Gone to Pot

The London Free Press had a tasteful front page story about how to tell if your neighbours are growing pot and city map of raided grow ops. One of the featured locations is down the street from my in-laws. Perhaps this could be a point interest for the upcoming sale of their home.

In non-drug related events, a few people from the church came by the manse this morning, uprooting inconvenient growth and burning winter-fallen brush in the parking lot. And I just made a "pot" of coffee.

Teed off

After a previous night of productivity and some finally nice weather, I slipped out to Arkona Fairways for the first round of the season. I shot a 66 (before you get too excited, that was on 9 holes, par 35) ; let it be said I get my money's worth. None of this complete-the-hole-in-3-or-4-shots, I'm all about value.

Other notable numbers ...
Trees hit: 3
Blisters: 2
Balls wet: 1
Balls lost: 0
Times I shouted "fore!": 0 (Times I should have: 2)
Times I cheated: 0 (Times I thought about it: 58)

A Proud Heritage Moment

Everday she astounds us. Tonight she was capably eating with chopsticks.

"Never had one lesson!"

Adventures in the Big Bed

You may have a certain expectation/trepidation about this entry based on the title. This is not that kind of a blog. Yet.

Rei's new bed was delivered last night. We set up her new mattress on the floor to begin the transition out the crib. Our plan was to gradually acclimate her to the bed, using it for naps until she was comfortable and ready for an overnight sleep. She was immediately intrigued with this new sleeping arrangement and decided she would use it that night.

The novelty of the situation, a tumble off the mattress, and a predilection for unsnapping her diaper shirt, led to 3 hours of hijinks before she finally nodded off. A 4:30 a.m. wail revealed that she did not like the babygate that was at the door and we had to make alternate security provisions. Here's hoping today's fatigue will lead to sweeter dreams tonight.

Open-door-itis

I was at the mall earlier today, bringing the stroller in for a compatability test with a prospective infant car seat. I used the power-assist door, pushing the button and backing up to let the door open. What puzzled me was the line-up of 4 people behind me, waiting for me to go through said door and repeat the same process at the next one.

There were 6 other functioning and available doors, yet they chose to wait for me. I first remember observing this phenomenon in public school during the beginning and end of recess. The majority of people seem unwilling to open another door, preferring to follow in someone else's blazed trail.

Not that I consider myself an extreme adventurist, but something about these experiences makes me think of lemmings. Part of me can understand the obsessive compulsion of avoiding contact with handles, knobs, and railings in a public space. The rest of me wants to jump off a cliff.

In the Pink

The evolution of our laundry has produced a load of girly-girl pink. To accommodate Rei's wardrobe, an entire load of "pinks" is now sorted to go along with the traditional darks/whites. Not that there's anything wrong with pink, or her wearing a lot of it. Although you'd think will all the cutting edge couture that is out there, other palettes would be available for styling toddler women.

Under the Big Top

Just trying to keep up and catch up from a weekend of birthday celebrations. What remains are balloons and a tent.

Oh, to be 2-years old!

Impromptu Party

Heading to the local coffee shop for a birthday "big tookie" treat, 2-year old Rei discovered she shared a birthday with the relative of one of the employees. In true small town hospitality, cake was shared, songs were sung and candles extinguished.

It was sweet (the cake and the experience).

Hacker

How quickly they gravitate to technology.

Napoleon Dynamite's impressed with her computer hacking skills.

Blistering Start

With head freshly shaven, I set out to embrace the balmy spring day with golf clubs in tow and a coupon for the driving range.

I intended to forcefully hit inanimate objects, channelling frustration and blowing off steam, watching the balls vanish into the distance. Some of them actually did fly far and straight, more than I honestly expected; many others skittered and skipped along. After one particularly satisfying drive, I felt the subcutaneous shearing of skin and a blister was born.

I spent the rest of my time puttering around the practice green, again surprising myself with accuracy and alacrity. Despite my early successes, it seems an actual game will be far in the future if my bulging blister is any indicator. So I guess that means turning to my readings. Here's hoping for no papercuts.

Emerging from superyouthfaithmissionvisionquest

It is quite tiring and draining to help facilitate a youth gathering of 140 people; yet in spite of the fatigue (from self-sought late, late nights) it is energizing and inspiring to think of the energy, interest and enthusiasm teenage faith can convey.

I feel confident that we managed to weave Lord of the Rings connections throughout the worship services, offer an open and encouraging theology, present Christology in an accessible fashion, introduced Islam in an informative and positive light, and kept everyone alive. And I, personally, was threatened with hell only once by the theme speaker. Plus, I got to play around with the iMac G5, a beautiful machine.

All in all, it seemed to be a smooth, well-run, event. Now it's just a matter of waiting out the next few days for phone calls from parents...

On Hiatus

Off to Youth Forum an annual gathering for youth of London Conference of The United Church of Canada to be the church and vision their role in it. As draining as a 4-day event with 100+ teens can be, it always uplifts and energizes me.

I remain convinced that there has to be a way to present high-energy, engaging and thoughtful ministry for youth that offers a mainline understanding of scripture, theology and justice-seeking. We can't let all the SuperFundys grab the young souls!

The blogs will return when I do.

Win/Gagnez

I know I just blogged about drinking too much coffee and I don't want to convey the sense that I'm a caffeine-addled dipsomaniac. In fact, I even went 7 days last week without Tim Horton to pep me up (however, I will not mention how many pots were home brewed).

Today my loyalty was rewarded. After countless red cups of bean-filtered hot water, I finally won a prize through the Rrroll up the Rim campaign. This donut is going to taste so sweet. Mmm ... donuts.

