Life throws curveballs. No doubt about it. I suppose it would be boring if it wasn't like that - if we knew what would happen every day, and it was the same as the day before, that would be torture. It's good to have a little variety once in awhile. A little bit of a challenge. To a point...
When I woke up yesterday, I could not have predicted I would be running with flan at the end of the day. That would have never crossed my mind. But that's what happened. Observe.
I went on a long run about a week ago, and slightly injured my left foot. So I haven't been out for a run in about 5 days. So I was itching to continue my regimine yesterday. I woke up and got ready to go. I had a staff meeting at lunch time, and some fighting on the playground for dessert.
So, when I finally made it home around 5:00, I was a little exhausted and a little fed up. I was ready to put my aching foot up and relax. I was greeted at the door by 5 smiling faces, and a little song and dance number besides. :) I was told we were having takeout mexican for dinner, which suited me just fine, but then I wanted to make sure I got a run in, or I'd feel too guilty. So I went and picked up the food, but when I got back it was pushing 5:30.
So, the forgot the side of sour cream. That's okay, but we did pay for it so I wanted to go back and get it. We fed the kids, but I wanted to wait to eat until I ran, so I didn't run with a belly full of rice and beans (not a good throw up combination). So around 6:30 I took off out the door for a run.
On the way, I thought I'd go ahead and pick up the sour cream. The restaurant was very nice, but I was in a hurry. When the guy came out with the sour cream, he also had a to-go container. I gave the perfunctory "no, that's okay, you didn't have to do that, etc..." but then he was gone. And I was holding a flan.
What do you do? I don't want to waste the flan. So I picked up the dog's leash and started back toward home, running at a 25 minute mile pace (a little ahead of my normal time!). How did I get here? I'm sure if anyone saw me I was a little peculiar. "He went for a run: great! He got take-out while he was running? - not so great" they would say as I passed by.
But by that point, with custard sloshing about so much it was running down my arm, I was not going to waste this flan. I was not going to be another wasteful American - I was an ingenious pioneer American who took what life threw him and made the best of it. I was running with the flan.
When I got back it was basically sloshed around so much it was soup, and most of that had run out the sides of the container. So it was a waste. But I had never felt so alive.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
Putting up the Christmas Decorations
You might think it's too early to put up the Christmas decorations, but this Saturday was the perfect time for me. Why? Because I was already out in the yard taking down the Halloween decorations, and I'm not crazy enough to sign up for Thanksgiving decorations. Next thing you know I'll have to put up Memorial Day decorations and Columbus Day decorations. Don't we have enough days we have to put out a specific themed tablecloth and towels for?
I am all about efficiency, and if I'm out on the ladder taking down a bunch of pumpkin shaped lights, theres no reason not to put out a few candy caned shaped ones at the same time, right? And the brilliance of that system is, it was pretty good weather this saturday. The worst part about Christmas decorations is the wet, cold, miserable weather you have to endure while doing it, always picturing the ambulance ride after you slip on the icy ladder. And picturing the 500 dollar deductable attached to it.
So we put them up. The kids helped me, and did a great job at it. The littlest only broke 4 bulbs, the new 5 year old only choked one other person with a cord of lights, and the two girls did a great job when I asked them to wrap the rope lights around the fence posts. Of course, they wrapped all the rope lights around only one fence post, but I didn't specify the quantity of posts to light up, so I think they did a great job.
It's fun for the kids to help you out with those sorts of things, and a test of your patience besides. I got a B- this weekend on my patience test, and I think that's pretty darn good.
But, they'll remember those things forever. Just think about when you're old, and they're tellilng stories about their childhood. If you don't pay in memories now, it's going to be hell in the old folks home later. Remember that.
I am all about efficiency, and if I'm out on the ladder taking down a bunch of pumpkin shaped lights, theres no reason not to put out a few candy caned shaped ones at the same time, right? And the brilliance of that system is, it was pretty good weather this saturday. The worst part about Christmas decorations is the wet, cold, miserable weather you have to endure while doing it, always picturing the ambulance ride after you slip on the icy ladder. And picturing the 500 dollar deductable attached to it.
So we put them up. The kids helped me, and did a great job at it. The littlest only broke 4 bulbs, the new 5 year old only choked one other person with a cord of lights, and the two girls did a great job when I asked them to wrap the rope lights around the fence posts. Of course, they wrapped all the rope lights around only one fence post, but I didn't specify the quantity of posts to light up, so I think they did a great job.
It's fun for the kids to help you out with those sorts of things, and a test of your patience besides. I got a B- this weekend on my patience test, and I think that's pretty darn good.
But, they'll remember those things forever. Just think about when you're old, and they're tellilng stories about their childhood. If you don't pay in memories now, it's going to be hell in the old folks home later. Remember that.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Gardening is over
I finished pulling up the garden this past weekend. It was a long process, but I'm glad it's done. The kids helped me, mostly by picking the tomatoes off of the plants beforehand. What I love is how willing and eager they are to help! I know it won't be like that forever, but that's certainly a good thing about this age.
Every age I think has certain positives and negatives. For instance, newborn babies are WAY too fragile. Negative. But their cry is so small and cute, it doesn't make you want to hit things. Positive. Konner is still in diapers right now. Negative. But he's hilarious to watch. Even when he's just walking somewhere, he does it with a certain awkwardness and style that is just funny. Instant entertainment. Positive.
