Two Months to go!

I had to make a quick trip out to our new housing development today to take some measurements for our new appliances, and while I was there, I took a picture of our house. It's coming along really well! I'm surprised at how fast it's been built so far- about a week and half ago, when we were there last, it had only been partially framed. As of today, it's been fully framed and some of the wood siding has been installed. Exciting!

Design Appointment

Today was our meeting with the design company to pick out our finishes and upgrades for the house. I was really excited to plan out everything- the countertops, the cabinets, the floors! As you could have guessed, Eric was not quite as excited as I was… but, after 3 ½ hours, I think we picked out nearly everything that we wanted and walked out on budget! (well, close to it at least :) haha)

The design center itself was smaller than I was imagining, but the options were plentiful- there were walls of tile choices, books of carpet samples, tons of countertop options- you name it, it was there. We were first presented with the standard choices for our house, like the standard tile, carpet, granite, and cabinetry. Some of the standard options were not that exciting in my opinion, so we chose to upgrade a few things here and there, providing the upgrade cost wasn’t ridiculous (such as, we learned that the cost of upgrading the fixtures in ONE bathroom was $2500!! And if we wanted all the interior walls painted, it would be upwards of $4k!! So obviously we passed on these options). We knew that many of the upgrades they quoted us for would be far less expensive if we did the work on our own or hired someone else to do the work. But, there were a few items that made sense to do now, as opposed to later. Plus, we had that incentive package from the builder to spend, so we had fun choosing a few (reasonably priced) upgrades!

So, in the end, we chose just a few upgrades, like espresso cabinetry, cream-colored granite with brown and black specs/swirls, surround sound wiring (Eric’s chioce), and a creamy-tan colored tile for the entry, bathrooms, laundry room, and kitchen/nook:

I was hoping to upgrade the appliance package and the carpet, but the costs were just astronomically overpriced. So, we’re going to stick with the standard carpet for a few years while we save up for some nice berber to replace it, and we’re going to buy our own stainless steel appliances and then hopefully sell the boring, standard white ones after we move in.

I'm such a wimp

I had to get stitches today and it was not fun!!

This will be short, since typing is a bit of a challenge… the short story is that I sliced my finger open on the stupid paper cutter at work and had to be taken to the ER. I had to have an x-ray, and then I had to have 2 stitches in my right index finger to close the wound. The ER doctor was extremely nice, but unfortunately his claim that “I wouldn’t feel a thing” after being numbed was far from the truth!! I definitely felt that nasty needle when he stitched me up couldn’t stop myself from whining and yelling out a few times!

So now I’m all bandaged up and will be that way for the next week… the worst thing is that now I have to postpone my gift wrapping and baking projects!!!

WE SIGNED A CONTRACT!!

After nearly 3 months of searching and 10 unsuccessful offers, we bought a house!! We finalized a deal with Brighton Station today- the new home development that we toured a couple weeks ago. We were able to negotiate the price a little bit and also argued for an incentive package to pay for some upgrades that we wanted.

We chose one of their smaller floorplans (smaller of their choices, that is- the house is over 2,200 square feet!) on a corner lot. The builder had three “elevation” options, as they preferred to call them- basically the exterior designs of the house. The choices included a Mediterranean look with rounded arches and iron work, a more traditional/craftsman style with a large porch, and a cottage-like design with stone walls and high pointed arches. Since every lot is assigned a floorplan and elevation, we didn’t have much of a choice, since we preferred the corner lot location that was available- so we were destined to have the third design mentioned, the one with the weird rock walls (obviously this elevation was not our first choice!). But honestly, we know that the exterior style of the house matters little when it comes down to it, and we were thrilled with the corner lot. Now we’ll have only one real neighbor to deal with!! And the design really isn’t that bad… it’s unique and I think it’s starting to grow on me at least!

After reviewing all the details and signing our life away, we were informed that our house should be ready on or around February 18th, 2010! Then we set up our design appointment, where we will meet with the builder’s design firm and select our finishes and upgrades, which I’m looking forward to! So exciting!!

Here’s our house as of today! The foundation has been poured and part of the house has been framed. We're planing to visit the house every week or so to document the process and progress as it's built :)



And here are some photos of the model home:

To Build?

Considering the bad predicament we currently find ourselves in, we decided to broaden our house search to more than just existing REO and short sale homes. So, over the weekend, we decided to tour a new home development in Brentwood called Brighton Station (oddly enough, this was our second tour of this community and their models, as they first caught our eye back in April when Eric and I we first thinking about buying in Brentwood).


