We may be car[e]free, but that doesn't mean we can't stock-up on supplies.
The boys and I just got back from a trip to the grocery store - by bike. I'm not able to pick up the amount I could get when I have the car, but I can still get what we need. Today I got some diapers, beer, bananas, local strawberries, tortillas and charcoal. I was able to fit it into my panniers, bike bag and the Chariot.
Liam, being the big boy that he is, rides his bike alongside me (no more bike train for him)!
Being car[e]free in Hillsboro with two little boys is a challenge, but we're making it work!
17 June 2009
16 June 2009
one of those days
Camper woke up crying today at 7 am and pretty much cried all day; look at him wrong, don't share a toy, share a toy, it didn't matter, he was a screamer. Liam wanted nothing but to either watch TV, "do his work" (Liam refers to playing on the computer as "doing my work") or eat chocolate chips and/or some gross-ass popsicles (that Nikki bought last weekend. "Slow Melt" popsicles?! What the fuck is that!? It can't be good for you!).
It's eleven pm and Camper finally stopped running around about 45 minutes ago. I've barely had a minute to myself all day. They wouldn't play outside unless I was with them. They wouldn't play (nicely) inside unless I was with them. I couldn't even go to the bathroom without Camper following me and pounding on the door (if I dared shut it!).
I tried taking them to the library for the reading time this morning, but Camper was such a little asshole, we had to leave. He was screaming, yelling, throwing books, grabbing things from other kids, and crawling up on the table. It was really great. I was the father of that kid.
It's only Tuesday, but I'm already starting to go batty. I get tweets from a twitter-bot that lists all the beers on tap in PDX I get tweets from BikePortland describing all the fun Pedalpalooza events ... and I get to hang out in Hillsboro with a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old (we're still carless, so the only way into PDX is on the MAX, which is fine, but not realistic with the boys and any bikes).
Today was one of those days where I had to keep reminding (and trying to convince) myself that I'm one of the lucky ones. Most dads don't get to see this much of thier children....
Tomorrow will be better.
It's eleven pm and Camper finally stopped running around about 45 minutes ago. I've barely had a minute to myself all day. They wouldn't play outside unless I was with them. They wouldn't play (nicely) inside unless I was with them. I couldn't even go to the bathroom without Camper following me and pounding on the door (if I dared shut it!).
I tried taking them to the library for the reading time this morning, but Camper was such a little asshole, we had to leave. He was screaming, yelling, throwing books, grabbing things from other kids, and crawling up on the table. It was really great. I was the father of that kid.
It's only Tuesday, but I'm already starting to go batty. I get tweets from a twitter-bot that lists all the beers on tap in PDX I get tweets from BikePortland describing all the fun Pedalpalooza events ... and I get to hang out in Hillsboro with a 2-year-old and a 4-year-old (we're still carless, so the only way into PDX is on the MAX, which is fine, but not realistic with the boys and any bikes).
Today was one of those days where I had to keep reminding (and trying to convince) myself that I'm one of the lucky ones. Most dads don't get to see this much of thier children....
Tomorrow will be better.
glimmers of humanity
Yesterday I witnessed an act by my son that I believe every parent would want to watch their child do.
While crossing the swinging bridge-thing, a little girl behind Camper stumbled and nearly fell off. Camper let out a gasp, and quickly moved in to help. He handed her a bar, and then held it steady while she pulled herself on. After that, he walked slowly across the bridge with her to make sure she was OK.
Once it was clear that she was across the bridge and OK, he quickly resumed his rambunctious, and potentially hazardous play.
It wasn't a huge deal, but sometimes it's the very little things that matter the most.
Those glimmers of humanity.
While crossing the swinging bridge-thing, a little girl behind Camper stumbled and nearly fell off. Camper let out a gasp, and quickly moved in to help. He handed her a bar, and then held it steady while she pulled herself on. After that, he walked slowly across the bridge with her to make sure she was OK.
Once it was clear that she was across the bridge and OK, he quickly resumed his rambunctious, and potentially hazardous play.
It wasn't a huge deal, but sometimes it's the very little things that matter the most.
Those glimmers of humanity.
15 June 2009
change in plans!
We're being sent to Bend, Oregon rather than Nampa, Idaho!
