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Monday, October 1, 2012
The New Daughter
Just finished watching "The New Daughter", a horror film starring Kevin Costner. Costner moves his family to an idyll country home, only to discover the earth mound on the property is an ancient burial mound populated by deities who seek to restore their power by corrupting his daughter. I liked the movie. No big surprises, but it was more than substantial enough to than keep my attention and I liked Costner's acting; he physically portrayed the father as a jittery, somewhat fear driven guy. Grade: B+
YaYa Opens Her Nook E-Reader
Sure, I
did a Christmas morning post, and loaded it with pictures. As I said in that
write-up, however, YaYa's reaction to her Nook was worth a post all its own.
She'd
been asking for a Nook, the electronic e-reader, for over a year. I had no
doubt she'd use it, since she's a voracious reader, but I just couldn't afford
it. Around November an opportunity arose for me to get one for her, and I
didn't hestitate to fork over the cash.
She saw
her Nook before it was wrapped, but Lisa (after scolding her for snooping)
brushed it off by saying it was a gift for me. We made this all the more
credible a statement by having me open my Nook first. She was happy for me, but
you could tell she was jealous.
And then
we gave her the package.
I don't
think she knew what it was. Not a clue. And then she came unglued.
She
started crying. She tried covering her face, but the emotions were too strong,
and she lay there on the floor short of breath and weeping.
I thought
she was doing this for show, but it quickly became clear that wasn't the
reason. No. We had simply SCORED THE BEST GIFT EVER for the kid. :)
She
calmed down and opened the Nook cover we bought her, but began to cry again.
Ginger, who at the time wasn't very close to her (they grew closer here in
2012) went and put her arms around her to support her.
What a
great moment. What a great reaction. What a "remember this forever"
Christmas memory :)
Sunday, September 30, 2012
.500. Finally.l
And with that I win my fantasy match-up, bringing my record up to 2-2. More importantly, I beat the commish aka Socialist, and that is a sweet and sassy thing.
The 1995 Project
I have been sorting through and organizing the hundreds - and I mean hundreds - of letters, cards, notes, ticket stubs and receipts Lisa and I accumulated in 1995, the year we first met. It's nostalgic, certainly, but a little bothersome. As many of you might remember, there was a bit of a persistent bump in the road that year. Whenever that subject came up many of my letters reek of ignorant (but sincere) rationalizations for my behavior, dismiss Lisa's objections as selfish, and, well, to put it plainly, in retrospect, I sound like an ass. While I've made up for it over the last 17 years it's still hard to read. I destroyed one of the worst of the bunch, but that pissed Lisa off, saying it's our shared history and not to be disturbed. Easy for her to say; my grandkids are gonna read this stuff and get the deeply mistaken impression that I'm not The Greatest Man Ever. How can she do that to them?
Costume Time
What costumes are your kids mulling over for Halloween? Who's already got the glue gun, sewing machine, and velcro on the ready? We've got a Cinderella, ninja, goth rag doll, and Katniss Everdeen in the works @ our house :) Large pumpkins at the pig $1.98 w/ card btw :)
- Lisa
Saturday, September 29, 2012
A Blast from the Past - House on the Rock '95
Excluding my huge'90's glasses, my thin to the point of alopecia beard and my patented "this gray sweatshirt makes my belly look flat" method of dress, this is a swell picture.
This was taken on May 24th, 1995 at the House on the Rock in Spring Green, Wisconsin. It was my first visit to the place, but Lisa was a veteran and had recommended it, and good on her - I loved it.
It was on this trip that I bought her a lovely glass paperweight that still resides in our home today.
Note also my red winter jacket, which Lisa had absconded from me. I ordered that from a glossy advertisement in the Sunday paper, and gladly paid extra for my name to be embroidered on the chest. It was a different time, what can I say?
Friday, September 28, 2012
Donald J Sobol
A belated RIP to Donald J. Sobol, the creator and author of the Encyclopedia Brown series that I gobbled up a kid. He passed away at age 87 on July 11th. :(
Welcome to 2003! pt 1
In 2003 I used my monthly planner to jot down very brief
notes about my day - sometimes too brief. At times, reading over the list, I
had no idea what a notation meant. So when it came time to type the notes up
for posterity, I’ve added a ‘?’ behind my reports of those forgotten but
apparently noteworthy events.
There are several significant milestones in the
newborn LuLu’s life mentioned below; those events I’ve written in boldface.
You’ll also note that I spent a lot of time going out
to eat and attending Brewers games. That seems so implausible, given my current
financial standing, that I literally grew depressed almost to the point of
tears after I typed it up. Apparently, I
had a lot more financial wiggle room in 2003 than I noticed at the time.
With that nonsense out of the way, welcome to 2003!
January 2003
Thursday the 2nd: Grandma Clara turns 80
Friday the 3rd: found out we’re having a girl!
Friday the 10th: noon [appt] for Yaya
Sunday 12th - Grandma's (Clara) Bday Party 1:30
PM in the Hospitality Inn Columns
ballroom
Thurs the 16th: Jaspare and Chris’
birthday’s
Sun the 19th: Tastefully Simple Party
Monday the 20th: Lisa 3 PM appt with
ob/gyn
Wed 22nd - Lisa sick. I watch YaYa. [pediatrician]
1pm. Cafe Chili @ night.
February 2003
Thurs the 6th: Dan water aerobics
Monday the 10th: job interview [for who?]
at 4 PM
Tuesday the 11th: Toddler playgroup 9-10
AM
Wednesday the 12th: 1:45 PM appt with
ob/gyn + glucose [test] 6PM Aerobics
Thurs the 13th: toddler group
Thurs the 14th: todder group 9-10 AM
Friday the 28th: Dan [what?] 11:15
March 2003
Sunday March 2nd: Barney! [live show downtown] After Barney
cake for Katie.
