The last resort

My heart goes out to Rodney and Nanci (friends of mine for more than 25 years) they have come to the realization that their oldest child needs more help/support than they are able to provide. They have found a residential school that looks like it might fit the bill. They live in Michigan and the school is in Utah. He will be there for one to two years. That is a long time to have your child that far away.

Helen

We lost another colleague last night to cancer (of pretty much everything). She was a quiet lady that I didn't know very well. We generally credit her with making the smoking porch a floral oasis in the midst of our Texas desert. She was definitely a smoker but she enjoyed gardening at the same time. She will be missed.

They bloomed briefly...

I'm glad that I snapped this picture when I did (I almost waited until I'd have a chance to get a good one). They bloomed two days before I left for BC and were already done by the time I got back. I think they may have been beaten to death during the storms.

BC.... farther away than I thought

I loved Vancouver. It was very pretty and the people were great. I was impressed by our vendor, particularly the eyes of their quality inspector. I managed to take a ride up a gondola to the top of Grouse Mountain. I walked around in the snow and watched the snowboarders trudge by. Then I went back down to the beaches to sit out rush hour. I got back to my hotel in time to watch the Dallas Stars lose the seventh game to the Vancouver Cannucks. I slunk out of the bar quietly to go back to my room -- but not before polishing off the white fudge brownie sundae.

The flight home turned out to be 10 hours longer than scheduled. We were right on time entering Dallas airspace the first time but we didn't beat the storms. We diverted over to Midland/Odessa to wait it out. They weren't able to get us off of the plane (the gates were all full and we didn't have out own stairs) but they managed to bring in a few pizzas.... 60 slices for 150 people. They did try.

After four hours we went back to Dallas only to find that we were so far back in the pecking order we would run out of fuel so we went to Oklahoma City. This time we were able to get a gate and were allowed to stretch our legs and use the bathrooms. Unfortunately it was after 9PM and ALL of the snack bars/restaurants were already closed. We couldn't get any food or buy any more reading materials (I finished my book long before Odessa). We didn't get back to Dallas until midnight but at least there we had a choice of restaurants when we did get in.

The weekend is shaping up

Tonight we start with Sunil's T-ball game and move directly in to the Spring Fling at the elementary school. This dance is an annual after TAKS-testing celebration. It is a family affair but very few of the fathers seem to show up.

Saturday morning Sheela's soccer game (quarterfinals) has been rescheduled to conflict with Sunil's team picture appointment. Sid will take Sheela and Claire to the game while I help herd around the 14 little Angels.

Theoretically we will meet up for lunch and then I will take the kids downtown to pick up the nieces. Ban is coming to town for a conference and the girls would like to see their grandparents. The grandparents are going out in the evening but I'm just staying home to do laundry so this is actually good for me as it will keep the kids entertained.

Sunday Ban will come back for the girls and we may actually get to visit with her some before she heads back home. Then Sheela has an early afternoon soccer game. I am leaving directly from there to go to the airport. I'm flying to Vancouver for a meeting on Monday. I actually get to travel alone for a change and I'm looking forward to it. The schedules aren't easy between here and there so I'll get to stay an extra night. The meeting shouldn't take more than a few hours after which I'm free to drive around and see British Columbia. I've never been there.

I'll fly back Tuesday arriving in time for what I hope to be the semifinal game between SuperBlue White and SuperBlue Royal.

Golf Outing

Yesterday was my spring outing with the corporate bigwigs. We played the back nine instead of the front nine for the first time which was prettier with a lot more water. It wasn't a stellar performance for me (or for my teammates) but once again a good time was had by all. I did win the Grand Prize in the raffle so all was not lost. We have another hefty gift certificate to Bob's Chop House. I'm figuring it will be my birthday dinner.

Sweethearts

This is the formal portrait from the Rodeo dance last month. I think that it is my new favorite photograph.

Bubba Moose

Sid and I intended to skip out last night late to go to a movie but the choices weren't very inspiring. However I skipped every pizza that was offered to me during the course of the evening and didn't feel like cooking for myself. The kids ate pizza at a birthday party. Sheela actually ate pizza at two different parties. The Sharma's ate pizza at home and Sid fended for himself. I was saving myself for a dinner of popcorn at the movie. By the time we got the kids settled and voted down the movie idea it was late and our favorite restaurants were done serving... so were our less than favorites. We settled on the only local bar that we know... Bubba Moose. Apparently Saturday is (country) karaoke night. We had a few drinks ate some pulled pork and actually stayed out until the wee hours. It was a change from our usual routine.