The community is located in our preferred area and is zoned for the better of the two school districts within the city limits. Although the lots are small (5k square feet at most), the houses themselves were gorgeous! We toured the models and were very impressed with the layouts and the architectural design. Obviously the models showcased every upgrade available, but once we began to talk to the saleslady, she mentioned that many of the upgrades we saw were standard- such as tile flooring in the kitchen and bathrooms and granite countertops in the kitchen. The only reservation that we had was the pricing- they started at the upper end of our budget…

But, as we see it, we have two options: Buy an existing home that needs improvements, or buy a new construction home that can be tailored to our taste and preferences. Every existing home that we’ve seen has needed some degree of work, ranging from just new carpet and paint to even breaking down walls for a complete remodeling project. Obviously the cost associated with such a hefty project is a huge consideration for us. But, on the other hand, new homes have their own limitations, such as tiny yards and less established neighborhoods. All things considered, we are starting to lean more toward the new house.

We just have to keep reminding ourselves that God already has a house in mind for us- and I bet it’s perfect. We just have to be patient in waiting...

Thanksgiving 2009

This holiday was probably the first in which I only had to visit 2 different houses!! LOL. Every since I could remember, Elaine and I would spend the majority of our holidays riding and then driving in the car, going from here and there to all the families’ houses- mom, dad, grandparents, aunts/uncles, step familiy… I think the record for us was six different places all in one day. Needless to say, not terribly fun!

We first started our day today by meeting up with my sister, then we all drove out to Antioch to spend the afternoon with my dad and his family. It was nice to sit and relax for a couple hours and visit with them. Then, Elaine and I parted ways and headed for our prospective in-law’s houses for the evening. Eric and I went to Patrick and Lucha’s house in Danville, which we always enjoy. Patrick is one of five boys, so when everyone gets together, it’s one big party! Plus, Patrick’s family is so relaxed and accepting- technically, Eric and I aren’t even family, but it sure doesn’t feel that way. It’s a nice change from step-family who obviously made me feel very different from the rest of the clan…

Anyway, it was potluck style this year, so everyone brought one or two dishes to share. There was soooo much food, it was amazing!! There was a little bit of everything- homemade creamed corn, mashed potatoes, veggie dishes galore, homemade challah sweet bread, and a huge turkey of course. Everything was delicious!

I think all too often, we as individuals (myself included) get so wrapped up in life that we forget what’s important- family and one another. So today, that’s what I celebrated- being a member of a huge extended family and forgeting about how I was related to this person or that person. But tonight, all I knew was that I was surrounded by great company, living in a beautiful and safe place, and fortunate enough to enjoy many of life’s luxuries, and for these things, I was thankful.

House Update

I have little to update, unfortunately, with exception of the news that we do not have a house yet. We have submitted ten offers now and have been rejected every single time. It has been really difficult to preview houses that both of us can easily picture ourselves in and then be harshly rejected- even when we submit an offer 50k over their asking price! We know this is a tough market at the moment, but this is just ridiculous. I would have never imagined that we would be in such a pickle. We know that we’re submitting good offers, in terms of price, but what has held us back each time around are the terms- our offers cannot compete against investors who can pay cash instead of financing. So that’s where we are at the moment. Irritating and completely frustrating.

It’s Almost that Time of Year…

The holidays are upon us and I’m now starting to realize that we most likely will not be in our own place before they officially roll around… which is a little upsetting. I always look forward to decorating our house, putting up a nice Christmas tree, baking all kinds of things, and gift wrapping! Well, this year is going to be a little different. With no house as of the moment, I’ve started to plan out our holiday plan of attack. Since our space is limited, that means there will be no opportunities to make extravagant crafty things like I usually do (and no space to hide away gifts!). Plus, with no kitchen of my own, I can’t dirty it for a week prior with all of my favorite baked items… :(

Househunting: Not as fun as Househunters!

Everyone who knows me knows that I just love Househunters- a television program on HGTV. The show follows a family or an individual as they hunt for the right house to buy. The program is typically divided into three segments, which showcase three separate homes, leaving the viewer guessing until the last few minutes of the show as to which of the three houses was chosen. I’m not quite sure what the attraction of this show is- perhaps my passion for design or my past aspiration to become an architect- but I enjoy every minute of it, taking note of what features I like and trying to guess which house they choose as their favorite in the end. I was so excited when we began our official househunt!

