Saturday Sitting

Thanksgiving was a success. Everyone was fed and no one got food poisoning (Because I wasn't involved in the food prep). below are a few pictures.

Above we see Scott performing resuscitation and last rights to my beloved Toshi. Note the 2X4 holding it together? also note the bottom corner opposite: the plastic just came off!

Above you can see how good of a kid dog Gypsy is...she came over and sprawled out next to Emma. When Eli came over and lay down next to her, she was in kid heaven!

Below is my kid sister and me. Note how slim she is and how I have filled out... I don't see any resemblance.

Below Cora is setting out her home-made rolls...err, what's that? The bag? Oh, well, she always puts UPC labels and plastic bags on everything she makes...yeah, that's it.

I did help...a little.

Below are the kids, with Gypsy looking on, apparently bored.

my other nephew, David, who seems to shun cameras was taking a nap...he is as charming as ever...unless Uncle Jim has squeezed him too tight or scared him...

I think everyone had fun! Cora seemed to have overdone it and felt worse the next day.

And Friday we relaxed. Lots of sitting, some laying, small, small amounts of standing, and lots of snacking. Thats what we did Yesterday...Well, Cora did not do as much snacking as I did. In all it was a very good day. I spent a lot of time moving things into my new computer.

My new computer is like a rocket ship compared to my old computer. I discovered this morning that you can play music in the background while working on something else, like the internet. That is just crazy! If I wanted to listen to music on the old one, I had to turn everything else off, and even then the sound would skip or stop for a second. So, most of the time, I didn't. If I watched You-Tube I turned the sound off. Now, I suffer no such things! I shall endeavor to keep my spy-ware killers up to date and the anti-virus software smoking hot on this one!

We have had some minor changes in our fish tanks lately. I have mentioned a few. We moved Marvin our Maroon clown from his large 30 gallon FOWLR(Fish Only With Live-Rock) tank to our 16 gallon reef. Most of the books say a Maroon needs at least a 30 gallon, but Marvin seems quite content, and even happier in this new tank. The skunk clown we have in there, Flower, is much smaller than Marvin, but took no time establishing his ownership of the tank. Now, their relationship seems to be one of friendship. This morning I saw Marvin taking a length of macro algae from the corner he has been given and pulling it out to the front of the tank. I think it was his way of telling me I should clean some of it out...so I did.

So, here are a few pictures I took of our tank yesterday. I think I did pretty good.

Today, Cora felt particularly bad and finally decided to go see the Doctor. She has Bronchitis...a precursor to pneumonia in Cora's case...last time she let it go too far and caught pneumonia. This time she realized what was going on and now she is on some anti-biotics. That should help. I made her turkey soup and she is resting under a blanket and my watchful eye.

She has lost her voice again. I usually joke about how quiet it is when she loses her voice, but I really hope she begins to feel better.

Visit With Sister And Teaching!

Saturday, my sister had a Scentsy Open House. Cora and I drove on down. We only planned to smell the Scentsy and drive home. My sister invited us to stay for dinner, though. Her chili was really good! I'd say the party stunk, but it didn't...the party goers, however, smelled. Some of them just sniffed. It was really fun. If you are interested in some Scentsy stuff send me an e-mail me, I cn get you in touch with her and she can get you some really good Scentsy stuff. I am partial to the Camu Camu...

My niece is NOT afraid of heights (Just like her uncle, seems to love heights). This is her on a ladder...look, no hands!

Cora and I got a few pictures of ourselves.

I love this picture of Cora...she is so pretty!

We got a picture of Scott...I think Eli too this actually, or maybe it was Emma...Sorry, Scott, it was the only one we got of you this weekend! Well, there was the EXTREME extreme close-up, but I thought you'd appreciate this one better.

Cora got some good Aunt-Niece-Time.

and, we really enjoyed ourselves. I don't usually post back-to-back, but the first post sort of lent itself to a story line, and I hope you will check it out, too.

We really had a fun time, Thanks Sis! We had fun! Can't wait for next time.

Today, I subbed at WHS. Freshmen, all day. It was fun. One girl in there...I think I have had her in almost every class I have taught there...cannot say the word "Obnoxious." I have taken great pleasure in using that knowledge. If she is getting noisy in class all I have to do is say, "Daisy (not her real name), you're obnoxious." She automatically tries to say the word and usually comes up with something like "ognop-shus." It's great, because it changes her focus from talking to friends to trying to say a specific word. Not only that, it is entertaining. Turns out she can't say biscotti or spaghetti. That kid is too fun.

