Random Photo

I took a picture of Sheela just because she didn't run away when I tried.

Renewal

The time has come for me to renew my driver's license.  In TX they moved to a 10 year cycle so I'll renew this year and then again right before I turn 51.  10 years with the same picture and me with a cone head haircut.  I can delay as much as seven more weeks by then surely I'll have better hair.

Hole damage

So what do you think?

Bluebird House

I cleaned out the bird box this week to make room for this year’s broods of house sparrows.  They are prolific little buggers and they took over the bluebird house as soon as we put it up five years ago.  I would prefer actual bluebirds but there aren’t that many in this area so we make do with watching the sparrows.  However it looks like someone else is trying to make a move on the house.  The opening is being widened daily by someone with a very sharp beak.  Based on the birds in the area I’m guessing it will be the starlings but I haven’t seen them near it.

22 years

Wow Sid and I started dating 22 years ago tomorrow.  That’s more than half my life, more than half of his too.

Server errors

It appears that the Blackberry server took the weekend off. I've been unable to send or receive email since Friday night. That's not such a bad thing really. It was the weekend and the missed emails were all work related so I didn't really want to see them until this morning. I did try to send a series of pictures here though to document the homemade pizza making efforts from yesterday. The recipe that we choose for the crust didn't say how much crust it would make so we used the whole thing on the first pie. The kids ended up with a super-deep dish pizza. It was easily two inches thick (and quite tasty). My pizza was made on a larger pan so it wasn't quite so thick, only an inch and a half or so, but it had Italian sausage, ground beef, pepperoni and mushrooms. Sid's was made last and buy then we understood about the dough puffiness. He used only half of his dough and topped it out with, Italian sausage, pepperoni, sun-dried tomatoes, onion, mushrooms and jalapenos. We were all quite pleased with the results and well more than half of it remains even after breakfast today.

VIP Day

Today was VIP Day at the elementary school.  Each class presented a song or two and then the kids were released early for Spring Break.  We sat way in the back so don’t have pictures or video to share.  Suffice it to say the kids were cute and the songs fun.

Bad haircut

I’ve given it five days for me to adjust to my most recent haircut.  It was supposed to be a trimming up of the same rather drab cut I’ve had, more or less, for ten years.  I never love a new cut.  It always takes a few days for me to figure out the subtleties.  Do I need to dry it forward before brushing it back or should I dry it back?  How far to the side can I move the part?  The subtleties of this one still elude me.  It gives me an unattractive cone shaped appearance.  It’s much short to have it redone and yet it is still too long over the ears, much too short on top, the bangs are still in my eyes and from the back I look like a boy.  It is too short to curl under and layered wrong to brush back leaving me the only option of hanging dismally around my ears.  There will not be photo you’ll just have to imagine the effect.

Quote of the month

It is from one of my many calendars.

 

“I can handle reality in small doses, but as a lifestyle, it’s much too confining.”  - Lily Tomlin

"The Misfits"

Sheela and I went to see a friend of hers in the original, middle school musical review "The Misfits". Her friend Jaz played Jazmonica the most independent of the misfits at school. Songs from 12 musicals were cobbled together with an original script (written by the drama and music teachers). The storyline was pretty standard. The new boy at school is trying to decide where he fits in, everyone turns on the popular girl because she's mean, etc. It was great unfortunately I still have "Anything you can do - I can do better. I can do anything better than you" stuck in my head.

Behold

My new 24" monitor on my work computer.  I wasn't expecting it but I think I'm going to love it.

Pellet parts

Sunil has completed another second grade right of passage. He dissected his owl pellet. This year the finds were cleaned up (marginally) and glued to an owl silhouette. He has a row of skulls, a row of femurs, a row of claws and a row of teeth from his pellet (the remains of at least two but more likely three rodents). All of the rows look pretty similar until you get really close up. He liked it so much that it is hanging on his bedroom door. (actually I like it too!)

Guess what time of year it is.

That's right!  It's time for allergies and colds.  Sunil and I are skipping baseball practice to pick up a nebulizer.  This time they want him to do it right away so they can check him after.

Library display

Sheela's representation of the American flag and a bald eagle was selected for display at the public library. Here is snapshot taken of the piece on display.

Dress for the weather

Texas can be such a roller coaster ride.  We hit the upper 80’s mid week last week and were down below freezing a few days later.   Yesterday was in the 70s, today it’s in the 40s.  The daffodils are almost done blooming but the Redbuds and Bradford Pears haven’t peaked.  I need a fan at my desk and a coat in the conference room (but that’s another, smaller story).  It makes it hard to decide what to wear around here from day to day.

