Another Thanksgiving is in the books. Or blogs. Whatever. Anyway, as usual we (meaning my wife, child and brother) went to Cape Girardeau for the family Thanksgiving. It's kinda like a family reunion for my mother's side, except it only lasts one day and we don't play any retarded games.
Anyway, it was a good turnout this year, a few no-shows but a good sized crowd nonetheless. The best news was that my great aunts Stella and Marguerite (or Deet as we call her) made it this year. As I've mentioned before Stella had a stroke earlier this year and Deet has Parkinson's disease. They've both been in and out of hospitals and rehab for months now and them showing up was a question mark. Stella appeared to be doing well, though a bit weak. I realised after we left that I don't think I actually spoke with her. I meant to, and feel bad that I didn't, but I know she was able to see Tessa for a little bit, so that's good. Sometimes when you're in that situation with so many people you just don't get to visit with everyone like you should. I will rectify my error next chance I get...even if that's next Thanksgiving.
I'd heard that Deet wasn't doing well and was having trouble focusing in on conversations. In fact, my brother said that when he spoke to her she was almost incoherent. Fortunately my brief conversation with her was perfectly fine. It felt good to see her again. Deet got to hold Tessa from her wheel chair, which would have been a great picture had I been able to find the camera. Oh well, still a nice moment.
Then there was Uncle Bob (who I like more and more as an adult). He decided to get my wife Valerie, and cousins-in-law (if that's a thing), Julie and Jennifer to stand together in a picture. Because they're all pregnant. His exact words were "Maybe we can figure out what's causing all this." Which is funny. I mean, I can't speak for the others, but I'm pretty sure I know what happened in our case.
In all, it was nice to see everyone and of course the food was awesome. Rich, home cooked Southern comfort food can't be beat. It was a good day. And Tessa argued with the prayer.
Let me explain that. We have been teaching her to pray at home, but we don't shush her if she talks during the prayer. Well, in public she needs to shush. So as we were trying to get her to sit still and pray, she kept saying "no" and it sounded like an argument.
Here's pretty much what it sounded like when my brother began to pray:
Derek: Lord, we're so grateful to be here today...
Tessa: No.
Derek: If you were to ask anyone here what they're thankful for, the first would be your son...
Tessa: No.
Derek...And the second would be this family.
Tessa: No!
And that was my family's Thanksgiving.
Valerie's family celebration was last night. The food was good (though not like Cape-sorry), and everyone seemed to have a good time. My evening started off questionable when Glen thought I called him Mike which I didn't (I was saying "hi"). No big deal, but always a weird feeling when that happens.
My Brother and Sister-In-Law Ron and Stephanie brought us an old crib they're not using so we can get a head start on preparing for the twins. My trunk didn't exactly stay closed on the way home but we made it. Thanks guys!
The Seibert family (our hosts) have a Wii system and the "Rock Band" game. Tessa was fascinated with the drum set. She probably played it on and off for an hour...with sticks! Johnny, you've got competition. Kidding!!! It's nice that she has such an interest in music though.
So now that Thanksgiving is over we can move on to my favorite holiday...Christmas. I am a Christmas guy. I'm a sucker for it. I love the music, the decorations, the shopping malls (and I don't mind the lines either), the T.V. specials...all of it.
I guess I just never lost the magic of Christmas. You know how you felt about it all as a kid? I still have that. But there's even more to it now.
You see, Christmas is what you want it to be. If you choose to focus on the headaches and stress involved you won't enjoy the holiday. I choose to focus on the fun stuff, the whimsical side of the secular, and the peace of the religious side. We sing carols in my house. We decorate. We tell The Christmas Story. We watch "A Christmas Story." And we give gifts to show our love for one another. We also give to honor Christ in this season. We put money in the kettles and participate in our church's Christmas programs. It really is my favorite time of year-except for the cold and snow which I normally can't stand, but even that's acceptable. Until Jan. 2nd, at which point I want it back in the 60's. Unlikely. but a man can dream, right?
Anyway, the season's upon us and I'm sure I'll talk about it some more, along with whatever else pops into my head. See you soon, have a good one.
Dave.
P.S. For those it concerns, Valerie now has my list and you should get it soon. Sorry for the delay-been a bit busy.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
A Pox On My House
There's a lot going on in the Brink household these days.
First and foremost, Tessa has Chickenpox (that's what we said, "Chickenpox?!!"). We noticed it first on her chin last weekend and thought it was just a break out due to teething. The next day it was all over her body and she was clearly not feeling well. So off to the doctor we go and it's Chickenfoot. Pox, sorry.
Valerie and I were under the impression that with all the vaccines out there that the disease was not nearly as prevalent as in the past. We were wrong. According to the doctor it's still quite common. Which is why they still vaccinate for it I suppose.
Anyway, my girl's got it. She's lucky in getting it so early, but she's still kind of miserable. She goes from being her sweet self to being a screaming, crying terror. Completely understandable of course. Her fever comes and goes, as does her coughing and runny nose, and she's obviously quite uncomfortable. Fortunately we should only have a few more days of this, so we're looking forward to the weekend.
