The Holy Grail

Welcome back, readers.

*Cue fanfare*

Today I accepted a Social Studies position at a public middle school in a nearby school district.  I'll be teaching 8th grade American History (they call it 'Individuals in Society' up here, considering it's a MYP International baccalaureate school and they're really into the cultural acclimation at this school), and I'll be starting the Tuesday following Labor Day.

The long quest for a contract position is over.  One year and one week to the day after returning home to Michigan.

That's not to say I've been unemployed this whole time, though;  far from it, readers.  I've been working my ass off, but it's never been under a long-term contract, and the pay wasn't what I had been making in Florida.  Now, finally, I'll be back to where I was at in Osceola County, and back to a level of stability and regularity I haven't seen since June of 2015.

This is what I expect teaching U.S. History will be like.

This opens up many doors for the Houghs, namely that we'll finally be able to start looking for houses to buy instead of rent (we'll probably start looking this winter after the holidays, since we renewed our current lease and will be in our current rental until June.)  I can't even begin to describe how much I loathe our current house.

Anyway, just wanted to share that bit of good news this evening.  Yours Truly is back in the saddle, ready to wage educational warfare on a brand new horde of young minds.

Get ready for craziness. . .

- Brian

A Quick Pre-Fall Roundup

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Well, we're back into the grind, America.

Alarm clocks, homework, daily morning fights over hair and outfits.  As crazy as it sounds, I've kinda missed the chaos of the School Year.

Two weeks into their first academic year in Michigan, the girls have fallen back into the routine of school pretty well (so far.)  I'm not sure if it's because they're coming from out of state, or if it's due to me and Kris' superb parenting skills, but both girls seem to be ahead of their classes.  In reading, at least (alas, I think they've inherited my 'talent' for math).  They're making friends, and - miraculously - have even managed to stay out of trouble so far (cross thy fingers.)

Fancy new threads.

On the tails of this school year kick-off has come the cooler weather we all knew would be arriving sooner or later.  Its cooling down into the '60s now, so the girls are starting to be able to try out some of the numerous fall/winter jackets they've scored since moving back up to Michigan.  Still a novelty at this point for these little Florida babies - I have a feeling their tune is going to change come January/February, once winter has fully set in and the snow is no longer 'cool.'

(excuse the pun.)

On the job front, we have some sort-of-good-news: Kris landed a job at a dentist office here in Midland, where she'll be working the front desk and possibly going into dental assistancy (is that a word?)  While this is a completely new occupational field for her, the type of work she'll be starting off with is relatively similar to what she was doing before down in Orlando, so it's a good fit.  They're giving her full benefits, too, and her hourly rate working part time equates to what she was making full-time at her last job, which ideal for her because she enjoys the extra time with our kids (who knows why.)

Yours Truly, meanwhile, has finished the process of enrolling in the Michigan teaching network, and, as soon as my paperwork clears, I'll be able to start subbing in local schools up here.  From what I gather, that's how you get hired in schools up here - you develop a reputation for being an awesome sub, they get you on a long-term sub gig, and then they hire you.  Obviously not a guaranteed thing, nor ideal, but we're still doing well financially, so there's no real pressure (yet.)

Pumpkin beer from Michigan's own Arcadia Brewing Co.

Finally, to wrap up today's installment, I'd like to point out that we've officially kicked off Fall Beer Season - my second favorite beer season (behind the Imperial Stout Season, coming this winter.)  I guess we know where my disposable income is going for awhile.

'Til next time,

- Brian

Another Hipsterly Project

They should make a game where you shoot these.

I know I make fun of hipsters a lot, but I'd like to point out that the main reason I do so (besides them being absolutely ridiculous in all things) is because they frickin' copy and exploit ALL the crap I've been into for years.

Book enthusiast?   Check.
Music snob?   Check.
'70s/'80s electronics?  Check.
Vinyl record collecting?   Check.
Pipe-smoking?   Check.
Ukuleles?   Check.
Old man hats?   Check.
Beer?   Check.