Condolances

My friend Marina lost both of her parents this weekend in an automobile crash.  Once again I find myself wishing I could somehow make it better.

Cat on freezer

Sheela is so proud

Tournament Day

We got off to a nail biting start this morning.  Most of the team came to our house so that could bring them all in together.  That went well, neatly eliminating the wait for the one parent that inevitably gets lost.  The whole team was present and accounted for 40 minutes prior to their first appearance.  Then when the manager went to register the team we realized that we didn't fill out the medical release forms and we didn't have but the one blank copy.  The registrars refused to take the information handwritten on paper they need the official form signed by the parents we neatly left at home.  The manager managed to find an open copy shop, make the copies, repark (there are thousands of cars here today) and then we got to teach the children the finer points of. misrepresentation.  We didn't sign their parents names as that would be forgery but signed our own names as if we were qualified hoping they wouldn't notice. 

Registration was completed two minutes prior to show time.  The kids then had to haul across campus to the challenge site.  I assume that they have been allowed to present (as they've not returned yet).  When they do come back we need to collect their props and move to the building for their main challenge.

Sweetheart Dance - The formal picture

 

Not a busy weekend just a busy day

It looks like all of our commitments for the weekend will fall on Saturday. It's days like this when I don't see how anyone can handle more than one child per parent. Sheela's DI team will meet over here at 7:30 AM. I'll drive them down to the competition. They need to be there by 8AM. They have their instant challenge first. The parents don't get to see that part and the kids aren't even allowed to tell you about it until the end of April (by which time they don't remember). Their main solution presentation will be over by 11AM. This leaves us stress free time to watch the other other team's solutions to their challenge and maybe explore some of the other challenges. I personally prefer the improve challenge.

Sid is taking Sunil to "Sam Bass Days" here in Allen. I don't remember who Sam Bass is but I figure I can ask Sunil Saturday night. Then he has a baseball practice.

In the evening Sid will take Sunil to the Blue and Gold banquet. Sunil will graduate to Bear Cub from Wolf Cub and collect all of his arrow points. I'll be sewing stuff on to his uniform for weeks to come.

Sheela and I will head back to the DI award ceremonies. It is pretty much a long, boring affair but if you win the chance to continue to state or a special award it becomes worth it.

X-ray day

As I was at the Dr this morning for a routine visit I went ahead and asked about the increasing pain in my right knee. On Christmas Day I was sitting on the floor watching the kids play the Wii when I stood up my knee was sore. It was very minor, hardly even rating "uncomfortable" on my personal pain meter. But instead of getting better over time it has gotten worse. Now nearly two months later it rates a "twinge" when I bend the leg too far or try to twist it. I've given up on my morning exercise class (core exercises three days a week) because of the twisting. I'm still either riding the bike or using the elliptical machine without problems (now five days a week to make up for that core class). I was pretty sure that the bones and joint are fine but I've torn something. My Dr went ahead and took a few x-rays just to be sure. I've been given a few exercises to try and offered a series of visits with a physical therapist and a course of anti-inflammatories. With a meniscus tear I don't see therapy helping much and I don't see any inflammation. Instead I've opted to just take it easy for awhile and see how it goes.

A favorite time of year

It's Girl Scout Cookie time!! A few boxes of Thin Mints, a few Do-Si-Dos and a pair of Trefoils. Life is good.

A truely little thing

It doesn't look like much but it represents the pinnacle of my ambitions for my day off.  For the last three months my favorite reading chair has been buried in clean clothes.  My second tier ambition is to have lunch at the elementary school with the kids.

Partial success

I managed the suit jacket and the hat (slightly chewed by Maya) but not the beard.

Statue Garden

The second graders presented their statue garden today.  Sunil dressed up as Honest Abe and presented a two minute speech describing him every time someone pushed his "on button".  I didn't get to see it but Sid, Sheela and the granparents all did.  I'll try to get him to dress up again for a photo but doubt that he'll be game.

New cube home

I had to move out of my old cube -- I've been there for eight years.  The new cube is at the end of a long bland hall of identical poorly lit cubes on the edge of the mfg floor.  Isn't it lovely?

