Update - not much to update on around here, so I spent the weekend in Illinois!

Jeff is in his second week of the new job.  It's such a different type of company (size wise, the exact opposite!) so he's working on getting used to the differences.  Luckily, he knows what he's doing, so it's not like he has to learn how to perform the functions of his job.

  

I think it's going well.  I hope it's going well.  It's hard to know how things really are from so far away.  All I can do is send positive thoughts over the 3200 miles.

Me, on the other hand...  work is work.  I've been busy writing instructions for job duties, which unfortunately puts me behind on finishing said duties.  (Hee hee "doody" )

At home I've gotten used to sleeping on an air mattress.   I sleep fine, but don't get fully rested.  Sleeping on a real bed at Mom & Dad's house was a treat!  I woke up feeling like I had really slept - it was wonderful!

I keep removing things from the house and only bring in groceries and mail, which I consider to be an accomplishment.  I have been lucky to sell a few things, with more to sell.  Some is being sold at secondhand stores, some taken to a consignment store, a bunch on garage sale.  I'll put some things on Craigslist,  and some on ebay.

So even though I am here all by myself, I have been keeping busy.


I took Friday off and went to Illinois.  Rylee was having an 8th grade graduation party!

delicious softball cake!  so moist!

the (8th grade) graduate!  I think she enjoyed her party.

Now, back to being busy removing even more stuff from the condo...

Photography Challenge Day 29: Black & White

2010, Iwo Jima Memorial

In early 2010, Jeff & I decided to take Kiaj & Rhyanne to Washington DC.  I knew I needed to get a new camera - the last time I'd bought a camera was in 1997 when Nathan was born and it just wasn't taking good pictures anymore.

And boy, did I go overboard with the pictures!  Whoo, I took more than 400 pictures that week.

The Iwo Jima Memorial was our last stop on the way outside of town.  I was actually the only person who got out of the truck!  And I played with the functions on my new camera, which has settings for black & white, sepia, and blue tones.

NOW I really want to get a DSLR.  That, my friends, will take some careful research, and monetary planning!  However, when we were in Alaska last month, I lost my camera (a story for another time, my friend).  So, I wonder, how long do I hold off on that new camera?

Does anyone have a digital camera that they just love?  Any suggestions?

Update - the bedroom is staged

(I started to write this last night, Saturday)

So, we're moving.  To Alaska.

*pause for effect*

Jeff & Rhyanne are en route right now (spent last Friday night in North Battleford).  I am cleaning up and staging the condo for sale.

We are all busy.

Wednesday was U-Haul day.  We were very lucky to have my parents up to help pack & load.  My dad was totally winning at Tetris.  There were no cubic inches given up, until about the last quarter of the truck, where all the weird shaped items, like a lawn mower, weber grill, etc, were.

I'll tell you, by about 3:30 we were all lagging a bit, but then the cavalry arrived in the form of my co-worker (boss) Colleen and her very-muscled son, Bailey.  They helped out so much!  And Bailey got a set of golf clubs out of the deal, which he was very excited about.  Thanks guys!

Here's the condo on Wednesday morning:

the hallway, with a small portion of the packed totes

our room, towards the living room, again with the totes

the computer room, with the almost-forgotten computer chair, and more totes.

Thursday was hard, my first night without Jeff.  But last Friday night was horrible.  Grocery shopping and not having anyone to feed.  I guess I should have been Italian - I want to feed people in order to show them my love.  But I didn't have anyone at home, no Jeff, to buy food for.  So, bad night.

(and now it's Sunday)

Yesterday was better.  Probably because Dad came back up and we were busy all day.  He brought his scaffolding since we have tall ceilings, high windows, and I sent the awesome step-ladder with Jeff.

Windows were washed, ceiling fans and light fixtures cleaned, a bunch of stuff was taken to the garage.  I felt like everything was packed into that U-Haul, but we still made a bunch of trips to the garage and dumpster.  I must have gone to the dumpster at least 7 or 8 times yesterday...

There is still a lot to do before the realtor takes photos on Wednesday.  But the heavy lifting is done, and all but a couple of the windows are done, so then the scaffolding can go back with Dad.  He's coming up again today.

Mom & Dad - we can never repay you in action or in dollars all you have done for us.  Thank you!  I know I'm lucky to have you as parents, and Jeff is so thankful to have gotten you both in this marriage.

I do have one room done - my bedroom.  I'm sleeping on an air mattress, which is comfortable enough, and my back only hurts for a few minutes in the morning now as I'm getting used to it.  The height of the ceilings make it difficult to photograph a bedroom, but I gave it a shot (with my phone, which doesn't have the best camera):

the flash gave it a yellow tone...  there's a good couple-three of feet of white wall up above that blue.
this is take from the far corner.
from now on my robe (on the back of the door) will live in the closet.

from the doorway.  here you can see the white above the blue, and then the curtain rod is almost at the top of the wall.
I don't like photos that look like they are photos of furniture.
I wonder what kind of angle the realtor will come up with for this room...

I hate this picture because it looks like a picture of furniture.
This is the kind of photo I hate to see when I look at houses.

This is a panoramic shot of the room.
I don't like panoramic photos on home listings, and I can always tell when it's panoramic because ceiling lines look weird.
BUT
in a room like this, it might be necessary.

That photo on my bedside table is the only personal photo in the house - it's one of the professional pictures from the wedding.  Of course I know you're not supposed to have personal photos in a home when you're trying to sell, but darn it, I need my husband with me!  If I have to put it below when she's showing the house, I guess I will do that.  But this way he's beside me when I sleep.

Also on my bedside table are other wedding decorations - a tall vase with fabric flowers, and a plaster flower-shaped candle holder, which is where I put my lip stuff so it doesn't roll off.  Wedding decor to the rescue!

Now, it's time to go clean the floors and entrance door/base-boards...

Tortellini Salad - a good summer recipe

I first made this way back in May (I think) when I had the get-up-and-go to spend a bunch of time in the kitchen.  Not only did I made dinner that night, I also made fruit salad for the week at work and this yummy Tortellini Salad!

I was inspired by all the Tortellini Salads on Pinterest (of course, I mean, where else do I get my inspiration?), but with something like this, you don't really follow a recipe, do you?

I used

• a bag of cheese tortellini, cooked as directed on the bag
• a container of pearl mozzarella (fresh), soaked in Italian Dressing for a few hours
• a bundle of asparagus, cut bite-size and steamed
• corn, cut off the cob (I made too much for dinner that night - I would use 2 cobs of corn)
• some itty-bitty pepperonis, sauteed
• cherry tomatoes
• Italian dressing

Mixed it all together and enjoyed it greatly for multiple meals.

Jeff took some to work, I took some to work for multiple days, and Jeff had a bit of it the night I made it.  I've made it a couple times since then as well.  I like taking it to work because it isn't boring, and I hate boring lunch.

Do you have a go-to summer meal?