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I've revealed what c8's name is for Grandpa. Well, yesterday she started using a familiar one for cs. She called her, Toots, which is FSIL's name for cs.
…hmmmm, which makes me wonder…if c8 has heard that name from FSIL for cs, what name has she been hearing from him for Grandpa?
As part of her birthday, Bird received two tickets to the opera Madame Butterfly for tomorrow night. Her lucky escort will be her spouse, FSIL.
It's my understanding that, It ain't over (all 3 hours) until the fat lady sings.
PS: They tend to frown upon those that text message and watch ESPN sports on their cell phones during the performance.
Keeping in touch, True North Academy has gotten in step with the dropping stock market, falling 401Ks and hard economical times by changing their name — Gone South School of Hardknocks.
Ten years ago: I was beginning my numismatistic adventures – the 50 state Quarter program had begun. Not a gray hair was in sight.
Five years ago: I crossed over the half-century mark and looking forward to 50 more.
One year ago (plus a bit): I lost two daughters, but gained two FSILs – now the gray hairs are in abundance. Continuing my numismatistical ways I joined Where's George? and have found peace, joy, and happiness knowing where my dollars are traveling.
3 days ago: Was actually the day before the 4th, so I was at work doing what I do, to bring home the bacon. When I got home we had another family discussion about Swedish ancestry.
Yesterday: Was a day of rest to get ready for the day of rest and I watched/tended c8 for at least a good 2 hours…or more!
Today: I'm looking forward to Babette's feast of the week.
First thing, we caught the subway and went down for a ride on the Staten Island Ferry to see the Statue of Liberty. Great ride! Very patriotic feelings. Stopped at Wall St and the New York Stock Exchange to give/get some tips (these photos are for you, FSIL & FSIL II—my future financial geniuses.) Over to Ground Zero. Hopped back on the subway and stopped at Grand Central Station. It was worth it. You could spend a day exploring in there. Very impressive. Caught a bus tour to Uptown that went through Harlem. (cs felt a minority.) Got a picture of the Seinfeld Soup Nazi store along the way. Look quick and you'll also see the Angel Moroni in the right-hand corner of one of the pics. On to some cultural refinement (not) at The Cloisters. (How many tapestries of a Unicorn, medieval paintings and carvings can one take in an afternoon or a lifetime for that matter?) Back on the subway to connect with Syd and Penee at ChinaTown on Canal Street to shop for "random cheap bargains".
A New York Movie
Starring The Big Apple and Co-starring ld
Yesterday, at 5:30 a.m. the phone rang. It was Bird asking for some help. She had been up all night with c8 and needed to get some sleep. She was asking for cs to come down and help tend because FSIL was going to work and she needed to get some sleep.
So cs said, Yes and volunteered me! I was glad to get to spend some time with c8. I wasn't so glad to get the "mothering" lecture for 15 minutes before I was released to go.
Don't pound on her when you burp her. Remember gentle taps. If you can hear your fingers tapping then that is too hard. You're not pounding on a drum. (Right, like I'm going to pound Iron Butterfly's drum solo of In-A-Gadda-Diva on my grandkid's back.)
Keep her upright for 15 minutes after you feed her. Don't let the bottle drain too fast. Give it to her for a minute then pull it away. Yada, yada, yada.
c8 and I had a great time bonding for half-a-day. (She told me that I was a "natural").
She's here! And great timing too. C8 born on the 8th in 2008.
Arrived @ 09:52 a.m. Too bad for the rest of you because I won the prize. (Closest time without going over. I'll let you know what the secret ingredient was.)
5 lbs 15 oz
17.5 inches
Congratulations to Bird and FSIL…good job!
Question of the day: Dad, how long before the wrinkles disappear?
Not certain whether the reference was to C8 or me.
FSIL II got indoctrinated into the family way of playing board games last night with a rousing game of Balderdash.
Everything was going as usual with each of the players knowing beforehand which were cs' and FSIL's answers. (cs' replies were 15 sentences long and FSIL's had something to do with either a Mayan tool or the colonial period.) The two of them were neck to neck in a dead heat for last place.
But the coup de grâce came when a certain person (who was in the lead) got caught cheating.
The question: Who was Ruth Wakefield?
