April 2022: Lake Clean up with Fishing Club

 

April 2022: We're Gonna Sell a House!

While we knew broadly what we were doing, like most everything we do, there was also an element of "well, we will figure it out as we go along"...which made the whole let's sell our house and move thing a bit more complicated than it may have needed to be.  It was a LOT of work.  A LOT.  Like, think of how much work you think it might be, and triple that, and then add on some for good measure.  We cleaned, we decluttered, we packed, we hired Junk Collectors, we donated a house or two worth of stuff, we threw more stuff away, donated some more, packed, tossed, donated, tossed, donate, repeat.  And other than the very large stuff that we literally could not move on our own, we moved the whole house ourselves.  I became VERY good friends with the folks at the UHaul place.  Timeline:  meet with a realtor on April 25.  Close on your house on August 9.  That, folks, is about as quick as it could possibly have been done.  It was a small miracle that it happened at all.  And the timing could not have been better-the market was red hot and then by the end of August, it was stone cold.  And interest rates were creeping up all summer...and selling a big house today is infinitely more difficult than it was when we did it.  

 The process included lots of steps.  Refinishing wood floors, painting, upgrading fixtures, upgrading lights...no major remodeling but it was still time consuming, labor intensive and EXPENSIVE!  The Buyers got a wonderful house but I don't regret our decision for one second.  Every time I get our little tiny gas bill I am happy we are no longer in that monstrosity of a house!!

 

April 2022: D and friends at College

Daniel ASSURED me that he was using sunscreen.  :  )

 A bunch of MN boys enjoying Florida spring break.

April 2022: Misc Stuff on Us

we had April thunderstorms that drove us into the basement (and Lanny under the bed and poor Leo into a nervous breakdown...)

and April snowstorms that made us scratch our heads about living in Minnesota

we enjoyed Grease put on at the high school, especially since we knew many of the performers!

No one wanted to do eggs this year so I just did one of each color myself.

 

Pretty boy Lanny

April 2022: Prom Dress Season

 

Cars from our Spring Break Trip

 It was a recurring theme on the trip...there are LOTS of cool cars in California... which, to be honest, I have no idea about, but Macey and Josh seemed to have endless facts

April 2022 Josh: Stuff on Him

 Being 13 is exhausting...Aunt Margie sent a life jacket for Josh's kayak fishing...Josh and friends at the local Elem School festival...

April 2022: Easter

 

April 2022: Sisters via Text

 The older we get, the more alike we look...

April 2022: Aunt Margie and Uncle Booper come to visit

 Aunt Margie and Uncle Booper came out for March Madness...we watched some basketball, they went to a couple of games, the dogs were quarantined and then released...it was a delight to see them and we enjoyed the company.

March 2022: USC College Visit

 

March 2022: Dockweiler Beach State Park

 This beach is very very close to LAX...the airplanes take off just above the beach. It was also filthy-trash and litter everywhere.  There were not many shells, and not any worth collecting, though I took pictures of some.  If it was the only beach you'd ever known, I suppose it would do.  But by comparison to NC or FL beaches, well, ick.  Plus, my feet ended up with some sort of sticky tar like substance stuck to them which I cleaned off in the airport bathroom sink, one foot at a time...rather odd looking, I am sure for anyone who came in while I was bathing my feet...  Nice enough way to end a wonderful trip to California for Spring Break.  Now (November 2022) we are waiting to find out where Macey will be going to school...perhaps one of these places that we visited?  TBD...