A Day in the Park

I think I'm going to make a few more drawings for this series and frame them in my baby's room.

BARTENDER! ANOTHER ROUND OF PUMPKINS!

Happy Halloween!  We had a nice evening at Joel and Candace's new pad.  Joel and I carved pumpkin steins, complete with hinged lids!  We watched "The Birds," had delicious stew made by Kelly, and Candace made a fabulous pumpkin pie!  Oh yeah, you can't forget Joel's biscuits.

Today Jenn and I had my world famous Thai Ramen.  Top Ramen is the base, and then I add wonder and amazement as you can see.  It is so delicious.  You need about  a gallon of water to balance out the sodium, though.  Mmmmm...sodium.

Brian

drawing of the day

Green Thumb Afternoon

My dog, Abbey, got ahold of my one shefflera a while back and turned it into two.  I have had this plant for over six years.  I got it before I went to college and it has followed me everywhere.  Jennifer and I doctored these once conjoined brothers back to suitable health for repotting.  They have patiently been waiting on our kitchen windowsill in stagnant water cups, growing the best roots they possibly could under less than ideal conditions.

Today was their renaissance.

The first one is planted in a pot that I received from my late friend Dean who was always an inspiration to me to cultivate my green thumb.  The roots wrap around the rock in the foreground.  The moss was collected in my backyard (in the rain) and patchworked together around the base of the plant.  My main concern is that the roots won't take.  Hang in their little shefflera.

The second is more of a three part potting project.  The two side pots are filled with various mosses collected from the backyard and the woods.  We'll see how the moss transplant works out.  The center, longer pot also has some moss and a couple rocks.

I'm hoping that one of these will find it's way into the baby's room.

This made me happy this afternoon.

-Brian

I hate baby stuff

It's true.  Every time I go over to someone's house who has a baby, I want to leave.  Those plastic, colorful toys spread all over the place.  The drooly bibs and towels.  Those stupid kids' books lying around.  Uggghhhhhhhh.  I hope my house doesn't end up looking like that.  My daughter is going to have cool stuff.

Cut down another tree today and cut up a few that had fallen in a recent wind storm.  It was so beautiful back in the woods.  The colors, the quiet...  Mom-in-law lent a hand by helping me stack it all after I split it.  She's worried about her grandbaby being too cold.

Brian

Daddy Duty

Daddy duty is falling upon me already.  Put the crib together tonight.  Painted a wall in the baby room this week.  Next step?  People keep trying to scare me by telling me I'll have to change dirty diapers.  What they fail to realize is that I used to change adult diapers for my last job.  I think I can handle a baby.

-Brian

California Dreamin'

So I flew so many times in the last two years that Southwest deemed it appropriate to give me a free round-trip flight anywhere they fly. I thought of going to DC and checking out all the monuments and museums. I considered Chicago and visiting one of my best friends and his new baby. Colorado crossed my mind where my friends and the New Belgium brewery reside. But when I really searched my heart, there was only one place I wanted to go. Home.

Jenn and I had a great weekend visiting family and friends in Castro Valley. I love California more than anything, but in a strange way, I had a greater appreciation for WA when I got back. I think my adoration for both places grew while I was down there. And that's not a bad thing.

Oh yeah, Southwest gave me drink coupons too. Sweet.

Grandma Sandy got to feel the baby kick (yes, she's kicking now!). Next time you see Jenn, don't say anything, just put your hand on her belly like you own it!

Matt was home from the Navy and we had a great time catching up. He'll be living in Oahu soon and has already told me he would keep a permanent room open for me in his house (maybe? what do you say, Matt?). No surfing this trip. The waves didn't cooperate, and I was so busy seeing people that I wouldn't have had time anyway.

Back to life. I gotta paint that baby room soon...

Brian