Sick as a Dog, Everything Bagels, and Decorating the Tree

Ugh! I'm sick as a dog, and there's no relief in sight. I've been told that this bug is going around and the chain of symptoms begin with a GI situation followed by a cold-like malaise. I definitely had the GI stuff, and now I feel like death warmed over. To top things off, last night when my wife was helping me out by making me something to eat, I stepped on her glasses, destroying them, and then kept her up all night with my flatulence. Can I be a bigger pain in the ass?

Yesterday was quite a chore, and I'm proud of the kids because they really made the day easier for me by taking care of themselves. I probably took three or four naps, and all the while they entertained themselves, and we were indoors the entire day. AND, we managed to get some school work done. Go figure.

We made everything bagels a few days ago, and the kids really enjoy making them. They do a great job, and I have to confess, we are getting the recipe down. They are pretty good, especially when they're fresh out of the oven. And now we don't have to drop $1 a bagel as the Basement. Also, we can make them healthier by using a more multi-grain approach.

The Christmas spirit is in the air. On Sunday we got our tree. We droves Gary's truck down to North Hartland and got it off the guys at Wright's Mill. They have trees out there every year, and usually sell out. Last year we tried to get one there and were too late. They only had Charlie Brown Christmas trees left over, so we ended up going to West Leb, which was fine, as well, because the trees there are local.

It was a lot of fun decorating the tree, and it marks the real beginning of feeling the Christmas spirit. In fact, this is the earliest we've ever obtained and decorated our tree, so we're on top of things. I was impressed with how many decorations we'd collected over the years, and it made for a good time. The kids really too the initiative and did pretty much everything. and they did a nice job. The best was when we did the night time, lighted tree test. That's when the magic of the tree really shines through.


R thought it might be a good time to try taking the annual Christmas photo, and as you can see, she got nowhere with it. The kids were just too excited and having too much fun to take anything too seriously, so she put that project on hold. Now the biggest issue we face is keeping the cats from destroying the tree. They can't seem to resist, and never seem to learn. I know some people think cats are smarter than dogs, but I really doubt it. They don't seem to put two and two together, and seem to make the same mistakes over and over again.

Until the next time, thanks for reading.

Food Issues, Writing, and Scaring the Cats

Last night when my wife and I were watching the Office (BTW, we love that show, though the 4th season is leaving us flat), which we get on Netflix, and I had to use the bathroom about five times. I've got some serious GI issues that are very reminiscent of the New York Chinatown food poisoning experience, which is gross because it boils down to eating someone's feces. It happens with regularity in a place like Chinatown NYC, but up here? It's not pleasant but not earth shattering, and R and I can deal with it. I'm just more concerned with the kids. We did go out to eat last night, but I'm not sure what the turnover time is between exposure and symptoms. Bummer.

The kids have been turning up the pressure on getting a tree, and I don't see why we couldn't get it together and get it this weekend. It's just down the road, all I'd have to do is fire up Gary's truck and head on over. Then we can spend the next few days decorating, which is always fun. I even had the ambitious idea of putting lights up in front of the house, but am not sure how I'd pull that off. I thought of lighting up some of the trees out front, but one thing at a time.

Speaking of Christmas, I think I'm finished with my cards. I got a bundle to send out, and most of them are ready to go, though there are a few that I'd like to write more substantial messages in, for good friends that I haven't spoken to in awhile. It's not easy writing letters, however.

BTW, I finally got paid for my writing for WAHM. Not bad, I'm pretty excited, and suddenly I'm an official freelance writer. Now if I could just get some gigs, life would be good. I think the first order of business is to finish what I want to submit to WAHM and then work on queries to other pubs. I haven't heard back from one, and am wondering how I should go about following up. The waiting part stinks the most.

I did have an idea for a book, however, and it stems from the chain of events involving the barn. The lean would be from a practical as well as spiritual POV, a sort of apostasy followed by the return and redemption of one's self. The book I think of is Zen and Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, one of my all time favorites.

When I was trying to go to bed last night, Dusty darted into the room and I had a heck of time trying to get her out. Ultimately, I ended up scaring the pants off her (do cats wear pants?) and not only did it take a lot longer than it should have, but it was an unpleasant experience for all. I should have kept my cool, but I panicked and consequently, made her panic. I felt bad and this morning it almost seemed like she was waiting for me and we made amends. I need to keep my cool, something I'm not always good at, but I'm working on it.

