Oh, that's good! No, that's bad.

WHAT A ROLLER-COASTER we have been on! Every time something good happens, it seems to be followed by its brother The Evil Twin. Finances, always our bugaboo, continue to be a source of frustration, as I perfect my talent at putting the "free" in "freelance." 

However, we are indebted to many super-nice people who have come through for us and continue to do so. Many, many thanks to Doug Osness, Jimmy Read, Jennifer at A to Z Roofing, Allstate Brenneman Group, my parents, and my sister and her family! Our gratitude is as big as our bank account is small! 

"That and a nickel . . . wait . . . I mean, $4.00. . ."

OUR FAMILY HAS QUITE THE COLLECTION of "useless talents." Things that garner us compliments, but really nothing else. It's kind of become a joke among us. For example, I can write out music manuscript that looks like it was printed. Big deal--My 5th graders were able to print out professional-looking music using a free website! One hundred years ago, I would have been able to make a fine living as a music copyist, but now . . . useless talent.

It's all in your attitude...

I HAVE BEEN WORKING on attitude this summer. My Dad's favorite phrase, "It's all in your attitude," keeps coming to mind. Amid all the setbacks (and there have been many--this comic is only SLIGHTLY exaggerated!), there have also been amazing blessings: I got a FANTASTIC part-time job in California. We keep seeming to attract the World's Nicest People into our lives. Now if we could just attract the World's Least Picky House Buyer...

Although our house is listed as a "fixer-upper," it would be great for the right person--we just never had the money to "update" (the euphemism I keep hearing for "replace all your old, yucky, worn-out stuff"). Coming from parents who always have the most beautiful home on the block, this is really kind of embarrassing. But we are facing the fact that we are meant to be renters. "Decorating" is just not one of our talents. Now... ask us to write a full-fledged musical, complete with songs, humor, pathos, and choreography? SURE!

Arf!

ALL OF THIS STRANGENESS has been affecting more than just the human members of the household.

Listed.

Well, there's a sign in our yard. Finally a milestone other than "we threw out 24 more garbage bags of stuff." It's tough to see this house on the market; it was so exciting for us when we finally were able to buy a house! And we had so many visions of what our future would look like here. So... we're looking ahead.

The dirt saga

WE HAVE BEEN cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. Ugh.

C-razy!!

WOW--I THINK this is self-explanatory. Pity my family.

Not that we actually have this much influence, but...

COINCIDENCE? We think not!

When you wish upon a snap... (Everybody sing!)

THESE ARE REALLY THE "traditions" we've come up with for the 4th. There is something very satisfying about stating a problem and throwing a miniature package of gunpowder on the driveway to "explode." Do we live on the edge or what?

Teen Secrets

LILIA AND I HAVE BEEN tackling her room. 

Anthropomorphism much?

I AM A LITTLE BATTERED and bruised this week. Why, you ask?

Real Women Read Real Books

THROUGH THE YEARS, we have accumulated a ridiculous stash of books. Seven large bookcases crammed with books have had to be emptied and their contents schlepped to Goodwill. The guy at the dropoff place has started putting the "Closed" sign up when he sees us coming--true story!

E-readers are going to save the planet.

His and Hers Garage Sale

IF SELLING OUR STUFF were a contest, Bob would be the clear winner. Tools and musical instruments seem to be on everyone's "want" list. Parrot playground? Not so much.

Spiders like it when you move furniture

LILIA AND I SAW more than our share of spiders trying to escape as we disrupted their homes. We couldn't squish them, though, so we became pretty adept at capturing them and letting them go outside. 

Apparently that's NOT the story they tell their kids!

What a MESS!

BOB AND I HAVE SAID for a long time that what we really need is a tiny apartment and a big barn for all of our hobbies and activities. Seriously, between the three of us, we take part in (and have the stuff to show for it): Drawing/painting, playing various band instruments, songwriting, button making, woodworking, theater, puppetry, playing guitar, dance, sewing, knitting, crocheting, Ukrainian Easter eggs, calligraphy, writing, Origami, scrapbooking, picture framing, recording live music, videography, drumming, reading, reading, reading, and... I'm probably forgetting something. 

We have decided that our family motto is "If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing," and if ever there is a family that has lived up to their motto-- it's us.

This makes for a very, ahem, full household.

Today we gave away the leftovers from yesterday's garage sale. Friends say, "You know you could donate that stuff to Goodwill and get a tax deduction?"

Yes. But getting big, clunky desks to Goodwill is so much harder than watching other folks load big clunky desks into their Very Big Trucks. And we are meeting some of the nicest people! One sweet family took our entertainment center and told me that they are going to "up-cycle" it into a children's play kitchen, like this. How cute is that?

No one wants to upcycle Bob's computer desk.