Damned Computer

My damned computer is going to fly to Texas again for a little R&R.  I will remain here in frigid old Washington State.  I will not be posting much until it returns from warmer climates.

I WOULD like to wish my SISTER a HAPPY BIRTHDAY, though!  Happy Birthday Sis!  I can't believe you are SOOOO OLD!

So, if you see my sister on the street, wish her a happy birthday and ask her just how old she is! (Hint: OVER 30)

Now, I am off to warp teach young minds!

My Mom;s Birthday

My mom, as it turns out, has a birthday.  I know, I know, you didn't even know they had calendars back then, but you'd be surprised how long calendars have been around.  I believe when my mother was born, they were  using an ancient Sumerian version.  Anyway, through divining and many complicated calculations, we determined when her birthday was and decided to celebrate it.

We did so at a local Mexican restaurant.  My sister and her husband and kids were also present.  Cora and I arrived about .3 seconds before my sister did...making us fashionably early and her late.

Of course, my mother got to wear a sombrero.  Note the youngest is trying to blow out the candle!

He's a charming little guy...and good looking, a lot like his uncle.

I like to call this one, Mother and Spawn, of course others might call it Mother and Children.

We don't talk about my dad much, because he's a swinger-no, REALLY, he swings!

My brother-in-law seems to stay out of pictures.  Or he tries.  I managed to capture this shot while he was unaware and in his natural surroundings.  I will be turning this one in to National Geographic to see if they will pay me for such a rare photo!  My sister, however, had great situational awareness, and knows that me+camera=candid photos.  She's a clever one.

So is Cora...

My mom.

My nephew at full speed!

My other nephew at even fuller speed!

and my niece at fullerer speed!

We went to a park afterwards, as you can see, these pictures were NOT in a restaurant.  I took photos the entire time...why not with such cute models?

I DID discover I need to choose my words wisely.  Below I found my nephew sitting on a toy and asked him to look up...

It turns out a "sense of humor" comes out early in my family...

He thought he was quite clever and followed my instructions to the word.  Smart alleck!

It was good getting together with everyone.  It seems we don't see family nearly often enough and by the time we do they have grown up so fast!  I had a great time!  Cora, and my sister, however, were apparently delectable morsels that the mosquitoes fed freely upon, and I am not so sure they enjoyed the park as much as the rest of us.

Photo Phun

If you have a camera and an industrial plant available to you, I highly recommend taking a few pictures.  I took a little while this morning and touched up a few photos I took the other day.  I approched each one a little differently.

Below, I liked the green from the fluorescent lights and so I used that and enhanced the greens to get what you see below.

I also tried a little gem that I'd never noticed before...see how it warped the photo above?

And sometimes black and white, with an appropriate amount of contrast, is just the right thing.

Same here.  Except, I need to remember to bring a tripod next time.

The next one is just a part of the original photo.  I think I modified it enough to give it a Sci-Fi feel.

I always like to add contrast.  I like these.  I think they would make a good set.

Last night, we had my family over and had a great time with them and playing Wii.  The new game we have offered a lot of options for group play!  It was a lot of fun!  See Cora's site for some pictures!  Or, look at colormehome to see the kids coloring some of the potential dragons.

Birthdays Party

OK, my family has always celebrated birthdays.  It's the way they do things.  Cora and I don't always have a party to celebrate...especially since we seemed destined to remain childless.  However, certain nieces and nephews seem to believe that even grown ups need to have a birthday party.  To placate my niece and nephews, we hosted a get together.  We had a bit of dinner and some snacks and cake.

We also played Wii.  I COULD post dome really embarrassing video of my mom doing hoola hoop dance thing, but I doubt strongly she'd keep me in the will...or on her Christmas list, so I won't.  Instead, I will post a couple photos taken tonight during our get together.

Below are the backs of some heads focused on the TV.  We played Wii.  Everyone seemed to enjoy taking part.  Others enjoyed watching.  Either way, everyone seemed to have fun!

 Everyone had to read a story it seems.  However, Cora was quick enough to get a photo of me reading.  Below you can see my rapt audience.  Yeah, they are pretty much the cutest audience ever.  I enjoyed it.

It was a good day!

My Birthday

OK, let me get the complaining over with.  OWWWWWWWW!  My legs and several of my muscles hurt tons yesterday.  If I never take the furniture out of a second floor classroom and replace it with heavier stuff again it will be too soon!  There.  That wasn't so bad, was it?

Cora and I went out to dinner for my birthday.  All day she was texting me, asking where I wanted to go to dinner at.  All day I sent here varying messages, apparently full of indecision.  She was really getting annoyed by the end of the day.  I already knew where I wanted to go, but teasing her is SOOOO much fun...and, I got away with it because it was my birthday!

We went to Round Table and got a Maui Zaui Pizza...wowie!  The sweet asian sauce they use is the best!  We washed that down with a few Mack and Jacks African Amber...honestly one of the best beers devised by man in my limited experience!

