cranky penguin

I know .. I know .. it’s been awhile since I’ve posted. So long that I’ve actually
seen ‘UP’ again.

We took a nice little vaycay out to the Arizona desert. Looks like a lovely place to
retire. Contrary to my initial belief, I did not melt in the heat of the sun. It was
actually quite comfortable, but that may have been due to the seven pools we were constantly
dipping ourselves in.

I also drove a boat. While terrified I was going to get us all killed. Thankfully it was
only for a few minutes.

Had my first golf lesson. Was WAAAAY FUN! I like the golf. I got to use ‘Big Bertha’. Which I
now know is a driver. Maybe my gayness gives me natural golf talents.

I also won a singles match for our tennis team. YAY ! That was fun. Against a hostile crowd even!
Okay. Well not really hostile, but about four people standing behind me cheering on my opponent.
My teammates were considering going over to watch, but they were afraid it would mess me up. Our
team won our overall match as well (our first win of the season .. which was also the last match of
the season). Next up, doubles. My current favorite candidate for our team name: ‘Victorious Secret’.

In other news, looks like it’s going to be a slammin’ 4th. We have my charming niece E for a sleepover.
I hung out with her and Little P on Sunday and was told by both of them in no uncertain terms that
they were to have 100 sleepovers. The number got progressively larger .. I think eventually it became
100 million zillion. So yeah, I’m not one to miss a hint. There’s going to be crafting and socializing
during the day and a jaunt over to a park to watch fireworks in the early evening.

I don’t know if my movie tastes are skewed now because I only see kids movies, but UP was a damn good movie.
We saw it yesterday and it was awesome. The Little One liked it but she didn’t like ‘the bully’, and I did
think the villain was especially ‘villainy’ toward the kid.

And I should have brought kleenex. Then again, I also teared up during the short before. I told by co-peep
about this and he said .. ‘yeah, you sound like you were in a mood. A hockey game probably would have made
you cry.’ It was TOUCHING THOUGH !!!

What else? Weekend was good .. played some tennis .. had some very nice family time. Lost a 10 minute baseball
game to the big girl 4-1 or something .. she’s a gap hitter, I’m more a POWER girl .. She is Joe Morgan to my
.. (yeesh, I can’t think of any sluggers I actually like) .. how about Adam Dunn? For the record, this was NOT
on the WII (where she beats me with Harlem Globetrotter like regularity), but in real life.. with a styro bat and
a tennis ball.

Oh .. and Note to Google Maps .. You are so not helpful sometimes. Why do you tell me about Fire Trails? Don’t
you know that fire trails are mostly closed to cars? Fire trails are for FIRE TRUCKS ! Especially when my
destination was very simple to get to just another two exits away. I of course found this out with no help
from you. Thank goodness for the ladies at the El Cerrito Valero who put me in the right direction.

Google Maps = Dead. To. Me.

Well. I’m sad about yesterday’s decision. I favor a protest T-shirt that says: ‘Married-ish’.
I was hoping those ‘activist’ judges would rule in our favor, but this shiznit is far from over.
I suppose I could give this just a bit more mental energy, but I’m tired of feeling yucky/bitter/angry.
Let’s just reinitialize this effer and change it to how it’s supposed to be.

I still hope for two things at the Federal level, marriage benefits for all (though it will probably be
civil unions before anything else) and repeal of the ridiculous DADT.

Regardless .. I had a stellar four days off, including one solo day with the Little One. That kid is hilarious.
Yesterday morning as C was taking her to school, she told her she had a ‘date’ later. That ‘date’ was
with me. We went to Applebee’s where we were both shocked .. SHOCKED .. to discover an older gentleman ordering
the kids’ mac and cheese ! Seriously. There were wide-eyes all around.

This last weekend was one of our many anniversaries. Memorial Day weekend two years ago, we commenced with
the reeeeeeermantic part of our relationship. WOO HOO ! Also, it’s good to have about twelve zillion anniversaries ..
okay .. three ..

I would like to wish all da momz out there a belated Happy Mother’s Day. Moms are cool.
Especially mine. And also the one I’m married to.

Who, I’ve realized my mom likes better than me. She actually asked to talk to her ! On the phone !
I mean, believe me, I am *fully* aware of the little ball of charm that is my wife, but
still, I was a mite surprised. I like it though. I’m a big fan.

Speaking of little balls of charm .. I was quite happy to have The Little Lady curled up next
to me while I caught up on an old episode of ‘Lost’. It made me think, Gosh, if I had just started
watching this show I would be … that’s right .. TOTALLY LOST ! Thank you .. thankyaverrymuch.
It’s a good thing she napped through it.

Seriously. My understanding of time travel is of a Back-To-The-Future level at best. All of the
multiple attempts to explain (’..This is your present ..’) just made my head spin a little. I mean ..
I thought you couldn’t change the past ! Except for this one major thing that will cause everything
else not to happen ! GADS ! I fell asleep with a headache.

What a fantastic weekend.

On Friday, we all traipsed down to the courthouse to see The Judge. We got ourselves all fancified.
We even brought ourselves an Erg to take pics and add to our already overflowing charm.
Hung out in his chambers and signed the papers to make the Spark MINE FOREVER !
It was a very happy time .. and I often found myself grinning throughout the weekend,
for no other reason than my life has just taken a wonderful turn. I feel unbelievably lucky
that I get to be one of the people to take care of the Spark and the Scoot because they are
so incredibly amazing.

