We Need More Schoolhouse Rock

Having recently emerged from my busy grantwriting season relatively unscathed, I now have some time to update the blog. (Although there is still some work to do--today I spent some time on hold with the Department of Education. Do you know what I got to listen to while I was on hold? "Conjunction Junction." Yeah, they were playing old Schoolhouse Rock, those hipsters.)

We also hosted the Mystery Showing this Saturday with the lovely young woman who inquired about our house a few weeks ago. Do you know how weird it is to watch strangers measure your living room to see if their furniture will fit? Now we proceed to the even more awkward portion of the dance: "What's your asking price?" "Well, not to be coy about it, but what do you think it's worth?"

When I wasn't showing strangers around my house this weekend and feeling compelled to apologize for my home's flaws, I was spending time with my adorable nieces; I am convinced these little munchkins are partly to blame for my new cavity, what with their immeasurable sweetness.

Also, it's not nearly as cute, but the kitchen garden is in: chives, rosemary, marjoram, three kinds of tomatoes, radishes, kale, Swiss chard, mint, basil, sage, parsley, marigold, Texas Sage. I grew all but three from seed, and I marvel every time I look at the little guys that I didn't kill them.




I still have a few things in the greenhouse: I don't know what to do with my one remaining huge tomato plant. Anyone takers? It's a purple heirloom called "Black from Tula," and I grew it two years ago with much success--no cracking or blossom end rot, and it tasted great just sliced from the vine, still sun-warm, with just a shake of sea salt and pepper.

But the photo I'm happiest about is this one, taken by my friend Leeann at the Green Bay Barnes & Noble last week. She made my day in a serious way, and even got yelled at for snapping this pic. Tip of the hat to you, Fee! (Does Stephen Colbert have that phrase trademarked? I hope not...)
My next task is to do this all over again. I'm ten pages into the new project...290 more pages to go!

Events are Turning

We were in Lansing, Michigan this past weekend for our adorable goddaughter's baptism--oh my goodness, she is the cutest little butterbean...I wanted to smuggle her back with me.

When we returned home we found a handwritten note in our front door from a woman possibly interested in buying our house. Wha???? She said her sister lives near us and she 'always admired' our house. So we set up a showing for the 21st. I've never shown a potential buyer through my house myself, but this gives us the opportunity to at least brace her for the upstairs bathroom as we ascend the stairs. A strange yet delightful turn of events.

There are just eight days until my next grant is due so I need to keep this short, but I want to share a cute story. My three year-old nephew spent some time with his grandmother (my Mom) this weekend. At one point he looked at her thoughtfully and asked, "Are you going to die someday?"

My mother laughed and replied, "Well, yes, we all die someday. But I won't die until I'm really old. How old do you think really old is?"

Corbeau thought for a minute. "Fifty-six."

My Mom turns 56 this August.

(The little vegetarian also asked during dinner, "How do you make meat?" To which my sister quickly answered, "You have to kill an animal." He didn't seem too upset by this. "We can just kill one, okay?")