A little over a week ago, the "check engine" light came on in Karen's car. After taking it to the local Firestone in Hingham, it was recommended that we no longer pour money into fixing the car as it would just not be worth it. So when we had time to spare, Karen and I looked into buying a car.
We actually worked rather quickly in finding a car. It almost reminded me of our initial Cape Cod vacation planning over three years ago which also had a very short window of opportunity to plan. I guess we just work well under tight deadlines.
Anyway, Karen wanted a car that was bigger than her original Saturn, but not too big. She wanted a car big enough to cart our eighteen month old daughter (Briana) around, along with her stuff. Plus, she wanted a car that could accommodate Briana's possible sibling. The only requirement: no minivan. Ultimately, we narrowed down our choices to two possibilities: the Honda CR-V or the Subaru Forester.
I was okay with either car because they both drove nicely. As Karen was going to be the primary driver, she decided upon the Subaru Forester. I think the heated seats may have influenced her decision.
Karen actually began the paperwork on Saturday to buy a Subaru Forester from Planet Subaru, which is located in Hanover. I had Briana duties and consequently couldn't make it. So because I suck at Planet Subaru, I had to complete the paperwork on Monday.
Needless to say, on Monday I completed the paperwork and we were finally able to pick up the Subaru Forester from Planet Subaru. It was nice to get rid of the old car. I think Karen was a little sad to trade in her Saturn. (For anyone curious, we do still have the photo that was taken at the Saturn dealership when Karen bought her Saturn. We looked so young.)
Anyway, it was a good day on Monday.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
I Suck At Working On The House
Sunday was basically spent working on the house. Too bad I suck at working on the house. Among the many home improvement projects still left on my "to-do" list is installing base molding.
Throughout our house there are rooms that still do not have any base molding installed. Among those rooms is the bedroom for my eighteen month old daughter (Briana). When Briana is awake, she is actively running around until she gets tired and naps. And when she naps, it's in her... bedroom. So being able to do any project in her room has been a little difficult.
On Sunday, Karen took Briana out for a little mother/daughter bonding. And by bonding, I mean attending my niece's (Kaleigh) hockey practice. So that gave me the opportunity to quickly do a few things in Briana's room involving a miter saw, wood, and a nail gun. To date, Briana's room is still not finished in terms of installed base molding, but at least it is closer to being complete.
Throughout our house there are rooms that still do not have any base molding installed. Among those rooms is the bedroom for my eighteen month old daughter (Briana). When Briana is awake, she is actively running around until she gets tired and naps. And when she naps, it's in her... bedroom. So being able to do any project in her room has been a little difficult.
On Sunday, Karen took Briana out for a little mother/daughter bonding. And by bonding, I mean attending my niece's (Kaleigh) hockey practice. So that gave me the opportunity to quickly do a few things in Briana's room involving a miter saw, wood, and a nail gun. To date, Briana's room is still not finished in terms of installed base molding, but at least it is closer to being complete.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
I Suck At Getting New Glasses
A few weeks ago, my eighteen month old ninja daughter (Briana) snatched the glasses off of my face. Within a matter of seconds, she managed to snap the part that goes over your ear off. Unfortunately, I do not have a spare set of eyeglasses. So since that time, I have been wearing those broken glasses, complete with a thick layer of duct tape holding the pieces together. (It's true. Duct tape solves everything.)
I guess you could say that I suck at getting new glasses. After all, the high-flying-ninja-eyeglass-breaking-event was over three weeks ago. All of that changed on Saturday when my new glasses finally arrived. And boy was I excited.
I was particularly excited, not because I wouldn't have to wear duct-taped glasses anymore (although there was some excitement for that), but because I was curious as to how the particular eyeglass would be like since I was ordering them online.
When Briana broke my eyeglasses, I started to think about the ROI involved with purchasing new glasses. For anyone curious, ROI stands for return on investment. ROI is a general financial term that describes the ratio of money gained/lossed to the money invested. And by no means am I a financial person.
Based on my memory (which is spotty at best), the cost of eyeglasses and frames could cost well over $300 at a retail store. So I started to think about what if, after buying a $300 pair of new glasses, my ninja daughter did the same thing again and broke those new glasses. (This is where I add the infamous quote: "There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again.")
Needless to say, it did not make sense to me to spend that much on eyeglasses especially with my curious daughter around. So I did some research into online stores for glasses. I ended up ordering glasses from Goggles4U, which was a reputable place.
And as luck would have it, I still had a copy of my prescription for the glasses that Briana broke. So after browsing through their website, I ordered a pair of glasses on sale for $13.98 ($8.99 plus $4.99 shipping). Sounds sketchy, right? After all, how could glasses be that cheap in comparison to retail stores?
Well, let me tell you... I was pleasantly surprised with the new glasses. I'd definitely order from them again. The new glasses came in a case, complete with a cleaning cloth and a screwdriver key chain. And to boot, the glasses actually looked nice. I was impressed.
