Chapter 248

As part of the Auburn High School remodel, we had to clear our room out to allow for some electrical and technical upgrades that required a trench through our floor so everything had to be out of the room. As you can see, my work crew got a little distracted and took a break to mummify one another with paper towels. I put the "kibosh" on their plans of following up the paper towels with duct tape.

Tuesday afternoon was the official open house for Bob's company. The centerpiece of the party was a giant cake shaped liked Orion's building. The party planners seriously over-estimated the cake consumption and were left with the majority of a 3 foot cake after the festivities were over. 

As one facility enters the world, another leaves. Although we (the auto shop) and the PAC are not moving, everyone else had to be packed up and moved out by yesterday. the last day of school. After school I took a last walk through the old Auburn High School building which was built in 1950. As I walked through the halls for one last time it was eerily quiet with everyone gone. It will be strange to prowl new hallways next fall after working in this building for 23 years. 

This is the "new" addition that was added in the 1970's-ish. As you can see the impractical inverted roof line and aging buildings are ready for replacement. 

Looking from the other direction, you can see the new red brick school in the background. 

Here I'm looking at the original main building, built in the 1950's, in the background and the math hall on the left.  This will be the third time Auburn High School has been rebuilt. The first original building was built in the 1920's-ish on the same site of the new building is being built on now. 

The new school isn't ready to move into until August, so the teachers are moving their stuff to the gym for now. By the end of the day, this area was full, full, full of pallets. 

Upstairs in the main building after all the teachers had moved out. 

Downstairs in the main building. 

And the ever-creepy girls bathroom that looks like it belongs in a 50's mental institution. 

A view out the back of the old school between the portables and the 400 hall.

There is still quite a bit to be done at the new school before it's going to be ready for students next fall. The pile of covered up dirt in the middle of the construction zone is to fill in the large bomb shelter tunnels under the old school. 

Speaking of construction, while I've been in Kingston helping Carissa with Reagan while Chris goes to McChord for his first Air Force Reserve weekend since Reagan was born, Bob has been left at home to build our patio fence. 

It's amazing how quickly the construction happens when I'm not "helping".

So you don't stop reading the blog as soon as you see Reagan's pictures, and so the great-grandparents can cut right to the end and see baby pictures, I'm putting the good stuff at the end. Last weekend the kids had pictures taken by Bailey Photography. They turned out really cute. 

I love this one of Reagan in Chris' Air Force uniform. 

This picture is kind of cool since, as you might remember, the kids' engagement picture had Carissa's ring in the foregound.

And more on the home photography side, here are my pictures of Reagan. This is Reagan's first nap on the sofa. This will now forever be known as her place on the sofa.

I've been here all weekend helping with Reagan while Chris is at drill but Bob just came over for the day. He and Reagan are watching the Korea-Algeria futbol game together.

Bear likes to come check on the new puppy in the family on a regular basis. He likes to sit next to her and rest his chin on the edge of her bed and just look at her. 

Sometimes I think a lot more than Reagan-watching is going on. I think there is a fair amount of Reagan-washing going on as well.

Today, for reasons that don't need details, Reagan needed an emergency bath. It was totally unscheduled and it was also her first bath ever. The troops were scrambled, the necessary supplies assembled, and the emergency bath was underway. Look at those long legs.

The troops performed admirably and a successful bath maneuver was executed. 

Every day Reagan is waking up and becoming more and more alert. She likes to look at bright things and follows movement around the room with her eyes. Fortunately for Gatsby and Bear Reagan does move yet.

And lastly, this is a clematis seed pod from our yard. Why this is worthy taking a of using pixels on, I don't know. I guess because in my mind, it looks strangely like the back of a Ken doll head on a bad hair day.