On VACATION!
Except vacation for me does not mean going someplace exotic, it means take days off to work on one of the 15,000 projects that need to be done to get this place ready for sale.
And now, on my last day off before returning to work, Wife just brought back the boy who clearly has the flu.
So I will be finishing my windows with pukey, poopy boy helping me.
Other than I really feel for the kid for being miserable, understand me when I say...
LOVELY!
Monday, July 12, 2010
Sunday, June 13, 2010
best Sunday evening so far
First, Yesterday was The Wife and I's (is that right?) anniversary. We been married a long enough time that we are barely newlyweds, but not so long that we feel like we have been married forever.
You guess how long. Mom and all the Dales and Nois, no giving it away.
She got me a nice gift, more than I deserve. I got her something practical that takes a battery. If you know Wife well, you know she is always 5 minutes late... So I got her a nice watch! Nothing says I love you like saying, be on time.
Tonight, we all took a walk around the garden. Wife has bronchitis and the kids are all fussy cuz it rained so much this weekend that it was wonderful to go out as a family and enjoy each others company.
In our walk around the garden we counted the apples (23) and walked the rows until we came to the peas. We noticed the peas were ripe and so Wife and I introduced Kat to the art of picking fat pea pods and splitting them open for the goodness within. Let me tell you, rabbits got nothing on this girl. She ate peas for 15 minutes straight. Later, as we were getting her ready for bed, she wanted to go back out and "pick peas".
Kyle wasn't much interested in peas... in fact, he had a hard time staying upright in the tall grass. After a while he just laid on his back and rolled around and laughed at us, nibbling at the peas on the vine.
It was such an nice experience I ran into the house to get a camera to capture this moment forever. People tell me they won't be little nearly long enough and I am starting to feel uneasy that they might be right.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Fantastic weekend!
We bought our log home in 2002. So far, I think every year has been a learning experience.
This weekend we learned about our chimney.
For the last couple of winters we have worked hard to heat the house as much as possible with wood.
Two years ago we bought a high efficiency free standing wood burner, a Lopi. We like it quite a bit.
As we heat more and more, Wife and I thought it was time to get the chimney checked out. When we bought the house we had it inspected along with the rest of the house. That was eight years ago and we are on our second wood stove.
So a husband of a co worker who used to work for a chimney cleaning and inspection service came over today. He used to work for the chimney service because when the great flood hit Cedar Rapids back in 2008, the shop was under 16 feet of water and the owner decided to not re-open. Of course, Brent's house had 10 feet of water in it, so he has had a lot on his mind.
Anyway,
Brent told me to clean out the ash box at the base of the chimney inside the house before he came over. So last night after a pretty busy day, I opened up the little doors and started shoveling out ash with a small garden trowel. Ash I expected. What I wasn't ready for was the birds. Seven bird skeletons along with feathers. Dried up, no smell, disgusting little skeletons. The skulls were creepy with the beaks and the eye openings.
So he stopped out today and gave me a list of things that need to be done. Just what i need, another list of things to do. He did, however, let us know that the chimney is in really good shape for not having been maintained for the last 27 years.
Now I am sitting on the porch in the shade watching Kat cover herself with sidewalk chalk.
Earlier she managed to find a bad tempered paint turtle. This is actually pretty surprising. How she managed to find an eight inch turtle, green, in foot tall grass, I will never know. When I picked the turtle up, she stretched her head out of the shell and hissed at me, then snapped her mouth shut.
In all of my years I have never seen a paint turtle behave that way. Kat agreed, we needed to put that turtle back in the pond. We did, and I hope she is happy.
This weekend we learned about our chimney.
For the last couple of winters we have worked hard to heat the house as much as possible with wood.
Two years ago we bought a high efficiency free standing wood burner, a Lopi. We like it quite a bit.
As we heat more and more, Wife and I thought it was time to get the chimney checked out. When we bought the house we had it inspected along with the rest of the house. That was eight years ago and we are on our second wood stove.
