Sports Update

Update to the Update:

MAVS WIN! Bring on the Spurs/Kings!

Tim Rall had a great outing last night for the Sacramento team...He pitched 2 and 2/3, giving up no runs or hits, and struck out 3. Way to go, Tim!

Please see LarryFeathers in the comments for more sports.

Well, it looks like the Mavs should be moving along to the next series, as they are up 3 games to none against Memphis in the first round. What a game on Saturday! I hope some of you watched it. I almost feel sorry for the Grizzlies after that one. (Their coach looks like the Nazi guy from the Blues Brothers, by the way.) Game four is tonight, and if the Mavs win, they will face either the Spurs or Kings in the next round. Bleach, you should pay attention to the Mavericks, not because of us all, but because they are great, and with the exception of their ridiculous owner, they are a bunch of really good guys. No thugs on this team.

Now for a little news on the Official Minor League Baseball Player of the LRHS, the great Tim Rall: The deceptive Long Island Leftie started off the season in Midland, playing Double-A ball for the Oakland organization. His stats looked really good, and it appears he has been moved up to Triple-A, which is not only a good move baseball-wise, but also location-wise, as Sacramento is about a million times better than Midland. If any of you have ever been to Midland, you know what a horrible place it is, only slightly better than its sister city, Odessa, which may be the worst place in Texas. So I hope Tim gets to stay in California in spite of a rough start. I have gotten all my info from minorleaguebaseball.com, so some of it might be inaccurate or not quite up-to-date. Maybe we can get an update from our reporter in the field, Marty. He is very inside.

The Stars were a real disappointment.

Somehow, the Rangers are in first place in spite of being not very good.

And there is your sports update.

Coming Attractions

Coming soon to the LRHS:

• Hypnosis at the Dallas Palace
• Porch Time
• Rooftop Beatles
• Spotting the Bird
• Sports Update

And, by request, a photo-journal of construction.

But this morning, I have no time to blog. Please check back later...

At Last

Just arrived home to find construction on our addition is FINALLY underway. There is a dumpster on the lawn, and some very exciting-looking noisy trucks digging up dirt out back. Maybe they will let us use some of the dirt to level our back yard so it won't be a swamp next time it rains. Anyway, I am glad Kev isn't here, because I think he would feel a little sad about not getting to drive the cool trucks himself. I bet if they leave the trucks here overnight, Kev will go sit on them. I might even go sit on them myself. They are cool. I took some cokes out to the two workers. I think they appreciated it. I am happy to report that at least for now, we still have TV, so I shouldn't have to miss the Office tonight (which is a new episode, by the way). At some point though, the Dish is gonna have to come down, and unless we find a temporary spot for it, we will be without TV for the duration of the building. That wouldn't be so bad, except the Mavs are in the middle of the play-offs, and I don't want to miss it. I think they really have a shot this year. If they can just get past the Spurs. Ooooh, that Mike Bibby makes me crazy. And don't even get me started on Tim Duncan. Go Mavericks!

PS. Pau Gasol from the Grizzlies looks like he comes from Jesus' time.

Please Leave Alaska Alone

Senate Republicans have proposed giving all American taxpayers a $100 rebate to offset gas prices. Nice, huh? However, attached to this proposal (once again) is opening up the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for drilling. How many times are we gonna have to go through this?

And $100? WOW! THANKS! As if that helps much. That's about 2 tanks of gas in the car I am currently driving. I'll give all the senators $100 to leave Alaska alone and start thinking about legitimate long-term solutions instead of short-term quick fixes with irreversible consequences.

Nothing to Blog About

I have nothing to blog about. I am at work. I have had a cancellation, so I am free for the next 30 minutes. Plenty of time for a blog, that is if I had anything to say. I could blog about the builders at my house, but they haven't bothered to show up yet. I am trying to keep from complaining about the trash men, so I've got nothing there. Even the Rush guy has been quiet. Oh, here is one piece of gossip. The girl who moved into the McMansion across the street just had a baby...a boy named "Jensen Drake." I am glad we are having a girl. Boy names are difficult. Uh...I have been playing the melodica a lot lately. I think the Peanut likes it. She is very still while I am playing, but starts kicking me when I stop. She also has been getting hiccups a lot lately. Um...what else? I hope there is a new episode of The Office this week. It has been reruns for a few weeks. Oh yeah, this Sunday, Kev's office is having another party. You may remember the Christmas Party with the Snake guy. This time, the party is at Southfork Ranch (home of TV's Dallas), and the entertainment will be a hypnotist. I am trying to get Kev to volunteer to be hypnotized, but I don't think he will. I think it would be fun, but I don't think I should volunteer in my condition. Well, that's all I've got. Maybe something interesting will happen soon.

Friday Shout Out

http://www.thetrustmusic.com/home.html

or

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=17232330

Happy birthday to my cousin Jeremy. He is the drummer for a cool band called The Trust, so check them out with the links above.

Defeat

Today I had to make some copies, so I went on an errand to Kinko's. Here is the conversation I had with the Kinko's dude during the small talk and chit chat portion of our transaction:

Kinko's Dude: (Noticing my belly) How many months are you?

Me: I have six weeks to go.

KD: So you must be starting to diet, then.

Me: No, I don't think I am supposed to diet. I am supposed to eat more.

KD: But in the third trimester, you will get a lot bigger.

Me: Yeah, I guess so.

KD: How many kids do you have?

Me: This is my first.

KD: REALLY???!!!

Me: Yes.

KD: This is only your first?

Me: Yes.

KD: Wow! How old are you?

Me: (Shocked silence)

KD: Sorry.

Me: It's OK. I'm 37.

KD: Wow. It's hard to have a baby once you're past 30.

Me: So, how much for the copies?

People Watching, Etc.

On Sunday night, Kev and I decided to go out for a nice Easter desserty treat. Actually, I was craving dessert and wanted a treat, and Kev just went along for the ride. We went to Mockingbird Station. Our favorite gelato shop was closed, so we sat on the balcony of the Trinity Hall pub and ordered a creme brulee (which we split) and some coffee (decaf). There was a nice breeze and there were lots of people-watching opportunities, as there usually are at Mockingbird Station. This time I noticed a sort of alarming trend...men wearing capri pants. I suppose it was only a matter of time. In fact, I think Kev predicted it about two years ago. I tried to picture Kev in capri pants, but I just couldn't. Maybe if it catches on, I'll get used to it, but now I think it just kind of looks weird. If you are a boy, and you have a hot capri pants opinion, please feel free to share.

As I am trying to avoid any and all production of cortisol, I shall refrain from commenting on the 101 degree day we had on Monday.

Today I had a sonogram, so I got to see the baby, which was cool. The first time, she looked like a peanut (hence the name), the second time, an alien, but this time she looked very human. The doctor noticed some hair on the back of her head. I hope she doesn't come out with a mullet.

Mavs play-offs basketball starts this weekend, so that is exciting.

When I was young and still lived at home, whenever we would have pizza delivered, LarryFeathers would make someone else answer the door. Then he would hide around the corner and make goat noises while we paid the dude for the pizza. It was pretty funny. Feel free to try it next time you get delivery.

Dangit

Tom and Katie stole our name.

Just kidding.

I am so tired of celebrities.

Speak of the Devil

Happy Easter, everyone, and I apologize for the inappropriate devil talk on this particular day. But I have the increasingly rare combination of a story to tell and some time to blog, so there you go.