But unfortunately, life is not like Househunters at all. Not even close. I’ve learned, over this past month or so of searching (and 7 rejected offers so far…), that looking for a house to buy is emotionally exhausting and far more stressful than I could have ever imagined. Nearly every weekend, we’re carted around by our realtors as we tour what little is on the market at the moment. We’re trying to be open minded and evaluate the houses upon more than their immediate appeal, which I think we’re doing quite well- we’re not opposed at all to putting some work into a house and making it our own. And when we see one that we like, we submit an offer right away (usually the very next day and always over asking price) and then wait for the disheartening news that we’ve been outbid or that a wealthy investor gobbled up the property for cash! It’s so frustrating! It’s really challenging to tour a home that we both like and could picture ourselves living in and then be harshly informed that it’s just not going to happen. And then it happens again. And again…

So I need Househunters to come to me and present three great, affordable options to us and then we could choose which one we wanted!!! That would make this process so much easier.

In Loving Memory of Dodger :(

The world lost a beautiful member of our extended family today...

Britty's kitten Dodger had to be put down. He got really sick really fast all of the sudden... the vet thinks it was his liver. Mr. Blake and Penny were just starting to enjoy their little cousin too... he was such a dear. Poor baby :(



In Loving Memory of Dodger

You weren’t here nearly long enough…. rest in peace little one.

You will be missed!

Love Auntie, Uncle, and your Big Cousins

Quarter-Century Hollie-Ween

We celebrated my 25th birthday this year with a Hollie-Ween party! Eric’s mom planned a Halloween costume party for me this year, which was a lot of fun.

The theme for the party was “couples,” and everyone came up with some unique costumes- there was Wilma and Fred Flinstone, the Tooth Fairy and a dentist, an officer and an inmate, Popeye and Olyve Oyl- very creative ideas!

I really couldn’t remember the last time I had to dress up for something, but I wanted to dress up as something fun. So I enlisted the help of my sister, who helped me make a lovely green mermaid fin so I could dress up as Ariel the Little Mermaid (and Eric dressed up as Prince Eric). I even found a lobster costume for Blake! (kind of like Sebastian the crab). Blake wasn’t too fond of the costume… I couldn’t even get him to pose for a quick picture. Oh well, I tried.

Dinner was enchiladas and tacos and we had so many different desserts, I had to try a bit of everything from the ice-cream cake to the pumpkin pie. Then I opened a few gifts. Eric bought me a camcorder (which I’ve been wanting for quite a while!). It’s a mini pocket-sized device that records HD quality video, which is great. I also got a few gift cards, some new clothes, and two new coats- a teal pea coat and a new jean jacket to replace my old one (I love coats!).

The night before the party, we also celebrated over dinner. I chose to go to the Olive Garden, and to my surprise, many of my friends and family arrived separately to dine with us. Unfortunately the restaurant didn’t take reservations, and it was a busy Friday night, but all twenty-something of us were finally seated and I had a great birthday dinner! It was great to celebrate my quarter-century status among all my close friends and family.

Househunters!

Over the weekend, we went on our second official tour of houses with our agent, Liz. Two weekends ago, she lined up about six houses for us to preview, but we didn’t like any of them enough to submit an offer. Plus, they were not in the preferred location that we had in mind. So, this weekend, we went out again to see what was available.

After Liz picked us up, we toured four of the houses that she had for us (the other two were tenant occupied, therefore we could only drive by them). First, we looked at a house that had just come onto the market the previous day. It was a 4 bed, 2 ½ bath, with about 1900 square feet and surprisingly, was a traditional listing (not a bank owned or short sale). When we pulled up to the house, we were pleased with the curb appeal of the house, with its well manicured lawn and nicely painted exterior. But more impressive was the beautiful green park right across the street! Once inside, I immediately noticed the high ceilings of the formal living and dining room. We also noticed the huge 3-car tandem garage (oh the storage possibilities!). Then we walked into the clean, white kitchen with its brand new stainless steel appliances. A sliding glass door welcomed us out to the lovely backyard, complete with pool, fresh grass, a small basketball court, and generous side access. We then found our way upstairs, there was a master suite and three smaller bedrooms, all of which were nicely sized and had new carpeting. Eric and I decided that we really liked the house and took a few pictures of the place (so we wouldn’t forget later on) before we left.

