Happy Halloween, Being Sick and The Play!!

Fall Apples

Happy Almost Halloween Everyone!!!

 

Here at the NK house hold, we’re planning a Halloween Party!! Complete with bloody hands (Eww..), And dancing (Yay)!! We’ve got bags of decorations ready and we even changed the house’s name to Three Ghouls Grove, instead of Three Girls Grove. If you want to drop in and join the fun, feel free!! You can even print out an invitation here!

 

Me, Scarlet and Mom, well… We all caught the cold that’s going around. The traits: Stuffy nose, coughing, and gas, and not feeling your best. Anyway, Scarlet got well as soon as she got sick, it’s just what she does. But me and Mom have been sick for almost a week now. Izzy and Dad are immune to it, I’m guessing.

 

Here’s a surprise; Dad’s in the Winter play! He plays Hogg, the Butcher in “O Holy Night”. I play Celeste, Scarlet plays…Scarlet!! And Izzy is playing Lilac, smelling and acting as sweet as one. You can come see it at the Morton Roxy, in December. Come and see it!! Oh, and Mom’s doing the makeup.

 

Our ice cream chart got a update last night when we went to Miss Hannigan’s (Elysa’s) house, it was like this: Mom (Wimpy), Dad (Bigger), Shanna (Even bigger!). But now, it’s like this: Mom (Wimpy), Dad (Bigger), Shanna (Even bigger!), Ms. Hannigan (Huge! And you get seconds!). Ughh… That makes me full just thinking about it. I’m stuffed.

 

And don’t forget; This month, brushes are twenty percent off!!

 

‘Til next month!

Maleah

East County Life

snow
snow

We live just east of the town of Mossyrock, WA. The business (Herbs of Grace) is slowly growing. The kids, on the other hand, are growing too fast. Maleah is 10, Scarlet 9 and Isabel 6.

.

Coolin' Down
Coolin' Down

We really enjoy living out in the country. It’s quite different from the urban life. We’re more concerned about occasional loose live stock, rather than stray cat or dog. We have 4 neighbors. We drive old cars. The nearest Starbucks is 40 minutes away. And I’ve learned to drive a tractor, and work on one, too.

.

Here’s a 4 year old satellite image:

View Larger Map

.

I work at Morton Public Schools as the Technology Director. The district is in decline at 285 k12 students. We lost one teacher last year and will loose another this coming year. Although, they were able to offer me three days per week for this coming year, rather than two. I don’t make anywhere near the $$ that I made at districts in urban areas, but we’re making it and the lack of pay doesn’t bother me enough to move to a bigger city.

.

Flower
Flower

The past 5 years has really been different for me. Life in the foot hills of the Cascades is slower, but each day is more important. Perhaps it’s being a father, perhaps it’s not living in a city. I’m not sure which. The kids do take a lot of energy, and at the same time, they provide a lot of energy. Maybe I’m just getting older. Had my 50th last September. Vanessa threw me a surprise party.

.

The town of Morton (pop 1096) is about 15 minutes east. It is a small community, larger than Mossyrock, (pop. 300). Morton has depended upon the timber industry forever. There are still a few mills in the area, but mostly, logs are shipped in, processed and shipped back out. To publicly mention that perhaps Morton should look at opportunities other than lumber is to commit social suicide.

.

Sunset
Sunset

There are a few progressive folks in town and they are pushing back. A buddy of mine owns a property in downtown Morton. He has built an upscale photo studio (Adam Angel Photography) and his wife built a nice yoga studio (2nd Street Yoga). Two of the nicest properties in town. They have a third unit that he and I are remodeling to be his photo gallery. A local group, FMAC, also remodeled the old Roxy theater and it is now a play house/movie theater, Clevenger Art Gallery; very nice. But mostly, the businesses on main street are lonely and sad looking. The best thing that could happen to Morton would be for the mills to close and all the remaining logging industry to leave town. Then Morton could begin its rebirth.

.

And of course, White Pass Ski area is only an hour away.

White Pass Panorama
White Pass Panorama

Later,

Brad

Herbs of Grace