When I first went to the baby doctor last fall, she projected the Peanut's due date as June 9th. There was soon thereafter some joking around with friends about how we hoped she wouldn't be 3 days early, as that would make her birthday 6/6/06, or 666, which is a number often associated with the "beast"(devil). I didn't think too much about it, and laughed it off, as I am not really a supersticious person and think such talk is silly. But then, this past Friday night, we went to the movies (Inside Man is pretty OK, but not great, by the way) and there was a preview that went like this: You see a park on a gray day, and a sort of scary looking dog sitting on the ground minding his own buisiness. Then the camera pans over to a kid on a swing. You see him from behind, and he is wearing a red British-looking prep-school uniform and he is swinging slowly, and the swing is going creak...creak...creak...and then the camera goes around to the front of the boy, who is maybe 5 or 6, and he is just sort of staring off into space, and then he turns and stares VERY creepily into the camera, and the movie announcer voice says something about him being born on 6/6/06, and some scary dramatic music plays. I looked wide-eyed from the screen to Kev to my belly in distress. Then I laughed.

Now, here's the thing. My doctor has recently decided that if the baby doesn't decide to come out on her own beforehand, we are going to induce labor early in the morning of June 5 (like 7:30am). She said on average, it then takes about 12 hours. So as long as the baby arrives before midnight, which I fully expect she will, we will not have to worry about the 666 thing. And frankly, I'm not worried about it anyway. But then today during breakfast, Kev and LarryFeathers were going on and on about trying to get my doctor to change the date, because while they don't buy into such deviltry silliness, other people might, and thus give the Peanut a hard time about her birthday for the rest of her life. I couldn't tell if they were just trying to get me going, or if they were really serious about trying to change the date. Now, I can't very well go in in there and look my doctor in the eye and say, "Well, you see, now we're going to have to alter the plan a little so I don't have a possible devil baby." How embarrassing. And I told this to Kev and Larry, but they kept on insisting I was making a big mistake taking a chance like that. It was a stressful meal.

So, that is my Easter story about the devil.

On a happier note, here is a little song you can sing (if you want) to the tune of the Oscar Mayer balogna song:

Our Peanut has a first name
We think it's pretty swell
Our Peanut has a second name
And that one's nice as well

We'd love to tell you if we could
But we don't really think we shooooooould...
'Cause if we did, it wouldn't be
an S-U-P-R-I-S-E.

Happy Easter everybody!

Saturday Shout Out

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JULIE!!

Hope you have a great day!

Peanut Palace

The Crib (click photos for larger view). The little white cabinet in the corner was built by my grandpa in the 40s. It was used for my dad's diaper storage, and then for mine, and now for the Peanut's.

It didn't take us long to fill the book/toy shelf.

Changing table/ Dresser. Cool bunny rabbit band art from Whitney.

This chair is gonna see a lot of action soon. It glides.

The parents are ready. Especially the one with the belly.

We think poor old Ralph is jealous. We caught him trying to take over...

Waste

So, I just found out I have to get new license plates for my car before I can have a new registration sticker. Apparently, this is something that is supposed to happen every 7 years, and this is my 7th year. Here is my question: WHY? There is nothing wrong with my current license plates. They are in great shape, and I have recently even memorized the number. Now, I will have to get whole new plates with a whole new number, which will probably take me another 7 years to memorize. And what am I supposed to do with my old perfectly good plates? Does the state of Texas plan to recycle them for me? Or will they just go into a landfill somewhere? This may seem kind of trivial, but if you think about it, it is really stupid, and a waste of time and money. Who makes these dumb rules? I need to know where to send my letter...

Happy Anniversary, Kev!

Love,
T.

Serenity Now!

I have just witnessed the garbage men once again hurl my trash bin thoughtlessly onto my lawn, but I am not going to let it bother me today. I am calm and serene. It's all good.

We had a nice weekend. We went to Dallas Blooms at the arboretum on Satruday morning. It was raining, but that was fine. We had a little picnic lunch and walked around looking at the tulips and azaleas. It is beautiful there.

It stopped raining out, and we had dinner on the porch, as well as breakfast on Sunday morning. It is threatening to get hot, so we are enjoying the outdoors while we can. I made a jambalaya, and it turned out good, so I was pretty proud of it. No kitchen disasters this weekend.

Last night we took a walk and saw some bats. I think bats are cool (unless they are flying at my head which happened one night last summer), and I hope they stick around and eat the mosquitos that torment us every year.

On previous recent walks and outings, we have seen unicyclists on parade and a pair of bag-pipers. So you never know what you might see if you go outside and pay attention.

The Peanut is most likely coming nine weeks from today. The final countdown has begun. I hope that will be enough time to pick a name.

Hope you all had a good weekend.

Friday Shout Out

HAPPY
BIRTHDAY
WHITNEY !!

Kitchen Dilemma: Please Advise

I don't really like Chinese food all that much, but every now and then I'll make a stir fry because it is pretty easy, and a good way to get my vegetables. I usually make lemon chicken using a spice packet for the sauce. It's not very good. Last night, I made a chicken stir fry by marinating the chicken in the sauce from the Noh Stir Fry sauce packet, and then used a bottled stir fry sauce from Central Market Asian aisle for cooking. (I use packets and bottles because I don't think I have enough understanding of Chinese food to try to do my own sauce). Anyway, it was very bland, and not at all satisfying to eat. I felt sad after dinner. Dinner time should not make people feel sad. I mean, it'll never be as happy as breakfast time (unless Kev makes eggplant parm or gumbo), but still. Is there a secret to stir fry sauce? Is there a good packet or bottled sauce out there, or do I need to just make my own? Do you have a recipe for a good stir fry sauce? Do any of you know how to make a good Vietnamese coconut curry sauce?

Maybe I should just stick to grilled cheese sandwiches. I almost never mess those up.

Birthday Shout Out

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY GOOD FRIEND SHANNON!

Tulips continued...

So, the tulips are doing well and continuing to grow. More and more are blooming each day, and they are getting taller. I really need to get in there and pull up some weeds, but my belly is in the way and it's hard to get back up once I get down on the ground. I wonder if the Peanut will like gardening.

Nice Try, Marty

Commenting on the last post, the Peanut's Long Island Uncle Marty suggested that I poll the LRHS readership with our name choices. A fine idea, but you see, we ain't tellin'. We've decided to keep the whole thing just between me and Kev until the day she arrives. However, please feel free to make suggestions, as we value and respect all of your opinions. And maybe, just maybe, you'll give us a great idea that we haven't thought of yet. Please don't be offended if we don't comment on your ideas. My parents are (not very subtley) trying to get their hands on any possible clue, so we try not to respond positively or negatively to anything anyone says. Not so much because we are afraid they will guess, (they won't), but because if they start thinking they know what it is, they'll start asking even more questions to try to figure out if they're right. And because it is kinda fun driving them crazy with the fear that we're picking some kind of wacky koo-koo name. Anyway, I reckon no matter what we choose, some of you will like it and some of you won't. But it'll be too late to change our minds by then, and as long as we like it and it fits the baby, that's all that matters.

Since you guys have all been so nice and supportive, here is one little exclusive: She will NOT be named Beula, Bertha, Mildrid, Hortense, Cleopatra, Struedel, or Gladys. So you can go ahead and cross those ones off.

March Madness

It has been a little stressful around here the last couple of weeks, as I have had some minor medical issues to deal with related to the pregnancy. All is well though, and the Peanut and I are both doing just fine. I am feeling good and only have 10 or 12 weeks to go.