Next up was a small 3 bed, 2 bath single story bank owned house in my preferred neighborhood of Deer Ridge. But, the house was tiny, with very small bedrooms and an even smaller overgrown yard of concrete. It was located on a court, but the highway was located just beyond that, and the road noise was less than pleasant. I won’t bother to elaborate, since this house failed to impress us, so we quickly decided that it wasn’t the one for us and went about our way.

The third house was my top pick (prior to seeing any of the homes in person), also located in the Deer Ridge neighborhood. The house was huge- over 2200 square feet with 4 beds and 3 full baths. It was bank owned, and showed- by the looks of the worn, stained carpeting and scrapes on the walls. Aside from the cosmetic repairs it obviously needed, we noticed that the house itself had a very nice layout with a generous family room. Most of the flooring downstairs was real hardwood and there were various custom built-in units. There was a guest suite downstairs while the master suite and two additional jack-and-jill bedrooms were upstairs. After touring the inside of the home, we made our way outside, where there was some grass, a covered cement patio, and a brick retaining wall with plants that stretched across the back of the yard. Once again, we agreed that we liked the home enough to submit an offer- but I felt more strongly about it than Eric (he was still hung up on the basketball court of the first house we toured).

Lastly, we briefly walked through another bank owned home that was in a decent location- this one had 3 beds, 3 baths, and an upstairs loft. The initial impression of the home was not terribly appealing, as other homes nearby were not maintained as well as the other neighborhoods we toured. The home itself needed quite a bit of work, since the walls, fixtures, floors, and many of the windows all needed replacing. We liked the floor plan, but the yard was tiny and came complete with an old spa and play set. Eric seemed to like the house (mostly for the low price), but I just wasn’t feeling it. So we passed on this one.

Over the rest of the weekend, Eric and I discussed the homes, reviewed the pictures we took, and revisited our budget. After some consideration, I quickly realized how much I liked the first home we toured- the home with the park view, 3-car tandem garage, and the basketball court. Eric agreed. That home became our first choice and we submitted a strong offer this morning (our agent tells us that they expect multiple offers, as most Brentwood homes sell for well over their original asking price, especially the good ones like this). We also agreed that the big bank owned home in Deer Ridge was in a fantastic location, so we decided to submit an offer on that one as well.

Now we wait!! We’re a little anxious, as you might have guessed. It’s hard to walk through homes that you can see yourself living in but at the same time, know that other interested families are probably thinking the exact same thing!

We have our fingers crossed that our offer on our first choice house is accepted!

One Week Down...

We’ve been shacked up at Mom’s house for about a week now. I had high hopes that all the animals in the house would get along- Eric’s mom’s dog Abbie (a lab/boxer/pitt mix), Britty’s new kitten Dodger (a 3 month old ragdoll), and our two ragdolls, Blake and Penny. At first, Blake was more than friendly with everyone in the house (he loves everyone and everything), at least until Abbie tried to nip and bark at him. That scared him enough to steer clear of the dog for a while. Penny, who has always been more reserved and timid than Blake, preferred to hide in the guest room most of the time and hissed at the kitten whenever it came near her.

But, after about a week, it seems all the animals are starting to adjust. We initially corralled our kids in the guest suite, and then gradually introduced them to the downstairs, and now they seem to roam freely. Our kids still don’t like the dog (she’s noisy and always wants to play), but they are starting to get along great with Dodger. I even caught Penny giving him a bath the other day! And we’ve noticed that Dodger constantly follows Blake around like he’s a little shadow looking up to his big cousin. Too cute.

Aside from the animals, Eric and I are good. We commute to and from work together, which has been working our really well and saving us gas money! We really are so grateful that Eric’s mom and Patrick offered for us to stay with them until we find a house! And it’s been really nice to spend some quality time with family while we’re here. But, I’m definitely starting to miss my own space. Already. I miss my big bathroom and all of my baking supplies. I miss being able to roam the house in my pajamas without thinking twice about it. I miss lounging on my big cushy couch like a bum and watching television with Eric. I miss our big bed.

But, soon enough (we hope) we’ll have a whole new place to call our own!

Farewell Walnut Towne

I’m really sad to be leaving a place that I’ve learned to appreciate so much! We move out of our condo in less than two weeks and I’m starting to feel nostalgic already… the thought that we’re really leaving is starting to set in, now that the house is piling high in boxes. I know it’s the right decision to move and invest in a home, but the more I think about it, the more I realize that there’s so much to miss about Walnut Creek!


