We Live in Moyock

So what do people do in Moyock on a Friday night?  Perhaps that's a question that has crossed your mind.  Well, I'll tell you.  If you're like us, you sit in your house with all the lights off and enjoy watching a movie by the glow of a bug zapper that is sitting in your kitchen.  Romantic, huh?

The weather here turned really warm over the weekend, and for the first time this spring, the bugs decided to come out in force.  Now, we're not really sure how it happened, but sometime in the evening, we went outside to talk with our neighbors across the street.  By the time we came back in, our dining room light was swarming with these little black bugs.  They were everywhere.  They were on the ceiling, the windows, and the light.  We had an infestation.  So we brought in our bug zapper and plugged it in.  That seemed to do the trick as it quickly eliminated our bug problem.

And don't sit there and be all high and mighty because I know that if you had the option to do it, you would love to spend an evening listen to the zaps of a bug zapper while watching 3:10 to Yuma.  

Goodnight Cinderella

The Cinderella story for Davidson College has now come to an end for this season.  Just don't be tricked into thinking that they actually "lost" to Kansas last night.  In fact, what happened was just a show of true Southern hospitality.  The players at Davidson didn't want to spoil a Final Four with all four of the number one seeds in it, so they bit the bullet and let Kansas come out with a two point win.  

They also didn't want to go on and play UNC.

Go Carolina!

(by the way, in other news, the UNC women's team is also still in the tournament)

March Madness in North Carolina

The problem with living in the Great State of North Carolina in March is deciding which North Carolina team am I going to support in the NCAA Tournament.  UNC?  Duke?  It's a big question.  Last year it was decided that the Gruetzmacher clan would in fact support UNC.  It pained me greatly to have to say that because it was just a few short years ago when UNC beat the University of Illinois to win the whole tournament.  But my ties with Illinois are being cut this year now that I own a home in this blessed land of Carolina.

This all became even more challenging this year now that another North Carolina team has come out of nowhere to capture the hearts and minds of the Iraqi- I mean, err,  the American people.  Spunky little Davidson College is proving to be a tough nut to crack.  They are the cinderella story of the tournament as a 10th seed who has knocked out both the second seed Georgetown as well as the third seed Wisconsin.  This tiny college of 1500 students, Davidson has gone on to slay Goliath not once already, but twice.  

Tonight they face their toughest challenge yet as they face the top ranked Kansas.  But if there is one thing we should always take into consideration it's that you can't underestimate the skills of a college basketball team from North Carolina.  After all, we may have crappy professional teams (with the exception of hockey) but our college basketball teams always manage to shine bright in the March tournaments.  So this year, I'm not cheering for one college, but rather for an entire state.  

Go North Carolina!

Easter Egg Hunter

Our Easter Egg hunt at Little Birdies proved to be a success.  It took Kasia a few seconds to get the hang of it, but then once she realized there was candy inside, she was all for hunting down those eggs.  Enjoy.

Traditional Easter Breakfast

Every year, Kara makes a special Easter breakfast which consists of a mash of flour, water, milk, and hard-boiled eggs (there may be more ingredients, but it's all very hush hush).  She then cooks it all together and serves it over toast.  Her name for this concoction is "Egg Stuff."  Ever since she was a kid, she's been having Egg Stuff for Easter breakfast.  This is what it looks like:

I've always had a slightly different Easter breakfast.  You've got to keep in mind that I wasn't raised in the South, but rather I was raised in a rather traditional German family.  My breakfast consists of an omelette, bacon, toast, and a traditional German beverage to wash it all down.

A Sign You're In The South

There are two signs on the door to our library.  The hours of operation, and the one above.  So if you're planning on going to the Currituck County Library, make sure you leave your concealed handgun in the car.  

What a Difference a Week Makes

Last weekend was not the greatest one for us.  If anything could go wrong, it did go wrong.  Stress balls exploded and shot gooey foam all over the living room.  The garbage disposal clogged up and spat water everywhere.  The battery on our Saturn died and needed to get jump started.  Our bathroom window was leaky.   It was not a very good weekend.