I did not really ask for anything for my birthday.  Afterall, we've been saving our pennies for a kid, but we splurged a little.  We got...I know, it's childish, but remarkably fun...Legos.  Yes, Legos!  One place had a buy one get one half off special.  So, yeah, we came home with Legos and put them together.

Of course, I chose the airplane!

Look at that radial engine!

It even has retractable landing gear and you can see the oil cooler embedded in the wing!  We got the type that has two or three different vehicles you can make from the parts...pretty darned fun, if you ask me!

I am on Facebook.  I have a few friends.  I was amazed at how many wished me a happy birthday yesterday...it really put a smile on my face as I check my email from my phone a few times while resting between trips to or from the truck...sometimes i was laying on the desk I had just moved.  Pathetic, I know, but you have no clue just how pathetic I can be.  At least today I have a helper!  Yesterday it was all me.

I am on the trailing end of my thirties now and I don't think it is horrible...I think it helps that I usually work with kids...I retain my youth that way.  I sure as hell don't retain it by exercising!

Birthday Thanks, #36

Let me just say, ahead of time, thank you to all of you who have or will issue me a Happy Birthday today!  It is greatly appreciated.  Cora woke me up sometime after mid-night to wish me a happy birthday.  I love that.  My family will probably text me and call.  I enjoy that.  It is all appreciated.  Thank you.  I used to call people at midnight to wish them a happy birthday...I am glad, however, no one returned the favor.

I should probably thank my Mother and the Academy...hold on, I'm NOT an actor?  O.K., never mind the academy thing.  Thanks Mom for the effort, it was not wasted.  I am alive and well.

Cora asked me what I wanted for my birthday.  I told her.  She said, "how about something I can afford?"  Ah, well.  I figure if you can't dream big...well, you can't get what you want unless you ask, anyway.  Actually, any more, there isn't much I have a desire to own that I cannot get myself...I suppose that is a sign of getting old.

I have been working maintenance this week.  Which is to say yesterday.  Oh, and it has proven just how out of shape I am.  I thought, jee, I'm probably a LITTLE out of shape, but it won't be THAT bad.  Well, I was wrong.  I am WAYYYYYYY out of shape.  My task was to trade some furniture from one school to another.  Trading tables for desks.  Not, in the overall scheme, difficult.  Still, it is amazing how many of my muscle groups have not seen service in a very long time.  I broke a sweat and had sore muscles and joints before the end of the day!  How pathetic!

I don't believe there are any big plans for my birthday, which is just as well.  I hope to spend the part that I am not at work with my wonderful wife.  Truly, that is a great birthday present in itself.  I have great friends and great family, but I married the person I love to be around.  I hope I did not gag you all with my sappiness.


I hope you all have a good day!

A Very Special Birthday

My first Nephew, Eli, will be celebrating his birthday in the next few days. We had his birthday party today, though. The picture above is of the expression on his face when his favorite aunt (Sorry Emily, someone's gotta be favorite) said she wasn't going to pop the balloon she was holding. Ohh, such disappointment!

Grandpa and Grandma got him a nice little suit...see how he looks? Isn't he handsome?

And below is one of my favorites from the whole day. My sister with all three of her wonderful kids.

This time I was careful to get a few more pictures of David. Last time I only managed one good one. He is such a ham!

Grandma helped me corner him and I got another.

That special Aunt/Nephew bond is shown here. Someone's got to read the card!

Another picture of David...charmer.

What is a birthday without presents, though?

And CAKE!!

We had an excellent time! I want to thank my sister and her family for the wonderful time! Happy Birthday Eli!!

So, we came home with a dozen things to do, but both of us walked in the door and dropped right into bed and slept for an hour. By the time we awoke all the light was gone and darkness had again descended on our part of the world. We ended up leaving the house again and went into town. We were bored. We finally realized we had not gotten the newest Harry Potter movie...we remedied that though, no fears there. We are now watching Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince!

So, all-in-all, it was a good day! Thanks to family for being family! Hopefully our little family will eventually grow, too.

So This is Thursday/ And What Have You Done?

Another day over/ a new one just begun... This Thursday song was brought to you by John Lennon!

So, it is Thursday, another day closer to the weekend. I can't wait. I tried to decorate yesterday after work, but gave it up for a bad job and made dinner instead. I made fajitas...using a homemade mix. I may have used just a smidgen more cayenne than the 1/4 teaspoon called for...oops. Cora seemed to think it was similar to having a mouth full of hot lava. I told her I thought she would like it since she has been complaining about being so cold. She replied that her mouth had not been cold. Maybe I should figure out a cayenne body rub.

I don't really think it was that bad, but I was drinking sub-zero beer... well, that's not entirely true. I had the ice chest outside on the back step. This 0 degree weather has been keeping it nice and cold. I have been checking it, but none of the cans have exploded, so everything was fine...or so I thought. I'd forgotten about the two or three bottles of soda that were in there. Last night I grabbed a beer from the top and it smelled of root beer...I moved a few cans aside and found that the bottles did not hold up to the temperatures as well as the cans...I brought the ice chest inside to thaw.