One of the things that I absolutely love about Walnut Creek is that it is all-inclusive. Everything that I need can be found right here- Trader Joe’s, Target, the Apple Store, Barnes & Noble, Boudin- plus a few unique places that I enjoy, like Main Street Rags and the Olde San Francisco Creamery. There are very few things that we have to venture outside of town for. I really do appreciate that, since not every location has that to offer. When we lived in San Ramon, Eric and I loved the city itself, but we found ourselves driving to and from Dublin and Walnut Creek for all of our basic needs. When we leave here, I wouldn’t be surprised if we return to visit Walnut Creek regularly!


Plus, Walnut Creek hosts a number of great community events. Once or twice a year, there are lovely art and wine shows in Downtown, perfect for walking and browsing. Plus, every year around this time, the Downtown association hosts its annual “Walnut Festival” in which many of the local marching bands, dance groups, and community organizations march together down Main Street. And then there is Heather Farms Park right around the corner from us- where we were married! The park is always busy with activities, festivals, and shows. I think we’ll miss the chances we should have taken to walk right over and reminisce.

The most obvious downfall of Walnut Creek (and really the only downfall in my opinion) is simply the cost- it’s really quite unfortunate that the most we can afford here is a small condo on a busy road, which is more than adequate for a single professional or modest couple. Sadly for us, we’re just growing out of it too quickly… I really do hope that one day we will be able to move back!

White Screen of Death!!!

Note to Self: DO NOT drop your iPhone onto tile floor!! Result: white screen of death :(

I'm sending it off for repair (the Apple store is way overpriced). I'm hoping for the best...

How did I ever live without my iPhone?

Introducing Our New Murano!

We finally gave in and replaced Eric’s old Nissan! For the past few months, we have had one heck of a time trying to fix the stupid thing- we spent a fortune on various things that didn’t solve the problem (it would surge in all gears and get progressively worse as the car warmed up). We replaced the throttle, the distributor, the radiator… nothing did the trick. In fact, it kept getting worse, so we pretty much stopped driving it altogether. Finally we decided to get a good diagnostic, and they found that some random belt inside the engine was on its last leg. Of course we did our research and got some good quotes- we learned that it would ultimately be cheaper to replace the whole engine than to pay someone to spend all day taking it apart just to replace the stupid belt. So that sucked.

We thought about it for a couple weeks and eventually decided that the investment wasn’t going to be worth it, so we went out car shopping. After I had done some research, I narrowed down our search to a couple of models that would be roomy enough (we envisioned a smaller SUV) yet had good fuel economy. On Saturday, we went out to test drive a few cars to see if they would be a good fit for us.


First up, a 2006 Nissan Murano SL that I had found online. We walked onto the car lot and were quickly greeted by a lovely saleslady named Miley. We were truly shocked how pleasant and helpful she was- she would answer our questions without being pushy and never pressured us at all. Eric drove it first, taking it on the highway to test its power, then we pulled over to switch drivers. We both were impressed how comfortable the leather seats were and had fun taking note of all the fancy features, like the moonroof, dual temperature controls, and intelligent key system. After the test drive, we took Miley’s business card and said that we would be in touch. We left without the typical cheesy salesperson trying to lure us into a sale- we were shocked! And impressed!

We then walked across the street to the Honda dealership, where I wanted to look at two models in particular- the Insight and the CR-V. For about 20 minutes, Eric and I roamed the lot, sitting in various cars and toying with the various controls. Finally, I tracked down a salesperson and said that we were interested in test driving a few models.


First we drove the Insight. I had researched this car on the internet and was impressed with the fuel economy- over 40mpg- but reluctant because I wasn’t convinced that their hybrid technology was truly reliable (since we are the type of people to keep our vehicles for 10 years or longer, we would probably have to replace the battery cell eventually, which is an enormous cost to consider). However, it started at just over 20K- a bargain for a hybrid. The insight was okay for around town driving, but once Eric turned onto the freeway onramp, he attempted to accelerate and we immediately looked at each other with question- would the thing even be able to make it onto the highway and up to speed?!? Luckily there was no one behind us and the freeway was not busy. Had it been, I honestly would have been a little scared. Plus, the instrument panel would glow blue or green while we were driving (a feature aimed to improve battery and fuel economy). Honestly, we found it a little distracting. Plus, the ergonomics of the console and instrument panel made no sense- we had to reach at least a foot forward while seated to reach the cup holders and the navigation screen was placed to the right of the console, which was just annoying. I also noticed the car’s assembly quality- many of the parts and textures looked and felt rather cheap. After I drove it around, we took it back to the lot and immediately decided that the hybrid was not for us. I really wanted to like it and was expecting to be impressed, but I just was not.


