Access Panels for the Rich and Famous
Tanner says that when and if we ever build our own house that there will be access panels to everything. Pipes. Electric. Air conditioner. Everything.
This statement was prompted by an episode on HGTV, featuring luxurious bathrooms across the country. One showcased a beachy bathroom with an in ground Infinity bathtub. Tanner cringed. “How is anyone supposed to fix a leak on that thing?” he cried in outrage. “Every home should have access panels. Someone could make millions putting access panels into homes like that…I should do it. I’ll make millions.”
Jolly Green Giant
I always knew Tanner has a knack for houseplants. But he’s impressed me over and over about how dedicated he can be to his small crop of jalepenos and cilantro. Here’s our makeshift indoor garden….
Tanner lovingly waters the garden.
(Table look familiar? It’s a butcher block my parents gave us. It used to be our old dining table. We ate around it up until Ty was born. Can you imagine seven Turpin’s crowded around it?)
From left to right: jalepenos, cilantro, and garlic.
My favorite part, my tulips are blooming!
(Thanks to my husband who tends them, waters them, and transplants them into bigger containers…I only call them mine because I bought the bulbs)
Beans.
Upon my incessant urging, Tanner and I have made Wednesday ours.
We’ve both been working so much lately I thought it would be healthy if we both had a concrete day we could devote to sleeping in, or running errands, or….vegging. It sounds super slothful but it really has been so good for us, and we’ve only enacted the practice for two weeks, and we’ve gotten a lot done around the house (apartment) consequently.
Moreover, yesterday was Wednesday! For our day off, we made the arduous journey to the animal shelter on Bataan Memorial and looked at prospective pooches. It was heart wrenching for Tanner because the place was filled with beautiful Pit Bulls but our apartment requires that we not adopt a pet that weighs over 25 lbs, I doubt we could fudge that rule very much with a dog of that size. He’s resigned himself to obey that rule.
So we’re looking and having the time of our lives petting every single dog there, and a rustle beneath the shredded newpaper stole our hearts.
Oreo, as the pound has dubbed her, is a little white terrier with a black patch over one eye (any one of you who knew in middle school knows that I can relate). She’s only four months old and super sweet. Also very energetic but I’d be worried about a puppy that wasn’t.
We looked around some more but both knew that this was the dog for us. So we set the adoption in motion. “Oreo” is currently waiting at the shelter, for some surgery;-)
Tanner and his brother, Tabor, have always had a knack for naming their pets the perfect name. Mr. Pants, a pitbull with pant-like markings. Banjo the beagle. We both knew we could do this dog more justice than “oreo.”
So, unless we come up with something “more perfect,” our new dog’s name is Beans.
All Quiet in Little China
Big Trouble in Little China.
I do not understand the fascination with this movie. When I ask fans to explain themselves, they just get a dreamy look in their eyes and sigh, “Kurt Russel.”
Well, Tanner sighs, “Kurt Russel….oh, and John Carpenter.”
Tanner watches this movie at least once a week. Or that’s what it feels like. Personally, I am reading “All Quiet on the Western Front” for the millionth time, and it doesn’t seem to bother him nearly as much. Probably because Kim Catrall isn’t in my WWI novel. Thank God for that.
Giving of Thanks 2008
My father likes to think in terms of equations; 1+1=2, and so on. It’s a language he prefers to English. Calculus is poetry to him.
I couldn’t help but think of Thanksgiving this year as a equation also. With all the additions and substractions, multiplications, divisions, and hypotenooses (hypotenoosi?) this year working together to form a mathematical sentence.
2 Parks’.
Shannon and Troy drove down to Las Cruces Wednesday afternoon ahead of the rest of the family. My mom had brilliantly suggested that I order what I needed for T-day dinner through the Sam’s Club website, and that they would pick it up en route. Tanner was recruited to star in Devon’s latest short film, and so Shannon and Troy joined us “on set” when they came into town. Later, we all ate Mexican Pizza together and discovered something had gone awry with the groceries: half of them weren’t what we had ordered….it was a bunch of…breakfast?! Apparently, there had been a mix up and we ended up with half of our order and half some one else’s. Poor Steve never saw his bacon, hashbrowns, and red chile again.
+7 Turpins.
Mom, Dad, Craig, Russ, and Ty arrived in a rain shower the next afternoon. They brought the butcher block table we had all eaten around up until Ty was born disassembled in the back of the truck (not seen in this picture). Thanks for the table and chairs, ‘rents!
