10. I HATE to dress up.
9. Sugar makes kids crazy...and they are already crazy enough!
8. Kids, girls especially wear entirely inappropriate outfits, and I have to fight dress code violations all day at school.
7. I don't like parties. A few close friends getting together for dinner and games or a movie is a blast. Making small talk at a party with someone you don't know sucks.
6. I HATE to dress up.
5. I get sad to see old, moldy Jack O'lanterns on the side of people's houses in the days following. And, pumpkin guts are gross. I don't want to see them or smell them all over my neighborhood.
4. Dead things should stay dead. (To quote my sister-in-law, H.) A holiday that compels people to dress up like zombies, or fake horrendous injuries is not cool in my book.
3. Toilet paper, shaving cream, and eggs belong inside houses, not ON houses.
2. I HATE to dress up.
And the number one reason I hate Halloween...
1. I do not enjoy being scared. I don't watch scary movies, I don't read scary books. I have an overactive imagination. I don't enjoy it while it's happening, and I really don't enjoy the nightmares afterwards. My first real "date" in high school was to go see the movie "Seven" with Brad Pitt, and then we went to a Haunted House. Man, I must have liked that guy! (And, no, Leah, if you don't remember who I went with, I'm sure not going to remind you...it was not one of my finer moments! I'm afraid you'll look him up in your yearbook and then you'll die laughing. I don't want to be the one responsible for leaving your kids without their mom. That "relationship" did not last very long at all. A few weeks and I hated him... A hint: he was on the newspaper staff with me, and staying at his house until 4a.m. one weekend is what made my mom finally give me a curfew senior year.)
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Mama! It's Mr. Simmons!
My in-laws were here over the weekend, and as usual, we had a good time. We have some of the most interesting conversations! My particular favorite is when I learn more about J when he was a little kid. At one point this morning J was teasing his mom for having a Jane Fonda workout record when he was a kid. She told him not to laugh, because he used to love workouts...but not with Jane Fonda. He loved Richard Simmons!
Apparently when he was about three years old, their typical routine was to eat lunch, and then at one o'clock they would go into the living room and turn on the television. J LOVED "Mr. Simmons!! It's Mr. Simmons, Mama!" He would laugh and sing and dance alone to Sweatin' to the Oldies with his friend, Richard Simmons. He loved how energetic and happy Mr. S always was.
Then, when J got older, his obsession with Mr. Simmons faded. Now, J has none of his old affection for his workout friend...he is more scornful than anything.
Here's a picture of J at about 3...look how cute he was! That blonde curly hair just kills me!
Apparently when he was about three years old, their typical routine was to eat lunch, and then at one o'clock they would go into the living room and turn on the television. J LOVED "Mr. Simmons!! It's Mr. Simmons, Mama!" He would laugh and sing and dance alone to Sweatin' to the Oldies with his friend, Richard Simmons. He loved how energetic and happy Mr. S always was.
Then, when J got older, his obsession with Mr. Simmons faded. Now, J has none of his old affection for his workout friend...he is more scornful than anything.
Here's a picture of J at about 3...look how cute he was! That blonde curly hair just kills me!
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Poor kitty...
Last week I took both Sid and Zoe to the vet. I had Friday off, and they were both overdue for their shots. I called that morning, and got them an appointment for the afternoon. Things went well at first. Sid walked right into his crate and all I had to do was close the door. Zoe, on the other hand, HATES to go in the crate and will fight with all her might to avoid it. I managed to trick her, though. I put the crate in the bathroom in the bathtub and shut the curtain. She likes to cuddle with me when I am using the bathroom, so I put down the toilet seat and sat down. I called her, and she came running. The dummy didn't even register that I had my pants pulled up. I closed the door behind her and then stood up. When I opened the shower curtain she was not happy with me. I think she knew she'd been had. She put up minimal struggle and I got her in. Then we were on our way.
They both "sing" in the car...I hate it. They sound like they are being lead to their death. And one sets the other off, and it's like they can't even hear my voice...they just keep crying until we get there. It wasn't too bad this time, though, until...
Sid had an accident in his crate on the way to the vet. It's the second time that's happened to him. I feel so bad when it happens, but there's not much I can do about it. You can let a dog outside and tell him to take care of business, but a cat sure doesn't do that. The vet techs were super, though, and cleaned him up as soon as we got there. He was being such a good boy that they went ahead and gave him a bath instead of just drying him off.
They commented on how sweet my cats were, and how well they tolerated being poked and prodded and didn't protest at all. No meowing, growling, hissing, or spitting.
Then the vet and recommended a pill that prevents worms. I said sure, so the vet tech went and got the pills and her nifty pill dispenser that prevents cat bites. Of course Zoe had to go first, and of course she couldn't continue to be a good cat...she had to show off for me and Sid, and spit out the pill. Not once, not twice, and not three times but four times. The tech gathered her supplies and Zoe and went into the back room for reinforcements. Turns out it wasn't necessary...she really was just showing off for us. The tech was able to get her to take both pills without struggle in the back room. Go figure.