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I guess the doctor in Idaho is having some personal issues (like a trip to see Betty Ford), so Nikki has been reassigned to a dermatology clinic in Bend.
Sweet!
I'd much rather spend July at the base of Mt. Bachelor than in a town with a slaughterhouse and paper mill. So would you.
Two weeks from today we'll be in Bend, so we've been packing and organizing. Most of our belongings are going into (or are already in) storage, so it's a matter of picking what comes and what stays, and then of the stuff that stays, making sure it's well-organized and easy to access so when we do need stuff, it'll be easy to find.
View Larger Map
I guess the doctor in Idaho is having some personal issues (like a trip to see Betty Ford), so Nikki has been reassigned to a dermatology clinic in Bend.
Sweet!
I'd much rather spend July at the base of Mt. Bachelor than in a town with a slaughterhouse and paper mill. So would you.
Two weeks from today we'll be in Bend, so we've been packing and organizing. Most of our belongings are going into (or are already in) storage, so it's a matter of picking what comes and what stays, and then of the stuff that stays, making sure it's well-organized and easy to access so when we do need stuff, it'll be easy to find.
09 June 2009
my little punk
Camper has taken up a charming new way of letting his displeasure be known.
Sticking his tongue out and zurburtting at you - and if you're close enough, he'll take a swing at you. He's deadly serious when he does it, which frankly, makes it all the cuter, and therefore harder to punish (it's hard for the kids to believe you are serious when you're half-laughing).
I'm trying my best to ignore it, but I'm not sure that's the best approach.
He's a tough little guy with a strong personality who won't back down for anything or anyone.I don't think he should have any problems with the McLeod Clan motto: Hold Fast. The Clan Crest is a bullhead between two flag poles with red flags and the motto Hold fast.
Sticking his tongue out and zurburtting at you - and if you're close enough, he'll take a swing at you. He's deadly serious when he does it, which frankly, makes it all the cuter, and therefore harder to punish (it's hard for the kids to believe you are serious when you're half-laughing).
I'm trying my best to ignore it, but I'm not sure that's the best approach.
He's a tough little guy with a strong personality who won't back down for anything or anyone.I don't think he should have any problems with the McLeod Clan motto: Hold Fast. The Clan Crest is a bullhead between two flag poles with red flags and the motto Hold fast.
07 June 2009
auction is a go
My Mac Pro is on eBay.
Mac Pro, 24-inch Cinema HD display and speakers - eBay (item 150350275083 end time Jun-13-09 10:20:38 PDT)
I really (really ... really ... really) hope that I can get enough to afford a 17-inch MacBook Pro.
I don't want to be computer-less while we're doing our gypsy-thing, and I want to be able to continue running my photo processing/organization software, Aperture, which needs high-end hardware to run well. I've just started to make a bit of money from sales of photos through Getty, as well as the art dealer, Farmboy Fine Arts. It would be kind of silly to walk away from that opportunity. Besides, the travel may give me an opportunity to build up a more diverse portfolio.
And really, could I live without my blogging and tweeting and Facebooking and Flickring!?
Mac Pro, 24-inch Cinema HD display and speakers - eBay (item 150350275083 end time Jun-13-09 10:20:38 PDT)
I really (really ... really ... really) hope that I can get enough to afford a 17-inch MacBook Pro.
I don't want to be computer-less while we're doing our gypsy-thing, and I want to be able to continue running my photo processing/organization software, Aperture, which needs high-end hardware to run well. I've just started to make a bit of money from sales of photos through Getty, as well as the art dealer, Farmboy Fine Arts. It would be kind of silly to walk away from that opportunity. Besides, the travel may give me an opportunity to build up a more diverse portfolio.And really, could I live without my blogging and tweeting and Facebooking and Flickring!?
Up
We took the kids to see Up in 3D last night. As usual, Pixar knocked it out of the park.
I had heard that the first half-hour-or-so is a bit sad, and may be too much for little kids. We
needn't have worried; the whole death thing was lost on them. Pixar does such a masterful job of telling a story on two levels; one for the adults and one for the children. I was choked up by tears of sadness over death, and dreams never fulfilled, while Liam was choked up laughing at poor little Carl fall through the creaky board in the old house.
