The rumors are true that we've been looking to transfer our flag to a
new home ten miles west of here in Garner.
OK, they're not much of a rumor considering that we've been showing the
prospective house layout to anyone who even feigns an interest in that
subject for the past four months or so. If the interest seems more than
feigned or we are a bit delusional for a moment and think that the other
party really is interested, we've been more than happy to flog the story
of how we're going to use the floorplan to maximum advantage until their
eyes positively glaze over due to the boredom...errr...excitement...yeah,
that's the ticket! :)
And if this wasn't enough to convince you of that we've been flogging
the idea of a new house to every victim we could find, this
BLOG entry earlier in May ought to do it when
we're importing lot inspectors from Florida! :)
Seriously, we knew when we first got married that our current home was
not going to be sufficient to contain us and our stuff
ad infinitum. We'd have been at this point a couple of years
ago had we not had some unfortunate incidents concerning 9,200 gallons
of Clayton's finest water going through Mommy's house right before we
were going to put it up for sale, the subsequent rebuilding effort,
and then the year of waiting for it to finally sell. But survive these
hurdles we did as well as a little one known as Nicholas Ryan Williams
who has really taken front stage. And his show does not travel light,
let me tell you! The living room on an average day looks like a modern
day museum to Fisher Price and various other toy manufacturers
who have been donated to said museum by more than a few enablers
out there. You know who you are...and so do the pages of this BLOG!
Nyah, nyah, nyah... ;)-
About four or so months ago after recovering from the sale of Mommy's
house on the other side of Clayton near the Clayton Cultural Center
(Rainbow Lanes! :), we started having a look-see round the Raleigh
area to see what suited our fancy. We originally started looking for
houses with basements and found out quickly that basements are one of
the rarest things in this state unless you've got a custom builder.
That's rather surprising in a state that has as many tornadoes and
hurricanes in a given year that we do (North Carolina is perenially
tops on the list of states outside of Tornado Alley...but I think
we're going to get spanked this year in the statistics thanks to that
big outbreak last week!). We did manage to find two houses with
basements...one that was an older home that just wasn't ready to be
viewed by the buying public and the other a new-build with all of five
inches of a usable back yard...and the rest sloping at a 45 degree angle
to a restricted area surrounding a creek. Lovely. None of the other
houses in that subdivision had yards that were worth a darn, particularly
with a child and a jungle gym in mind.
The next week found us visiting a subdivision in Garner just off
Vandora Springs Road after the junction with Buffaloe Road. This is
Vandora Pines
and we really liked the floorplan for the third house we visited which
was an Angela (Elevation "A" with no bay windows). There is a
magical moment when one is looking for a home where you can actually
see yourself living in the home as you tour it. That was pretty much
what we found in that Angela...we were already tossing out uses
for particular spaces (like the lower level living room would be
re-tasked as Daddy's new office, etc.). (Unfortunately, they don't have
the plans online...but never fear...your friendly webmaster will soon
have a site up so you can experience the building of the house with us...
but I'm getting a little ahead of the story!).
We were interested in Phase II which was delayed by all of the
rain we had this spring...they had a heck of a time putting down the
road and doing the lot surveys. Toward the middle of April, Sharon
Thomas (the builder's representative on site) sent us the packet that
explained the process for reserving a lot on the morning of 29 May.
Originally, it was going to be a sign up sheet that would be put up the
night before but this was changed...but it was first-come, first-served.
She had been dropping hints that she had about ten people ready to drop
a deposit on a lot and yeah, I know...selling agents do drop those sorts
of hints out there to motivate sales but she seemed reasonably convinced
of it after having sent out 40 packets the previous week.