She received a clean bill of health and then we let her crawl back into the cage she HATES at home but LOVES at the vet, and it was Sid's turn. He did great. He, too, got a clean bill of health with one exception: his teeth. They were in bad need of a cleaning. I've been noticing that he has really bad breath, and figured it was time for a teeth cleaning. Unfortunately, those are pretty spendy.
But, if it needs to be done, it needs to be done. I agreed, and set an appointment for the following Friday.
J dropped him off in the morning before 8 on his way to work. They kept him all day for this procedure. I couldn't go get him until 5 p.m. Poor Zoe was home alone all day. She was certainly lonely because when I got home, she was waiting for me by the door. She hasn't done that since we got Sid. She followed me around the house and wanted me to cuddle her. She doesn't do that usually, either. I left to go get Sid before J got home. When he got home, Zoe was all over him, too.
The strange part was when I brought Sid home. He was still a little groggy from the anesthesia, and wasn't acting like himself. He must smell like the vet, too, because Zoe won't come near him. If he tries to get near her, she growls and hisses at him. It's been 24 hours now, and poor Sid is still being shunned by Zoe. It's almost as if she doesn't know who he is.
He had a heck of a day yesterday, and then came home to that. Poor guy. He did great at the vet, though, and his teeth look great. His breath smells better, too!
Here are some pictures of his experience:
When he got home he immediately started chewing on the bandage that was on his arm, so I took it off before I got a picture of it. Here's where they had to shave his arm to put in the IV.
Here's the before picture from the vet of his teeth. It seems like it's hard to see, but it turns out that his teeth were REALLY gross.
Here's the after. Nice and clean and pearly white again!
Here's the toothbrush they sent home with him. Yeah, right. Like I'll be able to brush my cat's teeth. I'll let you know how it goes! We're supposed to give his gums 10 days to heal before we try it.
Here's the dental "chew" they sent home. It's coated with cat toothpaste. They gave me two. Both cats ate it right up. I think I may have to get some of those and see if after they get used to the taste of those they'll be more inclined to let me brush their teeth.
Here's the t/d food they sent home. They LOVE this stuff. J and I have been giving it to them as "treats" for two years now. My cats are dumb. Because Zoe has food allergies and intestinal issues, we have to be careful about what we feed them. So we put either their plain dry food in a treat can, or the t/d. They don't get real treats, they get t/d or z/d (their regular food) from a can, but they LOVE it. My friend tells me I have the dumbest cats on the planet. I figure it's like telling a little kid carrots are a special treat and giving them veggies instead of candy, right? It's better for them, and if they think they're getting a treat, they are.
Here's the bandanna they sent home with Sid. Thankfully they didn't put it on him. I think the fabric is super cute, but I think bandannas on cats look stupid.
I would take a picture of Zoe being mean to Sid, but I can't catch them with the camera, and I don't want to make Sid get hissed at any more than he's already dealing with it. But here's Zoe keeping an eye on the situation, making sure Sid doesn't get too close to me or get too much attention she feels is rightfully hers...
UPDATE: My cats now hate each other. Actually, that's not true. Zoe hates Sid. She has started two full fledged fights with him now. They didn't even do that when we first brought him into the house. They sniffed each other, were wary for a day or two, and have been best friends ever since. Until Friday, that is. It's now after midnight on Saturday, so it's technically Sunday, and she is still hissing and spitting whenever he comes near. Poor Sid is traumatized. He just wants to cuddle, and she won't let him come near. Brat. I've now got food and water and a litter box in the extra room, and have locked Zoe up. According to the internet, it will take a few days to "reintroduce" them to each other. AARRGGHHH!!! Why do cats have to be so dumb?? From now on, they will go everywhere together. Even if I have to pay extra. Just so they are always together and always exposed to the same smells. That's the only thing we can think is wrong...he smells like the vet.
Update 2: It took almost an entire week to the day for the cats to start getting along again, but they are now just as close as they were before the fateful trip to the vet. We did have to lock Zoe up when we went to work for a few days, but it was okay in the long run. Yay! They love each other again.
Mother knows best
When it comes to cleaning there seem to exist three different personality types: those who purge often and mercilessly, those who keep some things for sentimental reasons but get rid of the rest of the junk, and those who keep everything because they "might need it some day." Who knows how or why anyone ends up in each particular category.
In my own family we cover all three personality types. My sister T definitely falls into the first category, she purges on a regular basis, and when items are gone, they are not missed. My other sister L tends to be in the second category. She keeps a small amount of items for sentimental reasons, but then will periodically purge. I wish I was in the first category, would proudly claim the second, but would have to admit that I sometimes find myself hanging on to stuff "just in case." It's probably a 70/30 split between the two categories. I am pretty good about getting rid of stuff, but sometimes have to do a big purge. I have seen what happens when you live in the third category, as both of my biological parents do, and it's a scary place to be! My mom is more a sentimental saver while my dad is just cheap.
