They say that the summer solstice is the longest day of the year (June 21). I would like to argue that December 24th is actually the longest day (if you under 10 years old). Today we will spend the day trying to rein in Bug and Sunshine. Entertain. We will spend the day watching Christmas specials on TV and checking the Santa radar on the computer.
Christmas is an emotional time of the year. I think more so than any other. Memories (happy or sad) of Christmas's past come rampaging through. We have had several deaths in our community during the last few weeks. The families affected will be spending their first Christmas without their beloved wife, mother, grandmother, father, son, etc. That makes an impression. I have a link to the Fat Cyclist on my side bar. This will probably be his last Christmas with his wife. How can you cope with that?
Of course their are happy memories too. Those happy times as a child. The Christmas I proposed to my beloved Bride. Each of the kids first Christmas. The family dinners. Times when everything seemed so right in the world.
My heart goes out to those that will have a tough time this year. I'm not talking about not getting that ipod you wanted. I'm talking about grief, depression, loneliness. I offer a word of encouragement. "This too shall pass" It will get better. The sun will shine again. I pray that God will give you peace, comfort, mercy.
To those of you who are having a great Christmas, take a look around. Surely there is someone you could reach out too. Send a card. Take a plate of cookies.
Reach out and put your arm around someone today.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
Rain..Rain.. Go Away....
So technically it didn't rain today. But it has rained a lot in the last month (see yesterday's post). The ground is still saturated.
Right here is where I was going to insert a picture of my mountain bike with gobs of red clay stuck all over it.......but I can't find it. That will be a post on it's own.
Anyway, I thought since this was "supposed" to be a blog with a bicycle angle and I had yet to write anything about riding, this would be my first. So use your imagination.
The area in which I live has a high content of clay in the soil. This makes the mud extremely slick and sticky. Is that a contradiction? I can remember as a kid walking through this sticky concoction. With each step, your shoe size grows. Pretty soon, they look like snow shoes (like I'd know what they look like). Now imagine that happening to a bike tire. Pretty quick your bike looks like this.
So what have we learned today.
1. There has to be a better way to organize photos where they can be found.
2. If it's wet stay at home. It's better on your bike and the trail.
3. We learned that Cornbread only has two points.
Right here is where I was going to insert a picture of my mountain bike with gobs of red clay stuck all over it.......but I can't find it. That will be a post on it's own.
Anyway, I thought since this was "supposed" to be a blog with a bicycle angle and I had yet to write anything about riding, this would be my first. So use your imagination.
The area in which I live has a high content of clay in the soil. This makes the mud extremely slick and sticky. Is that a contradiction? I can remember as a kid walking through this sticky concoction. With each step, your shoe size grows. Pretty soon, they look like snow shoes (like I'd know what they look like). Now imagine that happening to a bike tire. Pretty quick your bike looks like this.
So what have we learned today.
1. There has to be a better way to organize photos where they can be found.
2. If it's wet stay at home. It's better on your bike and the trail.
3. We learned that Cornbread only has two points.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Once upon a time.........
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.
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.
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.
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