We decorated the tree Tuesday night. As you can see Cora was appreciating the fact that I have about 14 or 15 airplane ornaments on the tree. Whoever thought of making airplane ornaments for a Christmas tree was a genius. The only thing is, I think there ought to be a few war types...and F-4 Phantom would look cool on there! You may also be able to see the USS Voyager in the photo...airplanes and Star Trek. Awesome. Except she won't let me buy the Klingon battlecruiser that Hallmark has this year...it would make a perfect addition!

So, here we are...decorating the tree...well, standing in front of it.

I cannot wait for Friday. This getting up in the morning thing is really getting to me. I need a few days where I stay in bed (while Cora brings me coffee and things, obviously) until noon, at least.

I don't know what we are doing this weekend yet. I know that a certain redheaded nephew has a birthday coming soon, so I expect my beloved sister to throw some sort of party together at a moment's notice and all the adults invited can expect to experience some kind of mildly degrading challenge where they lose some sort of dignity to complete some task while having a bunch of fun with a wonderful family. I think she does it to remind us that family is a pain, but well worth it. Of course, I may be reading more into it than there is. She may simply like to see her older brother doing childish things and enjoy having photographic proof of such instances...you never know about sisters...

On a final note, I just realized I may have an RCA dog:

Remember the RCA logo? Two dogs listening to a gramophone? Now we need a pup and a gramophone and we'll have it made! -err, is RCA still in business???

Pictures! And Narrative.

Looks like I finally managed to get my pictures up again. I guess I just needed to catch my computer by surprise. Above you see one of my wonderful nephews on my shoulders. This was at my Sister and BIL's birthday party. She is older than he...guess he got a wildcat feral cat...I don't think she quite qualifies as a cougar.

My lovable sister likes for everyone to participate in somewhat humiliating games when she has a party. This was no exception. This time we were given "handicapts." Note the guy with the glasses? He's blind. The guy next to him, in the Florida shirt, is mute (did the tape over his mouth give it away?). I had small rubber balls shoved in my shoes to simulate some sort of foot malady. We were to all go into a store and buy a pack of gum and then take a picture in the store...hence the picture below.

Below, the mute guy is carrying the blind guy.

All in all, it was a very fun day and we got to spend some time with friends and family that we don't often get to see.

I managed to put up hooks for our new pots last week. I like to have them within reach...it might not look very pretty, but they are useful!

My sister got dogs and below you see the product of that choice.

I tore the corn out of the garden and put the stalks around the front door for Halloween. I think they look good and scary. The 9 year-old neighbor girl thought it was only "SO-SO" scary...I think she thought she was being generous. Still she lied to save my feelings...sweet, ain't she?

I have been busy this week. And sick. Well, not totally sick. A little sick. I think I am handling the thing remarkably well. I know I have mentioned it before, but I think it is weird how when I have a cold I stay awake and can't sleep at night, but during the day I feel fine.

I guess, I should give a narrative, since that is what I advertised in the title of this post...of course, maybe that was simply a clever ploy to gain readers. No, probably didn't work anyway.

We may get the chance to meet the Famous Bishop from Burundi again this weekend. I won't get into it much, but we are hoping to get some concrete details about BB. I hope we get a good chance to grill him on things like "What does he eat, OTHER than bread?" and "What size of clothing does he wear?" and most importantly, "When are we going to get him?"

So, when we got our phones last month there was a rebate. A significant rebate. I had gotten the rebate page and the associated necessities (Proof of purchase, receipt, etc.) and sent them away, after having Cora check to make sure I was not missing anything. Today I got a card in the mail explaining that they would not give us the rebate because we did send the receipt. I DID send the receipt. So, I drove into the Sprint Store and asked if they could print me out another darned receipt (I wanted them to help me, so I did not use the choice words I wanted to). To my surprise they had not problem with it and even filled it out for me. To top it off they filled out two for me so I can at least get one...fine by me. I was more than a little annoyed by Sprint's antics, because you know that has to be a gimmic for them to get out of sending off semi-large sums of money...who keeps that receipt. OK, some people do, but I am not THAT organized, and I think those bastards were expecting me to be pathetic and give up. HA HA HA! They were wrong!

Well, Survivor is on...I gotta go watch Russel weed out the rest...I don't like him, but he seems to be doing a decent job.

Happy Birthday Cora

Today is Earth Day. Yeah, yeah, whatever. That isn't nearly as important to me as the other reason to celebrate this day: it's also Cora's Birthday!! I have celebrted 15 of them with her, including today. I look forward to spending many more with her!

Happy Birthday Cora! I hope you have a good day and enjoy the gifts I got you. As a tribute to you, I am posting several random pictures of you that I love! Which made it difficult to choose, since I love all the pictures I take of you.

Happy Birthday!