On Sautrday morning, the skies opened up, and it rained almost non-stop for 48 hours. We spent most of the weekend on the couch, talking and playing music and reading (I read a whole novel on Saturday!) and it was great. We usually have errands or projects or chores or decisions, but this weekend, we just took it easy. I needed it. By Sunday afternoon, our street was like a river and our backyard was like a swamp. I'll bet there was at least 5 or 6 inches of water covering the back yard. Something went wrong at the lake, and it flooded the surrounding area. It finally stopped raining late Sunday afternoon, and we were stir crazy, so we went to the coffee shop and played canasta for a while. On the way, we saw a few abandoned cars that had been flooded out, and some road blocks set up by police. It was pretty wild, especially by the lake. When we got home, we watched a cheesy Sherlock Holmes movie and had a baby name discussion. It was a very relaxing weekend, not very productive, but relaxing.

The baby naming is quite a difficult thing. The problem is, I have a favorite name that I love but Kev only kinda sorta likes. And Kev has a favorite name that he loves, but I only kinda sorta like. We have a few names that we both like, but they are a few notches down on the list. And we can't put the two names we love together because they don't sound good together. Besides, if we did that, one of us would get stuck with the middle name, and it would disappear into oblivion. No one ever knows your middle name unless you are walking across the stage at some sort of graduation, filling out a form of some kind, or getting in trouble by your parents ("Tallulah Peanut Holt, don't you make me have to stop this car!"). So you could have the coolest middle name ever, and it would just be wasted.

That reminds me of one time when I was a kid and I was going around town with my cousins in my Aunt Sarah's gremlin and my cousin Curt was being bad, so Sarah stopped the car right in the middle of the main drag in our little town and just sat there. It was really embarrassing. When you're a kid, you always think that the stopping the car thing is just an idle threat, but some people actually haul off and do it. And it just seems extra bad in a gremlin for some reason.

Anyway, I went to the library today and got a couple of different baby name books. I intend to sit down tonight, armed with some antibacterial gel and a pen and paper, and look through them. The search goes on!

Today it is beautiful, so I just took a walk around the neighborhood to survey the flood damamge. It isn't too bad really. And I have some very happy tulips in the front yard. It was a little too windy for my liking though, and this did not help my hay-head. I now look like a cross between Roseanne Rosannadanna and that witch from the Bugs Bunny cartoons who loses all the bobby pins when she flies around on her broom.

I wonder if my hair will ever go back to normal.

Friday Shout Out

Happy Birthday to ThatwomaninNewAlbany!

Have fun tonight!

A Peanut Crib for the Peanut

So, there has been a rare flurry of decision-making around our house recently, including picking out (finally) a crib. Here it is. We like it a lot. Kev put it together on Sunday, and I put the sheets and stuff on. The bedding we chose is from Target, and it is called "Peanut" so we couldn't pass it up. If you can't tell from the picture, there are little elephants on the bumper.

Another big decision we have made is that we are moving forward with plans to put an addition on the back of our house. We'll be adding one fairly large room with a big closet. The room will be used as an office / guest room / music room. It is going to create chaos around here for a while, but it will be so great when it's all done. We are hoping it will be finished before the baby arrives, but it's gonna be close. We are pleased with the builder and architect we chose to work with, so far anyway. The architect is named Paul Frank, just like the monkey guy.

In other news, last night I went with my brother and his friend to the Granada to see the great Belle and Sebastian. If you don't know who that is, you ought to go to Amazon or someplace and check them out. They are a band from Scotland, and I will go out on a limb and state that it is not possible to have sad or mad feelings when you listen to their music. They are probably the happiest band to come along since the Housemartins. The opening band, the New Pornographers, were really good too, in spite of their unfortunate name. The show was really good. It was sold out, standing room only, but when I told the nice bartender I was six months pregnant, he went and got me a chair. I couldn't see a thing, but I could hear. Every now and then, I stood up to watch the funny dancing of the Belle and Sebastian guys. So, check them out, especially if you need some happy.

I noticed at the show that the bed-head style for boys is still going strong. Let's go ahead and try to move on from that. There is nothing fashionable about not showering and wearing clothes that are a size or two too small. I have to admit though, that I do sort of like the corduroy blazers.

Meanwhile, I have my own fashion problems. Pregnancy chemicals are really doing a number on my hair, giving it the texture of hay. I intend to stay away from horses, as I don't want to be mistaken for a snack. Plus some of my shoes hurt my feet now because I think my feet are being forced to spread out under the weight of my belly. So, I have hayhead and bigfoot, and I still have about 12 weeks to go. Small price to pay for a peanut, I reckon.

Finally, I noticed that my germophobia has gotten a little out of control. I went to the library the other day, and really got the willies from touching the books. Being obsessive has paid off though, because I haven't been sick in over a year. Hope I didn't just jinx myself.

Gotta get started on my day. More blogs to come...

T's First Tulip

The tulips I planted in February are starting to come up, and a few are blooming already. I hope they will get tall, but even if they don't, I'm just happy they are growing. It was a lot of work to plant them, and it is starting to pay off. Tulips are very cheerful, and the daffodils and hyacinths have already died. Also, new leaves are coming in on the Japanese maple, and the pear trees are flowering. Spring is apparently here.

Foiled by Meat (And Other Sad Tales)

So, the weekend started off pretty good. The weather was beautiful, so after going for coffee, Kev and I went for a walk at the lake. We saw lots of good birds and dogs. Saturday night, I hung out with my brother while Kev went to soccer. Sunday, I washed and put away all the Peanut's clothes, and started trying to organize our new baby accessories. Then, it was time for dinner, so we decided to grill out since the weather was just right for grillin'. I went to the store to get some meat while Kev got the charcoal going. When I got back and started making the burgers, Kev said, "Uh...That is some pretty lean lookin' meat." I said it was 98%. How was I to know you are supposed to grill a fattier ground beef burger? I added some flavorings to the meat and made the patties anyway, and they proceded to fall to pieces on the grill. I was defeated. Kev managed to save some of the meat somehow, and so we ate the salvaged burgers, on English muffins because I forgot the buns at the store. I was forlorn. About 5 minutes into the "meal," Kev said, "Well, the ketchup is good." This at least made me laugh. It was perhaps the worst hamburger I have ever had.

Yesterday was better because I went to see the GREAT Van Morrison, and he did not disappoint me as I was concerned he might. He sounded great, he looked great, and he was backed by a fantastic band. I loved every minute of it, in spite of the over-cologned gentleman in the Hawaiian shirt next to me who kept checking his cell phone and singing the wrong words loudly along with Van. The show began at exactly 7:30 and was over by nine...perfect for people like me who can't stay awake late. Problem was, it took us 45 minutes to get out of the ridiculous parking lot at the Nokia Theater, but I was still home by a little after ten. Early for a rock show.

Today, however, has not started well. I was at the bank asking about home equity and explaining to the pimple-y bank dude about adding a room to the house because we're having a baby. He was making small talk as he led me to his desk, and he said, "So, you're just now...uh, I mean is this your first baby?" Now, I didn't just fall off the turnip truck. I know he was expressing surprise that someone so old was just now having a kid. Stupid bank dude. He started telling me about the two kids he already has, and I was smiling, but I have to admit I was thinking mean thoughts on the inside. Then I went to the grocery store, where the nice cashier asked how my pregnancy was going. She asked if it was my first, and when I said yes, she said, "REALLY? " as if this was the most shocking thing she had heard all week. This all after finding out last week that apparently there has been discussion between people in my family behind my back regarding my need to start using anti-aging facial products. OK, everbody. I have silver hairs. I have some very fine lines under my eyes (from smiling, mind you). I'm old. I get it. But I am 4 days away from my third trimester, and I am hanging on to my groove by a thread, so give me a break.

