Storms and Songs, Solo-style

As Shelley wends her way to Kingston for a Literacy Conference, I'm home with the kids. She deserves a few nights of responsibility-free sleep.

So far it's been fine; apart from a booming summer-like thunderstorm this afternoon that had Kai curious and Rei frightened. I distracted her by having her help me make supper and falling back on my standard strategy: singing silly songs made up on the spot. These ditties are generally successful, however due to their improvised nature I can't remember them for repeat performances. So "The Hunga Munga" song is different every time I'm asked to perform.

Tomorrow, I'm going for back-up and heading to my folks' place for a couple nights. But not after taking Rei to daycare and staying for *gulp* Kai's first orientation visit.

Around the House

While keeping the kids fed, sun safe and generally happy, I managed some household chores beyond the usual 2 sinks of dishes and 2 loads of laundry. In addition, I oiled some squeaky door hinges, drew a floor plan of the kitchen for some new linoleum, sprayed for ants, installed the window air conditioner in our bedroom, and set up the hammock on the porch (didn't manage to lounge in it though, hopefully tomorrow).

And in the midst of all that, managed some peek-a-boo with Kai. You know he's going after the CDs.

T-Minus 14 Days

How quickly the time has flown! The four months of parental leave has been whittled to a mere fortnight; our bouncing baby boy will soon be one year old.

While I am looking forward to returning to work, I am also greatly saddened that these days of being home with the kids are coming to a close. And immensely thankful for the opportunity to have had this time to spend with them.

Farmstead

We had an overnight visit to my parents' as part of our plan to attend the "Celebration of Ministry" servce of London Conference's Annual Meeting this afternoon.

It was heartwarming to see Rei take such delight in the secrets and treasures of my boyhood home. She marvelled at The Anthill, frolicked in the garden and swung on pine branches.

(She didn't react as positively to the piglet that Dad brought out of the barn).

My parents watched Rei and Kai this afternoon while Shelley and I went out on a date: to a worship service. Yes, it's a wild life we lead.

David Does Dallas

Watching the playoff game between the Suns and the Mavs, who should I see in the stands but Mr. David Hasselhoff cheering his favourite German basketball superstar. For me, this was a win-win night: if Phoenix wins, they're up 2-0; if Dallas does, that's further proof for my Hasselhoff victory phenomenon.

Even as Dirk clanked a couple free throws while David fist-tapped neighbouring fans, the Mavericks evened the series with the Suns and this gem of a playoff season continues. And my theory remains intact.

That Sneaky Fox

Urs' blog prompted me to download Firefox for browsing online. I'd been meaning to for a while and find little different from my experiences with Navigator or Safari. Internet Explorer, I abandoned long ago.

The little differences like learning keyboard shortcuts for switching between tabs has been smooth. Importing our bookmarks from Safari was quick and painless. And Blogger has more options available to me so I don't have to rely on my very limited Html knowledge.

The orientation continues and my assessment is a work in progress.

Retention

This morning, Rei announced that she was pooping. (I'm still waiting for that magical day when she decides of her own volition that using the potty instead of diapers is a good thing). A few minutes later, as I prepared to remedy her situation, she informs me that she doesn't need a new diaper, that she "put it away".

Skeptical, I checked and indeed, things were OK. I've seen too many movies, read too many psychological thrillers, to know that fixating on such functions leads to trouble. Disturbing, sociopathic, homicidal trouble. Really, I just want our kids to grow up well-adjusted, healthy and regular.

The Hasselhoff Inspiration

I had quite a chuckle about NBA superstar Dirk Nowitzki's Hasselhoff ritual during games. He really is big in Germany!

Turns out Dirk could have used David at Game 1 of the Western Conference final last night, as Steve Nash and the Phoenix Suns swiped the victory from Dirk and the Mavericks. Although Dirk acquitted himself well (25 pts, 19! rebs - and of course, 9/10 from the line); maybe whiney baby Jerry Stackhouse could have used a new tune.

Instead, David was at the American Idol finale, teary-eyed and cheering as Taylor bested Katharine.

Uhm, not that I watch that show ... still, here's one for the socially awkward triumphing over the pretty people! Although I won't be buying his album or lining up to see him in concert.

