Kids and Art and Other Weekend Activities
I had no idea it was supposed to snow until someone told me on Saturday. I remained skeptical. When I went to bed last night there was still nothing, so I was quite surprised to see about 6 inches had fallen overnight.
I spent the weekend in a hotel by Dulles airport at a seminar.
The seminar was interesting and fun. Perhaps it helped that I went with my mom and my younger brother and his wife also came. Plus, one of my older brother's was one of the seminar leaders.
Saturday night I went to a Flamenco performance with jesnie that our friend Evlyn danced in. I'm a bit chagrined to admit that I was more than a little surprised by how good it was. The first half was all about death and goring and mortality. It was intense, but not depressing or dark, and overall my favorite part of the show. The energy was palpable. The second half was about love and flowers and stuff, and while it was still enjoyable and very colorful, it dragged on a bit. I would have liked to see more group dances, and fewer solo dances by the troupe's leader, because the group dances and choreography were really the most impressive part of the whole thing.
Sunday night we had a birthday party for my mom. My younger brother and his wife came over, as did a different older brother with his family. It was loud and crazy and chaotic, but I did my part to entertain the girls with art stuff, and Max even joined in to cover a page with eyeballs and then copy it. He thought it was very cool that the copy came out smooth, unlike the rough waxy texture of the original drawing left by the crayons. At one point I was sitting on the floor surrounded by my nieces and nephew and I realized that I couldn't be more happy than at that moment. Here were 3 little family members who all were sharing my dearest interest. They were totally engrossed in their drawings, and would occasionally ask for help or advice.
I stayed up way too late reading a book that I am not yet ready to admit to liking so much that I can't put it down.
I woke up feeling like poop. I didn't really want to shower but I knew it would make me feel better. I further patched myself together with a cup of coffee. Then more coffee and left over birthday cake. I'd say I'm 75% myself at this point, and I think I will probably be productive today. I just have that feeling.
Oh! I almost forgot! James and Rachel got the house! This is the house that they had tried to get over half a year ago, and the woman selling it was stuck on way to high a price, and wouldn't budge. In the end it was a matter of having to shell out an extra 3 grand, and the woman was obstinate that she didn't want to contribute any money out of pocket. So the initial deal fell through, with a lot of hard feelings on both sides. Months later, the house almost in foreclosure, they were approached about doing a short sale on the same property, and that the bank would be the decider. As such they saved $65,000 just by waiting a while.
It's an old farmhouse--about 100 years old I think--with an addition of a master bedroom, and nice flattish fenced yard and a separate garage/shed at the bottom of the gentle slope. It needs some work, but it's apparently a really nicely laid out house, and it's close to both of their workplaces. I am very happy and excited for them. It makes me really want to buy my own house.
Tomorrow is the inspection and my mom and I are planning to go and be there for it so we can see the house.
Exciting times. Seems like things are shifting.
I spent the weekend in a hotel by Dulles airport at a seminar.
The seminar was interesting and fun. Perhaps it helped that I went with my mom and my younger brother and his wife also came. Plus, one of my older brother's was one of the seminar leaders.
Saturday night I went to a Flamenco performance with jesnie that our friend Evlyn danced in. I'm a bit chagrined to admit that I was more than a little surprised by how good it was. The first half was all about death and goring and mortality. It was intense, but not depressing or dark, and overall my favorite part of the show. The energy was palpable. The second half was about love and flowers and stuff, and while it was still enjoyable and very colorful, it dragged on a bit. I would have liked to see more group dances, and fewer solo dances by the troupe's leader, because the group dances and choreography were really the most impressive part of the whole thing.
Sunday night we had a birthday party for my mom. My younger brother and his wife came over, as did a different older brother with his family. It was loud and crazy and chaotic, but I did my part to entertain the girls with art stuff, and Max even joined in to cover a page with eyeballs and then copy it. He thought it was very cool that the copy came out smooth, unlike the rough waxy texture of the original drawing left by the crayons. At one point I was sitting on the floor surrounded by my nieces and nephew and I realized that I couldn't be more happy than at that moment. Here were 3 little family members who all were sharing my dearest interest. They were totally engrossed in their drawings, and would occasionally ask for help or advice.
I stayed up way too late reading a book that I am not yet ready to admit to liking so much that I can't put it down.
I woke up feeling like poop. I didn't really want to shower but I knew it would make me feel better. I further patched myself together with a cup of coffee. Then more coffee and left over birthday cake. I'd say I'm 75% myself at this point, and I think I will probably be productive today. I just have that feeling.
Oh! I almost forgot! James and Rachel got the house! This is the house that they had tried to get over half a year ago, and the woman selling it was stuck on way to high a price, and wouldn't budge. In the end it was a matter of having to shell out an extra 3 grand, and the woman was obstinate that she didn't want to contribute any money out of pocket. So the initial deal fell through, with a lot of hard feelings on both sides. Months later, the house almost in foreclosure, they were approached about doing a short sale on the same property, and that the bank would be the decider. As such they saved $65,000 just by waiting a while.
It's an old farmhouse--about 100 years old I think--with an addition of a master bedroom, and nice flattish fenced yard and a separate garage/shed at the bottom of the gentle slope. It needs some work, but it's apparently a really nicely laid out house, and it's close to both of their workplaces. I am very happy and excited for them. It makes me really want to buy my own house.
Tomorrow is the inspection and my mom and I are planning to go and be there for it so we can see the house.
Exciting times. Seems like things are shifting.