I have managed to not become completely defeated by asking myself, "What would Mister Rogers say?" And he would say he likes me just the way I am. Thanks, Mister Rogers.

Tula and her Chicks

Coots

When Geese Attack

When Geese Attack II

Belly - By Request

Wednesday Shout Out

Very Happy Birthdays to Bleach and Bean!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have good cousins.

Showers and Thunderstorms

So our visitors from the north have come and gone. The weather was crummy, cold and damp, almost the entire time they were here. On Friday night, there was a huge Texas-style thunderstorm with lightning that shook the house. Normally I love those storms, but this one kept me and most of my guests awake and flooded my back yard. Luckily, the bad weather didn't put too much of a damper on our visit with Kev's family though. We still had a lot of fun, and a lot of good food, including tapas one night, and barbeque another.

On Saturday, there was a baby shower, which was really nice. I was glad we could do it while Kev's mom and sisters were here, and it was cool that they all came down for it. My aunt came from Indiana too, and was a lot of help. In spite of having to be in the spotlight for over two hours, I had a really good time, and I appreciate all the hard work that went into making it so nice. I had some help too...Whitney's girls brought me gift after gift, and helped me open them, which was funny, plus it took some attention away from me. I got a lot of really nice gifts, which I also appreciate, and I think I am just about ready for the peanut to arrive now. I've got everything but a crib and a name.

The only down side to the shower is that, as usual, I felt like I didn't get to talk to everyone enough. I really tried to make the rounds and talk to people, but just like at the wedding, there were some people I barely remember even saying hello to. I'm sure people understand, but I still feel bad.

On Sunday, the sun finally came out, so we got to spend a little time outside. We took the whole crew to the lake, where we fed the coots and ducks, got chased by some geese, and played on the playground with my nephew. After the New York group left, we went to lunch with the Boston people, and actually ate outside. It was lovely.

Yesterday was a perfect day (70) and today it will be 80. You just never know about February in Texas I guess. Good news is, it's March now.

I will try to post some pictures soon.

Revenge of the Nerd

OK, you guys know me well enough to know that I am all talk and no action when it comes to revenge. I would never really declare war on the trash men or insurance people or anyone else. I just get mad, blog about it, and try to move on. All of these minor inconveniences are opportunities for me to practice patience and tolerance. Life is good, and I shouldn't complain.

The Last Straw

Picture me as Yosemite Sam, so mad that my feet lift up off the ground and my hat comes off and floats above my head while steam comes out of my ears.

It's the garbage collectors again. They are my (what's the plural form?) nemesis.

For Christmas, my parents got me a nice big trash bin with a handle and wheels. I can easily roll it out to the curb and back, even when it's full. Our old bin had no wheels, and the handles on the sides that were hard for me to reach because I have short arms, and impossible now because my belly's in the way. If it was full, I had to drag it to the curb which made an awful racket and drew attention to me, which I didn't like, especially because I usually take out the trash in my housepants and hair all disheveled. Anyway, as you know if you read this much, our garbage collectors have a habit of hurling the empty bin in the general direction of the address they got it from, and it often lands in the street or the yard or the driveway . They never, ever place it gently back on the curb where they got it. And today, they broke the handle off my new rolling bin. It cannot be fixed. I am so mad. This means war. How I will wage war on the trash men, I do not know, but I will find a way.

While I'm at it, I might as well wage war on the insurance industry too, but that's another blog...

Some Good News for Visitors from the North

Winter blast is ending...predicted high temp for Thursday is 62.

Sadly, my nice daffodils have hung their heads low. I doubt if they'll recover. There is still some hope for the tulips though.

It was the Best of Times, It was the Worst of Times...

WARNING: This blog will be very long and contain some negativity. But, there will be some happy news, too.

Well, yesterday started off pretty good, because I had lunch in a biergarten with Kev. It was a lovely day, about 75 degrees and sunny. But yesterday turned bad when Kevin's car got smashed. He is OK, but his car is in pretty sad shape. Apparently, as Kev was backing out of his parking space at work, a guy of questionable character in a truck came barrelling around the corner and hit Kev hard enough to spin his car around. Needless to say, Kev is really mad, and sad as well because he loves his car. It is hard for me to relate, because I have no emotional attachment to my car at all. It is just a big blue machine that gets me from point A to point B. But I think Kev is experiencing something similar to grief at the thought that his car may be totalled. And all of this couldn't have come at a worse time, with all the baby expenses and the possibilty of adding a room on to the house. Anyway, I know it could be worse. I am very glad Kev is not hurt, and that me and the Peanut weren't in the car. But it still sucks.

I am going to start an organization if anyone wants to join. It is called P.L.A.I.D. (Pregnant Ladies Against Idiotic Drivers). You certainly don't have to be pregnant or even a lady to join. I just thought it made a nice anagram (is that the right word?). Plus, there are all kinds of potential possibilities for groovy promotional items, including, but not limited to promotional P.L.A.I.D. kilts and promotional P.L.A.I.D. housepants. I have no tolerance for these terrible selfish drivers who speed through parking lots or talk on cell phones or do the crossword or put on makeup or whatever distracting and dangerous thing they are doing. I encourage all of you to be mindful when you are behind the wheel, as you are basically operating a weapon. And you must also be mindful of the others around you who are NOT being mindful, because you never know when you might get plowed into by an idiot. Be careful out there.

On a much happier note, I have received word from the good Dr. Mike Bingham, penguin scientist, that Tula's two chicks are alive and thriving. This is great news. He sent an attached photo, but we think it may have a virus. As soon as we rule that out, I will post the picture on the blog. It is very cute, and I am so happy for Tula and her family.

This weekend, we are probably not doing much, as the NBC 5 team of meteorologists has predicted another winter blast. Amazing. It was about 80 yesterday, and it is about 35 today. We are supposed to have sleet and freezing rain all weekend, and very cold temperatures. No snow, of course. Anyway, I don't mind the wintery weather so much, but I fear it is confusing to the birds and to the bulbs I planted a couple weeks ago. And I was hoping for nice weather next week, because Kev's whole family (with the exception, I am very sad to report, of Marty, who will be greatly missed during this visit) is coming to town for a long weekend.

So everybody have a good weekend, and be careful driving, especially in the winter blast.

Reunion

Yesterday in the mail, I received an announcement I have been expecting regarding my upcoming 20 year high school reunion. I graduated in the good ol' NGHS class of 1986 (go Raiders). I hadn't decided about attending the reunion, but the announcement decided for me. It is being held the weekend before the baby is due, so I can't possibly go. Oh well. I can't say I'm all that disappointed. I still see pretty much all the people from high school that I really care to see. Quite frankly, I was pretty miserable during high school, so it doesn't bring back the best of memories. Mostly, the announcement has just made me feel old. I think I'll go listen to some Duran Duran now.

More from the 70s

http://members.tripod.com/Tiny_Dancer/capital1.mp3

Here is a link to one of my favorite, but infrequently celebrated songs from Sesame Street.

