So I couldn't sleep this morning. I woke up at 5am. Which was no good. I watched a bit of TV because I was really bored and I knew that Zach wouldn't want to wake up and play. . . . .and then I got on my computer.

Which is where this came from.

Love you and miss you all.

Demolition Time.

I am not quite sure whether or not I have mentioned this before now, but we currently live right across the street from a demolition site.


Our buildings siblings are being knocked down. Kinda sad. . . .kinda cool. Apparently a lot of the neighborhood kids are freaked out by it because their old friends used to live in those houses. . . .. and now where are they going to come home to? In those rubble-filled spots will one day be our new homes. Well, our new homes that we will move into and then a year later move out of (and maybe come back to Saint Augustine?).


This past Sunday Zach, Rae, and I went out to Terhune Orchards for Apple Day! Last year Zach and I spent at least an hour and a half wandering around. . .this year we all knew that we just wanted Cider Doughnuts and yummy goodies from the store. So we were there for maybe 20 minutes. It was great.


This is Bella. We are dog sitting her for the weekend while our friends (her parents) are out of town.

Work is good. Life is good. I can't wait for winter!
Miss you and love you all.

Guest Spot: Zach's Little Victories

I don’t know that this is really an account of a victory, small or otherwise, on my part or just one
of the many goofisms which comprise the overwhelming majority of my daily business. Nonetheless it
stuck out in my mind as being representative of what our life is like together. So, to set the scene, Kaley
and I went camping with the McNeals and we were sitting around roasting marshmallows over a tiny
charcoal grill. We were roasting them over a grill because fires were banned, so was swimming. This
camp ground didn’t allow camp fires or swimming. Sounds like a lot of fun, right? Well, jokes on you Bass
River Camp Ground, it was.

So the rest goes like this:

Kaley: Honey, would you get me a marshmallow?

Zach: Sure. (disappears)

Kaley: blah blah blah

Kevin McNeal: Blah blah blah movies blah blah blah

Rachael McNeal: Blah blah blah my hair is red blah blah blah

Zach: (returns after some time with no marshmallow)

Kaley: Where’s my marshmallow, honey?

Zach: (puzzled with dawning realization) Oh, I was standing at the table thinking, and then I realized
there was a marshmallow in my hand. I figured I must have wanted it. So, I ate it.
True story. I would argue that it counts as a small victory because my wife has to live with stuff like that all the time, and I got a marshmallow. If you're wondering if my wife ever got her marshmallow, then you obviously don't know her or her indomitable will when it comes to getting what she wants.

new job and way cooler more interesting things

Have you ever worked with ALL women? Working with only women is dangerous. Everyone is catty and someone is always pissed at the world. On the other hand, everyone is very understanding. Well, almost everyone.
Today was no good. The entire time I was being trained by this one woman. She's one of those people who have a way of making you feel like a big idiot (which I know I'm not so the whole time I just wanted to punch her right in the face and leave). At one point in time she looked at me and said, "Well, I already went over this with you once so you should obviously be taking notes." This was prime punching-in-the-face time. But I held back. Anyways that sucked. . . .I will be having a conversation with my supervisor tomorrow morning.Moving on. Awesome things that have been happening lately:

Rhode Island!! Zach and I headed North to visit the Grandparents. We love them because they are awesome. Here are some lovely pictures.





Zach made a delicious meal for six! He just wanted to. So we invited the Hedges and the McNeals and Zach made delicious yummies. Apple butter glazed pork chops with homemade mashed potatoes, sauteed zucchini and squash, salad, and dinner rolls. So delicious.


CAMPING!!!! Last weekend Zach and I headed to Bass River State Forest for camping! Rae and Kevin were already there with the tents all setup. It was sooooo fun. The weekend was full of bocce ball, Rook (a card game), delicious food, wonderful weather, and laughing. Lots of laughing. It was so nice to be in the middle of a forest with no city noise or yuppy people. Noteworthy items: --We got kicked out of the lake because apparently we're not aloud to swim after Labor Day Weekend (water dragons?) --Zach is able to climb up trees real fast and with little effort. --Rae and I are amazing camper-cooks. -- We also are really good at reading for long periods of time while sitting right next to one another while Zach and Kevin hurl hatchets at trees. --Smores are in fact delicious over charcoal grills. --We also were not aloud to build a fire because it hadn't rained in a while. --Bocce ball and Rook are both very good games. --Zach can juggle bocce balls (in case you were wondering). Collage time.


almost forgot the sweet painting/birthday gift I made for Rae!

