Cinco de Mayo

The mid-week hump is here. I finally had the stars align and I was able to do some yard work. Well, I worked too fast and too hard and my body let me know with cramps for the next few hours. But it did feel good. Maybe I can do some more Saturday ... well, a bit slower. We have many irons in the fire. Lil Bit feels better as he shed 10 pounds of hair. Now he looks like a dog and not a dust mop.

Wild Mom has been quiet lately ... perhaps Muffin has her trained.

Lady has been busy and is really looking forward to her trip home. This Saturday is the Mother/Daughter banquet. She is still not sure who will go with her.

#1 only has 10 more working days before his road trip back to Virginia. He will surely suffer from the lack of Bronco and Rockie hurrah.

#2 may have found a job ... but I will remain silent in case I spook it and it runs away from him.

Peanut is healing though it is too slow for her and for us. AJ is growing and eating everything she sticks in his mouth. Doctor appointments fill in any free time she has. Oh such are the trials of a "new mom." We are hoping she feels good enough to attend church Sunday for her first Mother's Day.

Lew and Lil Princess were the same this last weekend. We wrestled and played too hard as my knees barked at me. Lil Princess continues to get closer to walking.

May Day Fun

Well, the weekend is here and there is much to do. Sunday is payoff night for the bowling league. That makes the whole year fun. After the awards we will join some friends for dinner. We have been doing this after every league. Hopefully I will get some time to work in the yard before the rain comes Saturday afternoon. Friday night will be dinner with our buddies. Sure wish I had a movie partner to go and see a movie.

Wild Mom is fine and adjusting to Muffin. Now her focus is getting up here to hold babies and visit. I still have to find some time to get down there to deal with all them sonny-dos.

Lady is busy. She picked up some new mattresses for the #2's room and what will be #1's room when he comes.

#1 is enjoying the snow while we enjoy the sun and springtime. Less than 3 weeks till he heads home.

#2 is the same. At some point in time pride will kick in and he will get a job.

Peanut is home and doing well. AJ is sleeping, eating, and pooping like all babies. We just have to learn to cope with the withdrawal from not seeing him. Hopefully soon.

Lew and Lil Princess are the same ... active. Last Monday, she stood up from a crouch but walking was still a bit wobbly. She would take a step and fall. It is only a matter of time now.

Last night I was doing the bills like all good Americans do. The first envelope was the savings statement ... I got a whopping $0.69 in interest for the first three months ... a titillating $0.23 per month. The I opened the credit card statement, since I was one day late they charged $39.00 and raised my interest rate 10% more. If I didn't miss another one for 12 months they "may lower the rate" according to the statement. No guarantee they would. The pisser is this was the same company ... Capital One. Right now they at any one time average having $3000.00 of mine. I get crap from them in return for using my money and they squeeze me for blood for using theirs. I used $850 of theirs and they used $3000 of mine. So for April ... I get $0.23 and they get $39.00 + 25%. Any wonder that I now hate Banks. This whole relation will now get changed.

How Big are they?

Well, Aiden is here and nothing will be the same now. Peanut is gaining all them mom skills ... like hearing through doors and always knowing something isn't right. And the conversations you can hear in the room. "Gee, he has big b-lls, well, I wouldn't know since all I have ever seen is grownup b-lls. The night before it was boobie topics. Oh well, life in the fast lane.

Wild Mom and muffin are still bonding. Any odds on who will be trained first? I take Muffin and 14 days.

Lady is busy with payroll and spoiling Aiden. With 3 little ones now ... will she retire and take more time?

#1 is enjoying the last snow while we are warm.

#2 is totally mesmerized with all that is going on ...

Peanut is doing fine. The whole process went fine with only a few minor hiccups. It was fun talking with her as some realizations kicked in ... like "I am fixing to be a mother and Wow, I still have feet and they aren't swollen." Well, now life starts and from my limited perspective ... Aiden has a good start.

We haven't seen Lew and Lil Princess this week but the weekend grows closer and I know we will then. Lil Princess got Lady's heart rate up Sunday night as she tried to swallow a piece of paper. Finally she coughed it up enough to be pulled out. Of course Lil Princess was mad about all the fingers stuffed in her mouth.

Sidewalk adventures on a very windy day. They walk out of the building not realizing how windy it is and boom ... the skirt, both front and back, is up over their head. At least 3 hats have flown out into the 5 lanes of traffic going by ... and most have been flattened. One funny one was a hairpiece almost being launched ... caught at the last second. Forget counting the number of pieces of paper flying out of the hand. Another topic for another day is "following the signs."

Welcome To America

Aiden James Mellott
Born 28 April 2008 at 12:18 pm
weighing in at 8 lbs. 5 oz. and 21.5 inches long.

Oh ... Taxi!!

Well, it is Friday Night and it is party time. Another week has passed and to my suprise ... nothing changed. There is a lot to do this weekend so it will fly by and Sunday Night I will just as tired as now. Retirement is sure looking good. The kids (#1, #2, Peanut, Lew and Lil Princess) are all fine. I expect to see most of them this weekend and for the little ones we will play and do kids things together. #1 is enjoying the late spring snows in Colorado and it will only make his return to Virginia that much better. I have the route planned when I head out to get him and it is about 1800+ miles. Will Peanut make it to Monday? Maybe we should get a lottery going as to when the boy will be born. Work was the same this week. They complained that the room was hot ... so I corrected their screwing up of the thermostat ... and then they groused because the air coming out of the vent was too loud. Are we spoiled? Does someone need a reality check? Geesh, sometimes I wonder if this place is full of kids and prima donnas. I am sitting here watching a tour group (about 50) of school age kids walk by. It is amazing how they look like a gaggle of ducks going all over the place. Another good thing about my office is it over looks the construction dumpsters for the new building. Watching the homeless dig for stuff is another fun time. Two days ago, one of the guys went head first over the edge into the dumpster as he tried to get something. He only had minor cuts on his forehead as he definitely hit something good. Did he stop? Nope, he climbed right back in ... all to obtain a new cardboard box. Watching people walk bay this new building is an adventure all in itself. Sometimes they don't realize that someone might be watching. A young man and his female friend walked by and he got frisky, pinched her, she stumbled, then smacked him good. Of course, they made up but I sure wish I had a camera. Maybe I should start a new column ... "Life of the Sidewalk Looker" Oh, clothes is another fun item to watch ... how could someone wear something like that ... fashion or no common sense? Time to run and get ready for "Chinese Food Night."

You could have heard a pin drop.

Everyone should remember at least one of these Four Great Stories

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When in England at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of empire building by George Bush. He answered by saying, 'Over the years, the United States has sent many of its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for in return is enough to bury those that did not return.

You could have heard a pin drop.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Then there was a conference in France where a number of International engineers were taking part, including French and American. During a break one of the French engineers came back into the room saying 'Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intend to do, bomb them?' A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: 'Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day, they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from sea water each day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck. We have eleven such ships; how many does France have?

You could have heard a pin drop.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A U.S. Navy Admiral was attending a naval conference that included Admirals from the U.S. , English, Canadian, Australian and French Navies. At a cocktail reception, he found himself standing with a large group of Officers that included personnel from most of those countries. Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks but a French admiral suddenly complained that, 'whereas Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English.' He then asked, 'Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?' Without hesitating, the American Admiral replied 'Maybe it's because the Brits, Canadians, Aussies and Americans arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German.'

You could have heard a pin drop.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A group of Americans, retired teachers, recently went to France on a tour. Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane. At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry on. "You have been to France before, monsieur?" the customs officer asked sarcastically. Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously. "Then you should know enough to have your passport ready." The American said, "The last time I was here, I didn't have to show it." "Impossible, Americans always have to show your passports on arrival in France !" The American senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look. Then he quietly explained. "Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944 to help liberate this country, I couldn't find any damn Frenchmen to show it to."

You could have heard a pin drop

Dandelion Hell

Ok, time to catch up. The winter Bowling leagues are finally over after about 30+ weeks. The adult team finished in fourth. It was a wild finish with the last ball thrown being worth about $400 of prize money. No pressure. The youth team finished fourth and will have their trophy party this Sunday. Work is the same. Why doesn't it seem like a party that you see on TV ... they sing and dance and carry on. Less than a month till the road trip to Colorado happens. We bought a new electric lawn mower yesterday, in conjunction with the sump pump dying and one electric outlet shorting out. So it was a pretty interesting day. The weather has been nice ... rain and sun ... but now the grass and weeds are growing faster than Lil Princess is.

Wild Mom is still bonding with Muffin. The list of sonny-do's grows and I must find a time to get down there. Anyone want a Florida vacation?

Lady enjoys her job. That cruise sure looks good right about now.

#1 sold his cavalier and is pretty much ready to head east.

