From One Thing to Another

After a week filled with wonderful school (that's not a hyperbolic statement--it really did go wonderfully and I am rather enjoying it), we spent Saturday working at our church's community fair. The last half I worked some of the games, but the first half I spent dancing on the sidewalk in the intersection with a huge inflatable monkey that was twice as wide as me and almost as tall. It was supposed to be advertising. As in, it was supposed to make people want to come (the fair was Hawaiian themed). I'm not sure it had that effect though. Really, would you come to a fair if an 18 year old girl clinging to a monkey asked you too? Despite, I've never been honked at, smiled at, waved at, and shouted at quite so much in the span of an hour. And all of it quite positive, so apparently it was good advertising, despite my dubiousness. However, when I handed the monkey off to Hunter, people with their windows down told him they looked related (and it wasn't just one person--cars repeatedly stopped and told him so). I'm not sure if that was a positive or a negative. At least it got people interested. Poor Hunter though... thankfully he appeared to take it well, and would just shout right back at them. For better or for worse.

I have hereby decided that the rest of this post shall simply be a catalogue (dear Firefox web browser spell check: yes I know it's catalog but I prefer the English spelling thank you very much) of random moments from the past week. This is because all of my memories are disjointed, aside from school which is a constant and links one day neatly to the next. But anything constant usually isn't much use writing about, so here goes.

Some of the first antsy leaves have fallen, and when dad mowed the lawn they all ended up in the same place due to dad's fancy mowing skills. Sanna promptly begged me to assist her in raking them so we could have a jumping party. So we raked. It only took about 10 minutes, even though we were sharing the rake. By the time we were done, our pile was literally 10% leaves and 90% grass clippings. But we jumped anyway, had a jolly time, and got green knees. When we were done, I dumped it in the chicken coop (the hens are laying steadily now).

Some very good news is that we have Ally back!! (the audi Q7). So we actually have two cars now, neither of which is Andrews, and both of which work. It had been 6 months since we'd first sent Ally to get fixed, and I had stopped paying attention to why it was taking so long a long time ago. I just knew it had something to do with money and failed water tests and mechanics who were forever "coming in to work on it tomorrow." But the point is, she is back. Dad and Misha got her secretly, so when we came home from the community fair there she was sitting in the driveway. Isaac and I leaped out of the of the car and literally hugged her. It was so nice riding to church this morning and not getting a sore back from positioning my legs a certain way to make room for whoever would sit next to me or in front of me.

Hurricane Irene has been fun. I realize that a lot of people have been displaced, harmed, and killed by her, but I want to give her a moment of appreciation because from my inland vantage point, she is beautiful and cozy. We've had a nice steady rain ever since 3:30 this morning (or at least that is when I first noticed it when I registered the sound on the roof in between dreams). There has been some wind and a few downed limbs, but nothing near as bad as the storm that came through back in May. Overall, a very nice rainstorm for a county that averages only 27-31 inches a year (see I was paying attention during that field trip to the conservation office). It was too bad that we had to cancel the church picnic, but we'll have it later in September, and it is always good to have something to look forward to.

I recently was reading National Geographic Traveler and one of the featured articles was "Our Favorite National Park"--Washington DC and the white monuments/mall. In it, they were lamenting that for being such an historic area, it has become quite decrepit and needs millions in repair or updates. One of the things they mentioned was that the only public restroom is the ten-stalled facility in the Washington Monument, and how they really should add a lot more--a fact that is very true, and Maryah knows from experience. She'll probably kill me for saying this, but I think she was just 10 at the time so it is understandable. The story is as follows: it was early evening during a warm summer day, and we had just taken a picture of us all ("us" being my family minus Andrew, who ditched us for a Christian conference, and the Prutsman cousins) in front of the W. M.
Maryah said: I need to go to the bathroom. I really need to go to the bathroom.
Mom: the monument just closed. Sorry. *pause* Oh look--there's a portapotty. I'll take you. After all, if you really have to go, that is your only option for miles.
Maryah (timidly): okay.
We all meander around for a while, trying not to look like we are waiting for someone inside the head. A minute or two later, Maryah comes back out and says: you know what, I don't have to go anymore. It scared it back up inside of me.
Moral of the story: they really do need more public restrooms, as well as the plethora of other improvements the article mentioned, like peeling paint and over grown paths and whatnot.
However, I doubt they are getting new bathrooms anytime soon, now that the WM is cracked in multiple places from the earth quake (the judgment of God anyone?). It will take millions to fix that, and I doubt there will be money left over for bathrooms. Seeing as we are pretty much bankrupt. And seeing as the economy is weak.

Break in the blog post: Misha just walked over and peered over the screen of my laptop. She said "what's this? Writing about your life? Tragic." She then walked away. Huh. That girl cracks me up sometimes. 

Speaking of which (the weak economy--not misha cracking me up...though it still all fits together because the WM is cracking up...haha...wow...I'm defintely going crazy or getting tired...I'm rambling and making lame jokes. All well. I'm having fun. And that's what a blog is all about. Or partly about.) I noticed on CNN money (that is the home page of the family computer...talk about depressing) that one of the headlines was about gas prices going down. But, they said, don't rejoice too much, because lowering gas prices could be a sign of a weak economy. Am I mistaken, or is it not obvious that we are already definitely IN a weak economy? I mean, its only the reason my dad's business tanked. Seriously, they need to come up with better headlines. And not state the obvious.

So before I start stating the obvious, I'd better end this post. Also, I'm sick of proof reading for school, so please graciously ignore any grammatical errors, its that should be it's and vice versa, and doubled or missing words.