Sunday, August 26, 2007

Let's Play Ball!



Gabe went all season (2006) without a basket. He had missed a few, but he didn't understand much of the game in his first year, so getting in to position for an easy bucket didn't always click. So we preached the offensive rebound his last game of the season. And, wa-la! His first ever hoop, recorded by his grandma for all to see.

Now they call Gabe "Dikembe" and he stands a good head -and sometimes shoulders, too - above all the other kids his age. At 8 years and 3 months he stands at 5'1" and is a shot blocking monster. So we are excited about the possibilities of the new sports complex being built here in Sanford by Chris Palme and Craig Sturdivant. We would have the boys right over!

Here's to hoping they make it a success.

Hoops Reality

This is actually pretty funny. The 11 Guys You Always Find at Pick-Up Basketball.

Basketball paid my way to college, and I have played in 30+ states and in Europe.

Been there. Seen that.

Warning: A little bit lof language here and there. It would probably be funny even with the volume turned down.

Friday, August 24, 2007

Things Are "Moving" Right Along

Home/Relocation Update: We are getting some traffic on our home in Winston-Salem this weekend. One couple said they are anxious to get moved and are visiting just three homes with the plan to make an offer on one before Monday. Let's hope ours is the one! We really don't want to carry two house payments very long. There is another couple that has expressed interest and might be coming during the week.

Here in Sanford everything is on track. We will be officially official in two weeks from today as Sanford residents. There is much to do.

If you have a recommendation on the following, please let us know!

1. Home security system.
2. Propane service.

I think we have the phone, cable TV and High Speed Internet figured out. We also are buying carpet from a locally owned business and will hopefully make some decisions on furniture this weekend. All that is left is our closing next week, a little painting, having the carpet installed, and the moving company to pick up our stuff and move it down here. Hopefully all of that will go smoothly.

Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Mrs. Wenger's


Mrs. Wenger's
Originally uploaded by Joe Jon!
I have had a few lunches at this little cozy country corner type of place. I haven't walked out hungry yet. The sign in the front is all new and modern and everything, but I wanted to get a shot of the old sign on the side of the building. The place has been around a good while, apparently. And from what I hear the food has always been this good.

All Fancy and New

The Sanford Herald has a whole new look today in its print edition. Be sure to grab a copy.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Tap Your Toes and Slap Your Knees

There's bluegrass playing at Depot Park tonight. 7:00 PM. It's part of the 2007 summer concert series "Function at the Junction." Maybe I'll see you there.

A Family Swim


A Family Swim
Originally uploaded by Joe Jon!
The boys love swimming when they come to visit me at the hotel. It's a highlight of their trip. Yesterday Stacie joined us and I was able to snap a pic of them all enjoying their time in the pool. Gabe is swimming very well now. Ethan is still a bit hesitant but he is getting more comfortable each time. Caden ... Well, Caden could have fun at an insurance seminar.

Update on the termite inspection: Garrick was right. One call to Sandhills Pest Control did the trick. They will have it done today! One step closer to closing on the house!

Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Carpet and Such!

We went and got some pricing on our carpet today. 1900 Sq. ft. of carpet ain't cheap, let me tell ya! On top of that we are putting a wood floor in the dining room instead of carpet. Eep. Major bonus: We have a 2-year same as cash deal to pay for it, which will help ease the pain. That's what we get for buying a house at a great price and fixing up a few things ourselves.

Now, if we can just keep three boys aged 20-months to 8-years from spilling all sorts of various food items on this carpet, we'll be good-to-go!

Stacie and the boys just headed up the road after a visit. The misery. I can't wait to get them all down here. The boys are more fun than a sack of confused weasels. And having Stacie around... Well, that is what life and love are all about!

We'll be homeschooling again this year. Gabe will be in the second grade and Ethan will be starting the first grade. Little Caden will just be tagging along for the ride. He loves to sit and listen to mommy read to him. Amazing what those little goobers can learn when you pay attention to them!