So a husband of a co worker who used to work for a chimney cleaning and inspection service came over today. He used to work for the chimney service because when the great flood hit Cedar Rapids back in 2008, the shop was under 16 feet of water and the owner decided to not re-open. Of course, Brent's house had 10 feet of water in it, so he has had a lot on his mind.
Anyway,
Brent told me to clean out the ash box at the base of the chimney inside the house before he came over. So last night after a pretty busy day, I opened up the little doors and started shoveling out ash with a small garden trowel. Ash I expected. What I wasn't ready for was the birds. Seven bird skeletons along with feathers. Dried up, no smell, disgusting little skeletons. The skulls were creepy with the beaks and the eye openings.
So he stopped out today and gave me a list of things that need to be done. Just what i need, another list of things to do. He did, however, let us know that the chimney is in really good shape for not having been maintained for the last 27 years.
Now I am sitting on the porch in the shade watching Kat cover herself with sidewalk chalk.
Earlier she managed to find a bad tempered paint turtle. This is actually pretty surprising. How she managed to find an eight inch turtle, green, in foot tall grass, I will never know. When I picked the turtle up, she stretched her head out of the shell and hissed at me, then snapped her mouth shut.
In all of my years I have never seen a paint turtle behave that way. Kat agreed, we needed to put that turtle back in the pond. We did, and I hope she is happy.
Friday, May 14, 2010
What keeps me up all night.
Work, Ear infections, money, doubt.
Who knows.
What I do know is it makes me really tired in the morning.
Who knows.
What I do know is it makes me really tired in the morning.
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Happy Mothers Day to my Mother
I have been thinking about this post all week.
While I am pretty sure that Mom knows how much I appreciate her love and support over the years, it never hurts to come right out and say it.
To know me now, you would not suspect that when I was much younger I was a doubting, insecure artist. I didn't feel like I fit in anywhere and I was near blind and near deaf and I thought that there was no chance that I would be popular or successful in my lifetime.
Through all of this, Mom was there to encourage and support me. She helped me explore different activities and understand that I didn't have to do EVERYTHING that my brother did. She helped me find 4H, where she helped me go to State with my photography (I still have that photograph, I can see it from where I am typing right now). She let me not wear my hearing aids in jr high because I was so self conscious about them, even though it made schooling harder because I didn't understand what was happening in class.
I remember her tirelessly supporting and encouraging me to just be me. To believe in myself that whatever I put my mind to, I just needed to be me and do the best I could do. In doing my best, I would be successful.
I can recall a picture of me wearing a coonskin cap that Mom made (with little advance warning) for a play. It didn't matter what the school activity, hobby, scouting activity; Mom was always willing to do whatever it took to help out.
I can remember when I brought home a garter snake and she helped me put together a bucket with grass and some water so that I could keep the little snake. I liked snakes and frogs and mud and bicycles. She was so tolerant of my pets that she even let me keep a bullsnake in the house in her planter. It was just a little one, though... until he left the planter and was lost inside the house. She even supported my raising gerbils... to sell to the neighbor who had several boa constrictors and needed a source of food.
Even today, since Wife and I have started our family, you have made a point of coming up to visit just about every week to support and encourage our children (as well as give Wife and I a break) and offer occasional advice and suggestions or even an ear to listen when we get frustrated or overwhelmed. Both of the kids know the sound of your voice and RUN to you when you show up because they LOVE the relationship that they have with G'ma Pat.
I suppose in all of this rambling what I am trying to say is that not only do I love you, Mom. I appreciate all of the support and encouragement you have given me and continue to give me.
---------------------------------------------------
BTW, I completely enjoyed Betty White last night on SNL. Who knew an 88yo would be so funny talking about her muffin.
While I am pretty sure that Mom knows how much I appreciate her love and support over the years, it never hurts to come right out and say it.
To know me now, you would not suspect that when I was much younger I was a doubting, insecure artist. I didn't feel like I fit in anywhere and I was near blind and near deaf and I thought that there was no chance that I would be popular or successful in my lifetime.
