Keeping Track

In September, we had an assignment change at work. Instead of being substitutes for 60 Senior Division student homes, we are now assigned to Flex (or substitute) with the same four female student homes. We work 12 days then are off 3. We start at our 'A' home at 2:00 pm and transition to our 'B' home at 2:00 pm three days later, then at 2:00 three days after that to our 'C' home and then onto our 'D' home. We then enjoy our three days off until we start the rotation again.

The change from 12-2 to 12-3 was confusing for us at first and very difficult for others to follow. To keep it straight, I used a school calendar colored our days at each student home and off a different color.

Now that we've been at this for several months, we have it figured out fairly well and don't have to think too hard which home we go to when.

With the assignment change, the number of students we could work with has dropped from about 700 to 48. It may still seem like a lot, but 48 is much more manageable, and we are developing closer relationships with each student. We love our girls and have had a great time getting to know them better and sharing in their activities.

Early Valentine's Get-Away

Due to our crazy schedule, we took our personal day and attached it to our regularly scheduled time off to give us a few more days to play. We really struggled deciding what to do. After much pondering we settled on staying a little closer to home. We found a great place to stay; The Inn at Leola Village. It is very quaint and unique. This is the entrance and part of the property:

This shows the entrance to our room:

The rooms are all above and below the retail stores. It reminded me of Gardner Village in Utah but with places to stay on the property.

Our hotel room was just a quaint as the outside suggested:

(Photo from here)

We decided that we will be frequenting this location for future get-aways.

We spent time enjoying a show at a Theatre in Lancaster; And Then There Were None. We had a good time together letting go of the stresses of home, even if we were only about 30 minutes away.

A Unapproved "Pet"

A number of weeks ago I pulled a pan out to make some dinner and found a little surprise in it. I showed it to Dan saying, "Please tell me that isn't a mouse dropping." We cleaned the pan out well and then kept our eyes open to try and discover if we did have a mouse or not.

Several weeks went by with no sightings so I thought we were in the clear. (Thought being the key word in the sentence...)

One of the houseparents we cover for gave us some Ghirardelli chocolates as a "Thank You" for helping with their students. Knowing Dan as I do, I hid the chocolates in a dresser drawer to ration and divide evenly between us.

Shortly after that I was getting into that drawer and noticed a little mess:

 

I was afraid of what the mess meant...sure enough when I moved the chocolate package I discovered the proof...

...we had an unwelcome guest in our home.

Some time earlier Dan had asked about his leftover Christmas chocolates that disappeared from under our Christmas tree. I figured he ate them but forgot that he did. He insisted he didn't eat them. Until the Ghirardelli chocolates disappeared I lived happily in a state of denial. Now the truth had come out, we did indeed have a mouse roaming our house and eating our chocolates. I suppose the calories would be been on it than us but this is Ghirardelli chocolates we're talking about here!

We called the exterminator and he put a couple traps down and some poison in our attic. He was confident we'd capture the critter. Well, it is pretty slick, one of the traps has been without bait and set for a couple months now since the mouse ate the bait and didn't set off the trap.

Not too long ago I moved a sticky spider trap from our laundry room and noticed a ball of fur in it. I was uncertain how we'd managed to get that much dryer lint in it so I looked closer and discovered claws and teeth. Not sure how long it had been there but our spider trap also successfully captured a mouse!

We've seen no evidence of rodents for some time now and the poison is gone from the attic so hopefully we're in the clear. I suppose only time will tell.

As a Follow-Up

A follow up to our end of 2014 post, when we received notice that our new tv was ready for pick up, it was all we could do to contain ourselves before we headed out to get it. Dan was concerned about getting it home from the store, however, it fit perfectly in the back seat of our car:

It didn't take us long to get it all set up! We have both enjoyed this new toy!!!

A Surprise Ending to 2014

If I had know purchasing blu-ray player as a gift for Dan for Christmas...

...would have led to us purchasing this about a week later...

Photo from this site.

...I probably would have bought the blu-ray sooner.

Since we currently have an older model tv I was shopping for the converter and cords we would need to hook up our new blu-ray. I finally figured it all out and explained everything to Dan. He paused briefly then asked if it would just be easier to buy a new tv. I said it would help, however, if we were going to wait several months before we bought it, we might as well get the cords. He then suggested we get it in January. I started shopping then found a good deal on one and he gave me the go-ahead.

The new television is on order and scheduled for pick up at the store on Friday, June 9, 2015. If this sudden expense is any evidence, the next year will be full of surprises.

PS-New updates are being added so scroll down a post or two...

Mailbox vs Sentra

When backing up to check the mail at the student home...

...because you drove past it on the way into the driveway, use caution otherwise it can be extremely hazardous TO YOUR CAR!!! 

Ok, not so bad; I can live with that.

Yeah, not so much with that!

Yes, the all metal mailbox is just fine. It was leaning a little but a slight push and pressing down on the dirt around it was all the repair needed. Our car on the other hand...it'll be going to the hospital in the near future.

So if you see Dan walking everywhere, just know he still isn't allowed to drive the car. I suppose it's a good thing I love him more than my car.

(Yes,I know that I'm behind. Planning to come at the updates from both sides and meeting in the middle so it's not so maybe posts will happen sooner.)