Posts under ‘grandson upates’

We received some pictures yesterday that were screaming out to be shared. Here's one of them...

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My annual annoyance at having to switch from Daylight Savings Time to "real time" has been expanded this year by a decision from our Congress-critters (those that I prefer to think of as "they who know what's best for the rest of us, even though many of their own personal lives are in shambles") - their decision that we not only have to change the time, but also to change the week that we have to change the time! Tell that to our laptop and to our kitchen radio!!! They both reset themselves to "real time" last Sunday. Grr! The radio, I can do nothing to remedy - the autoset is built in. But for the computer I found a handy little free utility you can download from Microsoft called tzedit. You can download it by clicking on the link in the previous sentence. Save it to somewhere on your computer where you can find it, run the application, choose the Sundays you want the computer to change its time, and you shouldn't have to do anything more ... well maybe not until our Congress-critters decide to have us change time on other Sundays - like the 9th Sunday before the Solstace or some such equally sensible thing. Good grief!

I don't want to sound like an grumpy, old man bemoaning constant changes, but I'm nothing like the woman who wrote what I'm posting today!

We Must Stop These Changing Times ... Immediately!

Have you noticed that stairs are getting steeper? Groceries are heavier? And, everything is farther away? Yesterday I walked to the corner and I was dumbfounded to discover how long our street had become!

Also I have noticed the ground is harder, trails are longer, and the nights have become a lot colder than they used to be!

And, you know, people are less considerate now, especially the young ones. They speak in whispers all the time! If you ask them to speak up, they just keep repeating themselves, endlessly mouthing the same silent message until they're red in the face! What do they think I am, a lip reader?!

I also think they are much younger than I was at the same age. On the other hand, people my own age are so much older than I am. I ran into an old friend the other day, and she has aged so much that she didn't even recognize me! I got to thinking about the poor dear while I was combing my hair this morning, and in doing so, I glanced at my own reflection. Well, really now, even mirrors are not made the way they used to be!

Another thing, everyone drives so fast these days! You're risking life and limb if you happen to pull onto the freeway in front of them. All I can say is, their brakes must wear out awfully fast, the way I see them screech and swerve in my rear view mirror.

Clothing manufacturers are less civilized these days. Why else would they suddenly start labeling a size 10 or 12 dress as 18 or 20? Do they think no one notices that these things no longer fit around the waist, hips, and thighs?

The people who make bathroom scales are pulling the same prank, but in reverse. Do they think I actually *believe* the number I see on that dial?! HA! I would never let myself weigh that much! Just who do these people think they're fooling?

I'd like to call up someone in authority to report what's going on - but the telephone company is in on the conspiracy too: they've printed the phone books in such small type that no one could ever find a number in here!

All I can do is pass along this warning: We are under attack! Unless something drastic happens, pretty soon everyone will have to suffer these awful indignities.

One good thing, though - I'm getting stronger! I can now carry $50 worth of groceries in one hand. Used to have make several trips to get them from the car to the kitchen!

WE MUST GET THIS CONSPIRACY STOPPED!

P.S. By the way, if you're reading this online and are having trouble with the smaller fonts web designers are using nowadays, you can increase the size of the font easily with the scroll wheel on your mouse. Just hold down the Ctrl key and turn the scroll wheel. This works with Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Opera browsers.

Our daughter Megan took some cute pictures of our grandson Drew yesterday in the leaves. He looks so happy in this picture, right before what Megan has called his "meltdown." He has been a little crabby for several days, but yesterday afternoon he just cried and cried inconsolably. Megan did some checking and discovered that he's cutting two bottom front teeth - his first. Poor little guy. Anyway, here he is when he used to be a happy child...

Last weekend the Detroit Zoo had what was called Boo at the Zoo for parents with small children. Meg and Jim dressed Drew up like a little sweet pea and took him to the zoo. Here's a picture of our little "Sweet Pea."

Month two of the wellness program is past. I've met my goals both months. If I lose two more pounds, I'll be into the category for my height. If I can't shed those two pounds, I may buy elevator shoes instead.

It's hard to believe how fast this semester is flying by! Three weeks from today is Thanksgiving Day. My wife and I will be here at home alone with a Cornish game hen or something, since our two local kids will be out of town for Thanksgiving.

quotation...

"God is a Person who has everything you really need and who joys in pouring it out on you every day." - Dr. Dan Olinger

=^..^= =^..^=
Rob

"Children are allergic to clean clothes." - Dr. Gary Guthrie

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ivman update...

Bear with me, folks - I'm trying to see what all the new e-mail notification system can do. From last night's blog post, it appears that the new system (the system that no one is automatically signed up for, even if they were receiving the e-mail notifications before) delivers not just a message saying that I've posted to the blog, but the actual, entire blog post. Some won't like that it's in html, but that's the only option - I guess since it's web based. What's nice is that subscribers can click on the title of the blog post to read the post online. Someone also wrote to say that the size of the font was quite small. I think I found the place to tweak that in FeedBurner, and I'll see if it worked when I get the e-mail version of this.

