Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Animal Kingdom

Up early for the morning warm-up at Animal Kingdom, where Mickey, Minnie and Pluto hyped up the crowd (the mainline church doesn't have a chance against the likes of this "Call to Worship" liturgy).

Much of the day amounted a game of Pokemon Snap! as I tried to capture images of the wildlife in flattering and interesting poses.
giraffe

mama elephant

And dinosaurs too:
kai-saurus

In spite of all that was available, Kai's favourite parts of the day were digging for dinosaur bones (read: playing in the glorified sandbox)
dinosaur dig
and not having to wait long for the bus at the end of day.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Now with Pictures

We started in Detroit (Romulus, technically)detroit rock city
and arrived in Orlando onto Disney World.

They cater very well to kids - princesses:
princess rei
and pirates:
pirate kai

An afternoon through Magic Kingdom had some initial trepidation about the "Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin," we got assembled for our mission:
recruit

and defeated the enemy.
zurg'ed

Apart from Shelley sitting in gum, me leaving my glasses and meal medication in the resort room and a slightly broken camera (which got fixed if you've seen the above posts), it was a well-orchestrated first half day of Mouse Magic.

StV in FLA

After an Olive Garden supper and a hotel night in a familiar-looking room,we shuttled to the airport where we stretched out before the migration south.


After shuttling our way to our Disney resort, we blitzed our way through the Magic Kingdom: jamboreed with the Country Bears; toured up and down Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse; saved the universe's power supply with Buzz Lightyear; filled the laugh can at Monsters Inc.; staked out a viewing position for the Electrical Parade while Shelley Thundermountained. We found an out-of-the-way vantage point for fireworks with supper and kept warm, crowded up for our bus back to our resort.

It was our warmest Valentine's Day ever!

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Winter Hiatus

At the Annual Congregational Meeting this morning, I was thanked for a great first 6 weeks; why don't I take the next one off?



In fact, why don't I take the family to Florida and forget about the cold and snow?

Tuesday, January 04, 2011

Orientation Day

After months of mounting anticipation, I finally got a glimpse of the office that my friends have been raving about. It wasn't so much the spacious corner office with en suite bathroom, wall of bookcases or formidable desk that impressed me, but the waiting stack of blank file folders, fresh Post-it notes, box of paper clips and Uniball Micro pens. Small touches, but very welcoming.

It was a day of many little tasks: adding a new set of keys to my ring, moving boxes into the office, setting up my work email account. The tour of the contorted and sprawling premises impressed upon me the need to keep my keys at hand at all times. I ordered my work laptop, got started on Sunday's worship service, sorted out some paycheque paperwork and booked a lunch meeting for Friday.

Now that day one has come and gone, it'll be a matter of settling into a routine that works for my family schedule and the other staff. One item of concern, though... If I haven't been able to identify who fits the Dwight Schrute archetype in the office, does that mean it's me?

Monday, January 03, 2011

New Tech

In quasi-preparation for the new gig, I upgraded the cell phone and its attendant plan to join the legion of Blackberry users (which should help keep family and friends gainfully employed at RIM). Carrying the Torch in my pocket, I will enhance the dexterity of my thumbs with BBM-ing and the like, as I minister with Calvary United. Apparently, there's been audio-visual improvements at the church with the installation of screens and computer projection equipment last month.

In other news of technological upgrades, new Keiser exercise bikes were unveiled for use in spin class tonight. Despite a silent, smoother ride, the seat felt a tad too hard (not quite broken in?) and the digital readout of tension/gear and RPMs revealed just how much farther I had to go in keeping pace with the instructor. Of course, he decided to inaugurate our ride with a full-out 2 minute sprint. I'm really beginning to dread the song "Paradise City" by Guns N'Roses.

Sunday, January 02, 2011

Cleared Schedule

This afternoon as we were filling in the new family calendar for January, I was a bit unnerved by the absence of anything to write in. Shelley has her evenings booked and trips to Toronto and Montreal coming up; the kids with music lessons, school days and daycare; I had nothing.

I'm sure that will change on Tuesday when I venture into Calvary United's office for the first time. I do have a lunch date on Wednesday with a friend who also starts a new church job. Until then, it seems I've got time on my hands.

Friday, December 31, 2010

KFC: Kenji Fried Candy

With Jeffy's arrival, we undertook the arduous New Year's Eve task of grazing through a gauntlet of appetizers. Featured atop the menu were Deep Fried Snickers/Mars bars:

KFC - Kenji Fried Candy

Some Settlers, Hey! That's My Fish and decidedly cut-throat Blokus, managed to keep us awake until the magic hour. For all of our hard partying, I'm glad all the vomiting had concluded by mid-morning.

Thursday, December 30, 2010

(Shirt) Buddies

Our dear friends arrived for the annual New Year's Eve family visit, Cheryl and her 4 kids with Jeffy coming tomorrow. The kids separated themselves by gender - some dolls and Polly Pockets in one room, cars and Transformers in another.

Overheard: our 5-year old son to the 6-year old boy, "Let's hang out like real teenagers."

When I was visiting them in October, there was some chagrin that the outfit that matches mine couldn't be found. We corrected that today:
shirt buddies

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Boxing and Scrubbing

Well, Christmas came and went; with it, my last duties as minister with Glencoe-Appin Pastoral Charge. After morning worship on December 26th, I packed up the remaining books, files and sundry office items. Yes, I literally spent Boxing Day with boxes.

Except I remembered that the desk drawer that I had saved for last, I didn't get to so I went in today do some final packing, report writing, and general tidying. The church laptop has been cleaned as best I could, trying to remove all trace of my computing for my eventual successor. Although the time to delete some 35, 000 files today took longer than I had time for - it seems there will be one final visit to the office to drop off the machinery.

