What a Summer!

It's been a busy summer but a lot of fun. Work has been a bit crazy with a move of the department and clinic, preparing a self-study for accreditation of the doctoral program, and the usual stuff. The fun part has been having visitors. In June Maggie and Evie came for a visit and they were able to stay for almost three weeks. Maggie has done a much better job of chronicling all that transpired while they were here. Needless to say, it was pure joy to have them for so long. Before they arrived, I flew up to Omaha and took a road trip with J.J. out to Utah. She is spending a couple of months there experiencing the Utah lifestyle, visiting with family members, and working with her Aunt Patti for the Utah Festival Opera. Like Maggie, she has done a great job of reporting on her adventures on her blog. During the second week of June Zach and Karli (they finally got a blog going, check the list on the right) and Carol and Morray came to visit. That weekend we had a wonderfully full house and a lot of fun. Maggie posted a video of Zach and Evie on her site that pretty well sums up the fun of the weekend.

Maggie and Evie left on the 24th of June and a week later Kim and I flew out to Durham for a long weekend for the 4th. Again, Maggie has done a better job of documenting that trip. Although, she didn't quite do justice to the color-consulting. There were about a half-dozen trips to various paint stores involved (Evie and I got to stay home for most of those and of course, Ron was snoozing or at the hospital), Paint-sample boards were moved, meditated on, and moved again; and Ron and I made sure to say the M.C. (that's Maritally Correct) thing. Actually, it was fun watching Kim and Maggie make plans and get things all laid out and the rooms for the kids will be cute.

Now we are anticipating the next round of trips. Next week Kim is going out to Utah to visit and drive back with J.J. who is returning to Omaha to get started with her second year of teaching. This year she is going to add Girls' Basketball Assistant Varsity Coach at Westside High School to her schedule. But will be able to come to St. Louis for a few days and we are looking forward to that. We're counting on her to help get some things organized in the basement. We are still trying to get things squared away now that our remodel project is finished.

In August we will be making a trip to Lincoln for a Husker game--Oh yeah, also to see Baby Smith (come on Zach and Karli we need a name). And in October a trip out to Durham for new Baby Rawlings. What fun!

Making Progress

Okay, Maggie and Jake here are some pics of the progress on the basement. We are actually getting to the point where we can see that we might get done with it. Looking back it hasn't been that long, and Tyler Cluff, the fellow that is doing the contracting has been terrific. Yesterday, he and his son, Sam, were here and we laid about two thirds of the floor and completed that phase. A little more painting, carpentry, electrical, and plumbing and we'll have it done; I figure about 3 more months.

One view of the main area that will be Kim's quilting studio. The double doors at the end are a storage closet.

Here's the wall paneling. It still needs to be finished, primed, and painted. Also, the floor is cork, it is cool and Kim is getting used to it. Actually, it is amazing to walk on, soft and warm, perfect for the basement.

The bathroom tile and such. Still don't have the lighting and the plumbing finished in here.

Another view of the quilting studio. Don't you love the floor!

What the...?

I was checking my gmail backlog (well okay, I'm at an all-day workshop with a presenter that is talking about family therapy concepts at the level of a high school psychology class, relying on her East Coast, New York City, "we've got all the answers" chutzpah) and I came across a two month old e-mail from Charter advertising an auction for life-time broadband access. I clicked on the link figuring it was already over, it was. Some chucklehead actually paid $71,540 for Charter internet access! That gives him the highest speed available in his area, a FREE modem, and FREE installation from one of the lowest rated cable companies in the nation for service and products. Yippee, skippee. See http://connect.charter.com/forlife/ if you don't believe me. I hope the guy is really healthy and really young, at $30.00 a month he's going to need to be around for 198 years and 9 months to break even. I imagine he's saying to himself, "Heh, heh, heh, in December, 2206 I'll really start sticking it to Charter." I guess he (I'm assuming it's a he because no woman would be that dumb) loves Charter. But if you didn't know already, I Hate Charter!

March Madness

Imagine! Two postings in two days, will wonders never cease. Last night I was talking with Zach and he mentioned that Max had called him about joining a NCAA pool -- no money involved -- with a bunch of those Utah relatives. Until now they have never invited those of us in the true Zion (just a hop, skip, and jump from Jackson County) to join in. Looks like it will be fun. Hey guys, activate your myespn.com profiles so that we can communicate when things get going. The profiles are cool, you can even pick a theme of a favorite team (Scarlet and Cream for me).