Since the real blog post for today didn't contain a picture, I'm posting this short entry to see how it comes through. I can't think of pictures I enjoy posting more than those of our grandson Drew, who, BTW, will be here one week from right now. Yippee!

BTW, for those who get the e-mails and click on the title to read the post online instead, you can always get back to the main page of the blog by clicking on the "Home" tab right under the picture at the top - kind of like clicking one's ruby slippers, I guess. Wherever you are on the blog, you can get back to the main page by clicking on the Home tab.

I will probably update this post once I see how things come through. No notification e-mail will be sent to say that I've edited, as happens with some online blog-readers.

=^..^= =^..^=
Rob

One who lacks courage to start has already finished.

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This Wednesday here at BJU is the first day of university classes. For me this is my 52nd start of a school year, if I count all of them back to my first day of Kindergarten! It's my 35th year of teaching - YIKES!

All three of our kids chose to become teachers also. Here are some updates on them:

Megan was a little sad that after 7 years of beginning the school year as a first grade teacher, it's happening without her this year. But that sadness passed fairly quickly with the joy of her own little classroom at home with Drew. Here are a few of his latest pictures...

Bathtime is generally a happy time for Drew...

Drew loves the Bumbo. Even though he cannot sit up yet on his own, with the Bumbo, he can. (Some days I need one of those myself!) Becka was talking to Megan on the phone the first time Meg put Drew in his Bumbo and got to hear Drew laugh out loud!

Drew also loves this Johnny-Jump-Up. We got to watch him jump in it one evening recently via webcam over the Internet. Cool stuff! In the picture below, you can tell from his little smirk that he thinks it's all pretty great!

Nora teaches toddlers at a local pre-school and *loves* it! Below is a picture of Nora and some of her kids with the new classroom baby bunny, Dakota.

Mark is teaching fourth grade this year after several years of teaching fifth grade. He seems to have a lively, fun group this year. He hasn't supplied us with any pictures lately.

Well, that's the latest about this family of teachers.

A friend and I were talking recently about how sayings or proverbs are part of what makes up the general knowledge of one's own culture. There are some sayings that, after hearing the first few words, just about anyone familiar with them can easily finish.

A first grade teacher collected well known proverbs, gave each child in the class the first half of a proverb, and asked the children to come up with the rest. Here are some of the best of the wrong endings the children came up with for these common sayings:

Better safe than ... punch a 5th grader.

Strike while the ... bug is close.

It's always darkest just before ... daylight savings time.
It's always darkest just before ... I open my eyes.

Never underestimate the power of ... termites.

You can lead a horse to water but ... how?

The grass is always greener... when you remember to water it.

Don't bite the hand that ... looks dirty.

No news is ... impossible.

A bird in the hand is ... a real mess.

Better to light one candle than ... to waste electricity.
Better to light one candle than ... to light an explosive.

You can't teach an old dog new ... math.

If you lie down with dogs, you ... will stink in the morning.

When in Rome, do... Roman numerals in math.
When in Rome, do... bulls run around town?

Too many cooks... so little meals.

A fool and his money are... my best friends.

Look before you... run into a pole.

The pen is mightier than the ... pigs.

An idle mind is ... the best way to relax.

Where there is smoke, there's ... pollution.

A penny saved is ... not much.
A penny saved is ... nothing in the real world.

Don't put off till tomorrow what...you put on to go to bed.

Two is company, three's ... The Musketeers.

None are so blind as ... Helen Keller.

Children should be seen and not ... spanked or grounded.

If at first you don't succeed ... get new batteries.

The squeaking wheel gets ... annoying.

We have nothing to fear but ... homework.
We have nothing to fear but ... our principal.

To err is human. To ... eat a muskrat is not.

I think, therefore ... I get a headache.

If you can't stand the heat ... get out of the oven.
If you can't stand the heat ... don't start the fireplace.
If you can't stand the heat ... go swimming.

Don't count your chickens ... it takes too long.
Don't count your chickens ... eat them.

You get out of something what you ... see pictured on the box.

When the blind lead the blind ... get out of the way.

Early to bed and early to rise ... is first in the bathroom.

A journey of a thousand miles begins with ... a blister.

A miss is as good as a ... Mr.

There is no fool like ... Aunt Edie.

Laugh and the world laughs with you, cry and ... someone yells, "Shut up!"
Laugh and the whole world laughs with you; cry and ... you have to blow your nose.

quotation...

"What do you treasure? That's what you'll worry about." - Dr. Jim Deuink

=^..^= =^..^=
Rob

Good is often the enemy of the best.

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During our week of "forced vacation" - a gift we would not have given ourselves (we don't normally give gifts that expensive!!!) - we got some extra, much-needed rest and did some little jobs around Jim and Meg's house that they don't normally have time for. We also got in some extra reading. For those especially who don't have time to read books as long as War and Peace or the unabridged version of Les Misérables, here's a list of books that, because of their subject matter, are all *extremely* short.