Once we close on the house there is plenty to do in that area. Stacie has the bulk of her homeschool stuff packed up for the move, so the first week or two could get interesting while we are in transition. It will be neat to have a whole spare bedroom to turn into the homeschool room. We can actually have a dining room again! How weird is that? Though, I imagine we will still hunker down at the breakfast table for most of our meals. Sitting all close to each other and enjoying that family time each evening is a bonus. Touching elbows can be a good thing! Plus, it's easier for me to swipe bits of Stacie's good cooking from everyone else's plate.

Oh - Stacie and the boys finally got to spend some time in the library downtown this morning. She had to pry them out of there and when they picked me up for lunch the conversation was all about spiders and adventure. Caden just walked around and said, "Hello!" to everybody within 25 feet of Stacie. He likes to point and his mommy and announce that she is, "Mama!" to anyone who will listen. Stacie says they have a nice collection of books for the kids. I can't wait until I can take them over there.

Have patience, have patience... (Do you know the tune?)

I'm guessing that there is a huge, huge rush on termite inspections in the greater Sanford area, and here's why:

1. Thursday - I called local Termite Inspection Company A. They took a message. I never heard back.
2. Friday - I called local Termite Inspection Company B. They took a message. I never heard back.
3. Monday - I called local Termite Inspection Company C. They took a message. I never heard back.

Oh, my phone works. It's my office phone, and people get through to me - All. The. Time.

So, I must believe that these people are absolutely slammed with business. And so closing on my house is getting more frustrating by the minute. I think the next company I call I am just going to tell the receptionist to go ahead and set an appointment, and that I don't need anyone to "call me back."

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Getting to Know You

As I noted in my regular (old?) blog my wife and I have finally purchased a home in Sanford. It is close to work and offers us plenty of space for the boys at nearly 3,000SF. We are pushing to close in the next 3 weeks, which means I will be able to get the family down here and we will all be able to start spending some time getting to know the Sanford area.

Here are some things we are planning to do in our first 2-3 months in the city and greater central Carolina area:

1. Get to know the public library!
2. Subscribe to the Sanford Herald. I will be posting in the future as to why I believe their online subscription actually hurts them, but that can come later...
3. Visit Raven Rock State Park!
4. Join the local Christian homeschool group.
5. Transfer my boys to the local Boy Scouts troop.
6. Check out the Kendale Bowling Lanes.
7. Catch a show at Temple Theater.
8. Get lost in the Corn Maze and pick a pumpkin in the patch at Gross Farms.

On a side note: I am also wondering if we will venture up to Raleigh/Cary much. Apparently the greater Raleigh area is only 40 minutes away, where Greensboro is just over an hour. From what I have seen most people in the area relate more to Raleigh, and the newspaper I see most often other than the Sanford Herald is the Raleigh News and Observer. I have even been watching the Raleigh TV news station. Maybe we will get to know some things about the area a little further up US Highway 1 soon enough.

A little hint: My wife knows the area pretty well, already. She graduated from Meredith College. But that was about 14 years ago! So, I'm sure there is plenty more to see up there.

Saturday, August 4, 2007

Wi-Fi in Sanford

I was never expecting Sanford to be a hotbed of technology, being a small town and all, and I am guessing that it isn't when considering several factors. The first being the local Wi-Fi hotspots. I did a search for them (knowing how much I enjoy wireless Internet access in my own home) and discovered 8 spots on jiwire.com. It was interesting to see McDonald's listed (for a small monthly fee - does anyone actually pay for it?). And the coffee shop downtown might be worth checking out (free access!).

I also learned from another source that the local branch of the public library at 103 Hawkins Ave. has free wireless Internet inside during business hours. That sounds like a great opportunity to take the kids over and see what the place is like. I see they have a children's program that might be fun.

So after thinking about it a bit I decided that the number of hotspots listed isn't too shabby. I wonder if there are any initiatives or groups committed to increasing the technological prowess of the community and helping citizens to grow in this area? It might be fun to join in on the effort.

I also wonder if there are any other places with free Wi-Fi not listed?

Update: An anonymous user left a comment about Mr. Bean Coffee house on Jefferson Davis Highway/Rt. 1. They are open until 5:00 PM on weekdays and the service is FREE!