#2 still looking and now the odds start as to whether his hands will fit on the new mower handle. Odds?

Peanut still has about a week to go. She is dilated a bit but the boy is riding high in the saddle. She loved the new clothes. Sending the weekend with us was great as it always is. Now I get to hear more crafts and cooking stuff as Peanut and Lady chat away as we sit there.

Lew is ready to head for Indiana. he wants to go "right now."

Lil Princess is almost standing. It is a blast watching her grow. Of course, she loves to mess with all the knobs and lights on the TV. It is amazing how fast she covers the ground to the front of the TV.

***** *****
Enjoy the Off-Season ... Capitals!!!

Rosy Days

Gee, I have managed to miss writing this week. The good part is that the weekend is here and time to have some fun ... anyone say P - A - R - T - Y and I - C - E C - R - E - A - M!!!!! All the computers were finished and delivered. All the taxes were done with minimal pain and now the fun comes with the refunds and the rebate. This Sunday afternoon will be my first free one since last September as the Youth league finished last week. In one more week my Sunday will be completely free. The Masters Tournament was a bust as the TV died. I am still awaiting for the repair people to show up and fix it.

Wild Mom is doing "Puppy day" on Saturday. There goes the peace and quiet ... yap!

#1 is already. His car will be sold and there is basically nothing left to do but wait. Hmmm ... a month to go.

#2 no change as the jobs out race him.

Peanut is getting close ... almost close enough to even feel the pain. We are looking forward to having her with us this weekend. Last weekend she went to church with us and that was a great pleasure. We are selfishly hoping for a repeat. Oh, Lady went on another shopping spree for her ...

Lew and Lil Princess are special. Lew is all excited about going to NaNa's home in Indiana. He can't wait and wants to go right now. Lil Princess is very close to walking ... won't be long now.

The weekends are the best because I can see all the kids ... isn't life great?

Weekend Escapades

The weekend is here and there is a lot to do. 6 computers to be built out and delivered along with some taxes. Not to mention Lew and Lil Princess to fill up those free seconds I somehow manage to find. Throw in Church and bowling and ... wow, where did all the time go? Tonight we will try out another restaurant for the second time. Last time it was ok ... Throw in the Master's Tournament, there is no way a red-blooded American can miss that golf game. I am willing to sacrifice the Nationals ball games since they lose to much. The Capitals will basically be eliminated in the first round by the end of the weekend so there is no since in watching them.

Wild Mom is scoping out the puppies. Lhasa Poo?

Lady is staying busy and getting prettier.

#1 is prepping to come home by the Memorial Day weekend. That should be a fun ride back with him. Though I will have to try and keep him from stopping at all the Risque Cafe's along the way.

#2 - No Change.

Peanut keeps growing and how many ways can you say big? We love having her over on the weekends and this one will be no exception.

Lew and Lil Princess ... Batten down the hatches and hang on.

It is such fun having all the kids at the house on the weekend, in a couple there will be another wee one and come May, #1 will make it complete. Add our good friends, the Johnson's, and how could it get any better?

Love is in the Air

Well, are we having fun yet? I am. This is Master's week and I can get my fill of Golf. I love to watch this tournament. Bowling this weekend was ok. Since it is the end of the season it is hard to get really excited. This summer I would like to find a Bowling Alley that has a pro shot put down and see how I would do. There is one but it is on Monday Night and I would have trouble making that one. The kids are in third place and the night team is in fifth place. I most likely will be out of pocket a few days the end of this week. I am going to run down and pickup my niece and take her to Florida. That should be a real good time. She is a joy to ride with and we haven't done that in a few years. The downside is I will have to drive back alone ... too bad no one wants a free ride to Florida and back. The wedding last weekend was great and we all had a fun time. Though the music was a bit loud for my taste, it gave me a reason to get up and move around. The van seats are finally out of the driveway and the extra parking space is a luxury.

Upcoming Schedule:

- Trip to Florida (04-10)
- Youth League ends (04/14)
- Peanut's Baby watch (04/15)
- Sunday Night League ends (04/21)
- Lady heads for Indiana (05/16)
- Denver Trip (05/23)
- Williamsburg (06/07)
- Sonny-Do excursion (07/15)
- Cruise (01/09)

Wild-Mom is still keeping busy. I am not sure what her travel plans are but she sure wants me to find her a cruising buddy for next January. Hmmm, I wonder who might be available for a trip to the Southern Caribbean?

Lady is busy and is starting to plan her road trip to Indiana. Lew will be going with her and that should definitely provide her with some excitement. She is still busy getting the taxes ready for the company. The treadmill asked me to use it the other night since I go at a slower speed. Something about it needing some relief.

#1 doing those last minute things to get ready for the trip home.

#2 still looking and getting his hands dirty with some outside chores.

Peanut is waiting for her time. She spent the weekend with us and that was great. We need to do that more. All the bags are packed and things are at the ready for the grand entry of the baby.

Lew is a dynamo that has no stopping in it. He is learning how to jerk #2 around and that is interesting to watch.

Lil Princess just charms us all, luckily I have resisted her charms so far. It seems every weekend when we see her, she has changed so much. It is only a matter of time till she lets go and walks. She has learned the stand and reach attack and has found a whole new world to get into.

***** ***** *****
Go Braves ... Nationals, well try and not finish last or below .500.

SpringTime Thoughts

We survived and made it to the weekend. Now to survive that. The kids [] will be over tonight and the weekend. Saturday is Bobby's wedding and that should be a lot of fun. Sunday will be our usual activity as the bowling season winds down. I for one will be glad to see it end. I am now most of the way done getting the taxes done and it looks like I won't get crushed to bad by the amount to pay back. Some years it seemed like I owed enough to pay off the U.S. Trade Defict and have change left over. e managed to find a day to barbecue outside this week. Hopefully that will be the first of many this year.

Lady gave the new treadmill a workout the other night. I guess it is now my turn. Right! Retirement is looking better and better to her.

#1 has been quiet but the days till he returns to Va just keep clicking off.

#2 is still looking for that elusive job.

Peanut is still waiting for the wee lad to make his appearance. She now has a larger room and that will make storing all the baby gifts easier.

Lew continues to grow and even manages to frustrate #2. I can't wait for the day Lew beats him on the video games. That should really be interesting.

Lil Princess has learned to kiss. Time to get the baseball bat out and get ready for all the evil guys that want one. Marriage and Love isn't an option till she is 25+. She now has two teeth and I have managed to keep my fingers clear of those chompers.

Later this month, QSS (where the Blackhawke Servers are located) will be moving to a new location in Warrenton. The current building has been sold and will be torn down for a new Bank. Just what we need. I am surprised the Banking Industry is crying the woes and they want higher fees while they constantly build new banks. This is just like the Oil Companies bellyaching about the cost of new refineries while they divide their billions of dollars in profits.

Who?

Well the weekend is over ... who authorized it being shortened. I know it was supposed to be longer. This one was short but we managed to have some fun and spend time with the family. Bowling was ok. The kids won and have 2 weeks to go and the Sunday Night crew lost with 3 weeks to go. This time next month I will have Sunday's free to have even more fun. But I am afraid my newfound free time will be occupied with chores of the non-paid nature. Miss GungHo is still at Camp Geiger with no time set for her to come home. Our prayers are with her, maybe she can come here for a short visit. Brother #1 and #2 are still running around Germany ... I guess they have been good since there has been no International Incident. With the bowling ending and baseball starting ... perhaps a few afternoon naps are in order.

Revised Upcoming Schedule:

- Bobby's Wedding (04/05)
- Youth League ends (04/14)
- Peanut's Baby watch (04/15)
- Sunday Night League ends (04/21)
- Lady heads for Indiana (05/09)
- Denver Trip (05/16)
- Williamsburg (06/07)
- Sonny-Do excursion (07/15)
- Cruise (01/09)

Items still on the burner:

- Weekend trip to Chincoteague Island
- Weekend trip to Cheat River

Lady wanted more weekend but had to settle for work today. The search for a wedding dress to wear this weekend to Bobby's wedding began. I hope the pocket book holds up. The week trip to Indiana starts to take shape with Lady and Lew taking a short road trip. She also ordered us a new treadmill. Mind you, we didn't wear out the last one we just upgraded to a model that exercises for you. It will run once a day whether you are there or not.

Wild Mom survived camp and now attempts to survive my sister's visit with the grandkids and great grandkids. Hmmm, cut down on the sonny-do's and have them do them instead. She is still trying to get a cruising partner for next years adventure.

#2 still looking. Perhaps he is magnetically opposite to work. Maybe he is living proof opposites don't attract.

Peanut spent most the weekend with us and we had a lot of fun. It is interesting sometimes to watch the expressions on her face when the baby starts moving or fighting for a better position. As big as she is you would expect the boy to have plenty of room like there is in the trunk of a 56 Dodge.

