Moving Right Along

Good morning son! I know I've asked this many times, but where do the days go? They just disappear and then here it is Sunday again already. My picture of retirement was a lot slower than this. But, I wouldn't have it any other way. We're busy but we're doing things we want to do, when we want to do them, for the most part anyway. 

Such sad news this morning, Cory Monteith of "Glee" was found dead in a hotel in Canada this weekend.Cory Monteith  How very sad. Thirty-one years old and gone. All that talent gone. All that future gone. All the family and friends left behind. I understand the loss and I grief and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Dad and I will be praying for his family and friends. 

We're expecting some very HOT weather this week. It's predicted to be in the high 90's but the humidity is going to take it into the 100's. Dad and I spent the afternoon yesterday moving an air conditioner into the living room. The one we had in there "died". It's a smaller one but will work just fine to cool the one room which is all we need. We already have one to cool the bedroom so we can sleep.I think Jamison suffers from the heat more than we do. If we had to wear a fur coat in 100 degree weather I think we'd understand. I've never cared for a fur coat so guess that won't ever be a problem.

We're still working on the guest room. I bought the paint to redo the dresser and need to do some decorating but we've already had our first guest; Josh came over last week and spent the night. What a hoot that kid is. He reminds me so much of you. He and dad spent time organizing fishing gear. Because of storm and flash flood warnings they didn't make it to Grafton Lake , but with any luck, this week or next, weather permitting. We watched Star

Make be giggle!

Trek, Voyager and Animal Planet. Sound familiar? My intent was to get the dresser painted and the room finished this week so I could start on the entry this week. But, that didn't happen so I'll finish up this week. As with any move, whether it be distance or just a room, one move leads to another. Once we got things sorted out I had so much project stuff in my studio I now have to sort that out. The whole intent and purpose of having a large work table is to have work space when I do a project. Right now, NOT! Since I'm finally headed in the direction I've always wanted to go, Primitive, rustic and wood, much of what I have I will not need. So, I'm sorting and making a pile, a big pile, for Taylor School. All the kids have gone there and Josie, Dylan and Josh are still there.

I experienced something very surprising last week. Dad had asked me to sketch out some of my ideas for things I want to build so we'd have an idea of what we want to start. I did some rough sketches  with measurements to give him an idea. As I sat there with sketch pad and pencil in hand watching Animal Planet with Josh I started doodling. An amazing thing happened, my doodling took on an actual recognizable picture. I'm not saying they're great. It just amazed me that they were actually recognizable. Dad gave me some ideas on shading and moving things from the foreground and to the back and depth perception and I've been doodling since.

I want to do a lot of the painting "free hand" on my wood projects so now I just have to be able to transfer some of my ideas from paper to wood. I want to try out some of the new paint pens as well. You'd be in hog heaven, Sharpie has an entire line of paint pens. We use to do all of our work with Sharpies and now you can actually get them with paint. Woo hoo! Many times I've wished I had your Sharpie collection. I don't think there was a Sharpie pen color or tip design that you did not have. It will take a lot of practice but I'll get there. I am so excited about finally being able to head in the direction I've always wanted to go. This week dad is going to be spending some time with me on the saws. We have a couple of neighbors here who work late and sleep until about noon. Dad and I figure we can do the sawing in the afternoons and in the morning when everyone is sleeping we can put things together and do the painting. The back deck is a perfect place to do it all. Most of the time it is shaded and comfortable and we have our 6' table and electrical on the deck so we're good to go. Eventually we'll need to get band and miter saws but for right now we'll go with what we have.

Friday night I went to the movies with Corey, Jamo, Josh and Josie to see Despicable Me 2. The whole time we were there I could just imagine you sitting there laughing your head off. You would have loved it as much as the first one. It is SO your type of movie. The three little girls in

the movie are so adorable. I so wanted to bring them home with me. You just wanted to reach into the screen and squeeze them they are so cute. We laughed until our sides split. As always, any time spent with any of the Troy 9 is a hoot. We're going to drop by and see Corey's newly redecorated screened porch. From the picture she messaged me it looks beautiful. Can't wait to see it! That table looks small, but don't be fooled. You have to remember how many people have to fit around it!

I have to share another picture with you that Corey posted this morning on Facebook. It's a picture of Jamo and Josie sitting together. A comment was made, or question asked, "When did his arms get so long?" As I looked at them sitting there together I thought, "When Josie was born". That's when his arms got so long. When Josie was

Josie & Jamo

born. It's so hard to believe how much they have all grown since the time we've been a part of their lives. They're just all growing so quickly. In January, Josie will be six. How DID that happen? Sierra will graduate from high school next May and Hunter the next year.Life moves so quickly. And believe it or not,  at least for me anyway, even more quickly in the two years since I've been retired. As of February next year it will have been three years.

Remember your Auntie Di especially this next week. She has cataract  surgery on Monday due to chemo. Uncle Ron can use your prayers too. It's been catastrophically hot in the valley and he's had to work out in it. He'll be with Auntie Di on Monday so I'll let you know how things go. Grandma had her check up last week and she's doing great. That's always good news. Julie and family are doing well. The girls are doing good and have made friends. We're hoping to be able to take a trip next year and visit with them. 

It may seem a small thing to some, but dad and I have ordered the Sunday Times Union Albany paper. One of the things that's been difficult since we've moved to Troy is that we have no history here. It's difficult to even get interested in reading the paper because we don't have the history or know the people. So, we've started with the Sunday paper. The first arrived this morning and dad has really been enjoying his morning relaxing and reading. The more we read, the more we'll know and recognize. It's a start. It all begins with "get up and do what's in front of you". Dad use to say that to you all the time, remember? And when you were in high school he added, "but first, you've got to get up"!

Until next week, be Aaron, love mom