Where Have All the Good Posts Gone?

by Julianna Squicciarini

It has come to my attention that *I* am the only one writing anything on this blog. Or at least, I’m the only one posting to it since the beginning of the year. Scary, you know? I feel like the single sailor trying to keep the ship afloat…

No, not really. But if you’ve wondered where we went and what’s going on in our lives, here are the Highlights of Our Lives for the past few months, and our mysterious absence from our blog.

• First of all, the efforts of the main authors of this blog (that being my sister Morgan and myself – no offense to any of the secondary writers) have been focusing their attention on building a more spiritually-based blog centering around our faith and connection between other young women around the globe. You can check it out at http://www.candlelighters.wordpress.com. As our personal community grows, so is our online presence, and it is so encouraging – and amazing! – to see what G-d has done for us.
• As to our physical lives, you know that Morgan is now engaged. Because of this all-important fact, you can well imagine how her life has gotten busier over the last few months, during her courtship. Now that she is offically engaged, life will probably be getting even busier! That’s a good thing. If you want to stay updated with her life, feelings, plans, details, etc., be sure to check out her personal blog at http://www.torahgirl.wordpress.com, where she will posting things like that.
• I have been starting to implement my 10 Plagues Project – a community service idea to fill my summer with profitable and meaningful activities. Interested in what exactly I mean by that? Feel free to leave a comment asking for more details (it’s kind of a long story), or email me and I’ll send you my PDF explaining things. Anyway, to that end, I have signed up yet again to walk with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society on their October Light the Night walk here in Charlotte. If you live in the area and want to walk with us (no donation necessary!), please join our team at http://pages.lightthenight.org/nc/Charlnc10/Squicciarini. Clicking the red “Join” button at the bottom of the page will add you to our personal team and you’ll be signed up to walk with us on October 16. I’d love to have you with me!
• My sisters and I have continued to volunteer at the USO in the Charlotte Airport. Curious about what the USO is and does? Check them out at http://uso-nc.com/. It’s really cool being able to get through security easily and serve our military from right here in our hometown. We go about twice a month, usually in the early morning on a weekday or on Sunday afternoon.
• You all know about my Valentine’s Day luncheon – third year in a row! If you haven’t read it yet, check out my write-up at http://squicciarini.wordpress.com/2010/02/11/hugs-kisses-the-valentines-day-luncheon-2010/. Not only was this year’s luncheon a smashing success (and probably the best year yet), but I also entered a contest a few days later, competing with a few other girls for the best Valentine’s Day event (in a do-something-for-others spirit), and won first place! It was very exciting. Prizes came flooding in. It was incredible.
• My father’s business is doing very well. Flourishing, in fact. New customers have continued to call, even in this recession. Our father had us schedule set work hours, so we do actually get things done. I’m a schedule freak, so that’s fine with me. Plus, he still allows us to be very flexible. We are now in the process of cross-training, since it looks like our Chief Operating Officer might be moving out and starting a new life soon…!
• Peter is still taking piano, but his final recital is coming up. He’ll be performing Saturday afternoon, May 8, at Mt. Harmony Baptist Church (moments from our house). Email me if you’re interested in coming. This is going to be fantastic.
• My mother and Mary have both had birthdays, which were celebrated accordingly. The post on my mother’s birthday can be read at http://squicciarini.wordpress.com/2010/03/17/thinking-happy-thoughts/.
• I’ve been busier than ever with piano lessons, as I have acquired another four students since my post about them (http://squicciarini.wordpress.com/2010/02/03/play-it-through-to-the-end-and-repeat/). That’s seventeen students! Even I can’t believe I have that many.
• Christine has been on the endless search for a car. This search has been on the side of the road, in car lots, CraigsList, and eBay. She actually went and saw one yesterday – a manual, yellow MINI Cooper – and something might actually happen with that. I’m sure you can easily see Christine driving a yellow MINI. We all can.
• Speaking of cars, Morgan updated her look with a new car, as well. She traded in her bright yellow VW bug for a 2008, vanilla VW convertible. It’s smooth and sleek, and drives like a dream. Drop by sometime to see it.
• We’re planning on opening our pool in very early May. If you’re interested in helping with that, and thus adding yourself almost permanently to our pool-party guest list for Summer 2010, comment below or email me. We’re always looking for willing helping hands, and cold beverages will be complimentary.
• I really do plan to go skydiving for my birthday – want to come with me? Comment below or….email me. (You should know the drill by now <wink>). It will be sometime in June, and you’re welcome to come along just for the ride and the view, if you want.