Don't drink too much coffee kids

So. Late night last night. Made a pot of coffee in the morning, went downtown with Rei to the coffee shop, going to make some more later tonight. Then my paper will be done. For real, this time.

As ever, the wisdom of Brak rings true as he expounds on the pitfalls of excess consumption (and thanks to Miasma, whoever you are, for the mp3 file):

I don't like coffee. It g- makes me jittery. Here's an impression of me on coffee: "I've had some coffee! Ohblblblblblblblb Ablblblablblblablablabla! HEYY! Hey hey hey hey whaddaya doing whaddaya doing whaddaya doing whaddaya doing whaddaya doing whaddaya doing whaddaya doing? I don't know whatcha doing 'cause I've had too much coffee! I don't knooow!" Don't drink too much coffee, kids.

Nighty Night

I haven't been up this late in a long, long time. So I thought I'd blog about it:

Wow, it's late. I should go to bed.

Spring BBQ

The incarnation of waste-o, Handy Daddy, emerged this afternoon to dismantle, clean and reassemble the barbecue grill for its season premiere. With the gas lines clear of spider eggs, all systems were go for burgers. All that is left to herald the arrival of spring is the setup of the hammock and the shearing of my head (as I listen to Haircut Economics by Hot Hot Heat, a curious blend of punkish Elvis Costello and The Cure).

Back to topic, is it a coincidence that this handy superhero arrives during times of academic deadlines, when Nerdy Daddy should be hard at work? Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen the two of them together ...

No Bagel

I appear to have traumatized our little girl. For lunch, per her request, I toasted a bagel. When I offered it her, she vehemently shook her head and pushed it away. I left there in front of her for a bit to see if she would warm up to it, unsure if this was a food battle that was worth fighting. It was her repeated, plaintive cries of "no bagel, no bagel" that caused my cold, stern heart to relent.

Rei ended up with a bowl of cream of tomato soup.

In the afternoon, as I got her up from her nap and discussed the possibilities for snack, she immediately emphasized: "No bagel!"

Of Badgers and Brolsma

It all began with Moxywoman who started linking to her latest Website of Doom. The dancing badgers were a high energy hit (as were its other incarnations: football, Helm's Deep, etc.). Then she discovered Gary Brolsma. I knew of Numa Numa before but was resistant to exploring it simply because of my stubborn, knee-jerk refusal to engage in the mass consumption of "the next big thing". However, if Moxy endorsed it, I could trust her discerning judgment.

The earworm that is Dragostea Din Tea delivered by Romanian pop "phenomenon", O-zone, is infectiously annoying. I couldn't get it out of my head earlier today, but had to smile when I thought of Gary's exuberant sing-along. While the boyband video features prancing in, and on, a cargo plane, it is my hero Gary who won me over. He just looks so happy and fulfilled as he blissfully, lipsynchingly chair-dances. Oh how fun would it have been to hang with him in high school!

Spring Cleaning

With the warm weather, sunshiney days, sniffling noses and dry coughs that signal the new season of spring, thoughts turn to golf and sandals. In the spirit of productive waste-o and spring cleaning, lunch was a medley of what was leftover in the fridge: soup, pizza, pork chop, bagel, smoked turkey breast, kiwis, strawberries (or "strawbabies" as Rei refers to them), moldy peach, and canned peaches.

The laundry hamper is as empty as it's going to get with the final 3 loads of laundry finishing up now. In the meantime, I've switched out the winter storage clothes, stashing away items of my fall/winter wardrobe and bringing out the spring/summer set from hibernation. Caught up in the flurry of domestic fervor, I reorganized my dresser too.

Once the dishes are done, there's not much else to do except the paper that's due this weekend...

Hair vs. Wardrobe

In the college basketball world, it was a battle of hair vs. wardrobe as Illinois and North Carolina faced off for campus bragging rights.

In an admirable show of solidarity with his team, Coach Bruce Weber in his Fighting Illini orange suit jacket definitely had better hair than his counterpart.

Coach Roy Williams, with his flatly parted coif, won the game thanks to a more moderate grey suit which proved less distracting to his players.

So that concludes this year's edition of March Madness. Excluding the play-in game, which I didn't get around to picking, my powers of (revised) foresight yielded 41/63. Although, were I to examine my original pencil selections (as a purist bracketeer would), I see another palindrome: 36/63.

Ultra 2

Rei has lately been inviting me to touch "The Belly", not "Mommy's belly", but "THE Belly". She seems to know a baby is growing there. Here's the latest proof:

Staying out of Trouble

The weekend cashier at the local grocery, in his small talk, has taken to advising people to "stay out of trouble" as a greeting/salutation. Which is fine and well; in fact, I use the same sentiment with people I know on a casual ha-ha basis.

He ended a transaction with Shelley yesterday by telling her to stay out of trouble (sure, easy to say to a knocked-up minister's wife). Today, when I went to purchase some diaper wipes, he offered those words of wisdom to the customer ahead of me.

I did not receive such advice. Maybe because he knows that I'm a minister, or knows that I was Sunday shopping and already in trouble, or was scared because my purchase totalled $6.66.

Rebracket

Mercifully, for Shelley, the college basketball season concludes this weekend. Half of my predicted Final Four emerged (Illinois and UNC), half did not (Wake Forest and Kentucky replaced by Louisville and Michigan State, respectively).

Prediction (even though I'm blogging in the second half of game 2 tonight - this is what I thought days ago, really!): Illinois over Michigan State on Monday, 70-66.

Untold Others

I do not mean to insult the Pope or detract from his life, but my prayers this day are for all the other people in the world who are dying -- those of us who don't have legions of followers, adherents, well-wishers, vigil-holders and the like.

So for those of us who are unknown, unwell and alone: blessings and peace.