Full force

These next few posts will be pretty stream of conscious. A lot has transpired in the last 5 months that we just have not notated. As mentioned, I returned from Afghanistan where we made friends with many dogs that acted human and killed many men that acted like dogs.

Since return, home repair and renovation has been on the forefront of our minds due to possible moves in the future. The very next morning after getting back from Afghanistan, the boys and I made breakfast in our nasty kitchen. It only solidified the fact that we would destroy it to rebuild it.

But before all of that could take place, before we could move on from the load bearing wall coming out, a week or so after I got back from Afghanistan, we were hit by Hurricane Irene. We lost several giant trees in the back yard and the power for about two days.

The shed wall collapsed, which opened our yard into the neighbors yard. That meant there was no protecting them from our hoards of kittens, boys, and rottweilers.

In the meantime, when we had no power for lights and my propane stoves decided not to work, I was able to tap into my inner Lars Ekelund and create an ingenious lighting device. I took a bowl, wrapped it in tin foil with the shiny side out, and suspended it up above a flash light. The curvature and reflective surface gave off an impressive amount of light, enough for Janet to practice her craft of being a lovely and wonderfull momma all the time, in all weather.

We then were forced to cook out of doors, but my boys and I were not daunted by it. We fired up the charcoal grill and ate like kings on our beef and chicken. It even had the flavor of being cooked in 70 mile per hour winds.

Not long after that, Silas started kindergarten. We went and purchased him some clothes from H&M with the intent that he be a dapper and respectful boy. I must say he is one of the finest dressed boys in his class, at least whern he is not cutting his clothes with scissors or biting holes in his sleeves. He is slowly but surely learning that he is not a jungle boy and has even found admiration for the fairer sex in two little girls named Piper and Maleeah. The latter is black and it was funny watching him try and describe who she was. To him, "She is like me, except she is a girl and her skin is like the color of momma's hair."

His appreciation for well tailored clothes and sophisticated women only lasted until we went camping up in the Pisgah National Forest in early September, however. As has been their modus operandi since they were born, as soon as we got into the mountains and out of the car, all these boys were naked, sticks were in hand, and faces were designed with ash, mud, and charcoal.

They were on the hunt in the river for anything that moved. Eerily enough, I don't think we saw or heard a living creature, not even a bird, the entire 3 days were were there.

I took some time to hunt for some mushrooms in true Swedish fashion. I know enough of wilderness farming of what mushrooms are potentially good or bad. I did the self test from the SAS handbook to make sure I would not poison the family, and when I did not die, I made a local addition to our stew!

When we got back, I bought a box of recessed lights, we got some paint, and went at the house with gusto. The results of that expedition are below:

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My next post, which likely should be tomorrow, will detail the unexpected arrival of some friends and further improvements on the house.

-Jake