Well, I think that’s about it. Put down on “paper”, it doesn’t look so busy. But as I was recently telling my dad, sometimes it feels like I don’t have time for anything! Like I work all the time, or something! While that’s not exactly true, life certainly is jam-packed. In an extraordinarily good way! Please pray that G-d continues to bless our family so abundantly.

A Pig in a Poke

by Julianna Squicciarini

We seem to have recently started revisiting eBay. We’ve never been the online-auction type, but with Christine’s relentless search for a car, we have been checking out Carrera and Fiat prices on the worldwide web much more often. Christine also just purchase some type of sweater for a pittance. Hope it fits.

It brings to mind a funny story:

My father officially started his own business – Quo Vadis LLC – several years ago. Toward the beginning of this venture, he was looking for the best deals and most inexpensive quality merchandise. Hence, he was into the whole eBay scene. He is also a master at winning auctions. I don’t know how he does it, but I think he has won virtually every item on which he has ever bid. That’s right. Gotta watch out for ‘squicciarini’ online.

I remember one particular time, he was buying a SCSI drive. If you are not tech enough to know what that is, don’t worry about it. It’s a computer part – that’s all you need to know to laugh. So he found one on eBay, checked out the seller, timed everything appropriately, bid on it, and won (of course). He PayPal’d the money over, and the seller shipped it off to us.

For young children – which we were, at the time – packages arriving at the house is always kind of a big deal. Not so much anymore, since it’s an everyday occurance now. But it was more exciting back then. So this box arrives, from some unknown person, and we know it’s the SCSI drive. My dad opened it up and there, inside, packed in pristine peanut perfection, is a Royal Albert teacup. Blue, white, and gold. My mom has one just like it. But…no SCSI drive.

Now, teacups are lovely and wonderful, but they won’t fit in a computer and make it run better. So my dad emailed the seller and said we had just received a teacup – and thanks very much, but that’s not what we paid for. The seller responded with lots of exclamation points and inaudible <gasps> and horrified capitals. It was almost funny. Naturally, the person who had won the teacup was probably finding a SCSI drive in their box at that moment.

So we shipped the teacup back, and all in good time, the SCSI drive arrived. It wasn’t half as exciting as a teacup. But it’s what we needed.

All’s well that ends well. Beware of the Internet. <wink>

Cleverly Disguised As A Responsible Adult

Peter drove me to the Promenade last week.

It was a strange feeling.

No, we didn’t use my car. He’s a little too big for it, if you know what I mean. And the whole “cute” thing doesn’t fit his personality. Not that he’s not cute, please don’t misunderstand.

We remind him frequently that he’ll make more money when he can drive. The way Quo Vadis operates, it’s always helpful to have a bright, personable, technican who can easily do onsite work and have personal interaction with clients. Despite the incentive, he doesn’t have overwhelming enthusiasm to get out there and practice… but that could just be his laid back, easygoing nature. I don’t know.

He did pretty well, all things considered. There was one moment when I said casually, “slow down…” and he answered indignantly, “I’m going the speed limit!” …and then we almost hit the car in front of us, which had come to a somewhat sudden stop to make  a left turn off Stallings Road.

I’m pretty cool with the whole learning-to-drive thing. My dad tends to get a little …emphatic with his instructions, while my mother brings knitting along to distract her from other vehicles zipping by as the new driver races recklessly along the road. But as I see it, isn’t getting home alive the most important part of driving? That’s pretty much undisputed. So why not have fun along the way, giving someone a chance to make those first-time faux pas… turns that are a little too sharp, struggling to fit into a parking spot, weaving back and forth on the road, getting lost in your own neighborhood…

Deep in the Heart of Texas: Conclusion

Just got back from Texas!! Well… a few days ago. Alright, I’ve been back for a week or so (where did the time go?). And, I came up with a cleverly alliterated list of points, which Christine says makes me sound like a pastor. But anyway…

Return: 2009 is the third year in a row that I’ve visited Texas. To a northerner like myself, this isn’t a favorite destination… but chance (or providence) continues to take me back there. Just think, in a few more years, I’ll probably have the Dallas highway system figured out!