Anyway, to celebrate the new glasses, Karen, Briana and I headed over to my favorite sister-in-law's (Janine) to celebrate. Okay, the reason was not to celebrate my glasses. Janine actually invited us over because she was having her BFF (Gretchen) over, as well as my friends (Jen and Bill). It was good seeing everyone. We even joked about fat pictures. It was funny.
I guess you could say that I suck at getting new glasses. After all, the high-flying-ninja-eyeglass-breaking-event was over three weeks ago. All of that changed on Saturday when my new glasses finally arrived. And boy was I excited.
I was particularly excited, not because I wouldn't have to wear duct-taped glasses anymore (although there was some excitement for that), but because I was curious as to how the particular eyeglass would be like since I was ordering them online.
When Briana broke my eyeglasses, I started to think about the ROI involved with purchasing new glasses. For anyone curious, ROI stands for return on investment. ROI is a general financial term that describes the ratio of money gained/lossed to the money invested. And by no means am I a financial person.
Based on my memory (which is spotty at best), the cost of eyeglasses and frames could cost well over $300 at a retail store. So I started to think about what if, after buying a $300 pair of new glasses, my ninja daughter did the same thing again and broke those new glasses. (This is where I add the infamous quote: "There's an old saying in Tennessee — I know it's in Texas, probably in Tennessee — that says, fool me once, shame on — shame on you. Fool me — you can't get fooled again.")
Needless to say, it did not make sense to me to spend that much on eyeglasses especially with my curious daughter around. So I did some research into online stores for glasses. I ended up ordering glasses from Goggles4U, which was a reputable place.
And as luck would have it, I still had a copy of my prescription for the glasses that Briana broke. So after browsing through their website, I ordered a pair of glasses on sale for $13.98 ($8.99 plus $4.99 shipping). Sounds sketchy, right? After all, how could glasses be that cheap in comparison to retail stores?
Well, let me tell you... I was pleasantly surprised with the new glasses. I'd definitely order from them again. The new glasses came in a case, complete with a cleaning cloth and a screwdriver key chain. And to boot, the glasses actually looked nice. I was impressed.
Anyway, to celebrate the new glasses, Karen, Briana and I headed over to my favorite sister-in-law's (Janine) to celebrate. Okay, the reason was not to celebrate my glasses. Janine actually invited us over because she was having her BFF (Gretchen) over, as well as my friends (Jen and Bill). It was good seeing everyone. We even joked about fat pictures. It was funny.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
I Suck At Deadliest Warrior
Today, Karen, my eighteen month old daughter (Briana) and I had our weekly get together with my friends (Marc, Kelley, and Andrea). For me, it was a welcomed break primarily because I have had a lot going on at work for what seems like an eternity. So any chance to focus on the finer things in life is good.
Marc and Kelley had recorded Deadliest Warrior for all of us to watch. Now, I suck at Deadliest Warrior. I'm afraid I haven't watched many, if any, of the match ups this season. Karen, especially, wanted to watch this particular match up because it was vampires versus zombies. I think she was more interested in who the show would use as their "experts". I think we were expecting a nerd fest.
And as a side note, I hope my BFF (Kerry) as well as the emergency management team of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts watched the episode. According to Kerry, who is into emergency management, there currently are no preparations for a zombie apocalypse in Massachusetts. So residents of the Commonwealth should beware in the event of a zombie apocalypse. There will be chaos.
Speaking of zombies, Marc and Kelley also got a new video game: Dead Island... about zombies. Zombie video games are always fun. As for the show, [SPOILER ALERT] the apex predators known as vampires won which I'm sure is sad news for the fans of zombie nation... and young teeny bopper girls who are members of Team Jacob.
Following the show, all of us also watched the season premiere of Tosh.0. The premiere was okay. There were some good chuckles in show. And as usual, it was good to hang out with everyone.
Marc and Kelley had recorded Deadliest Warrior for all of us to watch. Now, I suck at Deadliest Warrior. I'm afraid I haven't watched many, if any, of the match ups this season. Karen, especially, wanted to watch this particular match up because it was vampires versus zombies. I think she was more interested in who the show would use as their "experts". I think we were expecting a nerd fest.
And as a side note, I hope my BFF (Kerry) as well as the emergency management team of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts watched the episode. According to Kerry, who is into emergency management, there currently are no preparations for a zombie apocalypse in Massachusetts. So residents of the Commonwealth should beware in the event of a zombie apocalypse. There will be chaos.
Speaking of zombies, Marc and Kelley also got a new video game: Dead Island... about zombies. Zombie video games are always fun. As for the show, [SPOILER ALERT] the apex predators known as vampires won which I'm sure is sad news for the fans of zombie nation... and young teeny bopper girls who are members of Team Jacob.
Following the show, all of us also watched the season premiere of Tosh.0. The premiere was okay. There were some good chuckles in show. And as usual, it was good to hang out with everyone.