Lew spent the weekend with us and even managed to see "Horton hears a who!".

Lil Princess spent Sunday with me at the bowling alley. Now that was an adventure. She is definitely a babe-magnet. And those baby-talk conversations sometimes seem so real.

Weekend Hopes

Well, the weekend is here ... wow! what a short week. I like this. This weekend should be full. I hope I have enough energy to get everything done (spread the mulch, clean-up the yard, might even have to mow). I am looking forward to El Agave since it has been a while. Isn't there a law about missing a Mexican dinner for more than 7 days? I also need to find me a new movie partner ... too many of them that I want to see and no one to go with. Plus, Sunday I will get to use the new bowling balls on the house lanes and see how they do. I am thinking I will do good.

Upcoming Schedule:
- Bobby's Wedding (04/05)
- Denver Trip (05/16)
- Williamsburg (06/07)
- Cruise (01/09)

Lady is busy getting ready for tax time at work. I think it is close to a Cheat River trip. I also need her to start walking with me more ...

#2 is still looking. Won't be long till the last of the finances runs out.

Peanut - still getting bigger, but also getting closer to the big day. I can't wait to see what she does with her hair. Most of the preparations are done, at least the ones that can be done.

Lew and Lil Princess should be over this weekend. That should be fun as it has been a while since I have seen them and at their age they grow so fast.

Thoughts for a Friend

Recently, a friend asked a question and I finally found the article I wanted to reference.

The Father Challenge

Sam Keen challenges us to recognize that "there is no way for men ... to recover wholeheartedness, to become passionate and truly free, without rediscovering the central importance of the family." To rediscover the family, we, as men, must rediscover ourselves as fathers and parents, and place this role of the many roles we play at the center of our lives. It is within the context of the family that we live our lives, and it is here that we receive our deepest wounds and most profound joys.

As Keen and many others have observed, we men tend to view ourselves as independent actors. As warriors, controllers, providers, protectors, and occasionally as lovers. We peg our self-worth on our tax brackets or how much we've published or how many women we've been with. We constantly look to the outside world for our valuation. Within the "men's movement" there is a tendency to talk about how I was treated by my father, about the lacks I had in my life, about my own confusion and pain and grief, about initiation (without any idea of what we want to initiate our children into). These are legitimate experiences that afflict our lives, but there comes a time when we men have to look beyond our own suffering and recognize that we are also causing suffering.

About a year ago I attended a symposium on fathering in Eugene, Oregon. One of the things that I learned, deeply, was how I was continuing to wound my own children in the way I was wounded. I was foisting the expectations and demands that my father laid on me onto my sons and daughter. It was a painful realization, but confirmed what I already knew intellectually about the "sins of the fathers," and how I needed to honestly and directly deal with what I was doing. I can't say that I've done as well as I'd like to on this or most accounts in my life. But one thing I have realized is that in as much as I consciously work to avoid wounding my children, and in loving them for exactly who they are, I am healed of my wounds. We receive our deepest and subtlest wounds within a family context, and it seems that here is the best place to heal them. This is not easy, as it requires a level of emotional courage, honesty, and sheer perseverance that few of us ever learn. Beginning what often seems to be a sisyphean task is a gift in itself, for it opens the door to our own hero's journey.

As fathers, we give our children many gifts along with many wounds. Paradoxically, the wounds and the gifts are two sides of the same coin. When we give time and attention, we heal the wound of abandonment. When we acknowledge a child's accomplishments, we give the gift of confidence. When we support the free expression of feelings, we give the gift of self esteem. In essence, if we show with our time, love, attention, nurturing, touch that we truly value our children, they will come to value themselves and us.

We have to be willing to be available to our children as often as we can, and to be with them as often as practicable. There is no substitute for time with children. They know it and so do we. As fathers, we can no longer afford to use such excuses as "college funds," "personal growth," "bigger houses," " more cars, gadgets, or other toys" to justify our abandonment of our children. For at a deep and profound level all men are the fathers of all children whether they are biological or not. We have to go beyond the personal to the communal, and work to heal all of the damage our forefathers still perpetrate through us.

Where to begin is the question I usually get asked when I talk about these issues. Where do we begin? The trite answer is still true - where we are. The process of change begins with the awareness that change is needed, then what needs to be changed, and , lastly, what options are available. As a movement, we're still back at step one, having realized changes in how we fathers are needed; however, we haven't begun to examine the options. I believe it is past time that we join together as we can to support and assist other men in re-creating what a father is and does.

firstborn

you were the golden child
framed by the sun that was your hair
my phaestos to grab the reins of my chariot
and be the child
and young man
my father wanted me to be
and still to be as you (me) are
i bind you in chains
teach you to fight your dream
witness the rising of your anger
and grief
i have held you
and held you apart
i have wondered at your neediness
and not seen
that it is not yours
but mine

Copyright © 1995 by Kent Cumbo

Most Excellent Adventure - Final

Well, things came to an end and we headed for home. Wild Mom flew home while Curious George and I rode the train back. We even managed to get a sleeper for the Albuquerque to Chicago leg. The countryside was beautiful especially through Raton Pass in New Mexico. We even had snow as we went through the pass. Antelope, Mule deer, coyotes, turkeys, hawks, eagles, wolf, and regular deer highlighted that passage through the remote mountains at 7500+ feet. The train ride was pretty uneventful and not very late in arriving home on Tuesday afternoon. We managed to get quite a bit of rest. Now it is time to start planning Las Vegas (2009) next year. There is a rumor that Baton Rouge La. will change to Orlando Fl. in 2011. Now it is time to see how the rest of the crew did while I was gone. Questions such as; when are you coming home (#1), got a job yet? (#2), baby hanging any lower? (peanut), will you share some of that energy? (Lew) and how's the tongue doing? (lil princess). I have a few other questions but they are for another day and another forum.

Work hasn't changed a bit. Today, while I was cleaning out some 30,000+ spam emails --- one person called to complain about their 12 spam messages. Get a Life!

Getting home I saw where the grass was growing and greening up. How I hate what comes next. Even the pixies didn't come and spread the 15 bags of mulch in the front yard. Sheesh, how much do I have to pay?

Wild Mom's shopping sprees required us to procure a 2x2x2 foot box to send everything home. It was a sight seeing her bouncing on the luggage trying to squeeze everything into it. She arrived home safely on Sunday and immediately started planning the next excursion.

Most Excellent Adventure - Day 5

Well, like all things good ... it is time to return back to life. The tournament for me is over until Las Vegas next year. Though I wished I could have done better I have nothing to be ashamed of ... I am average. The day was spent getting the bowling balls being worked on at the Visionary booth. Wild mom went to the historic old towne and of course ... shopped. It is fun watching her stuff it into the luggage. Dinner was at the Texas Land & Cattle restaurant. That was some great beef. The sirloin was smoked and very tender. Wild Mom ordered fried pickles and took half of them with her as a snack while we bowled. The rest of the day was spent packing (stuffing in Wild Mom's case) and resting up.

Wild Mom continued her rampaging ways. First thing this morning she pulled the towel bar down after they unclogged the tub drain. Must of been her hangover from the Pina Colada's last night.

Do we have to come home? It is so nice out here. But if we do come here ... bring the body lotion for my poor skin is dry.

Most Excellent Adventure - Day 4

It is Friday and the real work begins ... later. We went sightseeing and the weather was beautiful. Sunny, no clouds, and in the 60`s. We visited the Indian reservation and spent some money in the gift shop. There was a small herd of buffalo next to the Indian Center and that made for some good pictures. Even managed to not run over a Road Runner that crossed in front of the car. The rest of the day was spent checking things out at the Convention Center. In all cases Wild Mom helped the economy and made sure she needed another bag to haul stuff home.

Bowling was ok ... nothing to brag about but good enough to feel satisfied. The team was really different with 3 subs. Sure miss the old gang but that is life. Curious George did ok and his knees have held up pretty good so far. Tomorrow is doubles and singles and that should prove fun if not tiring since we start bowling at 11:30 pm.

Wild Mom is out checking out the Pina Colada's down at the lounge. Especially appealing is the tickets that makes them free. And yes, she has my tickets as I write this blog.

Most Excellent Adventure - Day 3

We have arrived in Albuquerque. The day was filled with sights of wild animals as we passed through some beautiful country. There was even snow on the ground at the higher elevations. Breakfast was spent with a gentleman from from Minnesota (Highway patrol) and his daughter. They were on a father-daughter excursion for the weekend. We spent almost the whole day watching the terrain pass by and cat-napping in between the good sections. Unlike last years ride, we never got more than 15 minutes behind. Unlike the eastbound train from LA that was 25 hours behind. However, those train seats did get hard by the time we reached Lamy New Mexico. The train was full and I am glad we got off when we did because at our stop 28 people got off and 100 people got on. So there was no extra room.

