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Well, I have now ‘lived’ in Arizona for about 6 months, and I really don’t know how much longer I can stand it. I long for our old trailer (which I have a sneaking suspicion we could buy back without too much hassle) with its nice carpet, 2 full bathrooms, convenient closeness to everything and the beautiful trees and grass in the yard. We even had flowers that I planted and maintained myself. My mums are no doubt in full bloom right now and looking absolutely gorgeous!!
I miss my job and my old friends from the Holiday Inn and all my friends from church and of course my family! I miss being able to wear something other than flip-flops and t-shirts. (I can wear other things here, too, if I don’t mind feeling faint from the heat)
Right now in Ohio it is my absolute favorite season, all the leaves are starting to change to the oranges, reds, and yellows they always become before falling off the trees, the corn is all a wonderful golden color for a few weeks before the farmers harvest it, and the air is crisp and cool, just right to get you into that holiday spirit! It’s the perfect time of year to have a hayride, or go to the property for a bonfire, complete with my cute, clunky, brown leather shoes, a comfy sweater and s’mores!! It’s also the perfect time to be drinking hot apple cider, making caramel apples, (and eating them) going to a football game with friends and having a tailgating party before the football game using all our beautiful Longaberger baskets for transport. (with people who actually know what a Longaberger Basket is…)
I miss being only 4 minutes away from everything! (Here it takes 4 minutes just to get the gate unlocked, pull the car out and lock up again.) I miss having a house that has enough insulation that when a neighbor has annoying music playing, at least you can’t hear the words. I really miss breathing. I used to be able to breath, for years I have taken it for granted that I could breathe, but since moving, it is always a challenge just to get a decent breath. (must be the dirt) Also, I miss having a smooth complexion; I have been so broke out since moving that I look like I have had a severe case of the chicken pox for the past 5+ months, and excuse me, but, been there done that!!
McDonalds in Arizona doesn’t even have hot chocolate, so that should give you an idea of how lame this entire state really is. Plus, if you think about it, their big claim to fame is a giant hole in the ground, which I now believe after living here for some time was most likely someone detonating a bomb in order to destroy this entire mistake of a state, but they didn’t calculate the size of the bomb correctly and The Grand Canyon is what they ended up with. The genius behind it was probably killed in the explosion and that’s why he never came back to finish the job. Poor guy.
So basically, I still really want to go back ‘home’, as do Jariah and Becca; but of course, none of us can do that unless the guys get completely awesome jobs in Ohio, in the computer related field. (And before Zion would think of moving back, it would have to be like a dream job of a lifetime where he could play video games for $100 an hour or something equally impossible to find like that.)
Now, how ‘bout them apples?!
43 comments:
I'm absolutely certain that I came up with much more original things to say than that. =)
That's real cool, Zion. Call out your wife on the Internet. It makes it kind of hard to earn her respect when you do that.
Honey,
Yes, it is a beautiful time of year here but try to remember you did say you would give AZ a real try. Next month will be dull and brown and probably cold and dreary and then after that it will be really cold and miserable here for what will seem like forever. Remember scraping ice off your windshield and your fingers absolutely freezing? Think of those zero temp days and how long it takes to get bundled up just to go get in a frozen car that takes for ever to get heated up. You'll still be slipping into flip flops and running around in the sunshine. Then we will all be envying you! Maybe by then you'll be in a decent neighborhood in a little bit nicer house or apartment.
You've experienced October in Ohio 23 times and possibly you'll experience that many more times. You should see what Zion likes so much about fall in AZ this year. Maybe by next year you'll look forward to seeing that again. Remember this is at least an adventure in your life. Your Great Grandpa Weiss spent a few years out west when he was young, and even though he came back, he always talked about his time out there. Enjoy it for a while.
Zion,
Badly done, Zion, badly done.
Baloney!!
Somebody needs to call her out, and it's best that Zion do it.
Good job Zion, Bravo and about time!!
What is wrong with pointing out the fact that someone is a chronic complainer?
My wife was a chronic complainer (spoiled, youngest daughter) and I cured her.
How did I do it? Not by ignoring it. I called her on it each and everytime she complained for no good reason.
And guess what? I cured her and now she is absolutely perfect in every way. She's gained perspective and has learned to look at the bright side once in a while. She's much happier and so am I, because I don't have to hear all that complaining.
It's not like we didn't know already that Shanah had a penchant for complaining...
(Love ya Jeshanah!!)
And Zion, keep taming that shrew!!