Tutenkhamun exhibit

As today was a school holiday I took a day off to be with the kids. We ended up going to the Dallas Museum of Art to see "Egypt and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs". We made a family trip out of getting both Grandma and Grandpa to come along. Sid ended up working but fully expected to see photos later (of course photography was not allowed). Tickets are sold in advance and allow you only a 30-minute window during which you get to enter. Then they place you in groups of @75 to pass through the first video clip room. It turned out that Cindy and Mack were in the same starting group. Their kids were in school today so this was a mid-day date. We more or less left them to themselves after the initial "hellos".

The exhibit was good but a little bit wearing for Sunil. I did tell the kids in advance that they were required to praise the event heavily within my hearing as it was a little on the pricey side. They complied beautifully. I believe Sheela actually enjoyed parts of it -- she's read up on Egypt and King Tut previously. Sunil may not have enjoyed it a great deal but he did make a good attempt and I appreciate him all the same.

The dreaded Hallmark holiday

It's that time of year again when everyone here is pressured in to monetarily expressing their heartfelt and undying affection even for those they don't like. I've disliked valentine's day since high school. I can't say I really thought much about it before then but I clearly remember guys coming in to by a bouquets of flowers or dozens of roses for their multiple girlfriends and asking to have us write out the cars (presumably poor penmanship making that task too difficult). One guy had me write "To my one and only " on three different cards. More common though was "I need gift and it doesn't matter what it is but I'll catch hell if I come home empty handed". Just sort of screams undying affection doesn't it?!? I had friends in college that would go in to a decline when their fathers failed to send them flowers (or more accurately when they were delivered a day late).

Now I dislike it for the last minute pressure to provide valentines and candy for all of the kids classmates, teachers and friends. In addition to a card for each of the kid's classmates (which wasn't mentioned until Tuesday) they've been soliciting donations for "Val-o-grams". For only $1 a piece I can have a scented pencil or a small candy bar sent to the student or teacher of my choice. I refused to send any but the kids both ponied up some cash. Sheela sent one to Sunil, one to each of her best friends, her favorite teacher and herself (just in case no one else thought to). Sunil sent one to Sheela and to a couple of his friends. When they thought I would pay they were going to send them to dozens of other kids.

Aaarrrgggghhh

With only five meetings left to prepare the team manager offered to let the team skip the meeting to go watch critterman (the snake guy) then got mad when the kids wanted to go see the snakes (after a 10 minute discussion). 

Rain

Two days in a row now we've had rain.  Yesterday it was fun, novel and exciting.  Today it's dark, depressing and tiresome.  What a difference a day makes.

On the good news side lunch was brought in at work today and I was too busy to notice the rain the rest of the day.  Now I'm sitting in a restaurant bar looking out over the canal - the view is much diminished.  There should be 15 - 20 of us for dinner tonight and the reservation is for 10 minutes from now and yet I'm sitting alone feeling pathetic.  I just got here and I'm already bored with the view.

DI countdown

With only three weeks until the DI competition Sheela's team has added a second weekly practice.  Even with that they are horribly behind.  Part of the issue is the collective attention span of the team but a big part is the three month delay in arranging the teams.  Either way it's even harder for me to keep my opinions to myself.  I had to walk out tonight to sit in the hall.

Sweetheart Dance

Tonight Sunil and I went to the annual Sweetheart Dance.  This year they changed it up a little bit making it a little bit more formal and skipping the western wear.  Of course I didn't think that all the way though until last night.  I had to go buy Sunil a new dress shirt and myself an actual dress.  After all that we stayed only a little bit more than an hour.  Without the rodeo theme the horse roping and other games were not included and Sunil was quickly bored with the dancing.  They let the boys (and their dates) up on stage to perform Rock Band style.  But they only had time for twelve couples.  Oh well, we had our formal portraits taken, it'll arrive in a month or so.  Until then we have just this shot...

HATs Winter Campout Pictures

Sheela and Sid only took a few pictures and a couple of seconds of video. But it's enough to show you some of their activities: Rock climbing blind-folded and an obstacle course.

Replacement

This used to be our neighborhood playground.  As you can see the play structures have been removed.  We are hoping that they are replacing them with updated equipment.  But it has been at least three weeks since to old stuff was carted off.   There was a neighborhood meeting nine months ago to explain it but I showed up late and everyone was already heading home. At this point I'll probably cave and try to look it up in the city records.

