house – Page 20 – ~HB ADVENTURE~

April 28, 2009

Budget Talk

We recently had a budget talk at HBHQ. Barry showed up to the Budget Meeting with a notebook and list. I showed up empty handed. Can you guess who was more excited about the talk?

In the middle of the Budget Meeting Wren called. When I told him that I was in the middle of a Budget Meeting he wondered where I was. I informed him that I was sitting on my couch next to my husband and his notepad.

Wren, loving the idea of the Budget Meeting, laughed and asked me if I needed any fancy words to use. I took him up on his offer and scratched down a few key words.

Fortunately, when the HBHQ Budget Summit resumed I was able to use the words (expenditure, point of diminishing returns, and ???). Unfortunately, I tried to use them all at the same time and Barry looked at me as if I had grown another head.

The Budget talk was valuable to all parties involved. Worry not, we’ve got our pie charts in order, our planned expenditures and whatever else was on that list. Let it be known for the 2010 HBHQ Budget Review, I’m coming with a whole dagum notebook and a few more Action Items.

April 26, 2009

Door Restored

Lately Sydney has been struggling with saying goodbye to our old door. She’s been reflecting on all the time that she’s spent guarding HBHQ, even through snow storms she’s protected this door!

I think she hatched a plan to give our old door as much use as possible in the remaining days it has hinges. The plan includes barking and waiting for us to open the door to go out in the yard. Once she’s convinced us to open the door and let her out, she turns directly around and waits for us to join her. It’s kind of pathetic.

When we don’t come outside with her she either sits there or pushes the door back open. She’ll sit there expectantly waiting for you to join in the backyard fun.

Since you can’t take that face for one more, single, second you ask her if she wants to go check it out. This is special Camp Janet language and she’ll never, ever turn down a chance to check it out.

She thinks it’s a good idea and decides to head off into the wild HBHQ yard…

until she wonders if you’re coming too. Are you?

There’s that face again. How can you say no to so many wrinkles?

She’ll lead the way to her special area. Once she’s checked things out, she stares at you with the same exact same expression on her face that convinced you to open the door in the first place.

I’m wondering what kind of reaction she’s going to have once the new doors are completley installed. I’m fairly certain her facial expressions can’t get much more pathetic.

Or can they?

March 18, 2009

Well, At Least We’re Not Locked Out This Time

Our house got broken into.

This makes me super sad,mad, angry, scared, and thankful all in the same moment.

I’m sad because my diamond earrings and Celtic necklace got stolen. The earrings were given to me by Grandma and Grandpa Elvrum for my18th birthday. My mom gave me the necklace after a trip to Ireland. Look how happy I am while wearing both pieces of jewelry.

I am mad because they disrupted the feeling of safety that Barry and I have felt these past 11 months of living here. I am also mad because I spent time this summer re-finishing the doors with my grandpa…since they have been kicked in, we will probably need to get new ones. I loved those doors.

I am angry that there are people in this world that see breaking in as an option. I am also angry that they went through every single room and took something from each room. We now have no camera, no ipod, no iphone….no sense of safety.

I am scared that this could happen again. Here’s the ironic part: all of the other doors were unlocked. Our brilliant thief decided to break into the one locked door. Had he tried another door (perhaps our front) he could have gracefully walked in. Am I supposed to be on guard, watching my drive way, at all times?

I am thankful that Sydney wasn’t here. She’s visiting Camp Janet. Let’s face it, she’s not exactly a guard dog. She’s sad that her pad got busted into.

I’m thankful that Barry didn’t get hurt. I’m thankful that Greg came and fixed things…seeing parents (even if they aren’t mine) gives a sense of security. A few nails later, our precious door suddenly closes and locks, not the most beautiful thing in the world, but phew.

I’m also thankful that I just happened to take my video camera to school today. I didn’t need it and it’s been sitting on the floor for a couple weeks. I took it to school and now still have my NB video. No picture can represent this, maybe a picture of the pile of papers that I’ve written and the fact that I’m not a puddle of tears on the floor still.

That aside, I am most thankful for the fact that despite all the fear and drama of the past five hours, Barry and I are home.