Until the next time, thanks for reading.

Another Busy But Fruitful Day

Yesterday was one of those days that you begin by wondering how the heck you're going to pull it off, and by day's end, you are overcome with a profound sense of satisfaction and accomplishment because you survived it. And it all stems from being too ambitious.

We had a performance to attend at the Hop, and I'd just like to give a big thumbs up to the people responsible for the Youth Educational Series, or YES, for doing a great job of organizing the program. It was the best yet, in the opinion of Fred Lee.

The show was at 11:15, which would normally give you plenty of time, but we are slow starters, and we had to get my wife to work, as well. You want to know what's awesome, though? A and knew about our schedule, and came down early in the morning already dressed. How cool is that? They are so cute.

Getting out the door was much easier than I had anticipated, and by 9:30 we were heading out to DHMC. The plan was to drop Ruth off, do our stuff, and then pick her up for the Africa school benefit. Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? We dropped R off and had about an hour before the show, so we went to the Howe. My idea was to get some books or movies to entertain N during A's rehearsal, because it's hard for him to sit through an hour of choir, and I feel bad subjecting him to it.

We actually had plenty of time at the library, so there was no rush and we could enjoy our time, which is how we like it, and this is a great time of year because they seem to get an onslaught of holiday material, which is always fun. And, I always enjoy chatting with D about parenthood and homeschooling.

I picked out some movies for N, mainly Thomas and I Spy, and we went off to meet the Mack's. Now this is unfair, but I was counting on A to get there early and save us some seats. In the end, I should be responsible for our own stuff, and when we got there, it was crowded. A said she'd gotten there late and there weren't enough seats, so we had to improvise. The place was packed, and we were going to have to split up, but leave it to A to take charge of the situation. She asked the women at the end to scoot over and make room, and they did so, albeit seemingly begrudgingly. I felt bad, but actually had a chance to meet MP, which was nice

We also saw the rest of our homeschooling brethren, and it was very interesting to see the homeschoolers who are out there. Many of them I had seen around town but had no idea that they were being homeschooled, and was happy to learn that they are. Very interesting.

The show was great, as I've mentioned. I don't know if it's the British sensibility, or what, but they did such a good job of making the show interesting, entertaining, and funny. It was so very witty, we all enjoyed it very much. After the show, we experienced the usual neurosis with Amanda of not knowing what to do. We wanted to get lunch, and Amanda is always there to bust your balls and give you a hard time over everything you say and do. All in good fun, mind you.

So went for pizza, and like always, it worked out well. It's just fun hanging out with the Mack's, even though it stresses me out at times. I just feel so under the gun and scrutinized. We managed to get by with one pizza, talk about affordable. I think the entertainment value of eating with friends just goes a long way.

We said our goodbyes and then it was off to home, but not before stopping off at Stern's for some fruit and veggies. I love that place. Granted, it's not local, but it's a great value, and you can find some real home runs. Just try to find comice pears at Shaw's. They didn't have pineapples, which I was planning on getting, but everything else went well. And we got to see Gary walking the kids out to the playground, though he seemed preoccupied and busy, understandably so.

After Stern's, we stopped at the dump to unload the recycling, and saw our good friend and neighbor EB. What a great guy, so representative of the Hartland good vibe. I would love to see more of the guy, but we're all busy, in the end.

To the post office to get some stamps and send off our Euro Christmas cards, and then to chorus. Of all the stupid things, I managed to do a zinger. I checked out some movies for N during chorus and then left them all at home, so when we got to chorus, I set up my computer and was all ready, getting him all psyched up for it, and when I went to the car, the movies were gone, because I'd left them at home. Sometimes I think stupidity is the biggest factor in evolutionary removal.

I had to drive us back home, get the movies, and then get back to choir. Stupid. Anway, it worked out fine, he got to watch Thomas with the headphones, and I got to watch A's rehearsal. I'm still struck but how much certain kids just don't seem to listen to the adults.

After chorus, we piled back into the car, drove to DHMC and played in the CHAD room. There seems to be some turnover at that place, and the new people are just as nice. I believe her name was Jennifer, and they are always nice to the kids. They have a brand new Thomas track, so N has a blast, and A can draw or read. And I can sit and do nothing. Perfect. She said she'd put A's picture on the wall, but I'm not sure if she realized she already had one up there.

