Fun Night

My Birthday is today. Last night, however, we had my family over to celebrate. Cora made dinner and all was yummy, because that's how Cora cooks. My niece and nephews were here and we had a great time. We played Wii. You should hve seen my parents get into it! It was a great evening. I will try to post some pictures tonight.

In the meantime, I work maintenance. Should be a good week. Should be a great day. I wonder how much I can get away with by claiming "it's my birthday!"

Dead Eye!

Cora and my Sister-In-Law got me some good Wii games for Christmas. I have played Call of Duty a few times and am now on my way across Germany fighting alongside my comrades! I also got Link's Crossbow Trainer. It came with the gun attachment. I apparently have good hand-eye coordination(...Another reason I'd have made a hell of a pilot!) and have finished that game handily...until my coworker and electrician friend explained to me just how much I could be doing with that game...I picked it up when I got home and WOW!! I took his suggestions and now have had phenomenal scores! Cora has yet to come close.

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The weather was wacky today. When I stepped out at 7am, there was freezing rain blanketing everything. When I stepped out of the shop it was snowing BIG FLUFFY FLAKES at about 10am. At lunch, it was sunny and remained so (and in the 40s) until 4pm. Weird. We ended up with almost two inches of snow in about 2 hours.

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I had planned to come home and take the boxes of Christmas stuff out to the shed, but my back was aching from organizing blueprints today...Apparently bent over at the waste is not a good posture. I am almost done with the darned things! I think the boss will be pleased.

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My electrician friend also said he would try to bring me some Alder wood to smoke! We got someswiss for that...but to make sure the cheese was good, I used it on some Cordon Bleu tonight. Oh, it was SOOOOOO good!

The Tree Is Gone, It's On The Streets!

Yesterday, I was a bit under the weather. I had a headache and nausea...it never fully went away until after I went to bed. Today, I felt fully alive...err, well, better. A good deal better, actualy, since I felt up to going to town for groceries. We got some goodies and some necessities. When we came home we put put the groceries away and then took down the tree. We had planned on rearranging the living room but, after lovingly putting the ornaments away, and dragging the hostile tree outside, neither of us felt up to it. Sometime this week, our living room will be more Wii Friendly. It isn't bad now, but it is considerably shorter in length than it used to be.

I am more than normally happy to see the tree gone. That thing was as prickly as an epileptic porcupine...and nearly as dangerous. Everytime you passed by the damned thing it tried to reach through your jeans and stab you. Most times it was successful. You did not even have to rub against it. All you had to do was stand nearby and somehow it would nab you! It looked nice from a distance, but you could not trust it!

One of the things we got was more cheese. We bought some more Tillamook sharp cheddar and some swiss cheese for smoking! I am in love with smoking cheese! I was surfing the net last night; curious about smoking. I found out some more about it and now I want to smoke a chicken or a turkey. Sounds yummy and I like a challenge!

We had a minor disaster the other day. It was the day after Christmas. We were sitting here thinking about getting ready to go when I noticed the fish tank was bubbling. I asked Cora to pour some water in it, but she quickly informed me there was more to it. When I got over there I noticed an electrical smell...the pump had clogged and was sending water over the side... Sometime in the near past one of us had removed the power strip from the wall and had forgotten to put it back...it was right in the drip path. We averted disaster! I cleaned it out yesterday and everything is back to normal. The corals are happy and so are we!

Grandma has had more widespread publicity than originaly imagined! She has hd her article run in the Seattle news paper, and on the KOMO news site. This morning, she said she got interviewed by CNN Radio! How awesome is that!?? Way to go Grandma!

Well, back to work tomorrow...yay.

Never Left The Ground

My sister, Brother-in-Law, Niece and Nephews all came up this morning! We had so much fun that they stayed most of the day! Wii played games on the Wii and the XBox. We read the kids stories! We held the baby and just hung out. Toward the end of the day we were having some pretty competetive Wii games. I also got to play Halo with my sister and Bro-in-law. I have been wanting to play one on one Halo with them for years! (Really, years. We have had the XBox for four years! And ever since we got it I wanted to shoot my sister...well, in the game, I am really quite fond of my sister) I know that this was the first time they had picked up an XBox controller, but I beat them! Both. I got Scott with a sniper bullet, and my sister with a few grenades! Of course, Scott gave as good as he got...given a little while longer getting the hang of the controls, he would havesoon been wiping the screen with my body. I am lucky that the girls decided to play Wii again.