And vintage bicycles?  Yeah, that too.

Damn you very much, Hipsters.

Anyway, the point of all this is that I want everyone out there in Cyberspace to know that Yours Truly proceeds hipsters in all things, including the acquisition and restoration of vintage bicycles.  I was doing it waaaay before it was cool, hipsters - so stop frickin' making me look bad.  It's annoying.

My restored Varsity.  Next up:  I'm going to replace the seat with a brown, leather Schwinn seat, and finish it off with a matching saddlebag briefcase/laptop/messenger bag that attaches to the rear rack.  Then I'll probably buy some matching brown, leather handlebar wrap (my old handlebar tape is starting to peel off.)

As I've mentioned before, I inherited my Dad's old '76 Schwinn Varsity back in 2005, and for the last couple of months have been busy restoring it to its former glory (as well as sprucing it up with some bitchin' new saddlebags and accessories - see pic above.)  It's been a lot of fun and has kept my mind off the never-ending and often-times depressing quest to find a full-time job up here in Michigan.  Well, recently, I acquired yet another addition to the Hough Family Fleet of Wheels.

How Clare folk roll in their natural environment.

During my last trip to Clare with the Fam - to hang out with Trevor and Sara McNerney, and to celebrate the combined birthdays of my nephews, Bradley and Jax - I accompanied my folks over the Cindy's parents' house to pick up a propane grill they were giving to us.  This was an incredibly generous gesture - not only did they give us a grill, but they also threw in three propane tanks, a cover, and a ton of grill tools on top of it.  Pretty awesome.

In addition - much to my wife's dismay at the time - they also gave me a vintage Huffy Escape.  They had wanted to get rid of it for quite some time, but when Dad saw it he told them how I had done such a great job cleaning up the old Varsity, Grandma Jones (Cindy's mom) gave it to me on the spot.  It's in worse condition than the Varsity was when I got it, but I have no doubt I'll be able to fix it back up with some effort.

Check it out:

 

 

 

 

- Brian

August, or The Month in Which Nothing Happened

Maaaan, you wanna talk about boring. . . let's talk about frickin' August.

Holy crap.

If you'll recall, May - July was absolutely insane around these parts.  Whirlwind Disney trips, field trips, selling our home, saying goodbyes, moving to Michigan, unloading crap into a new house, greeting old friends and family, going on vacations, weekend getaways with others, etc.

Now all that crap is settled and out of the way.  And we've spent the last four weeks doing absolutely nothing.

Seriously.

Kris and I spend the mornings job-hunting and working on necessary paperwork (school registrations, bill-paying, shopping lists, etc.), while the girls run around the house getting on each other's nerves and making an ungodly racket.  Around lunchtime, Kris takes the girls up to Plymouth Park to get them out of the house, while I work on side-project crap.  In the afternoon, the girls are unleashed into the neighborhood to play with their friends, and Kris and I continue to job search, chores around the house, read, work on side project/freelance crap, or else - when all other options have been exhausted - watch tv and play videogames.   The girls are recalled for dinner, and afterwards we just kinda hang out together until they go to bed and Kris and I watch TV until we go to sleep.

That happens five times a week.  Then again on the weekends.

Why wouldn't a kid want to meditate on a bath towel in the front yard?  That's normal, right?

Sure, we visit with family and friends, and have done a few other things, but nothing ridiculously crazy - it's been a really, really low-key month, compared to what we went through the previous three months.  School starts in two weeks, and we're really looking forward to it, 'cause these kids of ours are driving us f***ing CRAZY.

Anyway, good to see ya again - enjoy the pictures.

Family bike ride on our way over to Grandma's for dinner (it's about a mile and a half ride.)  Here Abby and I wait on the corner of Swede and Sugnet for Kris and Alayna to catch up (Alayna, unlike her more adventurous little sister, is still relying on training wheels, and rides at a maddeningly slow pace.)

Here we are waiting on the corner of St. Andrews and Sugnet, again waiting for Alayna and Kris.