Zach's Little Victories

For some time I’ve been contemplating writing a guest spot for my Wife’s blog. I thought since she gives the broad strokes of what’s been going on in NJ, I’d set forth to create a window into the smaller, less visible aspects of our life. While such a view is by nature narrower, it offers a more nuanced perspective. So I hope it will sketch in some of the details and display more of our unique character.

This first guest spot is a poem I wrote. I was reading some essays by Eugene Peterson from his book Subversive Spirituality. He’s a well known pastor and scholar and he utilizes a lot of classic literature and poetry to give depth to his writing. I thought I would try to explore my own artistic faculties in preparation for this next academic year. So this is a first attempt and may expose me as a novice poet.

Some clarifications I bet my wife would feel better if I included. First, I apologize for the expletive in the first line. Second, she defended the odor of the couch, which I could not debate since my nose is mostly ornamental. On its best day it can barely be bothered to be breathed through, much less smell anything with any reliability. So, I know I couldn’t out smell Kaley on the smellingest day of my life. Third, the stains are nearly invisible and can only be seen by the trained observer. All this is just to say, please, no one send us a new couch, because this one really isn’t all that shabby, although I assure you many will find it rather ugly in person.

The Golden Years of My Furniture

By Zach Grant

Yellow couch you look like shit

Like Big Bird ate dayglow threadbare mustard

My cat retched up tarry bile on you

The stains scrubbed into a rusty tint

Chronicling “cheechy-mon’s” digestive misfortunes

You smell like you look

I’d end you with fire by the tracks

But my wife loves you

And so do I

So So So Good.

These past few weeks have been wonderful. Besides getting a new job, and simply loving it, I have made my way to NYC, enjoyed a couple date nights, and even survived a wild safari trip. . .(Six Flags park style).

The Safari included Zach and I driving around in the good ol' Saturn on this 4 mile long road that takes you through a whole buncha different animals and their habitats. The cool/dangerous/interesting part about it was that there were no fences that kept most of the animals from getting real close to your car. Zach and I definitely thought that the rhino's were going to impale our car. . . . he looked kinda mad. It was awesome.


I have been wanting to go to NYC by myself for a while . . . so I can walk around and only be concerned with what I want to do and how fast I want to do it. So I planned to go, but then I found out that my friend Victor's (who lives in NYC) parents were going to be in town. I really wanted to see them (they are great) so I ended up spending most of the day with them. It was sooooo much fun. I also got to see Come Fly Away. Real good.



Good times had by all.

Love you and miss you.

Good Times. . . .

This past Sunday five of my closest girlfriends road-tripped all the way to Princeton, NJ. We had a wonderful time. They arrived on a Wednesday. Unfortunately I had to work Thursday and Friday morning. . . . however we managed to have a grand ol' time none the less. Wednesday and Thursday night was spent hanging out and touristing around the town. Princeton is beautiful so it is fun to show people around, but it's also kinda hot out and. . . .well I was real tired.



We also went out to Terhune Orchards. . . which is favorite. This time I did two things there I had never done. . . .tried their Cider Slush----delicious and refreshing---and fed the goats for a wopping dime. Zach and I definitely felt more at home after realizing we know Princeton well enough to show our friends a good time.



Friday night was so great. We. . . .me, Cally, Jenni, Halie, Hollis, Megan, and my dear wonderful friends Rae and Ruth. . . . drank some amazing Sangria. . .among other yummies. . . .and played hilarious games---Three Round Charades and Catch Phrase. It's so fun to act silly and laugh so dang hard with your closest pals (sigh--miss them already). We all had such a great time.


Saturday morning we woke up (some slower and sicker than others) and headed out to NYC. We took the ferry which is always so much fun and super convenient. Once we got there we headed straight to Times Square to pick up our tickets for Promises Promises. While we waited for the show we headed to Ellens Stardust Diner. Also a grand ol' time. Watching waiters and waitresses sing (some quite well) while waiting on tables is very impressive. Finally it was time for the show! Soooo good. Highly recommend it. After the show we wandered around the city. Highlights: couple doin' the nasty in Central Park right next to the entrance of Strawberry Fields, searched for Once Upon a Tart in SOHO (closed :( ), had a delicious dinner in Greenwich Village. . . . Yay for good times and amazing friends.




On another happy note. I got a new job! Though I will miss Starbucks and its inhabitants. . . . I am looking forward to learning a new job, having a more normal work schedule (8:30-5 Mon-Fri), and having the opportunity to save a bit more money. I will be working at an Ophthalmologists Office as one of 7 (?) front desk assistants. Did I mention I am excited about being able to wear perfume, paint my nails, wear my hair down, and not come home smelling like coffee? Oh. . and scrubs! Thank you, Jesus!

Miss you and love you all!