Both my mom and dad's houses are jam packed with stuff, and I don't want my house to be like that. Unfortunately, my husband tends to be a bit of a saver, too. On the other hand, while he claims to be observant (he is a scientist, you know... :) ), he doesn't seem to notice when I get rid of stuff periodically. Sometimes he does notice, but usually he doesn't complain because I think he's glad I just did it myself instead of hassling him to help me.
When I was visiting my mom last year sometime, I ended up sleeping in her "sewing room" on the futon. On the desk in that room was lots of junk, as is to be expected, but there was also something else... Somehow, a note that Mom left for a babysitter when we were little has survived unscathed through several moves and many years. It appears to be a note that she left for someone who was watching us for the whole weekend. I am three and a half years older than L, and in the note it appears she is walking and talking, and was recently potty trained. Mom couldn't remember when the note was written, but we're guessing I was 4.5-5, which would make T 3-3.5 and L 1-1.5. Unfortunately Mom also doesn't remember who our babysitter was. If she had to guess, she thinks it was probably her mom, my Grandma Jene, but she's not sure. We're guessing it was if not the first time, one of the first times we were left with someone for any length of time. The notes are VERY thorough, and a great snapshot of what we were like when we were little!! It's also a neat look at my mom when she was younger...we always knew my sisters and I inherited our "gift of gab" from Mom and not Dad, but apparently Mom was a writer, too!
Here's a picture of us at close to the ages we probably were when Mom wrote the note.
In my own family we cover all three personality types. My sister T definitely falls into the first category, she purges on a regular basis, and when items are gone, they are not missed. My other sister L tends to be in the second category. She keeps a small amount of items for sentimental reasons, but then will periodically purge. I wish I was in the first category, would proudly claim the second, but would have to admit that I sometimes find myself hanging on to stuff "just in case." It's probably a 70/30 split between the two categories. I am pretty good about getting rid of stuff, but sometimes have to do a big purge. I have seen what happens when you live in the third category, as both of my biological parents do, and it's a scary place to be! My mom is more a sentimental saver while my dad is just cheap.
Both my mom and dad's houses are jam packed with stuff, and I don't want my house to be like that. Unfortunately, my husband tends to be a bit of a saver, too. On the other hand, while he claims to be observant (he is a scientist, you know... :) ), he doesn't seem to notice when I get rid of stuff periodically. Sometimes he does notice, but usually he doesn't complain because I think he's glad I just did it myself instead of hassling him to help me.
When I was visiting my mom last year sometime, I ended up sleeping in her "sewing room" on the futon. On the desk in that room was lots of junk, as is to be expected, but there was also something else... Somehow, a note that Mom left for a babysitter when we were little has survived unscathed through several moves and many years. It appears to be a note that she left for someone who was watching us for the whole weekend. I am three and a half years older than L, and in the note it appears she is walking and talking, and was recently potty trained. Mom couldn't remember when the note was written, but we're guessing I was 4.5-5, which would make T 3-3.5 and L 1-1.5. Unfortunately Mom also doesn't remember who our babysitter was. If she had to guess, she thinks it was probably her mom, my Grandma Jene, but she's not sure. We're guessing it was if not the first time, one of the first times we were left with someone for any length of time. The notes are VERY thorough, and a great snapshot of what we were like when we were little!! It's also a neat look at my mom when she was younger...we always knew my sisters and I inherited our "gift of gab" from Mom and not Dad, but apparently Mom was a writer, too!
Here's a picture of us at close to the ages we probably were when Mom wrote the note.
Here's the LENGTHY and DETAILED note!
More cute pictures of me and my sisters:
Me and T. Apparently I climbed into her crib one day when she was getting up from a nap. 
I'm wearing the same outfit here, but T is in something else...did I make a habit of climbing into her crib?? Who knows...
Don't we look thrilled to be posing for this picture?? Look closely at the pictures on the mantel behind us...Mom liked to get a lot of mileage out of our outfits!
We're a little younger here, but it's one of few pictures of us with my mom's mom, Grandma Jene. I loved my "Green Grandma"!! (My favorite color was green, and anything that was special to me I called "Green"...my green blankie, my Green Grandma...)
While this is probably one of my all-time favorite pictures of me and my sisters, it's got to be one of the craziest! Who poses their children in the bathtub with flowers?? Random. But that's my mom!
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Ford tough
A man loves his truck. And J loved his Ford Ranger. I know what you're thinking, "How does a man that big fit into a truck that small?" That's a good question. I'm not sure how he did it, but he did. And it wasn't a tight squeeze. He just pushed his seat all the way back, and got in. It may have helped that it was an extended cab Ranger, but still, it was a Ranger.
That was a good little truck. It was a 1993, was navy blue, had cloth seats, and a Tonneau (sp?) cover over the bed. Four years ago I gave him a new stereo to put in his truck, so the stereo was okay. Nothing too fancy. Just a good little truck.
Except when it snowed, but that's another story!
Then, about a year ago, the truck started showing serious signs of its age. J does NOT deal with change well, and he doesn't like to spend a lot of money. The thought of having to buy a new truck was exciting to him, but terrifying as well.
