Hoarding....

So I thought I'd try my hand at a little update. After a month at my new job I just returned from my first Hoarding shoot. Met a very nice man who has a very big problem with his house full of stuff. We spent 5 days shooting in Oakland in a home full of a lot of clothing and vhs tapes. Most of the electricity doesn’t work (only two lights in the whole house), the only water in the house is a trickle of from the kitchen sink, the toilets don’t work and he is sleeping on the ground in front of the front door. It’s really heartbreaking.

More often then not I could touch the ceiling the hoard was so high (and we're now estimating that there were 12 foot ceilings). It’s both emotionally and physically demanding work – frankly I wore Josie’s social working hat about as much as a producing hat while I was there but I think in the end we’re going to have a great show. Bennie (the home owner) has actually started parting with quite a lot. He has a large (50-60) collection of leather jackets that are headed out the door including two identical coats he explains look like Michael Jackson’s coat from Beat It. I think by this weekend he’s going to have a bed. (He had two mattress sets but they were standing on their end and there was no place to put them down.) Seems like we’re making a difference.

Since the show doesn’t air until September I thought I’d share a couple photos. One shows you the dining room, one the livingroom and there’s a shot of the cameraman and me maneuvering in the living room.

Love,

Matilda

Janey and Easter!

hi, everyone! some of you might see these on Facebook, but they are too cute not to share again.

We had a really wonderful Easter weekend--my sister and her kids came down for the whole weekend, and my sister got matching dresses for Jane and my niece, Moira. We did an egg hunt at home after church, and the whole family came over for brunch. It was chaotic but really fun. Jane was WORN OUT by all of the festivities, and slept like a champ last night--a great present for mamas who were also pretty tuckered out!

I hope you enjoy--and, let me know if you want any leftover ham! :)

Hey everybody!

Hey Mt. Pleasant crew! I think this blog is a great idea and am getting an entry out before I deploy. It was great seeing you all over NYE--what a great time. We were lucky everyone could make it into DC (though we missed Mark). I'm about to head overseas and really appreciate your thoughts. I'll be thinking of you all and the good work each of you does everyday, and I hope I can check this site out every once in a while and get a good update, see some pictures, and hear the latest news.

Sam, I'm excited for you to join the legal ranks and think it's fantastic you're taking the plunge. Just do it. The first year is rewarding and fun and an adventure even if you decide it's not for you. It'll be well worth it.

I'm posting some pictures too. (don't have a lot of time right now to pick the best ones but thought I'd throw a couple of me from my, uh, memorable days at Camp Atterbury, some from New Years, and recent pictures of the ladies.) The one of me with the group includes our Afghan pashto teacher--this is the leadership and staff of my provincial reconstruction team. And the second of me is with Mohammad Khoshbin, an Afghan from Kandahar who now lives near Albany, New York. He was embedded as a linguist with us for two months, teaching Pashto language and Afghan culture, and just being an all around wise Afghan friend.

Love you all and hope all's still going well since new years. Take care!

David

Trying the blogging thing

Hi everybody, Sam here. I have little of note to say, but I was reminded that we had this thing and I thought I'd update just for the sake of keeping it going.

For everybody who's interested in my law school admissions process, the decision is about 95% made -- I've been accepted to GW, and I'm pretty sure that's where I'm headed. The one catch is that I haven't heard from Georgetown yet, and that could change my mind. But, I'm not optimistic as I sort of *barely* got into GW. I'll start in the fall!

I can't believe I'm doing this. I'm excited, but also scared about what I'm signing up for. I decided that I needed to stop thinking about doing this, though, and just take the plunge. If I hate it after a year, I'll reevaluate, I guess.

That's it for today's post. I'm heading out for a happy hour with coworkers, and then home to lounge and catch up on DVR. My life is very exciting, you guys.

Love you all. Miss you out of towners.

Sam

Janey is one year old!

lots of excitement at the Holley-Miers house today--Janey turns one!

For those who haven't heard yet, she is now walking....exciting and nervewracking all at the same time.

We'll have some of her favorite foods tonight for dinner--mashed potatoes and broccoli--give her a couple of (ikea!) gifts, and then on Saturday have a "pancakes and pj's" party with a few of her baby friends. Lunch with the family on Sunday to celebrate, too.

Hope everyone is well.

xoxo

Martha

High Five! I'm One!

Tooting horns and helping Haitians

OK, this is Kate - trying this whole blogging thing for the first time, but I thought today was newsworthy enough to do it.

I was quoted in the New York Time! Ok, not the print edition, and in a technology blog, but it was still really cool. Here's the link: http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/13/gates-foundation-seeks-to-spur-savings-by-the-poor/?ref=technology. There was also a Seattle Times article which was much longer: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/thebusinessofgiving/2010777229_gates_foundation_makes_major_g.html

Is tooting your own horn what this blog is about? Sorry.

I know also that our hearts are going out to Haitians today. I had the honor and privilege to visit there last year and it is a place that has just been ravaged by man made and natural disasters. We work with a great organization called Fonkoze whose staff and clients are really hurting - but simultaneously doing all they can to help others. www.fonkoze.org. Also, you're probably familiar wtih Paul Farmer and Partners in Health - the grand daddy of modern public health practices that started in the Central Plateau, and always doing incredibly worth work in the country. That's where our money went today.

Love to all,
Kate

The Mount Pleasant Family Blog!

Okay, funny stuff already: I originally typed "The Mount Pleasant Family Blob." right....

anywho, thought I'd create this blog as a way for us to all keep in touch a bit better....just log in and post an update/photo/news link, etc., whenever you have a chance. You can sign up to follow the blog and be alerted when a new post goes up (I think)

I thought in particular this might be a good option for sharing the latest news with the Tressler clan as David deploys, but I think we'll all benefit from it. Share the latest kid pic, funny dancing video, law school acceptance, funny pet story, wedding planning news, etc.

Email Martha if you need the log in information again.

--Martha