This is Emma posing for the Camera.

Carrie, Scott! Thanks for coming up! We both enjoyed you and the kids! The ice cream...the ice cream was AWESOME! Homemade and rich. The best! Cora had made some raspberry topping a few weeks ago, and we all had some on our ice cream! We need to get together with family more often! (Everyone loved the Ice Cream, see? Eli is serious about his food.)

The youngest member of the family, David, is almost as much of a poser as his sister!

On the down side, I did miss my flight. I wanted to go fly, but we just kept having so much fun and then I noticed the time. I realized things just might not work out. I called my good friend the electrician and he seemed to understand. Hopefully we can reschedule! I really am happy that he gave me a chance to fly, even though I didn't get to.

We let the kids watch "Signing Time."

At the risk of sounding corny, We flew high today, but never left the ground!

Wii Partied

“Left shoulder, Right?” Those were the words that came from Cora’s lips this morning. She had just spilled the salt. As I looked up her hand had already thrown it…the only thing left to do was laugh.

We went to town and I got a hair cut and she got a shirt. Then we got her grandma and we headed for Eburg. We got to Cora’s sister and celebrated her cousin’s graduation. She is now a certified teacher and looks forward to her lot in the elementary world. She thinks she will get a job before me. (Laura, just between you and me, you probably will)

We had a great time. My brother-in-law and I helped Cora parents fill their truck with firewood from the last son-in-law. It was hard, but we managed it.

Then we came back. Cora and her sister Emily came back. We ended up having some pretty good Carne Asada and we played Wii. This time my father-in-law finally got a chance to play his own game. It was a fun night.

Teaching the Wii Ones!

So, given yesterday’s weed whacking and its potential for more, I was happy when, at about midnight, I saw a sub job up. It was for Kindergarten. So, to day I subbed for kinders and enjoyed it. I have subbed in this class before and they know me, so it is pretty comfortable. I had fun. We walked down to the post office to mail some thank you notes. That was interesting…20 kids and two adults.

I probably annoyed my boss in Maintenance, I was supposed to weed whack at another school today, but it looks as though the person who usually takes care of those schools may have to do it. Or it will have to wait until I am done subbing…pity, too, I was so looking forward to it.

Tonight has been spent playing Wii. Boom Blox is strangely adicting. Soon, off to bed, but Dr. Who first.

Wiid Whacker

I was the Weed Whacker today. I worked maintenance and after our exquisite coffee break, I headed off to whack weeds. I whacked weeds at, you guessed it, the elementary. About mid day, Cora needed me to take her something at work, so I did during my lunch. I also took her a coffee, which perked her up (Get it? Coffee perked.). I then went back and finished my job.

When I got home I started the BBQ and took out a couple chicken breasts. Cora got home and wanted to know if I wanted to go into town and help her buy a new Wii game. What the hell, I love spending money. I cooked the breasts…I smoked them with Mesquite…but you know what, I really prefer the taste of hickory smoke. Then we went to town to buy a Wii game and some salad for dinner. When we got to town we ended up buying two Wii games. Indiana Jones, Legos edition and Boom Blox. I also got some Pepsi…I was out.

We came back and Cora began to play her game while I cut the chicken into chunks and chopped salad makings (carrots, cucmber, cherry tomatoes, and feta cheese). Tasted pretty good.

Tomorrow? I will have more weed whacking to do if I go to maintenance. Otherwise I ill be teaching…come on you teachers! One of you get sick!!

When we were in California we decided to visit Yosemite National Park. It lloked like a 3 hour drive. The map I used, however, failed to show all the switch backs...which made the trip to Yosemite right at 5 hours. It as worth it, even with the accidental hitch hikers. I took this shot and tried to make it a little Ansel Adamsy. What do you think?

What ARE accidental hitch hikers? Well, we were driving along the road looking at the scenery when I saw a woman and her son come out from a path. I thought they wanted to crossed the road, so I stopped. Much to my dismay they began walking toward the car. They were unarmed, so I started to roll down my window. About this time, Cora says to me: "You realize you are giving them a ride, right?" I stammered that not I was not aware of that particular aspect of this stop. Apparently they were hitching a ride back to camp and I had ever so graciously acceded to their wish. Turns out they were German tourists, the father was doing some climbing or something and the mom and son were out for a hike. They climbed in and off we went. The son, who looked to be about 6 or 7 did not speak English, but his mother did. It turned out to be a nice little detour, but accidental, nonetheless.

