New digs

Today Maria and I borrowed money from a bank in order to buy a house.  We'd never done that before.  If we make all our payments on time, the house will be ours on August 1, 2043.  I'll be 76 then; Nina and Pablo will be 35.

In January, we borrowed money from Toyota in order to buy a car.  I'd never done that before either.  Why now?  Last fall, Nina and Pablo graduated from day care. (Day care was expensive).

The new house will be my 25th address.  Here is the full list (counting college campuses as one address and not counting temporary summer employment residences):

#1 Ft. Worth--Sandra Drive 1967; #2 Ft. Worth--Binyon Avenue 1967-1969; #3 Waco--Rolando Avenue1969-1970; #4 Austin--1970-1971; #5 La Marque 1971-1973, #6 Plano 2000 Williamsburg 1973-1975, #7 Edmond 1975, #8 Ft. Worth 2112 6th Avenue 1975-1978, #9 Wichita Falls 2015 Victory 1978-1982, #10 Odessa 1336 Westbrook 1982-1984, #11 Stuttgart 2016 Coker-Hampton 1984-1985, #12 TCU Campus 1985-1987, #13 Madrid Castello 1987, #14 Vienna Bauernmarkt 1988, #15 Ft. Worth Merida 1988-1989, #16 Madrid Santo Tome 1989-1990, #17 Madrid Narvaez 1990-1992, #18 Madrid Carlos Arniches 1992-1993, #19 Madrid Mira el Rio Alto 1993-1994, #20 Xiamen University Campus 1994-1998, #21 Chicago 5345 S. Harper 1998-1999, #22 Chicago 1350 W. Foster 1999-2007, #23 Chicago 1709 W. Carmen 2007-2008, #24 Ada 1023 E. 8th 2008-2013.

Of these, I lived the longest at Chicago 1350 W. Foster (1999-2007; 8 years); then at our current address:  Ada 1023 E. 8th (2008-2013; 5 years); and then on the Xiamen University campus (1994-1998; 4 years).

#23 (Chicago--Carmen) was very nice;  so was #19 (Madrid-Mira el Rio Alta).  Unfortunately, I was only able to live in these two for a year each.  Of all the structures (not including location), though, #25 is my favorite

In terms of cities where I have resided, Chicago is still in first--almost 10 years (1998-2008); then Fort Worth--about 6.5 years (1967-1969; 1975-1978; 1985-1987; 1988-1989); followed by Madrid--about 5 years (1987; 1989-1994); now Ada--soon to overtake Madrid==with 5 years and counting (2008-present); and then Xiamen--about 4 years (1994-1998).

If a person is comprised of the places they have lived, I am 22% Chicago, 15% Fort Worth, 11% Madrid, 11% Ada, 9% Xiamen, 8% Wichita Falls, 11% Elsewhere in Texas (Waco, Austin, La Marque, Plano, Odessa), and 6% Elsewhere not in Texas (Edmond, Stuttgart, Vienna).

I've made a pie chart, but I haven't figured out how to upload it here.

I made another one that shows that I am 40% Texas, 38% America/Not Texas; and 21% Not America.

We are very grateful that Mom, Aunt Carolyn, and Mary Ann are here helping us get packed and take care of the kids this week.

Celebrating My 46th

Ada Fourth

Porch Performance for the Patrizzis

Little Red Learninghouse

Cross the chasm, strike a pose

Training

Wintersmith Summer

Campus Walkabout

A bumpy ride at Lazer Zone

Frontyardigans

Pablo at Right Angles

After picking up Nina and Pablo from Camp Learn-a-Lot and Emilio from Camp Mommy's Classroom, I took the kids to our favorite local Kiddie Park. It was seventy-something and overcast with a cool breeze blowing, and we had the park to ourselves.

Camp Learn-a-Lot?

Camp Arts-and-Crafts.