Out in the field

I went out into the field this morning with my Professor and Supervisor to measure some cross-sections at a drainage in S. Springfield. It was good to get to know everyone a little better and see what they are like in the field. It was something like 95 degrees with ~70% humidity as well, which made it quite sweaty.

I’ve cleaned up a bit to make room for the dresser and night stand (I’m sick of playing with them). They look pretty good even though I don’t have all of the hardware for the dresser- which is expensive! My handyman days are over for now. So sad…

Enchiladas were on the menu tonight and I got to try out the oven and stove. Both work like they’re supposed to but the downside is the oven heats the house very well- not a fun place to work in when it’s hot. The food turned out well and now, if only I had somewhere to sit and watch my limited time only free cable TV…

One thing I’m learning about wood floors is that they are NEVER clean. They never feel clean no matter how much you sweep and vacuum. I’m becoming obsessed with cleaning the floor- it’s like I’m Cinderella or something- it’s driving me nuts! I thought I always wanted hardwood flooring in my house but now I’m rethinking that (carpet hides a lot of crap and I like that). Now I understand why Mrs. A is constantly cleaning the floor…

It's official

Well, I went over to school today and got all straightened out with employment forms, school ID, and with keys for my office on the way (yes, I do have an office but before you get excited, it's a shared office). I also met my GA supervisor and another current Grad student whose Alma Mater is Northwest Missouri- the same Northwest Missouri that Grand Valley spanked TWICE in the National Championship- needless to say, he had definitely heard of GVSU. The prof in charge of me offered a spot on a small field trip to me with the rest of the Ozarks Environmental and Water Resources Institute (OWERI) staff. Technically, the project I'm going to be assisting in research with is through OEWRI, so I'll get a chance to get to know the people I'll be working with.

The dresser and nightstand are coming along; both are painted and drying. The paint is still kind of soft so I haven't gotten to put the cool new hardware on yet. I feel Like Atalie's Mom as I haven't taken up upholstery as a new mission. The Scotland crews' desk chair seat foam has disintegrated and is exploding out of the bottom. SO, with Martha Stewart by my side I'm going to re-cover that chair. All of this stuff has been fun, though.

Oh yeah: The money draining out of my bank account is not fun- Atalie SEND MONEY!!

Some more pictures...

The kitchen from the front door and facing the front door.
















The bathroom










The bedroom

Some pictures...

The soon to be living room (even though it's still the dining room) - imagine a large mahogany futon in the middle of the room


















The "dining room," lacking the table and chairs. Notice the beautiful sideboard on the opposite wall- thank you Mark and Daisy!!







The bland, empty office (we need some more bookshelves).

Hasta luego! (I'll see you later!)

After an 11 hour drive, Sally and I are back from our trip to Missouri. It was a long time in the car, but it was definitely worth it. I am so happy I was able to see the apartment (which is super cool) and ecstatic that I was able to see Patrick (although it made me miss him even more now).

As Patrick mentioned, we spent a lot of money this weekend (and I feel guilty that none of it was mine- I’ve only got about $80 in cash and bank at the moment!) such as our $600 futon, but our apartment is going to look awesome when everything comes together. The futon is a cool looking hardwood frame with a spring filled mattress so it should last a long time and any guests should appreciate our expenditure, and all of our smaller purchases such as pillows, a nifty looking shower curtain, and an area rug compliment what we have and make the place look more cozy. Everything we bought will come in handy but it still surprises me how much all the stuff for an apartment costs. I don’t even want to think about the money needed in purchasing and furnishing a house!

Not only does moving require a lot of money, but a lot of work too. My feet hurt so bad after shopping all day yesterday, and I’m sure Patrick is extremely exhausted after doing not only that, but also unloading the trailer and cars, putting stuff away, and all his work today sanding and painting some of our furniture.

In a nut shell, the trip was great regardless of the costs, but I wish I could have stayed down there all week since Patrick will actually have some free time before school starts and since I’d like to help shape up the apartment with him. I hate thinking that he’s all alone in the place for the next two months because I’m already feeling lonely (and I’ve even got a roommate!). Basically, I am hoping that time goes by really fast- I’ll be back soon, Springfield!!!

Weekend full of spending

Atalie got into town late Thursday and then she and I started our day out Friday meeting the family at Bass Pro Shops. After lunch we headed down to the main shopping district. Our mission for the day: a futon (since we didn’t have room for the couch and the spare bed, we decided we’d kill two birds with one stone). Well, we found one, and boy was it expensive. It’s great looking and will go well with the other fabulous furniture from big Brother, so despite my reservations about spending that kind of cash it should be great to have.
The Michigan crew left this morning, leaving just Sally, Atalie, and me (of course). Atalie and I picked Sally up after breakfast and started our store hopping. The first store was Bed, Bath, & Beyond followed by Target, Applebees (lunch), Lowes, Home Depot, Lowes, Target. Seeing a pattern? Let’s just say we lacked proper previous planning (ie, kept adding stuff to the list of things to buy and price checking at different stores). It was good, though: we got our bathroom sorted out, some shelves, a pantry cabinet to compliment our bathroom lacking all storage space and an area rug for the living room. Don’t ask why it took all day and multiple trips to each store.
The apartment is coming together and looks like it’s going to be a pretty nice place to live in this year.

We've arrived!!

After a Jackie and I's 10 1/2 hour drive and annoying truckers flying down the road, we arrived and got the key to the apartment. Mom and Dad joined us 2 1/2 hours later and we quickly emptied the trailer and took off for the hotel for a nice long sleep. Jackie and I started off early at the apartment emptying boxes and waiting for the mattress to be delivered. The furniture from Mark and Daisy looks amazing (it's REAL furniture, not the particle board stuff I'm used to and have come to love). Atalie and Sally will be here at some point tonight- can't wait! I'm so excited! There is one problem- the only place to sit is the floor. We're going to run errands this afternoon and see if we can't make this place look more like a home.