Since the first inspection tour, we had been out walking the lots a
couple of more times (this time, including Grammy on one of them) after
we received the final lot layout (on the Bill Clark homes web site,
there is a rough map of Phase II...it may help to have that in a
separate window to know where the lots are!). Gramps had originally
voted for Lot 66 as the commanding lot but unfortunately the
dimensions of the house quickly ruled it out. The Angela is a
pretty wide house and we were hoping to be on the sidewalk side and have
a decent back yard. Mommy tended to favor Lot 15 (a wide and
reasonably deep lot) as her first choice whilst Daddy was on about
Lot 68 (a very deep lot). Over time, we would come to agree that
Lot 15 would be better suited for the house and give us some
elbow room (an important consideration considering the lot is one-third
the size of our current lot. It backs on to a wooded area that hasn't
been developed in 30 years and doesn't look like it's going to be any
time soon and there are some really beautiful oaks in the back we'd
love to keep. So we ended up with a selecting order of Lot 15,
Lot 16, Lot 68, and finally Lot 62. But we were really keen that we
never get past Lot 15 as we think it's the prize of the new
phase (a view apparently not shared by the builder as Lot 15 has
one of the lowest premiums of any of the lots in the new section and
the only ones without a premium are some seriously lousy lots below the
street level and lower than any of the others that are going to
experience some serious flooding when it rains). The slope in the front
of Lot 15 really isn't bad at all and the drainage down to
Lot 14 (which has the highest premium, mind you!) is going to be
truly excellent! :) The only real downside is that North Carolina
builders seem hell-bent on putting sidewalks only on one side of the
street in this state...and what stinks worse is that the sidewalk is
on our side...until it crosses over at Lot 66. Grrrrrrr.....
Sharon had indicated that everyone who was kicking dirt on the lots were
looking at different things. We knew of a couple from New Jersey who
were aiming only for cul-de-sac lots but we didn't know what the others
might be interested in taking. So it was decided that Daddy would wake
up early today to stake out a selecting position and hopefully be there
to take the first lot. You might say that getting up at 0430 and showing
up at 0505 when lots were going to be reserved starting at 1000 might be
a tad overkill...but it was well justified when the Deans arrived
on scene at 0545 (that's forty minutes later!).
Of course, being first in the queue does allow one the opportunity to
have a bit of fun, especially when Thomas seemed very interested in what
lot I was going take. It's fun playing with one's cards close to one's
vest...but I decided to let him off the hook after he volunteered he
was aiming for Lot 12 in the cul-de-sac. After quickly putting
him at ease, we had a great time hanging out and getting to know one
another. For the first hour, his lovely lady (Susan) relaxed in their
car (smart lady, too!) but then joined our conversation which needed to
move a bit when the sprinklers started. He's a counsellor at Johnston
Community College and she's going to be working at a Raleigh CPA's
office (that could come in handy!) and this is their first foray into
real-estate. That made the time pass really well as Daddy got to go
into lecture mode and toss out some freebies they might want to consider
during the process. :)
We were expecting the couple from New Jersey round about 0700 but they
rolled in at 0835 to get the third selection in this year's draft. And
naturally, we had to screw with them a bit for being late (but hey,
they did have to deal with the nasty Memorial Day weekend traffic from
New Jersey...and man was I-95 between Smithfield and Four Oaks much
nastier than usual where it was shut down for a few hours a couple of
times). And they are from a really pretty part of New Jersey near Pennsylvania
and New York...which is a far cry from Joisey which is usually
identified by an exit number! :) They were anxious to select
Lot 13...and their wish was granted, much to their relief. It
looks like Daddy might well have another job this summer...not only will
he capture the progress of our house but also for our friends from
New Jersey who will likely be there during most of their construction.
Having on-site human intelligence resources is a nice thing... :)
Shortly before 0900, Mommy calls to see what's going on over there in
Garner. She was quite pleased to learn that Lot 15 was going to
be the number one selection in the draft and would soon be on her way
with Nicholas in tow.
Sharon shows up shortly before 0930 and the look on her face as she
pulled in her big black Suburban land-abuser could be roughly translated
as I knew which bunch of nutballs were going to be out here
waiting for me. The smile got even wider when she learned of the
drafting order...she'd guessed that one right as well!
From that point on, it was pretty much a blur. Lot 12 was
technically signed first as Mommy hadn't arrived yet, but Lot 15
was very clearly off the table. And soon enough, we had the paper to
prove that...and we were a bit lighter in the wallet and much lighter
on our toes because we are positively thrilled and excited that we
are on the path to *OUR NEW HOME*! Of course, there was the
obligatory pictures with the new SOLD sign and time to let
Nicholas explore what will soon be his new home (the twigs and the pine
cones are mighty tasty!). Next up for us is to actually write out the
contract...and then fork over a boatload more money for upgrades...but
the end result will be well worth it.
Our current home will be going on the market soon (anyone want a really
nice house in Clayton on a great lot...we've got a great deal for ya!).