In other news, I've gotten three estimates on my crack in the basement. That came out weird but you know what I mean. Hopefully we'll be able to get it repaired in the next week or two and can get our basement family room back before too long. There's a little more drywall to be removed (which I can totally do now, thanks Ron) but it should be fairly painless and not nearly as expensive as I originally had feared. The problem will be getting drywall put up, but we want to leave the crack exposed for a while (heh) just to make sure everything is okay, so we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
On top of all of that the dishwasher started acting up. I think I've got it fixed now, but that's all we need is for the dishwasher to go out too. I mean we just bought a new dryer a few weeks ago, and with the basement to fix and Christmas coming up there's not much more that we can handle here.
But there's good stuff too. Valerie had another ultrasound today and the twins are doing well. Thanksgiving is around the corner and it appears as though my great aunts Stella and Clara are going to be able to come after all, even though most thought that the health issues surrounding them would prevent it. So that's good news. And as I said before Christmas is coming which is always a happy time in our house. We might have to watch the budget a little more than in years past, but we will still make it a great holiday.
That's all for now. I'm tired. G'night.
First and foremost, Tessa has Chickenpox (that's what we said, "Chickenpox?!!"). We noticed it first on her chin last weekend and thought it was just a break out due to teething. The next day it was all over her body and she was clearly not feeling well. So off to the doctor we go and it's Chickenfoot. Pox, sorry.
Valerie and I were under the impression that with all the vaccines out there that the disease was not nearly as prevalent as in the past. We were wrong. According to the doctor it's still quite common. Which is why they still vaccinate for it I suppose.
Anyway, my girl's got it. She's lucky in getting it so early, but she's still kind of miserable. She goes from being her sweet self to being a screaming, crying terror. Completely understandable of course. Her fever comes and goes, as does her coughing and runny nose, and she's obviously quite uncomfortable. Fortunately we should only have a few more days of this, so we're looking forward to the weekend.
In other news, I've gotten three estimates on my crack in the basement. That came out weird but you know what I mean. Hopefully we'll be able to get it repaired in the next week or two and can get our basement family room back before too long. There's a little more drywall to be removed (which I can totally do now, thanks Ron) but it should be fairly painless and not nearly as expensive as I originally had feared. The problem will be getting drywall put up, but we want to leave the crack exposed for a while (heh) just to make sure everything is okay, so we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
On top of all of that the dishwasher started acting up. I think I've got it fixed now, but that's all we need is for the dishwasher to go out too. I mean we just bought a new dryer a few weeks ago, and with the basement to fix and Christmas coming up there's not much more that we can handle here.
But there's good stuff too. Valerie had another ultrasound today and the twins are doing well. Thanksgiving is around the corner and it appears as though my great aunts Stella and Clara are going to be able to come after all, even though most thought that the health issues surrounding them would prevent it. So that's good news. And as I said before Christmas is coming which is always a happy time in our house. We might have to watch the budget a little more than in years past, but we will still make it a great holiday.
That's all for now. I'm tired. G'night.
Thursday, November 5, 2009
A Few Things
Haven't blogged for a while so let's catch up.
First and foremost, it seems as though as of Sunday the basement will be a step closer to having the basement fixed. My brother and sister in law are coming over to help tear down the drywall. Apparently it's grown into a family gathering as Valerie's parents and her other sister are coming as well. I never knew drywall was so popular. Since Ron's taken down drywall in his own house, he and Stephanie graciously offered their help to Valerie last week on the phone, and we of course took them up on it. It will, after all, save us some money and maybe I'll learn me a thing or two. All I really needed was an extra pair of experienced hands, but now it appears I'll have more hands than I'll know what to do with. That's okay though , I appreciate everyone's willingness to help. Besides, maybe we'll get done a little earlier and have time for a visit too. Pizza's on me!
*****
Anyone who's been following knows I promised a horror movie roundup for Halloween. Didn't happen, and if I know me it probably won't. However, I do have a recommendation. For those who maybe didn't get their scary movie on last week, or who aren't ready to make the transition into Christmas yet, fire up the Netflix and get a movie called Trick R Treat.
Tick R Treat is a horror anthology film with a twist. There are four main tales, all happening on Halloween night, and they intertwine with one another. The timeline of the film is also done out of order, which is normally a device I can't stand but here it works to great effect. Characters that seem unimportant fade out of the picture only to show up later in a big way. Small clues and references to the other stories are dropped throughout the movie, almost begging for a second viewing to play "Spot the tie-in".
Nothing is as it seems in Trick R Treat. Not only do characters change, but situations do as well. And it's all monitored by a creepy little guy named Sam. Sam looks like a little kid with a Charlie Brown head in a raggedy costume, but he is more. He is the protector (embodiment?) of Halloween who makes sure that people are following the Rules Of Halloween. Don't feed them after midnight, never get them wet...no, wait, that's Gremlins.