(She insists on walking her bike across the street.  EVERY DAMN TIME.)

My alma mater (for half of 7th grade.)

. . .and then my other alma mater (for sixth grade, conveniently right next door.)

Doing donuts in the parking lot, waiting for Kris and Alayna to catch up.

Hough ladies, riding in formation.

Extended fam, waiting around for dinner.

Impromptu footrest.

Saddling back up after dinner.

About a week later, Kris decided to theme dinner around a movie. . . and so ended up with Ratatouille. 

Instead of out-sourcing the labor to talking rats, we opted to handle all food prep ourselves this time around.

Kinda peeling a tomato.

Looking at pictures ('cause I know she's not reading that level of text.)

I read this Star Wars comic book to Abby every single night.  And, of course, I have to give every single character in the story their very own voice (Abby gets pissed if I don't impersonate the film's various characters accurately.)

Finally hung up Kris' precious Adara mirror.  That only took two months.

Sunbathing on the side walk with one of the neighbor kids.

Plotting afoot.

We decided to move the karaoke system downstairs in the basement, and out of the living room.  Since the move, it's gotten about 300% more use.

Jam session to Kidz Bop, a Hough Household favorite.

Painting some ceramics at Creative 360 (a birthday present from the Whites.)

No, they didn't sculpt this - they just painted it with glaze (or whatever.)

Chillin' with Big Boy - that lovable Elias Bros. bastard.

At Stratford Woods Park - a nearby park with a 'beach.'

A futile search for sea shells (we didn't have the heart to tell them that this is an inland lake.)

Gorgeous, gorgeous sand.

Thrilled parent.

A decent watering hole, and only about a mile from our house.

In about two months, we're going to hate these things. . .

BEFORE:  Okay, so I picked up yet another hobby lately (what with all my free time these days, that shouldn't be all that surprising) - restoring my old bike.  The bike you see here - a 1976 Schwinn Varsity - used to be belong my Dad, but he gave me the bike when I returned from Africa in 2005.  It still had the original tires/tubes and seat, and besides having the rear wheel re-trued in 2009, I haven't done anything to it.  There was some minor rusting on the chrome, and paint chipping in a few places, and eventually it got to the point where I had to re-inflate my tires after every ride.  So, around mid-July, I decided to bring the bike back to life. . .

AFTER:  First, I re-polished all the chrome to its original luster, and had the bike techs at Ray's Bike Shop in Midland give the bike an inspection.  Thankfully, they said the bike was in excellent, 'Like New' condition (all brakes, shifters, and drivetrain were perfect), so all I needed to do was buy some new tires and tubes (which they special-ordered for me and installed.)  I then purchased a vintage rear bike-rack, a British-imported leather bag (behind the seat), and a saddlebag for the top bar that safely houses my Samsung Galaxy 6s in a transparent, center pouch (so I can listen to music and utilize my GPS while riding.)  My next purchase will be a removable briefcase/laptop bag that mounts to my rear rack, so that I don't have to tie down an existing bag (but that might have to end up on a Christmas list or something - we'll see.)

As far as the paint situation goes, it just so turns out that Dad still had a tube of the original paint lying around his workbench, and - miraculously - it was also like new.  Booya.

Had to drop about $200 in order to fix Kris' car - I attempted to drive it to the store one day, and the shifting cable broke.  Thank God it was a relatively simple fix.

Remember when Chris and I went on that Pub Crawl in Grand Rapids with Lucy and Larry?  Well, this is what Kris was doing in the meantime. . . swimming at Dad and Cindy's with her Mom.

This was a definite milestone for the Cannonball - she finally became brave enough to stick her head all the way under water.  First step towards swimming on her own. . .

The morning after the Pub Crawl (in which Chris and I snuck out of Al's place at 5am, and drove back up to Clare by 7am), Cindy treated us and my nephew Blake to breakfast at the White House, in downtown Clare.

