Remember that really crazy song that they play on the Ed Sullivan show when the guy is spinning the plates? That's kind of how I feel right now!!! I have homework, housework, yardwork, and taxes all to get done, and that's just today! Ok, maybe things aren't that bad, but I am definitely feeling pretty stressed right now. It's going to be a full blast run all the way to the end of the semester (which is a short 5 weeks away), so I have to keep running or I'll get lost in the process!
Our computer at home is currently "Out of Order" so I am using the laptop today. I also don't have any pictures for this week. :(
I hope everyone is doing well - hang in there and it will be summer before we know it. Vacation, here we come!
Jenny
March 28, 2006
March 16, 2006
March Already?
Ok, so when I said weekly, I meant, um, bi-monthly. That's about the same thing, right? Yeah, maybe on a geologic scale!!
So I have Spring Break this week, and I'm still trying to figure out how we got to Thursday already. Sheesh! I am planning to work in the garden today, run some errands at Michael's at Target, and maybe catch up on my old scrapbook, but for now, I have to update the blog. We've done a LOT in the last couple of months, and I even have pictures! So when I'm not teaching at Mesa Community College, or working on homework for Iowa State, I'm working in the yard.
Just as an update, I have been offered a contract through the summer at MCC. It's only 20-30 hours per week, and it only lasts through September, but it's a good start on my way to long-term employment at Mesa. My job is going to be to do a feasibility study on a culinary/hospitality program at MCC. They don't have one yet, but the president is pretty hot to trot to implement such a program. MCC is gearing up to open a new campus that will feature a Northern Arizona University presence, who happens to have a BS in Hospitality Management. Hmmmm, I think I am seeing some possibilities here... :) I will get to help develop a culinary/hospitality program curriculum as well. I think I have some recommendations for their faculty!
Back at home, we're actually to the point where we are growing things now, and that's pretty exciting. (Plants make things look really polished, and less like a construction site!) Our Friday night soirees have been going well, and it's even been cool enough to burn the chiminea. The only problem is the air pollution advisories. Often these high-pollution days mean no-burn days, and that chiminea feels pretty good when you're sitting around drinking cold ones.
We've put in a brick walkway to edge the lawn (when it gets installed), we've planted herbs, tomatoes, corn, squash, peppers, onions, peas & melons, and we've put up some lights on the patio. We got a new cover for the hot tub (which looks SO much better!) We made a stovepipe for the chiminea, purchased a few tablecloths, dishes, and flatware, and even done some research on acid-staining the floor. We're looking at replacing the A/C and furnace in a couple of weeks, along with re-doing the electricity, as the new A/C won't run on our old panel.
So, we're moving right along, and hopefully we'll be mostly done by the time summer rolls around. Then we'll move the projects inside. We got our Mucha posters dry-mounted, and Travis will be making a frame in his woodworking class. The tapestry we bought in Cuzco is in the midst of being mounted, and once we have the electricity done, we can put in ceiling fans.
Wow, we have been busy! No wonder I feel like I haven't stopped for the last 2 months. The rest of the semester will certainly fly by, and it will be time to take a breath, and a statistics class at ASU! That's right, I'm taking stats so I can take research methods in the Fall. I should be done with my Master's in about a year and a half... here's hoping things continue to go well!
So let's get to the pictures, eh? I'll throw in some highlights of our trip to Chicago, as well. I hope you are all doing well - take care and drop us a line when you get a chance!
Jenny the Maniac
So I have Spring Break this week, and I'm still trying to figure out how we got to Thursday already. Sheesh! I am planning to work in the garden today, run some errands at Michael's at Target, and maybe catch up on my old scrapbook, but for now, I have to update the blog. We've done a LOT in the last couple of months, and I even have pictures! So when I'm not teaching at Mesa Community College, or working on homework for Iowa State, I'm working in the yard.
Just as an update, I have been offered a contract through the summer at MCC. It's only 20-30 hours per week, and it only lasts through September, but it's a good start on my way to long-term employment at Mesa. My job is going to be to do a feasibility study on a culinary/hospitality program at MCC. They don't have one yet, but the president is pretty hot to trot to implement such a program. MCC is gearing up to open a new campus that will feature a Northern Arizona University presence, who happens to have a BS in Hospitality Management. Hmmmm, I think I am seeing some possibilities here... :) I will get to help develop a culinary/hospitality program curriculum as well. I think I have some recommendations for their faculty!