I Suck At Bertucci's
Today has been a long day. Several days ago, the "check engine" light came on in Karen's car. After bringing the car to the local Firestone in Hingham, the mechanics essentially told us that the car was not worth fixing. In fact, they recommended that we begin looking for a new car. (As a side note, Firestone was very gracious in diagnosing the "check engine" light. They were fast and courteous and actually did not charge us for looking at the car. I would definitely recommend them to anyone.)
Anyway, today was the first day that I had to go to the office for work since Karen's car troubles. It would not have been so bad if it weren't for the fact that the office is located in Danvers whereas I live in Norwell. The commute is generally over an hour. It's a long commute as it is. And being essentially down to one car, we had to figure out a way to get me to and from work while also getting Karen to and from work.
Thankfully, my favorite sister-in-law (Janine) offered to drive Karen into work. I, however, would have to take a detour on my way home to pick Karen up at her place of employment in Boston. Needless to say, my commute home today took over two hours. And yes, my backside was a little numb from sitting in the car the whole time.
Following the commute, Karen and I dropped off my mother-in-law at Janine's. If you think I had a long day, my mother-in-law also had an equally long day. She watched over my eighteen month old (Briana) for about 10 hours. After that, she was scheduled to watch over my niece (Kaleigh) and nephew (PJ) for a couple of hours more while before Janine returned home.
All in all, I would say it was a long day all around. So what better way to end the day than to have dinner together with my in-laws? As suggested by my father-in-law, we ordered pizza from Bertucci's. Now, I suck at Bertucci's. I have not had pizza from Bertucci's in quite some time. And of course, the pizza was very delicious (as were the rolls).
Not having planned anything for dinner, pizza hit the spot. I must have devoured half of the pizza. I was tired. I was hungry. And it was good. Plus, I got to see my niece and nephew who I haven't seen in awhile. My bad influence for the day was teaching PJ that the best part of school... is leaving school.
Anyway, today was the first day that I had to go to the office for work since Karen's car troubles. It would not have been so bad if it weren't for the fact that the office is located in Danvers whereas I live in Norwell. The commute is generally over an hour. It's a long commute as it is. And being essentially down to one car, we had to figure out a way to get me to and from work while also getting Karen to and from work.
Thankfully, my favorite sister-in-law (Janine) offered to drive Karen into work. I, however, would have to take a detour on my way home to pick Karen up at her place of employment in Boston. Needless to say, my commute home today took over two hours. And yes, my backside was a little numb from sitting in the car the whole time.
Following the commute, Karen and I dropped off my mother-in-law at Janine's. If you think I had a long day, my mother-in-law also had an equally long day. She watched over my eighteen month old (Briana) for about 10 hours. After that, she was scheduled to watch over my niece (Kaleigh) and nephew (PJ) for a couple of hours more while before Janine returned home.
All in all, I would say it was a long day all around. So what better way to end the day than to have dinner together with my in-laws? As suggested by my father-in-law, we ordered pizza from Bertucci's. Now, I suck at Bertucci's. I have not had pizza from Bertucci's in quite some time. And of course, the pizza was very delicious (as were the rolls).
Not having planned anything for dinner, pizza hit the spot. I must have devoured half of the pizza. I was tired. I was hungry. And it was good. Plus, I got to see my niece and nephew who I haven't seen in awhile. My bad influence for the day was teaching PJ that the best part of school... is leaving school.
I Suck At Supper
On Sunday, Karen's parents invited us over for supper. Now, I suck at supper. I especially suck at calling supper... supper. After all, supper in Karen's family is generally at 1pm on a Sunday afternoon. I find it rather odd that Karen's family calls it "supper" because to me, a meal around 1pm seems more like "lunch" than "supper". Plus, I am guessing there is a reason why it's called Sunday brunch instead of Sunday brupper.
Anyway, "supper" was delicious. My mother-in-law roasted a chicken, complete with vegetables and cranberry sauce. My eighteen month old daughter (Briana) was quite the fan of cranberry sauce. Of course, I could probably devour a whole can by myself. Too bad there was high fructose corn syrup in it, because it tastes so yummy.
And for anyone curious, Sunday was actually the first time Briana had asparagus too. Interestingly enough, I did not notice any distinct smells while changing her wet diaper.
Regardless, it was a good time at my in-laws.
Anyway, "supper" was delicious. My mother-in-law roasted a chicken, complete with vegetables and cranberry sauce. My eighteen month old daughter (Briana) was quite the fan of cranberry sauce. Of course, I could probably devour a whole can by myself. Too bad there was high fructose corn syrup in it, because it tastes so yummy.
And for anyone curious, Sunday was actually the first time Briana had asparagus too. Interestingly enough, I did not notice any distinct smells while changing her wet diaper.
Regardless, it was a good time at my in-laws.