Albuquerque is a beautiful town and even with a GPS system we managed to get turned around a few times. Curious George and I have had a blast chatting back at the GPS which we have named "Wanda." Kritty would love the rental car ... 2008 Ford Taurus ... and it is loaded. We had dinner tonight at Sadies, a southwestern Mexican restaurant. The food was great and if it was closer to home, El Agave would have some major competition. So if you ever come here ... make Sadie's one of your stops. The air is very dry and I can't drink enough water ... but I am trying.

Wild Mom made it without getting thrown off. She did manage to chat on the phone every time she had 3 bars.

Curious George met some new friends and one turned out to be a nun returning to her work in Raton New Mexico. A mild surprise when she changed into her habit just before she reached her destination. Go figure!

Sure miss everyone .. but I wouldn't miss this trip.

Top Speed: 82
Highest Elevation: 7852 ft.

Most Excellent Adventure - Day 2

Full of chili dogs and Cinabun rolls we left Chicago ... dragging Wild Mom from a sweet talking vendor. Like yesterday's train ... this one was full too. By Kansas City we were already 30 minutes late. Dinner was good and of course Wild Mom got onto the wait staff. With the train being full ... there were no sleepers available. But the coach seats are big and comfortable ... so it will be tolerable. There has been plenty of wild life to observe both in and out of the train. What a few beers will do to a perfectly normal (?) person. Don't sweat ... it isn't Wild Mom and her Long Island Ice Teas. Getting bumpy and dark ... until tomorrow ... we love you all.

Wild Mom buys craft stuff at every stop. Time to buy another suitcase.

Top Speed: 92

Most Excellent Adventure - Day 1

The adventure begins. Just getting to the train station was fun. We sat through two different traffic backups plus a side trip to Sterling. The train left on time but immediately got behind. First for a generator that wouldn't stay on line and then some guy who hit a lady. We had to wait for the paramedics to show up. So we were 90 minutes late and never made it up. Arrival in Chicago was uneventful. Good thing we didn't head south from Chicago ... the train track was washed out and under water south of St. Louis.

Wild Mom is flirting away with anyone that talks sweet. She gets a bit feisty when the waiters get slack.

Top Speed: 65

Strike!

Well, all reservations are made and everything is ready for New Mexico. Wild Mom arrives on Thursday and we leave the following Tuesday. Lady is deeply involved with the candy Easter Egg project at church ... they are very good and loaded with calories but also a lot of work. Work is the same but tolerable since I know I have a break coming up. The kids bowling is going well as they hang onto 3rd place. The adult league in the evening is challenging. We are tied for 4th. This week we went 5-2 and it took everything we had. I averaged 207, Pete averaged 208 and George averaged 204 and we just squeaked by a crew of 140-150 average bowlers. They were hot and almost caught us. I was very happy because with one week to New Mexico, I finally bowled like I wanted too and to the level I know I am capable of. I need to start figuring out what kid I will bowl with for the next league. I doubt I will bowl with the current one again. Some kids will listen and want to learn. This one loves to argue and doesn't learn. So the search begins again since it is still 4-5 years before Punk is ready to bowl in a league. The guest room is finished for the time being. The walls are painted (sea foam green) and the trim and doors is what is left. But that will be a project for another time.

Peanut continues to get bigger ... only about 6 weeks till the wee lad pops out. Gee, in 2017 I will be able to bowl with him.

#1 is ready for Virginia but has to wait for the lease to run out in June. Who knows maybe he isn't too rusty to bowl with us once again. But then again, that is what handicap is for ... to compensate for his inability to keep up the pace. :)

#2 is still looking.

Punk and Lil Princess didn't make it over this weekend because of our hectic schedule. I am suffering from withdrawal. I wonder if I need to pay them to show up this week? Oh, Lil Princess overcame her virus and is doing well ... she even managed to let mommy have a taste of it. How Sweet!

Points to Ponder

HERE IS AN EYE OPENER TO START OFF YOUR DAY OR PERHAPS STIMULATE A BIT OF INTELLECTUAL PONDERING ... CAN A MUSLIM BE A MUSLIM-AMERICAN?

HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT --

• IS MUSLIM-AMERICAN REALLY AN OXYMORON?
• CAN A DEVOUT MUSLIM BE AN AMERICAN PATRIOT AND A LOYAL CITIZEN?
  

I FORWARDED THAT QUESTION TO SOMEONE WHO WORKED IN SAUDI ARABIA FOR 20 YEARS. THE FOLLOWING IS HIS FORWARDED REPLY:

• THEOLOGICALLY - NO.
• BECAUSE HIS ALLEGIANCE IS TO ALLAH, THE MOON GOD OF ARABIA.
• RELIGIOUSLY - NO.
• BECAUSE NO OTHER RELIGION IS ACCEPTED BY HIS ALLAH EXCEPT ISLAM (QURAN, 2:256)
• SCRIPTURALLY - NO.
• BECAUSE HIS ALLEGIANCE IS TO THE FIVE PILLARS OF ISLAM AND THE QURAN (KORAN).
• GEOGRAPHICALLY - NO.
• BECAUSE HIS ALLEGIANCE IS TO MECCA, TO WHICH HE TURNS IN PRAYER FIVE TIMES A DAY.
• SOCIALLY - NO.
• BECAUSE HIS ALLEGIANCE TO ISLAM FORBIDS HIM TO MAKE FRIENDS WITH CHRISTIANS OR JEWS.
• POLITICALLY - NO.
• BECAUSE HE MUST SUBMIT TO THE MULLAH (SPIRITUAL LEADERS), WHO TEACH ANNIHILATION OF ISRAEL AND DESTRUCTION OF AMERICA , THE GREAT SATAN.
• DOMESTICALLY - NO.
• BECAUSE HE IS INSTRUCTED TO MARRY FOUR WOMEN AND BEAT AND SCOURGE HIS WIFE WHEN SHE DISOBEYS HIM (QURAN 4:34).
• INTELLECTUALLY - NO.
• BECAUSE HE CANNOT ACCEPT THE AMERICAN CONSTITUTION SINCE IT IS BASED ON BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES AND HE BELIEVES THE BIBLE TO BE CORRUPT.
• PHILOSOPHICALLY - NO.
  
• BECAUSE ISLAM, MUHAMMAD, AND THE QURAN DO NOT ALLOW FREEDOM OF RELIGION AND EXPRESSION. DEMOCRACY AND ISLAM CANNOT CO-EXIST.
• EVERY MUSLIM GOVERNMENT IS EITHER DICTATORIAL OR AUTOCRATIC.
• SPIRITUALLY - NO.
• BECAUSE WHEN WE DECLARE "ONE NATION UNDER GOD", THE CHRISTIAN'S GOD IS LOVING AND KIND, WHILE ALLAH IS NEVER REFERRED TO AS HEAVENLY FATHER, NOR IS HE EVER CALLED LOVE IN THE QURAN'S 99 EXCELLENT NAMES.
  

THEREFORE AFTER MUCH STUDY AND DELIBERATION ... PERHAPS WE SHOULD BE VERY SUSPICIOUS OF ALL MUSLIMS IN THIS COUNTRY? THEY OBVIOUSLY CANNOT BE BOTH 'GOOD' MUSLIMS AND 'GOOD' AMERICANS. CALL IT WHAT YOU WISH ... IT'S STILL THE TRUTH.

IF YOU FIND YOURSELF INTELLECTUALLY IN AGREEMENT WITH THE ABOVE STATEMENTS, PERHAPS YOU WILL SHARE THIS WITH YOUR FRIENDS. THE MORE WHO UNDERSTAND THIS, THE BETTER IT WILL BE ... FOR THE RELIGIOUS WAR IS BIGGER AND MORE COMPLEX THAN MOST AMERICANS CURRENTLY KNOW OR UNDERSTAND.

BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA, A MAN WITH A MUSLIM UPBRINGING, WANTS TO BE OUR PRESIDENT ... "I THINK SOME RED FLAGS ARE GOING UP HERE"?

Decisions!

I just love this time to year. My sinuses stay screwed up all the time. Maybe I should move to the South Pole ... there it is cold all year around. Not much happening except for work. Tomorrow I get to come in early to move computers since the sales manager decided to play musical chairs with the sales offices. Not that we have enough work as it is ... let's screw engineering with more work.

Wild Mom is getting excited about New Mexico in a few weeks. She just returned from the Western Caribbean where she had a blast on a cruise line not to take ... Holiday Cruise Line. Now we just have to find her a cruise partner for the January trip.

