First storm, post tree cutting

No doubt the question you are asking yourself is: "Did Marianne feel any safer during a wind storm after cutting down the trees?"

The answer is well, sorta. Now I'm thinking since the entire sheet metal roof is exposed, lightening will hit it and not the trees. . . . I have to obsess about something. I'm pretty sure this is a mom thing.

We do have lightening scares on a regular basis. Trees blow up all the time. Cool, as long as it's way far away from the house. And one time, lightening hit the utility pole, and the phone line burned underground nearly all the way to the house. Blackened a little trail right up the driveway. I don't mind when the phone goes out, but not the dsl!!!

Speaking of the roof, the contract is signed and the company is working on engineering a new sofit vent system for the new cold deck that will go on. We're replacing the wonderful standing seam galvanized sheet metal with new fangled sheet metal that's stamped and painted to look like slate. We're also accepting donations to this worthy cause. . . .

And as if that weren't enough fun, we're still trying to get the heat in the basement. That will be radiant in-floor hot H2O, which of course requires another layer of cement. We have to wait until the cement producers deem it warm enough to not have to use the calcium nitrate or what ever nasty substance is required to make cold cement cure properly.

And I'm getting the packing bug--even though we don't leave for 7 weeks. I hate to rush into that. And of course, there's FTD's Court of Honor to plan for. And DD (Darling Daughter)'s last set of cushion covers to sew. And a 10 minute court date to become FTD's legal guardian. And. . . and. . . and . . .

I need to get back to work to get some rest. Somebody else tells me when and where to work and pretty much what to say. Yea!

BUBBLES!

Once in a while something so weird happens that you just know your mojos workin' or your kharma's happy or your better angels are hanging with ya-- and today was one of those day for us--me and Bubbles that is. Bubbles is my bestest friend from College. She's in Idaho, Keuterville by name, you know just outside of Cottonwood?
Every time one of us changes email providers we loose each other for a while. So today, since I was a bit tired of watching geyser cam, I was going thru the Alma College Alumni list and there was Bubbles! Hey, I said to myself, I bet I can get her new edress by googling her husband's employer, finding his edress, then getting a note to her.

Didn't have to do all that. She called. Right then and there. Out of the clear blue (heavenly) sky!!!! Tooooo freaky!!!!!

So Bubbles, this is my blog. You asked why I do it. Um, because I can, I guess. And since only about 4 people ever read it, I can write any stupid old thing I want. Apparently stupid old things are interesting to some good folks (Hi, Mannie, hi Nathan). I have several "virtual" friends who write interesting stuff, so I try to even the odds and write silly old stuff.

Okay girlfriend, you've got my email address so start hen-pecking me some notes!

Living in the Big Woods

Nearly 20 years ago when we realized we'd someday need a home of our own, and not park housing, we looked for the perfect place. A woman called DH at work and said she wanted to sell her 5 acres next to the park, and did the park want it? The 5 acres is directly adjacent to the Maumee State Forest and across the street from the park. DH dutifully called the State Forest folks, who said they'd love it if the State had any money--which they didn't. The Park guy reasoned that since it's across the street, they didn't want it. DH quickly told the lady that he wanted it.

He figured that since she was a widower and that the land was actually her husband's--he'd bought it before they married and never said much about it--that maybe, just maybe she wouldn't get that it's prime real estate. Dang. She fully knew its worth. But Tom coughed up the dough.

After we adopted FTD, and then DD, we realized we really would need a home. We designed the house to fit the property, made it nearly as energy efficient as we could (no solar, dang), and spent 5 or 6 years building it. But before we could start, we had to clear the land. It was 5 fully wooded acres. The front section was plantation planted white pines--at that time 70 feet tall. Down they came--not too much guilt on our part as they were planted like corn--to be harvested and their time had come. There were some nice straight cherries in there, and they now grace our home in the form of tables which bro-in-law made for us. Beautiful.

The back two-thirds of the property is scraggly hardwoods, having once been pasture. A few good oaks grace the area along with lots of ratty maples. Now DH, being the good forester that he be, always told folks to be sure to cut enough trees when you build in the woods. We, of course, did not follow that advice.

So yesterday, we had 2 of the most talented lumberjacks around come out and take down any of the trees that would hit the house during a storm. It had reached the point that anytime the wind blew, I would lay awake and pray that if a tree came down that it would crush all 4 of us at once. . . . and not leave the boys as orphans or us as grieving parents. I'll sleep better now. The big trees are down. Boy, are they down!




So, come on over and start chunking up your firewood. DD looks out there and says wistfully, "I've got a thousand dollars out there." DH looks out there and thinks, "I'll never be able to get it all chunked up." I look out there and think, "Well, at least I'll be able to sleep on windy nights. . . maybe."

New Eagle Scout!

Finally! After a long, winding road, my older son, FTD, is now an Eagle Scout. Hard enough for typically developing kids, but when you throw autism in the mix, it's that much harder.

So here's a shout out to all of you who helped him along the way: Adults from Troop 97: Mark, Doug, Vince, Bill, Joel. You guys rock. And to Sean, Brandon, Josh, Daniel, and all the other guys in Troop 97. Parents--Molly, Mark & Christi, Vern, Rob & Mary, Laura, Deb and all the rest of you--thanks for encouraging your son to be a good friend.

To teachers who actually believed in him: Kelly D., Anne C., Laura E., Linda M., Bryce G., Todd H.--thanks for doing more than "just your job." None of you has ever seen Tommy as a burden in your classroom, but as a contributing member of your class.



To Amy, Lance, Alice, Terry, Katie & Zach, Ryan, Shannon, Kevin--no words can ever tell how much you mean to him. Your never-ending love is unparalleled.

To the rest of the Duv's--what an extended family. Even tho we're spread all over the country, he knows and understands what it means to be family because of your grace and love.

To his buddies and their families: Michael, Sam, Matt--thanks for letting Tommy be a part of your family. We love you.

To the pros at MRDD, Ability Center, Valko and Associates--you lift the burdens from our shoulders and allow us to concentrate on being a family. Your work will ever be in our hearts. Thank you.

To the Tuesday Nighters: Gary and Lindy, Pam and Rick, Gary and Gail, Tom and Deb, Roger and Ruthann--thanks for being our local family. We love you. Remember that night so long ago when we passed FTD around from person to person to person? Without you, we couldn't be the parents we are tying to be.

To our NPS and Metropark families--keep up the good work and remember that every kid you meet and every square inch of land you conserve is important. You do what you do for all our kids and you do it very well. Thanks.

The only sadness today is not having the grandmas and grandpas here with us. But we feel their presence so clearly and fully.

So mark your calendar for Sunday, April 26, 2 pm, Whitehouse American Legion Hall. Court of Honor and Eagle Scout ceremony. Wow.