Back in blog

OK, so I'm finally done with my thesis. Almost. I defended successfully, but I need to submit my copies to the library. Still, all the thinking (hopefully) is done.

So I apologize for the silence, but I will now do my best to get back to this.

Lots and lots to catch up on (including Samson's new found love/obsession with baseball and Jane's continuing attempts to walk).

As usual, not as much time as I'd like [I am at work, after all]. Still, I wanted to at least put up a few recent pictures. Nothing sadder than an out of date blog, sitting like a ghost town out there in cyber space.

The Book of Judges, according to Stan Lee

With Luke's christening this weekend and Sam's chapel class focusing on something other than Easter, there's been a renewed interest in our house in Bible stories. Specifically stories like Noah, Jonah, and of course, the story of Samson.

So we read the story of Samson and his battle with the Philistines. Lots of "why" concerning Delilah and the whole hair thing. Not too many good answers from me, I'm sad to say. Still, he's clearly picking something up. Last night I came upstairs to find him wearing a pair of red wool gloves my mother gave him [his Spiderman gloves] and "shooting his web at the Philistines."

There's got to be a movie idea in there somewhere, no?

Roadside assistance

Apparently you can deflate your tire just by hitting it really hard on the curb. Want to guess how I know?

We were driving home last evening from a friend's house, and I took a corner a little too fast. There was a loud thud, and we limped across the intersection to witness our hubcap spinning away from us and the air leaking out of our rear passenger-side tire.

If you need to get stuck with a flat tire, especially one that's totally your fault, you should try to do it on a nice spring night in an upscale neighborhood. Vicki took the kids for a walk while I wrestled with the tire iron. The van is a 2006, so the original tires are still on, which meant that the lug nuts were nearly impossible to remove.

We have AAA, which Vicki called, but I was determined to at least get the tire off and changed before they arrived. I figured they could fix the tire or try, but I didn't want to be the guy standing there waiting for someone else to come and change his flat. I realize this is what AAA is for, but still...

After about 15 minutes of struggling with the tire iron, it occurred to me that I could lower the jack back down and simply stand (actually jump) on the handle of the iron to undo the lug nuts.

Worked like a charm, and it was done just in time for the guy to come, hammer our bent rim back into shape, fill the tire back up with air, and send us on our way.

Meanwhile, Vicki and the kids picked some flowers, met a neighborhood cat, scoped out a few houses for sale that we'll never be able to afford, and had a generally pleasant time of things.

I'll be interested to hear Samson's retelling as it evolves, because he got back just as the AAA guy arrived and today he kept talking about "the mechanic" fixing everything. I kept trying to include "but Daddy changed the tire," but I'm pretty sure that part is not making the final narrative.

The play's the thing

Samson's class play was Friday. As I've mentioned before, this was an eagerly anticipated performance. Lately we'd been getting sneak previews during dinner, but nothing could have prepared me for the actual show.

For one, this was Goldilocks as told by Homer. There was a whole prologue to the familiar part with the porridge and chairs that involved Goldilocks walking through the forest and being met by different creatures. She was warned of the dangers of walking in the forest by frogs, caterpillars, butterflies, ladybugs, bunnies, and, per Sam and his buddies, flowers.

Goldilocks, played by Samson's friend Sara, was fantastic. Seriously, this child was not only comfortable in front of a room full of (mostly) strangers, but she was like a little method actor. At the point where GL breaks baby bear's chair, she actually pitched forward in the chair to let it fall to the ground as if it had broken. If there was a Variety for preschool it would say things like "Inspired!" and "A brave performance!"

Samson on the other hand looked, well, bored. The flowers (and all the other creatures) had singing parts for the whole play, but sometime around the middle --- before the three bears returned home but after Caroline, who played the sun, yelled out "poopy!" --- he turned around and started looking at the kids behind him. Then he put his head down and stretched out for a bit. I really wish I had brought the video camera. Classic Samson in (in)action.

Of course, once the play was done, he was all fired up about it. Or at least about the lemonade and cookies provided.

Jane was with me as she had been up sick the whole night before. She did really well despite not feeling her usual cheery self. And while I'd like to say I feel bad for bringing my sick child to Sam's school, I'm pretty sure every bug we've had in this house since September 2006 has come from that place.

Opening day

I am finally, if belatedly, putting in real hours toward finishing my thesis, so blog posts will be a little sporadic for the next few weeks.

Still, Vicki lucked in to three tickets for opening day yesterday, and I somehow managed to tear myself away from the keyboard to take in a few innings of the O's losing to the Rays. We were practically on the roof, but it was great to be back watching live baseball (even if didn't exactly feel like spring).

Samson held on to that ticket for the first half hour we were there. He has, of late, become really interested in baseball, and it was fun to explain things like rally caps and relief pitchers to him.

For her part, Jane was busy watching (and mocking) the drunks a few rows up from us.