Friday, September 16, 2011
I Suck At CW Shows
I'm a sucker for television. This week, the CW was premiering two new shows for the season: Ringer and The Secret Circle. Now, I suck at CW shows. I just couldn't resist watching the two new shows.
Ringer, which premiered on Tuesday, was a must watch for me. After all, the show was Sarah Michelle Gellar's return to network television since Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Being a fan of the greatest show ever on television, I naturally had to watch it... or at least give it a try. I must say, the show was intriguing.
The show is about a recovering addict who witnesses a murder. She flees witness protection to meet up with her twin sister to repair their broken relationship. Everything seems good until her sister mysteriously disappears during a boat trip. And naturally, the addict panics and assumes her sister's identity. From there, hilarity ensues. Just kidding. Actually, the addict soon finds out that her sister has been hiding some secrets of her own.
Like I said earlier, the show was interesting. I'll give it a shot. While watching the debut of Ringer, I got sucked into the CW commercials. The commercial that sucked me in... The Secret Circle.
So naturally, I had to watch The Secret Circle when it premiered on Thursday. The Secret Circle has some of my prerequisites for watching shows: 1) a blonde; and 2) high school. Just kidding.
Apparently, the show is based on the book series of the same name by L. J. Smith. The gist of the series is that a teenager moves to the tiny town of Chance Harbor, Washington to be raised by her grandmother after her mother passes away in an accidental fire. While in Chance Harbor, she quickly meets new friends and learns that her family, and her friends' family, have a secret... that they all come from a lineage of witches. And hilarity ensues. Just kidding again.
I thought the episode was pretty good. I'll most likely watch the rest of the season. One of the main reasons I was even interested in the show (aside from the prerequisites, of course) was that the show was created by Kevin Williamson, who was the person responsible for Scream and Dawson's Creek. (I'm still on the fence about the Vampire Diaries, which was developed by Kevin Williamson. That show is also based on a book series by L. J. Smith.)
All in all, it was a good week of television. Hopefully the rest of the season will be good.
Ringer, which premiered on Tuesday, was a must watch for me. After all, the show was Sarah Michelle Gellar's return to network television since Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Being a fan of the greatest show ever on television, I naturally had to watch it... or at least give it a try. I must say, the show was intriguing.
The show is about a recovering addict who witnesses a murder. She flees witness protection to meet up with her twin sister to repair their broken relationship. Everything seems good until her sister mysteriously disappears during a boat trip. And naturally, the addict panics and assumes her sister's identity. From there, hilarity ensues. Just kidding. Actually, the addict soon finds out that her sister has been hiding some secrets of her own.
Like I said earlier, the show was interesting. I'll give it a shot. While watching the debut of Ringer, I got sucked into the CW commercials. The commercial that sucked me in... The Secret Circle.
So naturally, I had to watch The Secret Circle when it premiered on Thursday. The Secret Circle has some of my prerequisites for watching shows: 1) a blonde; and 2) high school. Just kidding.
Apparently, the show is based on the book series of the same name by L. J. Smith. The gist of the series is that a teenager moves to the tiny town of Chance Harbor, Washington to be raised by her grandmother after her mother passes away in an accidental fire. While in Chance Harbor, she quickly meets new friends and learns that her family, and her friends' family, have a secret... that they all come from a lineage of witches. And hilarity ensues. Just kidding again.
I thought the episode was pretty good. I'll most likely watch the rest of the season. One of the main reasons I was even interested in the show (aside from the prerequisites, of course) was that the show was created by Kevin Williamson, who was the person responsible for Scream and Dawson's Creek. (I'm still on the fence about the Vampire Diaries, which was developed by Kevin Williamson. That show is also based on a book series by L. J. Smith.)
All in all, it was a good week of television. Hopefully the rest of the season will be good.
I Suck At Sal's Pizza
With our seemingly busy schedule, it has been some time since Karen and I ordered pizza from Sal's Pizza located in Norwell. I guess you can say I suck at Sal's Pizza.
Today, however, we decided to order pizza for dinner. For both Karen and I, it was a long day. And since both of us were feeling lazy in regards to cooking dinner, we decided to order take out.
Back in my heyday, I could probably polish off Sal's 19" pizza by myself. These days, I'd be lucky enough to eat even half of that now. Luckily, my parents just so happened to have been over today to watch over our seventeen month old daughter (Briana). So we invited them to stay for dinner as well.
Anyway, Sal's pizza was a great way to end the day. For anyone curious, we ordered the BBQ chicken pizza. It was good. The pizza was especially good because it was free! In my book, a free dinner is always a good dinner.
It turns out that Sal's made the wrong pizza for our takeout. Realizing that they made a mistake, the employee apologized and promptly made a new pizza. In addition, he realized that it would be a wait for the new pizza. As a result, he gave us the new pizza for free.
I was pretty excited to get the pizza for free. After all, these days it seems like the art of quality customer service is a thing of the past. So I was pleasantly surprised. It definitely makes me want to eat at Sal's from now on. Needless to say, it was a great way to end the long day.