Through all of this, Mom was there to encourage and support me. She helped me explore different activities and understand that I didn't have to do EVERYTHING that my brother did. She helped me find 4H, where she helped me go to State with my photography (I still have that photograph, I can see it from where I am typing right now). She let me not wear my hearing aids in jr high because I was so self conscious about them, even though it made schooling harder because I didn't understand what was happening in class.
I remember her tirelessly supporting and encouraging me to just be me. To believe in myself that whatever I put my mind to, I just needed to be me and do the best I could do. In doing my best, I would be successful.
I can recall a picture of me wearing a coonskin cap that Mom made (with little advance warning) for a play. It didn't matter what the school activity, hobby, scouting activity; Mom was always willing to do whatever it took to help out.
I can remember when I brought home a garter snake and she helped me put together a bucket with grass and some water so that I could keep the little snake. I liked snakes and frogs and mud and bicycles. She was so tolerant of my pets that she even let me keep a bullsnake in the house in her planter. It was just a little one, though... until he left the planter and was lost inside the house. She even supported my raising gerbils... to sell to the neighbor who had several boa constrictors and needed a source of food.
Even today, since Wife and I have started our family, you have made a point of coming up to visit just about every week to support and encourage our children (as well as give Wife and I a break) and offer occasional advice and suggestions or even an ear to listen when we get frustrated or overwhelmed. Both of the kids know the sound of your voice and RUN to you when you show up because they LOVE the relationship that they have with G'ma Pat.
I suppose in all of this rambling what I am trying to say is that not only do I love you, Mom. I appreciate all of the support and encouragement you have given me and continue to give me.
---------------------------------------------------
BTW, I completely enjoyed Betty White last night on SNL. Who knew an 88yo would be so funny talking about her muffin.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Simple Saturday
Here we are on Saturday morning... Not much going on. I woke up at 5am like someone flipped on a switch.
Rather than wake up anyone else, I went out to the garage to work on my motorcycle. When I started getting the bike ready for riding, I discovered that the mice had crawled into the air box and chewed through the air filter and nested in the intake tubes. So I ordered a new filter a few days ago and installed it this morning, after cleaning out an incredible amount of mouse crap. Then I hear the weather forecast while I am working and find that it is supposed to get UP to 50F today and down to 28 tonight. Happy mother's day! I don't think I will be taking the bike out for a spin today.
--------------------------------------------------------------
I am the president of a social club where the primary activity is to get together and try and find Templeton Rye Whiskey. It is made in Iowa and is usually hard to find. Yesterday an impromptu meeting was held in my office at 330. People just showed up, came in and sat down. We wondered if anyone had any Rye left. We started calling around and I think we found and bought the last 5 bottles in CR.
I got a text at 930 last night from one of the guys, "This stuff is so good, it is worth driving all around to find it". Happy for you Carl, I really am.
-------------------------------------------------------------
I am noticing that the kids personalities are starting to show up. Well, Kat's has been evident for a while. She is all GIRL! Ribbons, bows, pink and purple. She wants to look PRETTY! And she isn't afraid of a bit of DRAMA to try and get her way.
The boy on the other hand is a pretty simple guy. He is pretty direct when he wants attention, he comes up to right in front of you and stops with his arms out. He is also very determined. When his sister is doing something that looks interesting, he goes right up to her and tries to push his way in. We hear a lot of "NO! Go AWAY" from his sister. Neither one is really big on sharing, but they are both pretty good at TAKING.
I have been making a determined effort to leave work at work and spend my evenings playing with one or the other, in between things like laundry and supper. They really are growing so fast and changing every day. They do sometimes get on my last nerve, but then they smile and want a hug and it is hard to be annoyed. I guess I am teaching them how to push my buttons.
Well the boy is awake and wants breakfast, I hear him laughing and giggling from his crib. I better go get him before wife tells me to.
Rather than wake up anyone else, I went out to the garage to work on my motorcycle. When I started getting the bike ready for riding, I discovered that the mice had crawled into the air box and chewed through the air filter and nested in the intake tubes. So I ordered a new filter a few days ago and installed it this morning, after cleaning out an incredible amount of mouse crap. Then I hear the weather forecast while I am working and find that it is supposed to get UP to 50F today and down to 28 tonight. Happy mother's day! I don't think I will be taking the bike out for a spin today.
