a little catching up to do

It has come to our attention that the "punny" title of our blog has been lost on a vast majority of our readership. Let me explain: According to dictionary.com a newel post is "a post supporting one end of a handrail at the top or bottom of a flight of stairs." Think Chevy Chase's National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation- chain saw scene at the top of the stairs. If you add an extra "L" on the end of newel, you have our last name. Further, The Saturday Evening Post was a newspaper founded in 1728 by Benjamin Franklin.

"The story of The Saturday Evening Post begins with Benjamin Franklin’s Pennsylvania Gazette, first published in 1728, and became known as The Saturday Evening Post in 1821. Initially it was four-page newspaper with no illustrations that daringly tackled political controversy. [Eh, not so much...] In 1839, editor George Rex Graham dedicated the publication to morality and various commercial interests [That's Us!]. By 1855 the Saturday Evening Post had an impressive circulation of 90,000 copies per year."

Put the two play-on-words together and what do you get? The Newell Post.

Phew, I'm glad I got that off my chest.

Now, onto real news:

Jake's South Fayetteville Project in ca-hoots with Urban Redevelopment Group and his development company Swiftwater, LLC is really taking off! Here's the architect's latest rendering:

They hope to break ground in a few weeks, with shock-and-awe soon to follow, as the "urban bungelow" is introduced to the architecture of South College & Fourth Streets. We can't wait to show off the interior floor plans because they will rock your world. The exteriors are going to be really unique, and incorporate welcoming porches, metal siding and roofs (which last like 100 years and are great insulators), and lots of curb appeal. Obviously, the preceding text was all composed by Jennifer- hence, the lack of general contractor vocabulary.

On the Jennifer-front there's not much new. Except, oh, wait, the GARDEN!!!! Ok, this photo was taken last week, so imagine exponential growth in the squash quadrant of the garden (bottom left corner of photo).

(yes, we're still taking pictures with my camera phone. penny-penchers, what can we say?)

You'll also notice a wonderful spattering of color around the border. Jennifer planted marigolds to deter rabbits. A recent photo would show the marigold flowers devastated and devoured by the rabbits, leaving no colorful border. But, the spinach and lettuce have been spared! Okra, beans, and cucumbers will be introduced to the 10x5 plot of gloriously growing garden later today.

This weekend we're off to travel the globe. A.K.A.- we're going to Little Rock to celebrate the Class of 2009's exodus from Pulaski Academy. Andrew, Jake's youngest brother, will shift his tassel to the left side on Friday night and head to the University of Central Arkansas next fall. As a member of the recruiting team at John Brown University, I must admit my defeat by not luring Andrew to Siloam Springs... but UCA is getting one heck of a guy. Look out ladies of Central Arkansas! We'll also have time to catch up with Stephen (middle brother of Jake) who will be home from the Air Force Academy and Grams, coming in from Ft. Worth. Then, Jennifer will jump a jet plane up to Chi-town to celebrate her tiny-roommate-from-college's wedding. This is going to be a fab-tab-u-lous wedding, for sure. Pictures from the weekend's extravaganza to follow!