Unexpected Quandry

Sid and Sheela are off on their adventure. So I planned a day of errands:  laundry, groceries, library, gift shopping, post office, etc.  Now as a last moment sort of thing the Sharmas have taken Sunil with them to visit friends today.  Should I squander my precious alone time on errands and if not when will those errands get done?

Winter Campout

Sid and Sheela leave this afternoon for a weekend of Winter camping with the HATs program.  They will be at a ranch/pecan farm up in Oklahoma for an orienteering competition and two nights of sleeping in the cold.  Actually it could be much worse weather.  It will be above freezing at night, barely but above and up in the 60s during the day.  Sunil and I will fill in those lonely days with a visit from the cousins, Seema and Nita and a baseball practice.

Sunil's Car picture

It must have been lost in Cyberspace.  I'll find the car later and take another picture.

Sheela's entry - sibling division

The derby

Tomorrow is the Pinewood Derby.  The kids (and Sid) helped set up the track tonight and made a few test runs.  When they got home we watched the movie "Down and Derby" about some overly competitive fathers taking over the event.  I enjoyed it.

They've added a concession stand this year in an attempt to raise enough money to add two more lanes to our two lane track.  I managed to. avoid working the concessions by volunteering as the official timekeeper (for the wolves).

Report cards again

It was another great grading period for both of the kids and we are officially more than half way through the year.

Science Fair Projects are due tomorrow

Sheela has been working on the effects of soaking pinto and black beans in water, sugar water or salt water. I'm a little bit miffed that it is due in the morning and she is just now typing it up... it doesn't seem to bother her.

Welcome home to the Sharmas

Grandma and Grandpa came back home today after a quick five month world tour. In addition to the obvious time spent in India they also managed to work in Thailand, Malaysia and Australia this year. It's good to have them back.

Formal Picture

This is the photo (and frame) from the Daddy-Daughter Ball.

Dull

It seems that life has been pretty quiet around here lately.  I didn't realize how few posts I've made (or how little that they said). 

We still haven't packed away Christmas but should have it done today.  We haven't finished the Pinewood Derby cars and the race is next weekend.  We haven't installed the cat door to the computer room (we moved the cat box).  I haven't done any laundry yet this week.  I never did clean out my closet.  Sheela just started to make a white satin cape for her "good witch" costumes (both North and South witches).  We haven't freshened up the Sharma's bedroom and they will be home on Wednesday.

But the sun is shining and it is almost 70 degrees today.  I want to go out to play instead of working.  We've all done too much working lately.

I spent all week in training classes (Design Controls and Risk Management - both very important in Medical Device manufacturing) and then trying to keep production rolling along by going to work before and after class. 

Sid has had a fair amount of hand holding to do to keep his current deals on track plus set up the tax office. 

Sunil is doing his Cub Scouting. He just earned his Wolf rank.  The last activity was cleaning up the creek through town.  His baseball team is trying to practice on pretty days too.  At school he is dissecting owl pellets.

Sheela is working on her Destination Imagination challenge.  Their solution will be a musical version of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" presented in the style of a music video with original lyrics and a grand entrance or grand exit.  She also read nearly 2000 minutes in the last six weeks and is working on her Science Fair project: The effect of sugar and salt on the water absorption of pinto and black beans.

So life here is trucking on along at what we've accepted as our normal pace.  Sheela just left for the movies.  Sid is watching football.  I'm going to start a load of laundry and then see if Sunil will come for a bike ride with me.

Technology stress

Sometime Wednesday our work email system suffered a catstrophic failure. Around the clock support from our IT department and some of our tech vendors cobbled the system back together... mostly. I still can't send or receive messages on my blackberry. This week I'm scheduled for a full week of offsite training (Design Controls and Risk Management) and will have to be working essentially blind. We're taking nearly 20% of our company to this class, which means there will be very little in-house support for manufacturing this week. Email is what makes this system bearable so this week will be a challenge.

Right in the meddle of all of that, my label printing software (that I hate with fair degree of passion) appears to also be corrupted. I've done all I can without access to the main server so I'm at work at 6AM hoping there is even one IT person that is still awake that can get me in to the server to complete the reinstallation before 7AM when I need to leave for class.

Changes

Sheela's teacher turned in his notice today.  He has an opportunity to pursue something besides teaching and has decided that he needs to give it a try.  I'm pretty disappointed.  He was an excellent teacher.  But now that he's said that he is leaving I'm ready to move on.  I want to know who his replacement will be and how the kids will handle the change.

