn’t the ugliest thing I’ve seen, but it runs and the motor’s clean.
We’re parting out what we don’t use, but thankfully there’s a lot that we can use. The tires, everything with the motor like the sprocket and chain, and even the light assembly might make it to the new Bahnda. We’ll see what Dr. Frankenstein, (aka Todd) sees fit to include. The more honda parts, the better.
– you’re in the doghouse… 
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