Welcome Spring! We've missed you. And thank you for bringing some sprouting flowers with you. We were worried they wouldn't arrive because of our black thumbs. You rock.
3.21.2011
3.16.2011
Shake, Shake, Shake...
If you've been reading this blog for any amount of time, you'll know that Tim and I spent the beginning of last year living in Japan. This earthquake business has been an interesting experience for us. Especially considering that we could have easily been there for it. In fact, about two weeks prior to the quake, Tim was put on a short list to go back a.s.a.p. to help with the end of the project.
Needless to say, I am thankful.
On the other hand, we do have friends and co-workers who are currently there and, from what I can tell, it's been a stressful and interesting journey for them. Yokosuka, where we were stationed, is located about 300 miles south of where the most devastating damage has been. Life seems to be going smoothly now, with the exception of scheduled black-outs and constant aftershocks.
If you'd like to read some first-hand accounts of what some of the wives experienced during the quake, here are some links:
Tim's boss' wife, who have lived in Yokosuka for about 2 1/2 years, was at the base school with her son.
A fellow RA friend from college, whose husband is an ASTE, was at home. The same home we had while we lived in Japan. (This is likely the experience I would have had, had we been there again.)
The wife of a a friend from my Senate days at WSU, who now works with Tim.
and finally, A high school friend of mine, who has lived in Japan for about two years, was interviewed on King 5.
Last year, we were in Japan reading about the destruction in Haiti and Chile. We even had a tsunami alert. This year we're home, reading about Japan. It has been surreal.
Needless to say, I am thankful.
On the other hand, we do have friends and co-workers who are currently there and, from what I can tell, it's been a stressful and interesting journey for them. Yokosuka, where we were stationed, is located about 300 miles south of where the most devastating damage has been. Life seems to be going smoothly now, with the exception of scheduled black-outs and constant aftershocks.
If you'd like to read some first-hand accounts of what some of the wives experienced during the quake, here are some links:
Tim's boss' wife, who have lived in Yokosuka for about 2 1/2 years, was at the base school with her son.
A fellow RA friend from college, whose husband is an ASTE, was at home. The same home we had while we lived in Japan. (This is likely the experience I would have had, had we been there again.)
The wife of a a friend from my Senate days at WSU, who now works with Tim.
and finally, A high school friend of mine, who has lived in Japan for about two years, was interviewed on King 5.
Last year, we were in Japan reading about the destruction in Haiti and Chile. We even had a tsunami alert. This year we're home, reading about Japan. It has been surreal.
3.09.2011
Rainy Day Pottery
Last Friday Laurie came down to visit for the afternoon. Tim got to have lunch with us prior to work, but the afternoon was ours to fill. Anything that would take place outside, was out of the question (if you can't tell from the title of the post). I suggested pottery painting and it just so happened that Laurie had been wanting to do that for a while!
Laurie chose to decorate a pasta bowl...
And I worked on an oversize mug for Tim's daily tea...
Laurie chose to decorate a pasta bowl...
Her finished product...
After the fact, Laurie realized that when the bowl is full, it goes from saying "Eat." to "Fat." We figure it will be the best diet supplement ever. :-)
If you can't tell, I was trying to do an argyle pattern. It started out so well. And then it just went downhill...
My blue diamonds turned into random blue lines. If you know Tim, you know how precise everything has to be with him, so it went from being Tim's tea mug to a family mug.
Here's the inside...
I'll pick up the finished products sometime this week!
3.02.2011
A Good Deal
I wouldn't normally do this, but I think this deal is too good to pass up...
Living Social is offering 2 movie tickets on Fandango for $9!
Click on this link to buy within the next 24 hours:
https://livingsocial.com/deals/28498?ref=personalized-link-box-7344239&rpi=7344239
And, hey, if 3 people buy through that link, I'll get mine for free! :-)
Enjoy!
Living Social is offering 2 movie tickets on Fandango for $9!
Click on this link to buy within the next 24 hours:
https://livingsocial.com/deals/28498?ref=personalized-link-box-7344239&rpi=7344239
And, hey, if 3 people buy through that link, I'll get mine for free! :-)
Enjoy!
2.28.2011
Healthy Learning
Tim and I have been very bad at eating well in the past. I will admit to more than a few "frozen food buffets." (But I won't apologize for them, because...well, they're delicious. Even if it means an upset stomach the next day.)
Slowly, but surely, we've been changing our habits. Japan was a blessing and a curse. What's familiar in such a foreign place? Fruits and veggies...and American junk food.
To get to the point of this entry, I signed us up for a produce box! So far, we've gotten three boxes. They're delivered every other week, and it's been a huge learning experience.
In our first box, we got this red chard.
But this time we were able to order a salad mix. It saves space in the fridge!
To be perfectly honest, there were some things that we had no idea how to store, so I whipped out our big Good Housekeeping cook book and found an entire section devoted to the identification, storage and preparation of produce.
It has been a life-saver!