+2 Cats.
Horace and Elijah were in heaven. So much attention!
+8 episodes of “House.”
Tanner and my dad have found more common ground. There was a marathon of the medical drama series “House” on USA. We almost literally had to pry my dad away from the TV to come pray over the meal.
+1 case of bronchitis. (poor Ty!)
After battling a 10 day cough, Ty was whisked to the doctor and diagnosed with bronchitis. He erupts into a fit of coughing whenever he laughs, and the poor kid just finds everything funny. In typical older brother fashion, Russ has gifted him with the monkier, “Bronchitis Boy.”
+1 sunset walk to a duck pond pull of starving ducks, and a possessed goose.
After stuffing ourselves senseless with maple-bourbon marinated turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, homemade cheesy onion bread, corn, and strawberry-pineapple-banana fruit salad, we all wadled to the duck pond at NMSU’s campus. The moment the ducks saw us, they began screeching and swimming towards us, which leads me to believe that no one feeds them and they are dependant on the kindness of strangers. Out of the millions of ducks, there was only one goose to be found. On several occassions it came within very uncomfortable proximity to my person, which I later learned was the result of my husband placing delicious morsels near my feet. Next to stingrays, I have a very unhealthy fear of geese.
+1 great round of Scrabble. Sorry Ty, “Trix” is not an acceptable word.
After the walk, we had all digested our dinner enough to not explode if we ate dessert. We returned to the apartment, ate warm apple pie a la mode and Tanner’s much anticipated banana split cake. I broke out Scrabble and played with the boys while everyone else watched more TV (House, of course. Dad doesn’t have cable, and he was relishing the opportunity to catch up on episodes). Russ beat us all, with a grand total of nearly 160 points. He’s a stratigic player and knows to finangle his way to those “triple word score” spaces. We realized halfway throught the game that the board was upside down to Ty, and could explain why he took so long making words. Despite the handicap, he did well, although we could not let him get away with the word, “Trix.” It’s a breakfast cereal. Not a real word.
+3 loads of dishes.
Not bad, all things considered.
(….and a partridge in a pear tree!)
= Giving of Thanks 2008.
Cheesy as it sounds, I have so much to be thankful for this year. I was so blessed to be surrounded by my family, husband and roommate and roommate’s boyfriend included . They are all incredible treasures.
Agape
“Agapē (IPA: /ˈægəpiː/[1]) (Gk. αγάπη [aˈɣa.pi]), is one of several Greek words translated into English as love. The word has been used in different ways by a variety of contemporary and ancient sources, including Biblical authors. Many have thought that this word represents divine, unconditional, self-sacrificing, active, volitional, and thoughtful love. Greek philosophers at the time of Plato and other ancient authors have used forms of the word to denote love of a spouse or family, or affection for a particular activity, in contrast to philia—an affection that could denote either brotherhood or generally non-sexual affection, and eros, an affection of a sexual nature. The term agape is rarely used in ancient manuscripts, but was used by the early Christians to refer to the self-sacrificing love of God for humanity, which they were committed to reciprocating and practicing towards God and among one another.”
Last night, in an odd collision of miracles, Tanner and I had the night off, AND we had money. We don’t go on a lot of date dates (yes, I’m using a noun to modify another noun, sorry), mostly because we’re broke and transportationless.
We walked from our apartment to the little Italian restaurant Lorenzos and had dinner and a nice, overdue conversation. We actually see each other more often than we used to now (since we’re working together) but rarely have those soul baring, quality talks.
Someday, maybe, I will go into more detail about our converstation, but all I can say is inbetween salad and entree I broke down a little. Tanner didn’t get embarassed, or spew a flurry of compliments just to get to me to regain composure. In truth I think he was glad, sometimes he thinks I’m a robot. He said several reassuring things of course, just because he is a fantastic husband and friend, but the best one was,
“Amanda, I love you for who you are.”
The phrase itself is maybe overused in romatic comedies and maybe sounds cheesy on the surface. Of course we all know in the crevices of our minds that we are loved unconditionally. But to hear it, to have it confirmed is a million times more powerful. Tanner shows me that kind of love regularly through his words and actions. That sweet, unmoveable, God inspired agape. I am so blessed to have him in my life.