Well... They asked me if Zion's comment was mean when he posted it and Zion even asked Shan and neither of us thought it was bad. I really don't get why everybody thinks it such a big deal...although maybe it's just cause we have gotten used to Zion's mean comments...I don't know you tell me!
And it's not like Jeshanah is the only one either.
Pretty much every husband I know thinks his wife could be a Gold Medal winner at the Complain-Olympics!
And you know what? There are valid, legitimate complaints, but I don't think that sitting there and mildly taking it is the answer.
If I do something that gets on my wife's nerves, I fully expect to hear about it and I appreciate it when I do.
That's the only way things get better.
Nothing mean about it.
The truth will set you free.
Whatever Zion...keep telling yourself that!
BeCCa
Eh, I just don't think the Internet is the place to air spousal grievances. But if Zion asked Shan before posting it, then there is not a problem.
Maybe going to Arizona was the best thing to ever happen to Shan. Now if, or when, she comes back to Ohio, she'll realize just how good she had it and learn to be more appreciative.
Naaaaaaah.
JK, Shanny! ;-)
I think this will be the lesson we all got out of living here...wow we had it good! Can't wait until we go back!
Your on your own for that one!
Sha-Riiight!!
Good idea, then she'll appreciate Arizona more!
I bet you guys can get a good deal on a paper shack in Monterrey.
And John, everybody should get to deal with their spouse in their own way, right?
If I had to run everything I said and did through and by my in-laws I would go absolutely insane.
Everybody has their own opinion.
You just got to go with your own instincts and I think Zion had a great model in my Dad.
My dad would let my mom complain for a while, but when it started getting too out of hand he would say "That's enough, Olga!"
And that was that. Peace and quiet would once again reign supreme in our abode.
Here Shanny, maybe this will help...
http://www.draves.com/ice05/ice05.htm
The best of both worlds... a little lawyer/goat humor:
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A rancher named Clyde had a car accident. In court, the trucking company's fancy lawyer was questioning Clyde. "Didn't you say, at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine,'" asked the lawyer.
Clyde responded, "Well, I'll tell you what happened. I had just loaded my favorite goat, Bessie, into the..."
"I didn't ask for any details", the lawyer interrupted. "Just answer the question? Did you not say, at the scene of the accident, 'I'm fine!'?
Clyde said, "Well, I had just got Bessie into the trailer and I was driving down the road... "The lawyer interrupted again and said, "Judge, I am trying to establish the fact that, at the scene of the accident, this man told the Highway Patrolman on the scene that he was just fine. Now several weeks after the accident he is trying to sue my client. I believe he is a fraud. Please tell him to simply answer the question"
By this time, the Judge was fairly interested in Clyde's answer and said to the lawyer, "I'd like to hear what he has to say about his favorite goat, Bessie."
Clyde thanked the Judge and proceeded, "Well as I was saying, I had just loaded Bessie, my favorite goat, into the trailer and was driving her down the highway when this huge semi-truck and trailer ran the stop sign and smacked my truck right in the side. I was thrown into one ditch and Bessie was thrown into the other. I was hurting, real bad and didn't want to move. However, I could hear ole Bessie moaning and groaning. I knew she was in terrible shape just by her groans. Shortly after the accident a Highway Patrolman came on the scene. He could hear Bessie moaning and groaning so he went over to her. After he looked at her, he took out his gun and shot her between the eyes. Then the Patrolman came across the road, gun in hand, looked at me, and said "How are you feeling?"
"Now what would you say?"
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Ice Storms! Cool!!
Christine's brother moved from our area to Cleveland Ohio and we've heard complaints about the cold winter weather.
Asked what he wanted for Christmas he asked for a portable flashlight / weather radio so that he had something to listen to when the power went out during the storms.
Also it takes forever to get dressed to go outside and then as soon as you come back in it takes forever to get all the layers of clothes off.
The cold weather is depressing and people get all pale and blubbery to help endure the cold winters.
So I've heard.
And then the there's the big piles of extra layers of clothing to contend with. They're all frozen and wet and need to dry out or be washed. Ughh!
We are expecting snow Thursday, Shan! Already. Snow showers Thursday and possibly through Sunday! Stay where you are, you lucky dog!