I used to come here with friends in high school, as it was one of those places back in the day that didn't ask you whether or not you were old enough to smoke cigarettes, so long as you kept buying coffee (the Smoking section, by the way, was literally two feet away from the Non-Smoking section. . . which doesn't really make a whole hell of a lot of sense.) 

Waiting for the food to arrive (the kids were fans of the establishment.)

While, Cindy, Blake and I finished our food, Kris walked the girls down to Cops and Doughnuts for some posed photo ops. . .

We found this sign on the girls' bedroom door, after Alayna stormed off to her room for one reason or another.  I thought we'd have a few more years before we entered this phase, but I guess I was wrong. . .

Having lunch at Plymouth Park (Abby hates the camera.)

Abby's attempt at doing her own make-up before going out in the neighborhood to play with friends. . .

At the Midland Mall (I think)

We found Abby like this in her room, after she asked to have some space by herself for awhile (I think she fell asleep listening to the CD-Book of Return of the Jedi. . .

Dad and I took the girls by to visit with Granny Hough during one visit to Clare (they haven't seen her in four years, I think.)  While we were there, Granny let the girls pick random puzzles and books from her basement to take home to keep (as she has no need for them anymore - she hasn't been in her own basement in over three years, due to her failing health.)

While we were there, I finally scored this 20" tall, hand carved, Aztec statue that Granny bought in Mexico back in the late 60s.  She promised me this back in 2008, when Grandpa Hough died and she was getting rid of stuff, but until now I've never had the opportunity to take it home with me ('cause usually I was traveling from Florida, and my suitcase space was limited.)  Due to her failing memory, she forgot all about the fact she had promised me this, so Dad insisted I sneak it out under my shirt when we left (which I did.)  It's an awesome piece, now displayed proudly in my living room.

Some of the books I took for the girls from Granny's basement.  A lot of vintage stuff she's held onto since we were all kids in the '80s.  I ended up just taking a large cardboard box and filling it with stuff in the basement while Dad and the girls visited with her upstairs in the living room.

Some old school puzzles I used to put together as a kid back in the '80s.

My kids love their Books on CD, as I used to enjoy my Books on Cassette.  This, obviously, predates both of these mediums.

Taking the girls to shoot hoops at Griese Park, conveniently a one-minute walk from our front porch. . .

Another generation of athletic Houghs. . .

Kicking the basketball down the sidewalk on the walk back to the house. . . 'cause that's how MY kids play basketball.

Weirdos.

I feel for this dog.  I really, really do.

Training the Cannonball in the art of Super Mario World (SNES.)

Grandma teaches Alayna how to play Checkers (which, oddly enough, was harder for her to learn than Chess was. . . go figure.)

Visiting with Grandma and Grandpa Jordan.

Lately we've had issues with Abby lying and sneaking things around the house - I guess it's common with five-year-olds, but we're still weirded out by it.  She ate half a bag of Kris' Dove chocolates one day, hiding all the wrappers in one of the bathroom.  After being punished for this, Kris put the chocolates on top of the fridge.  Shortly thereafter, we heard a crash in the kitchen, and found this upon our arrival to the scene. . .

Consequently, Abby was grounded for three days, and lost all screen (TV, videogames, etc.) and friend privileges.  In addition, we also twisted the dagger in her heart by robbing her of her favorite thing - Star Wars.  She was forbidden to play with any of her Star Wars toys, and we confiscated all her Star Wars books (see above).  Only then did she truly comprehend the severity of her sentence (which worked, by the way - she hasn't stolen anything since.) 

After nearly two months of hanging by a thread, the Cannonball's third tooth falls out (knocked out by a hammock accident at the neighbors' house, no less.)  Guess how much fun we had looking for a baby tooth in a grassy backyard at 10pm at night?  Go ahead.  Guess.

Hitting up the Roller Rink in Midland (I wish they made these walkers for adults - I suck at rollerskating.)

Who says Florida beaches are better than Michigan beaches?   Oh, wait. . .

- Brian