Lady is working and having fun as tax season approaches. She is ready for another vacation going anywhere. We are still figuring how to get her to New Mexico this month. Next week she will be busy making Easter Eggs for the church. The coconut ones are the best! It is like having a Almond Joy that weighs almost a pound.

#1 is planning and working. It looks like he will come back to Virginia this summer. I guess he misses the butt whippings on the Bowling Alley that I use to give him.

#2 is hoping today he gets notified he was selected for another job. He is finding that having no money sucks. It seems all his girl friends are high maintenance and have expensive tastes.

Punk and Lil Princess are a blast. However, Lil Princess had a virus this weekend and had to visit the doctor, so her stay was very short. However, Punk made up for her. They grow so fast ... I wonder if there is a slow down pill available?

Tired of the elections yet? I am. Lets get down to the real thing and quit all this posturing. Look at all the money that is wasted doing this. We could feed a lot of people by skipping all these Primaries and Caucasus's.

Tough decisions to make now that Spring is here ...

1. Do I fertilize the grass? How much mowing do I want to do is the question.
2. Work hard and plant expensive flowers or just let the free weeds grow.
3. Wash the windows clean and let more blinding sunlight in ... or leave them dirty as a natural sunshade.
   

##### ##### #####

Baseball is almost here ... once again. Will the Nationals win or just participate?

Bye Brett Favre ... thanks for everything.

Hey, Clemens ... only a few more weeks to get pumped up ... if you need help Juicer Bonds can help you.

What My Mother Taught Me.

A friend sent this to me and boy does it bring back the memories ....

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

4. My mother taught me LOGIC
" Because I said so, that's why."

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC.
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

7. My mother taught me IRONY.
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS .
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE .
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION .
"Stop acting like your father!"

15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION
"Just wait until we get home."

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING
"You are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to get stuck that way."

19. My mother taught me ESP .
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20. My mother taught me HUMOR .
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me"

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

25. My mother taught me about JUSTICE .
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you"

That's why MOTHERS RULE!

Another Month slowly Passes by

Well, another weekend fades into the sunset. The weekend started with a food fest at the Chinese Restaurant on Saturday night. We wound up bringing quite a bit home, to which it was consumed on Sunday. Saturday was spent fixing computers, cars, and playing with the kids. One salesman pitched us to refinance the house but I think it fell a little short. We will know more this week and make a final decision. More free money means more cruises. Sunday was the normal ... church and bowling. This Sunday was a Law and Order SVU marathon and several of the shows sparked some discussion and comments between the people that were there. For the most part this weekend, the TV remained off and just music played through the sound system. Of course the usual rolling on the floor with Lil Princess and Punk occurred. She is almost crawling but for now it is more a scoot than a crawl. The area behind the back fence was cut down so now I have to do some trash cleanup back there ... unless some energetic young person volunteers to make some money doing it. Oh, forget that ... that involves the nasty word "work." Work continues to plod along. Not much has changed and I doubt it ever will.

Lady is back on her exercise schedule ... must be something about wearing the bikini on the next cruise in 10 months. She went into a cleaning spree Friday and Saturday and now I can't find anything. man, I hate having things where they belong.

#1 is doing fine and stays busy at his job. Maybe we can conn him into taking a vacation back here around June.

#2 is back in the job seeking market. They just upped and let him go. Something to be expected in a family owned business ... the outsider is the first to go.

Peanut is getting bigger especially after she ate Saturday Night. Hopefully the baby will come soon because if she sits any further back from the table her arms won't be long enough. It would also help make sure she puts on matching socks ... she hasn't seen her feet in a while.

Before Pulling the Lever ....

Taxes ... Whether Democrat or a Republican you will find these statistics enlightening and amazing.

Taxes under Clinton 1999 :::: Taxes under Bush 2008
Single making 30K - tax $8,400 :::: tax $4,500
Single making 50K - tax $14,000 :::: tax $12,500
Single making 75K - tax $23,250 :::: tax $18,750
Married making 60K - tax $16,800 :::: tax $9,000
Married making 75K - tax $21,000 :::: tax $18,750
Married making 125K - tax $38,750 :::: tax $31,250

It is amazing how many people that fall into the categories above think Bush is screwing them and Bill Clinton was the greatest President ever. If Obama or Hillary are elected, they both say they will repeal the Bush tax cuts and a good portion of the people that fall into the categories above can't wait for it to happen. This is like the movie "The Sting" with Paul Newman; you scam somebody out of some money and they don't even know what happened.

Source: www.taxfoundation.org/publications/show/151.html

Thanks Mom!!!

After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie.

She said, "I love you, but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spend some time with you."

The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my Mother, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally.

That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie. "What's wrong, are you well," she asked? My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news.

"I thought that it would be pleasant to spend some time with you," I responded "just the two of us." She thought about it for a moment, and then said, "I would like that very much." That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary.

She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel's. "I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed," she said, as she got into the car. "They can't wait to hear about our meeting." We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady.

After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes could only read large print. Half way through the entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mother sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips.

"It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small," she said. "Then it's time that you relax and let me return the favor," I responded. During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation nothing extraordinary but catching up on recent events of each other's life. We talked so much that we missed the movie. As we arrived at her house later, she said, "I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you." I agreed.

"How was your dinner date?" asked my wife when I got home. "Very nice, much more so than I could have imagined," I answered.

A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn't have a chance to do anything for her. Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place Mother and I had dined. An attached note said: "I paid this bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two plates - one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I love you, son."

At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: "I love you." and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than our family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off until 'some other time.'

• Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to normal after you've had a baby ... that somebody doesn't know that once you're a mother,"normal" is history.
• Somebody said you can't love the second child as much as you love the first ... that somebody doesn't have two or more children.
• Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is labor and delivery ... that somebody never watched her "baby" get on the bus for the first day of kindergarten ... or on a plane headed for military "boot camp."
• Somebody said a Mother can stop worrying after her child gets married ... well that somebody doesn't know that marriage adds a new son or daughter-in-law to a Mother's heartstrings.
• Somebody said a Mother's job is done when her last child leaves home ... that somebody never had grandchildren.
• Somebody said your Mother knows you love her, so you don't need to tell her ... that somebody isn't a Mother.
  

Pass this along to all the "Mothers" in your life and to everyone who ever had a mother. This isn't just about being a Mother; it's about appreciating the people in your lives while you have them ... no matter who that person is.

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle".

One way to Play with a Balloon -- Kick it

Not much to report. The house is quiet and we are enjoying it. The tree Service showed up this morning to trim some trees and clear out the brush from the back of the property. Just a mild surprise because they were to call first and schedule this. Oh well. Repainting the spare bedroom is going well. I wonder if there is a color I can use that will make people not want to sleep in there? lady tried to give me the cold she had but it bounced off for the most part. It did slow me down but never ground me to a halt like it did her. I am ready for another weekend at Cheat River. The quiet and peacefulness really appeals to me right now.

Work is the same. Some people bust their butt and others don't even show up but get paid. The corporate weenies are up to the same game ... showing us how much they don't know. They sent us a new laptop (all setup with software) this also included a password cracking CD ... because none of them can remember the password for the Administrator or the user. And they are the experts? We have to install their computer rack instead of using ours ... why? ... because they have a support and maintenance agreement for the METAL RACK. How much support does a metal box need! Did they use Chinese steel that rusts in 3 months? Some people just have to spend money and they will swallow any story if it has a good dollar value attached to it. These are the same nuts that will pay $950 for a Dell computer that we can buy for $400. Why? They get a corporate discount that we don't get from our vendor. These are the same goons that buy an Internet streaming company then outsource their internet streaming to another vendor. They act like all the money is theirs to spend but they forget they are only overhead ... the real money is earned out in the field. I guess I should stop now because you are probably rolling on the floor laughing and I wouldn't want to hurt your sides.

Wild Mom should be here in 21 days to start her most excellent adventure to New Mexico.

#1 is doing fine in snowy Colorado. We had a very good talk the other night. Maybe he will take another vacation soon and visit the warmth of Virginia.

#2 has fallen into that rut of work - work - work. Just think only 44 more years to go.

Can't wait for Punk and Lil Princess to show up. She is growing so much it seem that each time she comes over she is someone else. Besides ... it is fun to resist her charms.

Let Them Roll

Back to the grind after a quiet weekend. The highlight was the Sweet Heart Dinner at church on Saturday night. It was nice and more than enough food. Bowling was mixed as the kids went 3-1 and the night crew lost. That should drop us back to 4th again after a brief stay at #2. I saw a couple of great movies this weekend on TV (Man of the Year, Powder, We are Soldiers). But I still need to go and see Cloverfield at the cinema. Guess I will have to go alone.