State Tournament

The kids and I went to watch the State DI tournament at UTD this morning. We saw three different versions of the Round About Courage challenge that Sheela's team did. The first team portrayed a gang kid, his gang friend's, his consience, the class whimp and a basketball coach. The kid had to straighten out his life before he wasted it forever. The syory line was okay, but I loved their props. They used three metal trash cans which they hid in between scenes. Mounted around the edges of the cans they'd hung retractable window shades that they could unroll to show different scenes.

The second skit was about saving the rainforest. They did a ton of research on medicines, animals and the impact of clear cutting. Their primary prop was an outdoor patio umbrella covered in leaves and hung with animals, bugs, snakes and flowers. They were on pullies across the top so that they could raise and lower them at different times.

The third team was the first place time from our region. Their props weren't as elaborate and their story line a little bit like Friends rip-off. But it was very funny. The setting was Paris, the future bride was afraid of heights and her boyfriend was trying to take her to the top of "DI fell" tower in order to propose. They even managed to go skiing.

The only other challenge we saw was an improve skit. The team researched six different countries at three different time periods. Then 30 minutes before show time they drew cards telling them which three countries (Greece, China and Mexico) at which time periods they needed to incorporate in to their skit. They also drew a card indicating an improve "device" to be incorporated (silent improve), which three senses needed to be included and a prop they needed to build (magic wand) based on materials at hand (cardboard, paperbags, tape, twine and feathers). One minute prior to the show they drew another card listing another element (a postcard from friend) to incorporate. They set the scene in a girl's bedroom. She was upset because her friend (from the postcard) was seeing new places and she didn't get to travel. She invented a toy that transformed her other toys in to "portals" to their country of origin. I told you portals are very common for this generation.

White Belt

I've officially achieved the status of a white belt at the gym. That just means that I've earned my 15,000 points. I earn 150-300 points each day that I go. They are awarded for time spent on the cardio equipment, the number of weight stations that I complete and the total amount of weight that I lift. When I logged in I was treated to a video award ceremony complete with fireworks (no sound) to mark the occasion. I also ranked in the top 30 again last week. It helps that most people skip a day in holiday weeks. These aren't huge accomplishments but they do keep me going back which is the real accomplishment.

Back to Turkey

Dad and Eileen have headed back to the boat for what may be their last Summer of sailing Triumph. I can't wait for all of the updates. This year they are visiting Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Egypt and Cyprus. Sounds good to me.

Spring Pictures

Here are my babies (such as they are to me). Spring is when they sell you the class picture and then take individual portraits at the same time as a courtesy. Then as a further courtesy they print out a $50 packet of the pictures. As an extra inducement they print the pictures on plastic book marks and key chain tags. The whole set comes home with the kids in hopes that you will choose to buy it all rather than return them.

Bead work

For Easter Sheela received a "hair beader". This allows her to adorn her hair with all sorts of beads. It may even help use up some of the thousands of beads that she was given for her third birthday. We still have most of them.

Snow for Easter

Well not real snow, but a few flurries here and there. We managed to have a nice, if chilly, long weekend. The kids had friends stay over on Friday and they went to stay with Jaz on Saturday.

Buds at last

I have two iris buds for the first time. They are both on the same stalk and appear to be either dark purple or blue. They are still tightly furled so it is hard to tell for sure. I'm excited because this will be the first time the plants have bloomed since we've had them here. Mom and John brought them to me after they cleared out Grammy's flower beds in Williamsburg.

I noticed them this morning after the kids and I returned from our walk to the donut shop. The whole way there (and most of the way back) I kept pointing out other people's iris and I was more than a tad jealous. I was thrilled to see the buds when we got back.

First Game

The Angels opened their season against the Yankees last night. Both teams scored every run. T-ball rules are very simple, half the batting order bats every inning. Each batter gets five trys to hit the ball. Every batter gets to run. Every run scores. The fun lasts four innings.

Short of a half million

Well in our first three months of regular attendance at the gym I've managed to lift 440,940 pounds. Not everything gets logged but it's close enough and makes me feel pretty good about myself. We did go ahead and sign up for a full year.

Christmas in April

Sheela found a package of gingerbread cookie dough (already cut in to men and trees) in the fridge. It's been here since Mom's visit in early December. It was slightly past expiration but she wasn't planning to eat them. She and Sunil decorated an army of men today. She plans to turn them in to Easter decorations to start.

Two points

Sunil scored his first basket today (from terra firma instead of standing on Sid's car bumper). Sheela wants credit for coaching him through it. To celebrate his accomplishmnet Sheela made him spend the next hour doing basketball drills. He was pumped enough to enjoy it.