Today, however, we decided to order pizza for dinner. For both Karen and I, it was a long day. And since both of us were feeling lazy in regards to cooking dinner, we decided to order take out.
Back in my heyday, I could probably polish off Sal's 19" pizza by myself. These days, I'd be lucky enough to eat even half of that now. Luckily, my parents just so happened to have been over today to watch over our seventeen month old daughter (Briana). So we invited them to stay for dinner as well.
Anyway, Sal's pizza was a great way to end the day. For anyone curious, we ordered the BBQ chicken pizza. It was good. The pizza was especially good because it was free! In my book, a free dinner is always a good dinner.
It turns out that Sal's made the wrong pizza for our takeout. Realizing that they made a mistake, the employee apologized and promptly made a new pizza. In addition, he realized that it would be a wait for the new pizza. As a result, he gave us the new pizza for free.
I was pretty excited to get the pizza for free. After all, these days it seems like the art of quality customer service is a thing of the past. So I was pleasantly surprised. It definitely makes me want to eat at Sal's from now on. Needless to say, it was a great way to end the long day.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
I Suck At Cookouts
Today, Karen, my seventeen month old daughter (Briana) and I went to Lynn, Lynn, the city of sin. On the agenda for today: a cookout. Now, I suck at cookouts. My friends (Renee and Jeff) have an annual cookout every September. Interestingly enough, I just found out the reason for the annual cookout today. Renee and Jeff have a cookout in September every year to celebrate their dog's birthday.
I don't remember the last time I visited Renee and Jeff in Lynn. Karen thinks it may have been over two years ago. I know I missed last year's cookout because the cookout was scheduled on my son's (Braden) birthday. So two years may be correct.
In addition to seeing Renee and Jeff, the cookout was also our first meeting of my friend's (Christine) new significant other. And naturally, Christine wanted her friends there for their opinion of the guy. Personally, I have always found the act of soliciting opinions about the new significant other ridiculous. For starters, it doesn't matter what I personally think because I am not the one dating the person. And secondly, even if I did not like the person, the person soliciting my opinion does not want to hear anything negative even if they say they do. So it's a rather pointless act in my opinion to ask.
Needless to say, the cookout was good. Christine's date was interesting. Briana, for the most part, was good during the cookout. So all in all, it was a good way to end the day. And for anyone curious, Lowe's did end up delivering our new washing machine in the morning. So I can wash clothes again. Yay!
I don't remember the last time I visited Renee and Jeff in Lynn. Karen thinks it may have been over two years ago. I know I missed last year's cookout because the cookout was scheduled on my son's (Braden) birthday. So two years may be correct.
In addition to seeing Renee and Jeff, the cookout was also our first meeting of my friend's (Christine) new significant other. And naturally, Christine wanted her friends there for their opinion of the guy. Personally, I have always found the act of soliciting opinions about the new significant other ridiculous. For starters, it doesn't matter what I personally think because I am not the one dating the person. And secondly, even if I did not like the person, the person soliciting my opinion does not want to hear anything negative even if they say they do. So it's a rather pointless act in my opinion to ask.
Needless to say, the cookout was good. Christine's date was interesting. Briana, for the most part, was good during the cookout. So all in all, it was a good way to end the day. And for anyone curious, Lowe's did end up delivering our new washing machine in the morning. So I can wash clothes again. Yay!
I Suck At Celebrating My Friend's Birthday
Yesterday, Karen and I celebrated my friend's (Marc) birthday. Unfortunately, I suck at celebrating my friend's birthday. Marc's birthday was actually earlier in the week, but we decided to celebrate it on Saturday. The theme for the celebration was Southern comfort food.
Partaking in the festivities for the night were my friends (Kelley, Andrea, Cass, Ellen, their baby daughter Elyse, Garv, Leeann, and Steve) and my BFF (Kerry). It was definitely good to see everyone again. Kelley, as usual, did a great job of cooking most of the comfort foods for the party. In my opinion, Kelley makes a lot of great tasting food. To this day, I still think she makes the best chocolate chip cookies of everyone I know. Bar none.
Anyway, there were a lot of laughs yesterday. Probably one of the most comical parts of the night was our conversation about grey hair. As my friends and I are getting older, it should come as no surprise that we are getting grey hairs. Apparently, however, some of us are getting them in places where the sun doesn't shine. Karen's reaction to the discussion was priceless.
Among other comical topics of conversation were body odor and the use of deodorant. It only seemed like a natural segueway since we were already talking about the human body anyway.
All in all, it was a great enjoyable night. The only blemish of the night was that Lowe's did not call us like they had told us they would. Prior to arriving at Marc and Kelley's, Karen and I purchased a new washer at Lowe's. As a result, Lowe's was supposed to call us to confirm delivery instructions.
