Total Makeover, Home Edition

 School is under way again for all of us. Nate and I have been at it for four weeks already, Jenna's classes resumed three weeks ago, and Ben returned to class two weeks ago. So strange knowing this is the last semester of the normal we've known for so long.

Nate's only big schedule change is that his Senior Research Project class is over and he has picked up Strength and Conditioning to satisfy a PE credit requirement. He is also running on the track team this spring and has begun conditioning with them. In a few weeks we'll be getting all the pre-graduation emails that are sent to seniors as they approach commencement. The time is almost here and it ain't going away.

Ben came across a DIY video for building your own light saber while he was on break. Intrigued, he bought the parts he needed and went to work. The blade is made of a tube of clear PVC. Inside is another tube of translucent white plastic to act as a light diffuser, and inside of that is a long strip of LED lights. All this is glued with epoxy to a handle made of various plumbing fittings. The result is impressive, especially at night. Ben has wound up making several of these for Nate and other friends. They have a lot of fun going outside and dueling like Jedis; then something will break and Ben is in repair mode. All in all very fun, but also good experience in product design for the manufacturing engineering technology major.

Jenna's clinicals this term are geared towards OB/GYN and pediatric experience and she has already seen a baby born. I think she is both fascinated and not ready to go through that herself for a long time to come.

Kelly and Kathy have moved into their house and invited us over to see it last night. What they have done is truly impressive. You may recall that we sold Mom's house to them about 16 months ago. Kelly and Kathy had sold their previous house and were living in Kenny and Lori's barn all this time while the renovation work was going on.

For the benefit of those of you who remember the house but live away, here's a quick rundown of how the house looks now. The most noticeable changes from a distance are that almost all of the trees are gone, the house is white now, and there's a new roofline. When you drive up the driveway you no longer have to drive between the power pole and anchor wire and you notice the living area has been enlarged to include the old patio, the master bedroom has been extended to square off that corner, and there's a new, large, covered porch across the back now.

Inside, the walls separating the kitchen, den, and living room are all gone making one large, inviting, open space. The old half bath is now a large pantry and the old pantry and hall closet are gone. The hearth, kitchen windows, and utility hall are the only places recognizable from before.

The house is now a two bedroom, two bath home where it was a three bedroom, one and a half bath home. My old bedroom is the most recognizable of the bedrooms. Across the hall the old master bath has been totally reconfigured and the door going from it to Aunt Mar's old room is all wall now. Mom's old bedroom has been completely repurposed as the master bath. Aunt Mar's old bedroom is still the master bedroom, but as I mentioned above, it has been enlarged to square off that corner of the house and opens out on the back porch.

I am thrilled for them. Now Kathy lives next door to her sister, Lori, and much closer to her mother. The house looks great and I am glad to see it take on a new character and serve them as their home as it served us for over half a century (Uncle George and Aunt Mar built it in 1965).

Kathy and Kelly, I am glad to see you there and wish you many years of happiness in that place.

Joe