By the time 5:00 rolled around, R met with us and we went to our Africa benefit. Our friends were holding a dinner with a silent auction to raise funds for a school in Kenya. Very nice, and the turnout was huge. I thought it would be some small deal, but there were a lot of people, and I'm hoping that it went well. We got to see some old friends and the food was good, as were the desserts. We brought our brownies.

AND, we got some stuff at auction. The kids got to experience the thrill of victory when you bid on something, not to mention that anxiety and stress that go with hoping your bid will win. They both got necklaces and were happy, and RutRh got this beautiful painting. It got a little cutthroat at points, and I felt myself getting defensive of our choices. One guy was auctioning off some of his pics and he outbid everyone for them so he could take them home. Talk about lame, and we know this guy.

In the end, it was for the school, and we gave them all of our coins that we rolled up, which was well over $400. That's a set of new snow tires!

Until the next time, thanks for reading.

Marathon Morning and Family Harmony

Wow, we had quite the day, yesterday, almost of all of it spent in the kitchen. We managed to bake bagels, two loaves of bread, a tray of brownies (for the Kenyan orphans benefit), and some cornbread casserole for supper. The bread stuff is what kills you, all that kneading. I made a point of having the kids help out so that they get their hands on something meant to help people in need, because at their age it's all so abstract, but just getting a sense of how other people live is still a good experience. This is where travel really makes a big impression.

The kids are always so willing to help out in the kitchen, and though it makes things challenging at times, I really like the idea of them having a sense of what they eat. It's just a glimpse, because in the end, they have no idea what goes into providing three healthy meals a day, but they should also retain some of the innocence of childhood. That's what being a kid is all about.

By some miracle, amidst all the chaos, I has also managed to be consistent with our homeschooling. It doesn't take too much time, and you can make it fun by making it interesting. Plug the fundamentals a little bit each day, and make some effort to find fun or interesting projects and things can really move along. We have been focusing on health even though I really wanted to get some national and state history in there. I really need to work on Vermont history.

The problem I have, something that has haunted me my entire life, is that if things are lined up perfectly, I shut down and get nothing done. The beauty is, nothing ever lines up perfectly, so nothing gets done. Subsequently, I fall back on what's easy and familiar, which is not wholly bad since we are getting things done, but I need to deal with this. I wanted to get some more done on the Constitution and the Continental Congress, but I don't have too many resources. Then again, I'm just making excuses and just got an idea-the internet.

My wife and I had a bit of a spat on Tuesday night, and it stemmed from me acting like a big baby. I woke up on Wednesday expecting an uncomfortable home environment, but we usually, not always, but almost 9 times out of 10, wake up hoping to reconcile and work things out. It's actually awesome, because order is restored, we take a long moment to reflect on the conflict, and we work it out. So far, so good. It stems from our love for eachother and our family, because in the end, that is what it is all about. It's a wonderful feeling when you're full of regret and remorse and your wife is on the same page as you. My previous m.o. was always to draw it out and play games, and that is so stupid and such a waste of time, and in the end, we don't have time for that.

Either way, in a strange and perverse way, spats tend to draw us closer together. If anything, they force us to think about life once again, rather than walk around like drones on auto pilot. Having children goes a long way to this effect.

There are times that I feel so unworthy of my family, but it drives me to be the best possible father and person that I can possibly be. But it doesn't happen in a vacuum, you have to be open to the idea that you'll grow as a family, and the only way that happens is to spend time together and acknowledge your shortcomings. And compromise.

Until the next time, thanks for reading.

It's the Little Things

Sometimes you have to measure life by the small victories, and for that matter, defeats. Yesterday we had such a nice day, but it ended with N melting down a little and refusing to eat dinner. A total bummer, because he's been eating up a storm lately, and he's not a big eater, leaning towards being a bit fussy. There's something going on with that boy, and he absolutely refuses to talk about it, but I'm wondering if it's rooted in either C&P. Maybe somebody's being mean to him and it really affects him. We'll have to investigate.

We've delved into our new homeschooling program and are trying to make a greater effort to address our previous shortcomings, mainly in everything but math and english. In the end, we have no issues with what the kids are learning, because they are doing a great job, we just need to be more adept at accountability, i.e., satisfying the state. This is not necessarily a bad thing because it forces us to give greater thought to what we are doing, which is always good.

Besides, employing a little variation makes learning more fun and interesting.

Looking out the window, I realize that we left the sleds and stuff out on the hill. Today is going to be a crazy day because I'm planning on making bread, bagels, cookies, and dinner. It could get ugly.