--------------------------------------------------------------
I am the president of a social club where the primary activity is to get together and try and find Templeton Rye Whiskey. It is made in Iowa and is usually hard to find. Yesterday an impromptu meeting was held in my office at 330. People just showed up, came in and sat down. We wondered if anyone had any Rye left. We started calling around and I think we found and bought the last 5 bottles in CR.
I got a text at 930 last night from one of the guys, "This stuff is so good, it is worth driving all around to find it". Happy for you Carl, I really am.
-------------------------------------------------------------
I am noticing that the kids personalities are starting to show up. Well, Kat's has been evident for a while. She is all GIRL! Ribbons, bows, pink and purple. She wants to look PRETTY! And she isn't afraid of a bit of DRAMA to try and get her way.
The boy on the other hand is a pretty simple guy. He is pretty direct when he wants attention, he comes up to right in front of you and stops with his arms out. He is also very determined. When his sister is doing something that looks interesting, he goes right up to her and tries to push his way in. We hear a lot of "NO! Go AWAY" from his sister. Neither one is really big on sharing, but they are both pretty good at TAKING.
I have been making a determined effort to leave work at work and spend my evenings playing with one or the other, in between things like laundry and supper. They really are growing so fast and changing every day. They do sometimes get on my last nerve, but then they smile and want a hug and it is hard to be annoyed. I guess I am teaching them how to push my buttons.
Well the boy is awake and wants breakfast, I hear him laughing and giggling from his crib. I better go get him before wife tells me to.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Sunday Snippits
Five or six years ago, I found that having a beer on a warm afternoon after working hard around the house and then immediately getting on a riding mower to spend the next two hours going in circles on a vibrating machine is not a good idea. Unless you like a very bloated gassy stomach sort of feeling.
Unfortunately, over the last few years my life has changed ALOT! So I forget little details like that one.
So yesterday, about 15 minutes into mowing the back yard (see turkey picture, that is a LITTLE bit of my back yard) I remembered how the drinking a beer then mowing is a not so good of an idea.
(burp!)
------------------------------------------------
Yesterday I decided to change the oil in my truck. So while running around in town, I bought filters, oil (four gallons for that oil hog) and then after supper, I drove the truck to town and back to heat the oil and prepared to drain the oil.
Just then, the garage door opened.
"Your daughter would like you to SAVE her."
From who? From Mommy, it seemed.
Excuse me? It seems that to delay bedtime, she told Wife she was hungry. No surprise, since she ate two spoonfuls of applesauce and a cracker, ignoring her tater tot casserole that Wife experimented with for our supper.
Just then Kat, wearing nothing but a pull up, came running into the garage. Arms raised she scurried over to me. I picked her up in a hug. I asked if she was hungry. "yessss" she replied. "Lets get you some GOOD supper!"
So I took her inside and we sat down next to her chair. I put a slice of cheese over her tater tot casserole and tried to trick her into eating it. Once she saw what I was doing, she wanted off my lap in the worst way. She didn't eat much, just what little amount I could slather with cheese.
After changing the oil, I thanked Jill for the much needed chuckle. "Your daughter would like you to SAVE her" then the little sprite running towards me for protection from a funny looking supper.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Last weekend we packed up the kids and went to my MIL for Easter dinner. I knew, heading down there that she had some chores for me to do. Namely, cut up some trees that had come down. They were in part of the pasture that will be THICK in wild rose and if we don't get the trees out now, we won't get them until December.
So I put the saws, oil, and gas in the loader tractor and followed her instructions. "Three trees are down where the two electric fences meet at the top of that hill."
I went up and found two hickory trees and an oak. The oak had to have come down 10 years ago, but had landed on another log so I just dried hard, it didn't rot.
I spent the next two hours cutting logs up and stacking wood. Then I walked back to the house for dinner, having worked up an appetite. After dinner, I knew if I didn't head right back up, I would fall asleep. So out and back up I went. I had saved the biggest log for last. 40+ feet of hickory. I started small and worked my way back to the trunk. After about 15 feet the log pinched my chainsaw so I got to walk back to the house for another saw. I hate it when that happens.