Remote: As previously mentioned, East Point is about 2 hours from Dallas. The countryside is so spacious! I’ve already noticed that my 20 minute drive to Southpark or 50 minutes to York, SC feels like nothing in comparison!

Reduce: Some things that I used to think were crucial to my life and well-being… …aren’t. Isn’t it always good to eliminate non-essentials and refocus on the truly important aspects of life?!

Rustic: I can honestly say that I have a new appreciation for the simplicity and natural beauty of… a farm. Living on a farm. And considering that Billy Joel’s ‘Uptown Girl‘ is like my “anthem,” that’s saying a lot!

Regrets: None!

Rest: It was surprisingly easy to get a week off from work for this trip… reminding me yet again what a truly amazing guy I work for. <grin> Thanks, Dad.

Reflect: There was so much to observe and think about during this trip! Both families I interacted with, the Schoenwalds and the Niedrauers, have a lot in common with my family, and a few interesting differences… which made for thought-provoking discussion.

Relationship: For years the Spurlocks have been telling us about their cousins, and it was fantastic to finally meet the families I’ve heard so much about. I can’t wait to see these new friends again next month at a conference up in Wisconsin!

Rejoicing: What an exciting Passover celebration! The familiar seder ceremony was even more meaningful to me this year.

Romance: So, I met a guy. And we’re getting MARRIED!

 

That about sums up the Dallas trip. Oh, I threw that last part in just to see if anyone was paying attention.

(it’s a quote from Father of the Bride… don’t overreact. Here’s hoping my Texas friends have a sense of humor.)

Under the Tuscan Sun: Day 7

by Julianna Squicciarini

Wednesday was full of activity.  As always.  I taught the last of my piano lessons for the week, and Peter held down Fort Quo Vadis with aplomb, also as always. I also had my second flute lesson.  Did anyone know I took up flute?  Way cool – Christine is teaching me.  Nice having things built right into the family.

Also, Christine, Mary, and I were invited to the [lovely] Atkinson home for a puzzle party, complete with cookies and cider.  It was very nice to catch up with them, as it has been quite a while since we last saw the girls.

But the highlight of the day came that evening, as The Three (which would be Morgan, Christine, and I) went galavanting off to Southpark Mall, leaving the small fry at home with a comforting meal of ravioli and green peas.  Or maybe it was just the ravioli – we tend to skip the vegetables when the parents are away, if you know what I mean

THEY apparently spent the evening finishing up the list of chores we left – and it was short, people, don’t get the idea we left them slaving away! – and working on Michael Jackson dance moves.  Or something like that.

WE did a few quick Southpark errands, including Sephora and Godiva (yum!), and then went for an inexpensively (ok, comparatively inexpensively) elegant dinner at Bronte, the bistro in Joseph-Beth Bookstore.  We were asked if we were triplets, and the woman who asked seemed very shocked to find that there are 5 years between Christine and Morgan.  This is a normal occurance

We finished the day by renting a fun chick-flick and watching it on our parents’ ultra-comfortable Sleep Number bed, while Peter and Mary picked two Hogan’s Heroes episodes to watch upstairs.

But don’t misunderstand!  It may sound like Peter and Mary got the short end of the stick here, but they really didn’t.  They are such homebodies, they don’t care about coming up to Southpark or stuff like that.  Besides, the sister/girl bonding time was priceless.  If you have siblings, you should consider bimonthly bonding opportunities.  It really strengthens the relationship

And, last but not least, to give you a very short update on our dear parents.  We have not heard from them since Monday, which is kind of a good thing – I look at it this way: they must be having too much fun to call us!  They went to an aristocratic historical residence today for a guided tour and lunch, finishing the day with another Italian cooking class!