Brimmers

We made a quick trip to Sushama's to visit with the cousins.  Seema is almost as tall as I am now.  We stayed just the one night and then had to hurry back.  Sid and I did manage to ditch the kids for a few hours so that we could go on to the casino in Shreveport and catch a comedy show (Brad Lee and Little Bro').

Maya's welcome home

After leaving her home alone all night Maya was in need of some extra reassurance and togetherness.

Spring?

It is beautiful here today, sunny and 80 degrees.  Sunils's baseball team called an informal practice.  I'm watching the ducks swim in the pond and listening to the "ting" of the bats.  It feels a lot like Spring... it won't last.

A slow start to the New Year

There is not much going on around here. Sid is out and about today doing that work thing. The kids are just here being here. I want to go out to run some errands but I don't want to take the kids (these errands will make me whiney so I won't blame the kids when they get whiney but that doesn't mean I want them with me.)

New Year's Eve Cookies

Sheela has put herself in charge of our holiday sweets.  Stop by for a cookie if you get a chance.

Goals

I'm only working two days this week (and the first one is already done).  I have a very reasonable goal for today - the completion of one little report.  Unfortunately it isn't an interesting report so I'm having some difficulty getting in to it.  Once I get it done, and I will get it done, I will earn five more days of home time.  Again my goals for that time are very reasonable: repair one seam, patch one knee, clean one closet and replace two ironing board covers.  That's not even one task a day but again they aren't interesting tasks and I won't have a reward to motivate me.  I bet everything gets done except the closet.  I really hate cleaning closets.

 

Family Day

The kids didn't actually let us sleep late but they did let us laze around all day to make up for it. Santa brought the family a Wii system with a couple of extra game packs including Wii Fit. That pretty much set the tone for the whole day. I've jumped off the same mountain a hundred times (Ski jump) and still end up as a giant snowball half the time. I've been hit in the face with countless cleats and panda heads while trying to head soccer balls. I've bowled five strikes in a row and beaten at tennis (repeatedly) but I've done it all with the family so I'm pleased.

Girls

Christmas crown

We spent Christmas Eve with Farhana and Jazmine and their friends.  Merry Christmas everyone!!

Grand Prize Winner

{}

a friend from work and her husband won the grand prize in the Italian version of Funniest Home videos for this video of their cat playing dead.

Since I can't get the link to work here is the URL.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgsA7KgL4Wg

State Champs

Apparently they had a great time!

Candy Apples

Sheela and I have had a great girl's day.  We started with a Christmas lunch with a bunch of our friends.  Followed that up with some Christmas shopping.  Went to see the movie Twilight and then candied apples.  As soon as they cool enough we are eating them for dinner.... don't tell Sid.

 

Sid and Sunil went to Houston to watch the Allen Eagles play for the State Championship.  They will be back sometime tomorrow.

Finished

I finally finished reading all four of the "Twilight" books.  The third was my favorite but I did enjoy them all.  I decided that Sheela can read all four of them but large portions of the 4^th will go completely over her head so much so that she may not choose to read the whole thing.  That's okay too.  This does clear the way for me to finish my holiday shopping and then read "The Tales of Beadle the Bard", "Lost" and the "Eragon" series all of which Sheela received as birthday presents.

 

In the meantime I have promised myself that I won't start anything else until the out of town gifts have been dispatched and I haven't sent a single one yet.  Before I can start that though I have a vendor dinner to attend tonight (followed by late night grocery shopping) and a company dinner tomorrow night… maybe tomorrow at lunch I can squeeze in internet shopping.

 

Holiday Party Snap

It was a more casual party but we still took portraits.

New Toy

I downloaded Google Maps for my blackberry today.  I just called up my position (accurate within 600 meters) and can see that I am currently between terminals (on the airport bus.). Too cool.

The Castle

Unfortunately the rain never lifted here in NJ.  Our hotel was beautiful and I wanted to catch a picture.  It's built to look like a castle complete with towers and crennelations. I'll be heading back home today but may come this way again in a few months.

Back to the gate

It looks like we have a faulty engine valave so we've given up on flight and we are driving back to the gate for repairs.  No word yet on whether or not we can get off of the plane or if we just get to sit here.

NJ

I'm at the airport getting ready to fly to NJ.  I'll only be gone two nights so I have only one small bag with me but it is such a hassle to get through security that I'm going to check it anyway.

Surprise!!