(I know when he reads this he's going to say, "Pshaw...that's the dumbest thing I ever heard! Terrifying, whatever!" But what I have to say to him is, "You don't like to have to make a big choice...what if you make the wrong one?? So, terrifying it was, and that's that." Sorry, I know it's rude to have a conversation with someone else at the same time I'm talking to you...but so far J hasn't complained about anything I've written on here...and I KNOW he's going to be annoyed by that comment. I stand behind it, though!)
When J is faced with making a big purchase, he tends to weigh his options VERY carefully. Over and over and over again. When he was thinking about purchasing a PlayStation 2 seven years ago when they first came out, it took MONTHS for him to decide if he wanted the PlayStation 2 or a Microsoft X-Box. EVERY time we went to the store, we visited the video game displays and weighed the merits of one gaming system over the other. By the time Christmas rolled around, I was so annoyed that he wouldn't make a decision, that I went ahead and bought it for him. On the one hand, I was really annoyed. On the other, I was SO excited that I was able to buy him a great present! We met in college, and I was a very poor college student. He, on the other hand, had a great job with the forest service during the summers, and while I would say he was still a poor college kid, he had more expendable cash during the year. He had bought me very nice gifts, and I felt bad that I couldn't do that. So when that Christmas came about and I had a real job for the first time, I was finally able to reciprocate and that pleased me. I consulted with the experts (the teenage boys in my classes!) about which gaming system was better, and they steered me in the direction of the PlayStation 2. Man, did they give me advice! It was so much fun to see J's face on Christmas when he opened it up! I had been telling him that I was giving him an electric razor for his face. I'm terrible at keeping secrets and had to tell him something or I would burst and spill the beans for real. I had told my sisters what I was giving him, so they gave him a few video games. He was so excited when he opened it up! And a more than a little surprised! I still don't know why he believed me about the razor, but I'm glad he did.
A few weeks ago, his PlayStation 2 was also beginning to show signs of wear. We spent a not entirely pleasant morning cussing at the video game. By we, I mean J. J cussed, I listened. It was at that point I could see the writing on the wall: We were going to be visiting video game displays again. Weighing the merits of the X-Box 360 over the PlayStation 3 (I knew the Nintendo Wii didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of tempting him...). Without even talking to him, I checked the balance in our checking account (it was the end of the month). As soon as he left to watch a WSU football game (Go Cougs!) at a friend's house, I jumped in the car and headed to Wal-Mart. I walked straight to the game displays, found a sales clerk and pointed at what I wanted. In a matter of minutes, I had a great gift for J, and eliminated months of aggravating trips to the store for myself.
I was again really excited to surprise him! This time it was going to be a REAL surprise. I hadn't discussed it with him, and it was just a random Saturday in September. I did still owe him a gift from our anniversary in August (because he couldn't decide what he wanted...go figure!), and while the PlayStation was way more than I would have normally spent on an anniversary gift, I couldn't help myself. I put it under his pillow, but the box was so big, it didn't really fit. I had to mound a few pillows over it. Then I went to bed (it was close to midnight when he finally left his friend's house) and waited for him to come home. He was trying to be quiet, so he wouldn't wake me, but I was really awake. I was dying...it took him FOREVER to go about his nightly routine, turn off all the lights, and finally come to bed. He laid down, then sat up again. I thought he had figured it out! But he just pushed the pillows around, and then laid down again. I was dying (and wondering exactly how much beer he had had to drink that night...). But then he put his hand up underneath the pillows and realized there was a huge box there. He was shocked! He was excited, and it was a great moment.
But I digress. Suffice it to say, J does not like to have to make big decisions, and buying a new truck is a huge financial commitment. We started test driving small trucks (like the Ranger), and were very displeased to find out that much like he can only wear Carhartt jeans, he apparently can only drive big trucks. We went to the Toyota dealership, and he didn't even fit in the Tacoma. He tried to get in, but had to duck down so far, he had a hard time. Then, when he tried to bring his legs up, they didn't even go under the steering wheel!! No test drive there...he would have had to become a contortionist to even get in the truck. We didn't even look at a Tundra. While they are really nice trucks, they start in the mid-30's, and we didn't want to spend that kind of money.
He has driven many different types of truck at work (they use rental trucks...I guess it's cheaper for a company in the long run rather than buying a truck and maintaining it...but it gives him the opportunity to "test drive" lots of different vehicles because they get switched out pretty regularly). We didn't bother with Chevy, as he's driven my parents' truck. He likes it, but not enough to want to drive one every day. We didn't bother with Nissan or Dodge as he had driven the Frontier and the Ram at work, and wasn't interested in either of those.
So it was off to the Ford dealership. We were thinking that he would just get a new Ranger. His dad got one a few years ago, and J still fit in it, so we thought that would be the way to go. Unfortunately, they have changed the design of the Ranger in the last three years. Now there is a hidden roll-bar right where J's head goes. He either has to drive hunched over, or laying back really far in the seat.
We had no choice but to look at full sized trucks.
