Once upon a time, there was magical place where it never rained.....the end. That's a line from the Disney movie holes. One thing for certain, it wasn't written about Mississippi. At least for the last month. I think we had 7" in one weekend.
But the sun came out today.
The sun has always had a prominent place in human history. Many cultures worshiped the sun. They didn't know much about it, but new it was something powerful. The sun makes things grow, warms the earth, and displaces the darkness.
I know some people who are going through some dark times in their lives. Maybe you're one of them. Just remember the one day the sun is going to come out. It's not going to rain forever.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
One of the things I'll miss the most......Part1
There are a lot of things I'll miss as the kids grow up. Somethings have already passed and other are sure to follow. Baby talk, toddling steps, onesies are all a things of the past. There are a few things that I can still hold on to.
One of things that I'll miss the most is holding hands. My heart soars each time one of my kids reaches up to grab my hand. It may just be instinct, a reaction, that we've ingrained in them. All ways hold hands crossing the street, for example. When we are in a crowd, we hold hands to keeep them near. I like to think of it, not as instinct or routine, but as them seeking protection, guidance. I hope they think, if they are holding daddy's hand then they are safe and out of harms way. If they are holding daddy's hand, no one can get them, they can't get lost.
Our current night time ritual, is that my wife rocks sunshine, while I lay down with Bug in his bed, until he goes to sleep. Last night as he was settling in, with his head laid on my shoulder, he reached across and grabbed my hand. He squeezed, I squeezed. My hand enveloping his.
One day, he'll be to big for daddy to lay down with him. He'll be to big to play army with daddy. He'll be to big to hold my hand to cross the street. I don't know how many days I have left, but I'm trying to make the most of every opportunity.
One of things that I'll miss the most is holding hands. My heart soars each time one of my kids reaches up to grab my hand. It may just be instinct, a reaction, that we've ingrained in them. All ways hold hands crossing the street, for example. When we are in a crowd, we hold hands to keeep them near. I like to think of it, not as instinct or routine, but as them seeking protection, guidance. I hope they think, if they are holding daddy's hand then they are safe and out of harms way. If they are holding daddy's hand, no one can get them, they can't get lost.
Our current night time ritual, is that my wife rocks sunshine, while I lay down with Bug in his bed, until he goes to sleep. Last night as he was settling in, with his head laid on my shoulder, he reached across and grabbed my hand. He squeezed, I squeezed. My hand enveloping his.
One day, he'll be to big for daddy to lay down with him. He'll be to big to play army with daddy. He'll be to big to hold my hand to cross the street. I don't know how many days I have left, but I'm trying to make the most of every opportunity.
Monday, December 15, 2008
I'm So Festive.......
I've told you about our Christmas trees. Let me show you one of our other holiday decorations.
There....Do you see it?
How about now? Still nothing? One more try....
Oh, I see the problem. It's not there. You want to know why it's not there. That's because it is here................
.........Laying half way down the roof.
I'm a professional engineer. I know about such things as "center of gravity" and "wind loads". I built this sign. The outline of the arrow lights up green. The text is lit with red lights and the "Free" blinks. It's heavy and most of the weight is at the bottom. It straddles the peak of the roof with two foot long leg on each side. But every time the wind blows, it flops down the roof. Always to this side (that must say something about the weather patterns of this area (makes me wonder about the large maple tree on the other side of the house too (how many parentheses can I use in one sentence))). As a time saver, I just leave the ladder out to ease the burden. I have to re-enact that scene from the Grinch (the part where he tries to keep the sled from going over the edge, start at 6:30 here)at least a half dozen times, during the Christmas season.
Sometimes when it does a half gainer, it will flip over and break out some of the bulbs. Now I have to sit on the peak (usually in the cold and dark) and pry those tiny bulbs out of their sockets. Last year I had a short and had to wire in a new socket, using only my swiss army knife and a roll of electrical tape.
I hate that sign, but it is a labor of love. The kids love it, so I predict it will be around until Santa Clause fades from our household.
There....Do you see it?
How about now? Still nothing? One more try....
Oh, I see the problem. It's not there. You want to know why it's not there. That's because it is here................
.........Laying half way down the roof.
I'm a professional engineer. I know about such things as "center of gravity" and "wind loads". I built this sign. The outline of the arrow lights up green. The text is lit with red lights and the "Free" blinks. It's heavy and most of the weight is at the bottom. It straddles the peak of the roof with two foot long leg on each side. But every time the wind blows, it flops down the roof. Always to this side (that must say something about the weather patterns of this area (makes me wonder about the large maple tree on the other side of the house too (how many parentheses can I use in one sentence))). As a time saver, I just leave the ladder out to ease the burden. I have to re-enact that scene from the Grinch (the part where he tries to keep the sled from going over the edge, start at 6:30 here)at least a half dozen times, during the Christmas season.