Until the next time, thanks for reading.

First Real Snow, Seeing Friends, and Good Deeds

We got our first real snow with what I would consider to be consider to be real coverage, and I kept thinking to myself, I'm sure glad we have our snow tires on. The kids were thrilled to be out in the snow, and they motivated to get out in the white stuff. I still can't comprehend people who don't excited at a fresh new snowfall, but such is the life of a Flatlander. No matter, as long as we enjoy it, let them be glum.

The kids got the sleds and we have this new skateboard type thing that we actually found at the dump. It was pretty cool, actually, and the kids both got a huge kick out of it. Not unlike snowboarding, and could be a good stepping stone to it. I harbor a secret fantasy that they will both take to snowboarding, but one thing at a time here. Looking forward to doing some winter sports.
After sledding for a bit, we were all a bit winded, out of shape from not being active enough in the cool autumn weather. It's unfortunate that we can't do more hiking in the fall, but with hunting season and all, we'd just as soon stay out of the woods. Either way, we came inside and sat by the fire in our thermals and had some hot cocoa. You just can't beat those moments.

We saw our friends the Macks at the library and we are going to have to arrange a dinner date, there's no way around it. We just can't seem to get our act together, and I'm surprised they've been so patient with us, but that's where we lucked out in choosing good friends. I really like them, even if A breaks my balls all the time and gives me the third degree with reckless abandon. Sometimes I think she relishes the idea of putting me in my place. It's overwhelming at times, and the fact that she's so smart only aggravates the situation.

I finally found a copy of the Upper Valley Parents paper. It's a quarterly, which goes a long way in explaining why I couldn't find the thing. Glad I got it, though.

R came up with a nice idea for the holidays, something that will teach the kids some appreciation for all they have, hopefully. Not that they take life for granted, but when you really get down to it, we have it pretty good compared to a lot of people in the world. Our friends in the Wira lab have created a charity in Kenya to support education for children. Basically, I think they are trying to start a school, and on Friday they are having party to muster support. R's idea was to collect our loose change and give it to them. We did the Coinstar thing a few years ago, and pooled the money, including all the loose pennies that we save. We ended up with about $20 in pennies and the total amount was about $500. Not bad for a bunch of coins. Heck, that's four snow tires.

We all stuffed coin wrappers together, and then we all went to the bank and cashed them out. I think it's nice for the kids to get some idea of how the other half lives, even if they can't possibly comprehend what they are going through. Every little bit helps.

I have to run and make dinner. Lots of stuff going on, we are bailing out on finishing the barn, and that's a story in and of itself, but more later. We have bailed out on the River Valley Club, you couldn't pay me to go back there, and somehow we're going to have to excuse ourselves from the Quechee Club swim lessons. J is going to strangle me.

Until the next time, thanks for reading.

We drove Balloon Gary's truck to the rec center and it was fun. The truck is massive, but a great way to go short distances.

Nice Weekend

We had a nice weekend because it involved the things we like most-mainly time spent with family and friends, in that order. At least that's the way I see it. We had a really nice Thanksgiving, and I'm not sure if I talked about it, but we went over to the B's house for desert and spent a really nice evening with them and A's folks. Super nice people, and I really enjoyed just hanging out with them. It's always nice when you meet nice, down to earth people, much like many people out here in our town. Best of all, everyone has fun, because A and C are best friends, though I still wonder about how N fares.

On Friday night I was slated to go out drinking with Paul, but I made a blunder and had to back out because we had planned on going to family skate night at Union Arena and had also planned on going to the store. I ditched the store plans and we went to skate, and it was a blast. The kids had a lot of fun, and I got to make good use, once again, of my LL Bean Bag. Speaking of which, I requested another one for Christmas. It's just the greatest thing, ever.

Skating was fun, I was surprised how long everyone lasted because I was yawning up a storm. In fact, we brushed the kid's teeth assuming they'd crash out on the ride home, but the hung in there, and it worked out well. Best of all, we got to hang out together and skate. Life is good.

We have been slacking big time on our academics, and it's a bit of a downer but nice to take a break from butting heads with them over doing their workbook stuff. And, it spares me from having to come up with lesson plans in History, Health and Science. Then again, putting things like that off make me anxious. Today is Monday and we'll have to get back in the swing of things.

We finally put our snow tires on, and it was actually a nice scene, a sign of life in a small town. I have to go read to N, however, so I've got to finish this later. Until then, thanks for reading.