Catching Up

Seems like forever since I posted, so I don't know where to begin.  I had spring break week before last and spent it cleaning out our attic and getting rid of stuff.  I took about fifteen large trash bags to Good Will.  When they put our addition on they're going to put a furnace and air conditioner in the attic for the upstairs, then use the current furnace and a new air conditioner for the first floor.  Unfortunately, our attic was about three foot deep with stuff.  Anything we didn't know what to do with went in the attic.  There were quite a few boxes unpacked from when we moved into this house, fifteen years ago this month.  I've never watched the show Hoarders, but I might be a candidate.

Speaking of our addition, we are closing tomorrow on our house loan--we refinanced the house and will get the money tomorrow.  Our architect did not get our stuff to the city council meeting in time fore this past week's meeting, so we'll have to go April 4.  There is an architecture review board that has to approve the plans before we can get building permits.  RW went to the meeting this past week just to see what it was like, and he said they ask lots of questions.  I hope our architect is prepared.  Once they start, the work is going to take four months.  I was hoping for about six weeks.

I'm still planning to retire this summer, hopefully the first of July.  We went to a retirement a couple of weeks ago; I already knew most of what they told us since we've met with a financial planner who is in the Missouri Public School Retirement System and he was very informative.  I'm still waiting to hear from Social Security about buying some years from retirement.  I sent the request and check on Nov. 4, but I heard they were very slow.  That's an understatement.  The check was finally cashed three weeks ago, so hopefully I'll hear something soon.

We're having our family here for Easter next week.  I sure hope the weather warms up.  We had about ten inches of snow today.  I just heard that our school is cancelled tomorrow.  Too bad so sad.  I'm glad I'm not teaching this semester, since this is the third snow day this semester.  It's hard to get everything in during the semester when days are missed.   I'm really looking forward to Easter, and especially to spring.  It is supposed to be spring but it's hard to feel it with the snow outside.  I'm hoping it warms up so the little ones can wear their cute Easter clothes and hunt Easter eggs in the yard.  We usually have about fifteen little ones and it's so much fun.  I've been buying candy and sewing something special for the baby.  They're coming in for Easter--I haven't seen Stephanie since she started walking and can't wait to see her.  I'll post pictures next week.