Tim is already being adventurous. He managed to cook a spinach quiche for the first time and he said that it turned out really well. (And before you jump to any conclusions, it wasn't the spinach that kept me away, it was the eggs. I'm just not a fan of eggs.)
I've also rejoined the Y and I have tried to make it a point to go regularly. It helps that I have overcome my fear of classes and now I'm going to kickboxing class 1-2x a week. Even though I really want to sit down 90% of the time I'm in the class, I feel a lot better at the end. I guess the phrase "no pain, no gain" really is true. :-)
Slowly, but surely, we've been changing our habits. Japan was a blessing and a curse. What's familiar in such a foreign place? Fruits and veggies...and American junk food.
To get to the point of this entry, I signed us up for a produce box! So far, we've gotten three boxes. They're delivered every other week, and it's been a huge learning experience.
They come looking like this...
And then you start to peel away the greenery and you get to more of the goodies...
I'm a big fan of the kiwis, tangelos, fresh garlic, and red potatoes. Tim loves the pears, celery, carrots (straight from the ground) and the greens. Of course, there's different produce in each box, but we do have veto power. We realized we weren't really using the cremini mushrooms, so I switched them out for celery in our latest box.
In our first box, we got this red chard.
To be perfectly honest, there were some things that we had no idea how to store, so I whipped out our big Good Housekeeping cook book and found an entire section devoted to the identification, storage and preparation of produce.
Tim is already being adventurous. He managed to cook a spinach quiche for the first time and he said that it turned out really well. (And before you jump to any conclusions, it wasn't the spinach that kept me away, it was the eggs. I'm just not a fan of eggs.)
I've also rejoined the Y and I have tried to make it a point to go regularly. It helps that I have overcome my fear of classes and now I'm going to kickboxing class 1-2x a week. Even though I really want to sit down 90% of the time I'm in the class, I feel a lot better at the end. I guess the phrase "no pain, no gain" really is true. :-)
2.23.2011
I think we're cursed...
Today I had the lovely pleasure of towing my car for the first time.
Not. Cool.
Thankfully, the tow guy was super nice and since the car is still under warranty we don't have to pay for anything! I gotta find the silver lining somewhere...
Not. Cool.
Thankfully, the tow guy was super nice and since the car is still under warranty we don't have to pay for anything! I gotta find the silver lining somewhere...
2.11.2011
Yeah...
So it's been about 3 weeks of radio silence on this blog. Sorry 'bout that! The Wandering Wells went into hibernation mode.
What's been going on in the last few weeks?
Tim continues to play basketball with a new team in the City League. It has been an uphill battle for the guys, but they've gotten exponentially better! Tim is almost never allowed to sit out, so he's been getting some really good cardio exercise! They're currently 1-3, but I think they're going to get much better before the season is over.
I have been working like crazy getting things together at work. This has been a welcome challenge and I am enjoying this working life very much. I was having a hard time concentrating with a "living room office" and so Tim and I did the one thing we've been avoiding and dreading for the last 2 years.
We cleaned the office.
It literally took 3 full days to complete. We ended up recycling more than 6 boxes of papers (thanks Mom for saving EVERY SINGLE assignment I EVER did from kindergarten through college) and gave away a variety of knick-knacks, bookshelves, and plastic bins. We were exhausted by the end of the third day, but it was SO worth it. Now I can work from home, in an actual office!
What's been going on in the last few weeks?
Tim continues to play basketball with a new team in the City League. It has been an uphill battle for the guys, but they've gotten exponentially better! Tim is almost never allowed to sit out, so he's been getting some really good cardio exercise! They're currently 1-3, but I think they're going to get much better before the season is over.
I have been working like crazy getting things together at work. This has been a welcome challenge and I am enjoying this working life very much. I was having a hard time concentrating with a "living room office" and so Tim and I did the one thing we've been avoiding and dreading for the last 2 years.
We cleaned the office.
It literally took 3 full days to complete. We ended up recycling more than 6 boxes of papers (thanks Mom for saving EVERY SINGLE assignment I EVER did from kindergarten through college) and gave away a variety of knick-knacks, bookshelves, and plastic bins. We were exhausted by the end of the third day, but it was SO worth it. Now I can work from home, in an actual office!
Tim built this storage system for the closet.
We removed the closet doors and it has opened up the room a ton!
At the end of the last day of cleaning! We moved the piano to the other side of the room and put the desk on the opposite wall. This also made a huge difference in terms of space. Who knew?!
There's still some things we need to put away in front of the closet, but this is the new system in action. It's so much more organized and I love how accessible our things are now. Since this photo was taken, it looks even better!
Our next goal is to actually decorate the office. It's amazing how bare the walls look when the floor isn't covered in boxes and other junk. The first thing we're going to get: new lamps! The ones in the office now are so ugly, but when you don't actually use a room, the source of light doesn't matter so much. This room may actually turn into our never-ending project, but Tim is just so thrilled that my work stuff isn't taking up any more space in the living room, that I don't think he minds how much time and energy it has taken.