Albuquerque is now booked and all that is left is to wait these last 4 weeks. The cruise is booked so the dreaming can begin.

Wild Mom is finishing her visit with Gung Ho J. It is off to Camp Geiger and the next phase of her training. Some birdie told me that her brother is heading for the Navy ... Good judgment, poor choice. We do wish him the best of luck.

#1 is dealing with the snow and cold, such is life in Cold Country. Perhaps he will be more open to a visit to the warm state of Virginia soon.

#2 continues to work and get ready for work the rest of the time. The shorter drive to the store is nice since his car uses less gas because of the shorter drive. It is fun watching him when he leaves trash laying around after he is done using it. No one to blame ... it is easy to find the culprit when it involves pizza pockets or soda's.

Lil Princess, what can you say? She is trying her best to wrap me around her finger but not having that much luck. She almost made it up to a sitting position Saturday and on Sunday managed to crawl a few steps. Nothing is safe once she gets the hang of things.

Punk was his usual self. It is amazing how good he is getting with the Leapster. One amusing thought is he also has found some of those games that cheat. Just like #1 did. It is also fun watching him watch popcorn in the microwave. I don't know who is popping more ... him or the corn.

##########

It is fun seeing the Redskins continue their losing ways as they choose a new head coach.

Baseball is just a short time away. Once again the Nationals will attempt to have a winning season. Funny thing is they will have a new stadium but there will be no where to park unless you pawn your first born to pay for it.

Elections? I am still waiting for 2 good candidates to show up. It seems this year will be the "pick of the lesser evil." Huckabee is now starting to whine as he calls foul at every chance he gets. Please lose graciously ... and quit using the poor Christian card.

Does Your Chewing Gum Lose it's Flavor on the Bed Post Overnight?

Guess I need to go and find a giant sponge to absorb all the water in my front yard. All the rain over the last few weeks has turned the front yard into a mud hole. Speaking of mud hole, yesterday Lew was swinging on a swing at the playground and fell off ... planting his face squarely into the mud. Needless to say but he was a hoot to look at ... brown face and all. Bowling went very well. The kids went 4-0 and the night league went 7-0 against the 4th place team, we are third. Next week will be a challenge because it is position round and we will possibly be going against the 1st place team. Who would believe and to top that, Lady did very well. The weekend was also fun because Lil Princess is showing us her personality and reacting to us. I think I played on the floor with her almost all evening. Of course my knees barked at me later. Her laugh will melt your heart and how can you say no? I think I am in trouble when she gets older.

Well it now looks like 23 January 2009, on the Norwegian Pearl to the Southern Caribbean for 9 days. If you want to go, let me know and I will give you the number to our travel agent who is putting this together for us. I had no votes for Orlando so I guess that was a bad idea or no one was interested. Shoot, this weekend, several gallons of paint showed up at the house. I guess I know what comes next ... sanding.

Work is pretty much the same. Many projects and even more on the horizon. At this point I am getting beyond letting it matter any more. Something runs for several years flawlessly, and then Corporate mandates a change and then when it breaks, it is our fault and then they ask us to change it back to make it work right. Of course, making it work when it is changed back is their achievement and brainstorm. All we are are some dumb engineers that don't know better.

I know, I will retire and let all the kids support me. :)

Looks like the Pats used a page from the Redskins playbook and LOST.

Rested!

Well after a relaxing weekend it is back to work. Jennifer's graduation was great. Something about a woman in uniform ... we wish her the best as she goes to School of Infantry at Camp Geiger NC. We left Hilton Head and managed to leisurely travel up to Myrtle Beach where we spent the night in a Hotel next to the ocean in Downtown Myrtle Beach. We ate at a great restaurant, "Sea Captains House" and the seafood was great. Saturday Morning we headed north along the coast and it took all day to get to Norfolk Va. We managed to get home about 9:30 Saturday Night. Sunday was the usual. Breakfast with Lynne and Carl at Yorkshire, Church and then Bowling. The Youth team did well and the Adult team at night did great going 7-0 and keeping us solidly in 4Th place. Lady and I were pretty much tied after two games but ... you use your imagination.

Plans:

• Albuquerque NM is being planning and booked this week. Looks like March 18-25 for the tournament and train ride.
• Cruise planned for early January 2009. Looks like Southern Caribbean is the main focus.
• I wonder how many votes I could get for Disney World in Orlando in the Summer?
  

With all the changes, the house is very quiet. Now we get to start the repair process (painting, fixing, new furniture, and cleaning). Any volunteers?

Wild Mom is still on the road and our short visit in Hilton head was nice.

#1 is enjoying the snow and more is on the way.

#2 enjoys the new job but he is ready for a day off. It seems full time does get you tired. Amazing what an extra 20 hours a week does.

No updates from Lew or Lil Princess as we were gone this weekend on the mini-vacation.

The Age of LAB Starts

Snow - Snow - Snow ... then it was cold. we are relaxing and enjoying the warmth of staying inside while it freezes outside. We managed to get to El Agave on Saturday for the first time in weeks. Of course there was a group of us ... 13 total. We tried a new restaurant Friday Night and it was good. So I guess now we have another place to choose from on Friday's.

Lew and Lil Princess kept us entertained and very active while they stayed with us. Now I know why God made us to have children while we were young ... I am too old to be that active.

Wild Mom is getting ready to head for Hilton Head SC and then too Nashville. We are planning to meet her there if all goes well and see Jennifer graduate from Marine Boot Camp. Not sure about the Nashville part though. I need to make a trip down to Belvoir to get some car registrations squared away and get my new base passes.

#2 has a new job making more money and getting more hours. That will be a nice change. I was amused at his comment "It only took 6 days to get this job!" Hmmm, amazing what happens when you actively look for a job.

I am starting to plan the Great Train excursion to Albuquerque NM in March. Actually the train ride isn't that expensive ($317 round trip). We are also starting to look at the Exotic Southern Caribbean as our next cruise destination this year.

Bowling was OK. The Youth League team went 4-0 and the night league was 4-3.

Many changes to our life as Princess has gone off to be the Queen of her own Realm and Starr gets her own Galaxy to revolve around her. The quiet around the house will take some getting use too. Lady is already writing done the honey-do's. Lil Bit is already losing weight as his normal source of extra treats has left. No rest for the weary.

Changes - Changes - Changes

Back to work ... Hi Ho. Bowling this week was fun. I finally snapped out of my slump and rolled like I felt I could and should roll. I averaged 217 for a 652 series. The team won 5-2 and continued our slow move to the top. The Youth league started and we managed to split (2-2) our games. This season will be interesting since the young lady I have been coaching has decided to take this season off.

Lew and Lil Princess were over for the weekend and though it was tiring it was a lot of fun. Lil Princess is slowly showing us her personality and reacting to us. Even managed to get her to buzz her lips some.

Saturday was a quiet night as we ordered pizza and just sat at home watching movies. #2 and Star were there also.

Friday night was quiet too as we had dinner with #2. We haven't done that in a long time and it was nice. #2 finally got Gamestop to admit they were letting him go (just Christmas help). So he is now looking again and I think this time he will do a lot better in his search.

Any volunteers to do my taxes ... I broke down and started that process.

Hoorah

Well, another weekend is here. I just want to rest some. Whatever happened to those lazy times where you just vegetated and life left you alone? It started nice last night with dinner, then coffee and cookies at our good friends house. Sunday will prove hectic though as the Youth Bowling restarts and that window of opportunity for catnaps closes.

Wild Mom is anxiously awaiting her trip to South Carolina for my niece's graduation from Marine Corp boot camp. She did succeed though her judgement of being there is in question. We wish her all the luck as she starts her career.

Gee, someone is 26. I did manage to get #1 an application for AARP. It took some doing but he is now OLD. He should have the cookie care package by now. I like how Lady sent soft cookies for him to gum on.

Still working but they don't give many hours. A $17 paycheck for two weeks doesn't cut much mustard. Perhaps a change in work location is needed.

Sure miss the wee ones. Perhaps Peanut should hurry and have her baby so we can have a bigger pool to chose from. Deal?

A Few Chuckles

Smile ... I friend sent me a fw chuckles ...