It took a long time, a lot of heartache, a TON of arguing and fighting between us, and some serious internet searching, but J finally made a decision and we bought a new truck in June. June 23, to be exact. I was in Indianapolis with my mom, and he went with his dad...that was another huge fight...but let's not get into that now.
He finally has a great truck that he fits in comfortably. The gas mileage leaves a lot to be desired, but that's okay. We're happy.
I'm ecstatic that one of the options he got on the truck is electronic foot pedals!! He obviously puts them all the way down when he drives. When I drive, I can bring them up so I don't have to sit right against the steering wheel in order to reach the pedals!!
This is a picture of J and his new truck, at the dealership the day he bought it. They took his picture, then sent him a cheesy calendar. Whatever. I don't use the calendar, but since I wasn't there, it was nice to see a picture of him that day.
That was a good little truck. It was a 1993, was navy blue, had cloth seats, and a Tonneau (sp?) cover over the bed. Four years ago I gave him a new stereo to put in his truck, so the stereo was okay. Nothing too fancy. Just a good little truck.
Except when it snowed, but that's another story!
Then, about a year ago, the truck started showing serious signs of its age. J does NOT deal with change well, and he doesn't like to spend a lot of money. The thought of having to buy a new truck was exciting to him, but terrifying as well.
(I know when he reads this he's going to say, "Pshaw...that's the dumbest thing I ever heard! Terrifying, whatever!" But what I have to say to him is, "You don't like to have to make a big choice...what if you make the wrong one?? So, terrifying it was, and that's that." Sorry, I know it's rude to have a conversation with someone else at the same time I'm talking to you...but so far J hasn't complained about anything I've written on here...and I KNOW he's going to be annoyed by that comment. I stand behind it, though!)
When J is faced with making a big purchase, he tends to weigh his options VERY carefully. Over and over and over again. When he was thinking about purchasing a PlayStation 2 seven years ago when they first came out, it took MONTHS for him to decide if he wanted the PlayStation 2 or a Microsoft X-Box. EVERY time we went to the store, we visited the video game displays and weighed the merits of one gaming system over the other. By the time Christmas rolled around, I was so annoyed that he wouldn't make a decision, that I went ahead and bought it for him. On the one hand, I was really annoyed. On the other, I was SO excited that I was able to buy him a great present! We met in college, and I was a very poor college student. He, on the other hand, had a great job with the forest service during the summers, and while I would say he was still a poor college kid, he had more expendable cash during the year. He had bought me very nice gifts, and I felt bad that I couldn't do that. So when that Christmas came about and I had a real job for the first time, I was finally able to reciprocate and that pleased me. I consulted with the experts (the teenage boys in my classes!) about which gaming system was better, and they steered me in the direction of the PlayStation 2. Man, did they give me advice! It was so much fun to see J's face on Christmas when he opened it up! I had been telling him that I was giving him an electric razor for his face. I'm terrible at keeping secrets and had to tell him something or I would burst and spill the beans for real. I had told my sisters what I was giving him, so they gave him a few video games. He was so excited when he opened it up! And a more than a little surprised! I still don't know why he believed me about the razor, but I'm glad he did.
A few weeks ago, his PlayStation 2 was also beginning to show signs of wear. We spent a not entirely pleasant morning cussing at the video game. By we, I mean J. J cussed, I listened. It was at that point I could see the writing on the wall: We were going to be visiting video game displays again. Weighing the merits of the X-Box 360 over the PlayStation 3 (I knew the Nintendo Wii didn't have a snowball's chance in hell of tempting him...). Without even talking to him, I checked the balance in our checking account (it was the end of the month). As soon as he left to watch a WSU football game (Go Cougs!) at a friend's house, I jumped in the car and headed to Wal-Mart. I walked straight to the game displays, found a sales clerk and pointed at what I wanted. In a matter of minutes, I had a great gift for J, and eliminated months of aggravating trips to the store for myself.
I was again really excited to surprise him! This time it was going to be a REAL surprise. I hadn't discussed it with him, and it was just a random Saturday in September. I did still owe him a gift from our anniversary in August (because he couldn't decide what he wanted...go figure!), and while the PlayStation was way more than I would have normally spent on an anniversary gift, I couldn't help myself. I put it under his pillow, but the box was so big, it didn't really fit. I had to mound a few pillows over it. Then I went to bed (it was close to midnight when he finally left his friend's house) and waited for him to come home. He was trying to be quiet, so he wouldn't wake me, but I was really awake. I was dying...it took him FOREVER to go about his nightly routine, turn off all the lights, and finally come to bed. He laid down, then sat up again. I thought he had figured it out! But he just pushed the pillows around, and then laid down again. I was dying (and wondering exactly how much beer he had had to drink that night...). But then he put his hand up underneath the pillows and realized there was a huge box there. He was shocked! He was excited, and it was a great moment.
But I digress. Suffice it to say, J does not like to have to make big decisions, and buying a new truck is a huge financial commitment. We started test driving small trucks (like the Ranger), and were very displeased to find out that much like he can only wear Carhartt jeans, he apparently can only drive big trucks. We went to the Toyota dealership, and he didn't even fit in the Tacoma. He tried to get in, but had to duck down so far, he had a hard time. Then, when he tried to bring his legs up, they didn't even go under the steering wheel!! No test drive there...he would have had to become a contortionist to even get in the truck. We didn't even look at a Tundra. While they are really nice trucks, they start in the mid-30's, and we didn't want to spend that kind of money.