WARNING - Almost anything that one could poke fun at is probably found in this list. Laugh at the things you find amusing, and skip over the rest, knowing that others may be skipping over what you've just laughed at! I have even left in some that make fun of things dear to me!

The World's Thinnest Books...

An Airhead's Advice on Logical Thinking

A Guide to Arab Democracies

A Guide to Aboriginal Etiquette

A Journey Through the Mind of a Squid

America's Most Popular Lawyers

A Millennium of German Humor

Anagrams of the Word "A"

Beauty Secrets, by Janet Reno

Bedouin Olympic Swimmers

Behave Yourself, by David Letterman

Blind Dates That Worked Out

Bob Dole: A Collection of Motivational Speeches

Burger King Items That Start with "Mc"

Career Opportunities for History Majors

Cooking Gourmet Dishes with Tofu

Countries Where Socialism Is Successful

Detroit, A Travel Guide

Easy Unix

Ethiopian Tips on World Dominance

Everything Men Know About Women

Everything Women Know About Men

Famous Italian War Heroes

Favorite Foreign Emigration Destinations of the French

French Military Victories

Good Norwegian Jokes

Household Uses for Plutonium

How I Served My Country, by Jane Fonda

How to Be a Successful Politician, by Jesse Jackson

How to Sustain a Musical Career, by Art Garfunkel

How We Helped After Katrina, by Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton

Italian War Heroes

Jewish Sports Legends

Law & Order, by Mayor Marion Barry, Washington D.C.

Marcel Marceau's Greatest Speeches

Mike Tyson's Guide to Dating Etiquette

My Book of Morals, by Bill Clinton, foreword by Jesse Jackson

My Favorite Barbers, by Yassir Arafat

My Plan to Find the Real Killer, by O. J. Simpson

My Tips on Personal Hygiene, by Osama Bin Laden

National Directory of Irish AA Members

Olympic Athletes Who Think Sports Are Really Stupid

Spotted Owl Recipes, by the EPA

One-Legged Folk Dances

On Human Rights, by Fidel Castro

Proper Pronunciation and Elocution, by George W. Bush and Arnold Schwarzenegger

Proud Parents of Rock Musicians

Public Political Activities During Franco's Government in Spain

Scottish World Cup Successes

Staple Your Way to Success

Successful Applications of Artificial Intelligence

Sylvester Stallone's Dramatic Acting Tips

The Amish Phone Book

The Best Recipes from England

The Engineer's Guide to Fashion

The Genius of Barry Manilow

The Road to Lasting Economic Success, by Boris Yeltsin

Things I Can't Afford, by Bill Gates

Things I Like about Road Construction, by Rob "ivman" Loach

Things We Know To Be True, by Bill Clinton, Al Gore, and John Kerry

Things I Love About Bill, by Hillary Clinton

Things We Love About the USA, by Jane Fonda and Cindy Sheehan. Illustrated by Michael Moore

Things I Would Not Do for Money, by Dennis Rodman

Things That Look Like an Apple, Taste Like an Apple, But Are Not an Apple

Things You Could Buy at the World Artichoke Festival

Vice Presidents with Really Good Ideas

Ways I Have Avoided Scandal, by Bill Clinton

Ways I Effectively Modulate My Vocal Tone, by Hillary Clinton

Why People Are More Important Than Animals, by Greenpeace

For those interested in an update after our accident...

After getting our car back late in the morning yesterday (Friday the 13th), Becka and I drove back home to Greenville, arriving at about 12:20 this morning.

We really appreciated the cheerfulness and the help of the guys in the body shop at Dorian Ford in Clinton Twp, MI, as they repaired all the damage done under our car by the concrete in the road. My main contact person there was Allen Vukmirovich, the body shop foreman - a really nice guy who worked hard in our behalf. Thanks, Allen! (His picture is below.)

We thoroughly enjoyed our time with Megan, Jim, and Drew, and we miss them already. But, as always, it is nice to be back home. We were surprised when we figured it up that we have been able to spend three whole weeks this summer with Megan and her family!

Our 700-mile "test drive" of our repaired car went well, except for a couple of traffic jams that added a total of an hour to our trip. (A tip for anyone considering a drive south on I-75 through Lexington, KY - plan some delay into your trip. Because of road destruction, three lanes are narrowed to two lanes between mile markers 111 and 109, right about where I 64 goes off to the east. The 5-mile traffic back up began at mile marker 116.) Fortunately we had just stopped for gas and dinner a couple of miles before that.

We spent so much time simply enjoying our grandson Drew, that we suddenly realized that we had taken hardly any pictures! We snapped off some desperate, last-minute pictures before leaving. Here are several:

Drew is almost as long as this section of the Pack 'n Play now!

We tried to get some smiles out of him as we said goodbye outside ... finally with success!

We miss that little smile very much already!

quotation...

"We make choices, but God is in control the whole time." - Dr. Bob Payne

=^..^= =^..^=
Rob

If a book about failures doesn't sell, is it a success?

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