When was the last time you rolled around in the snow so much that your clothes got so disgustingly wet, mom? That only happens when you are a little kid outside playing in the snow (rolling around making snow angels and going sledding) but that never happens when you are just walking around doing regular things. Stop being crazy to try to make me feel better, it's retarded! Plus, I like snow and I always have, I like fall better, but snow is fun especially around the Christmas season. Yes it's cold, but you get to wear cute clothes in the winter complete with gloves, scarves and hats, and you know how much I love hats. I personally have 3 sets of scarves, gloves and hats, (one to match each coat) and I am really going to miss having the opportunity to wear them. I also have 5 pairs of adorable tights and 4 pairs of knee socks that go with some of my sweaters that I should be wearing around now, but I am still in hot pink, bright yellow and aqua colored t-shirts and flip-flops.
Scraping the ice off the windows doesn't take all that long if you have a decent ice scraper, and as long as you start the car when you first walk outside, it's decently warmed up by the time you get in, and if you are dressed appropriately, you won’t get all that cold while you are actually outside scraping the windows anyway
BekahY, just throw some larger pebbles into your kids sandbox, add a suped up heater and a recliner and suddenly you are right here in my neighborhood. By the way, pictures are a thousand times better than the real thing, so stick with you illusions about how beautiful the desert is and don't destroy your dreams by actually coming. (If you do come though, we have a place you can come stay, I don't recommend it, but you would be welcome.)
ROFL Shan. I was actually thinking about your dad and brothers carharts and sweatshirts, but remember we have two little girls full time and three on the weekends now, so there will be snowsuits and all that laying around quite a bit.( of course, we also have Ms. Zvx so I really won't have to deal with any of it!) So, if you refuse to see the bright side of AZ. I might as well tell you that today and yesterday were picture postcard perfect. I got to mow our fabulous, huge yard yesterday and I LOVED every minute of it. I actually double mowed some of it just to stay outside longer. Saturday John is making chili and Rebecca is making sandwiches and we are all going to Ohio Northern football game and tailgating and the whole nine yards. We really do wish you were here! ALL of you! It's the best month of the year! (Except maybe December!)
well shanny about everyday in the winter i come home all wet and icy and dirty even unless it is actually cold enough that everything stays frozen and doesnt turn muddy.
p.s. pray for rebecca as she has her divorce hearing tomorrow
Winter does have its redeeming qualities. They are, in no particular order:
1) Ummm...
2) Well, uh...
3) What I mean to say is...
4) ...
5) Oh!... no, wait, nevermind...
6) :scratches head:
7) (give me a minute)
8) There was that time that we; oops, that was in the fall...
I got nothin'.
Zion buy her some cute clothes quick!
And you guys haven't even asked about the free China set I offered you.
It might even be expensive for all we know and I can tell you its never been used.
My mother-in-law gave Hurold a vase for helping me deliver a big screen TV to her house. He looked it up on the internet and it was a collectible worth like $400 or something.
When you get a vacation, come and visit and you can drive it back because it's pretty big and it weighs a ton.
I have been inviting the Holsapples to visit for a while. The Bay Area is great and SF is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It'll make you forget about Ohio for a while.
LOL, John!!
I'll give you the real list:
1) Snow, it's a glisten'!
2) Sledding!
3) Snowball fights!
4) A reason to drink hot chocolate with marshmallows!
5) CHRISTMAS!!!
6) Spending time with Family!
7) Game nights!
8) Fun, Cute clothes!!
9) Building Snowmen
10) Making snow angels/ forts/ etc.
11) Roasting chestnuts over an open fire...
12) Sleigh Rides!
13) Christmas Caroling!
14) A reason to play board games.
15) Ice-skating on a pond!
I got a bunch!! Plus if you have a fireplace, it would be great to curl up in front of it on an overstuffed chair with a good book...
Israel, why don't you sell the china and give me the cash. I don't want more stuff that I will have to move back to Ohio in a year and a half!!!
I HAVE a bunch of really cute clothes already! I just can't wear them because I would die of heat stroke if I wear them here. (I also have a lot of really cute summer outfits, but I have already been wearing them throughout the summer, and it's time to change over to the fall season clothes, but I don't want to die of heat.)
Jeshanah! Talk about looking a gift horse in the mouth! It comes across as somewhat unapprecciative to suggest that he sell the china and give you the cash. You should very graciously accept Israel's very generous offer of the unseen possibly expensive china.
Then YOU can sell it! Lol.
While you are out there, you should definitely go visit Israel and Christine. If the guys decide to take jobs in Phoenix, you should go right before you move. There is so much to see in CA, I'm sure you would love it.
