Walking Backwards

Yikes, almost two weeks since my last entry. To be honest, I haven't done much that would qualify for writing about. There are a few things that I would have liked to vent, but they resolved themselves so quickly that I didn't have too much of a chance to build up the steam. Joe and I have been working around the house a lot to keep ourselves entertained. I am beginning to realize that reining on the terror that is our yard is going to take a great deal more work than I bargained for. We discovered that one of our two trees is infected with bark beetles and the prognosis isn't good. From what I've seen online, the tree has about another two-three years to live, then we have to have it cut down and hauled away as its trunk will look like Swiss cheese and will be prone to random limb breakages and falling over in general. Out of the few options we have, Joe and I have decided to plant another tree nearby that will have three years to grow before the other tree goes into the great tree beyond. We also have a lot of other planting to do in the backyard. All totaled, I hope to have at least three more shrubs/trees in the ground by October and all of the beds planted. I know, I'm so optimistic.

I'm also working on super de-cluttering of the inside of the house. We have so much stuff, this is going to take awhile. This evening I hung up a bunch of pictures and mirrors as well as re-covered the rocking chair pads and ottoman. I've been selling books and movies we no longer want on half.com. Its odd, when you look into our house, we have so much empty space that I have to wonder where all of the stuff is coming from, but we have bags and piles to give to Goodwill. We are finally putting up the toys that Nicholas no longer plays with and rearranging his playroom. He has so much more floor space now to play in, I'm sorry I didn't do it earlier. Hopefully, after we are done, we don't go crazy and fill it up with more useless stuff again.

In addition to all of the excitement that cleaning has brought us, Joe has had to work many, many extra hours this month. He has to retain one of his security certifications, which means he has to complete 32 hours of training by the end of September. Keep your fingers crossed that he can do it. He also has to keep up his 48 hours a week schedule. Let me tell you that I'm more than thrilled. Our server is also getting buggy, so he keeps having to run up to north Austin to work on it. I have meetings all month to attend for the start of Nicholas' preschool as well, so we seem to have no time together. I miss him, but I know its fleeting and that it will be over by the end of the month.

Nicholas starts preschool this Thursday and I'm a nervous wreck. I don't know how it is going to go. Right now, he can change from super clingy to independent at the drop of a hat. He also has stopped talking around people he doesn't know well, so I don't know what is going to happen with that. I know it is going to be okay in the end, but I don't know how it is going to start out. It is hard enough for me to see him go to preschool without him having a hard time letting go a little. I suppose I'll get a better idea on Thursday when he tours the school. Tomorrow is parent-orientation, so maybe I can voice my fears then or maybe get a little reassurance.

Hmmmm. . . . Enough rambling for now, I think. I promise more rambling later. Most definitely sooner than two weeks away (I will have preschool to talk about after all).