Wait...here's one more:

http://members.tripod.com/Tiny_Dancer/lowercase_n.mp3

Fun with Bad Food

If you are from the 70s like me, the following foods may have been big players during your childhood:

• Spam
• Vienna sausages
• Canned processed "cheese" that you squeeze from a trigger on the can
• Fried bologna

These are foods I have not eaten for many many years, and I don't intend to feed them to the peanut. If I was on Fear Factor and had to eat one of these foods, I would probably choose the cheese (my friend Bryce used to call it "aerosol cheese"), but I wouldn't like it. Also, for some reason, if I wanted a snack when I was little, my grandma would give me a piece of white bread and a bowl of maple syrup to dip it in. Weird. The one bad food I really miss from childhood is sugary cereal. Oh, how I loved my Fruity Pebbles, Coco Puffs, and Honeycomb. I would get up every Saturday and sit within inches of the greatness of the Fat Albert show, with my bowl of cereal and piece of toast. Then I would go outside and play all day long, only coming home long enough for lunch (grilled cheese and tomato soup - mmmmm). I hope the peanut will eat good food, but still play outside a lot and not sit around playing video games and begging for some Chicken McNuggets (tm). I want her to climb trees and jump on a pogo stick and learn to throw a baseball properly.

By the way, we actually have a can of Spam in our pantry. My aunt gave it to Kev for Christmas, along with some Spam recipes. He says he is going to eat it, but we'll see about that.

No Computer Blues

Last weekend, Kev and my dad painted the baby's room a lovely shade of light green while I went to Paris to visit Whitney and Co. That is all good. The room looks really nice and I had a great road trip. Paris is exactly the right distance away for me...it takes about two hours to drive up there, and it's a pretty drive with rolling hills and cows and stuff. So I packed up the car with some good CDs, the Peanut, the monkey, and some pizzalicious pringles and had nice drive and a fun time with Whitney and the girls. Anyway, when I got back, the room was all painted and just about ready to start moving baby furniture in. But the drawback is that we had to empty out the room and unhook the computer/modem and it's been unplugged all week and I haven't been able to blog or check email or anything and I am so desparate that it is Saturday afternoon and I drove all the way to Garland to use my parents incredibly slow dial-up beating of a computer today. I am completely dependent on the internet. I have needed it so many times this week. So I hope we can get the computer at home going again soon, but it may require some rewiring in the attic because the DSL only works from the baby's room at the moment. If you have emailed or commented on the blog and gotten no response from me, that is why. Sorry. I'll put photos of the room on here when I can. So long for now.

Toughest Guys Ever

I have just finished reading a great book called "Endurance" about Ernest Shackleton's Antarctic adventure. Kev got this book for Christmas (or maybe his birthday) and after he read it, he immediately wanted to read it again. He said it was "captivating." So I decided to read it after much inner debate. I like a good adventure story, but Kev warned me that many seals, countless penguins, and even dogs and puppies would lose their lives violently in the book, and I wasn't sure I could take it. Finally, I decided to buck up and just read the thing, and I will tell you what, "captivating" is an understatement. Wow! The men in Shackleton's expedition party are truly the toughest people I have ever read or heard about. These guys almost make Lewis and Clark's adventure look like a cakewalk. I would have lasted about three hours with this group. They lasted something like 15 months. The whole time, they were cold, wet, hungry, thirsty, terribly uncomfortable, and in great peril. My most basic need is to feel safe, and these guys couldn't feel safe for months at a time. So, if you are feeling sorry for yourself about your house problems, or your nocturnal hip-joint pains, or the fact that it is bathroom-cleaning day, then reading this book might give you a whole new perspective. You are warm, dry, well-fed, and hopefully not troubled with piles. And you don't ever ever have to eat seal blubber or penguin steak.

Question

What kinds of cars do President Bush and Laura Bush drive? I would really like to believe that the President means it sincerely when he says it's time to think about oil alternatives, but I think I'm at least gonna need to see him in a Hybrid first. I don't know for sure, but I reckon he's more the Ford F150 type. If he wants a skeptic like me to believe him, maybe he could start by getting a new hydrogen powered presidential limo. All I'm saying is it's a lot of good words, but I'm gonna need to see some action because I'm not really buying any of it. Please, Mr. President, prove me wrong.

Patience

The problem with things like having babies and planting tulips is that you have to wait so dang long for the rewards.

Twenty-One Week Renaissance

Some of you may recall a previous blog entitled "Eleven Week Freak-Out," which described the dark dark days of my first trimester, during which I could not think straight or get anything accomplished, and I was sent to the edge of a break-down because of a poorly arranged spice cabinet.

I am happy to report that now, in my 21st week, things are much much better. I have been given the gift of some sort of Second Trimester Groove Hormone. I no longer seem to be in a mental fog. I've been cooking, and sewing, and doing crafts. I've been getting bills and tax stuff squared away, making phone calls to doctors and hospitals and anesthesiologists, and organizing and filing paperwork. I've been taking walks and going to yoga class. Today, I planted 50 tulip bulbs in my front yard, sustaining only very minor gardening injuries, mostly of the blister variety. I got the bulbs from Kevin as a Christmas gift. They have been sitting patiently in the fridge, pretending it's winter, for the last six weeks. I never have had any luck with tulips, but I am hoping these will grow and bloom nicely.

Unfortunately, the Groove Hormone has arrived at the same time as the Clumsiness Hormone, and I continue to drop things with alarming regularity. But I have been extra careful during my various projects, and the worst that has happened is one broken bowl.

This groove, I fear, is sure to be followed shortly by a meltdown. Kev probably fears this more than I do. He has developed a simulation of me over the years which predicts my behavior with uncanny accuracy, and it tells him the groove never lasts very long. The third trimester may be my downfall. So I intend to get as much done in the next few weeks as possible. I'd better go start on the spice cabinet...

Dear LarryFeathers,

Please blog a new blog. Now that you know the peanut is a girl, how about a new drawing? Or surely you've been to the beauty parlor recently. You could blog about that. Or you could be a good citizen and warn people about that game that made you lose everything on your hard drive. Or something. We like LarryFeathers.

Hey New Albany! Good Show Alert

For those of you in Kentuckiana (or, if you prefer, Indyucky) who like good music, I HIGHLY recommend this show:

The Asylum Street Spankers
2.9.06 Thursday Louisville KY Bomhard Theatre at Kentucky Center for the Arts 8pm 800.775.7777

This is a great band from Austin that is a big inspiration to the PPHPHB. They have a web site if you want to google it. Warning: There will assuredly be cursing and off-color remarks during the show. But there will also be really great music and hilarity. You will have fun.

Setlist.com

Uncle Dave's comment inspired me to do some looking around on the web, and I found a site called setlist.com. The most recent set list for Van Morrison that I could find was for a show back in November. It included the following:

Set 1: The Way Young Lovers Do, This Love Of Mine, They Sold Me Out, Keep Mediocrity At Bay, Magic Time, Jackie Wilson Said, It Once Was My Life, Georgia, Brown Eyed Girl(new latin ersion), Moondance, Stop Drinking, Days Like This, Don’t Worry About A Thing, Sometimes We Cry, Cleaning Windows, Have I Told You Lately(LV version), Precious Time, Help Me, E:Gloria

I can handle something like that. Looks promising. Thanks, Dave.

Weekend Update

1. Tula, my adopted penguin, has hatched two chicks. So far, all is well. Right now, they are very small and fragile, but soon, the good Dr. Mike Bingham will take photos of the chicks to send to me. So, congratulations to Tula. I am very happy for her. Baby penguin photos will be posted immediately when I get them.
2. I purchased tickets to see the great Van Morrison on March 6. My friend john_clarke is going with me. We don't have very good seats, but we will be there. I never thought I'd get the chance to see him, so I am really excited in spite of the concerns listed in the previous blog. I hope he will do at least one song from Astral Weeks.
3. Next weekend I am going to Paris (TX) to see my friend Whitney and her kids. Whitney called today to tell me that Hattie, who is 3 1/2, asked her, "Who is that nice girl that always wears pajamas?" She meant me. It's true, I mostly wear pajamas. But usually only inside the house. It is required for the band.
4. Fun fact: Rain falls at 7 MPH.

