While I was gone

It was a lot like magic. I left for Baltimore on Sunday and Monday the plumber showed up, ripped up the toilet, removed the sink and started jack-hammering the floor. By the time I got back, everything was back in place, the washer and dryer had a new hookup across the room, and the floor didn't have any holes in it. We even have a new toilet that doesn't keep running and fills up in just a few seconds (instead of a minute or more). Here's a couple of pictures Paul took of the progress.

Right now, the general contractor friend is downstairs putting in the wall between the bathroom and the laundry. Tomorrow, Mr. Ken is coming to put in the electric necessary before we proceed. And then I can call the plumber back to install the tub. I can't wait.

OMEA Concert Band Contest

Kristen participated yesterday (the 14th) in an OMEA (Ohio Music Education Association) Contest. It's a performance against standards competition, where you are competing with a "perfect" performance. The Greenon Band got a II (excellent) rating, where the highest possible is I (outstanding). They performed 3 songs and 1 sight-reading piece.

Cameras aren't allowed during performance, so the band teacher held a concert last Tuesday at the high school for the parents. Unfortunately, the videos are too large to post here, because I'd love to post one of the songs we saw on Tuesday.

I'm packing for a trip to Baltimore to attend the annual Society of Toxicology meeting. I'll be back Thursday night. I'm not lugging a computer with me, so no updates from me.

Teri

A better look

Well, the home improvement store phase of the baby's room is complete. I think you'll agree that the look of the room is much improved. I couldn't decide which shot to post: the "after" version corresponding to my last post on the subject or the shot with the new mirrored closet doors, so I posted both. Hope you don't mind.

Edible Science

Hi all,

Here's a picture of James' latest science project. It's an edible animal cell. I pasted the key below. I'm sure it was good (well, his classmates didn't leave leftovers).

Teri

Animal Cell Key

Nucleus- sugar cookie
Chromosomes- Twizzlers
Mitochondria- jelly beans
Cell membrane- Fruit by the Foot
Vacuoles- big Smarties
Transport system- stick pretzels

Cytoplasm- cake

More Progress

Sorry about the long wait between posts. We've been very busy. The horrible walls shown in the last post took considerable time to straigten out, but now they're looking very nice. We'll be able to show you the room with the woodwork up by next weekend.

On Thursday, a general contractor (a friend of Molly's from work) came out to do the firring strips to get the basement started. He was able to put them up very quickly. Paul and I would have spent that long just deciding where they needed to go. Friday, Paul took down the bathroom wall. So what you are seeing in the picture attached is our current combo bathroom/laundry room/construction zone.

Today, Aaron, a friend from work, came over to help Paul hang the mirrored closet doors in the bedrooms. They got 2 of the 3 sets of doors done. Hopefully we can show those off next weekend too.

This week will be more of the same. Tuesday: the other set of closet doors. Thursday: enough of the wiring downstairs to allow the contractor to come back to do drywall. Friday-Sunday: woodwork and finishing touches on the closets. Oh I forgot; Wednesday: painting at church.

Teri