Family Matters, Week of 12-10-06

Every week I write about my family. Welcome to it.

Annie (4y Old Hungarian)

Annabelle has been spending quite a bit of time with the nana as of late, keeping her company more than anything. Their nana (Ericka's mother) is still laid up with a shattered leg and knee problems but is getting better by the day. The doctor releases her for work in mid-January, so over the next month we expect to see some significant improvements.

As for Annie, she's going to have some Christmas. Currently we have Santa scheduled to bring Dora's Magic Castle (or somesuch) and thanks to other relatives we bought the rooms that go in it. Yes, the cash machine never stops. Not only must you purchase the castle, you must purchase the stuff that goes in it. Is it me or do I recall getting most of the needed internals for big toys as a kid?

Skeletor's castle came equipped, yo.

Abby (2yr Old Horse Whisperer)

Abby just can't keep things off her bottom. When we finally get her staph-filled wound cleaned, she fell yesterday and hurt her bottom again, this time sans infection. She's getting quite adept at sitting on her knees, as it were.

I also busted her opening presents last night, which is always wonderfully awkward. She only got into a Dora Memory game and a pair of pajamas (the Xmas Eve present we planned for them--new pajamas for everybody), but it just reminds me of the constant attention the tree needs. Years ago we were worried they would break ornaments and swallow glass, but as they get older we're just hoping they don't ruin the surprise too badly.

Just wait--a few years from now they'll be much sneakier and we'll be looking for signs that they taped/untaped presents back together.

Not that I would know about that, or anything. *cough*

Ericka (her myspace)

Ericka, my wonderful wife, was forced to change her first tire ever yesterday. On the way toward what can only be described as Shopping Nirvana (or Hell on Earth, depending), Sevierville and Pigeon Forge, TN, she noticed that the back tire that had been leaking air was doing so at a much faster rate than before. To the point where Ericka could hear the damn thing losing pressure.

Soon she was on the phone to me and I was telling her how to complete such an operation.

Until, of course, I forget to inform her about pulling the parking break when on an incline. The car rolled off the jack, but luckily after the tire was on. No one was hurt and shopping did indeed commence.

That's my girl.

Etc.

Life travels along at a breakneck pace. I'm currently mired in learning Filemaker while of course fulfilling my StarCity obligations, while at the same time fixing computers for people all over the place.

Last weekend we had the company Christmas Party, no doubt the coolest event of the year (if there's one thing we always do right, it's the Xmas party). I showed up guitar-slingin' and threw down Lennon's "Happy Christmas," the crowd favorite "American Pie" (all 4,000 verses) and encored with Tom Waits' "I Don't Wanna Grow Up." Fun and kudos were given by all.

I'll happily admit I'm getting much, much more joy out of singing and performing than I ever have before. And that's never a bad thing. I'm sure I'll post some here soon.

It's funny--I've never had more subscribers to this blog and yet I've never written so little. We'll have to rectify that, now won't we?

Until tomorrow!

Oh, I went to my Mama, I said, Mama, please
What do you do when your true love leaves?