We're baaaack...

From: goldenkarenm-at-gmail.com
Subject: Return from Exile
Date: April 18, 2009 8:53:25 PM GMT-04:00



The moldy infiltrators have been overthrown and evicted. The rightful rulers have returned from exile. Unfortunately the ants have shown up to welcome us back, but... we're focusing on the happy! Antsmushing contest!

The cosmetic work is not quite done but we are spending our first night back in our own beds. Provided we can remember who slept where.

We are so thankful to everyone who prayed for us during the "mold crisis" and happily report nothing was airborne and we are mold free. We gained a "newish" bathroom and "walk-in" closet of sorts. New windows and a freshly painted exterior are expected by mid-May.

The kids are making comments on how strange it to "live" here and are anxious to sleep in their own beds tonight. I'm still unpacking and wondering what kind of magic I must have previously used to fit all this stuff into our small closets and dressers. And we have thrown out, recycled or thrift stored car loads.

Reporting from (back) under the bridge -
JKXY - Trolls in Residence

Grandma Golden's

This Easter saw us go down to Carmen's for an overnight visit.


She got the kids a relatively restrained selection of goodies, including a set of cookie markers to decorate your own egg cookies. We would have als pictured Xavi's, but the were eaten as quickly as they were decorated. The picture of Carmen with the kids is from Joe's French Italian. (Would not have guessed they'd have a website.) Long one of Carmen and Oliver's favorites, we had a very traditional Joe's meal. Carmen revealed on the way there that it was one of Manuel Badalamenti's places and she actually had been there before marrying Oliver and moving to Monroe. We were the first customers of the day, actually a little too early.

Pull!

Thanks to staying over night we had lots of time to visit. Carmen cooked a succulent lamb dinner Saturday night, and she had gotten the kids lots of art projects to work on, including the cool Crayola explosion sets, a comic strip artists blank book for X and an American Girl paper doll set for Y. The time not spent on art was spent on Fluffy Bunny interviewing criminal-mastermind-in-training, Aflac the Duck. (Video available if the editor gets it done.)

Even the refrigerator lived up to it's somewhat mythic status. Carmen kept John out of it all weekend.


Also got a chance to visit with Michael at Kate's Kitchen in Level Pebble (aka Flat Rock). Karen enjoyed the way the locals shouted at her that you don't leave your name there, you stay the heck in line. Even people coming in to get one of the famous pies got yelled at to go in the side door. Catch up on Michael's new work gig at the Motor City Casino. (He's the Banquets Chef.)

All X

A looong overdue Xavi update - but we misplaced the camera for a bit in between houses. The move out of the mold house has been good for his health, and hopefully all the work at 550 will make it safe for his inhabitation. (Not quite back in yet.)

He has done really well at Tae Kwan Do, and passed the Yellow Stripe Belt test. The aspect he was most nervous about was the requirement to break a board. His first attempt, bounced off. After a word from his instructor, the next round kick -SNAP- broke the board cleanly in two. A great moment.

Xavier continues to lose teeth at an amazing rate. His plan after break is to tell his friends about the big fights he's been in.



Happy Easter!