Anyway, as you can probably tell, I thoroughly enjoyed this flick. It's what I call fun-horror. Not much in the gore department, dark humor and fantastical ideas. This is the type of movie that can be a lot of fun in the right circumstances and with the right crowd. There are a few scenes that some may find objectionable(dealing with kids and the mentally disabled), but the intent is not negative or derogatory. Plus, it's only a movie so get over yourselves. The movie may lose some of its Halloweeney magic after October, but it's still a treat. And it deserves to be a seasonal classic. Like It's A Wonderful Life.
*****
Watched bill Cosby receive the Mark Twain prize for American humor last night on PBS. Pretty entertaining. The Cos may be a little older and grumpier but he's still pretty funny. As the first African American comic to really hit it big, all accolades are deserved. And he did it all without addressing race in his routines. By focusing his comedy on universal matters, he made race almost a non issue, thus furthering the civil rights cause without shouting, insults, or violence.
So what the f--k, Dick Gregory?
*****
Going to a reception on Friday at Church for all volunteers. It's a desert buffet. Yay desert. And yay volunteering for the Church. And yay desert.
*****
According to all sources, things have stabilized with my Great Aunts in Arkansas. Stella is getting better after her stroke, slowly but surely. Marge's Parkinsons disease is getting worse, but she seems to be over her bout with pneumonia, so that's good. It's a bummer that they most likely won't be at Thanksgiving this year, but we'll be thinking of them and wishing the best.
*****
The twins seem to be doing fine. Tessa's still cute (she went as a duck for Halloween-though some mistook her for the Dirt Cheap Chicken). So everything at home is good. hope it is for you all too.
First and foremost, it seems as though as of Sunday the basement will be a step closer to having the basement fixed. My brother and sister in law are coming over to help tear down the drywall. Apparently it's grown into a family gathering as Valerie's parents and her other sister are coming as well. I never knew drywall was so popular. Since Ron's taken down drywall in his own house, he and Stephanie graciously offered their help to Valerie last week on the phone, and we of course took them up on it. It will, after all, save us some money and maybe I'll learn me a thing or two. All I really needed was an extra pair of experienced hands, but now it appears I'll have more hands than I'll know what to do with. That's okay though , I appreciate everyone's willingness to help. Besides, maybe we'll get done a little earlier and have time for a visit too. Pizza's on me!
*****
Anyone who's been following knows I promised a horror movie roundup for Halloween. Didn't happen, and if I know me it probably won't. However, I do have a recommendation. For those who maybe didn't get their scary movie on last week, or who aren't ready to make the transition into Christmas yet, fire up the Netflix and get a movie called Trick R Treat.
Tick R Treat is a horror anthology film with a twist. There are four main tales, all happening on Halloween night, and they intertwine with one another. The timeline of the film is also done out of order, which is normally a device I can't stand but here it works to great effect. Characters that seem unimportant fade out of the picture only to show up later in a big way. Small clues and references to the other stories are dropped throughout the movie, almost begging for a second viewing to play "Spot the tie-in".
Nothing is as it seems in Trick R Treat. Not only do characters change, but situations do as well. And it's all monitored by a creepy little guy named Sam. Sam looks like a little kid with a Charlie Brown head in a raggedy costume, but he is more. He is the protector (embodiment?) of Halloween who makes sure that people are following the Rules Of Halloween. Don't feed them after midnight, never get them wet...no, wait, that's Gremlins.
Anyway, as you can probably tell, I thoroughly enjoyed this flick. It's what I call fun-horror. Not much in the gore department, dark humor and fantastical ideas. This is the type of movie that can be a lot of fun in the right circumstances and with the right crowd. There are a few scenes that some may find objectionable(dealing with kids and the mentally disabled), but the intent is not negative or derogatory. Plus, it's only a movie so get over yourselves. The movie may lose some of its Halloweeney magic after October, but it's still a treat. And it deserves to be a seasonal classic. Like It's A Wonderful Life.
*****
Watched bill Cosby receive the Mark Twain prize for American humor last night on PBS. Pretty entertaining. The Cos may be a little older and grumpier but he's still pretty funny. As the first African American comic to really hit it big, all accolades are deserved. And he did it all without addressing race in his routines. By focusing his comedy on universal matters, he made race almost a non issue, thus furthering the civil rights cause without shouting, insults, or violence.
So what the f--k, Dick Gregory?
*****
Going to a reception on Friday at Church for all volunteers. It's a desert buffet. Yay desert. And yay volunteering for the Church. And yay desert.
*****
According to all sources, things have stabilized with my Great Aunts in Arkansas. Stella is getting better after her stroke, slowly but surely. Marge's Parkinsons disease is getting worse, but she seems to be over her bout with pneumonia, so that's good. It's a bummer that they most likely won't be at Thanksgiving this year, but we'll be thinking of them and wishing the best.
*****
The twins seem to be doing fine. Tessa's still cute (she went as a duck for Halloween-though some mistook her for the Dirt Cheap Chicken). So everything at home is good. hope it is for you all too.
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