I'll be doing up a web site soon so you'll be able to follow along with
the construction of Nicholas' (and ours!) new home. Please be patient
with us as we babysit the builder and keep them on the straight and
narrow...we're going to be busier than a long-tailed cat in a room full
of rocking chairs.
But come Thanksgiving all of this will have been worth it and we
can't wait to invite you into our new home!
Today was a very special day that saw us pack up the Escape and fly down
I-95 to attend Daddy's sister's graduation ceremony at the Crown
Coliseum in Fayetteville.
We had great seats for this spectacle on in Section 117 on the side of
the ice where the penalty boxes are located when they have the boards
up for Cape Fear FireAntz games. If you notice a yellow line at the
bottom of some walls, that's the dasher boards for the walls that
enclose the rink that have some sort of white muslin draped over them to
form half-walls.
Now we know that Daddy is a bit of a nutball when it comes to hockey
(go 'Canes!) but the reason that I mention this is that there is a rule
that if you yell out or cheer for your kid as they're crossing the stage,
the security people and/or Sheriff's deputies (depending on who is
closer) will give that party a ten minute misconduct and a game
misconduct and send them packing. It gets worse for the poor student...
their diploma is held pending a parent conference. I can understand
that it's a dignified ceremony but come on...the kid's been in school
for over twelve years! Let them enjoy a moment where they're the star
of the show and are happy before allowing real life to intrude! We
didn't really understand the rule when we saw Uncle Ben cross that same
stage and we're still mystified by it.
Now, I promised Meghann that I wouldn't do anything to get her
diploma held...but I really couldn't stop Nicholas if he started getting
into one of his little happy fits when she crossed the stage. :)
We needn't have worried on that score...her graduating class probably
set a new record for game misconducts for the spectators. It's almost
funny, really...the party will start yelling...and then run toward the
security person about to run them off! An unofficial count was 25
game misconducts handed out...Ben's cermony was closer to 15 or so. :)
But in the end, Daddy's little sister walked across that stage and Daddy
isn't ashamed to admit that he was crying more than a little bit (the
camera wasn't too thrilled about the tears...oh well!). That day had
been a long time coming and it'll be a while before the Class of 2021
takes their place in the ceremony and walks across the stage. I find
that I'm rather looking forward to it for some strange reason. We're
just hoping that Nicholas' school treats it as a joyous occasion rather
than a bit of a funeral. :)
We then popped out to a local Mexican restaurant for an after-ceremony
lunch. After lunch, we had a bit of time to kill before meeting up with
the family for dinner so we went round and I showed Mommy some of the
sights when I was growing up. We then headed downtown and managed to
find one of her former co-workers when she worked in Fayetteville. No,
we're really not stalkers and we usually call well in advance but the
phone numbers were for one person in St. Pauls and the other somewhere
else in downtown. But that's all right, we hung out with her delightful
friend and hopefully we'll get to do it again sometime. Just without
doing the stalker bit, eh?
Dinner with the family was at Tai Sho which is a Japanese steakhouse...
and I love those teppan ovens. If I had mucho buck$, I'd have one of
those put in the dining room. But sadly, I don't...so don't be
disappointed when you don't see one in the dining room. But I do
sacrifice various forms of meat to the propane gods every now and then
and that'll have to do. :)
We got home late that night and we were well tired. But congratulations
to Aunt Meghann and the rest of the Class of 2004!
Before anyone really gets freaked out by that concept, he was the one
driving the Deere. No, wait a minute, that's not much better!
Would you go for Nicholas being in my lap as I was helping him guide
the Deere round the yard for three laps? OK, that works...and for
those currently experiencing coronary infarction, nitro pills work
wonders! :)
He did a really good job on a tough lawn...we'd had so much rain that
we couldn't mow it over the weekend (plus we were doing a bit of
scouting of lots in the prospective neighborhood between the storms
and it's rather hard to mow a lawn that's ten miles east of you!).
But like many things in this life, a good thing came to an end and it
was time to give up my co-pilot to Mommy for a spot of dinner for little
one. Not that he minded, of course... :)
WakeMed hosts an annual family day out at the State Fairgrounds complex
and Mommy got to go for the first time. But as it's a bit of a bore
for just one person, Grammy, Daddy, and Nicholas were added to the
raiding party...errr...guest list!