What Do I Do? What Do I Do?

I have a dilemma. Van Morrison is coming to town. And I LOVE Van Morrison. I have always wanted to see Van Morrison. His Astral Weeks album is my very most favorite album of all time ever. And as far as I know, he has never been to Dallas, at least not during my fan-dom. So, I should definitely go, right? But here's the thing. What if I go, and he's really really terrible and old and fat and can't sing and only does songs I've never heard? That would be a huge let-down. I would be devastated. Dangit. Well, I think I am going to have to go, because it may be my only chance. Dang. What do I do?

OK...here is some drama for you. The cops just pulled up out front, because, I'm assuming, Rush Knucklehead is at it again. Yep...cop approaching R.K's house...Cop is knocking at door...R.K. can't hear him because guitar is too loud...cop is walking around front yard, looking up at window..."Limelight" solo continues to blare...cop is at door again...no answer...cop wandering around...cop returning to cop car...cop moving car to R.K's driveway...getting out again...music stopped...cop is knocking at wrong door (it's an up-and -own duplex)...should I go tell him...no...R.K's dog out on balcony looking at cop...cop going back to car...cop sitting in car perhaps writing citation?...music still stopped...RK on balcony...spies cop car...goes back in...comes back out...oh no! Cop leaving...maybe he just gave him a warning. Dangit!

I think my neighbor Ron, of Dog Party fame, is the one who called the cops. He told me he has called the cops on him three times before. Clearly, it isn't working. But, at least he seems to have stopped for today. Ah, sweet silence. Now, what do I do about Van Morrison?

Things That Baffle Me

1. People that talk on their cell phones while using public restrooms
2. People that litter
3. People that throw cigarette butts out their car windows during "explosive fire warning" days
4. People that are mean to little kids, old people, or animals
5. People that make stuff up to impress other people
6. People that don't give you a friendly wave after you let them in front of you in traffic
7. People that go hauling a$$ down the median when traffic is slow/stopped on the expressway
8. People that park their shopping carts in the middle of the aisle and just stand there blocking
9. The behavior of my garbage collectors
10. People who don't hold the door open when they know you are right behind them
11. People who don't wash their hands after going to the bathroom, especially in restaurants
12. People who talk on their cell phones in cars or restaurants
13. Other

If I had my own island, Taratopia, all of these things would be grounds for removal from the island. Maybe I'd let people have one warning first, but generally, poor citizenship would not be tolerated. Plus, there would be 4-day work weeks and 3-day weekends, mandatory nap time, and people would have to eat dinner with their families at least 5 times a week. I was going to make the island a Mustard-Free zone, but then Kev wouldn't come and live there with me. There would be no cars because it would be a small enough island to walk or ride a bike everywhere. There might be a trolley. I like trolleys. There would be owls. There would be no Jethro Tull music.

Wednesday Shout Out

Happy Birthday Dad!
You will be a great Grandpa!

Love, T., K., and the P.

Also, a very happy birthday to my friends Heather and Tracy, who have the same birthday as my dad.

The Pirate Ghost

This afternoon when I got home from working at my parents' house, I came in, checked email, put away some groceries, and other stuff. Then I went into the TV room, and noticed that right in the middle of the floor, there was a paper scary pirate mask that was left-over from a birthday party from 13 months ago. There was no reason for this mask to be in the middle of the TV room floor. I certainly didn't put it there, and I didn't remember seeing it before I left the house this morning. I didn't even know we still had it. So I was a little freaked out. I went to the back of the house to check if there were any bad guys or robbers in the bedroom or the bathroom. I checked to make sure the back door was locked. Then I checked to see if the stereo and tv were gone. Everything seemed just as I left it in the morning, with the exception of the scary pirate mask on the floor. So I called Kev at work and asked if he, by any chance, had been wearing the pirate mask last night and then forgotten to put it away, instead, leaving it on the floor. After all, he was up later than me, and who knows what he was up to. He was quite amused, and eventually, after milking my pirate ghost panic for as long as he could, told me it must have fallen out of one of the music books he'd been using. So, there was no pirate ghost (or bad guys or robbers) after all, and I continued with my Tuesday. The remainder of day has been pretty uneventful.

Crash

As predicted, my domestic groove came to a screeching halt during dessert, when I dropped and broke a bowl whilst serving ice cream. Luckily, I dropped it before I put any ice cream in it. It would have been a shame for any ice cream to go to waste.

Question: Does being pregnant make you clumsy? I keep dropping stuff. I hope I don't fall down.

Domestic Sunday

I have just finished making the first dress for the Peanut. I think it turned out pretty good, and I'd like to have one for myself. It is supposed to have a ruffle at the bottom, but I put in on backwards, so I just cut it off and did a straight hem. Next time, I will be more careful pinning on the ruffle. Things were going well, and I guess I got cocky. While sewing, I also put a brisket in the oven because my family is coming over for dinner to celebrate my dad's birthday. So it appears, at least for today, I am in a domestic groove. It is sure to be short-lived. I better take advantage of it and go clean something.

Meanwhile, Kev is practicing his trumpet. He is really getting good. I heard a very admirable attempt at some Squirrel Nut Zippers a minute ago. Now he is playing Taps. That always means trumpet practice is coming to a close. He must be having lip fatigue.

Best news of the day: It is FINALLY raining in Texas.

Perhaps I spoke too soon...

I am presently being treated to a late-morning performance by none other than the Rush Knucklehead. Fortunately, most of his loud obnoxious over-guitaring is being drowned out by construction noise. It is surprising that construction noise could possibly ever be preferable to anything, but in this case, it is. Keep those power saws going, fellas!

Belly

When I am transferring laundry from the washer to the dryer, I can no longer approach the washing machine head-on, but I have to come at it sideways because my belly is in the way. I think that's funny.

The Naked Running Man

One morning when I lived in my old apartment, the one with all the elderlies, I decided to walk down to Benny's Bagels for a breakfast sandwich, some coffee, and a newspaper. I used to go to Benny's a lot, because the bagels are pretty decent there, and because the guy who works there is nice. We don't know his name, we just call him Chef because he looks like Chef on Southpark. He is also the lowest of all low talkers in the histrory of low talkers. He makes Kev seem like a real loudmouth. Chef's mouth moves, but all that seems to come out is a low-frequency series of grumbly sounds. We learned quickly that we have to be very clear when placing our order with Chef, because if he has any questions, we won't know what he's asking. Anyway, I don't go there much anymore, because one day I was sitting at the bar by the window and I saw some ants. I don't care for ants, especially when they are near my food. But on this day, there were no ants, so I enjoyed my sandwich, coffee, paper, and visit with Chef, and headed home happy.

For some reason, I took a different route home than usual. I decided to walk up La Vista, which is a sort of busy street with mansions and stuff to look at. As I was walking, I noticed that a girl was walking toward me on the other side of La Vista, kinda by Swiss Ave, if you know the neighborhood. She was wearing a black t-shirt dress, which reminded me of high school. It got me to thinking about how during our junior year, a couple of times a week, Mrs. Harper, our first period Bible as Literature teacher, would parade my friend Whitney out into the hall and make her stand with her arms at her sides to see if her fingertips went beyond the bottom of her t-shirt dress or mini skirt. Inevitably, Whitney, who was lucky enough to be tall with long arms and fingers, would be sent home to change, while the rest of us discussed the literary merit of Jesus' parables, or somesuch. If I had been wearing the same thing, my fingertips wouldn't have come near the bottom, and I'd have had to stay. No danger of that, though. I pretty much only wore jeans and concert shirts that year.

