Two sideline issues have consumed CQ attention, and even the CQ cannot publicly comment about Everything. (I realize that I seem to comment about "EVERYTHING" but I do have some regard for privacy...er, other people's privacy).
But to satisfy my dear Patties, here's a summary:
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Better than a Presidential visit to economically-depressed areas, it's the Great-Aunt & Great-Grandma San Diego Tour!
Yes, loyal readers, I was afraid to inquire lest I be disappointed but Aunt Patty Trish (of M-ELA's 1st stocking fame) is successfully running a travel agency for my Grandma Mary (think Nordstrom personal shopping for San Diego travel). We haven't seen Grandma since before Charlie's surgery (i.e., 2005). This means that LLGA will get to meet a namesake AND her great-aunt while GMK will get an infusion of Other Female Relatives to regale with narrative advice. (see next item) There will also be much photography involved and probably some recreational outings. I'm beyond excited and extremely grateful both that Grandma is willing to travel to the mountain of Autism AND Aunt Patty Trish is making it possible. I'm looking forward to Boggle-thon with Trish and Grandma teaching the J-crabs "spite & malice". Think it would be appropos for M-ELA's first trip to the Zoo to occur with APT! Have much to do as the Castle is looking pretty cluttered and untidy at present.
Yippee!!
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Thus far this morning, I have heard that LLGA's sleeping arrangement is unsat, that I should change Charlie-boy's bedtime routine, that I need to label T-crab's clothing more thoroughly, that I need to prepare T-crab's sandwich differently, that I need to cut the ties off of LLGA's tunic-dress, that I need to adjust our thermostat, that the J-crabs need more nagging from me (my very Diety!), and that my sons need no more clothes. It's only 8:43 a.m. at the time of this typing and I may have missed some instructives during the morningtime get-the-kids-out-the-door routine. Clearly, I have a lot of self-improvement to get to this morning!
But GMK did escape yesterday for some pate-pampering. Doesn't her new 'do look smashing?
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Little League season is BAAAAAAAAAACK.
Jack is *finally* in Majors. And, even more ecstasy-inducing, he's on his buddy Mat's team with Mat's dad as coach. Essentially, Little League Bliss. I think they are the Cardinals, which is a fringe benefit, since the Crabs manage to cheer for Cubs, Padres, and Cards.
Jamie is in Minors. Several of his good buddies from last year's team are together but Jamie was drafted to a different group. We're looking at it as an opportunity to meet new friends. He has a super-nice coach (whose son is a friend of Jamie's). They are the Cubs, so any bruised feelings are forgotten in the excitement (Jamie's) of being on the Cubs and in the excitement (CQ's) of having some spare uniform pieces on hand already from last year.
It seems that the Mission Bay LL gods have smiled upon us. The boys do not have practice on the same days and their games are also not overlapping. While the minimal commitment would have them on the same team, this reality means -- with the exception of Saturdays -- I do not have to be in two places at the same time...at least because of LL.
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Rare Crab Queen Review: Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden?
I had a trade-in for a new release and happened upon this exclusive-to-Blockbuster(TM) DVD and thought, why not?*
I was pleasantly surprised...and for that record, so was Jack and GMK.
Morgan Spurlock, of "SuperSize Me" fame is about to have a child and begins with the premise of finding UBL in order to bring his child into a safer world.
So he does a little preparation, with a few hilarious scenes
- Asking the Arabic tutor how to say, "You don't want me...take the cameraman as your hostage."
- Weapons, etc. trainer saying over and over on a wipe-board, "You're dead here...here...here...and here."
- Same Arabic tutor advising the very pale Spurlock on the need to grow a beard and maybe get some spray-tan.
He then travels to various garden capitals of the Middle East in search of UBL -- or at least where these people think UBL is hiding. Of course, this is a documentary. He went to Egypt, Morocco, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia, the Gaza strip, Israel, and Pakistan. He did not bother going to Iraq. Generally, it's a positive portrait of the folks he encounters -- with the exception of S.A. -- while driving home the point that America (not Americans) has a pretty poor street-rep.