They set the party up on the western end of the fairgrounds which is
a good location as it's shaded and away from the Flea Market traffic
for the most part. We found a parking spot fairly close to the gates
(in spite of the guys directing traffic!) and we were off!
Once through the gates, it became apparent that this is a little kid's
paradise. All sorts of inflatable slides, jumping castles, and other
play attractions were available to capture a little one's attention.
(And a big kid's for that matter...they had a pitching booth which Daddy
just had to try...even though he had some control problems (hey, I didn't
mean to hit the batsman and the umpire in the head), he registered 51
mph on a hard slider on the inside portion of the plate. Guess I
shouldn't worry about the Braves or the Royals calling for my
services, eh?)
We found our way through the maze of inflatable attractions to ones a
little better suited to Nicholas. And he really liked the play area
until he got a feel for an inflatable wall that collapsed under his
weight. Whooops! But he enjoyed playing Crocodile Hunter in
an inflatable Range Rover and after a bit, enjoyed some time in a small
ball pit. The next station (an inflated slide) wasn't quite his cup of
tea.
Unfortunately, he is a bit young for the really cool inflatable
tunnels. Imagine a crocodile where you enter through the rather
toothy smile (as people who go through crocodiles tend to do) and make
your way to...let just say the usual end for someone taking that trip!
But it looks so way cool nonetheless. They had a couple of
those sorts of tunnels set up...but sadly, Daddy is just a wee bit out
of the weight and size limits. Darn.
But the highlight of his day was the pony ride. We were so proud of our
little one...a couple of kids chickened out right before him and there
he was riding tall in that saddle like he was born there. He loved
petting the pony even though their mane has a bit of a weird feel.
I have no doubt that next year, Nicholas will be taking the inflatable
confidence course by storm. I think the trick will be getting him to
share a turn with others...
After a rather decent catered lunch featuring chicken, eastern North
Carolina-style BBQ (vinegar based sauce), and hot dogs, it was time to
head on home. But before we left, Nicholas felt the need to put on his
dancing shoes with Grammy at the DJ's platform.
But it was time for Mass so off to Wendell via a cool house in Zebulon
we went. It was rather hot out at the fairgrounds...I can only imagine
what it would have been like without the shade of the trees. After
service, it was time to make a special delivery to Father Charles that
had started its journey in Florida.
There is a portion of a typical Catholic Mass called the Liturgy of the
Eucharist...it calls to mind and re-enacts in spirit the Last Supper.
At the point where Father Charles is blessing the wine as fruit of
the vine and work of human hands, I knew how I planned to present
the gift from Gramps.
You see, in the bag were oranges and grapefruit: fruit of the
citrus tree and work of Grady Pell's hands which came all of the way
from Osteen (Florida) and I have no doubts Father Charles will share
them with Father Mel, Brother Giovanni, and Deacon Willie. From Father
Charles' reaction, you would have thought I had given him the crown
jewels...he was so happy and thankful (and I think looking forward to a
bit of citrus) and that's one of the reasons I really like him. As we
were waiting for the rest of the parishioners to file out, he was showing
time and time again the other reason I really like him...he's so down-
to-earth and truly cares about his parishoners. And he knows all of
them and what's been going on with them. From blessings for a little
girl to welcoming a visitor from Florida in transit to West Virginia
(who really loved the way he conducted Mass) and those who weren't
feeling all that hot...he had a kind word or blessing for all of them.
He was surprised that Nicholas had just turned one...the baptism seemed
like it was just yesterday! (We understand Father Charles...it seems
that way to us as well...)
That's why I really won't mind the drive to St. Eugene's in Wendell as
long as the current crew is working there even after we move to Garner
(where Saint Mary, Mother of the Church is much closer just up Vandora
Springs Road). Father Charles and Father Mel are really amazing...and
an excellent counterpoint to all of the bad news you hear about priests
nowadays.
I think it's safe to say he made one heck of an impression on Gramps...he
doesn't earmark citrus deliveries for just anyone! :)
And how many of us wondered if he (or us, for that matter) would make
it to that first year? But here we are and this BLOG is testament to
just how much our little one has changed over that year. Starting out
a race five weeks behind everyone else to the point where he's walking
(and for a few words) talking is nothing short of an absolute miracle.