So anyway, as I was thinking of poor Mrs. Harper, I started to notice that something about the girl across the street didn't look quite right. She looked very beaten down and forlorn, as if she'd had a really bad night the night before. Then, on closer inspection, I saw that she wasn't a girl at all. She was a dude! In a dress!. Now, this was too much.

By now, the dude in the dress was approaching the car wash, where a girl was spraying her car. I was just about directly across the street. Suddenly, the dude grabbed his dress at the bottom, and pulled it up over his head and took it off, and underneath he was COMPLETELY naked. All he was wearing now was some black tennis shoes, which he used to run down the alley behind the carwash, never to be seen again, at least by me. And thank goodness for that! It was quite a shocking sight on that nice sunny Saturday morning.

Anyway, then I saw some people a few houses up. They were having a garage sale, and they had a little kid, so I went and told them to keep an eye out because there was a naked man running around. And then I went home and probably called Kev.

I hope I haven't told this story before. I am starting to forget what I've already blogged. Have a good weekend, and watch out for streakers.

Weird

I just got home from Central Market, and when I got out of the car, noticed that my neighborhood smells like buttered popcorn.

My Bacon Number

Fun Fact:
I am no more than four degrees from Kevin Bacon. My friend Gordon was in a movie called Schtickmen with this dude named Oliver, who was in a movie with Laura Linney, who was in a movie with Kevin Bacon. And if the Oliver dude is the same Oliver dude I think he is, I've met him a few times before, which would put my Bacon number at three.

UPDATE: My Bacon number = 3. Just googled Oliver Tull, it's the same dude. I once played Smashball with Oliver in Teitze Park at a Shannon and Troy picnic.

Fun with Sewing

So, the other day, Kev told me I should make something for the baby. I was going to crochet something, but my crochet skills are pretty limited. Then, I was going to go to the cool MAKE store from previous blogs, because I saw they had classes on to make crib sets, but now they don't have those classes anymore, so I am going to take a screen-printing class, but that's another story. Anyway, today, I went to the fabric store to look for something to make for the baby, and I found this inexpensive and easy pattern for a little shirt-dress and jeans combo. I bought enough fabric to make 4 shirts (one for 9 months and three for 12 months), and two jeans (one for 9 months and one for 12 months). For the shirts, I got two groovy floral 60s-looking prints, one print with little duckies, and one with a sort of western paisley print. I am so excited. I wanted a monkey print, but I couldn't find one.

I also saw lots of patterns for baby-room accessories, so after we figure out our decor, I may go back and get one of those.

I hope I don't have any sewing disasters. Last night, I almost had a cooking disaster. I made some beef and barley soup, which was pretty tasty. The left-overs were designated for tonight's pot-pies, but as I was pouring the soup from the pot to the tupperware container, the handle slipped and I dropped the pot. There was soup all over the floor, and we were expecting company in 10 minutes. Luckily, I caught the pot and saved most of the soup, and Kev was there to clean up the floor. But it could have been bad. I typically don't handle cooking disasters very well.

I went to the prenatal yoga class at the hospital fitness center the other night. It was so great. I felt like a noodle after it was over. I wish I could go every day.

That's about it. Sorry this blog is boring and mommy-intensive. Next time, maybe I will blog about the completely naked man who ran down the street one day.

Nothing to Blog About

After winning the Dread Pirate (tm) and finding out the Peanut is a girl, the rest of the week has seemed pretty uneventful. I can't think of anything really blogworthy to blog a blog about. The constant battle with our trash collectors must be getting old to you guys by now. Let's see...

Oh. Yesterday, a complex of condos where I used to live caught on fire. It was a six-alarmer, and over 100 people are homeless now. I couldn't tell on the news if my old building was involved, but the whole thing is freaking me out a little. I lived there for a long time. Luckily, it seems no one was hurt, although one lady may have lost her cat, which is horrible. Especially if it turns out the fire was caused by someone being irresponsible and careless.
I lived in some apartments before I married Kev which were mostly occupied by the elderly. I was in constant fear that one of them would fall asleep (or worse) with a lit cigarette and burn us all up. The one exception to the elderly, was a younger girl that lived right upstairs from me. She was stompy. But the worst part was that every Friday and Saturday night, she went out, and that meant going through her pre-going-out ritual, which involved stomping even more while listening to either Journey's Greatest Hits or (good grief) Huey Lewis and the News at top volume. I'm glad I don't live there anymore. It's quieter here, and there's no one to burn us up with their careless smoking habits. Even the Rush Knucklehead has been quiet lately. Last time I heard him was on a Sunday morning at about 8:30. It lasted about 5 minutes, and my guess is somebody finally told him to knock it off. Haven't heard a Canadian Power Anthem since.

Well, maybe something interesting will happen this weekend. There is potential baby accessory shopping, which could lead to a bloggable tale or two.

PPHPHB Story

We sent a copy of PPHPHB Vol.3 to my friend Tracy in San Antonio. She was listening to it while she was driving her 4th grade son, Shane, to school. When Blue Christmas came on, Shane said, "Is THAT Kevin?" and Tracy said, "No, that's Kevin's dad." And Shane said, "Elvis is Kevin's dad???!"

Heh heh.

And the Winner is...

So, apparently, Marty owes Kim one movie with popcorn and candy and a drink, because as most of you know by now, we found out this morning that the Peanut is in fact a Peanutess. The even better news is that she is doing well and growing just like she is supposed to and everything is where it should be. We are very pleased and excited (and relieved). And an added bonus is that we have been having a MUCH easier time thinking of girl names than boy names, so that decision should be a little less complicated. Alas, no Ramekin or Plaul.

We got to bring home a video of the whole sonogram. Modern technology is pretty amazing, I tell you what. The baby was squirming around all over the place, but the doctor managed to find everything he was looking for. They told us the baby has long legs, so maybe she will be nice and tall like Kev, and play soccer too, since she is so kicky. It's gonna be a long time until June. Don't know if I can stand the wait.

By the way - thanks for all the input on the baby accessories poll. It is really helpful.

I am anxious to hear which movie Kim will choose...

Quick unrelated note to Kim and Marty - we made popcorn and it was good.

Oh, I Almost Forgot...

to tell you guys that on Saturday, I beat Kev and LarryFeathers at the Dread Pirate (TM) game, even though they kept making fun of me and calling me the Whiney Pirate, and even though I have generally poor Pirating skills. Aarghhh.

January

Yesterday when it was January 6, Kev and I went to White Rock lake to take a short walk and look at good birds like pelicans and cormorants and ducks and night herons. While we were there, I got HOT, and then we got ice cream from the ice cream man (Fudge-Banana Bomb Pop!). People were flying kites and racing their sailboats. Did I mention it was JANUARY?

I told Kev it must be good to be the ice cream man, because everywhere you go, happy people come running toward you, smiling and waving money. But Kev reminded me that if you are the ice cream man, you have to listen to the ice cream man theme song ALL DAY LONG. That would be a beating. I think maybe the ice cream man union should lobby for getting some new songs so they can have variety, and thus be happier and more productive.

Monday Informal Poll

Hello, and this is for people with kids. Kev and I are about to have to start shopping for baby accessories, and I would like to know what you think are the top 5 things we MUST have, as well as the things you think are a waste of money and completely unnecessary. We know we have to have a crib/changing table and clothes and stuff. But I am talking about all the extra stuff they (the baby industry) make you think you have to buy. Thanks for the help!

