Saturday, May 30, 2009
Moving Night
The sellers are moving out during the day today; we're loading up a van to move the bulk of our stuff into our new-to-us house tomorrow.
But tonight we'll move a few boxes, fragile stuff we don't trust to the back of the van.
Good Times.
But tonight we'll move a few boxes, fragile stuff we don't trust to the back of the van.
Good Times.
Labels: Good Times, Home
Saturday, May 09, 2009
Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and the Wind ... Sweepin' Down the Plain
Went to two new places today. Well, new to us at least.
Started the morning by stepping back in time at the Scarborough Faire Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie. Good times. Good bird of prey show and kid-friendly swordmaster duel show, and the joust was OK. Fun parade. Phil and I got swords (2-foot long padded sticks) and did some archery. Phil also played a couple games of "skill," spearing the brass ring first try on the kiddie joust, did not so well with the ping pong-ball crossbows. All in all, a fun six hours in the Sixteenth Century. (Thanks Jennifer for the tix!)
On the way home we decided what-the-heck and drove on up into Oklahoma. No reason. Drove in three or four miles, turned around and headed back home. Still, 'nother state I've been to. Here's the current map.
Started the morning by stepping back in time at the Scarborough Faire Renaissance Festival in Waxahachie. Good times. Good bird of prey show and kid-friendly swordmaster duel show, and the joust was OK. Fun parade. Phil and I got swords (2-foot long padded sticks) and did some archery. Phil also played a couple games of "skill," spearing the brass ring first try on the kiddie joust, did not so well with the ping pong-ball crossbows. All in all, a fun six hours in the Sixteenth Century. (Thanks Jennifer for the tix!)
On the way home we decided what-the-heck and drove on up into Oklahoma. No reason. Drove in three or four miles, turned around and headed back home. Still, 'nother state I've been to. Here's the current map.
Labels: Family, Good Times, Stats
Monday, October 20, 2008
(Not Quite) Free, At Last!
But at least under $50 for a tank of gas. Sixteen gallons at $2.559: $41 and change.
Good times.
Good times.
Labels: Good Times
Saturday, October 11, 2008
It's a Small (and Creepy) World
Just read this post over at Mark Bertrand's "Write About Now" blog: There's a Story All Right.
Flashback eighteen years ago: Dina and I were still living in Sunnyvale, taking our annual Thanksgiving trip to Eugene, Ore. We're halfway through the Cascades, near Mount Shasta, snow all around, though thankfully the roads aren't icy. Our bladders are full and the roadsigns give no hope of rest stop any time soon. Then we come upon a gas station/bar/store in the middle of nowhere. Ever the gent, I let Dina use the facilities first. She comes out with a strange look on her face, which in my haste to push past her, I take for relief.
Nope. Clawfoot bathtub complete with half-dressed mannequin. I think she had on less than the picture at Mark's site and was more slumped in the tub (it was the middle of night, so she was probably (un)dressed for bed). Same sketchy guy at the bar when I came out, though.
I've almost forgiven Dina for not saying anything about the surprise in the bath ... but, yeah, there's definitely a story.
Flashback eighteen years ago: Dina and I were still living in Sunnyvale, taking our annual Thanksgiving trip to Eugene, Ore. We're halfway through the Cascades, near Mount Shasta, snow all around, though thankfully the roads aren't icy. Our bladders are full and the roadsigns give no hope of rest stop any time soon. Then we come upon a gas station/bar/store in the middle of nowhere. Ever the gent, I let Dina use the facilities first. She comes out with a strange look on her face, which in my haste to push past her, I take for relief.
Nope. Clawfoot bathtub complete with half-dressed mannequin. I think she had on less than the picture at Mark's site and was more slumped in the tub (it was the middle of night, so she was probably (un)dressed for bed). Same sketchy guy at the bar when I came out, though.
I've almost forgiven Dina for not saying anything about the surprise in the bath ... but, yeah, there's definitely a story.
Labels: Friends, Good Times
Monday, August 20, 2007
Liberry Daze
We took Phil to the Richardson public library this evening. His first visit to a library other than the one at his grade school. Yes, he was most excited by the free Internet. But we picked up some books, too.
Good times.
- Cam Jansen and the Mystery of the U.F.O. by David A. Adler
- The Day the Spaceship Landed by Beman Lord
- The Spaceship Returns by Beman Lord
Good times.
Labels: Good Times
Sunday, April 01, 2007
No Foolin #1
Story submission #5 (title: In R'lyeh, Jesus Walks) went off to meet it's fate this morning. Technically it's #8 because of the couple shorts I've subbed to the Wittenburg newsletter and the double-sub of story #4 to another venue. But on the earlier schedule, this piece was #5.
Here it is beginning of April and I'm at about the same point submission-wise as I was at the end of last year.
Got a boatload of work to do before the 15th (one story due the 10th, the other mid-month--looks like the Baen one will be a no-go unless I double-sub a story for that, too). Not to mention the actual finding of actual work-work.