And miracles are a really nice thing in this day and age which could
really use a few of them.
What a big boy he's become. I remember the first four months being a
living hell because he was so small that I honestly wondered if I'd
break him. Hy huge hands and his small body...diaper changes were an
exercise in clumsiness at best. Just holding him was nerve-wracking,
he seemed so lost in my arms.
And yet he was so utterly trusting and would cuddle and snuggle for a
nap and that made all of it worth it. Of course, as I write this entry,
I rather miss those days where he was smaller and much less mobile
as I've been up and down several times trying to keep him in the living
room playing with his toys rather than Taz's food and water. This would
be the prelude to a bottle of milk and the subsequent laying down for a
nap...
(OK, I'm back again...I can't get enough of the snuggle/cuddle routine!)
Anyway, it seems like yesterday he was just laying there smiling at us
(and occasionally crying!). But now, you can hardly hold him back...he's
crawling and walking with a vengeance. He's also developed a lot more
personality of late...in fact, he's loaded with it. We're starting to
see a lot more of him coming through and I think it's safe to say
he's going to be a formidable intellect. He's already figuring things
out (except what the word NO! means when coming from us...though
our theory is that it's a willful ignoring thing). He eats normal food
(also with a vengeance, wonder where he gets that appetite from) and has
no problem making his intentions and your dinner his own! But in spite
of constantly chasing him hither and yon, the feedings, the changing of
the diapers...the one thing you just can't ignore is that he loves pretty
much everyone and really knows how to turn on the charm, especially with
those of the feminine persuasion and/or a camera present.
But for me, it's the snuggle and cuddle times that really make it worth
it. That peaceful time where your little angel is sleeping in your arms,
secure in the knowledge you're looking out for them (and you're pretty
warm which doesn't hurt!) and is raising that odd eyebrow or making the
sucking motion with his lips or smiles at you...you just can't help but
love him. And so, may we have many more of those moments...and may you
have a happy birthday with many happy returns of the day. Both Mommy
and Daddy love you very much...even when we're chasing you all over the
place and frustrating your attempts at mischief. And all those round
you love you too...grandparents, friends, family. We appreciate everyone
who has contributed to a great first year for our little one who is now
not so little.
We had a bit of a celebration today...just the four of us: Mommy, Daddy,
Grammy, and of course, Nicholas. First stop was (of course), Chuck
E. Cheese out on Capital Boulevard. Games, rides, and crawly places
were the order of the day here. There were a few that he really enjoyed
and a couple that were a little too scary for our little one (but just
wait, he'll be over that before we know it!). Yes, there were tons of
pictures taken (a big surprise with Daddy's new toy!).
Then it was off to Marble Slab Creamery in Cary for his first
real taste of ice cream (OK, it was sherbet but he did a whale of a job
making a mess of it).
We finally ended up at On The Border where Nicholas chowed down
a child's enchilada plate. Yes, he's gotten very good at cleaning up a
plate of Mexican food...and sometimes the plate belongs to him!
So happy birthday, little one and many happy returns of the day. We love
you more than you'll know...
Today was Nicholas' first official birthday party on Mother's Day,
a date which shall forever live in infamy. Err, wait a minute...wrong
speech! Ahem...Mother's Day, a date which shall forever be etched
in our memory as a glorious day that changed our lives forever. That's
better, I think...
The week past has been a whirlwind of preparations for today's festivities.
We've got plenty of guests to fill out a new 18'x18' tent we got for
much less than the rental would have cost (and we have a shady pavilion
for garage sales or the beach if we wish...or Daddy to live in if he
annoys Mommy too much, but I digress).
Today's big bash included delegations from Port Orange (FL), Columbus
(OH), Fayetteville (NC) and Greater Metropolitan Zebulon (NC). We were
so thankful for all who could come, particularly from great distances to
share Nicholas' birthday with us. A special thank-you goes out to
Patrick for helping attach the tent canopy to the frame...that's truly a
two-person job! Also out on the lawn was Nicholas' new sandbox in the
shape of a tugboat (it's really nifty), an inflatable ball-pit he'll
really love, and his new red wagon (complete with compartment for drinks
and snacks...way to go
Radio Flyer!).