Our previous washer just stopped working on Friday. Amazingly, that old washer lasted over nine years for us. Karen and I inherited that old washer from Karen's cousin (Karlene) and Karlene's husband (Tommy). I guess that is proof that there is a lot to like about Lowell. I actually have no idea how old the washer was before we inherited it, but it was solid. They definitely don't make them like they used to. That's for sure.
Washer aside, the night was great.
Partaking in the festivities for the night were my friends (Kelley, Andrea, Cass, Ellen, their baby daughter Elyse, Garv, Leeann, and Steve) and my BFF (Kerry). It was definitely good to see everyone again. Kelley, as usual, did a great job of cooking most of the comfort foods for the party. In my opinion, Kelley makes a lot of great tasting food. To this day, I still think she makes the best chocolate chip cookies of everyone I know. Bar none.
Anyway, there were a lot of laughs yesterday. Probably one of the most comical parts of the night was our conversation about grey hair. As my friends and I are getting older, it should come as no surprise that we are getting grey hairs. Apparently, however, some of us are getting them in places where the sun doesn't shine. Karen's reaction to the discussion was priceless.
Among other comical topics of conversation were body odor and the use of deodorant. It only seemed like a natural segueway since we were already talking about the human body anyway.
All in all, it was a great enjoyable night. The only blemish of the night was that Lowe's did not call us like they had told us they would. Prior to arriving at Marc and Kelley's, Karen and I purchased a new washer at Lowe's. As a result, Lowe's was supposed to call us to confirm delivery instructions.
Our previous washer just stopped working on Friday. Amazingly, that old washer lasted over nine years for us. Karen and I inherited that old washer from Karen's cousin (Karlene) and Karlene's husband (Tommy). I guess that is proof that there is a lot to like about Lowell. I actually have no idea how old the washer was before we inherited it, but it was solid. They definitely don't make them like they used to. That's for sure.
Washer aside, the night was great.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
I Suck At Breaking Glasses
I suck at breaking glasses. Luckily, my seventeen month daughter (Briana) is not so bad at it. After all, she broke my glasses today.
Like I am apt to do, I was holding Briana in my arms. Like a ninja, she snatched the glasses right off of my face. From there, she started bending the frame. The next thing I know... SNAP! It all happened in mere seconds.
The temple splintered off. For anyone curious, the temple is the part of the eyeglass that is attached to the hinge. It runs along the side of your head and connects to the temple tips which wraps around your ears.
I now have a pair of broken glasses. I considered taping the temple to the hinge with rolls upon rolls of tape, but I don't think it would hold. So I guess I'll be visiting an eyeglass store in the very near future. Laser corrective eye surgery is looking better and better now.
Like I am apt to do, I was holding Briana in my arms. Like a ninja, she snatched the glasses right off of my face. From there, she started bending the frame. The next thing I know... SNAP! It all happened in mere seconds.
The temple splintered off. For anyone curious, the temple is the part of the eyeglass that is attached to the hinge. It runs along the side of your head and connects to the temple tips which wraps around your ears.
I now have a pair of broken glasses. I considered taping the temple to the hinge with rolls upon rolls of tape, but I don't think it would hold. So I guess I'll be visiting an eyeglass store in the very near future. Laser corrective eye surgery is looking better and better now.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
I Suck At Celebrating My Son's Birthday
Monday was Labor day. In addition to honoring our workers, Monday also happened to be my son's (Braden) birthday. Too bad I suck at celebrating my son's birthday. Had Braden survived, he would have turned three on Monday. Happy birthday Braden!
I still miss Braden. In some ways, I suppose I should consider myself lucky. Although Braden only lived for a week, that time is more than some people get. So I'm thankful to have known my son for that one week.
My seventeen month old daughter (Briana) never got to meet Braden. Unfortunately, she will only know her brother through pictures and videos. It's too bad because I think Braden would have adored Briana (and vice versa). Or perhaps that may be a good thing. If Braden is anything like his sister, he'd be just as curious and then I'd have two mischievous little children running around the house and wreaking havoc everywhere instead of one.
Needless to say, I'll never know what life would be like raising Braden. I can only imagine the great things that he would have done had he survived.
Anyway for the past two years, Karen and I have been getting an ice cream cake to celebrate Braden's birthday. This year was no different. I think Briana may have thought the cake was for her because she seemed quite exited about the ice cream cake with three candles on it.
The ice cream cake was good. It was a nice way to end the low key day which consisted of a family outing to the cemetery and then to Norwell's 4th Annual Picnic on the Common. For anyone curious, the Picnic on the Common was actually fun. There was a magician who was great with the kids. There was a band. There were animals. There was free lemonade (Yum!). It was nice.
All things considered, it was a good day for celebrating Braden's birthday. Again, happy birthday Braden! Daddy still and will forever love you. I'll never forget you, Little B.
I still miss Braden. In some ways, I suppose I should consider myself lucky. Although Braden only lived for a week, that time is more than some people get. So I'm thankful to have known my son for that one week.