The girls are especially positive now, because they are becoming real people. They can help set the dinner table, take out the trash, do the laundry and the dishes...pretty much everything at this point. They're like actual productive members of the family. Last weekend they did all the laundry, clearned up the backyard, and helped me peel apples for freezing. They watch their brother when he's downstairs, they pick up dog poop - and they can talk and understand things that are a little above a 5 year old.
Not too long ago Keith was playing with his mashed potatoes at the dinner table, swirling and plumping them and whispering strange things to himself. All I had to do was give a glance to Kassy and we both just kindof smirked and raised our eyebrows. We didn't have to say anything - it was all understood. He's weird. And it's nice to have that connection with my kids.
I wonder what the positives and negatives at my age would be? They'd probably say "surly and tired - negative." But, "loves his kids - positive."
Every age I think has certain positives and negatives. For instance, newborn babies are WAY too fragile. Negative. But their cry is so small and cute, it doesn't make you want to hit things. Positive. Konner is still in diapers right now. Negative. But he's hilarious to watch. Even when he's just walking somewhere, he does it with a certain awkwardness and style that is just funny. Instant entertainment. Positive.
The girls are especially positive now, because they are becoming real people. They can help set the dinner table, take out the trash, do the laundry and the dishes...pretty much everything at this point. They're like actual productive members of the family. Last weekend they did all the laundry, clearned up the backyard, and helped me peel apples for freezing. They watch their brother when he's downstairs, they pick up dog poop - and they can talk and understand things that are a little above a 5 year old.
Not too long ago Keith was playing with his mashed potatoes at the dinner table, swirling and plumping them and whispering strange things to himself. All I had to do was give a glance to Kassy and we both just kindof smirked and raised our eyebrows. We didn't have to say anything - it was all understood. He's weird. And it's nice to have that connection with my kids.
I wonder what the positives and negatives at my age would be? They'd probably say "surly and tired - negative." But, "loves his kids - positive."
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Garden - the early days
Lately I’ve taken up gardening. I’m not a big “plant guy” or always had a “green thumb”, but I feel like growing your own food seems like a pretty basic and important life skill, so I want to go for it. Not only do I think it is important for me to know how to do that, but it’s important for me to know so I can teach my kids how to do it as well, not only in words but just in practice. They see me do it, they think “if dad does it, it must be important”, so later in life they feel it is important too. It’s a little daunting to think that my actions today influence their whole world view tomorrow. But that’s why I’m growing the garden!
I started the garden in April. I got some growing lights, and some seed germination tray things (more on those later) and ordered the seeds around February or March (I was determined to get a head start this year). It worked like a charm at first. The kids helped me put the seeds in, and I followed the books to see which ones I should plant inside first, and which are not so good at planting inside (carrots, for instance, they said don’t replant very well. Considering they’re all about the root, I guess that makes sense).
Then we waited. And waited a little more. The little seed leaves came up first, and then some true leaves. I showed the kids and it was a great little learning experience. But then something happened. Nothing else happened. They stopped with the first or second set of true leaves, and wouldn’t really do much more.
My theory on what went wrong goes a little something like this: natural is always better. Just like genetically modified foods and factory made things, even “studio” made carbon copy movies – anything made without any heart and soul, not using the earth and natural materials, anything made in a “factory” is destined to not be as great. I want homegrown – like I want my kids to turn out. Not sickly fluorescent light pale city kids. I want tanned and lean country kids. Kids who grow up in the sunshine by the creek skipping rocks and catching toads.
My plants did all right. Some of them died, but some of them lived. The point was they were just a little weak. Just a little pale. Just a fluorescent light copy of what would grow in the sunshine. And if I had to do that again I would be okay, but now I see that sometimes you can’t put a price – or a timeline – on nature.
If I had it to do again I would have used the sunlight near the windows more, or utilized a greenhouse after the true leaves sprouted. That might have been the solar power those plants really needed! :)
I started the garden in April. I got some growing lights, and some seed germination tray things (more on those later) and ordered the seeds around February or March (I was determined to get a head start this year). It worked like a charm at first. The kids helped me put the seeds in, and I followed the books to see which ones I should plant inside first, and which are not so good at planting inside (carrots, for instance, they said don’t replant very well. Considering they’re all about the root, I guess that makes sense).
Then we waited. And waited a little more. The little seed leaves came up first, and then some true leaves. I showed the kids and it was a great little learning experience. But then something happened. Nothing else happened. They stopped with the first or second set of true leaves, and wouldn’t really do much more.
My theory on what went wrong goes a little something like this: natural is always better. Just like genetically modified foods and factory made things, even “studio” made carbon copy movies – anything made without any heart and soul, not using the earth and natural materials, anything made in a “factory” is destined to not be as great. I want homegrown – like I want my kids to turn out. Not sickly fluorescent light pale city kids. I want tanned and lean country kids. Kids who grow up in the sunshine by the creek skipping rocks and catching toads.
My plants did all right. Some of them died, but some of them lived. The point was they were just a little weak. Just a little pale. Just a fluorescent light copy of what would grow in the sunshine. And if I had to do that again I would be okay, but now I see that sometimes you can’t put a price – or a timeline – on nature.
If I had it to do again I would have used the sunlight near the windows more, or utilized a greenhouse after the true leaves sprouted. That might have been the solar power those plants really needed! :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