Thursday March 6th: Stacey’s bday. Sleepover.
Monday the 10th: Ob/gyn appointment 2:30
PM – ask for records
Friday the 21st: Swizzlers? [restaurant]
Saturday the 22nd: Bucco [Di Beppo’s
restaurant] 4:00 w/ Mom [Jeanne] for Dan’s bday
Sunday the 23rd: Stacey’s bday party
Monday the 24th: car seat [buy a second
one?]
Tuesday the 25th: Los Mariachi’s
[restaurant]
Friday the 28th: 1 PM Dan doc appt
Monday the 31st:
We take YaYa to see the 3 PM showing of The
Piglet Movie at South Shore, cost $5.50, theater Left 9. YaY’s 1st
ever movie!
April 2003
Friday the 4th: 10:30 Walmart pics
Saturday the 5th: Bucco @ 4PM for Dan’s
Mom’s bday
Sunday the 6th: Pancake breakfast [w/
Easter bunny] and from 12-230 Skate University skating party [for who?]
Monday the 7th: 2:30 PM ob/gyn
Tuesday the 8th: last day of playgroup
Wednesday the 9th: 3 PM ob/gyn
Tuesday the 15th: Lisa – haircut
Wednesday the 16th: 1PM pediatrician for
YaYa. Anthony and Nina? [playgroup friend (Anthony) of YaYa). Question mark
original] Bucks game 7:00 (Dan, Jonah)
Thursday the 17th: Easter egg dyeing
Friday the 18th: baby shower 11:30
Easter Sunday the 20th: Church. Arthur Ave
4/4:30 pm
Tuesday the 22nd: Stacey’s baptismal
anniversary (kitty and card)
Wednesday the 23rd: ob/gyn at 3:15PM. 6-8
open house at flat ?
Saturday the 26th: Tre tuxes
Sunday the 27th: favors and invites at Pam
& Tre’s
Monday the 28th: oil change
Tuesday the 29th: playgroup at 9 AM
Wednesday the 30th: 2:45 ob/gyn
May 2003
Thursday the 1st: playgroup 9 am
Tuesday the 6th: project and snack for
YaYa’s class
Wednesday the 7th: 2:45 PM ob/gyn
Friday the 9th: Pick up slide @ 2 PM
Saturday the 10th: Mindy’s class @ 8 am.
Sunday the 11th: Dan’s Mom’s house and
hospital then eat at Bamboo House
Tuesday the 13th: Playgroup
Wednesday the 14th: 2:30 ob/gyn
Thursday the 15th: tuxes with tre. Dan’s
class at 7 pm
Friday the 16th: Fish fry Sioux and Dave @
5-7:30? (? Original)
Saturday the 17th: Dave – videogames,
movie? Sprint (? Original)
Sunday the 18th: 3 PM manicure/pedicure
for Lisa and Jeanne
Monday the 19th: Chuck E Cheese for YaYa
Tuesday the 20th: playgroup
Thursday the 22nd: ob/gyn 1:15 PM
playgroup 9-10
Friday the 23rd: Movie
Saturday the 24th: 4PM BBQ w/ Mom and
Jaspare
Wed the 28th:
LuLu's due date (marked with a blue colored heart). 8 am ob/gyn
Thurs the 29th: Olive Garden; library with YaYa
Friday the 30th: Finding Nemo opens. Yaya
went with grandma (Jeanne) to Southgate to see Nemo!
Sat 31st - Pam's wedding shower 2PM
June 2003
Sunday the 1st:
Elliot’s graduation. 1PM Brian and DeLaura’s baby shower
Monday the 2nd – tux fitting 4PM
Tuesday the 3rd: Sammy Sosa is caught using a corked bat
Wednesday the 4th – LuLu
is born! J
Sunday the 10th: 9pm channel 71 - madonna
Wednesday the 11th: Jaspare and Jeanne’s anniversary
Thursday the 12th – umbilical
cord falls off; 1st bath. Pick up mindy @ 3:30. 6-8PM Chuck E
Cheese for Caitlin’s bday
Sat the 14th – Eric and Kris’ wedding reception
Monday the 16th – LuLu’s
1st bus ride! Nina and Anthony 5ish
Wed the 18th – LuLu
doc 22” 9# 15 oz [1st visit to Pri**o]
Thurs the 19th – Lu
and YaYa’s 1st bath together! Jolene 1ish? [? In original]
Friday the 20th: 1:30 PM appt at Walmart Vision @ Southgate.
3PM tux fitting
June 21st – Tre’s bachelor party. Esperanza’s 3rd
bday @ Jackson park
Thursday June 26th – poop
incident (I think this is when YaYa chose to decorate the wall of her room
in her poop). Mindy’s party 7pm.
Friday the 27th: Tastefully Simple party 6PM. Mindy’s party
at 11:30-3:30PM
Saturday the 28th: Lisa gets hair cut and dyed “by Robbie” at
1PM
Monday the 30th: noon-3 Children’s Day [Summerfest]
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Quote
"Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare." --Japanese Proverb
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Battleship
Just finished watching 'Battleship', and yes, I did go at midnight to rent it the minute it came out on Redbox. I thought it was a swell movie, with lots of action and an endearing cast of characters that populated a pretty tight storyline. MUCH better than your standard shoot 'em up, and while it isn't Oscar material, I'd grade it a personal A and an objective B.
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