My seventeen month old daughter (Briana) never got to meet Braden. Unfortunately, she will only know her brother through pictures and videos. It's too bad because I think Braden would have adored Briana (and vice versa). Or perhaps that may be a good thing. If Braden is anything like his sister, he'd be just as curious and then I'd have two mischievous little children running around the house and wreaking havoc everywhere instead of one.
Needless to say, I'll never know what life would be like raising Braden. I can only imagine the great things that he would have done had he survived.
Anyway for the past two years, Karen and I have been getting an ice cream cake to celebrate Braden's birthday. This year was no different. I think Briana may have thought the cake was for her because she seemed quite exited about the ice cream cake with three candles on it.
The ice cream cake was good. It was a nice way to end the low key day which consisted of a family outing to the cemetery and then to Norwell's 4th Annual Picnic on the Common. For anyone curious, the Picnic on the Common was actually fun. There was a magician who was great with the kids. There was a band. There were animals. There was free lemonade (Yum!). It was nice.
All things considered, it was a good day for celebrating Braden's birthday. Again, happy birthday Braden! Daddy still and will forever love you. I'll never forget you, Little B.
I Suck At Visiting My Friend
I think I have become quite "South Shore" with my old age. I never used to be that way. Quincy just seems far these days for me, which is sad because Quincy is really not that far from where I live. For anyone curious, I live in Norwell. If Quincy seems far now, you can only imagine how far the city of Boston may seem to me.
In keeping up with the Boston-themed weekend (as I visited Karen's Nana at a nursing home in Boston on Saturday), my friend (Hot Amy) invited us over to her new place on Sunday. Hot Amy and her husband (Mark) live on Beacon Hill in Boston. Since getting married, they have been working on getting their apartment "ready" for visitors. So for the second straight day, Karen, my seventeen month old daughter (Briana), and I headed into Boston. Luckily, I suck at visiting my friend. And just so you know, carrying a seventeen month old while walking up a hill... not as easy as you think.
It was a good visit. I really haven't talked with Hot Amy in probably well over a year. Granted, I went to her wedding and the annual cookout that her parents have on the fourth of July, but those times were more of a salutatory conversation of "congratulations" or "hi" or something like that. I don't really remember the last time I hung around and just joked around with her.
And truthfully, I didn't get a chance to do much of that at her apartment. As is common these days, either Karen or I have to make sure Briana is not getting into things when she shouldn't. So one of us always has to keep an eye out for her. I've gotten pretty used to it from my weekly get together with my friends (Marc, Kelley, and Andrea). Needless to say, I spent much of the time cooped up with Briana and Hot Amy's sister's (Terri) daughter in one of the rooms watching them as they screamed out to the pedestrians below.
When I did make it out of the room, though, it was nice to laugh it up with my friends (Jen and Andrea) who were also there. And I know some of you may be curious, Andrea has just completed the third season of Friday Night Lights. But all in all, it was a good time. I even got to see my "mom" (Shirley) again. There is a story to that, of course, but I'll divulge it at some other time.
In keeping up with the Boston-themed weekend (as I visited Karen's Nana at a nursing home in Boston on Saturday), my friend (Hot Amy) invited us over to her new place on Sunday. Hot Amy and her husband (Mark) live on Beacon Hill in Boston. Since getting married, they have been working on getting their apartment "ready" for visitors. So for the second straight day, Karen, my seventeen month old daughter (Briana), and I headed into Boston. Luckily, I suck at visiting my friend. And just so you know, carrying a seventeen month old while walking up a hill... not as easy as you think.
It was a good visit. I really haven't talked with Hot Amy in probably well over a year. Granted, I went to her wedding and the annual cookout that her parents have on the fourth of July, but those times were more of a salutatory conversation of "congratulations" or "hi" or something like that. I don't really remember the last time I hung around and just joked around with her.
And truthfully, I didn't get a chance to do much of that at her apartment. As is common these days, either Karen or I have to make sure Briana is not getting into things when she shouldn't. So one of us always has to keep an eye out for her. I've gotten pretty used to it from my weekly get together with my friends (Marc, Kelley, and Andrea). Needless to say, I spent much of the time cooped up with Briana and Hot Amy's sister's (Terri) daughter in one of the rooms watching them as they screamed out to the pedestrians below.
When I did make it out of the room, though, it was nice to laugh it up with my friends (Jen and Andrea) who were also there. And I know some of you may be curious, Andrea has just completed the third season of Friday Night Lights. But all in all, it was a good time. I even got to see my "mom" (Shirley) again. There is a story to that, of course, but I'll divulge it at some other time.
I Suck At Celebrating Nana's Birthday
Due to the tropical storm known as Irene last weekend, the celebration for Nana's birthday was pushed back to Saturday. I guess you could say I suck at celebrating Nana's birthday.
Nana seemed pleasantly surprised to see everyone on Saturday. After all, I'm sure she doesn't get too many visitors on a given Saturday at the nursing home. Nana was probably more excited to see her great grandchildren than the rest of us. Besides my seventeen month old daughter (Briana), my niece (Kaleigh) and nephew (PJ) were there to put a smile on her face.