I was the monitor. The answers came in one by one. I was puzzled because one had the correct answer: The inventor of toll house (chocolate chip) cookies.
After I read the choices out loud, in unison they said that there were only 4 choices and that there should be 5. I stated that someone had gotten the answer correct.
Suddenly, Bird threw out an accusitory finger at FSIL II. You were cheating! (Never underestimate the wrath of a pregnant woman.)
He was caught with his Blackberry at his side and Betty on the couch text-messaging the answer to him after she had googled it on the internet. (Megs was supposedly not able to play because she was busy writing a paper for a homework assignment.)
He started stuttering and stammering, but Bird assured him that cheating wasn't his crime. When it comes to playing family games, it's a given that everyone will cheat to win. No, your crime was that you got caught doing it.
FSIL demonstrated playing his with his nose the other night. Here's a higher aspiration for him to achieve.
I need to buy this book, because I'm certain (beyond a shadow of a doubt) that cs was the number one contributor! We are forever finding lists that are written in random order (i.e. shopping lists, to do lists, random thoughts lists, etc.) on the back of envelopes, scraps of paper, and other assorted items. FSIL can be my witness. He was given a list to stop by and pick up some assorted groceries items and had a dilly of a time reading it because unlike most lists that are written top to bottom and side by side this list was written here and there round and round in random spots on the page.
The ToDoList blog is here.
57 days, 43 minutes. That's how long it took to get my second hit on Where's George? You can see the report here.
This $1 bill was registered on June 29, 2007 and found its way to Park City. It was input by a fellow numismatist that has been registered with Where's George? since January 6, 2006.
This dude has a 3.48% hit rate. He is tracking 3,508 bills and has 122 bill hits and 130 total hits. (Some of his bills have more than one hit.) His George score is 773.23. And you all thought that I was the only crazy eccentric one out there.
Now, my stats are: 145 bills with 2 hits and 2 total hits for a hit rate of 1.38% and a George score of 332.95. My rank is #16,007 out of 51,838 current users with a George score. [69.1 percentile].
Sister Megs and FSIL II said that they spent six of my Where's George dollars on their recent trip to the Four Corners. We'll see what turns up. Maybe George will cross the state line or even go international!
…or there's more than one way to "skin" a cob of corn.
We have been enjoying the delights of corn on the cob lately. Throughout my years of eating corn on the cob, I have observed two common ways of eating the corn off of the cob. One is the typewriter method — going back and forth the length of the cob — a row at a time. The other is the circular method — going round and round — starting at one end and progressing until you get to the other end.
Personally, I'm a combo guy: Two circular passes to clear each end, then it's 30 wpm typewriter style!
Recently, FSIL has taught me a new method — the random biting method — bite here, then there and hope for the best. When you're done, about 50% of the corn is still on the cob.
No method is better than the other — just depends on your method of choice.
Tonight, we had corn on the cob again. FSIL held up his empty cob (with much improvement) and proudly stated, How did I do?
I wonder which method — typewriter or circular — he had used.
HB took FSIL golfing a couple of days ago and taught him the finer points of the game.
Saw this cartoon in the paper yesterday and I couldn't help but think of the FSIL*.
* Favorite son-in-law
…Balboa that is. Last night, Bird, Brig, cs, and I went to see Rocky Balboa. I enjoyed it immensely. I thought it was a great movie. Not necessarily Oscar material, but one of those feel good movies that made you want to stand up and cheer…which is what I wanted to do at one point, but cs must have sensed it too and gently put her hand on my arm to restrain me.
I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t seen each Rocky…I, II, III, IV, & V. (Brig was appalled when he learned that Bird hadn’t seen any of the Rocky movies and didn’t know who he was. Brig made her do her homework and watch I, II, & IV last week in preparation for seeing the new movie.) I did see I & II and if you liked Rocky I, then I think that you would like Rocky Balboa. It has the same feel to it.
Maybe I related too much to the character. When he was preparing to get in shape for the fight, his trainers told him, You won’t catch him with your speed. You can’t run to get in shape because the cement will pound your knees, you've got calcium deposits on most of your joints, and you’ve got arthritis in your neck.
The scene when he had a chat with his son was good also.
I think that cs liked it too…at least the parts that she watched. She spent the last bit with her hands over her eyes…peaking through every now and then.