From this limited investigation, the truth is pretty clear: if you want to be a winner, you need David Hasselhoff on your side.

Living in the Past

OK, I think I might be caught up now, having posted those entries backdated and saved drafts from the past few days. So what's happened lately? The standard readjusting to life at home, many forays to the park next door, watching TV finales and basketball games. Happy Victoria Day: I did attend her namesake university and lived in her namesake residence hall, but have no real affliation or appreciation for her majesty. Still, I'm glad for the excuse to have the long weekend (which I suspect is a sentiment shared by others around Christmas and Easter).

Monday: Bleeding Ears and Cutting Teeth

As wonderful as the trips to the cottage are, it can be, and has been, an ordeal to travel to and from. No matter what highways or backroads we take, the travel time is roughly 4 hours. Factor in two children and we plan for 5½ hours. Thankfully, the kids dropped off to sleep in the car soon after we fuelled up at a paltry 96.5¢/L.

Our travelling bliss was interrupted in Mount Forest where we made a pitstop for some park play (thank you to the Lions service club for your community-mindedness). After taking Kai out of his carseat for a bottle, we discovered his ear was bloody. Needless to say there was some concern, dismay, guilt and shock on our part. Once we got him cleaned up, we figured he'd only scratched himself, despite all the blood.

He'd been pulling at his ears all day and he'd been a little warm the last few days. We had given him Tylenol, suspecting teething. Sure enough on the top-left was Tooth #5 peaking through.

Sunday: Resort Golf

Earlier in the week Shelley suggested that I bring my golf clubs and try to get out with Shelley's sister's significant other, John. I was thinking one of the local Midland courses would suffice, but he's a golf connoisseur and wondered about an outing to Huntsville where Grandview Golf Club awaited.

There, we got to see how the other half golf. At $250 an outing, this was not my social scene, but the grounds and clubhouse were gorgeous. Although there was a chance that we could have played for next-to-nothing, but too many strings needed to be pulled and I wouldn't want to use up all that good will on the first long weekend of the season.

Still, we did get 9 holes in at The Inn Course amid the wind and rain. I didn't embarrass myself in the presence of such an accomplished golfer managing a chip-in on the first hole and par in front of a play-through audience.

Saturday: Beach Day Blues

While the weather was typically May-long-weekend cold and wet, that didn't deter Rei from spending the afternoon in the basement of the cottage playing at the imaginary beach with her grandpa. According to him, sand castles were built and crushed, races run in the sand and naps were almost taken.

Not even the grey day could dampen her determination to have fun at the cottage. And, courtesy of Grandma, the addition of a new stuffed friend, Blue of Blue's Clues, to distract from the fact that beloved Pooh Bear was left at home.

Friday: Learning on the Road

The road to Shelley's parents' cottage was long and patience-trying, but not without reward. Apparently popcorn chicken at the KFC/Pizza Hut in Stayner is a highly complicated, time-consuming order to complete, requiring more than the understaffed establishment could manage on a long weekend in cottage country.

It was during this wait that I realized Just New Reeleases video rental franchise wasn't misspelled, but a "clever" connection to a movie "reel". So subtle was this reference that it has taken me the better part of 5 years to catch on.

For the final stretch of driving, Rei entertained herself and her brother with her imagination and a bendy-straw. She used that tube of plastic as a flute, a saxophone, and "swimming lips" (which we figured out to be a snorkel). To use her words, it was hilarious.

Mobilizing

Kai's pretty close to crawling now. He commando-crawls and log rolls himself into corners, under tables, around chair legs, in his search for unsafe things to cram into his mouth. There have been instances were he's pulled himself up onto hands and knees. He's quite ready to go; the question is, are we?

Incensused

Just like our vacation away, Census 2006 has come and gone. Our household being one of those privileged enough to reveal even more about our origins, education, work life than those poor suckers who only received the "short form".

Yes, we had to figure out what to put for Kai's first spoken language because "dadada-brrffft, mumumum-brrffft, aYAYAYAYA-gooo" didn't fit into any available category. We got to describe the details of our occupation and share the financial ins and outs of lifestyle and puzzled out how we describe manse life (we don't own the home, but we don't pay rent, we have no idea what the property tax or utilities are ...).

