After working as a project superintendent for the last 6 months for a local general contractor, Clint has realized it doesn't pay enough to cover our expenses. So it's back to framing. He started a project ths week. That means my vacation is over. Now it's back to weekly payroll, billing, invoicing, tax payments, employee reporting, etc, etc, etc.
Just when my schedule was starting to get busy with kids' activities, too. Shelby's going to take an art class, plus she's volunteering at McNary, so it looks like I'll be running the kids to something 4 days a week, not counting play dates. Wait til Gillian and Tamzin figure out they deserve an activity, too.
Of course, after starting his project, Clint let his boss convince him that they just couldn't do without him. He agreed to stay on until things are a little more under control. It's pretty much win-win for us, since we will gain the profit from the framing project plus the weekly salary from the condo project. And, since he's going to continue the consulting under his license instead of as an hourly employee, he's going to charge more, so he'll be making what he should have been getting all along.
Only problem is, how long can a man work two intense jobs and really give it his all? It's been 10 days, and he's looking peaked. I think he's trying too hard. I wish he would just walk away from the condo project, but he feels honor bound to stay on until he drops.
All this means that I really shouldn't be asking for his help getting kids shuttled around or give him a hard time about the added burden of the business, because he has it way worse than me.
On the up side, I'm looking forward to having more than $35 in my bank account. I hope we get paid soon!
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Gumby
Our newest family member is Gillian's iguana, Gumby. She got him for her birthday. He eats a lot. He's a vegetarian. He likes parseley, apples, dandelions, romaine lettuce, and bananas.
On the River
In spite of sore throats and stuffy noses, the Johanson clan ventured out on the Yakima River for a four hour paddle on Sunday. Clint and Tamzin rode Clint's canoe. Shelby and Rhiannon got to test out two ancient kayaks that Clint rescued this winter from a neighbor who was going to throw them away. Clint did a little fiberglass repair on Saturday, and they were watertight and good to go!
Gillian and I took to the water in the new tandem kayak Clint decided we had to have to go along with the other two. But that's another story.
We had a blast!!! My arms were sore after about 15 minutes, and they never really stopped hurting, as we were paddling continuously. But it sure is fun!!
The wind was blowing briskly against the current the whole way, so instead of being able to just let the current take us where we wanted to go, we had to work at it! We parked one vehicle where we thought we would be able to float to, so we couldn't just stop early. Rhiannon kept mentioning that her arms were tired, but she was a trooper and made it the whole way.
It's so neat to see the landscape from this view. The sights and sounds are so calming. We saw two grey herons and lots of ducks. Clint had time to stop and fish. Tamzin caught one, but they threw it back.
And the only one who fell in the water was Munchkin!
Sunday, March 06, 2005
My Weekend
Gillian's birthday party went great. The girls made masks, opened presents, attempted somewhat unsuccessfully to play a few organized games while I cleaned up the mask project and got the cake ready, ate cake, and then played happily for 2 hours at I don't know what. The kids had a blast, I got to visit a bit with a friend, and in the end Gillian and Tamzin went home with someone else for a sleepover!
Shelby, Rhiannon and I decided to have a movie night for our unexpected evening alone together. We browsed the video store and chose two movies. Rhiannon fixed a simple dinner of baked potatoes with fixings while Shelby and I cleaned the fish tanks (In the midst of the party, my friend's 2 year old "fed" our aquarium fish with approximately 3/4 of a jar of fish food. Since fish will keep eating until they pop, we had to completely change out the water... all 45 gallons of it. He then proceeded to feed Gillian's new betta fish, so its bowl had to be changed as well.)
It was fun to stay up late watching movies with Shelby and Rhiannon . I usually don't watch movies with my kids. There's not enough couch space and too many interruptions. It makes me crazy. I would rather work. But hanging out with just the two of them was fun.
In the morning, we went back to the video store and rented more movies. Rhiannon decided she wanted to watch something suspenseful, something we could not do with the younger girls at home. So we rented Sixth Sense. We had lots of good conversation about suspenseful movies, scare scenes, and the supernatural. I'm glad we watched it in the morning, so they wouldn't have a hard time sleeping after. I think that kind of movie is best with a little time to think about it afterwards. We discussed horror movies as well. Several kids we know have expressed interest in horror movies. Shelby and Rhiannon decided they would rather not see horror films at this point, to my relief. I've just discovered that quite a few of those movies are rated PG-13, something I'm very puzzled about. How can they be so scary, but still be rated ok for teens?
Anyway, we had a lazy but fun weekend being couch potatoes.
Shelby, Rhiannon and I decided to have a movie night for our unexpected evening alone together. We browsed the video store and chose two movies. Rhiannon fixed a simple dinner of baked potatoes with fixings while Shelby and I cleaned the fish tanks (In the midst of the party, my friend's 2 year old "fed" our aquarium fish with approximately 3/4 of a jar of fish food. Since fish will keep eating until they pop, we had to completely change out the water... all 45 gallons of it. He then proceeded to feed Gillian's new betta fish, so its bowl had to be changed as well.)
It was fun to stay up late watching movies with Shelby and Rhiannon . I usually don't watch movies with my kids. There's not enough couch space and too many interruptions. It makes me crazy. I would rather work. But hanging out with just the two of them was fun.
In the morning, we went back to the video store and rented more movies. Rhiannon decided she wanted to watch something suspenseful, something we could not do with the younger girls at home. So we rented Sixth Sense. We had lots of good conversation about suspenseful movies, scare scenes, and the supernatural. I'm glad we watched it in the morning, so they wouldn't have a hard time sleeping after. I think that kind of movie is best with a little time to think about it afterwards. We discussed horror movies as well. Several kids we know have expressed interest in horror movies. Shelby and Rhiannon decided they would rather not see horror films at this point, to my relief. I've just discovered that quite a few of those movies are rated PG-13, something I'm very puzzled about. How can they be so scary, but still be rated ok for teens?
Anyway, we had a lazy but fun weekend being couch potatoes.
Tournament Time Again
Clint headed off into the wild blue yonder yesterday. More specifically, he's going to California for a tournament at Clear Lake, his first tournament this year.
It would have been easier for me if I'd had a little more advance notice. While he knew about the tournament, and knew he wanted to go, he didn't make up his mind until a day and a half prior to departure time. He doesn't seem to get how up in the air this leaves things for me.
To his credit, he hung around on Saturday morning long enough to help me pull everything together for Gillian's birthday party that afternoon. As the first guest arrived, we said goodbye, and off he went.
Another positive note is that he will be staying with my dad, who lives in Clear Lake. Not only is this good because it will be cheaper, but my dad can use the company. He's lonely in general these days, and this week will be especially so, as the 2nd anniversary of his wife's death falls on the 12th. I'm very glad Clint will be there to keep my dad's spirits up.
It would have been easier for me if I'd had a little more advance notice. While he knew about the tournament, and knew he wanted to go, he didn't make up his mind until a day and a half prior to departure time. He doesn't seem to get how up in the air this leaves things for me.
To his credit, he hung around on Saturday morning long enough to help me pull everything together for Gillian's birthday party that afternoon. As the first guest arrived, we said goodbye, and off he went.
Another positive note is that he will be staying with my dad, who lives in Clear Lake. Not only is this good because it will be cheaper, but my dad can use the company. He's lonely in general these days, and this week will be especially so, as the 2nd anniversary of his wife's death falls on the 12th. I'm very glad Clint will be there to keep my dad's spirits up.
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