Sheela was pleasntly surprised Sunday after the parade by coming home to a house full of her freinds for her surprise birthday party. It came of just about perfectly. She'd already chosen the cake, the pizzas, the party favors/entertainment (ceramic painting) and the guest list. We just moved the date up when she wasn't looking. I hope to have pictures added in a day or two.

Allen's parade

The cub scouts marched in our local parade on Sunday. I didn't even attempt pictures, but they were all duded up in their full uniforms (including hats) sitting on a decorated float and throwing candy to the crowds. They get a pretty good rush out of it. From the spectators point of view the day couldn't have been better. We sat on the curb in front of the library and enjoyed all 78 floats, four marching bands, two horse brigades and a full show of the city's finest.

Chocolate Croissant

The holiday party was in my humble opinion a huge success and we didn't get to bed until late.  But I was awake early so I walked up to the cafe to grab breakfast and I've brought it back to the pond to eat.  It is rather chilly this morning but the sun is shining and I'm feeling rather pleased with myself.  It's going to be another good day.

Post parade lunch

We've walked up to the Dallas Farmer's Market to have our traditional post parade lunch at El Mercado Dos Panchas.

The Parade is underway

Parade weekend

Mom and John arrived today.  They are picking the kids up from school then they will swing by the train station to pick me up.  I'm just dropping off a car so that they can come back on the train tomorrow if they want to.  Sid will meet us downtown in a few hours.  We'll all stay downtown and go to the parade in the morning.  I even remembered to bring the tickets (yay for me)!

Decorating Prep

The proverbial fly in my holiday decorating ointment has always been the instability of my stocking hangers.  I love the hangers, a set of pewter reindeer and santa's sleigh, but my mantle was wobbly.  We fixed the wobble the first year.  The second year we updated the stain to match the wood floors.  But still the decorative molding has always been an issue.  It pushes the holders too far out for them to be stable.  This year Sid made a set of flat faced extension panels to extend just past the molding.  Sunil is staining them to match the mantle.  This year we may not need to tie the reindeer to the sleigh.

Thanksgiving success

It was a quiet year around our house but nice just the same. Instead of one big sit down meal we ate individual courses as they were ready. A simple salad. French bread. A chopped turkey salad. An actual roast turkey with homemade gravy. (I put granny smith apples, leeks and rosemary in with the turkey to roast which adds a nice flavor to the gravy). We made cranberry sauce and marshmellow sweet potato casserole. Late in the day we made a cheesecake and whipped some fresh cream.

Sheela and her friend Anna are now experimenting in the kitchen. It started with green pancakes with chocolate chips. Then they started mixing in sprinkles and halloween candy. Luckily I've already eaten... they are talking about making the bacon blue.

Parade tickets... almost

The tickets came today!  Our section is pretty much in the same place as years gone by.  We are a few sections past the grand stand, not exactly optimal as most bands and dance troops will be between songs when they pass.  But I’m pleased enough.  The drawback this year is that we bought eight tickets and they only mailed three.  I’ve already discussed this with the parade staff and they will send out five more today (in the same section).

Let the season begin

Today apparently kicks off the unofficial eating season.  I've already had homemade pumpkin bread and pecan tarts.  It's not even 9AM yet.

Twilight

As long as we are on the topic of books -- I read Twilight by Stephenie Meyer over the weekend.  This was the basis for the Twilight movie that was just released.  I hadn't really heard of it or paid any attention to what I had heard until last week.  One of my travelling companions was very up on it.  His wife and his oldest daughter (12 years old) both loved the series.  Then it was the basis for a South Park episode.  I love South Park but that is a whole different topic.  Anyhow I bought the book to hold me over on the return flight (and a good thing I did too they played Mama Mia again on the plane).  I really like it even better now that I know that it is a four part series.

 

