springtime

well, a lot going on in the garden right now.... First, all the daffodils are trying to outdo each other -- Ice Follies and Fortune competing a week later with Rijnveld's Early Sensation, just outside our bathroom door. And now, a hundred Christmas Dream tulips have just bloomed in their midst. On the side yard, Grape Muscari and Hyacinth have repeated from last year, joined by a half dozen Formosa azaleas in front of some Duc de Rohan azaleas and Redbird azaleas.

And then, four new climbing roses, for the lattice arch we brought from New Hampshire -- a Climbing Sombreiul, Eden, Full Moon Rising, and Climbing Colette. Two pinks and two 'whites'

Should be nice, to go with the 1,200 bedding plants so far this spring....

Olympic time

Cindy and Charlie got to go to Vancouver, NBC put them up at the Four Seasons and got them great tickets (front row) for (GET AHOLD OF THIS):

a. Ohno's 1000 meter Short track race (he took 2nd)

b. Lysacek's long program for gold in men's figure skating

c. Lindsay Vonn's gold in the Downhill skiing

d. Shawn Lewis' silver in the 1000 m speed skating

e. the Swedish ice hockey victory on Friday (with brother Warren)

f. the Finnish ice hockey victory on Friday (also w Warren)

Why?  

Well, Charlie's company, MobiTV, just happened to produce the great App for the i-Phone called NBC, available via AT*T.  1.4 million downloads the first day....  It is a WAY COOL app, you've probably seen it on TV with the skater on the Samsung phone while the guy walks around the plaza

where has the time gone?

My gosh, the last post was at Christmas time, and now Valentine's Day has come and gone.
And a hectic time it has been! Punctuated by some wonderful happenings, a few of which might be worth mention.

First, IMPORTANT NEWS FLASH -- we celebrated our 22nd wedding anniversary on February 4, which sets an all-time record for each of us, even more so because we are (a) still together, and (b) still in love with each other.

We celebrated by going to the Stanford women's basketball game (where they won, in an awesome display), and then the next night trying Marche, a highly touted French restaurant in Menlo Park (the touts were right!).

We celebrated Valentine's Day two ways -- (a) with tickets for Michael Buble, pronounced B00-blay or something like that, in April; and (b) with a party for a 15 year old beagle Todd, owned by Ian Gilchrist, one of our crazy neighbors from the old Woodside environs (Preston Road...).

I called my 'big sister' Sharon last evening to get caught up on all their goings-on; the big event in their life is that they are anticipating a little boy in April -- their first great-grandchild. WOW!

Quick note, doesn't begin to convey how frenetic things feel. But for now, peace and love!

Christmas

We were invited to Seattle for Xmas by my son Warren and his lovely bride Laura. Three sunny days greeted us, and we toured the greater area, including Everett, Bellevue, Redmond, and the Kirkland waterfront. Laura showed us her building on the Boeing campus, and we saw three new Dreamliners (of the seven currently built). Wonderful time...
We went by Coroware, and got an issue of Linux Journal with our Corobot on the cover. Played with the two robots and also with the Vidyo immersive collaboration tool. Great fun.
The highlight, aside from Sanibel the wonder dog Boston Terrier, was the 1000 piece puzzle celebrating 100 years of major league baseball. Took us two nights and a day to solve it!
They wing their way to Amsterdam, Brussels, and Paris tomorrow, celebrating Laura's 30th birthday. We were so fortunate to be with them for the holidays

Thanksgiving

Thanks indeed, for life and friends and family

We drove down to Cindy's, stopping at my sister Sharon's home (which gave Jenny a chance to meet my 'new' sister and her husband).  We had a delightful several hours with them; all finding that life somehow gives every one of us a chance to deal with adversity.  It just seems so obvious that no one escapes trials and tribulations; the whole secret of enjoying life is in how you deal with those challenges rather than in avoiding them.  

The next night we were playing a word game at Cindy's, with her step-son Dylan and his new bride, who happens to be an Aussie.  Well, one word was frivolous, and she politely inquired, "what does that mean?" and her new husband, as quick-witted and wry as his dad, quipped, "that means 'without frivol'."  I mean, like we were all convulsed with laughter, which may say something (I agree now) about both the hour and the libations that we had enjoyed.

May your life be filled with 'frivol' and 'love'

spoke way too soon

the following week, I missed work most days. Friday though, for the T'day party, it was raining and I drove, but couldn't find parking except at the hospital employee lot (long walk sans umbrella) in an "A" section. Walked back after the party, moved the car to the far end of the Cantor museum parking, double long walk. Big pain in my side by end of day, enough that I couldn't do exercises with Alan on Saturday morn.

Then, Saturday, went to Big Game with the Hollars, and we all listened to Jenny hollar for da Bears. "Go, Bears". It would be Stanford's only loss in the final four games, games that most figured they'd lose all four. But instead, they wreaked havoc on Oregon (league champs), USC (perennial league champs), and even Notre Dame last night.

Meanwhile, I awoke with huge pain in that side (kidney area on right), and shooting pains going up my right arm. So, about 2am, we went to ER. Lots of students in there, "sleeping it off". One awoke about four, was ready to go, said "where are my shoes?" to which the orderly said, "you didn't wear any in". A gal slept peacefully as the doctors shook her bed, screaming "earthquake". A third, at eight in the morn, upon leaving, said, "would you mind telling me whether that is eight in the evening or eight in the morning?"

One said, "I had a lot to drink", and they said, "wine, beer, hard liquor?" And she said, "yes, all of those, and more". An orderly told us that usually the Stanford students come in before the game, and the Cal students afterwards. Another averred that both schools raise idiots, that if you go to a school like San Diego State, they teach you how to party.

I felt relieved when they told me (after multiple tests of various kinds) that "it isn't life-threatening". Good words to hear.

A week later, the pain persists, but is "under control". Don't climb on ladders.

spoke too soon

Well, the hematoma swelled, eventually being a major swelling on my right thigh. Maybe it was not wise to get on the plane to Minneapolis, but Madi had her new driver's license and we really wanted to see her. She has a 'new' car, a Jeep Liberty with 22,000 miles. Is she proud! And a very good novice driver, not too timid, and not too aggressive. We 'trucked' all over the place, when I wasn't napping (and that story has to do with the leg damage). Great fun

Madi has a schedule not unlike that of other members of this family -- gone by 7am for band, seven major classes during the day, and dance practice from 5:30-8:00pm, every day. She is at a dead run, not exactly panting from the exertion, but certainly looking a bit mobile.

Coming home, Jenny insisted on upgrading me (at no mean expense) so my leg had some 'legroom' so to speak. It was nice, actually. And then, I stayed home the next couple of days too, just to keep a heating pad on the spot (especially after they tried to 'aspirate' the wound on Monday and that didn't work very well).

Meanwhile, the patio off the living room has been surfaced, w Connecticut Blue Stone (hauled by covered wagon from CT, I think, judging from the price). It is gorgeous, might even be ready for the neighborhood Holiday party December 6th.

Otherwise, about back to normal here