Let's see if we can catch up. I've been teaching 2nd grade at the boys' school, Trinity Christian. I now eat, breathe, and pray Teacher Stuff. I've fallen off the wagon and started spending money on books I already own. Sad, isn't it? But I left my books and all my teacherly belongings in my old school for the class I used to call mine to finish out the year. And let's just face it, there are some books a teacher should never be without. Well, there are many, many books. And now I own two of a slew of them. I'm trying to get myself under control. I'll be glad when my Pennsylvania books and I reunite this summer. I will touch my books, smell them, and read them and weep happy tears of profound joy. Then I will make my family sit down and listen to me read every single one of them aloud from sun-up to sun-down.
Not that you can tell from this picture, but our 10-year-old boy is a happy child. His latest fascination is all things Wimpy Kid. I saw the movie with him and was surprised by how funny it was. I guess it's because I have a wimpy kid myself. Even the booger on the letter passed under the bathroom door cracked me up. Perhaps I should put one in Camden's lunch box this week.
Of course I have the obligatory picture of Benjy marrying Emma. He marries her every day. Since he saw Camden's teacher get married last summer, he thinks the big kiss is a sign of marriage. He even wants to marry me. I asked him what Daddy'd do and Benjy said, "He can just get a new girlfriend." Hmmmm. Camden announced that he was never getting married. "I'm staying single forever," he exclaimed. Benjy was stunned: "You will never get married? You're going to stay a boy forever???"
I think he knows he's cute.
Meet Viv! She's our new old camper. She's a travel trailer from the era of the late-90s. She came really cheap, but she's in awesome condition. See those curtains? Those aren't original to the camper. I jimmyrigged those from a hodgepodge of fabric I had around. I absolutely HAD to use the pointy fabric which had been in the kitchen of our home we bought last fall. It wasn't quite wide enough for the space that separates the living room from the pop-out bed "room". But they're my curtains and I don't mind. I also made the slipcovers for all the cushions, then got started on throw pillows. Because. And I could. not. stop.
See, this camper came with an "interior decor palette" in frightening shades of blues and mauves. You remember all the early losers on HGTV's Design Star? They go to work for camper manufacturers dreaming up these designs. And they are ding dang proud of them, people! See that panel of hideous fabric below the slip-covered cushion? That's what every single cushion looked like. Big. Bold. Butt Ugly. Viv just couldn't abide by that. "I shall make you lovely, my dear," I told her.
OK, so I can handle the blue panels, just rip those off and staple-gun my green quilted fabric to it, than somehow reattach them. But the blue countertops and table, I don't know. In my wildest dreams, I'd love to put a vintage enamel topped table in the dinette. One like we used to have in the '90s back when we were poor as church mice and happy to go out shopping after midnight at the 24-hour Wal-Mart. And I'd love to see some butcher block for the kitchen counter, small as it is. Also on the notepad - paint the walls a warm honey yellow. We'll have to figure out how to prime these vinyl-clad pressed board walls. Oh well, there's time for that. Viv's far more patient than I am.
Check out the water closet. That's really important at 3 a.m. Really. Important.
Here's a shot from where the boys' bed is. It's also a pop-out. Note the distance from one end to the other. Let's pray for sunshine when we inaugurate Viv.
Yes. I staged this. But I really did read every page of that Southern Living. I'm a misplaced Southerner, y'all know that.
It almost looks like home. And for the time that it's parked in my driveway, it's the perfect spot for a little time out. For me.