I have a mark under my eye. Kids sometimes point to it (no, kids are still as cruel as they were when you were in school, I just am not bothered by it) and ask what it is, rather than saying it is a birthmark or liver spot or whatever the heck it is, I say I had a tattoo removed. Usually, there is some kid in class that somehow knows that convicts usually put a tattoo of a tear about there if (and I am not sure which is right) they kill someone or have lost a friend. They often whisper about that possibility. Rather than set them straight, I will say any number of things that might lead them down paths of reasoning that may not be true, but perhaps will gain a little "street cred" with the kids. I will say things like, "I am glad to wear real clothes and not those one-piece orange jobs." "I'm not supposed to talk about the tattoo, I want to keep my job." "I had to get rid of it to work here." The more evasive I am about it the more they are certain I was in prison. "I'm rehabilitated now, but I used to get so angry." It is hilarious to have one kid have another ask about the mark. When I give them a noncommittal answer, they turn to each other and whisper about how it makes sense, or something like that.

It's frickin' hilarious! Some kids catch on. They look at me with a calculating eye. These, I usually give a conspiratorial wink...then they know they are in on the joke and they go with it. I did the whole prison tattoo removal thing in front of a teacher the other day, and she laughed about it and said, "They don't believe I got this in a knife fight, either." She showed me a scar on her throat...apparently a surgery scar. It's things like this that make it worth going to work. I love being a role model. I LOVE being a role model...Life is good.

Oh, and check out my "story."

Up, Up and Away...

In my beautiful, my beautiful Balloooooooooooooon....

Prosser, Washington. September 26, 2009.

Balloon Roundup http://prosserballoonrally.org/

Colors at sunrise.

Cora and I went down to see the balloons. It was amazing! The balloons filled rapidly and floated away in such a short mount of time! I was completely surprised at how quickly they got airborne!

We met my Sister and her family, minus my brother-in-law, Scott (someone was too tired to get up and join the rest of us in the pre-dawn darkness, but we won't go into that :-) ).

I think I got some pretty good pictures! It was easy to get good pictures with all the colors and shapes.

below is my niece and one of my nephews watching the balloons.

My sister and my newest nephew, David! I was glad we got the chance to see them! It was great watching the kids' expressions!

We went to my sister's house and could see the balloons from a distance...here is one of my nephews watching...

Where to Begin? A Long Recount

Ok, so it has been several days since I last posted. We went to House Sit for the weekend. Cora took her computer, but I left my dinosaur behind. I checked my mail, but nothing else, it was supposed to be a relaxing weekend!!

Friday: I subbed my last of four days of music. I went home and got all our crap together, meaning I packed and did the dishes so we did not have any living organisms in the sink when we returned.

The trip was not bad. We dropped off the dogs at Cora's sister's house and went for some P.F. Chang's. We called it in and dropped by a grocery store for a bottle (or two) of wine. Dinner was excellent. We had Lettuce Wraps, Orange Peel Beef, Black Bean Chicken, and Sezchuan Asparagus. After letting dinner settle a smidgeon, we retired to the hot tub. Just to be perfectly honest, and unbiased...I HAVE TO GET ME ONE OF THOSE!! Afterword, we sat outside cooling off. The pool was still just a little chilly for our tastes...70 degrees.

Saturday: I awoke early (630am), despite a fairly late evening. I went downstairs and made coffee. I read my newest book: The Arnheiter Affair. It is a story of a Queeg-like captain (You should read the Caine Mutiny if you don't know who Queeg is...or wikipedia it) during the Vietnam War. He was SO idiosyncratic, narcissistic, and blind that he drove the crew near madness before he was relieved. He disobeyed orders, falsified reports, lied, stole, and was just downright a wannabe navy hero. The crew thought he was just a little different at first, but his true colors began to show, and within 99 days he was relieved. It is a most fascinating book.

Cora got up later and made breakfast! She made sausages and cinnimon rolls...do I know how to pick a wife or what!? We relaxed around the house for awhile and then got ready to go shopping. She needed to get a few things and I wanted a book. Well, I did get a book, but it wasn't the one I thought I'd get. I also ended up getting three shirts. These are shirts I expect will be very comfortable in Africa. They are a light cotton material that promises to dry quickly, plus they have loads of pockets. Cora also obtained some new additions to her wardrobe. For the record, we only really shop for clothing a couple times a year. I also bought a bargain book by an author I am fond of. I ended up buying the book I really wanted on Amazon at about 2/3rds the price I could have gotten in the store.

We went to lunch at Nothin' But Noodles. It was good. We returned to the house to check on the dogs, then returned to the mall for a litte more shopping and we watched Star Trek. Now there is a good movie! I might give something away here, so if you have not seen it yet, go to the next paragraph and I won't be hurt. I was intersted to see the back story of the crew. The original series never hinted at very much. This one starts with Kirk being born...interesting to be sure. Turns out this movie is actually a (This is your last warning if you don't want the movie ruined) different reality than the original series. This seems to indicate the writers don't want to interfere with the original plot lines and are free to make up their own new adventures. I am very happy with it. The humor was wonderful! At times side-splitting. I expect the coming batch of movies in the next decade will be something that Gene Rodenberry would have been proud of.

