We're moving.
It seems rather sudden. In less than two weeks my family will be living in a house half an hour away from here. Different house. Different city. More people. More traffic. Less trees. Less hills. Less distance between our home and the places we go.

Funny how life works, though. All of a sudden I realize how much I like this house. Our long, gravel driveway. The road we live on. The surrounding woods. Being able to walk from one end of the house to the other in the dark, knowing exactly where everything is (except when there's something unexpected in the middle of the floor!).

But I really am happy that we're moving. It's a good house, and I liked it when we went to see it. It's so much closer to everything than our home "out in the sticks." And, get this: It's on the very same street as our bestest friends in the whole wide world. How cool is that? We've always talked about how cool it would be if we were neighbors, and now we will be! So, it really is pretty exciting.

Dread at having to pack up all of our junk and scour both houses has sort of killed the excitement for the moment, though. Packing is nothing compared to the real joy-killer. What could be worse than packing and cleaning, you ask? It is this:

I can no longer work at the little preschool in town. I'm pretty much devastated about that. (I cried after I called Mrs. Nancy to tell her so.) All summer long I've anticipated going back to work. Back to my sweet boys from last year, back to spending weekday mornings being "Miss Caitlin," reading the same books over and over, repeating playground rules, passing out second helpings of goldfish and reminding little hands that snack is for eating, not squishing.

Last week I spent every morning preparing our room for the first week of school, and now I don't get to be there. So... I'm pretty much heartbroken about that. And people keep saying, "don't worry, there are plenty of preschools where you're going! I'm sure you can get a job there!" But that's not the point. It's not my preschool. I'm sure I can get a new job, and make friends with new teachers, and love a new set of kids, but the point is that I've missed everybody from our smalltown preschool over the summer, and now I don't get to go back to them.

The thought also struck me that I won't be going to the little brick Post Office in town for all of my shipping needs any more. Mr. Bob always asks how business is going, and says I'm their favorite customer. :) The local P.O. where we're moving is bigger and busier.

Lest you think that I'm complaining, let me reassure you! I'm happy we're moving. I think it's a wise move, and will be very beneficial. We'll be so close to everything, best friends included! The house is perfect for us, and getting it just right -like we did with this house- will be a fun process.

I've just been wanting to write a sad post about how I'll miss the people at preschool, and the post office, and the woods, and our road, and being close to Mema's. Now that I've done so, you can expect ... well, I don't know what you can expect. =)

Enjoy the long weekend!
Caitlin

I found a funny picture of my Vincent the other day. (It looks like he's screaming or yawning, but he was probably just bringing up some food from his crop... how boring. lol) Having a bird around was lots of fun, and I definitely want another one.

The thought entered my head that perhaps I should just get a normal little parakeet, but I dismissed the notion almost immediately. After having a parrotlet, a budgie would be so blah. :P Not that I don't like them - as a matter of fact, I was thinking of getting one a couple months ago, but I knew it would make Vincent mad. lol

So, we shall see what happens on the bird front. I'm sure I want another parrotlet (the turquoise ones are so pretty!!), but I don't know when I'll be able to get one. For one thing, I'm trying to save money and I want a new pair of eyeglases. For another, there aren't really any local breeders. But you know I'll keep you updated, whatever happens.


In the meantime, you can enjoy kitten pictures. ;-)


This is a nice flattering shot of them. Spectre's sisters are having allergy problems or something, so their little eyes don't look too swell. Poor dears.


They're only like 5 weeks old, but they've gotten really adventurous. I came bounding up the porch steps the other day and nearly tromped on them! Usually they stay close to the shed they live under, but apparently they're exploring further territory now. After I took this picture, their mom wandered off while they took a little nap.



Crocheting has been sort of a drag since I finished my earflap hat... I want to make something new and cool, but I'm never satisfied with my ideas once I start working on them! However, I did make this pretty wool beret this week. I crocheted as I watched X-Men.



The beret was finished before the movie wasn't over, so I started on these little wristies. Then I finished them during an episode of Star Trek.


So, now you know.




This week at work we're getting everything all set up. Yesterday I washed toys. Today I decorated our bulletin board and door. Yay! Tuesday is Open House and the first day of school is Wednesday. I'm so excited!



Hope you're having a good week, too. :)
Caitlin

Bring on the cold!

I need a reason to wear my new hat!

Actually, I'm sad that summer is over, and would rather winter not rush upon us. But still. My lovely pointy and stripey earflap hat is begging to be worn!!

Aventures dans la Cuisson

Last night I decided to make some French bread to go with our spaggetti.
Seeing as how I've not made French bread before, I was a little nervous.
It was for naught - the bread was perfect. So beautiful was it that I told Daddy not to cut into the second loaf so that I could preserve and frame it.
Of course, that didn't happen.

So, I'm making more today. ;-)

Also on yesterday's agenda was banana bread.
Also a success.

Yay!
I should bake more often.

P.S. I love how Picnik makes all my pictures look quaint. :)

To My Little Green Bird

Dear Vincent,

Tonight I'll be sad when I go to bed because you won't be there for me to say goodnight to.
I'm gonna make banana bread this week, and I'll be sad because you won't be here to eat some. I already got your cage cleaned and put away so I won't have to be sad every time I see it. Somebody had a hair dryer blowing earlier, and it was a little strange because you weren't here to make that obnoxious fire-alarm sound at it. That's one thing I won't miss about you, buddy.

Aside from that, you'll be missed. A lot. Even though I called you a jerk, and devil-spawn-bird. And nicknamed you Evil. I'll miss taking you for car rides. Why did you always feel the need to take a shower in your tiny little water cup whenever we got in the car? Oh, and I'm sorry I scared you the other day when I attempted to take you for a bike ride. lol And even though it was annoying like crazy, you wouldn't have been you if you had been sweet and non-grumpy all the time, so I guess I'll miss your crazy grumpiness too.

I'll think of you every time I hear Josh Groban's "Vincent." I'm glad you liked that song. Thanks for chirping and singing with me whenever I sang it to you. Sorry I didn't sing to you more often. I know singing with me was one of your favorite things. Like just the other night, when I was singing nonsense before bed -I noticed you chirping with me from under your blanket. That was so cute. :)

I'm sorry I let you get hurt. You were supposed to be with me for a long time. At least a couple more years. Ha! I had even imagined how you would be mean to my future boyfriend/husband. It was going to be hilarious. You would be jealous and attack him, and he wouldn't like you, but I would say tough noogies, and tell him to get over it. Yesh, I'm silly sometimes.

Some people probably think it's silly to be so sad about a bird dying. (It's probably silly to write a letter to you as a blog post.) When I left your cage outside a few months ago and you flew away, I was miserable. Somebody said "what's the big deal? It's just a bird." Sure. I guess you were just a bird. But you were a very loved bird. That's the difference. And when something you love is gone, it hurts. And if you loved a lot, it hurts a lot. I loved you a lot.

By the way, thanks for getting up the courage to fly back down out of that tree. And thanks for being so darn sweet to me the last few days. It was a nice change from your random attacks.

(Feb. '06)

I don't have many pictures of you, and I don't have tons of blog posts about you, but to have been such a tiny little bird you were a pretty major part of my life the last couple years.

I have a bird!
He has a name!
Another post about him
We liked the same music
"A Day in the Life of Vincent"

(Jan. '08)

Love you.