If you were relying on this site to keep you up to date on our lives, you'd think nothing had happened in the past few weeks.  On the contrary - we spent a wonderful week in New York at the YAI conference and in New Jersey visiting Uncle Dave and Aunt Elizabeth; we spent a week in Manley, NE preparing for the wedding, and we got married!  We just haven't had time to blog about any of it.  So stay tuned.

Back in September, I wrote about our frustration in trying to follow Consumer Reports' guidance in buying appliances, including a dehumidifier (pictured at right).  Then in November I reported on the energy consumption of our appliances, including the dehumidifier, which was

We didn't notice when we bought the house that the entire back yard slopes toward the house.  Nor that several of the neighbors' yards are higher than ours.  The result is that during a heavy rainstorm, like the one last night, the neighborhood's water wants to get into our foundation.

I like to dry laundry outside whenever possible, but Jessie's not into scratchy towels, nor ragweed, and the weather doesn't always cooperate, so we wind up using the dryer about half the time.  Our high-efficiency dryer is fantastic, but it can whip up a lot of static.  My anti-static gun was not helpful -- you'd need at least one extra arm (or a very attentive assi

On Saturday Jessie and I went out for a walk, something we don't do very often... we walk to the store, we walk to church, but walking without a destination is rare.  Actually we had a destination, but it turned out to be closed, so in effect we didn't.  Anyway, what's notable is that we saw a lot of unusual things, bordering on surreal:

Many of my friends in Fairfield, Iowa, are in an uproar right now about a new cell-phone tower that, unlike the existing two towers on the outskirts of town, is near homes and a few blocks from an elementary school.  Here's some of the existing press about the controversy:

Last night the Emporia Area Local Foods Network (EALFN) held a class on "high tunnels" -- unheated, plastic greenhouses large enough to walk through.  Attendance was unbelievable -- some 70 people for a 3 1/2 hour class at dinnertime!  After an introductory video, we had two speakers from K-State's high tunnel project, http://hightunnels.org .  Here's what I learned:

So as many of you have already read or heard, I had my gallbladder out last Thursday. It was the first surgery I have ever had, first time under general anesthesia, first overnight stay in the hospital since I was born and first organ removal. Yes I still have my tonsils and my appendix. Until now the most major things I have had removed are my wisdom teeth. So here is how I remember it:

Jessie had her gallbladder removed yesterday, and we're pleased to say that everything went as smoothly as it possibly could!  She would have been discharged yesterday afternoon, but her surgeon likes to keep patients under observation for as long as their insurance allows (23 hours), so she came home this morning.

Jessie's mom, Debbie, came to town to help out, and stayed overnight in the hospital room while I came home and slept with the cats.  Debbie will be here until Sunday.  Thanks, Debbie!