Sometimes when it does a half gainer, it will flip over and break out some of the bulbs. Now I have to sit on the peak (usually in the cold and dark) and pry those tiny bulbs out of their sockets. Last year I had a short and had to wire in a new socket, using only my swiss army knife and a roll of electrical tape.
I hate that sign, but it is a labor of love. The kids love it, so I predict it will be around until Santa Clause fades from our household.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Somebody please wake up SnowWhite!
Aaaahhhh....Mississippi.....land of sprawling jaggaged peaks....a snow capped wonderland. Home to brandy bearing Saint Benards and lederhosen.
Of course you know better.
Aaaahhh.....Mississippi.....land of spawling farmlands........a pine forest wonderland. Home to mosquitos and Morgan Freeman.
Mark Twain said, "I believe that in Mississippi (I took the liberty of a small edit, Twain was refering to India) "cold weather" is merely a conventional phrase and has come into use through the necessity of having some way to distinguish between weather which will melt a brass door-knob and weather which will only make it mushy."
I can remember many a Christmas that has been spent in shorts. More so than the number of snow days I experience through college. You can imagine the stir at the mention of a possible (even infinitesimal chance) of snow. Today we were supposed to receive 1-3" of snow. We....got.....NOTHING. Yes, that is all caps, bold and in italics. Your just lucky that I don't have underlining. Yes, I know it's going to be sunny and 50 degrees tomorrow. Yes, I realize that it was going to be gone by breakfast. That doesn't squash the allure of seeing those enchanted flakes of solid water falling from the sky. We will go to great lengths to see snow.
Early in the year, we had a "winter" storm sweep in from the north. Bug and Sunshine have never had the opportunity to play in snow (Bug is almost 6). The closest we have had is a few hours of a dusting, that you couldn't even scrape up a snowball. To make sure that we could participate in said snow storm. I took off early and we drove 3 1/2 hours north. We got a hotel room next to Chuck E Cheese and enjoyed the snow. By lunch the next day, it was gone.
Hotel room $79
Tank of gas $60
2 hours in Chuck E Cheese $30
few hours in the snow......priceless
And here's a snowball for you....
Of course you know better.
Aaaahhh.....Mississippi.....land of spawling farmlands........a pine forest wonderland. Home to mosquitos and Morgan Freeman.
Mark Twain said, "I believe that in Mississippi (I took the liberty of a small edit, Twain was refering to India) "cold weather" is merely a conventional phrase and has come into use through the necessity of having some way to distinguish between weather which will melt a brass door-knob and weather which will only make it mushy."
I can remember many a Christmas that has been spent in shorts. More so than the number of snow days I experience through college. You can imagine the stir at the mention of a possible (even infinitesimal chance) of snow. Today we were supposed to receive 1-3" of snow. We....got.....NOTHING. Yes, that is all caps, bold and in italics. Your just lucky that I don't have underlining. Yes, I know it's going to be sunny and 50 degrees tomorrow. Yes, I realize that it was going to be gone by breakfast. That doesn't squash the allure of seeing those enchanted flakes of solid water falling from the sky. We will go to great lengths to see snow.
Early in the year, we had a "winter" storm sweep in from the north. Bug and Sunshine have never had the opportunity to play in snow (Bug is almost 6). The closest we have had is a few hours of a dusting, that you couldn't even scrape up a snowball. To make sure that we could participate in said snow storm. I took off early and we drove 3 1/2 hours north. We got a hotel room next to Chuck E Cheese and enjoyed the snow. By lunch the next day, it was gone.
Hotel room $79
Tank of gas $60
2 hours in Chuck E Cheese $30
few hours in the snow......priceless
And here's a snowball for you....
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Tis the season
Yep, it's that time of year. You know deck the halls and all that. Except my wife decks the halls, every wall, and doorway. Then she moves outside. It's all good, except the back breaking labor. It's complete upheaval. I feel like I'm in one of those home remodeling shows, where they completed change a house while the owner is playing a round of golf.
We have 5 Christmas trees. Count'em, uno, dos, tres, quatro, and cinco. Sunshine and Bug each have a small 3 footer, his green, her's pink. Two 7 footers, one in the living room (with homemade ornaments), one in the sewing room (clear glass and crocheted ornaments). Then there is the big daddy, 10 footer in the back porch. It's covered with various ornaments. We try to get an ornament from all the places we go.
Here's Bug and Sunshine last year.
We have 5 Christmas trees. Count'em, uno, dos, tres, quatro, and cinco. Sunshine and Bug each have a small 3 footer, his green, her's pink. Two 7 footers, one in the living room (with homemade ornaments), one in the sewing room (clear glass and crocheted ornaments). Then there is the big daddy, 10 footer in the back porch. It's covered with various ornaments. We try to get an ornament from all the places we go.
Here's Bug and Sunshine last year.