We then moved on to the CR-V. I had test driven a used one the weekend before with my sister and had already made my mind up that I didn’t like it, but I wanted to know Eric’s opinion. So the salesperson then brought us a used 2008 CR-V LX to take out. Eric drove it and came to the same conclusion that I had: It lacked power, was a bore to drive, the build quality seemed questionable, and it lacked a lot of features that we’ve come to appreciate in our Acura (like programmable seating positions- which are not available on any CR-V model apparently). Plus, it was expensive. I know that Hondas have great resale value, but we couldn’t justify buying a used sub-par vehicle with over 50K for well over 20K! After driving this one, we decided to head back home and think about what we should do.

A couple days went by (during which we had our home appraisal) and we continued to think seriously about the Murano. But, we did not want to make any financial decision that could potentially jeopardize our home loan. So we made a few calls. After we were relieved to learn that an auto loan would not change our loan status, we decided to go back to the Nissan dealership. If the Murano that we had test driven was still there, we would see if they would come down on their price. Since I had done my research (I research everything- from books to cars), I knew how much the car was worth. I was happy to see that the car was still sitting on the lot when we arrived that day. After test driving it again and chatting with Miley the saleslady once more, we sat down to discuss the price. After a few negotiations, they lowered their price to a figure that we were happy with. Plus, it came certified with the remaining 7 year/100K mile warranty and the dealer had just performed the 30K major service. Since Eric is a member of a credit union through the fire department, we were able to get a low interest loan. As we worked on finalizing the paperwork, the dealer detailed the car and filled up the gas tank for us. As Eric said, this car buying experience was “night and day” compared to buying our Acura earlier this year. Then I got to drive it home. :)

We are just thrilled!

(insert Murano slideshow)

Now we have to figure out what to do with Eric’s Sentra. I think our first plan will be to post the car for sale online to see if anyone would be interested in buying a cheap car that needs a little work (maybe a mechanic would want it?). If that doesn’t work out, we’ll probably part out the value (the stereo, rims, etc.) and donate the rest of the car to a deserving charity…

Tahoe

Since I’ve never really been camping before, Eric and our good friends Lisa and Peter decided that we should all go for a long weekend. For two summers when I was young, my dad insisted that I attend the annual church girl’s camp. For a week at a time, I would swim, hike, cook, and make all sorts of crafts. At night, I slept in an A-frame shelter with one eye open- for fear of hungry bears but more so for a group of rotten girls who would steal my things at night and tease me endlessly during the day. I quickly came to dread what were supposed to be these spiritual camping adventures very quickly. Not to mention the filth factor. I hate all things filthy. And the outdoors definitely falls into that category.

On this occasion, Eric and Peter planned a weekend trip to Tahoe. Peter reserved a camping site, we rented an SUV, packed it full with all of our things, and then we were off! We left on a Friday and the drive up to Tahoe was really nice. Once we got there, I was expecting to see beautiful sprawling blue water and resorts nestled among tall trees, as the picturesque postcards suggested. But, I could barely even see the lake! Unfortunately there were various wildfires burning near Auburn and the thick smoke obstructed most of the views. We hoped that the air would clear as we found our way to the campsite, near Sugarpine (luckily it did). We quickly set up our tents, put away out stash of food and drinks, and decided to hit the town for dinner. We drove south to Stateline, where we ate dinner at a casino and shopped around at Long’s for a few forgotten items. When we returned to our campsite and got ready for bed, we noticed a young crowd of people setting up camp at the site next to ours. Unfortunately, we were kindly kept awake all night by the lovely chatter of drunken idiots…

The next day, we attempted to make scrambled eggs, found a nice spot to hike above Emerald Bay, made lunch, took a nice nap to recuperate from our lack of sleep, and made dinner. One thing I learned was that making meals out in the great wide open was a grand feat! We took our portable bbq with us, and nearly every meal we brought to make turned into a big problem because it would either not cook properly or we didn’t have the right utensils to make it. But we made do. The best meal of the day was certainly dessert, when Eric made us a nice campfire and we roasted some marshmallows for s’mores.