Having done our civic duty, this better get us off the hook for all future "long form" questionnaires. Well, for the next 5 years at least.

Four score

In response to Moxy's email questionnaire...

Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. Minister of Word, Sacrament and Pastoral Care
2. Teaching Assistant, Dept of Religious Studies
3. Temp Agency, light industrial work
4. Farm Hand (hog, dairy)

Four nicknames I've been given:
1. Ji
2. Jiji
3. The Marooster
4. "Reverend"

Four movies I would watch over and over:
1. Whale Music
2. Hardcore Logo
3. Ferris Bueller's Day Off
4. Stand by Me

Four places I have lived:
1. Farmhouse
2. University Residence
3. Manse
4. Farmhouse Manse

Four TV shows I HAVE to watch:
1. 24
2. Prison Break
3. March Madness (NCAA Men's Basketball)
4. Peppa Pig

Four places I have been on vacation:
1. St. John's, NL
2 New Orleans, LA
3. Victoria, BC
4. Japan (Tokyo, Osaka)

Four things I could NOT live without
1. Family and friends
2. Music
3. Words
4. Laughter

Four of my favorite foods:
1. Barbecued anything
2. Curry (dhansak, jalfrezi, madras, vindaloo ... it's all good)
3. Spring Rolls
4. Veggie and Fruit Trays

Four places I would rather be right now:
1. dining finely with Shelley
2. playing golf or basketball
3. driving at night, under a bright full moon, listening to jazz
4. in the hammock with a book and beer

Arkona Bloom

After the craggy and stark beauty of the Avalon Penninsula, we returned home to find southwestern Ontario's spring in bright array. While the days of daffodils and tulips were waning, deciduous trees erupted into full greenery, and the lilacs fragrantly showed themselves in soft pastels.

And the dandelions had taken over, seeding fluffy white parachutes, to Rei's delight. So while Shelley prepared supper for the kids and got them ready for bed, I mowed the lawn. Once the landscape was trimmed and our young sprouts safely to bed, we had a barbecue steak supper. Oh, and Happy Mother's Day.

Westjet West

It started with a leaking diaper at the airport. (At least I left my grenade belt buckle at home!). After changing Kai's pants, I proceeded to dry them with the air dryer in the men's room. And did the same with the wet spot on my shirt.

Despite a tailwind pushing us home, the flight was a bit more troublesome for our youngest passenger. Rei contentedly settled in front of the satellite TV and her Wiggles' colouring book. Kai had trouble settling in on the flight and managed only 45 minutes or so of sleeping. The remainder of our time was spent walking with him up and down the aisle, pumping bottle after bottle into him and passing him to the other parent.

Back on the ground, we missed the immediately available airport shuttle to our park 'n fly hotel, but that allowed us to grab a quick bite to tide us over until the Cambridge/Guelph McDonald's off the 401. Rei was sound asleep when I got her out of the car, but perked up for an ice cream cone and chocolate milk.

Kai managed to get some sleep in the car afterwards, Rei was awake and good-natured until we got to the home-side of London. She finally drifted off to sleep herself in Keyser, which is a scant 6 minutes from home. Travelling, fully awake, from St. John's to Keyser with only a power nap in Guelph, hopefully means a sound slumber tonight. We'll see how the rest of the time zone shifting works out.

11-month Brush

After another wonderful supper with Peter and Patricia, our 11-month old Kai prepared for bed.

He'll be brushing his teeth back home soon enough.

I ♥ NY

This morning was a bit of shopping and getting out of the cleaning staff's way. It's been a full week and today is the first time we've had some empty space in our schedule.

I saw this T-shirt and had to shake my head and laugh. Truly, a testament to Newfoundlanders' reaction to McCartneyism (celebrities poking their noses into issues about which they have no clue). Although Paul & Heather McCartney vs. the seal hunt seems different than George Clooney and Darfur.


Rather than risking a ♣ing myself, I opted for an Accordian Revolution T-shirt, having to admit to the sales clerk that I was not a player.