Sister, this post is for you.

If you came for a visit my sweet sister, (DO IT!) this might be your greeting once you made your way through the garage entryway we affectionately call "The Dungeon"...

You might smell something delicious and exotic cooking in the kitchen. You might ask Tess what it is because you know for certain that I was not making anything more than apple & cheddar cheese sandwiches.

Depending on if I was miffed or not about the jab at my lack of cooking skills, I might invite you up the stairs.
You might notice a slight burnt smell about the time you reach the first landing. That is from previously cooked things in the cooking room that have wafted up the stairs and left traces of themselves behind on each step.

Once you reach the top step you might look to your right and see a photo or two of you on our table. That is because I like photos of you so that I can remember what you look like in photos and not in real life, and also, because Tess & I have yet to put anything on the walls.

If you continued gazing counter clockwise about the "Good Room" (also known as the "Great Room") this is what you might see...
(a couch folded down into a bed for now, until Tess & I finish all the furniture arrangements)

our computer area...

and the doorway to the bathroom which you might come back to later if you have to pee...

Another doorway to the sleeping room and storage...

a strange little storage that you will have to see to fully understand...

and our cool black couch that we traded out for a dorkier less slippery couch...

Finally you would see our little upstairs linen cupboard where it evidentally has always been.
It is a cute little area that actually fits a lot (like all my wrapping, photos, coloring books & pencils, and a sewing machine)

At this point you might mention you would like to see the little girl's room. After which I might intentionally take offense at your choice of words, rant about the fact that I am not a little girl but am in fact a regular sized all grown up girl, smile sheepishly in embarrassment as I notice you crossing your legs, and silently point to the bathroom door.

Relieved emotionally you might skip to the loo, to relieve yourself physically...




You might come out to find me visiting with a regular to these parts.
and someone who keeps being confused as you (by both Mumsy & me) since she cut her hair Nashvillainously.

Tess might just then call us down to dinner...

Which we might enjoy immensely since we are Italian.

We would probably end our fun evening with a walk to the downtown Paso Park, even if it is sprinkling.
Wouldn't that be nice?

in the processes of springing...

I went to Shell Creek Road


with the Dubs


and the littlest Cone.


we found a bear


and some Model A Fords


we found a UB...


& a reason why Jude might throw-up

we found some poop


accidentally broke the law


didn't get arrested

but took a "booking" photo anyways


came home to find a princess with her rats

(kidding!)

found out that when they say "that kid sure was climbing the walls", they actually mean the kid was climbing the walls


disciplined said kid by making her carry a rat around town


which she did lovingly and patiently

even if it was a little dramatic


yelled at said kid anyways, because I am her Fairy godMother & that is what I wanted to do


watched a princess catch & kiss a gecko


no prince appeared

(sigh)

enjoyed the flowers springing anyways

my newest roomie

Once upon a time there lived a princess...
"How do I know that she was a princess?" you imply with your eyebrow arched slightly.

I just do okay. (quit interrupting my story).

Her father was a king from a far away place called Indenya (India & Kenya).

As a young prince he was sent to a boarding school (like some kings do) to play football (soccer), to speak the King's English (perfectly), and to appreciate fine foods.

Even though he would one day be called a king, he was still able to experience somewhat of a normal childhood. His classmates treated him as a brother, his brother treated him as a slave, and his parents read to him.

It was quite nice actually.

"What did Their Royal Parents read to the prince?" you may ask.


Well, let me see...maybe something not so "normal" as one might expect for a boy in his early princehood.

A sweet little book, filled with sweet little stories intended to teach young royalty to mind their "p's" & "q's" & maybe, just maybe, to scare the crap out of their royal little bodies.

(actual book pictured here)

"And what kind of sweet crap scaring stories might this book have told?" you may wonder.

Well, children, the kind Royal children are read. Stories like this one, where Suck-a-thumb (a naughty little boy who sucked his thumb well past the obvious age of appropriateness), was warned to stop sucking his thumb.

"Did Suck-a-thumb heed this warning?" you may whisper with a little quiver in your voice.

Alas,
he did not!

And that was the end of Suck-a-thumb's thumbs.

I share this with you, because the King shared it with me & some of his princess daughter's other friends, one night over delicious Indian food.

"Did this princess friend of yours also grow up playing football (soccer), speaking the King's English perfectly, & absorbing important life lessions through sweet children's books of terror?" you may inquire.

As far as I know...um nope, nuh-uh, thankgoodness no!

She did however grow up playing almost every sport, reading mostly science books, and appreciating fine food.



Here are some things I appreciate about HRH Tesska:

1. She is laid back. She cares about people & pets, but is relaxed about it.

2. She is always herself, to a fault. It is funny to hear the things she says and does because of this gift/curse. For example, tripping a cute boy at work thinking he was someone else, asking impertinent and sometimes probing questions of married people and their financial arrangements, almost always saying what she is thinking. Tee-hee.

3. She is scientific in everyway. Providentially she has a sense of humor and she's beautiful, but man can that girl turn anything into a science lesson. Just ask her about cutting boards, water, and the counter.

4. She is a servant. I have had the opportunity to work alongside Tess many times, and I love that she is unobtrusive but hardworking...when she's not napping.

5. She sleeps around. And by "sleeps" I mean this girl naps. And by "around" I mean this girl can nap anywhere!

The kitchen floor after playing with her parent's dogs? Yep.

The car after arriving home and parking in the driveway? Yep.

I kid you not, I will not even bat an eyelash when the day arrives that Princess FranTeska says "you'll never believe where I fell asleep today!".
"Oh yes I will believe it!" I will say, even as she begins to describe how she crawled under the picnic table outside of work during lunch to find a gecko and found a warm patch of cement instead and decided to rest her pretty little head for a minute.
(this did not actually happen...yet, but she does like to catch geckos).

6. She is willing to deal. That means she tells me the truth, even when I am not keen to hear it, and she asks for the same. That is such a treasure in a friend!

7. She has a heart for missions. We were able to take a mission class together last year, and it has been so great to encourage each other to move forward as God works on our hearts and moves our feet to bring the Hope of the Gospel somewhere else.

So, this is what we decided. To move in to the Fanny House, (kinda like a Granny House minus the Granny), and to encourage each other as we both finish school and head out to wherever God calls us.

Here we are driving to our new place after fitting so much stuff in Tess' Subaru that we had to call it Mary Poppins' Purse.