My (so called) Gypsy Summer

As some of you may know, we sold our farm in Monticello, WI at the end of May. I left "Home" for the last time on May 27th, driving up to Fort Wilderness, a Christian family camp outside of Rhinelander, WI. I attended their staff orientation weekend and then drove back down-state to West Chicago to my brother & sister-in-love's house.
After a day there I proceeded then to drive to the Peoria, IL area to see my two grandma's and have dinner with my Aunt & Uncle. I had a great visit with them both, staying with my Maternal grandmother, who we call Grandma Mrs and going to see the local outdoor theatre (Cornstock) perform the usical "Cats" by Andrew Lloyd Weber. They a fantastic job!
After about a week I drove back to West Chicago where I spent another week. I assisted my Sister-in-love, Katie with the kids and went to the pool with them, where I got my first sunburn of the summer.
Upon the completion of that week, it was June 10th and it was time to report back to Fort Wilderness where I would stay for the next 4 weeks.
I worked in their Nature Center for the first week, which was a camp called "step up!" and it was for junior high students. The rest of the summer, the site I was at hosts family camps, specifically.
My second week I was "drafted" into the kitchen. They had had a cook cancel (many of their staff are voulnteers, some come up just for the weekends, and some for a week, some like me for a month and some for the whole summer) and my friend Kayleen asked if I would fill in.
My second day in the kitchen, Janet (the food services director) asked me if I wanted to stay. (apparently I did something right ;D ) So I stayed, as another voulnteer had shown up that was a great fit for the nature center.
I loved the family atmosphere, and the great fellowship. I ended up being the baker, and so I would bake all of the deserts for the day in the morning and then help the others with lunch and dinner. It was truly a great experience.
When my last week came to a close, I re-packed everything into my very full car (just before some of the summer maintenance staff accidentally cut the power lines to my buiding while digging a post hole for a fence) and drove south, once more.
My drive back to West Chicago was a relatively uneventful one, until I hit Rockford. I had opted to take an alternate route than 90, and of course, I got turned around SEVERAL times, just getting to my chosen route. Then a van pulled in front of me, stopped to turn...and I (literally) almost rear ended them. It was a very close thing. Well, that shook m up a good bit. I had one more Ooops, not turning when 20 and 72 split, but I just pulled out my handy-dandy atlas and found a road that connected them and was able to get back on 20.
I spent Saturday at my brother's, doing laundry, repacking, leaving behind what I didn't need to bring to Houston, TX with me, and watching my nephews play Wii. They had some running around to do, but I remained at the house, and watched Top Gear (my new favorite {British} Car Show) (I'm starting way back at season 2, they are currently on season 10).
Sunday morning, we got up early and Dan, Mom my niece Carissa and I all drove (well, Dan drove, we rode) to Midway International Airport. I felt like I was completely unprepared as I came into the airport and went through security. I felt like I was holding the whole line up. Well, I made it through. They decided that I wasn't a terrorist that was going to bomb the plane and allowed me to head to my gate. Once though, I had a bit of a scare, when the Bank of America ATM's wouldn't read my debit card. Then, I went to my gate and pulled out "A Secret Garden," since I've been re-reading it. I read that all through out the flight, and landed 10 minutes ahead of schedule. After claiming my luggage, Uncle John and Cousin Scott met me and we drove to a restaurant called Papasitos, where we had Lunch with Aunt Candy. I had my first tamale and enchilada. They were delicioso.
So, now I have been in Houston almost a week. I have driven my cousins Heather & Holly to their VBS at the 2nd Baptist Chuch of Houston (Which is huge, and apparently the 1st Baptist is even bigger, Uncle John says they have an Olympic sized swimming pool), and yesterday I drove Scott to the library where Ronald McDonald was doing a magic show as part of their summer reading program. I live in a little "apartment" above their garage, which has just about everything that I would need; bathroom, queen sized bed, air conditioner, mini-fridge & microwave, couch & chair, a cavernous dresser (that someone on my Mom's side of the family made) a small TV, etc. It's my Ivory Tower, though I guess, white tower would be more accurate, though less poetic.
I can tell that some days are going to be diffcult. The girls love to watch Disney Channel, and would all day if they could. Which Mom and Dad don't want. They don't pick up after themselves well, and are testing me to see how far they can push me to get what they want. (sigh) If the television is on, they are as bad at listening as I am, but if you try to turn it off....goodness gracious are they champion pouters. But then, the girls are 8, and Scott is 4. It seems to be a phase that everyone goes through.
I will try to continue to update my Gypsy Summer as it goes. Right now, I am "engaged" in this position until the kids go back to school at the end of August. Then, I will probably spend Memorial Day with my family, and then drive out to my new home, with my good friend Jenny in tiny Marengo, OH (it's North of Columbus).

But for now, we are going to circus on Sunday, and I need to ask about going to church on Sunday morning (I would kinda like to go by myself. I haven't had much "me" time this week, except for when I head back to my Ivory tower in the evenings. The girls have even said something about a trip to the ocean (which I'm super excited about) and another trip to a hotel resort thingy they call "The Meadows" So it will be an exciting and eventful 6-7 weeks that I am here.