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!
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.
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!
ALL OF THIS STRANGENESS has been affecting more than just the human members of the household.
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.
WE HAVE BEEN cleaning, cleaning, cleaning. Ugh.
WOW--I THINK this is self-explanatory. Pity my family.
