So...it comes to this

My house and I hate each other. It hates me and I hate it right back. (It started the feud, not me. I used to like this house.)

We are currently preparing for foreclosure. I haven't shared this with many people because I am embarrassed about the whole matter. It isn't my fault, though. When we bought this house we were making $85k / year and for the last 2 years earnings have gone to more like $40-$45k. I am already doing just about everything I can to keep expenses down. If I pinch our pennies any further I may face a class action lawsuit. Though, "Pennies v Housewife 2011" isn't likely to make the headlines, not when so many other people face similar situations.

We have been looking at rentals in the area that we can afford and that aren't dumps. There are a few if you are willing to live outside of town. We found one today that we are comfortable with. We'll hear Monday or Tuesday if the owner is comfortable with us. I am optimistic, but trying not to get my hopes up too high.

I am ready to get started moving, but only because I am ready to be done moving. I need to go this weekend and see about getting some boxes. We have some from moving a few years ago, and some from purchases we have made, but no where near enough to move all of this, even after the planned do-we-really-need-this purge. I may be asking friends around town if they have any. I may also be stalking the rear of local stores. If my dishes end up smelling like bananas, you'll know why.

Anyway, pray for a favorable landlord, patience in moving, and nice weather at the turn of the month.

For you enjoyment...a marigold from dd13's flower box, before the heat did it in.

Scorpius and Antares

Thursday the girls and I spent the day cruising around Memphis. In addition to the Zoo, which we have been to so many times over the last 6 years that we no longer need a map, I decided that the Pink Palace would be a nice way to cool off and still learn something.

The Pink Palace has a museum, an IMAX theater, and a planetarium. We did not have a chance to see the IMAX.

The museum has natural history displays as well as some of the history of the city itself. It was interesting. Dd12 lit up like a Christmas tree when she saw the geology hall. (Homeschool mom takes notes, starts to plan science lessons for the fall...) We are still talking about the quartz crystal the size of our television.

The highlight of the visit was the Sharpe Planetarium. dd13 has always loved the sky and I figured even the less enthusiastic girls would like it. I was correct.

The program was different from what I saw when I went to a planetarium as a kid. This was just a pretty straight forward exploration of the Summer night sky from the southern USA. It focused on Antares, in the Scorpius constellation. From there we were shown how to find Vega, Altair, Deneb, Arcturus, Spica, and Polaris. We all walked out feeling rested (I loved those seats!) and educated.

I didn't realize HOW educated until last night (Friday.) JD and I returned home from our bimonthly budget date to a parking spot and walk toward the house that matched the orientation of the planetarium screen.

"Hey! There is Scorpius! And that star there in the middle is Antares," I said. I stopped and gawked for a few minutes. (It was a good night for gawking.) After a short time the girls started coming outside to see what we were looking at. As each one saw something she knew the name of the excitement level rose. All of us cursed the trees around the edge of the yard that are so lovely during the day.

"I can't see the Summer Triangle because of the trees!"

"The big dipper WOULD be over there, but the trees are in the way!"

"Is there a way to turn off the light on the pole?"

"This is SO cool!"

"We can't see the scorpion's tail because the house is in the way."

"Go get the binoculars!"

A trip to a museum that was pretty much chosen because it was indoors and air conditioned turned into a whole lot more. We all had a great time last night. Now I need to figure out where we can go nearby that has a larger open space and as little light pollution as possible.

I want to see what else we can see.

Here is a picture from Thursday that was NOT taken at the Pink Palace.

It is of a giraffe.