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It's been a while since I put any of L.D.'s pictures on the web site, so I thought I'd post a picture of her and her friends.
Today we celebrated Lovely Wife's Birthday. Although I had planned to go to Grafton and make a day and night of it, it was a gloomy weather day outside so we both decided to just lay low and spend time together. We made a large breakfast for the family and the gaggle of BoyHead's friends.
We spent the day watching movies. We had seen "The Forgotten" on Friday night. It was very good. Saturday afternoon was lighter fare. We say "First Daughter". Very entertaining and kid friendly. After an excellent dinner at Mimi's (I know, it sounds like a "chick place" and I thought it was. But the food was excellent), the evening feature was "Without a Paddle". Fairly weak storyline and predictable plot, but it was mildly entertaining in that full-from-dinner, exhausted-from-the-week sort of way. In other words, the entertainment threshold was relatively low. Lovely Daughter made the cake. My cake-making abilities suffer from non-use. For eighteen years, I made a Birthday cake each year. Not great. Not even good, sometimes. But I was there. I put in my dues. Now comes along little chickie and boom, right away she's a better cake maker than I. No lop-sided or mishapen cakes. No crunchy frosting. What a show-off.
...he was just a punk kid playing guitar in the basement. I remember when he got his first electric guitar for Christmas in 2004. I remember when he formed his first band. Here is a copy of their first song which was recorded in his friend's room. But that was before everything changed. The record deals. The tours. The money. The groupies. Before we knew it, BoyHead was an overnight sensation. Now, with more money and fame than is good for anyone, he has a chance to look back and reflect. And so do we. We're immensely proud of the fact that, although he had fame, fortune and opportunity, he never gave into temptation. He's done the right thing and he can be proud of it. And even though he's an internationally known rock star, he's still our little BoyHead. And we're proud of him
Saturday night I was relegated to the basement to watch the Rams Game (don't even ask me about it) and I finally noticed the chalk board. We put the chalk board on the wall to keep score in darts. Lovely Daughter had created a Christmas masterpiece. A decorated multi-colored tree and a Christmas message. Very nice. In between turn-overs and special teams disasters I could admire the chalk board. I thought, "I should take a picture and put it on the website". I was too late. Today I went to the basement and it was gone. In its place was this lovely tribute to "The Man with a Dream".
Nothing better than watching playoff football in my recliner on a cold winter's day next to a warm fire.
Think of it. You're 16, a Junior in High School. What is it that you want most of all? Girls? Cars? Money? Yeah, all those things, but mostly you want independence. To be your own man, out from under the yoke of M & D (well, it's not like we actually hitched a plow to him). A few months ago, we promised B.H. that if he did well in school that he could get a job and a car (in that order). He has certainly risen to the challenge. His GPA for the second quarter was 4.07 (he's taking advanced classes that give him the opportunity for more than a 4.0). Not only that, but the teacher comments are all positive. We're very proud. And so, we have granted his request: He may go forth and get a job and a car (in that order). That's where reality begins to sink in. Of course the idea of having a job is great, but the actual task of getting a job--especially a first job--is a little daunting. All the uncertainty of what to say and what to do. Other than school (which is generally mastered at a very young age) the first real foray out in the world where one is completely free to fail or succeed on his own merits. Of course we give guidance, "be polite and a little outgoing", "look him in the eye and speak plainly", "wear a nice shirt", "smile", but in the end, it's all up to the BoyHead. Be careful what you wish for young BoyHead.
This weekend we visited the tribe of Sister Kim and Cap'n Nate. All their cherubs were present and we had a great time. Unfortunately, yours truly suffered from acute feline reactions, so Lovely Wife and I had to stay here. Yes, the K.C. area had a snow and ice (mostly ice) storm a few days prior, so we had the opportunity to go sledding. I got some good shots of Cousin Katie, Cap'n Nate and The BoyHead on "Dead Man's Hill".
Captain Nate took us to the most over-the-top sporting goods store you have ever seen. You thought Bass Pro Shops was a big deal? You have not seen Cabela's. Un-freakin'-believeable. I told my lovely wife that it's like going to the zoo--only better. No nasty smells. No trying to get the animals to pose for the camera. They're already posed--and they won't move. Check out the slide show below (click the right arrow under the picture):
If anyone cares, my "Reading Room" page has been left fallow for the past month or so since I've been busy with transition issues. As of the first of the year I'm officially working from home. My first week of non-commuting is finished and I officially call it a draw. Like anything else there are pros and cons. Since I'm a "glass half full" kind of guy, first, the pros. Easy commute. Casual dress. Easygoing (and handsome) co-workers. The cafeteria is first rate. Breakfast has been excellent and the lunch has been even better (look to your left). On the downside, the hours. When you work from home, you're nearly always at work and you're never at home. I try to keep regular hours, but there's always something that needs to be done. The other primary drawback is the interruptions. "No honey, I'm not here", I say.