• Now that food has replaced sex in my life, I can't even get into my own pants.
• Marriage changes passion. Suddenly you're in bed with a relative.
• I saw a woman wearing a sweat shirt with 'Guess' on it. So I said 'Implants?' She hit me.
• How come we choose from just two people to run for President and over fifty for Miss America ?
• I signed up for an exercise class and was told to wear loose-fitting clothing. If I HAD any loose-fitting clothing, I wouldn't have signed up in the first place!
• When I was young we used to go 'skinny dipping,' now I just go 'chunky dunking.'
• Don't argue with an idiot; people watching may not be able to tell the difference.
• Wouldn't it be nice if whenever we messed up our life we could simply press 'Ctrl-Alt-Delete' and start all over?
• Why is it that our children can't read a Bible in school, but they can in prison?
• Wouldn't you know it ... Brain cells come and brain cells go, but FAT cells live forever.
• Why do I have to swear on the Bible in court when the Ten Commandments cannot be displayed outside?
• Bumper sticker of the year: "If you can read this, thank a teacher and, since it's in English, thank a soldier."
• And remember: life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

Moving On

It is amazing that the days in 2008 are flying along. I hadn't realized that my last post was a week ago. I must have been having fun for the time to fly so fast. Bowling the last two weeks has been fun. We went 5-2 against the first place team and 7-0 against the second place team. Personally, my scores have been closer to what I am capable of so maybe the slump is gone and I can get ready for nationals in March. Next week the Youth leagues start so I will get some extra practice besides the fun of watching and helping some kids.

Lady and I took Lew and Lil Princess to see the "Festival of Lights" before they closed for the year on Sunday. It is amazing how many oohs and ahhs can come out of such a small mouth. The display was nice, pricey, but to see the kids faces was worth it.

Looks like we will go to South Carolina so see my niece graduate from Marine Boot Camp on January 25. Should be a nice quiet drive down and back.

Looks like we will skip the June - August time frame for a cruise and plan for one around late December 2008 or early January 2009. The consensus has been we want to do a Southern Caribbean or Eastern Caribbean at the least. Seems the Rummies are over-ruling the Tequila-ites.

The choir director at our church announced he had taken another job elsewhere and this Sunday was his last day there. That will throw the choir in to a bit a confusion as we will have to wait for someone else to be hired. last time that took several months. They don't pay a lot and the work includes two different services on Sunday Morning. Oh Well.

When the Redskins won by 21 over Dallas, they called it "divine intervention" and a sign that the stars were behind the Redskins. Now that they lost by 21 to Seattle ... what do you call that? It seems they are silent now. Well, since they are silent ... I will answer ... LOSER.

Happy New Year - 2008

Happy New Years - 2008. I hope everyone enjoyed themselves and had a safe celebration. It was quiet for me ... only Lady and I were at home. We celebrated and saw a great movie ... "Man in the Moon." It sure brought back some memories. The year 2008 should be a good one but, if it doesn't go so well, I still have some great friends and that will make it a great year.

Christmas was a great time with everyone getting most of what they wanted. If they didn't, then perhaps they didn't need it or beg enough for it. I even managed to have three of the kids at the Christmas Eve candlelight service ... that in itself was a great thing.

Wild Mom had a quiet celebration herself as she rests up for her January trip. But her eye is really on the March trip.

Lady is resting today knowing tomorrow she will have to deal with the end of the year stuff. "The Tax man calls." We went to Olive Garden on our anniversary (#32) and had a great dinner with our friends.

#1 enjoyed a snowy time. We are proud of him as he makes it on his own in Colorado. Maybe his Jaguars will survive the first round of the Playoffs but then again he could become a Bronco's fan.

#2 celebrated but returned home for a quiet night. His main New Year's resolution is to clean his room and keep it that way for a week.

Star partied in DC but work beckons her back tomorrow. She even managed to wear a dress ... perhaps the first surprise of the New Year.

Work has been quiet mainly because most people have been gone but I am afraid that all will change tomorrow when everyone returns. Maybe Santa brought most of them some "computer common sense." Not!

Candy Cane Delight

Ho, Ho, Ho. Christmas has come and gone. I hope every one had a great time and the season was one full of good memories. We had a great time. Christmas day was a house full of people. The only thing I could think of that would have been better is to do this every day of the year. The kids had no problem opening the gifts and seemed to really enjoy what they recieved. Of course, more would have been better but then again more would have been harder to handle. Naturally, the cameras were working overtime. Red spots anyone?

Now it is time to reflect back on the year 2007 and find a way to make 2008 better. So some of the next few posts will reflect and remember the great times. The yucky old New Year's Resolution are due very soon. It is a good thing we are not graded on our faithfulness in keeping the resolutions, I would have failed miserably.

To top of these few days, Lady and I celebrated our 32nd anniversary. The dinner and wine tasted really good at The Olive Garden. Also having several of our closest friends dine with us made the night special. Thank You to those special friends.

The only thing left to make this season special is to CRUISE!

Baa Humbug II

I find it interesting that the top AP news Story was about Juicer Bonds. Dog-Lover Vick was second and Peeper Bellichick was 3rd. The top non-criminal story was about Florida's Two national Titles and all they could manage is a fourth spot. Isn't that sad that the best story we could muster was about illegal activities by some loser sports stars. I guess the moral is "if you want fame, do it the wrong way."

Well, the end of the week is upon us. Time to find some time to relax in between all the shopping and parties. I sure hope time can be found for some real Mexican food on Saturday afternoon.

Work was the same with new instances of the "Fix Stupid" complex shining brightly. I love how they argue with me like I don't have a clue about what I am talking about. I did manage to hit the jackpot when one office did some cleaning. I managed to get a full licensed version of MS Office 2003, ACT 2005, MS Office 2003 SBE and a 4-port CISCO USB Hub with print server still in the shrink wrap that it came to them in, probably about $750 in value. And they think I am the dumb one!

Looks like the Spears Family is desperate for attention so they allowed the 16 year old to get pregnant and now are bragging about it. What part of this whole affair is wrong or are we too far along in the degradation of our morals. Arrest the 19 year old for statutory rape and then get the parents for child endangerment ... their track record of child rearing is a bit messed up after seeing the lives of these two girls. Oh, that is right .. they are a product of their environment and therefore not responsible for their actions.

Want Hanna Montana tickets? Contact the DC Mayor ... if he hasn't already gave them all away to his family and political donors, he might give you one.

Don't bail out the credit companies for speculating and making bad loan choices ... help the people that were taken. The credit companies are whining that they are losing massive amounts of money because people can't pay. Well, excuse me ... but drop the interest rate from 30% back to 12% ... then they might survive and pay it back. If you really want to help ... drop the interest rate and increase the minimum amount to be paid each month. Give us an opportunity to pay it back. Maybe we need Federal Regulation of all consumer loans. Make the maximum interest rate 12% and the minimum due of 7.5% per month. Also make it so that anyone with a credit score <650 can not get any more credit card offers. It is funny when someone in credit counselling for bad credit gets a letter ... "Due to your outstanding credit, we can off you a new Platinum Card with a great low rate." BS!

Oh well, time to commute home and enjoy the ride as at least 12 "A" types cut me off.

Oh, Well ... Time will tell

The week is quickly slipping by as Christmas is just around the corner. Things are fairly quiet at work this week since a lot of people are gone. The weekend proves to be busy once again starting with a Holiday Party on Friday Night. I have been sitting around trying to figure out what gifts to give and who deserves one. Hmmm, I wonder what is on the Movies this weekend ... that will help me decide. TV will start getting bad as all the "Best of 2007" shows get started. I would even settle on playing a game on X-Box but it seems we have no games ... Hmmm.

11,000 Democratic earmarks ... no wonder the budget will never get balanced. It looks like they are just like the Republicans ... despite their claim to fix things if we voted them into office. Anyone feel a bit cheated? It seems a politician is the same regardless of their tie, lapel pin, or banner they stand under. I think it is time for a third party to emerge ... let the right person run and I would vote for them.

Steroids ... give the Players Association some time and they will sweep it under the carpet. To fix the problem means less money in the dues bucket. Start the Olympic type testing program ... then let Clemens and Bonds show us their innocence. A few examples would go along way to discouraging this culture of cheating is OK if you make enough money. Gee, we are harder on a cork batter than a drug addict. Hang the gambler but look away from the cheater looking for an edge.

Brrrr .... It is Hot!

Another weekend sneaks by and Christmas quickly approaches. I guess I need to start shopping, rather, I should start planning what day I will shop on. This weekend we had the awards day for the Youth league. At least we didn't finish in last though the bottom was closer than the top. In four weeks we will start a new season again and hopefully the outcome will be much better. I know I can't do any worse. Sunday was the Christmas program at our church. It was nice but a lot of work for so short a time. maybe we need to do an encore show? I would like to get on my soap box about family at this time of the year but I think it would fall largely on deaf ears. That is a shame since it is a time that is forever lost and the aches the lost causes won't show up until someone close is gone forever. Saturday Night was spent at Lady's Christmas Party put on by her employer. It was a lot of fun and the food was plentiful and good.

The supposed bad weather missed us by a country mile. It would be nice to have some snow to go with this blowing cold wind. The only other option is to cruise to the Caribean where it is 80+ but finding people to go is hard.

Work is work and resists change.