This weekend was a little different.  First, we sold the car (a huge relief).  Then we got a letter in the mail from our mortgage company stating that they were charging us too much and were reducing our payments.  Also, they were giving us a check for the amount we had been overcharged.  We sold one of Kasia's outdoor toys.  And we're finally getting the rest of our house painted this week.  So while last week everything went wrong, this week is all on the up and up.  Let's just hope that this trend continues, and as the stock market goes down, our fortunes go up.

Not Feeling So Hot, or Rather Feeling Too Hot

Is it the flu or is it just teething?  That's the debate going around the Gruetzmacher household as Kasia has come down with something.  It started mid-week, and then peaked in its badness by friday.  On Saturday she was a little better.  Sunday a little more.  And now it's monday, and she is back to her old feisty ways.  Alas, whatever was bothering her was definitely putting a damper on the weekend.  We had absolutely gorgeous weather, and yet we had to stay inside.  Maybe next weekend will be nicer.

Goodbye Old Friend

Inevitably, we had to sell the Chrysler convertible.  We bought the minivan already, and it just didn't make sense to have three cars sitting in the driveway.  Plus, with a bad AC compressor and no serpentine belt, Kara's old, yet trusty, car was not in the best of condition anymore.  We had resisted the temptation to trade it in when we purchased our van because we thought that maybe we could do better selling it on our own.  

As it turns out, we made the right decision.  After putzing around for nearly a month, we finally decided to post the car for sale on Craigslist.  We put the post up just after noon on Saturday, and within a couple of hours, there were already a dozen people who asked to see it.  We called the first name on the list, and he said he'd be down in a few hours to take a look.  By six, they had come down from Williamsburg, took it for a drive around the block, and then paid for it.   It took us nearly three weeks to list it for sale, and then when we finally did, it took less than six hours to sell it.  Not too shabby if you ask me.  

And if that wasn't enough, we sold another car over the weekend.  We sold one of Kasia's Little Tyke's cars to a family with a little two year old.  Two cars in one weekend.  I suddenly feel like the little taylor who bragged about "killing seven in a single stroke."  

I Swear This Is True

Last Saturday, the three of us went down to visit the North Carolina Aquarium in Manteo.  When we got to the shark tank, Kasia met two little girls who were twin sisters.  Now, despite the fact that they were the same size as our yet-to-be two year old, these girls were on the verge of turning four.  I guess Kasia really is tall for her age.

The amusing part happened when Kara asked their mother what the girls' names were.  I was surprised by the answer.  The twins' names were Skyler and Walker.   Sky-walker.  I'm not sure, but it's as if Chris Bernd were their father and hiding somewhere off camera.  I wonder if one had been a boy, would they have named them Luke and Leia?

The Gruetzmachers Turn One!

A day after Kasia turned two, the Gruetzmacher family turned one. It was a year ago that Kara and I both said "I do" in the presence of our parents at the Pagoda in Norfolk. Actually, Kara said "I do" twice because she didn't know that the first time she was supposed to say "I can."

The one year anniversary is the "Paper anniversary" and so to incorporate paper into the celebration, we bought concert tickets. They were paper. A band named Flogging Molly was playing on March 3 at the Norva in downtown Norfolk. Kara and I had seen them once before and had a great time at the show. They also happen to be Kasia's favorite band (no joke. She will throw a fit in the car until you put on some Flogging Molly. I almost feel guilty that we don't play more kid-friendly music for her. Almost). So despite it not being considered the most romantic way to celebrate, we thought it was a memorable way.

We go their early to meet up with Bill and his son John. We got in early and got a great place to stand and watch the show. Kara and I had been talking about how it was sad that you pay a huge amount of money for the ticket, then pay Ticketmaster charges on top of that, only to get to the show early and have to wait around for a few hours. Then you have to sit through the "special guest" performers who always stink and finally, just as you're about to pass out from exhaustion, the act you wanted to see gets on stage. There was a slight twist to all this though. The "special guest" opening acts were actually really good.