After a decent night sleep this time, we attempted to make pancakes for breakfast on Sunday morning (another flop, unfortunately) and packed up all of our things for the long drive back home. On the way home, I decided that it was a good time, but would have been better if we had rented a cabin or some sort of accommodation that at least had a shower… I felt absolutely filthy after three long days among nature. A nice long shower once I got home was never more appreciated!

Heartbroken

What does heartbroken feel like? I wish I didn’t know…

But I do know.

I know what it tastes like- Bitter. Burnt. You’re about to choke. The flavor lingers.

I know what it looks like- Fetal position in the shower. Rocking, shivering. Water slithering down your back.

I know what it sounds like- Nothing and everything. Everyone’s laughing, but you can’t hear it. Freight trains screech down the rails.

I wish I could only feel it.

I almost had it all. But then in an instant, I had nothing…

Thesis: Defended.

My graduate school career has officially come to an end!!! After working on draft after draft of my thesis, mindlessly editing and organizing every word, it is complete. I submitted it to my thesis committee members last week for their final review and my defense meeting was scheduled for Tuesday at noon. I took the day off from work, headed over to campus early, and tried to prepare for the kinds of questions that I would be asked during the meeting. I really did not know what to expect, other than offering a brief summary of my research and main findings. Once we entered the conference room, my anxiety started to rise as the panel of professors started to ask me really questions like, “What do you mean by this statement here on page 38?” and “Why did you run your analyses this way?” In all, they asked about 15 to 20 questions while I tried my best to follow them up with reasonable answers.

After a few hours in the meeting, the panel decided that a few changes needed to be made (just minor additions, thank goodness). After which, they would give their signatures on my petition of completion (the official document proving that my thesis has been approved). So, I busily made changes over the next two days, scrambling to obtain my needed signatures and meet the new deadline of Thursday, the 13th (the deadline was supposed to be on Friday the 14th, but since that day was furloughed, the deadline was pushed up). Then I focused on formatting the final document and trying to track down members of my committee for their signatures (after all, it is summer break). After a very stressful week, I submitted my completed draft to the university for binding and ordered a copy for myself to keep.

Eric is taking me out to a fancy dinner and a movie later today to celebrate. I can’t believe that I actually completed this huge task! It hasn’t really hit me yet that I’m really done with school now. I’m sure it will soon :).

I’m on a boat!

My dad and his wife Sally invited us to go boating on Saturday. I’m not much of a boat person, nor am I one to do much of any kind of summer sun activity (for fear of awful sunburns that is… I can burn in a matter of minutes and remain lobster red for more than a week), but we thought it might be fun and- for once- we didn’t have any plans! So, along with my sister and her husband, the six of us launched out of Antioch and coasted around the delta, took a break to eat lunch, took turns skiing and tubing, and swam around to cool off.

The last time I had been on a ski boat was when I was probably about 10 or 12 years old. Family on the twice-removed side (I’m not even going to try for technicalities anymore) had a vacation home and a boat on the delta and often invited us out during the summer. That was when I first learned how to water ski, wearing kids’ training skis that were tied together and hanging on to a pole that extended out of the side of the boat. Eventually I graduated to being pulled behind the boat, but I would usually only last a few seconds before losing my balance and plunging face first. I have very fond memories of those good times!

I was hesitant this time around to even attempt to ski, but after watching Elaine get right up on her feet the very first time, I knew I had to at least try! So I strapped on a life vest and a pair of skis and jumped in. I was worried that I wasn’t going to be able to keep the skis parallel, but I surprised myself- luck must have been on my side or the water must have been unusually calm that day- because I got up every time I tried! Granted, I ate it a few times when other boats’ wakes would make me lose my balance, but I managed to coast along behind the boat for a few good stretches. After a while we decided to try tubing, so Elaine and I hopped in the tube for two and hung on for life as my dad did figure eights down the canals. It was a blast.



Unfortunately, Eric was involved in a stupid (yet minor) car accident at work a few days earlier, and decided not to ski, since it could aggravate his neck or back. I would have loved to see him try, since he has never water skied before. Hopefully next time he’ll be able to participate.

In the end, I escaped with no sunburn (horray for spray sunscreen) but instead woke up incredibly sore the next day… oh well. We’re still looking forward to going again! And I've managed to figure out how to upload and edit (albeit elementary editing) on my iMac!! Enjoy a brief video of myself below...