The Batlimore Ravens are enjoying their loss to Miami. I was told they were having a giant "L" tatooed into their forehead.

Getting back into the Habit.

Well, I survived the Monday after the vacation. It was tough but I managed not t get run over by "stupid." Nothing changed at the workplace but I guess I should have been realistic and not expected something like that. I still have my ear out for other opportunities to use my skills, but I am being selective and definitely pushing for better compensation for my time. No freebies anymore ... you want it ... you pay for it.

This grey and rainy weather is for the ducks and they have already headed south. Either get cold or warm up.

I am tired of hearing about Michael Vick ... please find something more news worthy. He is busted and has to pay the price, end of discussion.

Now starts the onslaught of Christmas Parties and other Activities. By the end of the month I will eagerly await a day off on the weekend. It could be January before I get back to El Agave for some good Mexican Food. Now that is a travesty.

The next planned road trip is March 2008 to Albuquerque NM. Then another cruise may follow in July 2008. That depends on where NCL travels too out of the Charleston SC Port. I wonder if Punk and Lil Princess want to go?

We Are Back!!

All is well for the Travellers. Everyone made it safe and sound and even managed to have a lot of fun. I think everyone wants to go again. I will try in the next couple of days give a better account of the week but right now I just wanted to let everyone know we are back and safe.

Bowling was not quite so fun today. The youth team finished in the middle of the pack. The Sunday Night team managed to participate.

As usual I had a lot of fun. Sometimes keeping track of 10 people got weary but we all managed to do what we wanted. Dressing up was fun as we all managed to don our finest threads and act civilly for an evening. The Chocolate madness was a smashing hit as our sugar level went through the ceiling.

Wild Mom lived up to her name. At one point I wondered if the Pina Colada supply would run out and she would then change to the dreaded "Long Island Ice Tea's". We enjoyed having her there and hope to do it again.

Lady looked great in the swimsuit competition. Yes, I am a bit biased but what the heck. Her highlight was the Butterfly Conservatory on Key West. Oh, the home-made Key Lime pie was a winner.

#2 managed not to get thrown off the ship. Not withstanding the weed offers and the $2 breast flashes in Cozumel. I think if he had more pesos he would have been tempted more. Cuban cigars are OK but not his cup of tea. He says "hot stone massages are better than sex," as if he knows! He was even successful in the Casino and managed to leave a winner.

Princess managed to break a minimum of hearts. I spent most nights guarding the door. The deck outside our room sounded like a Chicago back alley with the cats howling. Her highlight was her beach horse-back ride, first Marguerita, first hot stone massage (minus clothes). Cingular stock dived $10.00 a share from her non-use of the phone last week. However, today it jumped $15.00 a share in after-market trading.

Kritty managed to turn a few heads as several crew members hit upon her. We were really proud she fought the effort to marry one and return home to America. Ask her about the Ghosts!

Hit The mark?

Blinking Eyes

"Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow; Don't walk behind me, I may not lead; Walk beside me, and just be my friend."

~Albert Camus

My Fortune Today

Today, your mouth might be moving but no one is listening. Hmmmm....

Any Doubt?

Your Power Bird is an Eagle

You are spiritual and able to soar to great heights. You are a true inspiration, and many people look to you for guidance. And you are quite demanding in relationships... but you're worth it. People know that you will become even greater than you imagine.

What's Your Power Bird?

The Rules for Being Human

1. You will receive a body. You may like it or hate it, but it will be yours for the entire period this time around.
2. You will learn lessons. You are enrolled in a fulltime informal school called life. Each day in this school you will have the opportunity to learn lessons. You may like the lessons or think them irrelevant and stupid.
3. There are no mistakes, only lessons. Growth is a process of trial and error, experimentation. The "failed" experiments are as much a part of the process as the experiment that ultimately "works."
4. A lesson is repeated until learned. A lesson will be presented to you in various forms until you have learned it. When you have learned it, you can go on to the next lesson.
5. Learning lessons does not end. There is no part of life that does not contain its lessons. If you are alive there are lessons to be learned.
6. "There" is no better than "here." When your "there" has become a "here" you will simply obtain another "there" that will again look better than "here."
7. Others are merely mirrors of you. You cannot love or hate something about another person unless it reflects to you something you love or hate about yourself.
8. What you make of your life is up to you. You have all the tools and resources you need. What you do with them is up to you. The choice is yours.
9. Your answers lie inside you. The answer to life's questions lie inside you. All you need to do is look, listen, and trust.
10. This will often be forgotten, only to be remembered again.

Cherie Carter-Scott

Heart - Sore

Here that train is coming. My physical was a success, everyone is stuck with me for a long time ... sorry! I drove to work and can you believe ... Christmas music already. Did someone forget or skip Thanksgiving? I know I didn't sleep through it. Most cruise preparations are done and the final planning is taking shape. We heard from #1 and all is well in Colorado and he is gearing up for the holiday season at the store. Any bets how long his Christmas spirit lasts after the shoppers show up?

SOS (Same old Sugar) except a different piece of toast.

Mercy Me!

Well, it is hump day and the light at the end of the tunnel is shining. I know it is bad to wish time would fly faster especially since I am on the downhill slide of life. But, I do want it to happen. Today was physical exam day, so I was poked, prodded, stuck and squeezed. Plus I had a echo stress test and a heart CT scan. More to come on this subject later. Wild Mom is enjoying the quietness of her house now that all the company is gone. Now she will save up all them unspoken words and use them on the cruise in 16 days. Work is the same and now they are on a goals kick ... can't operate if there are no goals. I still say "do my job" is a pretty good one myself. Choir Practice is in full swing getting ready for Christmas now I just need to find the time to get there.

Later ...

Eyes Wide Open

The new week has started with a bang and promises to be one of more bangs and some broken hearts. There comes a time when some hard decisions are going to be made and though we don't like the choices we face, we are going to live through the aftermath. I use to laugh at soap operas as a made up fantasy view of reality. Now, maybe those screen writers are smarter than we give them credit for.

For a while this blog will be quiet and rather devoid of personal news. Rather than say something on this site that gets blow out of shape or importance, I have elected to remain silent. To those close to Lady and I, well, you will know what is transpiring behind the curtains, to others, I am sorry for the void.

Because I am being silent, do not presume the silence means I am backing down, giving up, or compromising on any issue. To the contrary, I am focusing on protecting what means the most to me. A Knight lives and dies for his lady.

... Slips the soap box into the closet for the time being.

Rest Day ... Not!

We have been washing laundry most of today but instead of air drying it here I will use the dryer. For the most part the weekend has been quiet as we recover from last week. Well, at least until I recover. Working all night last week sure ran me down.

Bowling was ok but I wish I could have done better. The kids went 2-2 and we went 2-5 on the night league. Now all I have to do is fugure out how to get out of my slump that has been dragging on for 6 weeks.

Wild Mom is looking forward to the upcoming quietness of her house as all her house guests will be gone. Sounds like some serious computer time on that new laptop.

***** *****

I love it, the redskins blew up in the 4th again and lost.

Brrrr

Well, let me see where do I start after so long between writings. I am fine just working some weird hours while I get this server and office machines changed out. I still haven't adjusted to the hours or my sleep schedule. It is amazing how many phone calls come in when you are trying to sleep during the day. The change out is going well, slow, but well since the problems I experienced the last time.

The cruise grows ever closer and it is ABOUT TIME! I am looking forward to the cruise and just vegetating some in the nice warm sunshine. All the excursions for the kids are booked.

Wild Mom is enjoying her house company. My brother and his daughter have endeared themselves to her as they enjoy the Motor Home. Their stay on the beach for all intents and purposes was great. She has even enjoyed the company of her daughter and son-in-law as they live with her until they head to Tennessee and a new job. The new laptop has been a welcome addition to her many toys. Now comes the fun part of getting everything setup and running. We need that Skype time!

#1 continues to enjoy the mountain air and now the snow as it heads their way. His job continues to be fun and challenging as he tries and maintains control of the inventory. We do miss him.

#2 continues to work and get more hours. Right now he is enjoying the challenge of making the money stretch for gas, cruise money and money for just life in general. Welcome to the Real World where Daddy doesn't pay for everything.

Princess is still in school and managing to pass her courses. The first report card is soon to appear and validate her beliefs. She is aching to drive her new truck but that event is still a few more days away.

Star is recovering from her recent body work. Now the daunting task of finding a job begins. Her earache isn't serious but a side effect of the accident.

Lew continues to amaze us with his grasp of words and his many funny sayings. Unfortunately, he has managed to get a leapster that cheats. I told him to talk with #1 since he too always managed to find those machines. Maybe #1 will have a solution on how to stop the machine from cheating.

Serenity is growing and wins any heart within eyesight of her. She is a true princess that everyone loves ... move over Diana.