PS. Please don't say we don't need a baby monitor, because Kev is AGAINST baby monitors and I am FOR baby monitors, and if you say we don't need one, Kev will say,"SEE! I told you we don't need a baby monitor," and then I'll really have my work cut out for me trying to get one. Thanks.

Gosh!

Do you like Napolean Dynamite and his best friend Pedro? Then you will like their commercials for the Utah State Fair by following this link:
http://jakehilton.com/2005/09/02/napoleon-dynamite-videos

There are three videos and five audio clips. My favorite is the last one, Pedro's song. Pedro has rhyming skills. Thanks to Larry for sending these to me.

Dream Theater*

My dreams tend to be about one of two things. Either I dream of some kind of disasterous attempt to get from Point A to Point B, like being in an elevator when the cable breaks, or being on a plane that is crashing; or I dream about wildlife, often in peril, sometimes not. Over the past few months, I have had several, like at least 6 or 7, dreams about seeing an owl in the wild, and then running around excitedly telling people, "I have finally seen a real owl in the wild!," only to wake up and be sad that it's not true.
Even though it is usually not very interesting to hear about other people's dreams, I am going to blog about the one I had last night because it is all I can think of to blog about today, and you guys are probably kinda sick of Christmas Talk and Peanut Talk. So last night, I had this dream that I was suddenly back in 1997 or 1998 or sometime around there...late 90s. Anyway, so I had to decide what to do since I knew the future, and suddenly I thought, "I must save Peter Jennings!" So I decided I would go to Peter Jennings and tell him to go to the doctor and have his lungs checked, and tell him that whatever he did, not to start smoking again after September 11. Then Dream Tara thought, hey, wait a minute...September 11, I can STOP September 11! So in my dream I was urgently trying to come up with a plan for how to save Peter Jennings, and then get people to believe me about September 11, and then I woke up and had to go to the bathroom, which has become a thrice-nightly occurence (please somebody tell me my bladder will go back to normal after the baby comes). Then when I got back to bed, I started thinking about how of all things I could change, the first thing I thought of was Peter Jennings, and then I thought about in just those few years between 1998 and now, how many bad things could have been stopped, or people could have been saved from like the tsunami and Katrina, and so forth. And this kept me awake for a while, but I finally went back to sleep until the next time I had to go to the bathroom. I think I'd rather dream of owls.

* Dream Theater is a really terrible band that you might like if you are into Rush and Queensryche, but feel like listening to something harder. Dude. They probably actually spell "theater" with an -re, like theatre.

Three Reasons to be Happy Today

1. Texas beat USC. Woo-hoo!
2. John Stewart will host the Oscars (Chris Rock = Not Funny)
3. The Office is back tonight.

Final Week of Mystery

One week from today, Kev and I get to find out if the Peanut is a boy or a girl. So if you were planning to wager, you better get your bets in quick-like, because it won't be long until the mystery is solved. I can't wait.

Whatever it is, it has started doing a little kick-boxing routine, which is nice and kinda tickles. I am pretty sure this was brought on by Kev's delicious New Year's Gumbo.

I hope all y'all are off to a good start in 2006. Happy New Year!

Part 6 - Meet George Jetson, His Boy Satchmo?

I have spent the morning putting away Christmas. I usually feel very sad on Christmas-Tree-Putting-Away-Day, and have post holiday let-down. But this year, I have a lot to keep me busy and a lot to look forward to, so I feel pretty OK about it. Anyway, I thought since Christmas is put away, I better finish up How I Spent My Christmas Vacation once and for all. I shall try to be brief.

When December 26 rolls around, the fun is over for most people, but not us, because that day is Kev's birthday. This year, I got him a trumpet, and I'll be a monkey's uncle if he isn't already getting pretty good at it. The initial honking has decreased tremendously, and yesterday, I overheard him (how could I help but overhear him?!) playing a pretty good likeness of "Come Back to Sorrento." So, I am pleased that he likes his trumpet and that he is making such a real effort to learn to play it. I am hoping that if he puts his mute on, it will be quiet enough for a trumpet/melodica duet.

Kev's dad had been just about to explode with excitement for Kev to open the birthday gift from him. He gets more excited about Christmas and birthdays than anyone I know. So we didn't know what to expect, except that it was most likely something futuristic. And indeed it was! We were pleasantly surprised when Kev opened a small camera which attaches to your computer so you can have video conferences with others who also have cameras. It is just like on the Jetsons. Below, you can see us talking to Kim and Marty, all the way in L.I.N.Y. (Kev's sisters each got one too). These things are great. It is so much more like a real visit than a phone call. We used it to talk to the whole family on Kev's birthday, and it was almost like being right there at the house. We got to see everybody, including the dogs, and show them our Christmas toys. It will be great when the baby comes. There are a couple of small issues, like people talking at the same time, and occasional computer glitches that freeze people on the screen. But overall, it is really cool. And there is an endless amount of silly camera schtick, like fake-walking-down-the-steps and crashing the Starship Enterprise camera angles, etc. that you can do when you run out of stuff to talk about. Everybody should get one of these, especially if you have out-of-town friends and family.
I don't know if I have mentioned the ridiculous unseasonably warm weather we are having. But I guess if it isn't going to snow for Christmas, it might as well go ahead and be sunny and 72 so that we can grill out and have birthday picnics in December. Since I can't bowl at the moment, Kev decided he wanted to have a birthday steak. So he grilled one, and a hamburger for me, and we ate in the back yard. It was really nice to spend the afternoon outside.
So, overall, I think Kev had a pretty good birthday and Christmas in spite of being so far from home and not having any snow. And THAT is how I spent my Christmas Vacation. The end.

Part 5 - Christmas Goes on...

Christmas Eve continued with a great giant dinner at my parents' house. It was some good eats, just like Thanksgiving. After dinner, we played the Dread Pirate(TM) game with my dad and LarryFeathers. It is a really cool game where you get to have a pirate ship and sail around having skirmishes with other pirates and invading islands and collecting jewels and doubloons. I was a pretty terrible pirate, and by that I mean weak and inefficient. I lost all my skirmishes and most of my invasions were complete failures. Sometimes, it is possible to become the Dread Pirate, which is good because you get special priviliges and extra treasures. Kev was the dread pirate for most of the game, and he ended up winning (as usual). I don't know if I would like being the Dread Pirate, because everyone gangs up on you, and I would probably take it personally. Anyway, it is a really fun game, and I want to play again because we didn't even get to use hostages and mutinies and other interesting rules.

On Christmas morning, we went back to my parents' house for Christmas breakfast tacos (mmm...) and more gifts. My family got us lots of nice things, some for us and some for the baby, including several things called "receiving blankets" which I got laughed at for asking what do you do with these? Apparently, you use them to wrap your baby up like a human burrito, which keeps them calm and happy. I am glad I don't have to be wrapped up in one of these blankets, as I like to be able to move my arms and legs about at will. But they are very very soft, and some have little ducks on them, and I do like that. LarryFeathers gave us a nice bird clock and some money to start a college fund for the baby, which was really cool. After gifts, we all watched Napolean Dynamite, which may have confused my parents, then ate more food, and then Kev and I went home. It was a very nice day. Thanks to everyone for the nice gifts.

Coming up next...Birthday Fun for K...

Penguin Update

Here is a photo I received today of Tula, my adopted penguin, in her burrow on Isla Magdalena off the coast of Chile. The good Dr. Bingham informed me via email that the penguins there have finished laying their eggs, which should hatch in 40 days, at which point I will hear from him again. I also got a map to her burrow and a photo of her colony. This is so cool. Tula looks like a very nice and serene little penguin.