Cora continues to play her game, I fear i shall not see her until she has finished it.

Adequate Goofball Exposure

So, apparently, kids are not exposed to dorky men. As a statement, I suppose I would support that and agree that they should not be. On the other hand, there are some who think exposing kids to a goofball is a good thing. I suppose it depends on the goof ball. One of the teachers I worked with today threatened me with bodily harm if I don’t pursue an elementary certification. She said it is good for them to be exposed to men who can be a little silly (I am saying a little silly because that is what SHE said, I know many of you are probably rolling your eyes…I know I am very silly, so don’t over exert your poor eyeballs). Something about the right kind of male influence, I know, she might be a little off the mark. I do enjoy teaching at the elementary, though.

We were doing a “Hand Jive” in music today. I was dancing along, innocently, to the music, and the kids kept erupting in giggles. I had my erstwhile cohort there, too. She does a half-day of music in the afternoon. The past few times we have had our classes together. She was dancing along with the song just a silly as I was, but the kids were paying more attention to me…somewhat to my displeasure, since I was not aware of all the right hand movements and had trouble hearing the claps on the CD to clap along. Of course, I did “bobble” my head from side to side in the “Oh, NO YOU DIDN’T” fashion that is sometimes seen in inner city women on TV. I did this in time to the music. I have done this in the past and apparently it is quite the hit among elementary kids. A few girls have called me “Mr. Bobble Head” in the hallways. I take that as a price of fame.

So, Cora is fishing on her Wii. She keeps pulling up two dimensional fish. It’s one of the games on that $10 game…which was well worth the $10 for the enjoyment we have gotten from it. I want to buy Far Cry…a shoot’em up. Cora prefers Legos…yes, legos. She sometimes plays a Legos Star Wars game that she likes. We will have to buy it, I suppose.

Got Wiine?

Wii have a Wii. I think I mentioned that yesterday. Unfortunately, there is a game we got that has tanks. It is not a high tech game. Just some tanks. One is you and the rest are the bad guys. I have become addicted. Yes, I am a tank ace now. It is hard to put down. I was playing the Tank game while Cora quilted tonight.

We planted some gladiolas and snapdragons and then I made war on the ants. The ants have shown up once again. I cleaned out a few cupboards and made crazy with the poison. Then we went to town and got some ant killer barrier…hopefully that will take care of them.

Since I was in the area I dusted the top of the cupboards, too. I found a ton of corks. I throw corks from a newly opened bottle of wine up there. I have been for QUITE SOME TIME…apparently. Or maybe last summer? I think I began it with the thought of a cork wreath…I don’t know, I just come up with these ideas, I don’t actually think them through!

There must have been over 100 corks up there. We are NOT alcoholics, we are wine conesours Conesuers Coinesoiuers Officianodos Ofishinatos apprecciators Ah, Hell…We like wine, OK?

On the down side of the weekend, that thing with my in-laws’ van, the broken window. It happened again. Yep! In broad daylight. Same window, same van. They just got the new window on Thursday. Shattered.

We took the dogs with us over to "Grandma's" (well, the dogs know it as Pepper's, since that is the in-laws' dog's name, and they love her) and this is how Toby looked after playing

On the up side, my Aunt Sherry got a Gold Medal in some sort of throwing contest in the Special Olympics which happened in Olympia this weekend.

This is my dad from last Monday! He was working up a sweat, do you notice? It was HOT out there. You can see the "Small" crane in this picture...the yellow one. Yeah, he has gone to extreme lengths to make trucks everywhere laugh at his. just look at this entry from last week to see how the front end looks!

No Wii-grets! Saturday Purchase!

Wii bought a Wii today. Well, Cora did. She used her birthday money. Wii managed to find one in the first store we went to. About a month or so ago, my in-laws had asked us to watch for one. Wii did watch…and never did see one, not until after they found one did we see one in a store. Wii did not expect it to be so easy to find one. I am glad Wii have one, but I don’t think Wii will change because of it.

I came home and mowed lawn while Cora prepared a place for our newest arrival. She filled our final hanging basket and I ran a soaker hose around the house to water the plants we don’t get to by hand. I also rearranged the little shed we have in the backyard. It is more of an outdoor closet. Still, it’s big enough for the mower and a lot of stuff from the laundry room.

We had steaks; my own personal marinade…a sweet hot salty goodness that I probably ought to patent. Mmmmm-mmmm good. So, all in all a nice day.