Just east of mile marker 154 on State Highway 29

Since we're moving this weekend and I'm returning to the Fox Valley on Tuesday evening for a sub orientation at Neenah on Wednesday, my parents offered to let us take one of their minivans back and fill it up with some more boxes. Things were going pretty good until we got off of US 51/I 39 in Wausau and started west on 29. Suddenly, there was this high-pitched whine that accompanied acceleration and occasionally it would be like we'd dropped into N and the tach would soar a bit as we floundered, then there'd be a little jerk and we'd get moving again. For those of you in the know, or who have or know someone who has owned a Chrysler minivan, this is a familiar situation-the transmission is on the fritz.

My parents encountered a similar situation with another of their minivans and were told to just pull over, turn the car off (apparently resetting the computer or something) and then start up again and head out. We called and spoke with my parents and they suggested this. Well, it didn't seem to be helping, and so, with the hazards flashing, we did a U-turn and decided to head back. We'd just cleared both lanes when we had another episode. Turns out it was the last. The car would restart but as soon as I put it in anything besides N or P we'd ceremoniously die. In the midst of the drizzle, I pushed the car about 500 feet closer to the truckstop at Marathon City a mile or so in the distance and then facing an insurmountable hill, climbed back into the car. Minutes later a gentleman in a pickup pulled over behind us, and then realizing the flashing lights of the police were for us, continued on his way. Soon joined by another, they discussed our options and offered to take us to Edgar or back into Wausau. So, for hopefully the one and only time, Audrey, Jennie and I got to ride in the back of a police car. Kinda fun if you're not sitting on your hands and the "I don't care" sticker isn't for you. I was going to ask for a picture of us all, but figured that would be a little too much. To make a long story short, we ended up waiting at the Mobil/Burger King at NN in Wausau until my parents arrived, and then went to Marathon City to get our suitcase and continued back to EC.

In the light of the sun, is there anyone? Oh it has begun...

Ever wonder if you'll ever get there? I'm beginning to doubt I will. Looks like I'm stuck subbing this year, and if next summer is anything like this summer, I won't have any chance at the jobs since subbing won't give any useful experience (as the school districts are defining it). Well everyone else seems to tell me to keep looking, keep my hopes up, blah, blah, blah.

The more things change, the more they're the same

Nothing yet in the job front. I'm trying to be patient and all that stuff, but sometimes things just push you over the edge. Like mailing an application for a job posted on a Monday (all hypothetical, of course), calling on Wednesday to check the interview timeline and touch base, schmooz, etc, then noticing later that night the posting has been removed and the whole process ending with a voice mail at 8:10 a.m. Thursday morning from the AA at the school informing you the position has been filled. And it comes crashing down on you - you've just wasted 45 minutes filling out and a $1.50 mailing in an application for a job that had already been given to someone, but had to be posted because Wisconsin has an ASININE law requiring schools to post EVERY job opening. It's like that minimum gas mark-up law - designed to protect the "independent" gas stations from those corporately owned - that keeps gas in Eau Claire at $3.09 when it's $2.91 in the Fox Valley. By the way, there are NO independent gas stations that stay open, due to economies of scale. Although apparently out West the "big, corporate" affiliates are screaming bloody-murder because Costco is giving discounts to its customers and selling its' gas at a profit of around .75-1%.

So, it looks like, given the utter lack of postings to even apply to, that the job hunt for this school year is over. We're looking to move back to the Fox Valley and I've signed up to sub in Appleton, Neenah and contacting Oshkosh and Menasha on Monday. No idea yet on where we'll be living, so stay tuned until next time - when . . .

The Prodigal Son

Well, he showed up this morning at 5. I'm just glad he's ok and not hurt. I think he's lost his outside privileges for awhile. He wanders too much and doesn't stay in the yard. Oh well.

Lost

Well, this week is really shaping up to be a test of faith or something. We went to Best Buy tonight and when we came home Harvey slipped out the door. Oops, we forgot about him until 10:20 and spent an hour looking. He's taken to wandering a bit, but he usually stays close and comes home by now (12:22). As you can imagine, we're worried about him and Jennie is maintaining a vigil outside in case he comes home. I circled our immediate area on foot, bike and then drove hoping I wouldn't find him injured anywhere, but wanting to make sure. I guess our hope is either he's laying low because he doesn't know how to get home at night, or someone took him in. Looks like I'm making telephone pole flyers tomorrow. So this is just like the icing on the cake for the week. Audrey's been running a fever since Monday and we've taken turns being home with her. It broke tonight, and hopefully she'll continue to improve but it's been tough since she's irritable. Then earlier in the week Harvey had some mystery malady and we had to take him in to the vet and leave him overnight. Man, it's like when your kid wanders off at the mall and you're so pissed you want to let him know how worried you were, but once he shows up you're just glad he's safe.

The rest of the summer has been equally challenging. I haven't been able to get a single interview, all the schools want are people with experience and resume padding only goes so far. For a long time, I'd hope every time I sent out an application I might get an interview. Then I'd get rejected and fall into a funk, be angry, bitter, rant about Wisconsin public schools and ultimately question God's judgement. I was talking to my parents and mentioned this is probably the most frustrating period of my life and that includes all the angst of dating. Lately I've returned to the realization that God does in fact know what's going on down here, actually cares and does something. Nonetheless, acting in faith is really hard when you seem to lack any concrete direction - where should we move, will I get a job last minute and have to break a lease, will we be able to find jobs if I can't find a job and we move back to the Fox Valley? Sometimes I wish I were the guy in the Jim Carrey movie who can just speed up time. I know it's not the right thing and the challenges in life are to refine our character, making us more like Christ, but man it's hard.

Fahrenheit 99.8

Audrey's still sporting a fever, so I stayed home with her today. A visit to the doctor later, we know she doesn't have an ear infection or strep throat. Apparently kids her age, at this time of the year just seem to get a fever for a couple days, then it goes away. The doctor mentioned rubeola, commonly known as measles for which she's already been immunized, and said she might get a rash, but that her fever should already be gone and seemingly a remnant from having a fever for a couple days. I gotta say I don't know, but if it gets me out of another day (one of my last in any case) at Menards, ok. We might also be purchasing a digital camera today or in the near future, so stay tuned for a proliferation of new photos.