And then, for real, I'll close the door and walk away.

Saturday, December 25, 2010

Bands of Silliness

The craze with school kids these days is flexible bracelets of shaped elastic. Trademarked as "Silly Bands" it does seem rather inane. Our kids are going to be popular at school after this Christmas.
Silliness

Christmas morning

Xmas Rei 2010
Zhu Zhu Pets abound.

Xmas Kai 2010
I think he's excited. I can tell by the whites of his eyes.

Monday, December 06, 2010

Snow Day

With dire weather warnings, closed schools and travel advisories today, I was reminded of this bit of brilliance from EasyIEPHelp -
There was a note of explanation that followed:

Dear Ms. Davis [teacher],

I want to be perfectly clear on my child’s homework illustration. It is NOT of me on a dance pole on a stage in a strip joint surrounded by male customers with money.

I work at Home Depot and had commented to my daughter how much money we made in the recent snowstorm. This drawing is of me selling a shovel.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Harrington [mommy in question]

Thursday, December 02, 2010

Stocking Stuffer

It's practically a tradition now: decorate the tree and Kai puts his stocking on his head. Yes, he's feeling somewhat better.

His sister is more reserved.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

The Croupier

Kai's been under the weather for a couple days: fever, barking cough, raspy voice, lethagic, no appetite. Last night he was up every 90 minutes with coughing and wheezing. There'a a colourful array of medicine dosing cups with residual banana berry red Tylenol and raspberry blue Advil on the kitchen counter, reminiscent of a shooter bar ("what's a shooter bar, Daddy?" - "uh, sometimes people get drinks in small cups and drink them fast").

We got into the doctor today who diagnosed a viral infection, suspected croup and prescribed 9 mg of steroid followed with a pudding chaser. We'll keep him out of daycare tomorrow and hope tonight's a quiet night.

With a blogpost title like this, you'd think there'd have been more gambling references beyond the casino bar.

Sunday, November 28, 2010

A New Focus

About mid-September, the timing belt of the 2000 Focus gave way and I found myself stranded on the side of the road. Inconvenient at the best of times, the matter was complicated by the fact that I was on my way to the airport to catch a flight to Sault Ste. Marie. Calling roadside assistance, I discovered the program that we'd accessed in the past no longer existed (once the operator stifled her scoff upon hearing the age and mileage on the vehicle).

There was a panicked call to Shelley who happened to be home with Kai who happened to be home sick from school, a call to our dealership to arrange for a tow truck and a call to the airline to explain the situation. Watching the minutes tick by, I also called the hotel in Sault Ste. Marie to inform my colleague that I likely wouldn't be available to meet for supper as planned.

My rescue arrived when Shelley and Kai speedily delivered me to the airport, in time for my original flight! It wasn't until my return home that we made arrangements for a replacement car (we'd figured the cost of the next major repair would be better directed towards a downpayment on another car). We discovered with all the incentives, upgrades, and enticements, a new car would only be a couple thousand dollars more than a used one.

So after 300, 636 km, we handed the keys over in exchange for another Focus (2011 with Sirius satellite radio for 6 months - hello Radio 3!) I think I'll call it Desmond as a tribute to Paul Quarrington and Maury Chaykin.

Such was the adventure of the new car, apart from the fact that I lost my passport at the airport in Toronto...

Friday, November 26, 2010

"Taking My Talents to South London"

The biggest development in the year past is my resignation at my current churches to take a position as "Lead Minister" (lightning rod) at Calvary United Church in London. Effective January 1, 2011, I've been trying to wrap things up where I am but things keep cropping up.

I have to say this came about rather suddenly. I wasn't expecting to re-locate so soon, but an opportunity arose that was too good to pass up. Given the uncertainty that many mainline Protestant congregations are facing, the proposition of a stable and viable ministry that had opportunity for further outreach into its local community seemed like divine providence.

While I look forward to being part of a staff team (children's minister, youth minister, visitation minister, administrative and custodial support), I'll certainly miss the earnest commitment and engagement of Appin and Trinity United Churches and the support they've shown to myself and my family. But such is life, full of transition with cost and reward.

Reiko's first question was when we broke the news to her was: "We don't have to move, do we?" Which wasn't really a question, followed quickly by: "So, we won't have to decide what church we're going to on Sunday morning." That was the extent of her analysis and she deemed it to be good.

All this was happening in June/July when all the Raptors were getting ready to cut ties with Chris Bosh and LeBron James was preparing for his ill-advised LeDecision. Here's hoping I handled it better than they did.

What's New?

There's been a lot happening in the year-plus of inactivity onsite here. Where have I been? I guess The Facebook is to blame for a lot of it. And me being otherwise occupied (read: lazy) is another.

So, what's new? New job, new car, those are the big ticket items. Also, new glasses, new school year, new user ID at CBC Radio 3, new expansion pack for Settlers of Catan...

I'll go into more detail on each of these in due course (and backfill some of the missing year too). I was looking for an opportune time to return to this cyberspace; thanks to Ursula for having a birthday giving me that excuse. I am so excite! [sic]

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Rebirth

back to beginnings:
birthday wishes for urs.
time to blog again!

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Halloween 2010


Halloween 2010, originally uploaded by buddhak.

Reiko as a lioness and Kai as the Autobot Transformer Bumblebee.

I'm taking the picture, dressed as Travis Ishikawa, the light-hitting, defensive substitute for the San Francisco Giants. I have on my cap (circa 1987) and ballglove (circa 1978). It's an elaborate costume for me to masquerade as a Japanese-American first baseman when everybody knows I'm more of a middle infielder!

But you don't really care, look at the kids! For your information (and our own record-keeping) the count was 108 visitors between 6 -8 p.m.