Some Quick Updates

Yep – just some quick ones.

1) Something interesting is happening.  I can’t talk about details yet, but I’ll let you all know when I know the final details – probably Wednesday afternoon.

2) As you probably know, Chris is back and out of the hospital.  He’s staying with us for a while, while he recovers.  We’re pumping calories into him at an astronomical rate.  Hopefully we can have him good and fat soon.

3) I’ve signed up on sparkpeople.com  It’s a fitness and nutrition tracking site.  I’m trying to sort of diet = 1850 calories or less per day.  So far it’s going pretty good. 

4) In that regard I’ve recently put a post up on my fitness blog – runfatboyrun.wordpress.com  I’m planning to add to it more regularly again.

5) I’m writing this on my laptop with no internet connection.  If all goes well this should publish when I get to an internet connection later in the day.  What fascinating modern times we live in.

6) Going to Kamloops soon.  Have an appointment with a specialist about my back disease.  I’m hoping for some sort of miracle drug that takes away my pain and lets me sleep full nights again.  That would be cool. 

7) Spore is pretty cool.  I’ve been playing offline only in  my “liberated” version.  Now that EA/Maxis has said that they’ll be changing the copy protection to allow five activations and are putting in place a tool to “de-authorize” activated computers (much like iTunes) I’ll consider buying it if I don’t get it for my birthday.

8) Which is coming up soon!  I’m getting oldish.

9) Dylan is officially a 6mo.  That’s pretty cool.  She’s loving real people food – although she only gets to gum bread and rice crackers and stuff to death.  The occasional bit of rice cereal.  Y’know – baby stuff.

10) People are coming over tonight.  It’s officially a wedding planning exercise, garnished with a fresh beef roast and veggies.  I think Scott is planning to add a topping of Rock Band Fun after we get the work part done.  Since Ivy pooped in the potty it’s also going to be her potty pooping party we’ve been promising her since we started this whole potty training affair.  And what an affair it’s been!\

11) Ivy pooped in the potty!!!!!  YAY! Word! Dude! Party Time! Excellent! (guitar solo) Sweeeeeeeet!

12) I rode my bike to work today.  Chilly.  I had to scrape frost off the seat, put on a scarf, and wear ski-doo gloves.  It was pretty cold, but once you get to 100km/h at least your helmet unfogs!  Awesome!  I’m guessing this will be one of my last commutes this year on the bike, and prolly one of the last times I get to ride before I have to winterize the little baby and put it away for the winter.  Sad me.

A “Modest” Proposal

So.  I proposed to Samantha weekend before last.  Saturday July 12th, for the record.

She said “yes”.  Whew!

So – now we’re planning a wedding.  I remember doing this before – it’s full of suck.  But there is lots of good stuff involved too – and I’m really, really excited.

I’ve always been a fan of “elegance”.  I like nice things – even if they’re unobtainable.  So this wedding will be Sami’s chance to shine – she’ll be a queen of elegance for the day (well, even more so than she already is) – but I want to be a suitable accessory to her.  I want to look as dashing as I possibly can, in hopes of somehow convincing our wedding guests that I deserve to stand next to her.

I’m looking for a tailor now to alter some clothes or make them from scratch.  I need prices, and sources.  I have ideas of what I want to wear, but I need to try stuff on and see what it’s like.  I have some work ahead of me I think.

What I want to wear is:

• A Morning Coat (preferably in oxford grey)
• Double-Breasted Vest (with high collar)
• High-peaked wingtip or foldover collar shirt with removable collar in white. Possibly blue and white striped, with french cuffs in white.
• Ascot or Silk-Puff Tie
• Appropriate striped trousers
• Fancy Socks
• Balmoral boots with white tops.
• Maybe white spats.
• Black or White Gloves
• A top hat or bowler.  I’ve found a nice bowler, so I’ll see how a top hat looks somehow.

Sometime soon I’ll try and put some pictures up on here to describe better what my words are lacking.  I’ve been doing research into what a groom traditionally should wear, and it sounds like what I have picked out is very traditional.

Any input is appreciated.

Oh, and I guess I’ll have to arrange rental stuff for my groomsmen.  Scott and Josh have agreed to dress up fancy with me and get me to the altar on time, so I have to find affordable options for them, since I’m too cheap to get their stuff too.

Although, I’ll be buying their gloves, their ties and possibly some other accoutrements.

Oh, PS.

We don’t have a date yet, but we’re aiming for January 30th, 24th or 17th of 2009 – depending on hall rentals and whatnot.

Loss

**This post deals with events that might be traumatic for some people, notably miscarraige. You have been warned.**

One of the webcomics I read regularly is Ctrl-Alt-Delete. It’s a comic about gamers, and is usually funny, often ironic, and occasionally, very emotive. Is that the right word? This is a post about the latter, one comic that struck a particular chord with me.

Cut added for those who’d prefer not to read the rest of this post.

Baby Carriers of Supreme Awesomeness!

A good friend of ours, Amanda, is starting a home business selling baby carriers. Specifically she’s making copies/derivatives of an African baby carrier her mom brought home for her when she was in Africa.

Since I’m a pretty big fan of baby/parent contact, snuggling, breastfeeding and all that sentimental stuff, I thought I’d give her a shoutout here.

You can find her blog (which is very much a work in progress, I’m giving her what help I can) at babysgotback.wordpress.com

I know she’s going to be selling these things, and I think she’s going to be doing custom orders. I’m not sure what she’s asking, but you can probably send her an email ( littlesaintsatplay @ hotmail.com) and find out the details. Tell her I sent you.

Planting, Cleaning, Building, Oil-Changing

Well, I went for a ride with Greg and Kate today.  We hopped on the bikes and followed Greg’s parents out the the Yorston Farm and had Cinnamon Buns.  They have an event called Cinnamon Sunday each Sunday in May.  Buns are 1$ each and really, really yummy.  We took some curvy roads home. (Yorston Farm, incidentally, is where we went to the super awesome corn maze last year, and will be going again this fall.)

When I got home I changed my oil and filter in my bike.  Nice clean oil now, will be dirty in a day or two.  The curvy roads were fun, and Greg brought the extra pieces for my left fairing, so I can hopefully tighten up my dash and whatnot.  Sweetness.

Tom, Chris, Scott, Sam and I worked on putting together Ivy’s new swing set!  She loves it, it has one baby swing in the middle, two big kid swings, a slide and a teeter-totter.  The whole thing was enjoyed by all of the kids, because Mel brought her little ones, Ally and James over as well!  Super awesome sunny Sunday. (And it was Sun-Day as well, nice and warm at about 22*C)

Then we had some yummy barbecued pork chops, courtesy of Samantha.  Salad too – the first and only thing I ate today other than a cinnamon bun.  It was super to sit outside with the family and enjoy some dinner.

After dinner Samantha and I cleaned the barbecue, CLR and Scotch-Pads baby!  We scrubbed and hosed and sprayed and cursed and cleaned and rinsed and …. whew!  The BBQ should be nice and clean for next thing we cook on it – maybe ceder plank salmon tomorrow night.

I also managed to get our three herb pots planted, the three pepper plants and the extra herbs in the herb garden in the back.  I’m hoping my garlic chives and leeks do well back there too – the rubarb is still scrawny, it hasn’t put down good roots yet.  Maybe I should find some good food safe fertilizer to drop down back there.  We have parsley and something else new – can’t even remember what I planted.

Then, to finish off the night Chris, Sam and I put some Mario Kart Wii on and raced ourselves silly.  I have to get my sorry, sunburned butt to work in the morning, so I’m about to crash now.  See y’all later!

PS.

Welcome to summer time!