Walked back, carrying the medium chainsaw and got back to work.
The trunk was probably 20" across and in really good shape. This tree had probably come down in the last 2-3 years and had at least a truckload of good wood.
I then had the joy of stacking all of the wood so that it would not be lost in the wild rose, rag weed and nettles. Then I loaded the loader bucket with the trunk and oak logs to take back to the house and chained the two saws, gas and oil to the bucket and went to leave.
Problem.
It seems that I had enought weight on the front of the tractor that I had no traction on the back of the tractor to back up the hill. I dug two ruts as wide as a tractor tire and about three feet long.
So I walked back to the house and asked MIL to get the cab tractor and come get me out... I would walk back up and unload the bucket of the hickory trunk and the oak, then we could chain the two together and she could pull me out.
By the time she got up there, I was ready for her. She hopped out of the cab of her tractor and looked around. "What are you doing over here?" Well she could plainly see that I had been cutting up trees, so I told her that I had been getting the tractor stuck. "Yes, but why here?"
This wasn't really funny and I was pretty tired. Didn't she want me to cut up three trees where the electric fences met in the upper pasture? Isn't that where we are right now with a stuck tractor? What is her point she is trying to make?
"Oh," She said, "I meant where this electric fence meets the other electric fence. Over there about 100 yards. You cut up the wrong trees in the wrong place. I did not even know these trees were back here."
"You will need to come back next week end and get those trees over there."
So it seems I had a very nice, tiring, afternoon in the woods, communing with nature, cutting up the wrong trees.
I am going back up this morning to do the job over. Hopefully, without getting the tractor stuck.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The BOY is a dancer. He loves the rhythm and beat of the music from the 80s and will stand up and dance. He likes Paula Abdul, Ace of Bass, Robert Palmer, (loves) Weird Al, Michael Jackson, RHCP, B52s, Devo, and John Denver.
(Disclaimer, this is Wife's Play list from her iPod, don't look funny at me.)
I have noticed tho, he has the same dance no matter the beat or the song.
The Boy is also an aspiring musician. We have a toy electric keyboard that is his FAVORITE toy. He plays on that thing every single evening and all weekend long. It is a hand me down, but Kat is not getting it back.
------------------------------------------------------------------
On that note. (get it? early Sunday humor) Wife intends to enroll the kids in Musical appreciation this summer. 45 minutes each Saturday for an hour the two will go and be exposed to different instruments, dance, and in general learn to appreciate music. Kat will be 3 years old and Kyle will be 18mos.
I am looking for feedback from you, my half dozen readers. Is this a little young to be enrolling them in music class? We expect Kat to get the most from it, but they have a half off sibling offer, so they will both be there.
Let me know what you think. Would I be better off just letting them listen to their mother's iPod? Or better yet, taking them to Loren's for piano lessons?
Unfortunately, over the last few years my life has changed ALOT! So I forget little details like that one.
So yesterday, about 15 minutes into mowing the back yard (see turkey picture, that is a LITTLE bit of my back yard) I remembered how the drinking a beer then mowing is a not so good of an idea.
(burp!)
------------------------------------------------
Yesterday I decided to change the oil in my truck. So while running around in town, I bought filters, oil (four gallons for that oil hog) and then after supper, I drove the truck to town and back to heat the oil and prepared to drain the oil.
Just then, the garage door opened.
"Your daughter would like you to SAVE her."
From who? From Mommy, it seemed.
Excuse me? It seems that to delay bedtime, she told Wife she was hungry. No surprise, since she ate two spoonfuls of applesauce and a cracker, ignoring her tater tot casserole that Wife experimented with for our supper.
Just then Kat, wearing nothing but a pull up, came running into the garage. Arms raised she scurried over to me. I picked her up in a hug. I asked if she was hungry. "yessss" she replied. "Lets get you some GOOD supper!"
