31 March 2011

I guess they don’t know how it’s done in the good ole U.S. of A!


1. THE CALM 
Not a single visual of chest-beating or wild grief. Sorrow itself has been elevated.
2. THE DIGNITY 
Disciplined queues for water and groceries. Not a rough word or a crude gesture.
3. THE ABILITY 
The incredible architects, for instance. Buildings swayed but didn’t fall.
4. THE GRACE 
People bought only what they needed for the present, so everybody could get something.
5. THE ORDER 
No looting in shops. No honking and no overtaking on the roads. Just understanding.
6. THE SACRIFICE 
Fifty workers stayed back to pump sea water in the N-reactors. How will they ever be repaid?
7. THE TENDERNESS 
Restaurants cut prices. An unguarded ATM is left alone. The strong cared for the weak.
8. THE TRAINING 
The old and the children, everyone knew exactly what to do. And they did just that.
9. THE MEDIA 
They showed magnificent restraint in the bulletins. No silly reporters. Only calm reportage.
10. THE CONSCIENCE 
When the power went off in a store, people put things back on the shelves and left quietly.

(via ysvoice)

29 March 2011

Sometime life just doesn't move fast enough for me

Eye really mean this

We have a friend that is a “winker” and to tell the truth since I was a small child winking always left me in a position of not really knowing how to respond.  Do I smile? Do I wink back? I just never knew what to do.

To make matters worse, I never know what they were trying to communicate with me because sometimes the wink didn’t fit into the situation.  Sometimes it was from across the room, sometimes it was on their way out and sometimes I realized it was just a nervous tick like when I meet Bryan Norcross at a restaurant in South Beach many years ago.  I thought he was winking at me until I realize he was winking at everyone and everything in the room.

I personally was never very good at winking and it never got a favorable response so I gave it up before it really got started.


Now, after all these years, I come across this handy-dandy chart that could make it easier to decipher what the winker is trying to convey to me along with other weird eye tricks they may try.

I can’t wait; I’ll be ready this time.

Elise's Big Birthday Bash

Miss Penny and Silas decorates the back yard

The girls partake in bubbles

Uncle Ted entertains us with his juggling skills

Nate and his sprayer

Emerson hanging around being cute

Echo and his friends command the bounce house

Josiah the Fang Boy

Judith and Penny

Aunt Alice

Ben swinging Janice

Girly having a moment with Miss Penny

Getting ready to sing Happy Birthday

Waiting to cut the cake

Crowned the Queen of the Party

Time to open the Gifts

I hear bunny ears will be all the rage this spring

Happy over her new dolly

Emerson helps with clean-up

Judith enjoys her visit with her brothers and sister
(Scarlett, Robin, Emil, Summer, Emerson, Judith, Ted and Alice)

27 March 2011

We're having a party


We’re having a big birthday bash for Girly today with food and good cheer (No Booze, just happiness).  Without realizing it, her actual birthday turned into a smaller bash because my parent’s friends came by with their grand-kids to say hi. 

I’m sure after this weekend’s party; Girly will be asking when the party is going to start next weekend.  Must be great being the Princess of the Home but we keep reminding her that there’s still a Queen present.

Photos to follow.

Strange, huh?

If You Don't Know Me By Now

22 March 2011

The diet’s going well


I lost about 12lbs. 

I realized I got into the habit of eating desert twice a day along with drinking canned sweet tea several times a week.  Add to that bagels and pizza and not only didn’t I feel good but my pop’s belly (what the kids call it) was beginning to be on its way to needing its own Social Security number.

Judith and I figured it out that I was consuming approx. 3000 additional calories a week which was taking its toll on my manly structure.

So now I eat fruit and a smoothie for breakfast which I have been doing for some 15 years and salad with a small portion of fish or chicken for lunch topping it off with nuts for desert.

For dinner I cut my portions down by half and cut out the desert all together.  I still eat a bowl of cereal before going to bed and a banana in the middle of the night.  On Wednesdays and Sundays I eat whatever I want and it seems to be working out.

I am at about 175 now and if I can find time to exercise I’ll feel even better.

Spring is upon us



 Love is in the air


 Time for a new beginning
Japanese wistaria

20 March 2011

Blair Echo Project via a baby-cam

Echo's First Guitar Lesson



Silas-Emerson re-strings Echo's guitar



Jam session (sort of ) for a beginner

Silas-Emerson tears it up

Off to Silas and Sami's

Last night we had the pleasure of having dinner with our friends Silas-Emerson and Sami and their children.

Good food, good company, and a good time.


Emerson trying out Sebastian's toy thingy

Echo on baby duty holding Sebastian

Story time with Silas-Emerson
  

Sami and Judith

Emerson and Sebastian

Silas-Emerson and Joseph (me)