Good times.
Here it is beginning of April and I'm at about the same point submission-wise as I was at the end of last year.
Got a boatload of work to do before the 15th (one story due the 10th, the other mid-month--looks like the Baen one will be a no-go unless I double-sub a story for that, too). Not to mention the actual finding of actual work-work.
Good times.
Labels: Good Times, Writing
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
A Hole in None
Phil had a visit to the dentist this morning: six-month cleaning and check-up. Got to wear a funky mouthpiece full of minty fluoride foam, which was new for him. Two sets of x-rays 'cause the processor ate the first set. (I'm hoping the extra radiation will give him superpowers, ultra-roomcleaning would be nice.)
Long story short? No cavities! Yay!
He also got to run through his comedy act which consists of these riddles:
Phil put on two shows. A matinee for the hygienist and the full-act (including the third riddle) for the dentist. (The hygienst stayed for the second show, too.)
Yeah, good times all around.
Long story short? No cavities! Yay!
He also got to run through his comedy act which consists of these riddles:
What did the baby porcupine say to the cactus?
Why did the piece of toast go to the doctor?
Why did the left hand go to the doctor?
(Put your best guess(es) in the comments.)
Phil put on two shows. A matinee for the hygienist and the full-act (including the third riddle) for the dentist. (The hygienst stayed for the second show, too.)
Yeah, good times all around.
Labels: Good Times, Philisms
Thursday, January 11, 2007
Joys of Fatherhood
This morning, around 6:30, after the Snow Day had been called, I crawled into Phil's bed with him. (He usually gets up around this time and crawls in our bed with Dina while I get myself ready to get him ready for school...) Phil woke halfway up for the "no school" announcement, then laced his fingers through mine and drifted back to sleep,
It was nice, lying there, him holding my hand, me listening to him breathe. <sigh>
Then he yawned and stretched and hit me in the face.
Good times.
It was nice, lying there, him holding my hand, me listening to him breathe. <sigh>
Then he yawned and stretched and hit me in the face.
Good times.
Labels: Good Times
Monday, December 18, 2006
That Makes One of Us
Phil's school did a health screening at the beginning of November, and the results arrived in the mail today. The boy has 20/20 vision (20/25 in the right eye ... some kind of mutant power, I'm sure). Body-mass index is 16.8, which puts him in the 80th BMI-for-Age percentile; that's "within normal limits" up to the 84th. Dental exam showed no worries.
Normal blood pressure (something, for a change, Dina and I also have). A big relief as when he does the pressure-cuff machine at the store it registers off the chart and no pulse. Put down the crucifix and the silver bullets Mr. Pharmacist-Man, the boy's okay.
Height: 3'10"; weight: 50.5 lbs.
No scoliosis test until the 5th grade. Aaaah, the old scoliosis test. Good times.
Normal blood pressure (something, for a change, Dina and I also have). A big relief as when he does the pressure-cuff machine at the store it registers off the chart and no pulse. Put down the crucifix and the silver bullets Mr. Pharmacist-Man, the boy's okay.
Height: 3'10"; weight: 50.5 lbs.
No scoliosis test until the 5th grade. Aaaah, the old scoliosis test. Good times.
Labels: first grade, Good Times
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
Chatty Me
Meant to blog on this yesterday, but got so caught up in a multi-hour chat session I forgot. Should you have Yahoo! Messenger (Yahoo's chat service) and want to chat sometime, my user-ID is ctmikesell.
I've never been much into chat before, but since Google added it to the Gmail service I've been warming to it. Last night there were seven of us conferencing on YM right before I had to leave the party and watch House (enough with Tritter already!). The cross-conversations with that many people can be headache inducing, but also a lot of fun -- for instance, when one conversation's comment is immediately followed by a response from another conversation to humorous effect.
So let's chat. I check in several times a day to see if anyone I know is lurking; add me to your list and send me an invite and I might find you next time I'm on. And I'll try to keep the "taffy taffy taffy" comments to a minimum.
I've never been much into chat before, but since Google added it to the Gmail service I've been warming to it. Last night there were seven of us conferencing on YM right before I had to leave the party and watch House (enough with Tritter already!). The cross-conversations with that many people can be headache inducing, but also a lot of fun -- for instance, when one conversation's comment is immediately followed by a response from another conversation to humorous effect.
C: Happy birthday, Zoe!
M: That's what my son said while I was doing laundry.
C: Your son wished the laundry a happy Zoe birthday?-- end scene --
So let's chat. I check in several times a day to see if anyone I know is lurking; add me to your list and send me an invite and I might find you next time I'm on. And I'll try to keep the "taffy taffy taffy" comments to a minimum.
Labels: Friends, Good Times
Friday, October 13, 2006
While the Wife's Away
Dina's gone 'til Tuesday (that's "until Tuesday," not the '80s band). Phil and I just spent five minutes making fake barfing noises at each other.
Good times.
Good times.
Labels: Good Times
