Starting School

It's been 8 days since we accompanied J to Crawfordsville.  He has been busy.  The first days were spent taking placement tests, talking with his advisor, getting registered, etc.  Classes started on Thursday.  He tested out of several levels of Spanish and I think is already regretting that.  He told us that the first class on Friday was the "worst 45 minutes of my life."  He has pledged Kappa Sigma and is living in the fraternity house.  (60% of the students are in fraternities)  We will meet up at the Colts game on next Sunday night.  We will be taking him a few things as he packed a bit light.  His brothers couldn't beleive how little he brought-a footlocker, suitcase, and basket with sheets and mattress pad.

Meanwhile, K and I are dealing with living without other humans for the first time in 20 years. I have missed J tremendously at breakfast as that is when we would read the newspaper and exchange comments on articles, editorials, and some of the comics.  K doesn't read the comics ever so now when I snort with laughter I have no one to ask me why I am amused.  I plan on spending this fall redoing A's room (with her permission) into a sewing room and deep cleaning carpets, etc.   

So, A is working in a group home for autistic boys.  Her classes start on Tuesday and she will be working 2 weekends a month.  She is moving this weekend into a house with several other girls.  She has packed up her entire room of stuff and has it in her car and in the garage of her old house.  She has a room in a new house but because the one moving isn't doing so until tomorrow A is basically without a room today.

Ringing of the Bell

Saturday was a momentous day in our family - Jake started college.  As some of our readers have learned, Wabash College is a very conservative old fashioned Liberal Arts school.  Anyone who has ever watched an old "Little House on the Prairie" episode knows how school starts; the school teacher rings the bell to call the students into the schoolhouse.  Wabash was established in 1832 and holds its traditions very high so it shouldn't surprise anyone to know that the young freshmen are officially the class of 2012 after the President rings them into the school.

http://www.wabash.edu/news/docs/2008%20Ringing%20In.mov

The ceremony took exactly 1 hour and featured 3 speakers.  It was all very moving but hopefully 4 years from now when they graduate and are "rung out" of school they will have air conditioning in the Chapel.  The day was warm-low 90s- and the building was at capacity-aprox. 1000.  It was very warm to put it mildly.

So we finished the day listening to the Deans explain the rules of Wabash which can be stated in one sentence:  Wabash men are expected to conduct themselves as gentlemen at all times, on campus and off.  Thats it, pure and simple.  No 1 inch book of conduct, no reams of rules.  Just one.  

Controversy

While I was gone surveyors did their thing at the house that sits between the cottage and our house. The results are interesting to say the least. They have stakes and pins in the corners of the Behlmer lot that don't even come close to the where our survey (in 2001) shows the lines around our property.

A good time

This has been a good time. It's the longest A and I have spent by ourselves (not counting her roommate who really doesn't react with us)pretty much doing nothing but having a good time. We did a little shopping, bought K shirts and me books. Have eaten out twice, Chinese and Thai. She is sewing a present for a pregnant friend if it turns out as nice as it is looking so far I expect that to become the A--- present for all couples expecting babies. She is sewing and talking to Nick on a headset in he room. The roomie has friends over and are watching a horror movie in the living room so I am on the back sunroom porch in the dark. There will be storm later tonight which they need for it is very dry. I am looking forward to it. It is absolutely beautiful here sunny but not too hot- 70s lower 80s, in the 50s at night. Reminds me so much of MI in the summer. I could live up here with no problem.

Renewed

I'm up with Alix for several days as I act as her personel driver as she recovers from her laser surgery on her foot. Friday she said goodbye to her 3 year old "friend". Today we went to her church, the Mercy Vineyard. It followed much the same pattern as the B'ville Vineyard so I felt very comfortable. After the "sermon" we engaged in "worship" which was singing in a most awesome manner (at top of voice as was so loud knew no one else could hear me.) I could feel His power pour into me, a feeling I haven't felt in church in such a long time. Perhaps five years or since Larry came. I took communion during "How Great Thou Art" which sounds incredilble with drums, electric guitar and bass. I left feeling absolutely renewed in a way I haven't felt in forever. I have been relunctant to change churches because of Larry but I will no longer let my relationship with God take second place. Peace.

Waiting for the pot to boil

We got back from our great family reunion/vacation to find the corn had come into it's own. Jake and I had our first ears last night. Right now I have a 3 gallon pail of cobs waiting for the water to boil. I will eat one and then start cutting off the kernals for the freezer and consumption later in the winter. The dogs kept me company while I shucked them under Lucy's tree. (So called as it is where Lucy hangs out when Kent is in the garden. He planted it 15 years ago but it is stunted and doesn't get any bigger.) While my back was turned Dusty helped herself to a full cob. She was one happy dog, corn milk and kernals all over her face. The tomatoes are looking good, now if they would only start to turn red. Everything is so far behind this year. we froze our first batch of corn last year on July 27, a full week earlier than I am doing this year.