Thought-provoking, fast-moving, and entertaining, I give it 4 (of 5) claws.
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T-crab's Outerwear has declared its alliance with adolescence and is On The Lam.
Tim is a one-man Brotherhood of the Traveling Jacket. We are down at least 3 jackets this winter. I have called all 3 possible locations. Yesterday, his comprehensive campus middle school informed me that they'd just donated everything in their lost-and-found to charity. I went slightly bombastic as he is not "officially enrolled" there and so I did not receive the warnings of pending give-away. Having calmed down a bit, I am scouring Old Navy's website and buying some cheap n' cheerful items that I will (hopefully) not care about. Know that it is with not a little melancholy that I share that my Land's End Squall jacket, which saw me up and down Sheridan Road for 5 years at Northwestern, is among the missing.
GMK has not missed this opportunity to chastise me for my slacker-ness in labelling each/every garment that goes to school/school/rec program. That's been an added level of misery to endure!
RIP, trusty green parka. I let you down with my lack of Sharpie-marking!
Yes, I did send Tim forth this morning in one of Combat Crab's USS Hurricane jackets.
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Chatting with the Combat Crab
Combat Crab checked in yesterday morning.
He said, "I really miss you and the crablets...but, watching the news of my country is pretty depressing." And he continued...
To which I -- as always -- interrupted to provide a shout-out to our good pals listening in DC or other secure facilities. Figuring if the conversation is tagged as worth listening, they may as well receive salutations.
I found myself later in the conversation arguing AGAINST the summertime purchase of a replacement van -- specifically, [cue theme music] a HONDA ODYSSEY. The aforementioned wall-to-wall bad economic tidings is suppressing the CQ's will to engage in her previously-beloved consumerist tendencies.
So Combat Crab offered, quite magnanimously, "I guess I could at least get you a couple of new hubcaps."
Well, THAT snapped me out of my stimulus bill malaise and I said, "Not so fast! Let me think about this a little."
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LLGA has become even more of a CQ-hour sink-hole. Yesterday, whole hours elapse with minimal household evidence of my presence as I watched Lucy's continued metamorphisis from carpet ornament to mobile, curious, purposeful creature. Her face was so prouprised (proud/surprised) when she got her knees braced enough to raise her belly, albeit briefly. She is now a backwards scuttling crablet. Guessing by about 6 months of age, she'll be a bona fide crawler.
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Jack's IEP goals are abysmal. Several of them note less than 50% of progress to his annual goal. No surpise, the ones affiliated with Language Arts are particularly grim.
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To update the followers of this charming blog, we now have not one day free of chauffeur duties. To wit:
Sunday Mass
Monday Jamie baseball practice, Jack Troop meeting
Tuesday Jack baseball practice, J-crabs CCD
Wednesday Jamie baseball practice
Thursday Jamie Scouts, Jack Honor Band rehearsal
Friday Jack baseball practice
Saturday Jack Fr. horn lesson, Vision Therapy, and both J-crabs baseball practice
The above schedule does not include T-crab and C-boy in-home interventions.
I think I need a Salted Carmel Signature Hot Chocolate now.
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* Factoid: "Why Not?" has been a powerful rationale since being an Alpha Gamma Delta where our pledge selection involved positive- optional negative- mandatory positive comments during which a ROTC colleague of Ben's (and one of my personal favorite people) would generally rally in awkward silences with "Why not?".
2 comments:
Dear CQ,
I will miss your company as well as we shared incalculable times together. When considering what to purchase as my replacement please consider practicality, feminine embellishing, and 21st century style.
Kind Regards,
L.E.Squall
PS- please disregard the fact that this is posted by Erin. I am indeed in the spirit world and am just using her account in cyberspace.
Dear LE Squall~
We had some good times. I'm sure you went inside the Huddle at NU, and for years bore the remnants of your owner painting "The Rock".
Not to mention all the good times you enjoyed once Sand Crab assumed primary ownership.
Not to mention your trusty service of the Big Sled Dog for a couple of years now.
I hope your new owner appreciates your durability, warmth, and loyalty.
Sniff,
CQ
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