Saturday
Tanner and I had the day off Saturday. We rarely have time off that overlaps, so we made the most of it.
Tanner got a haircut, we went to the mall and bought him pants (not an easy task, few retail stores carry size “Gignatic.” We went home, at Mexican at Cha-Chi’s, and bought a pumpkin at Toucan’s and went home to promptly carve it.
Pictures of my amazing pumpkin carving skills. I am a master.
PS: We’re hosting Thanksgiving this year. Got any recipe recommendations?
One Year Older
We slept in, spent a good chunk of the day swimming, diving for a transformers keychain, and lying in the sun. That evening, we got together with Sofia and spent all those gift cards we got as wedding presents. We are the proud owners of a new chair. We have yet to fight over who gets to sit in it, but it’ll happen…
Devon joined us later on in the evening for some fried zuccini, jalepeno thingys, mexican pizza and margaritas. Here’s some pictures of our shenanigans.
Looking around in Bed Bath and Beyond, Tanner snapped this gem.
The family called while we were in Target. Ty is on the other end saying, “What up, my married, brithday-girl, sista?”
Back at the apartment, pouring a margarita
Big pan of fried (er, frying) zuccini
Sofia’s “I just ate a jalepeno and am trying to gracefully recover” face.
Talking on the pink couch.
Keylime Birthday Pie!
Wishing for a pony. (Yes, we eat on the floor)
Please don’t lick my eye.
Thanks for a great birthday, Tanner:-D
The (Pink) Elephant in the Room
My friend Sofia has one of the most generous hearts I have ever known. She is constantly thinking of what she can do for other people. Tanner and I are so fortunate to be some of the “other people” in her life.
A friend of her mom was getting rid of a sofa set…for free. Sofia text messaged me one day and just nonchalantly asked me how our search for furniture was going. At the time of her text, we had (1) mattress set, (a few) bookcases, (1) fish tank, (1) TV set, and (1) office chair. Our walls looked fantastic, because we have a lot of awesome pictures to hang, but despite how awesome our new place looked, we still were sitting on the floor. But that’s just how Sofia’s mind works. She sees people seated on the floor, and thinks of all the different ways she could find them a couch.
Within 42 hours of her text, we had a knock on our door and two strapping men (Devon and Nick, thanks!) delivering a free couch into our home. The best part about this couch, besides it not costing us a dime? No weird cat smells!
The issue we’re skirting for now, the “elephant in the room.” if you will, is that our couch is pink.
Tanner said it looked like it belonged in brothel.
When I glared at him for that comment, he said, “No, it think it’s cool!”
Speaking of my husband, yesterday was his 29th birthday! I probably asked him a million times what he would like to do, because I don’t want to give him an excuse to say to anyone that he had a rotten birthday. So we slept in, had our air conditioner fixed, made a HUGE dinner, and he opened his presents. He went nuts over the belt buckle…for those of you who know him, it matches hs barrel of monkeys tattoo almost exactly. I also gave this an Optimus Prime key chain, just because he always picks it up at Walgreens but never buys it. Later on in the night when I asked him if he had the keys, he told me (in a husky Transformer’s voice) that “Optimus has the keys.”
After dinner, we went and saw the Incredible Hulk at the cheap theater with Sofia and Devon. After the movie, Devon and Tanner would respond to any statement with, “HULK SMASH.”
Well said, gentlement. Well said.
Sickness and Health
Over the past week, Tanner and I have been slowly packing all of our belongings and placing them in the hallway. July 25th was the day we were finally going to get out of this crapshoot, the apartment where I’ve lived for the past two years (and where he has lived for about a month, haha).
I say the 25th was the day we were going but we actually didn’t. As I have witnessed often but really can’t seem to get through my head, stuff happens regardless of how prepared you are.
We woke up really early (er, for us anyway) and took the bus to the U-Haul rental center. While I was sorting things out at the front counter, Tanner made a beeline for the men’s room where he told me later he, “puked his brains out.”
We drove back to the apartment, where we both thought he would recover within the next few hours. My poor, poor, poor, husband spent the rest of the day wretching over toliets and buckets.
I hate situations like these, where there’s nothing I can do or I’ve done all that I can…which basically has consisted of praying in desperation, offering Tanner more water and asking if he wants me to take him to a doctor.
Please pray for Tanner when you think of it. He wasn’t much better this morning but went to work any way.
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