First we saw a band from Dublin called The Mighty Stef. Just like Flogging Molly, they were an Irish rock band. They were very good. They played for about 30 minutes and did a great job of setting the tone for the night.

Then came the second act. My god. It's hard to describe, but when they first walked out stage the first thought that went through my mind was that the mountains had lost a few hillbillies. They were Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band. Go ahead and Google them and you'll see some pictures. You had the Reverend Peyton playing guitar. He was a rather large man with an even larger beard. His brother was this small, scrawny guy playing drums. Actually, he played one drum. His set up was a snare drum and an upside down plastic bucket. He also had a bunch of cymbals to add variety. And lastly was the Reverend's good wife, "Washboard" Breezy. Why was she called "Washboard" you ask? Because she plays the washboard. And only the washboard. The whole scene was so absurd that I couldn't help but laugh. Then they started to play. Oh. My. God. They were amazing. I mean, simply amazing. This guy played guitar better than anyone I've ever seen with the possible exception of Brian Setzer. The kid on the drums? Amazing. His arms flailed everywhere and you couldn't believe that all that beat was coming from just a drum and a bucket. And boy oh boy did Breezy play the hell out of the washboard. She even had a washboard solo. There sound was like bluegrass/punk. Shockingly amazing.

Then Flogging Molly came out, and I swear that it is impossible for them not to put on a great show. They even spotted Bill in the audience and dedicated a song to him. It was "Drunken Lullabies" and I don't think the band knew just how appropriate that song was for him. I'm pretty sure that Bill got spotted because he was probably the oldest guy rocking out in the entire room. It was quite amazing.

We got home just before 1 am. We were exhausted, but we couldn't have been happier. A whole year has gone by since we got married, and I couldn't imagine it being any other way. We have a beautiful house, a beautiful daughter, and a beautiful life together. I can't wait for the year ahead, and to celebrate our second anniversary (which is the "cotton anniversary." What to do, what to do...).

Happy Birthday 2 You!

Our little Kasia is now a two year old. It's obvious to tell based on her new two year old walk. She's beginning to act like a two year old, and she's now destroying the house like a two year old. Actually, she may be making all these messes on a three year old level, but we're still waiting on the test results.

The morning started off like Christmas for her. We had decided to get her a wagon for her birthday because every two year old needs a wagon. So on saturday night, we worked like busy little elves putting it together for her so that when she woke up on her birthday she could play with it. We put it over with her other toys with two of her dolls in it taking a ride. When she came down in the morning, she noticed it immediately. Her face lit up as she pointed to it. When she finally got to the bottom of the stairs she rushed over to it and immediately climbed inside. Her dolls were no longer welcome in her wagon. This is how she spent most of her morning. In the wagon.

Just before her nap, we were able to meet up with Eric, Susan, and the boys for a quick online chat. They were able to see Kasia open her presents from them, and we were all treated to a beautiful rendition of "Happy Birthday." It's nice to see that my brother wasn't gifted with better singing abilities than I was.

Then in the afternoon when she awoke from her nap, we had her birthday party. The family and some friends made the long journey down to Moyock to wish our little girl a happy birthday. We don't entertain much here at the Gruetzmacher compound, so it was interesting to see just how many people we could fit into the walls of our house. As it turns out, not that many. The weather was just a little too chilly for going outside, and so most everything took place in our great room. Fortunately, Karlie was a dear and brought food to keep the army well fed. Thanks Karlie!

Most importantly though, Kasia seemed to have a really good time. She got to eat cupcakes and cake and ice cream. What more could a growing two year old ask for? She got a whole bunch of wonderful gifts and she is loving them all. The excitement of having all these new toys was actually making it hard for her to sleep on Sunday night. She got up bright and early Monday morning because she had to rush down stairs to make sure that her new doll was still there. Apparently Kasia didn't believe us when we told her that everything would still be here in the morning.

So thank you to all who showed up, and thanks to all who wanted to be here but knew that we would have our hands full with the people who were here and didn't want us to feel like we were getting crowded out of our house and so decided to stay at home and just phone in a happy birthday announcement. We had a really good time.