If you go, take pics of the house all over the inside if they haven't had a decorator in yet. Find out what they have that they love and get a sense of what they wish they could get to. Maybe I could do some long distance decorating for them. Or, if I end up getting rich in the near future, I would love to visit the area.
Israel
You are sweet to offer her your china, and I know it sounded like she was wanting china, but the truth is, the last thing she needs are more dishes. She got tons of beautiful china that they had registered for for their wedding. She's bought so many other dishes that she left a few sets in Ohio for lack of room. I bought them some everyday fun dishes in the Southwest theme when I was there.
All she was talking about earlier was some very specific Longaberger dishes that are her exact shade of purple that she's wanted since they were introduced and now they are retiring. She will live just as happily without them. :)
Actually, Lima has a pretty good arts scene. The Lima Symphony Orchestra is regarded as one of the best small-city orchestras in the country. The Producers, I Can't Stop Loving You, Man Of La Mancha, Camelot, and Cats are all going to be performed at the Civic Center between now and April.
On November 21, the whole family is going to see the Moscow Ballet perform The Nutcracker.
On top of that, Ohio Northern's Freed Center, which usually has an eclectic calendar of events, is just 20 minutes down the road.
We do ok for a small city.
By the way, The Lion King was here a couple years ago, as was The Phantom of the Opera and Stomp, just to name a few.
And exactly how are we supposed to pay for all these wonderful plays and stuff on 10 bucks an hour? give me a break! We actually did go to Sabino Canyon Saturday, it was hot. We bought the season pass, though, so we can go there and to Mt. Lemon for the next year as long as we have the cash for gas. However, since we really haven't even had the cash to go to the church in Phoenix for a of couple weeks, I seriously doubt we will be wasting too much money on entertaining ourselves instead.
Also, mom, while it's true I have alot of china, I really don't have any everyday dishes. Zion recently broke 2 of the 4 plates that I personally own. My china is all in the shed, and the fun dishes that you bought us are plastic and they are both Becca's and mine. They are cute here in this house, but they are really not any of the colors that either one of us tend to use.
well shanny if it makes ya feel any better a few months ago i donated your purple dishes to the good will
That's fine, I had them long enough and I didn't really like them all that much to begin with.
I love the Goodwill.
A few days ago I found a brand-new Limited Edition Atlanta Hawks Salim Stoudamire Rookie Bobblehead at the Goodwill in Stockton for $2.99.
How it got there from Atlanta, pristine in it's original packaging is a mystery. I'm sure very few people in Stockton even know who he is.
It was a pleasant surprise because now I don't have to buy it on E-Bay. He is now happily bobbling in my U of A display cabinet next to my Lute Olson, Mike Bibby, Jason Terry, Gilbert Arenas, Michael Dickerson and Luke Walton Bobble Heads.
I also have former Arizona Point Guard Kenny Lofton in a Bobblehead, but he's playing baseball.
Also Tedy Bruschi (football) and JT Snow. (baseball)
(I am still waiting for Andre Iguodala and Channing Frye to come out.)
I know McFarlane is putting out plastic Gilbert Arenas and Tedy Bruschi figures soon so I'll definitely get those.
Anyway Stockton has the best and the most second-hand stores in the Universe and once in a while you'll find a pleasant surprise.
My best buy ever was a $250 Train table in excellent condition which I bought for Gabriel for $6.99. My neighbor saw it and offered me $200 for it as soon as I brought it home, but I said "no go."
Being able to brag about getting it for $6.99 is worth more than $200 in my book.
Shan....sorry...didnt read all the comments...i think it said 44....umm...no thanks. Just wanted to say...it SNOWED here!!! The boys havent even been able to go trick-or-treating yet! LoL And I am supposed to go HIKING this weekend....*crosses fingers* no more snooooooooooowwwwwwwwww!!! Of course...Jesse thought it was cool! hahah
Shan, if you can't dish them out, don't take them...
or something...
:-/
Shan, I can't wait to see all of you when you guys come home. It seems like it's been forever.
PS - the previous post (the dishes one) was a poor attempt at a play on words, (in case there was any confusion)
Haha, John. I got it, and I laughed, but I didn't have any smart remarks to make in reply. And I was taught that if you don't have any smart remarks to make, then don't say anything at all... or something like that. =)
I believe that was if you can't say something that will astound the whole room...or something like that.
saying "I can't wait to see you guys" is SUCH an understatement as to be ridiculous.
I mean for me, as your mom, of course. It's not ridiculous for John.
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