I know, I know, it's about time

I'll admit it, I'm a lousy blogger. The holidays have come and gone and not a word. What can I say? I go to Maggie's and Jake's blog and they've covered everything (well, at least they've covered Evie--the important stuff). I'm not going to make any promises but I'll keep trying. I'm sitting with my feet up today because I threw my back out last night, so there's no excuse not to post something.

One thing that I've been encouraged (read that "pestered") to do is to post some pictures of the basement. We decided to finish the basement and got started with it about two months ago. It was slow going at first because of the weather but it's rolling right along now. The drywallers were here today and so by the time we get back from Nebraska (heading up for the Easter weekend) on Monday we can get going on the painting.

From the time we moved we had planned to finish the basement and now over a year later we just might get it done. We are putting in a quilting/sewing/craft studio for Kim, an extra bathroom for the whole family visits, a small exercise room, and a workshop for me. Actually, I'm getting excited about getting the project done and having an actual workshop. Just as long as no one has any expectation that I will do any work in it. Maybe that's why Kim wouldn't let me put a cable outlet in there, which isn't really fair--there are two in the quilt studio and one in the exercise room. I could easily pull an Uncle Dean and put a fridge, microwave, etc. in and just hang in the workshop all the time. It will be nice to get it done and for Kim to be able to finally unpack all her stuff and have a place to work her magic.

So, here are some pics of the progress we've made.

This is the bathroom space. Part of the current storage room.

We had to install a window that allows emergency egress otherwise it couldn't be considered a finished space. Eureka is tyrannical about building codes.

The quilting studio. The drain pipe and support post are a bit of a problem.

The exercise room and in the back the workshop area.

At the end is the framing for a storage closet with two french doors for access.

Here the support pole has been moved and it and the drainpipe will be enclosed in a built-in bookcase.

Maki is fretting over a bit of water that made it past the window that had not yet been sealed. Today we had over 9 inches of rain and they are expecting the Meramac to flood part of Eureka tonight.

Drywallers make a really big mess!

I'm Not Majerus

One morning a couple of months ago I got to talking with a young fellow at the pool. (I swim every morning; got started in January and love it!) He was recovering from a foot injury and said that he had run long distance at Marquette as an undergraduate. While mentioning Marquette he referred to its location in Milwaukee. A few days later we were talking again and he apologized for thinking that I might not know where Marquette was, "You know, what with basketball," he said. This was after he had greeted me as I stepped up to the edge of the pool the morning before with a wave and what I was certain I had misheard as, "Hey coach!"

Realization began to dawn with his apology and I asked with a smile and look of confusion, "Who do you think I am?"

"Why, the new basketball coach, aren't you?"

I introduced myself, he introduced himself, we both laughed, and he made a hasty and embarassed exit. A few days later he apologized for the mistaken identity saying that he had heard the new coach swam at the pool. I told him it was fine because even though I thought I had a few less pounds than Majerus I knew I had a lot more hair.

So, an amusing anecdote particularly for the Utah relatives who know Majerus from his Ute exploits. Well, last week it happened again. A young woman who lifeguards at the pool and has seen me for the past 9 months asks if I am "Coach Majerus". I start to laugh and tell her no. She says, "I didn't think so but my friend said I should have seen him because he swims here and you look the most like. . .uh, I thought you might be him."

Okay, enough is enough, I am not Majerus. He's a great coach, I'm sure he is a wonderful person. As a basketball fan and a fellow swimmer I hope I do get to meet him. But really, we don't look at all alike; do we? I don't think so but maybe there is a basis for the confusion. Now, if I could just get the payroll department to make the same mistake.

Separated at birth?

You decide

Love and Happiness

The last two weeks have been wonderful and crazy. Zach and Karli were married on May 5th. It was a terrific time with family and friends. Go to J.J.'s blog for a terrific report of the events and the effects of record-setting rainfall on a prairie wedding. Also, there was an article in the Lincoln Journal Star.

It seemed that everyone's response to the news of Karli and Zach's marriage was, "It's about time!" But that's because everyone knew for a long time that they were just plain right for each other. They complement each other in a way that only occurs with two people who respect and care about each other; and are both friends and lovers. I love them and know that they will be great partners and parents (hint, hint).