He has driven many different types of truck at work (they use rental trucks...I guess it's cheaper for a company in the long run rather than buying a truck and maintaining it...but it gives him the opportunity to "test drive" lots of different vehicles because they get switched out pretty regularly). We didn't bother with Chevy, as he's driven my parents' truck. He likes it, but not enough to want to drive one every day. We didn't bother with Nissan or Dodge as he had driven the Frontier and the Ram at work, and wasn't interested in either of those.
So it was off to the Ford dealership. We were thinking that he would just get a new Ranger. His dad got one a few years ago, and J still fit in it, so we thought that would be the way to go. Unfortunately, they have changed the design of the Ranger in the last three years. Now there is a hidden roll-bar right where J's head goes. He either has to drive hunched over, or laying back really far in the seat.
We had no choice but to look at full sized trucks.
It took a long time, a lot of heartache, a TON of arguing and fighting between us, and some serious internet searching, but J finally made a decision and we bought a new truck in June. June 23, to be exact. I was in Indianapolis with my mom, and he went with his dad...that was another huge fight...but let's not get into that now.
He finally has a great truck that he fits in comfortably. The gas mileage leaves a lot to be desired, but that's okay. We're happy.
I'm ecstatic that one of the options he got on the truck is electronic foot pedals!! He obviously puts them all the way down when he drives. When I drive, I can bring them up so I don't have to sit right against the steering wheel in order to reach the pedals!!
This is a picture of J and his new truck, at the dealership the day he bought it. They took his picture, then sent him a cheesy calendar. Whatever. I don't use the calendar, but since I wasn't there, it was nice to see a picture of him that day.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Tall drink of water...
J is definitely a tall drink of water. I like to tell people that he's proof that they do grow things bigger in Texas.
Here's J again with Mike and Mike (the first two on the left) at our wedding. Next to the Mikes is his dad and the bald one is his friend Tony.
Around Thanksgiving one year, C (J's little sister who was in the third grade when J and I started dating in college) came home from school really upset. Her teacher had told her class that there are turkey farmers who feed their turkeys growth hormones. C was convinced that that's what had happened to J...their mom had been buying turkeys with the growth hormones. Mom reassured her that she was safe...but maybe there was something to her theory. C is almost 20 now, and is almost 6'0 herself!
J has been tall his whole life, as you can see from this picture when he was in Little League.
It was in high school and the first few years after that he had major growth spurts. When he was in high school, the Houston Chronicle had an article about basketball players to watch in the Houston area. J was one of them. He is still bitter about the article, though, because instead of leading with his basketball abilities, they lead with a sentence about "the rail thin 6'10" J.H. from McCullough High School." This is a picture of J and his mom on the basketball team's Senior Night. (Check out those stylish sports glasses / goggles!)
This is a picture of him and his two best friends (Mike and Mike) on their graduation day. J is on flat ground, and it's sort of hard to see, but the Mikes are standing on a raised wall. At graduation, he was 6'10" tall. Since then he has grown 2" and is an even 7'0" tall.
Here's J again with Mike and Mike (the first two on the left) at our wedding. Next to the Mikes is his dad and the bald one is his friend Tony.
People are ALWAYS staring at him. Often people will talk about him right in front of us. It's as if they think he's deaf because he's so tall. I'm not sure if they even see me! Or maybe they think I'm deaf too?
One of our favorite stories is when we were in college at WSU (Go Cougs!) and we went to a movie. When we were walking out, there was an older couple walking near us. The gentleman was tugging on his wife's sleeve saying (rather loudly) "Woman!! Woman!! Look! That boy is TALL!" While this was in and of itself amusing, what made us laugh right out loud was the young teen who was walking in front of us and overheard the comment. He continued walking, but turned to look over his shoulder at J. He turned back around just in time to walk straight into a door jamb!
At the Apple Cup in Pullman one year, it was snowing and about 17 degrees outside, so we were standing in line for hot chocolate at half time (turned out to be lukewarm chocolate...but oh well!). The people behind us kept bumping into me. I ignored it at first because it was pretty crowded, but it continued. I finally turned around to glare at them, and saw it was a group of guys who were trying to guess how tall J was by standing back to back with him! I said "He's 7 feet tall, and it would have been easier just to ask!" They at least had the good graces to blush. Then they asked him the usual litany of questions: Do you play basketball? Are you really 7 feet tall? How tall are your parents? While it gets annoying to him to be asked the same questions all the time, he's very polite and will talk to people. After all, he'd rather they asked him than just stare or talk about him.