Monday, December 8, 2008
I know the solution!!!!!
I just read an artical on the US's most healthy and unhealthy states. Mississippi ranked 49. You can see the details here. Obesity rate 50%...How tragic.... Not the rate, but that I'm one of them.
A few years ago (okay, 4 years ago), I did a triathlon. I did duathlons. I road a metric century (62 miles). I was hard core. Maybe not so hard, more like moon pie hard. But I was in pretty good shape (I was slow as molasses). But by the standards we are judged by, I was still obese.
Now fast forward a few years. I have road (on or off road) my bike in a couple months. I was averaging a ride every 4 or 5 weeks. I have blossomed. That's a term we use in the deep south to describe a lady with child. I am still setting personal records, but now I'm not bragging on them.
I know what the problem is though. Sweet tea. Lewis Grizzard said never drink sweet tea in a state that doesn't have an SEC team in it. Mississippi has two teams. Tea so sweet that if you stir it with a spoon, the spoon will stand up by itself.
Sure Napa Valley is probably ground zero for sommeliers. You can find tea experts (read snobs) here. Nobody makes tea better than ___________(insert, mother, grandmother, etc.) Apon attending a family reunion my wife and her parents won't drink anybody's tea except Granny's.
Have I convinced you yet? Let's look at the other SEC schools and where their state ranks.
Alabama 40
Arkansas 43
Georgia 41
Tennessee 47
Florida 45
Kentucky 37
South Carolina 48
Louisiana 50
Maybe I'm wrong....Maybe the problem is states that have strong college football teams. The stronger the football traditions the worse health they have. That would explain Kentucky ranking the highest of all the SEC states.
A few years ago (okay, 4 years ago), I did a triathlon. I did duathlons. I road a metric century (62 miles). I was hard core. Maybe not so hard, more like moon pie hard. But I was in pretty good shape (I was slow as molasses). But by the standards we are judged by, I was still obese.
Now fast forward a few years. I have road (on or off road) my bike in a couple months. I was averaging a ride every 4 or 5 weeks. I have blossomed. That's a term we use in the deep south to describe a lady with child. I am still setting personal records, but now I'm not bragging on them.
I know what the problem is though. Sweet tea. Lewis Grizzard said never drink sweet tea in a state that doesn't have an SEC team in it. Mississippi has two teams. Tea so sweet that if you stir it with a spoon, the spoon will stand up by itself.
Sure Napa Valley is probably ground zero for sommeliers. You can find tea experts (read snobs) here. Nobody makes tea better than ___________(insert, mother, grandmother, etc.) Apon attending a family reunion my wife and her parents won't drink anybody's tea except Granny's.
Have I convinced you yet? Let's look at the other SEC schools and where their state ranks.
Alabama 40
Arkansas 43
Georgia 41
Tennessee 47
Florida 45
Kentucky 37
South Carolina 48
Louisiana 50
Maybe I'm wrong....Maybe the problem is states that have strong college football teams. The stronger the football traditions the worse health they have. That would explain Kentucky ranking the highest of all the SEC states.
Friday, December 5, 2008
A Veritable Cornucopia
Ahh it's that time of year again. The most special season. Of course, I'm talking about that time of year when they run 24 hours of "A Christmas Story". One of my favorite holiday shows. Who can forget "you'll shoot your eye out". The quotes are so awesome. Surely everybody can relate to the life and times of Ralphie. Who didn't want something for Christmas that their mother thought was too dangerous? Who hasn't had to contend with bullys (well, maybe those that were bullies)? Who hasn't been mesmerized by "the soft glow of electric sex gleaming in the window"? Okay maybe not that last one.
For those who have been living under a rock for the last several decades. "A Christmas Story" is a movie about a young boy (Ralphie), who is trying to convince his parents that he needs a Red-Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle (with compass in the stock). Narated by an adult Ralphie. It is hilariously funny, but I have noticed that men usually find it a lot funnier than women. As Ralphie, narates the thoughts of a 10 year old, you can't help but think, I've been there!
"Some men were Prodestant, some Catholic, my dad was an Osmobile man." Now that's funny.
If your a die hard fan, you can have your very own "Major Award", just be carefull because it's French.....Fragile....(pronounced Fra gee lay)
For those who have been living under a rock for the last several decades. "A Christmas Story" is a movie about a young boy (Ralphie), who is trying to convince his parents that he needs a Red-Ryder, carbine action, two-hundred shot range model air rifle (with compass in the stock). Narated by an adult Ralphie. It is hilariously funny, but I have noticed that men usually find it a lot funnier than women. As Ralphie, narates the thoughts of a 10 year old, you can't help but think, I've been there!
"Some men were Prodestant, some Catholic, my dad was an Osmobile man." Now that's funny.
If your a die hard fan, you can have your very own "Major Award", just be carefull because it's French.....Fragile....(pronounced Fra gee lay)
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