too much to chew

I believe I may have gotten slightly ahead of myself with books and such.  As I've noted before I prefer to work out while listening to books on tape so that I can stop them, start them and move them back and forth from my walkman to my car stereo without losing my place.  However the local library stopped buying books on tape years ago and switched to books on CD.  The CDs are typically divided up in to tracks that can be 30-40 minutes long.  If I try to transfer it from a portable CD player to the car or back I may end up repeating nearly a whole chapter only to have it be time to switch back again.  Anyhow the library has given up on the books on CD too by now and is buying "playaways" individual books on small MP3 players.  The MP3 can be restarted without losing my place but can't be played through my car stereo.  However, I've listened to nearly every book on tape from our library that interests me at all and quite a few that didn't.  So I've decided to move ahead.  I'm taking the MP3 for the work out and the books on CD to listen to in the car.  This means that I'm jumping from story to story but at least not losing my place.  This weekend I went to the library to restock and a came out with some pretty good stuff.  I started a new book last night (don't know the name or the author but it would be classified as a light comedy), I started a new MP3 this morning (murder mystery – Something Blood), and I started a new CD for the car (also a murder mystery – accidental something), and then as if that weren't too much already I picked up a recommendation from a friend at lunch (Decoding the Universe: How the New Science of Information Is Explaining Everything in the Cosmos, from Our Brains to Black Holes by Charles Seife) and started to read it while eating my steak burrito bowl with guac in the car.  My brain is swimming a little bit now.

Holiday week

I don't feel prepared to be celebrating Thanksgiving this year (once again it approached too quickly) but I do now have both a turkey (fresh) and a paper bag (my favorite turkey trick).  I actually did not find cranberries at the store so I'll have to make at least one other stop.  We won't really be going "all out" this year and I actually hope to rope the kids into doing most of the cooking so it should be a good low key holiday.  Actually this works out better as it leaves more time for being thankful.

Facebook?!?!

Okay, I'm in already. After OpenWorld I was determined to spend some time setting a Facebook account. I'd been resisting because I don't really see the point, but as it was pointed out over and over again "it's more than a trend or a fad, it is the basis for future technical applications". It came up again last week, so I took the time to set up an account and I've "re-connected" with two friends from high school that I'd lost over the years plus some mid-range family that I don't talk to often and a host of others that I already do connect with regularly. We'll see how it goes.

Report Card Day

Today the kids should be bringing home their report cards from their second, six-weeks.  I love report card day.  If I ever have to yell at the children over the grades (or conduct marks) that may change but right now it is just an extra pleasant opportunity to be proud all over again.

 

Even better news is that we are flying out today and will be home tonight probably early enough to eat with our families.  Every one of my team mates has children too.  I can’t say enough good things about this team.  There is a great deal of talent, experience and creativity here.  When I look at the team I see everyone on it as the logical choice to be here and I’m really thankful that they let me in.

Freezing

I’m even colder today than yesterday.  It did get above freezing today, but it doesn’t count because we weren’t outside at the time.  It’s in the teens again now and we are stretching the limits of our wardrobes.  How many sweaters can you realistically wear at one time while sitting inside and trying not to look like an idiot?

Chilly

Our project here is progressing well.  We have been given the large conference room (on the East side) to use as the "war" room.  This is very nice and the perfect size.  In the morning we get the rising sun on the uninsulated concrete block wall.  By noon we've lost the warming effect and by evening it becomes an ice box.  A bunch of Texans and Californians freezing to death at 65 degrees.  It gives us something to laugh about, not that we need to help   -- we are an easily entertained lot.

A truely little thing

Sheela and went to the mall on Saturday (this is very rare).  We found her a great dress for the Daddy -  Daughter Ball (more about that after the event ... She doesn't want Sid to see the dress).  While we were there we got sucked into buying, of all things, manicure stuff.  We both love this set.  Our nails are as smooth, shiney and healthy as if we'd been to the salon to have them done.  They look like they are covered with clear polish but they are just buffed.  The whole thing from start to finish takes less than five minutes and is simple enough for Sunil to do it.

New England

I'm bound for the Northeast this morning.  I'll spend five days and four nights in Massachusetts before returning home.  I'm traveling with a group of five co-workers, joining up with two others and then meeting the local half of our team.  It should be a great trip -- and now that I'm packed there is nothing left to worry about as far as wardrobe.  They dress a little nicer up there and a whole lot warmer.  It was a stretch for me to be able to find enough suitable clothes.

My two favorite girls

they don't usually snuggle well together but they can manage short stints of togetherness.

Cold Front

We've had another weather change come through the area today. Our beautiful clear skies and warmth have been pushed out ahead of cold wind, clouds and rain. This picture was taken right at the transition. The drop today was only 15-20 degrees sometimes we'll do a 40 degree drop in less than two hours. Luckily the cold rarely lasts long.