I have pictures of J at school, and my kids (both freshmen AND seniors) are always totally amazed by him. They ask me if I will bring him in to class so they can see him. My response is usually "What, like show and tell? I don't think so. He comes with me to most home sporting events and plays, etc. You can meet him there if you'd like to." Unfortunately, most of them just stare at him or talk to me and completely ignore him when we do go. The few who are brave enough to come up to us and actually say hi to him, J is awesome with. He'll shake hands and introduce himself and answer any questions they may ask.
I affectionately tell J he is "freaky tall." It is with that same affection that I must say that my friend's mom and aunts are "freaky short."
The first time we met these ladies, the cute one with the red hair and purple shirt in the first picture grabbed my arm and said, "Honey, we don't know each other yet, but we HAVE to have a picture with your husband!" J is a good sport, so he posed. Unfortunately, people didn't believe that they were all standing on level ground, so we had to take another picture the next time we were all together.
Here's the first picture.
Here's the second picture.
Another one of the sisters came up recently from Texas where she lives, and wanted to pose with J because her grandson didn't believe she knew someone who is so tall. (Earlier I said that J is proof they grow things bigger in Texas...well, this sister is the exception to that rule! Though she was born in Minnesota, not Texas, so I don't know if it really applies to her anyway?) I'm so glad J is such a nice guy! He usually hates to have his picture taken, and rarely likes to be the center of attention. (He does like to tell a good joke, though...and the more people who laugh the better!)
And here's one of my favorite pictures of the two of us, just to be fair. He doesn't like that I keep posting all these pictures of him!!
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Long time no talk
When you don't talk to people for awhile, there's a lot that you have to catch up on. Sometimes it's amazing what can happen in a short amount of time! Both J and I are terrible about making phone calls. We think of our families all the time, but usually, we wait for them to call us. We heard from both his folks and my dad and step-mom this week. It's been a few weeks since we've talked with those sets of parents. (I usually talk to my mom and step-dad weekly.) Here's the information we got:
1. My dad's cousin died last week. He fought a long and hard battle with cancer. He's not much older than my dad. That thought is sobering. I feel bad for my cousins. It would be hard to lose a parent at this stage in life.
2. The new garage at my dad's is almost done. It's water tight, and they're going to finish it within a week or two.
3. M got my dad to take stuff to the Goodwill!!! This in and of itself is an impressive feat! My dad is of the "waste not, want not" mindset. I don't think he has paid for nails, screws, etc. even once in his entire life. He will pick a nail up off the ground, straighten it out and use it. He only recently began listening to cd's. And that was only because he was forced to. His cassette player broke, and when he took it to the store to see if they could repair it, he nearly got laughed out the front door. When his mom passed away, he and his sisters cleaned out close to 100 years of junk from her house. (She lived in the same house her entire life. She moved out when she got married, but she and my grandfather moved back in less than three years later when my great-grandfather got sick.) What they didn't haul to the dump was taken to Dad's house to be sorted through. It took about three years to parcel stuff out to family, but it's finally done. And M got him to take a bunch of what was left to the Goodwill!
4. Dad and M have moved in together finally! They've been married for almost a year (after dating for nearly 18 and 1/2 years), and they are finally living under one roof! They are in her house, as the remodeling work begins on Dad's house this week. When the house is done, they'll move back in there, as Dad's house is bigger than M's.
5. The Saint Nicholas sank. When my grandpa got to America in 1921, he started to fish. By 1927 he had saved enough money to buy his own boat - the St. Nick. My dad started fishing with the crew when he was a kid. By the time he was 11 he was a full-share member of the crew. For a long time fishing was a good way to support a family. Then, it started to slow down. For the past several years it has been harder and harder to make any money. About two years ago Dad decided he needed to sell the boat. It was becoming more expensive to keep up the boat. It's one of few all wood, working boats left. It took him a year to find "the right kind of buyer" but he finally did, and he sold it. He sold it to a man on the Tulalip Indian Reservation. About two weeks ago, he heard from a friend that the boat sank off the dock. That's all I know. I don't know if the boat is salvageable or if it's lost for good. Either way, it's sad. My dad spent his whole life on that boat, and now it's gone.
6. From J's folks we found out that one of C's roommates has exposed the house to meningitis. So far no one else is sick, including C. Let's hope it stays that way.
7. Mom and Dad H. have finally completed the barn. It's been a LONG project...and the deadline kept getting pushed further and further back. But now the barn has a roof, Mom has a completed art studio, and there are just finishing / decorating details on the workshop and game room. Yay!! Game night in the barn next time we go visit!
8. Mom found a dead body when she was on a walk.
Wait, what?!?
Apparently, Mom was on a walk last week, when she passed a ditch near her friend's house, she thought she saw something. Upon closer inspection she realized it was a body. She flagged down a passing car, and they called the cops. The story from the local paper is below.
