Tag: family

Happy/Merry (insert-your-holiday-here)

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Busy morning. So far, gf_guruilla has made her famous mock liver, almond cookies, corn muffins, and I helped NSS&F make some Chocolate Chip Cookies (OK, I did most of the work). We’re heading out shortly to my stepmother’s house for a holiday party. We’ll overnight there, and then we all (including my stepmother) will head back here, where she’ll spend the week playing with NSS&F. Of course, along the way, we’ll do our annual holiday movie, which this year will be The Producers.

Have a great one!

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Veterans Day Memories

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Since last year, Veterans Day is a special day to me. It is a day that I experienced the death of a WWII Veteran. Someone who served in the US Navy (although I don’t think he ever left US soil), and was proud of his navy service.

Last year, on Veterans Day, my father died, after spending almost a month in intensive care after an automobile accident. You can find the whole story at grandpa_a. Tonight (in advance of tomorrow) I’m reposting two memories, slightly edited.

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Hard Night, Easy Day

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

Last night was a hard night. For whatever reason (we think it was the three iced teas she had at dinner), S&F couldn’t sleep. She got about 2 hours sleep overall. I got more, thanks to Mr. Codeine and Ms. Benedryl, as I was fighting a headache. gf_guruilla was up with her most of the night, going to bed around 3 am (S&F got me up around 4 am).

Despite all this, she was very well behaved today, and will surely crash tonight. She was well-behaved because (a) she wanted to wear her costume to the Purim Carnival today, and (b) she wanted to visit her cousins. She’s down in Orange County now, and a spending a few days with them.

So, gf_guruilla and I have the house to ourselves for a few days. Strange feeling.

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The Morning Update

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

This morning, I present to you a few musings on yesterday, and some observations on the news. After that: Back to the Requirements Matrix!

Yesterday, I spent some more time down at my dad’s place. ’twas an interesting morning. While my stepmother was figuring out Quicken, I was looking at some old photo albums. Boy, I looked young then, and what was up with my hair! It was interesting seeing photos of some of the girls I had dated and forgotten about, and looking at family and friends through the eyes of an adult, not a kid. I am still amazed how much my brother, in the one picture of him I have with a full beard, looks like me (or I like him).

After a dim-sum lunch in Irvine, it was back to the house to go through more of my dad’s stuff. I came home with loads of regular and bolo ties. I think I’m going to have to start dressing even more for work, just so I can get some wear out of the ties! I’ve also got loads of Shrine and Masonic stuff: My dad became a shriner, but later demitted. I’m still trying to figure out what to do with it all, as I’ve never had any interest in it. I may make a display case with some of it; as for the rest, well, I’m still investigating.

After a quick drive home, I went through the mail and unpacked. I loaded my new pen case from Pendemonium up. After that I called my “twin” Keith, and caught up partially on 20 years. It was really nice reconnecting… my next mission is to get him on LJ (heh, heh, heh). We’ll be getting together soon; hopefully, he’ll come up to the games day we’re doing at our house on Feb. 20th (if you’re interesting in joining us, let me know).

As for the news. I do find it vaguely ironic that SBC is purchasing AT&T. Seems there ought to be antitrust concerns there, but my how times have changed. Do people today even remember “AT&T is a amalgam of Unix trademarks”?

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It’s all Relative

Posted onAuthorcahwyguy

[For those following the saga, my back is feeling a little bit better. A day without lifting seems to be helping it.]

Today’s been a relative day… unexpectedly. S&F spent most of the day playing with her cousin N, who is just a little over a year older than her. The two of them had a great time, to all appearances. We have slowly converted N into a board game player (he got Puerto Rico for Chanukah, and has just learned Balloon Cup). We’ll likely see him next at Games Day 19 on January 22nd.

Of course, he had to get home somehow, and so his mom (R) came over to pick it up. We had a delightful afternoon reminiscing about my dad and her mom, looking at some of the stuff I brought back from my dad’s. This is the cousin whom I spent a lot of time with growing up; she’s only 4 mo. older than me, and in some ways we’ve been like siblings. It was a nice afternoon.

I also took some time to go through my fountain pen collection, this activity being prompted by a wonderful wood pen case from Levenger‘s that I received as a holiday gift from ellipticcurve (who deserves a big thank you). I have a remarkably nice collection: 2-3 Mont Blancs, a bunch of Parkers, even more Schaeffers, a few Waterman, a couple of Rotrings, and some nice handmade wood and marble pens. Of course, my largest collection is of the cheap Schaeffer pens, with steel nibs, that write pretty well. I’ve also got a lovely glass fountain pen and ink set that my wife got for me at Dickens Faire. So, my pens are now organized and sitting either in a nice pretty box (for the pretty pens), or a nice wooden cigar box (for the Schaeffers, cheap Parkers, and the Rapidographs that always need to be cleaned).

So, the year has started off pretty well (modulo the back). I note that LJ has been very quiet today; people must be out celebrating. Hope folks had a good one.

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