But this dog knows how to chill!

My husband took a few hours off today and I suggested we take a look around an antique market I used to visit long ago. I probably came here 40 years ago and it hasn't changed much. We actually got there late so some sellers were packing up. I don't blame them. It is a hot day today and they started at 5AM. I took a few photos to get the feel of the place.

The sun has reappeared after being LOST for four days in a row. Speaking of LOST, we went over to a friends to watch the finale. We are still trying to figure out what we watched. We started with the second season which they aired in English when we lived in Bulgaria. We have not always kept up when the show was actually on television but we managed to see every season one way or another. I always hate the end of books and such because I always want to know what happens next. Those kinds of endings always leave me feeling a little unbalanced until I find the next story. Actually I am the same way with Bible study. When I finish a study I feel a bit LOST until I find something new to study.
Son is home from college and looking for work. There does not appear to be much work of any kind available. I have not been able to find anything either. I am thinking of trying to sell handmade items on etsy or something...problem is I have no place to work since we are currently living in a tiny apartment.
 Some random photos ...
The current state of our house...

I was born in Philadelphia and my daughter and son-in-law live right down in the city. It seems to be a phenomenon here that many young adults move back to the city that their parents or grand-parents fled. My husband is teaching a class that meets every Saturday ten minutes from my daughter so I am taking the opportunity to spend more time with her in town. Yesterday I took my camera and we walked around so I could take a few photos of the fantastic murals that are popping up everywhere. We found more than that to photograph. There was an arts festival on a street near her house. Included in it was a crazy bicycle parade. Participants built man powered vehicles and decorated bikes for the event. There were more interesting people and more creative energy there than I have seen in awhile. I wish I had taken more photos but at least these will give you an idea...I was having too much fun just being there. Next year I definitely want to have a stall and sell some of my own work there.  

I hope to post more Philly mural photos in the coming weeks ...

After sixty-one days we are finally getting the engineers report and a check from the insurance company. Apparently we need to have the entire roof replaced, the entire back wall replaced and a bunch of redecorating inside. There will also be electrical and plumbing work and a bit of landscaping. Since we have no experience working with builders it is all a bit overwhelming for us at the moment. Wish I could wiggle my nose like Samantha and put it all to rights. Still....there must be a reason...and the situation won't last forever.
Had a nice mother's day thanks to my daughter who took me on Saturday to get a manicure and pedicure and then cooked a yummy dinner Sunday. Had a nice visit with my mom on Saturday as well.
Our son is home from college for the summer and seeking gainful employment.
Both of us are working part time for the Census...not my favorite job but not too bad so far. Most people have been pleasant.
More later.........

Had a busy week last week working for the Census. I am supposed to be knocking on doors and filling out forms for those who did not send them in. To say it is not my cup of tea is an understatement. There just does not seem to be anything I can tell myself that makes me feel comfortable doing this.  Fortunately most of the people in my area sent in their forms so there are not too many to track down.
We were just informed that our insurance company now has the engineers report so we expect to see a bit of action as far as the house is concerned.

After getting spoiled by nearly a week of 80 degree temps, we have been back in the high 50's low 60's and it feels chilly. The clouds float over and it sprinkles sometimes just like when we lived in England. There are more types of blooms around now and I am getting out daily to walk and or ride my pink bike. I have loads more energy from doing this.
Today a man came and hauled our destructive tree away. We were able to sell it in order to defray some of the cost of removing it. It is kinda funny to think it will be sent to Germany and made into furniture.
We have gone over to the house every few days to do some packing...everything has to be packed up again in case they move it out when they start reconstruction. It is depressing. I am looking at everything and wondering why I am bothering to keep any of it. On the other hand I wouldn't know what to do with it... so I just keep packing.
I have been helping my mom do some spring cleaning. I am stitching a sampler and working on my quilt. Next week I start training for a six week temp job with the Census.
I finished reading Nehemiah about rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem. Two prophets were around at that time, Haggai and Zechariah, so I read them as well. Now I am reading a book about Zechariah that explains his prophecy. Interesting ...

A brief update and a treasure hunt for the soul. (suggested by broncomom) We are doing OK. Apparently there were so many insurance claims from the same storm as us that things are moving very slowly. I feel like I am teetering a bit so I went in search of spring before it disappears. It is a warm sunny day and our apartment is a little closer into town.

At our Bible study last week it suddenly occurred to me how ironic it was that we were studying the book of Nehemiah. He was a Jew who was taken into captivity and achieved high position in the court of his captors. When he heard how the walls of Jerusalem were broken down he prayed and began making plans to repair them although he didn't know how this would be possible. The King noticed his sad face one day and asked him about it. Although he was terrified of the king, he spoke boldly and was given permission to return to rebuild the walls. Many people tried to discourage him and those helping him from rebuilding. Obstacles got in the way. But Nehemiah kept asserting his faith that God was able to accomplish the huge task that lay before them and that they would be able to do it because God would help them. When I am feeling overwhelmed by the task that has been set before us, I think about Nehemiah and I readjust my focus.

The back of the house day three.

Damage along the roof and back wall...

The shallow root system of the tree that fell...

The family room Day 4 when they were drying it out...

Same room a few days later... the walls and ceiling had to come down...

The back door ... that supporting beam looks damaged...

What used to be my kitchen ...

The house day 4 or 5 after all the tarps were on and much of the rubble was removed...

It is currently raining very hard again and that picture window is leaking into the room and down the walls into the basement so whatever they dried is wet again... meanwhile, God gave us a place of refuge less than two miles away...

It is a little two bedroom apartment ... this is the entrance around the back facing a large green lawn

The kitchen ...  living room on the right and dining area behind me ...

Two bedrooms, a laundry room and a bath ... and plenty of closets ...

The emergency company sent out two men to help us move some of our own things to the apartment but we had to do a load of work ourselves. One of my xanga friends pointed out that the Bible doesn't say we have to be thankful FOR all things...only that we should be thankful IN all things so I am working to maintain that "attitude of gratitude."

It has been a rough week but God sprinkled encouragement through it. We are told to give thanks in all things... it occurs to me that it means not just being glad that Brian wasn't hurt or that we have friends who want to help us...but to be thankful for the tree...be thankful that the tree fell when and where it did. I am trying to get my mind around how that is possible. One thing I know is that we know what it is like to go on an adventure with God and see Him at work first hand... something that many people do not experience in their comfortable situations.
The house is actually more torn up than a few days ago because wall board and flooring needed to be torn down to expose broken beams and roof trusses. It is one huge mess right now. We decided to stay away today for sanity's sake.We had ministry to do at church this morning which was a welcome distraction. The engineer is coming tomorrow to survey the damage. We are still trying to figure out what to do for housing for the next few months. I know we will get through this and it won't always feel this bad.
This is how things looked once the men got the house covered...

And they had huge fans like these blowing all over the place inside.....

So the saga continues.....