Dec 31
Today is the last day of December and the last day of the 2000′s. Several writers have commented in the last few weeks about what a decade of upheaval this has been. I agree. The most dominant impression I will have of this decade is that it gave me three daughters. I know upheaval.
We had a wonderful Christmas. My mother-in-law (Suzanne), father-in-law (Glenn), sister-in-law (Skeez), brother-in-law (Glenn), my brother-in-law’s fiance (Lena) and their boxer puppy (Braddock) came for Christmas. We had so many gifts to exchange and so much opening to do that we had a morning and an evening session on Christmas day. I was running on four hours sleep Christmas morning (don’t ask) and was able to grab some shuteye between the two gift exchanges. My camera battery ran out of juice before all the unwrapping was complete. It was epic.
There was a lot of good food through the weekend. I am still plowing through all the leftovers which is awesome because I am good on a microwave.
I think everyone received everything their hearts desired and there was definitely a spirit of gratitude – well except for when Sharon had a meltdown because she thought Kayleigh got a Nintendo DSI and she didn’t. We let her wallow for about 10 minutes and then she managed to locate a gift under the tree that contained her DSI. Order was restored in the universe.
I am looking forward to the next decade – one day at a time.
All the December photos are here.
written by mark
Dec 05
In November I turned 40. Leading up to the 9th I was pretty busy with work. Justin turned 38 on the 5th and he, Mom and Dad came down for a long weekend to hang-out and harass me for hitting middle-age, as well as celebrate Justin’s birthday. Melissa and I gave Justin some bowling shoes for his birthday because he has been bowling every week with some friends and enjoying it. I received some very nice gifts as well. I got some golf gear (shoes, towel, golf shirt), a book I had been wanting and a very sweet Kansas City Royals authentic 40th anniverary jersey. I think I am going to get George Brett’s number tackle-twilled on the back. Anthony sent a kickass Italian Deluxe pizza down with Justin. I kept it hidden aside and devoured it the weekend after my birthday. It was awesome.
Over the weekend of their visit we went bowling, played golf and watched football. Justin made an outstanding Italian dinner for us all on my birthday. It was a very nice time and I made it through turning 40 without any major embarassment. I am glad it is over. In the weeks leading up to my birthday I found myself involuntarily thinking about the past way more than I care to. Not always looking back in a bad way – but generally looking back and wondering where it all went, how quickly time is passing now and how it seems to accelerate and get away from me even faster now. There was the usual amount of self-pity and regret I suppose people suffer when they spend time with their heads in the past. I had to keep yanking myself back into the day to work on doing the most with the moment in front of me. I really don’t want the kids to grow up. I don’t want to get old. I don’t particularly care to die anytime soon. The usual stuff, being not-so-gently reminded that I am not God and I am utterly powerless over the march of time and just about everything else.
Thanksgiving was awesome. It started off with a bang. Suzanne came to visit us for the four-day weekend and when she arrived on Wednesday night she harmlessly enough laid her suitcase out in Stella’s bedroom. At some point in the evening, Jackson discovered her open suitacse and proceeded to chew the lid off one of her medication bottles. Jackson then ate a three month supply of synthetic thyroid. We didn’t realize it until Suzanne was getting ready for bed and looking to take her nightly pill. At this point Jackson was well on his way to digesting, if not absorbing, all the pills he had swallowed. I took him up to Peewee Valley Veterinary Clinic and met Dr. Ross up there at about 11:15pm. Dr. Ross was great. She looked like she had just rolled out of bed. We induced vomiting (the shot included morphine among other things) and Jackson promptly barfed up a nice collection of small plastic beads from the girls’ craft sets, a bunch of cranberries, a completely unblemished dog biscuit (he must have eaten it whole) – but not a single thyroid pill. His heart rate was at 210 beats per minute but the morphine knocked it back down to about 100 beats per minute. Since the doctor was worried the pills had made their way to his intestine, we proceeded to hold him down and give him activated charcoal through a syringe. His little white beard was covered in black charcoal. He was shaking from the thyroid “speed” and his eyes were starting to droop from the morphine. Jackson’s first overdose! It would have been sad if it weren’t so funny. I strongly identify with a dog that will eat damn near anything and has a policy of “the more the better” when it comes to mood-and-mind-altering substances. Anyway, Suzanne shot a photo of him in full junkie-dog slendor and I need to get a copy of it from her. And seriously, we are very relieved that he was alright. The emergency vet visit also didn’t cost me and arm and a leg, which I had been girding myself for.
On to Thanksgiving! Suzanne helped Melissa create the most outstanding Thanksgiving dinner we have ever had. We played Trivial Pursuit (I was winless, Suzanne kicked our asses in the last game). We watched football. Melissa and I were also able to go out for a belated anniversary dinner while Suzanne watched the kids. We took the opportunity to do a little Christmas shopping as well.
All the November photos are here.
written by mark