Now, of course the day would not be complete without a big cookout and
boy did we sacrifice things to the propane gods. Brats (bratwurst, that
is...not children!), cheddar wurst, Italian sausage, and hot dogs. And
there were all the trimmings including chicken salad, hash brown
cassarole (yummy!), and a relish salad. And of course, all of the
trimmings. You know, I probably shouldn't be writing this entry so
close to lunch... :) But seriously, if you left hungry, it wasn't for
lack of opportunity!
After the first round of food, it was time to blow out some candles on
Nicholas' Sesame Street-themed cake. Of course, we must bow to tradition
and Nicholas was turned loose on an angel food cake that Mommy baked
especially for him to shred. And shred it he did! The really nice thing
is that he also ate a fair amount of that cake...guess the eat sand
to the exclusion of all else thing he was doing in Port Orange over
Easter is over and done with. While Nicholas was doing a number on his
cake, the rest of us worked over his Sesame Street cake and one thing
we've found is that those cakes from Sam's Club are really good.
Of course, this was just leading up to the main event which was sensory
overload for everyone under the age of five. It must be said that the
living room was actually picked up and clean until all of the presents
arrived from various quarters. There was barely enough room for us to
watch the wrapping paper fly!
There were presents galore and not just for our little one though his
pile was right impressive. Thank you so much for showing so much
generosity towards Nicholas and making his first birthday really
special. We may have a fun time trying to figure out where to put all
of this stuff but never fear, we're working toward a new house that's
more appropriately sized to the needs of containing his toys! :)
After the presents, it was time to head back outside to the tent for
round two of the ritual sacrifice to the propane gods and just hang out
and enjoy a wonderful evening. We had a bit of baseball and a lot of
hanging out and it was an enjoyable time.
After our guests had filtered out for the evening, we were able to drop
out of sheer exhaustion. We had spent the better part of the previous
week getting ready for the party and it was time very well spent. We
were so thrilled that we could have so many people celebrate Nicholas'
first birthday in a grand style. And we are so thankful for all of the
love sent Nicholas' way from family who were here and those that weren't.
It means quite a bit to us, dear readers...have no doubts of that! :)
Another delegation for Nicholas' impending first birthday party arrived
in Moby Dodge from Port Orange. Yep, that means Gramps and
Grandma Carol were in place and ready for a party. Of course, long-time
readers of the BLOG know that Moby Dodge will disgorge mighty
mountains of gifts and citrus upon arrival in Clayton...if you guessed
this would be the case, you were right once again!
After unloading the gifts and citrus, we took Gramps and Grandma Carol
on a tour of where we're considering building a house in Garner (lot
selection will be on 29 May!) to get their opinions on the neighborhood
and have a look at the lots.
After our tour, we popped into Party City for some last-minute party
stuff and then it was off to the Clayton Cici's Pizza for dinner. Their
cheesy garlic breads rocks and it was a wonderful dinner. Unfortunately,
the evening came to too quick an end but that's no problem...we've got
a big day ahead of us tomorrow!
Nicholas' party is coming close and it's time to mow the jungle that is
the lawn. We have had so much rain that some of the grass is up to about
five inches over the septic system. Thank goodness I've got a Deere...
and even the Deere took two passes at the yard before it looked at all
presentable.
So naturally after a long mow and a good sunburn, there's more work to
be done as we're awaiting the arrival of Patrick and Suzette and their
family in Zebulon.
One of the things you learn awfully quickly as a father is that you're
going to be spending a lot of time putting together things that fall
into the category of some assembly required.
Today's project was Nicholas' new wagon for his birthday. If you have
a kid, I highly recommend the Radio Flyer Discovery. It's easy
to put together, it has a cup holder as well as a cargo hatch good for
several cans of pop, and it's made of really sturdy plastic. And unlike
most projects like this, I had it together in less than ten minutes!
With the wagon together, it was time to pop over to Zebulon to see
Patrick and family who had just arrived from Columbus, Ohio. Squeaks,
(their daughter Mairin...OK, I can't help it, she'll always be Squeaks
to me!) has grown quite a bit since we saw her in October. She's going to
be a tall, lanky one. And of course, Patrick Samuel had more than a bit
of running about to do after a long car trip so he had the energy as usual.
A wonderful dinner and some time together and then it was time to head
home to Clayton to get ready for visitors in the afternoon. I wonder
who they could be... :)