Back at home, we're actually to the point where we are growing things now, and that's pretty exciting. (Plants make things look really polished, and less like a construction site!) Our Friday night soirees have been going well, and it's even been cool enough to burn the chiminea. The only problem is the air pollution advisories. Often these high-pollution days mean no-burn days, and that chiminea feels pretty good when you're sitting around drinking cold ones.
We've put in a brick walkway to edge the lawn (when it gets installed), we've planted herbs, tomatoes, corn, squash, peppers, onions, peas & melons, and we've put up some lights on the patio. We got a new cover for the hot tub (which looks SO much better!) We made a stovepipe for the chiminea, purchased a few tablecloths, dishes, and flatware, and even done some research on acid-staining the floor. We're looking at replacing the A/C and furnace in a couple of weeks, along with re-doing the electricity, as the new A/C won't run on our old panel.
So, we're moving right along, and hopefully we'll be mostly done by the time summer rolls around. Then we'll move the projects inside. We got our Mucha posters dry-mounted, and Travis will be making a frame in his woodworking class. The tapestry we bought in Cuzco is in the midst of being mounted, and once we have the electricity done, we can put in ceiling fans.
Wow, we have been busy! No wonder I feel like I haven't stopped for the last 2 months. The rest of the semester will certainly fly by, and it will be time to take a breath, and a statistics class at ASU! That's right, I'm taking stats so I can take research methods in the Fall. I should be done with my Master's in about a year and a half... here's hoping things continue to go well!
So let's get to the pictures, eh? I'll throw in some highlights of our trip to Chicago, as well. I hope you are all doing well - take care and drop us a line when you get a chance!
Jenny the Maniac
Backyard Photo Gallery
So you're wondering what we've been doing with all those countless hours in the yard... well wait no longer! Since we don't have good cable, we need to find something else to do with our time. And voila! Landscaping!This is the new dartboard and backer that Travis built.
Travis also converted this old microwave cart into a sink. It looks pretty nice! We used the leftover shiplap from the patio roof to reinforce the back.
Here are my little herbs! I'm still working on getting the water right for them. I've got cilantro, basil, thyme, and even Epazote...
Here's a nice view of our new spa cover...
And a good view of how our patio looks overall - you can see we painted the planters, and put up the lights, and our neighbor cleared out some trees, so it's much sunnier in our yard now. I'm not sure if that's good or not...
Here is the calla lily I showed in our last post, surrounded by new annual flowers. They look gorgeous!!!
And here is an example of one of our Mucha prints. This is Dance, part of the 4 arts. I can't wait to get them all framed!!!
Chicago, you're a wonderful town...
We had a wonderful short 36 hours in Chicago, but we managed to do some majorly touristy things! We saw the art institute, visited the Sears tower, went to an English Pub, and even walked along Lake Michigan! We walked through Lincoln Park on the way back to the car, and then Travis and I flew home. Whew! What a weekend!
At the art institute, we saw LOTS of Monet... it was amazing to see all these paintings in the same room. Nothing like seeing the entire haystack series instead of imagining the bits and pieces!
Georgia O'Keefe had quite a presence at the Art Institute as well... here is her picture of Macchu Picchu.
After the Art Institute, we went to the top of the Sears Tower. Very touristy, but oh well. The Bears were in the playoffs... we could almost see the game from there!
After the Sears Tower, we went for pizza at Giordano's, and enjoyed a couple of Goose Island 312 beers. Then we went to the Red Lion Pub (within stumbling distance of our hostel) and enjoyed a few Smythwicks. My first (and certainly not the last)!
We had a great time, Chris!!! Thanks for driving us around that crazy town!
At the art institute, we saw LOTS of Monet... it was amazing to see all these paintings in the same room. Nothing like seeing the entire haystack series instead of imagining the bits and pieces!
Georgia O'Keefe had quite a presence at the Art Institute as well... here is her picture of Macchu Picchu.
After the Art Institute, we went to the top of the Sears Tower. Very touristy, but oh well. The Bears were in the playoffs... we could almost see the game from there!
After the Sears Tower, we went for pizza at Giordano's, and enjoyed a couple of Goose Island 312 beers. Then we went to the Red Lion Pub (within stumbling distance of our hostel) and enjoyed a few Smythwicks. My first (and certainly not the last)!
We had a great time, Chris!!! Thanks for driving us around that crazy town!
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