Man dies after apparently throwing himself from car
Thursday, October 04, 2007By JOHN BRANTON, Columbian Staff Writer
A 30-year-old Clark County man died at Southwest Washington Medical Center on Thursday, two days after he reportedly jumped out of a moving car and suffered a severe head injury. Tud Sio Seachao died Thursday afternoon, said an investigator for the Clark County medical examiner. An autopsy is scheduled for today. Tuesday morning, medics and sheriff's deputies were called to Northwest 324th Street and 41st Avenue, west of Interstate 5 near La Center. Someone walking in the area had seen a man lying in a ditch and called 911, said Sgt. Tim Bieber with the Clark County Sheriff's Office. The man was taken by ambulance to the hospital. At first, it appeared that Seachao might have been stabbed or shot, or that he'd been struck by a hit-run driver, Bieber said. Deputies later determined what is believed to have happened: Seachao's girlfriend told officials she'd been driving about 40 mph when he jumped from the moving car. She said she went back and looked for him, but didn't see him, so she figured he'd left the scene on foot, Bieber said. Bieber said the woman went home, thinking Seachao would return there later. Deputies don't believe any criminal activity was involved in the death, Bieber said.
Wow, I guess we shouldn't let so much time pass between phone calls from now on! It's amazing what can happen in a short few weeks!
1. My dad's cousin died last week. He fought a long and hard battle with cancer. He's not much older than my dad. That thought is sobering. I feel bad for my cousins. It would be hard to lose a parent at this stage in life.
2. The new garage at my dad's is almost done. It's water tight, and they're going to finish it within a week or two.
3. M got my dad to take stuff to the Goodwill!!! This in and of itself is an impressive feat! My dad is of the "waste not, want not" mindset. I don't think he has paid for nails, screws, etc. even once in his entire life. He will pick a nail up off the ground, straighten it out and use it. He only recently began listening to cd's. And that was only because he was forced to. His cassette player broke, and when he took it to the store to see if they could repair it, he nearly got laughed out the front door. When his mom passed away, he and his sisters cleaned out close to 100 years of junk from her house. (She lived in the same house her entire life. She moved out when she got married, but she and my grandfather moved back in less than three years later when my great-grandfather got sick.) What they didn't haul to the dump was taken to Dad's house to be sorted through. It took about three years to parcel stuff out to family, but it's finally done. And M got him to take a bunch of what was left to the Goodwill!
4. Dad and M have moved in together finally! They've been married for almost a year (after dating for nearly 18 and 1/2 years), and they are finally living under one roof! They are in her house, as the remodeling work begins on Dad's house this week. When the house is done, they'll move back in there, as Dad's house is bigger than M's.
5. The Saint Nicholas sank. When my grandpa got to America in 1921, he started to fish. By 1927 he had saved enough money to buy his own boat - the St. Nick. My dad started fishing with the crew when he was a kid. By the time he was 11 he was a full-share member of the crew. For a long time fishing was a good way to support a family. Then, it started to slow down. For the past several years it has been harder and harder to make any money. About two years ago Dad decided he needed to sell the boat. It was becoming more expensive to keep up the boat. It's one of few all wood, working boats left. It took him a year to find "the right kind of buyer" but he finally did, and he sold it. He sold it to a man on the Tulalip Indian Reservation. About two weeks ago, he heard from a friend that the boat sank off the dock. That's all I know. I don't know if the boat is salvageable or if it's lost for good. Either way, it's sad. My dad spent his whole life on that boat, and now it's gone.
6. From J's folks we found out that one of C's roommates has exposed the house to meningitis. So far no one else is sick, including C. Let's hope it stays that way.
7. Mom and Dad H. have finally completed the barn. It's been a LONG project...and the deadline kept getting pushed further and further back. But now the barn has a roof, Mom has a completed art studio, and there are just finishing / decorating details on the workshop and game room. Yay!! Game night in the barn next time we go visit!
8. Mom found a dead body when she was on a walk.
Wait, what?!?
Apparently, Mom was on a walk last week, when she passed a ditch near her friend's house, she thought she saw something. Upon closer inspection she realized it was a body. She flagged down a passing car, and they called the cops. The story from the local paper is below.
Man dies after apparently throwing himself from car
Thursday, October 04, 2007By JOHN BRANTON, Columbian Staff Writer
A 30-year-old Clark County man died at Southwest Washington Medical Center on Thursday, two days after he reportedly jumped out of a moving car and suffered a severe head injury. Tud Sio Seachao died Thursday afternoon, said an investigator for the Clark County medical examiner. An autopsy is scheduled for today. Tuesday morning, medics and sheriff's deputies were called to Northwest 324th Street and 41st Avenue, west of Interstate 5 near La Center. Someone walking in the area had seen a man lying in a ditch and called 911, said Sgt. Tim Bieber with the Clark County Sheriff's Office. The man was taken by ambulance to the hospital. At first, it appeared that Seachao might have been stabbed or shot, or that he'd been struck by a hit-run driver, Bieber said. Deputies later determined what is believed to have happened: Seachao's girlfriend told officials she'd been driving about 40 mph when he jumped from the moving car. She said she went back and looked for him, but didn't see him, so she figured he'd left the scene on foot, Bieber said. Bieber said the woman went home, thinking Seachao would return there later. Deputies don't believe any criminal activity was involved in the death, Bieber said.
Wow, I guess we shouldn't let so much time pass between phone calls from now on! It's amazing what can happen in a short few weeks!
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