Administrative Fees

Apparently our local transit authority is allowed to charge a 2500% administrative fee each time a toll is not paid appropriately. So if you blow off a $1 toll both they can bill you $26. They allow the charges to accumulate for six months before submitting a request for payment. I first realized this three years ago when we sold the Explorer. I didn't even think to update the account transferring the toll tag over to the Trailblazer. Six months later I received a bill for over $1800. I didn't have to pay it and it was in fact very easy to resolve, it only took a two minute phone call but it left an impression. By the way they actually had already collected the $1 for each of those charges from the toll tag account. So it really was more of an $1800 penalty for not letting them monitor your movements. I think that if you pay for the tag you should be able to use it anytime in any car -- but the rule is that it be assigned to a single vehicle.

Tonight we received another bill for over $1000. The Trailblazer we sold a year ago is now blowing through tolls all over town and still registered in our name. The first violation was six months and one week ago. All of the rest were since Oct 1. This time a phone call wasn't quite enough. I have to provide proof of sale for the vehicle (luckily Sid kept the odometer statement from the dealership when we sold it) before they can waive the fees. They also recommend that we notify the state.

Flat Stanley rides again

Second grade is the year where the kids read about Flat Stanley. A young boy flattened by a falling bulletin board. He goes on to have all sorts of adventures because it is so easy to mail him places. When Sheela was in the second grade she sent flat Sheela to Japan to visit Brian and Tracy. Sunil will be sending his flat Sunil to Pune, India for a visit with Grandma and Grandpa.

Brain and Tracy compiled a great binder of pictures and stories about Japan. Sheela has kept it hanging in the front hall closet for the last three years but today she gave it to Sunil. He will take it to school to show to his class.

Sky Ranch photo

Our neighbor sent this to me last night.  He took it while we were at Sky Ranch with our 5^th graders.

 

Water Rockets

Sunil finally got to launch the water rockets they made a month ago.  The rocket body is a plastic bottle with rigid foam fins taped on.  The bottle is partially filled with water and then pressurized with air.  When the pin is release the water is forced out through the mouth propelling the rocket in to the air.  They were actually quite dramatic.

 

Brownie - Cookie Cake

Sheela baked brownies on top of a layer of chocolate chip cookie dough for Sid's birthday cake.

Casual day

I've been hanging out watching Home and Garden TV all afternoon.  Sunil took this picture after returning from his friend's house.  Sheela and her friends have gone to the park.

Acckk

Sheela borrowed MY climbing shoes for last night's adventure.  She can't possibly be getting that big.

Senior Night

Here is a snapshot of the boys on the way to their football game. Tonight is the last regular season game of the season for the home team. While they are saying goodbuy to the seniors Sheela, Anna and I are hanging at the house. Later Sheela and Sid will do their climbing thing while the rest of us get to sleep.

Plans

The company announced yesterday that we will be consolidating two of our different businesses and three of our physical locations in to our Texas operation next year.  This is good news for us here (not so good for our friends in the other locations).  It looks like we will need to move to a larger facility and I'm ready to go.  Plus this gives us plenty of opportunities to learn new things.  I was starting to get bored so the timing is particularly good for me.

 

The big 4-0

Sid celebrated his 40^th birthday yesterday by taking us all to dinner at our favorite Mongolian BBQ place.  Tonight he is taking Sunil to his first football game (local high school) and then he is taking Sheela to an all night HATs rock climbing event.  In honor of the ball game Sunil bought him spirit wear.  In honor of the HATs program Sheela bought him a camel back.

 

County Commissioner

Well the election results are in and the counts are final.  My friend Victor failed to carry the day.  This was his first run at politics and against a long term incumbent so it was not an entirely unexpected defeat.  I can't wait to see what he does next.

 

Conference

I meet with Sunil's teacher on Saturday.  He is perfectly on track with reading, writing and math.  His reading score put him in the 89^th percentile for 2^nd graders or as the equivalent of a 3^rd grader after 4 months of school.  What I particularly love about the assessment is the recommended actions based on current levels.  Regardless of how the child performs the recommended action is always to read for 60 minutes every day to achieve maximum improvement. 

 

Sheela's teachers have not yet scheduled their conferences.

 

BB Guns

It turns out it is much easier to shot standing up.  The permanent range is much better than the temp range he tried last weekend.

Experience

This year when they told us that sibs would not be allowed to use the BB guns we didn't fall for it.  This is the difference in the first year and the second.  Sheela was pleased to get to try her hands at it.

Fort Farrington

I don't know if it shows in this picture (the sun is too bright) but this old style fort is one of the highlights of this weekend's Cub Scout campout.  I'm hoping to get a picture of the fall colors... There are some this year.  It is 90 degrees here today though.