The COX Cable guy was here for over three hours hooking us up yesterday. We have a cable that crosses the back yard and will have to be buried. Things are different here! During the internet “blackout” we were able to get most of
the house unpacked. There are still
mountains of boxes to go through in the garage.
These mostly contain holiday decorations, children’s toys, and
keepsakes. I am working on going through
them one at a time and putting them in labeled plastic bins. The idea is to get rid of enough and organize
the rest so that we can park at least one vehicle in the garage. They get hail storms here in AR and the hail
is large enough to damage vehicles sometimes.
Speaking of vehicles – our van was picked up just before we
left Oregon. With daily updates, we were
told it would arrive Sunday or Monday (the 30th or 1st). On the 30th, they could not get in
touch with the driver. We got the same
story on the 1st. On the 2nd,
the driver was in Kansas and we were informed that we would get our van either
that night or the next morning. On the 3rd,
we were told that the driver was farther away than they thought and we would
get it that evening. The night of the 3rd
the driver broke down and the company was not sure when we would get our
vehicle since the shop was closed on the 4th. On the 5th we picked up a rental car at the company’s
expense – an Escalade. 8:30pm on the 5th, I got a call from the driver and he delivered the van 5 minutes later (they were suppose to give at least 60 minutes notice and deliver in full daylight). It has some damage to the front and back bumper. As we were noting the damage, the driver became belligerent and out of control. Thankfully, Steve kept his cool and tried to explain that we needed to note the damage for the claim and that no one was blaming him. The driver continued his rant and left with unsigned papers 5 minutes later. We need to take the van in for an estimate. In the meantime, I get to drive a new Escalade with a sunroof!
We have been doing yard
work in addition to unpacking and little home improvement projects. Weeding, mowing, spraying for weeds and bugs, setting up the trampoline, caulking, and spray painting. There is lots to do! Steve and the kids have
really enjoyed the pool. It is a salt
water pool so it is easier and less expensive to maintain. Although we just found out that the cell need replaced to the tune of about $900. Oh these little bumps in the road!
When it's cool enough, we eat dinner outside on the deck. There are lots of birds, lizards and rabbits
to see. It is quiet and peaceful
here. Most of the neighbors are retired
and have lived here for a number of years.
They all seemed friendly and offered advice about living in the area
along with invitations to ask for help whenever we need it. The weather is beautiful here. Last week it was in the upper 80’s with little humidity. The neighbors assured me that it is not typical AR weather and I should take advantage of it outside while it lasts. It seems we "hit the jackpot" in terms of neighborhoods. One couple even brought over a lemon bundt cake!
Blake started football yesterday. I think he will enjoy it once he gets use to the weather. This week it is in the mid-90's with quite a bit of humidity. He threw up a number of times yesterday and he said his goal for today is to throw up only once or twice. It's good to have a goal!
Clarke met with the Cross Country Coach and got a look at the school. It is a little intimidating! He started running last week, hoping to get in shape for the season.
Jazmyn has been helping to unpack and clean in addition to job hunting. She has a few good possibilities. I know that if someone would give her a chance, they would find out what a good worker she is!
Ariel is back at home in Newberg. We all miss her terribly! She celebrated her 22nd birthday and has been busy with home projects. She just built a beautiful bed frame. Check out her blog for more information on that. www.trekkerchick.blogspot.com
Friends and family have been asking for pictures of the
house, so here are a few:
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| My side of the bathroom |
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| Steve's Side |
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| Our comfy "air mattress bed" |
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| View from the french doors in our bedroom |
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| Living Room |
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| Just inside the front door |
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| Kitchen |
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| Breakfast Nook |
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| Spare bathroom |
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| Living Room |
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| Dining Room |
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| Family Room |
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| Breakfast Nook |
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| Game Room |
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| Pool |
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| Pool and back wooded area |
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| Side Yard |
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| My "Beach" |
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| Steve thought I didn't have enough shells to fill this outside beach area - Ya right! |
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| Lots of Work! |
