Labor Day

September 06, 2010 by Seraph in Cortez

Just a quick hello before I head off to labor on this Labor Day morning!

We've been "spring" cleaning this week.  I've filled Robbie's Audi w/ boxes from the kitchen, and I still have to fit in 2 garbage bags full of old linins.  Both Robbie & I have gutted the old clothes from our closets (we did Isa's clothers at the begining of the summer - but with all of her growing, we could stand to do it again).  Last night we rearranged the living room, opening everything up and making more breathing room.  There's sill a bunch of boxes in our bedroom closet to go through, which scares me!

Other than that, we went and picked raspberries yesterday.  There were slim pickings, as most of the berries won't be ready until next week.  We'll try to make a jar or two of jam with what we have, and sneak over to pick more next week.

Well, off to work.  I wonder if holidays, like Labor Day, will fall to the way-side as more of the US economy moved towards the service industry.  Remember to thank your grocery clerk, barista, or anyone else working today so that you don't have to!

This week Isa continues to be sick

September 03, 2010 by Seraph in Cortez

This week Isa continues to be sick.  She tried school on Tuesday (made it half day), went all day on Wednesday, but was home yesterday and today.  Her nose is swollen and scabby (gross), but she's starting to get better.  She was feeling well enough to create a dark wizards spell book this morning! 

On Wednesday Robbie and I went to a farm with our friend Amanda to pick tomatoes.  We stayed to help pick 1000+ pounds of veggies for the food bank, and bringing home 2 large buckets of tomatoes, and a box of peppers, chilies, and mellons.  Isa and I worked late canning tomatoes, and I now have canned tomatoes and tomato sauce to go with my pickeled green beans.  This weekend we're hoping to pick raspberries for jam, and next week it will be apples!  In the next week or two we may go out and dig potatos with Amanda.  I feel a bit like animals hording for the winter!

Robbie started work today.  He missed the training in August, so he's in doing an observation with another Title 1 Tutor today.  Next week he should get a regular schedule.

Weekend Fun

August 31, 2010 by Seraph in Cortez

We had another great - but busy - weekend!  There was a mycology (mushroom) group here this weekend.  So we watched a bunch of middle-aged nerdy science guys & gals scour our mt, and display 150 different types of mushrooms.  This inspired us to go on our own hunt/picnic on Sat afternoon.  We filled a basket with lots of cool fungi to dissect (at this point we don't know enough to actually eat anything!), and made a lot of spore prints.  Over all it was a lot like Easter egg hunting.On Sun there was the Santa Rosa Festival in Dixon (where Isa goes to school).  So we went over and walked in the parade.  We were all pretty tired, and headed home soon after. 

Yesterday Isa woke up with a stuffed up nose and sore throat.  She ended up staying home, while Robbie headed to Velarde to get his new job set up.  He will be a Title 1 tuoter, working with K-3rd graders who are having reading problems.  It starts at 25 hr per week, and could quickly go up to 40 hr.  It will also give him the perfect foot in the door if they open up a second 3rd grade classroom! 

My Baby Is Home!

August 25, 2010 by Seraph in Cortez

Sadly, I'm not talking about Robbie or Isabell, but my car.  We picked up my beautiful girl, after 6 months and 4 mechanics later (only in NM)!  We quickly took her down and got her washed up so she's all shinny and new looking.  She's still driving a little rough, but that's to be expected after sitting so long (and it's been awhile since I've driven a stick).

We also spent the morning detailing the Subaru.  Robbie's new-to-us car should be here next week, and he already has some interested buyers in the Subaru.  So we buckled down and scrubbed away 9 years of gross.  We kept joking that the old boy would know something was up as I removed ancient raisins, Cheerios, and glitter!

So the Cortez family once again has happy cars!  We're easy to please.

Budgets and Carnivals

August 24, 2010 by Seraph in Cortez

We had a fun yet exhausting weekend.  Some of the exhaustion was our own fault as we all stayed up way too late on Friday and Saturday nights. 

Poor Robbie, on Friday I made him sit with me and update our budget.  We reviewed all of our statements from the summer, and by the end we couldn't help but laugh at ourselves.  It was clearly a child free summer!  We could see how we slowly moved from real grocery shopping to milk and cereal trips - followed by a lot more dining out!  I rained in Robbie's book expenditures (no - not school related books - just the addictive amazon.com purchases), and we've learned to plug in more auto maintenance into the budget.  After we crunched all the numbers, we will be able to start putting away a big chunk into savings each month, and still keep a decent cushion in our bank account.  I know doing this is right up their with Chinese water torture for Robbie, but it did feel nice to have it down on paper (or on a spreadsheet as the case may be).

On Sat we went to the Penasco carnival.  Within 2 hours we had gone on numerous rides, played games (though we refused to let Isa play the one that gives you a free goldfish), and eat cotton candy, funnel cakes, snow cones, and corn-on-the-cob!  We left tired and sunburned - all in all a good time.  I switch around my work days so I had Sat off and worked on Sun.  Robbie headed out to church on Sun morning, while I worked and Isa hung out.  After church, Robbie went to some friends to watch the parade.  He came home with massive amounts of candy for Isa and a new violin.  He traded his guitar for a violin and will be taking lessons with Isa.  This lead to a round of tuning and shoulder rest trials, all the while Isa and I were giving Robbie a crash course in Twinkle Twinkle! 

Summer?

August 14, 2010 by Seraph in Cortez

Isa headed back to school on Wednesday!  We're slowly readjusting to a normal routine, though not everything is running smoothly yet.  It is great to have the girl home though!

Almost Home

August 05, 2010 by Seraph in Cortez

After 24 hours of delays, Robbie is heading home with Isa and Hanni.  Here's a snapshot of some of Isa's redecorated room.

Rain Rain Go Away

August 01, 2010 by Seraph in Cortez

After 8 consecutive days of rain, our little river finally flooded last night.  Our campground had a small secondary river running through that was fed by the overflowing pond.  Additionally several large trees came racing through, though luckily they didn't take out any of our bridges.  There are several folks nearby whose cabins had flooding, and at least 2 cars were washed into the river.  Sadly, due to all the septic systems, it also smells like sewage.  Not sure I'd eat any fish from there for awhile!  This is a picture from this morning - after the water had retreated a foot or two.  It was a lot clearer today, and they finally lifted the flash flood warnings this afternoon. 

Birthdays!

July 20, 2010 by Seraph in Cortez

Happy belated birthday to Adam!!  Happy early birthday to Mom!!

I can't believe it's been almost a month since our last posting.  Yes, we did get rain.  It comes most afternoons between 3 and 5pm, rains off and on for an hour or so and then stops.  Very nice!

I've been busy with work, and Robbie has been busy with school and job hunting (yes, hunting is more appropriate then searching).  We're starting to get excited for Isa's return in August, even though everything else feels in limbo.

Please Rain

June 25, 2010 by Seraph in Cortez

We're in desperate need of rain down here.  The weather report is calling for it, the clouds roll in, we hear the thunder, but alas, no rain.  There are several large fires burning in our region, and the Forest Service has put out some Stage 1 fire restrictions.  So far this doesn't affect our campers, but without rain they'll upgrade to Stage 2 restrictions, and there go the summer s'mores!