Now (yes, it is safe to read from here if you haven't seen the movie yet), if I were anything near what my long deceased best friend was, I would be able to give you a few quotes, verbatim, and have it mean something. Alas, I am NOT the genius that my late best friend was, I can only say, it is a movie worth seeing.

For dinner, after the movie and long day shopping, we decided on some pizza. Not just any pizza would do for us, however. We prefer Atomic Brewpub and Eatery pizza. It is not a big restaraunt, but it is a restaraunt with big taste! The beer is, well, excellent. Their pizza is spectacular! We have eaten there several times in the past couple years. Each time is a new exprience! I am especially fond of their Plutonium Porter. We had a Thai Peanut Chicken Pizza...it has real peanuts on it. It was delicious! Cora stayed with the dogs and I picked up the pizza. I asked the bartender how long a pizza took to bake. He said about 15 minutes...I said, "So, about the amount of time it would take me to drink a beer?" He said, two if you drink fast.

We had pizza and then relaxed in the hot tub again. Again, the pool remained just a wee bit more chilly than we were prepared to subject our anatomies to. We did sit out in the lawn chairs again and watch the stars. It was really nice. I wish our house was a bit different...I guess we should have been more prescient when we bought it nine years ago.

Sunday: We had no intention to leave the house, except perhaps to add a new touch to the house, which we did not do...but may in the future, even though Emily doesn't know what it is. I spent the day reading. My book was getting progressively better. Cora watched some of the Stargate SG1 episodes on DVD that I bought her for her birthday and she took a nap or two...I read my book in the shade as the temperture rose to the mid-eighties. I DID wade in the pool a bit, since it was so hot. Still, I was not done reading and so was reluctant to put the book down...and the pool was still cold.

We came home after Emily returned and I turned on my computer. I lucked out and got a job: Kinders today. It was fun, if a bit nerve-wracking. Seems each teacher has a different way with their kids and on different years: these were different from last year's kids. I enjoyed the day, nevertheless.

I came home and mowed the lawn...if you're counting, I mowed it on Thursday and it probably needed it again Saturday. I had put the mower back in the shed at a slight angle because I was too lazy to make sure it was flat...well, some oil had gotten into the cylinder and leaked out; it did not start right away. I finally got it going after I added some more oil...a bit too much, since it smoked the whole time.

I also mde dinner, a weird, quirky collection of Asian and American dishes: Steak and Fried Rice with griled sweet onions. I apologized to Cora, but she assured me in a Friends (remember the series?) way, quoting Joey all the way: "Steak? GOOD. Fried Rice? GOOD. Onions? GOOD!" You gotta love my wife's sense of humor.

So, tomorrow I sub for sixth graders. I will be teaching the older sister of one of the kinders I taught today...funny how things work out.

I hope all had a good weekend, too! Oh, yeah. It's been 28 years since the eruption of Mt. St. Helens! Which is a mountain I don't think Cora has ever seen...but, she will elaborate on that someday.

So, You Want To Be On My Blog?(updated)

This blog was originally titled "Bo Re Gard, He Was A Good Dog," but I wandered upon this a picture of Carrie, my sister. Last week, I posted a picture of my brother-in-law (her husband) because he made a face in front of my camera. This week, my sister, armed with that knowledge and fully cognizant of my blogging tendancies, made this lovely face. I think she is putting on display, for the world to see, her innate seriousness and maturity. Love ya, Sister C! And I would have kept it, but it was not as flattering as it could have been. Instead, I submit this photo, entitled "Siblings." It had to be about 1984 or 1985.

So, Cora and I worked on the house yesterday. Then we went to town to get some chips and went down to the Father’s Day bash my sister was throwing. It was fun. Dinner was great, even if she looked at me with pleading eyes and motioned toward the barbeque…I am just glad the burgers turned out like they did, since the first few tried to fall apart! The rest of dinner was great! There was a potato salad, baked beans, another salad or two and plenty of chips. Coupled with family, it made for a good dinner.

Here is a shot of Cora and I...kind of a fun picture.

Then my sister, in her devious ways, concocted a game we could all play. The point was to guess who said what. She would ask a question, then we would all answer on our sheet of paper. Then we would all hand them back to her, where she would ask one person to guess who said which answer. It was really kind of fun. The last question, since she asked me to help, was chosen by me. If you could chose a different name, what would it be? The responses were funny, but the best were “Lee Roy,” “Bo Re Gard, he was a good dog,” "Francoise Prelitea," and then mine, of course, was a bit long: “Sir Reginald Wilson Spencer, Earl of London.” (Sounded like a fun to me) It took a while for everyone to warm up to the game, but it was really fun. What would you like to talk to a large audience about? “Nuclear Physics,” “Squirrel Taxidermy,” and “Coin Collecting.” If you can’t guess that mine was Squirrel Taxidermy, then you don’t get a prize.

Here are two of the Fathers on display.

My sister and the kids made me a Father's Day card, since, officially, we are expecting...aren't they sweet?

Here you can see my Dad attempting to entertain a four year old.