Watching it in 3D offers a strange and somewhat disconcerting experience. It wasn't like "traditional" 3D movies where things appear to be popping OUT of the screen. It was more like looking INTO a moving diorama. The edge of the screen appeared to be about twenty feet from the wall. I'm not really sure if I liked it or not. The 3D glasses were a bit heavy and felt odd piled on top of my glasses (Liam said to me, as I was sitting down, "Daddy, you should have worn your contacts!"). Liam wore his for about 75% of the movie, while Camper barely wore his.
It was a great movie with wonderful characters, amazing animation and a fun-filled adventure to tie it all together.
"Won't you please be my prisoner, please please please!"
I had heard that the first half-hour-or-so is a bit sad, and may be too much for little kids. We
needn't have worried; the whole death thing was lost on them. Pixar does such a masterful job of telling a story on two levels; one for the adults and one for the children. I was choked up by tears of sadness over death, and dreams never fulfilled, while Liam was choked up laughing at poor little Carl fall through the creaky board in the old house.Watching it in 3D offers a strange and somewhat disconcerting experience. It wasn't like "traditional" 3D movies where things appear to be popping OUT of the screen. It was more like looking INTO a moving diorama. The edge of the screen appeared to be about twenty feet from the wall. I'm not really sure if I liked it or not. The 3D glasses were a bit heavy and felt odd piled on top of my glasses (Liam said to me, as I was sitting down, "Daddy, you should have worn your contacts!"). Liam wore his for about 75% of the movie, while Camper barely wore his.
It was a great movie with wonderful characters, amazing animation and a fun-filled adventure to tie it all together.
"Won't you please be my prisoner, please please please!"
05 June 2009
what's wrong with you?
Last week, I used this beard picture of me as my Facebook icon.
I got several comments that said something to the extent of, "Wolverine!"
A little history
The picture was taken in the spring of 1994 by my father in my dressing room, backstage at Western State College. I had grown the beard out for a part in a play. I was playing Snug in A Midsummer Night's Dream.
This was the last night of the show, and I was going to shave.
But first, I was going to have a little fun...
Flash-forward fifteen years
A few days after posting the beard picture, I switched my Facebook icon to my awesome, super-suave mustachioed self (from fifteen years in the past!).
Within hours, I received this Facebook message from my mother.
subject: what's wrong with you?
You look like you are out of your mind. Is that the image you want? Or have you lost it?
Oh, Mom.
I love you.
... But I think we all know that I lost it a long time ago. That fact aside, I was just trying to have a little fun, and, as we all know, it's always easiest to have fun at one's own expense...
I got several comments that said something to the extent of, "Wolverine!"
A little history
The picture was taken in the spring of 1994 by my father in my dressing room, backstage at Western State College. I had grown the beard out for a part in a play. I was playing Snug in A Midsummer Night's Dream.
This was the last night of the show, and I was going to shave.
But first, I was going to have a little fun...
Flash-forward fifteen yearsA few days after posting the beard picture, I switched my Facebook icon to my awesome, super-suave mustachioed self (from fifteen years in the past!).
Within hours, I received this Facebook message from my mother.
subject: what's wrong with you?
You look like you are out of your mind. Is that the image you want? Or have you lost it?
Oh, Mom.
I love you.
... But I think we all know that I lost it a long time ago. That fact aside, I was just trying to have a little fun, and, as we all know, it's always easiest to have fun at one's own expense...
a followup...
I was going to edit my post from yesterday, but then I decided that a) if you've already read the post, you wouldn't know about the changes (as if you'd really care that much) and b) that's what a blog is for. A mostly unedited, unfiltered mess.
For that, my dear readers, I apologize. But that's how we('ll) roll on this here bloggy blog.
A mostly unedited, unfiltered mess.
It'll be hard for the editor in me to deal with, but it should be a good exercise (something like, no more than 5 edits per post).
Welcome to my life.
A mostly unedited, unfiltered mess.
For that, my dear readers, I apologize. But that's how we('ll) roll on this here bloggy blog.
A mostly unedited, unfiltered mess.
It'll be hard for the editor in me to deal with, but it should be a good exercise (something like, no more than 5 edits per post).
Welcome to my life.
A mostly unedited, unfiltered mess.
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