See !

Plus, I get to make the little one watch things like ‘Singin’ in the Rain’. And I get all
happy inside cause she likes it.

Also .. the K-D’s made us a celebratory dinner .. which was very nice. It’s such a fantastic
bonus to not only get an amazing wife and kids .. but also access to her FABULOUS friends !
I seriously had to leave them before they saw me get all teary-eyed.

The Wen-Head was there and she managed to fanagle access to my wife for THREE DAYS ! CAMPING ! Okay,
it’s for the 3-day breast cancer walk, but still. I think it should be pretty fun. Plus
me and the babies get to get our CARAVAN on ! Hooray !

This weekend was quite the shindig over at the Duckus/Chick pad. It was the fabulous
Spark’s six-year preliminary birthday celebration. There were tiny, tiny cupcakes, a
wading pool, a Slip-N-Slide that didn’t quite fly due to rocks and the lack of a run-up-area ..
and just generally lots of fun to be had.

There was even Hug Football ! With Hugs instead of Tackles ! I swear, sometimes my family and
friends are too adorable to take.

And on Friday, it’s our Big Day In Front Of The Judge ! Wherein he signs a paper and commits me
to Spark For Life ! HOORAY ! Now, there is no gettin’ around me embarassing her in front of
her friends when she’s 16. I’m preppin’ the tracksuit now !

Speaking of tracksuits, she did get a really cute one from one of her Big First Grader friends. It was
all kinds of pink and all kinds of velour.

This was reconnecting week for me.  Went for a walk around the lake with PamCake, who has moved back to Oaktown from far-aflung-fields.  We discussed Girls and how amazing they can be when they just happen to be absolutely perfect for you.  So that was fun .. !  I’m glad she’s back because she’s just Good People.

Yesterday, Erg took time out of her very busy schedule to regale me with her very entertaining life tales over lunch.  I was very appreciative of her visit, because for the moment she is working with my Wifey, who gets a little dose of Erg every week.  Plus they have been exchanging Smart-Girl emails over Wifey’s dissertation, so they are all about each other in their cute short-smart-girl ways.  

Chick and Erg make me laugh.  Giggle, actually.  Which I’ve been doing a lot of lately .. That’s not a bad thing, but when the snorting starts to happen that’s when I start worrying.  Because I’m still trying to be Cool and Mysterious.  Except not really.

I am hormonal.  This link just made me all weepy.

A model romance

In less sniffy/sappy news, I have joined a tennis team filled with Gay Ladies.  So far, it’s been quite fun, but I have to say, I think doubles is far better for my psyche than singles.  I’m much more laughy and jokey when I play doubles.  In singles, I felt close to hearkening back to my high school tennis days of swinging rackets and swearing out of frustration.  I should remember my behavior when I tell the Little One that ‘Games are for Having FUN!’  Funny, how I ended up with a kid who acts just like me.

So .. I’m feeling like crap and am THISCLOSE to just blowing today off and going on a bike ride somewhere.   I’m trying to feel better .. trying to be a grown-up, so I’m just going to write a few things down that make me feel happy.

1. A story from the little one:  Okay .. so maybe they don’t make a whole lot of sense sometimes .. but it’s all in the delivery.  Sitting on the couch, she’s amused by something on TV .. and she’ll yell it out to me as I’m having my breakfast .. sometimes there are waving arms and sometimes there are BIG EYES .. but always, there’s the cute.   I also like the back-seat stories on the way to school .. particularly those that begin with .. “MEMBER ?!??” and end with a satisfied .. “that was reaaaally coool.”
2. Making the bigger little one giggle:  Especially when she is not expecting to.  For some reason, my imitation of the cat hissing at the biscut really makes her laugh.  I keep doing it .. but I don’t want to ‘break’ it.  Also, she has the best facial expressions, I think ever.
3. The Wife and Her Wordplay:  Not a lot to say here .. she just makes me laugh with her hilarious, ridiculous puns.
4. The Animals:  The dog can be annoying, but he is also quite charming.  Especially when he has his chin on the couch and he looks … in ONE direction .. then .. the OTHER.  With the Eyebrows A-raised.   And the cats are just hilarious.  Especially when Fuzzy Claire crafts a whole sinister plot around jumping out at an unsuspecting Igor .. when .. as it turns out .. he’s not all that unsuspecting.  In fact, he’s usually a little non-plussed about the whole thing.  So .. Fuzzy, who had just LEAPED VERY QUICKLY SUDDENLY FROM OUT OF NOWHERE TO ATTACK .. upon seeing the non-plussed-ness .. will just .. start bathing in the middle of the room.  Cause that was actually the plan, really.

 

Okay, I feel better now.

I’m currently reading ‘World Without End’ .. which, according to the back
cover, is the ‘MAGNIFICENT’ sequel to ‘Pillars of the Earth’.  I wouldn’t go
quite that far, but it is certainly an entertaining yarn.

Yesterday, I was enjoying a quiet moment with the Wife and I shared that I had
come upon a Girl/Girl type relationship in my book. 

W: Reaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalllly ?
S: Yes. Between two nuns !  Although it’s a bit one-sided and unrequited
(beat).  Nun-the-less … Har Har.
W: Let’s hope it’s not Habitual.

Hee heee.  HUGE reason why I married that girl.