As you may be able to tell from previous posts, Jill and I are doing well. We enjoy living in Pittsburgh in what feels like a never-ending phase of preparing for the real world after school. We have great friends and are always finding new things to do.
Today I decided it was time to post some happenings from the past month or so (okay, I'm pretending it was my idea but Jill gave me the camera and said, "It's your turn.") That's fine, maybe our ever expanding audience would like to hear my point of view. Or maybe just my mom. Either way.
August has flown by. I finished working at a law firm right before our trip to Utah. I really enjoyed working there for a lot of reasons: co-workers, clients, work schedule, etc. My boss was so nice that he let me wash the building's windows on my last day. School starts this Monday so I'm back to window cleaning retirement... how long will it last this time?
Jill and I have enjoyed our callings this summer (when we haven't skipped out for the weekend). Here's one of our activities. Go Buccos!
The highlight of our year is going home and spending time with family. We buy our tickets far in advance and then wait impatiently for the time to come. For this past trip we were fortunate to receive one first-class ticket and one in coach. If you have ever seen the Seinfeld episode it was just like that. Jill had about three empty recliners next to her while I got to know the gentleman next to me very well. Apparently, they served a nice breakfast up there in between naps while I was served a lovely butter cookie. Hey, I was grateful for the cookie. Eating it gave me something to do since I can't sleep or read on airplanes.
The trip home was great. My family reunion was the first weekend we were home and Jill's was the second. Salina always feels like home. In addition to seeing a lot of my family, I saw some old friends at the Stake Hoe Down and throughout the weekend. When we took a jog to the slaughter house we were reintroduced to the high altitude. Jill's favorite part was probably the hike up to the NS on the mountain. Doesn't she look excited?
We left Salina for North Ogden where we spent time with Jill's family. We enjoyed some grilling, grass volleyball, Cheesecake Factory, baptisms at Bountiful Temple, and time with the fam.
I played more golf in the week than I had all summer. It was great! It was also a lot of fun to go to Idaho Falls and be with Jill's grandpa Hammond and all the cousins. The theme of their family reunion was Amazing Reunion and it was organized like the Amazing Race show. A lot of the clues had connections to the Hammond family. The winners received trophies, and mine sits on our dresser so Jill can see it every morning and night. Go American Heroes!
To round off the month, we have been getting ready for school to start back up (two weeks of orientation for b-school...) and spending some fleeting free time with friends, including, you know, a men-tathalon, thumb-wrestling, wake-boarding on the Allegheny River and a trip to a farm.
And, as a final note, I've received a lot of letters from concerned readers about our birds. Nulla and Kiwi are in a better place. They now live with Miss Teresa, a traveling scientist with a show on PBS. Thanks for your concern.
I still don't think Hockey is all that exciting, but this is Pittsburgh, and fans are crazy for their Penguins. And that made it fun! And hanging out with B & R made it fun.
Then Saturday, my friend, who, like me, endures a job here at the University, got free tickets to Pitts homecoming football game! And not just any tickets, we were in the club level! I'm talking VIP, hand and ticket stamps, bouncers at the door, and most importantly, cover from the possibility of rain!
remember that sweatshirt from highschool? dang, I think it's about time for a new one.