And luckily, Briana was good during her outing to the nursing home. She definitely enjoys seeing her cousins and her favorite auntie (Janine) and uncle (PJ). I think she may have actually tried her first juice box too on Saturday complements of her auntie. I found that particularly interesting only because lately whenever Briana drinks anything whether it is from a cup or a straw... the liquid goes into her mouth... and shortly dribbles all out of her mouth. But nope, not the juice box. She sucked that juice down with no problem.
Needless to say, I think Nana had a good time. Happy birthday Nana!
Nana seemed pleasantly surprised to see everyone on Saturday. After all, I'm sure she doesn't get too many visitors on a given Saturday at the nursing home. Nana was probably more excited to see her great grandchildren than the rest of us. Besides my seventeen month old daughter (Briana), my niece (Kaleigh) and nephew (PJ) were there to put a smile on her face.
And luckily, Briana was good during her outing to the nursing home. She definitely enjoys seeing her cousins and her favorite auntie (Janine) and uncle (PJ). I think she may have actually tried her first juice box too on Saturday complements of her auntie. I found that particularly interesting only because lately whenever Briana drinks anything whether it is from a cup or a straw... the liquid goes into her mouth... and shortly dribbles all out of her mouth. But nope, not the juice box. She sucked that juice down with no problem.
Needless to say, I think Nana had a good time. Happy birthday Nana!
Friday, September 2, 2011
I Suck At Richardson's Ice Cream
Last night, my coworkers and I went to Richardson's Ice Cream, located in Middleboro. It was a non-sanctioned after work activity that my boss thought would be fun. I guess it was sort of a team building exercise. Too bad I suck at Richardson's Ice Cream.
For anyone curious, I had the apple crisp ice cream. It was good. I would have preferred a little more crisp, but all in all it was good. I would stay say, however, that my favorite ice cream is Kimball Farm in Westford.
Speaking of Kimball Farm, Richardson's also has other activities beside devouring delicious ice cream. Among the other activities at Richardson's was a mini golf course, a driving range, and batting cages. Oh, and cows! Live pungent cows.
One of my coworkers (Jeff) had the grand idea of having a home run derby at the batting cages. Thus, several of us (me included) headed off to the batting cages. I figured, why not? It's definitely been some time since I swung a bat. The last time was in college, which was well over fifteen years ago.
Needless to say, I'm old. For starters, I stopped wearing the batting helmet for fear of contagious diseases. I originally considered it until one of my other coworkers (Jonathan) jokingly mentioned lice. So no helmet it was.
My first time in the batting cage was not so memorable. I must have missed every single pitch that came flying over the plate. Granted, I was using a little league bat because the one adult bat that was there was being used by Jonathan. For anyone curious, swinging a little league bat is harder than one would think. The bat is a lot lighter and a lot shorter. It felt like swinging a fly swatter at the balls.
The first time in the cage was very humbling. I even ended up getting bruises on my hand from gripping the tiny little league bat. Things, however, did get a lot better when I switched bats with Jonathan for my last go around. In my opinion, Jonathan won bragging rights for the home run derby. I think it's the bat.
All in all, it was a great time. It was fun to hang out with my coworkers, which is something I don't normally do since I work from home a lot of the time.
For anyone curious, I had the apple crisp ice cream. It was good. I would have preferred a little more crisp, but all in all it was good. I would stay say, however, that my favorite ice cream is Kimball Farm in Westford.
Speaking of Kimball Farm, Richardson's also has other activities beside devouring delicious ice cream. Among the other activities at Richardson's was a mini golf course, a driving range, and batting cages. Oh, and cows! Live pungent cows.
One of my coworkers (Jeff) had the grand idea of having a home run derby at the batting cages. Thus, several of us (me included) headed off to the batting cages. I figured, why not? It's definitely been some time since I swung a bat. The last time was in college, which was well over fifteen years ago.
Needless to say, I'm old. For starters, I stopped wearing the batting helmet for fear of contagious diseases. I originally considered it until one of my other coworkers (Jonathan) jokingly mentioned lice. So no helmet it was.
My first time in the batting cage was not so memorable. I must have missed every single pitch that came flying over the plate. Granted, I was using a little league bat because the one adult bat that was there was being used by Jonathan. For anyone curious, swinging a little league bat is harder than one would think. The bat is a lot lighter and a lot shorter. It felt like swinging a fly swatter at the balls.
The first time in the cage was very humbling. I even ended up getting bruises on my hand from gripping the tiny little league bat. Things, however, did get a lot better when I switched bats with Jonathan for my last go around. In my opinion, Jonathan won bragging rights for the home run derby. I think it's the bat.
All in all, it was a great time. It was fun to hang out with my coworkers, which is something I don't normally do since I work from home a lot of the time.
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