So I took her inside and we sat down next to her chair. I put a slice of cheese over her tater tot casserole and tried to trick her into eating it. Once she saw what I was doing, she wanted off my lap in the worst way. She didn't eat much, just what little amount I could slather with cheese.
After changing the oil, I thanked Jill for the much needed chuckle. "Your daughter would like you to SAVE her" then the little sprite running towards me for protection from a funny looking supper.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Last weekend we packed up the kids and went to my MIL for Easter dinner. I knew, heading down there that she had some chores for me to do. Namely, cut up some trees that had come down. They were in part of the pasture that will be THICK in wild rose and if we don't get the trees out now, we won't get them until December.
So I put the saws, oil, and gas in the loader tractor and followed her instructions. "Three trees are down where the two electric fences meet at the top of that hill."
I went up and found two hickory trees and an oak. The oak had to have come down 10 years ago, but had landed on another log so I just dried hard, it didn't rot.
I spent the next two hours cutting logs up and stacking wood. Then I walked back to the house for dinner, having worked up an appetite. After dinner, I knew if I didn't head right back up, I would fall asleep. So out and back up I went. I had saved the biggest log for last. 40+ feet of hickory. I started small and worked my way back to the trunk. After about 15 feet the log pinched my chainsaw so I got to walk back to the house for another saw. I hate it when that happens.
Walked back, carrying the medium chainsaw and got back to work.
The trunk was probably 20" across and in really good shape. This tree had probably come down in the last 2-3 years and had at least a truckload of good wood.
I then had the joy of stacking all of the wood so that it would not be lost in the wild rose, rag weed and nettles. Then I loaded the loader bucket with the trunk and oak logs to take back to the house and chained the two saws, gas and oil to the bucket and went to leave.
Problem.
It seems that I had enought weight on the front of the tractor that I had no traction on the back of the tractor to back up the hill. I dug two ruts as wide as a tractor tire and about three feet long.
So I walked back to the house and asked MIL to get the cab tractor and come get me out... I would walk back up and unload the bucket of the hickory trunk and the oak, then we could chain the two together and she could pull me out.
By the time she got up there, I was ready for her. She hopped out of the cab of her tractor and looked around. "What are you doing over here?" Well she could plainly see that I had been cutting up trees, so I told her that I had been getting the tractor stuck. "Yes, but why here?"
This wasn't really funny and I was pretty tired. Didn't she want me to cut up three trees where the electric fences met in the upper pasture? Isn't that where we are right now with a stuck tractor? What is her point she is trying to make?
"Oh," She said, "I meant where this electric fence meets the other electric fence. Over there about 100 yards. You cut up the wrong trees in the wrong place. I did not even know these trees were back here."
"You will need to come back next week end and get those trees over there."
So it seems I had a very nice, tiring, afternoon in the woods, communing with nature, cutting up the wrong trees.
I am going back up this morning to do the job over. Hopefully, without getting the tractor stuck.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
The BOY is a dancer. He loves the rhythm and beat of the music from the 80s and will stand up and dance. He likes Paula Abdul, Ace of Bass, Robert Palmer, (loves) Weird Al, Michael Jackson, RHCP, B52s, Devo, and John Denver.
(Disclaimer, this is Wife's Play list from her iPod, don't look funny at me.)
I have noticed tho, he has the same dance no matter the beat or the song.
The Boy is also an aspiring musician. We have a toy electric keyboard that is his FAVORITE toy. He plays on that thing every single evening and all weekend long. It is a hand me down, but Kat is not getting it back.
------------------------------------------------------------------
On that note. (get it? early Sunday humor) Wife intends to enroll the kids in Musical appreciation this summer. 45 minutes each Saturday for an hour the two will go and be exposed to different instruments, dance, and in general learn to appreciate music. Kat will be 3 years old and Kyle will be 18mos.
I am looking for feedback from you, my half dozen readers. Is this a little young to be enrolling them in music class? We expect Kat to get the most from it, but they have a half off sibling offer, so they will both be there.
Let me know what you think. Would I be better off just letting them listen to their mother's iPod? Or better yet, taking them to Loren's for piano lessons?
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