Ricky and I have enjoyed going to "the pub" for the last year or so. It's about 3 miles from our house, very good, cheap, and has a fun atmosphere. We are frequent guests to the pub, but usually on Friday or Saturday evenings. We've also started introducing our friends to the pub. One of the best, and quirkiest, things about the pub are totchos. That's right, nachos made with tater tots rather than chips. Sounds crazy, but it is so, so good. Everyone we take there loves totchos.
Well, Wednesday night was our friend (and Ricky's coworker) Bettina's birthday, and she was dying for some totchos so we all agreed to meet up at the pub after Bettina got off work. When we got there, a group of 25 singers had taken over the place and were singing Irish folk songs. Turns out that we have a Irish choir in Portland (all men, I think our server said) and they rehearse on Wednesdays. After rehearsal, they head to the pub for beer and fellowship, singing songs and handing out song sheets so unsuspecting diners can also join in. We had a blast sitting and listening to them, and Ricky and I decided then and there to return next Wed, and as many Wednesdays after as we can. We'll sit and have a soda and listen to them sing...and maybe even join in now and again.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
.83
Just call me Ms. 83%.
My period at the high school has been taken away for next year. Not enough kids signed up for drama, and with major budget cuts in the district there was no way to salvage it. I am, however, retaining my .83 at the middle school, which means I'll be technically working part time...well, as all part time teachers know, I'll be working full time and paid for part time!
I'm coming to grips with it. The loss of income is frustrating, and had me convinced that we needed to walk away from the new house. But we worked it out, and while things may be tight for a little while, it won't be awful by any means. I think we can still afford to go to a movie once a year ;-)
I'm actually kind of looking forward to it. Our district pays better than most districts, so even at .83 of a full salary I'll be making about what most full time teachers at my level make in other districts. It means that I will either be able to sleep in for 90 minutes more than before or leave school 90 minutes earlier, depending on what my schedule does.
The only difficult part is that this is a reminder that drama jobs are not stable. They are often the first to be cut when the budget needs to be tightened. Everyone says teaching jobs are secure, and they are - if you are a content teacher or in a legally mandated area like special ed (though those aren't even all that secure anymore). But we electives teachers hold our breath at the end of every year, unsure if we'll be brought back, and if so, how much we'll be working.
My period at the high school has been taken away for next year. Not enough kids signed up for drama, and with major budget cuts in the district there was no way to salvage it. I am, however, retaining my .83 at the middle school, which means I'll be technically working part time...well, as all part time teachers know, I'll be working full time and paid for part time!
I'm coming to grips with it. The loss of income is frustrating, and had me convinced that we needed to walk away from the new house. But we worked it out, and while things may be tight for a little while, it won't be awful by any means. I think we can still afford to go to a movie once a year ;-)
I'm actually kind of looking forward to it. Our district pays better than most districts, so even at .83 of a full salary I'll be making about what most full time teachers at my level make in other districts. It means that I will either be able to sleep in for 90 minutes more than before or leave school 90 minutes earlier, depending on what my schedule does.
The only difficult part is that this is a reminder that drama jobs are not stable. They are often the first to be cut when the budget needs to be tightened. Everyone says teaching jobs are secure, and they are - if you are a content teacher or in a legally mandated area like special ed (though those aren't even all that secure anymore). But we electives teachers hold our breath at the end of every year, unsure if we'll be brought back, and if so, how much we'll be working.
The new house
Well, so far so good. I haven't heard yet that we aren't getting financing (something I am convinced is going to happen), our inspection came out ok, the sellers agreed to do the 2 things we asked for based on the inspection, they've already started tearing out the wall in the garage to return it to it's 2 car capacity, and we're set to close on 6/6 and take posession 6/9. Oddly enough, I'm really not freaking out very much.
The living room, taken from the entryway
Welcome to our new home!
The eating area, taken from the kitchen
The kitchen, taken from the eating area
Our bedroom (with the sellers' stuff, obviously)
My favorite room of the house - the MASTER bathroom. We finally get to have two bathrooms!
The guest room - Patrick, you'll be ok sleeping in a Disney Princess room, right?! ;-)
Friday, May 9, 2008
We're Moving!
We've been looking since September. We found a house one week ago - oddly enough, it's a mile from our house, less than that if you cut through the schoolyard. We made an offer Tuesday. They countered Wednesday. We countered their counter Thursday. They accepted.
We own two homes. We are crazy. But we are moving!
The new house is bigger by 400 square feet. It has 3 bedrooms instead of two. It has 2 bathrooms instead of one. It has a full on double car garage, instead of our narrow and short one car garage. The backyard is still plenty of big for parties (because we throw so many) and more importantly, playing ball with the dog. The front yard is small enough that we can take care of it easily. And the living space is quite a big bigger.
We are set to close June 6, assuming nothing goes wonky with our financing. We hope to be moved in mid June and have our house rented as of July 1. We are going to be landlords. We are nuts, but we are finally moving.
We own two homes. We are crazy. But we are moving!
The new house is bigger by 400 square feet. It has 3 bedrooms instead of two. It has 2 bathrooms instead of one. It has a full on double car garage, instead of our narrow and short one car garage. The backyard is still plenty of big for parties (because we throw so many) and more importantly, playing ball with the dog. The front yard is small enough that we can take care of it easily. And the living space is quite a big bigger.
We are set to close June 6, assuming nothing goes wonky with our financing. We hope to be moved in mid June and have our house rented as of July 1. We are going to be landlords. We are nuts, but we are finally moving.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Tired
This post serves no purpose other than to say yes, I am still alive. Yes, I am tired. No, nothing interesting is happening in my world.
That is all.
That is all.
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